The Spy Princess (24 page)

Afterward

I
was sitting on the rim of the palace fountain, feet in the water, as I tossed scraps of bread to the fish, when I heard a familiar voice.

“Lilah!” Innon sauntered up, dressed in riding clothes. I hadn't seen him since the day after Peitar's coronation.

“Just got back.” He sat down next to me. “I was going to ask what it felt like to be a princess. I see it's real torture.”

“Peitar said I could take my time getting used to it, but Great-Aunt Tislah's still here.”

“She is? I thought you said she was at the trial—accusing Peitar!”

“That's because she believed the rumors that he killed Father, and all those other things she said. I wanted him to kick her out, but he insisted we accept her apology, because she's family.
Pheg!
Anyway, it's easier to wear this gown than listen to her mealtime lectures about what a
proper
princess should do.
And
she can't see my bare feet under the table.” We both laughed. “So how was your visit home?”

“My parents are busy overseeing improvements in Tasenja.”

“Your house got ruined? But the people in Tasenja liked you.”

“Yes. My father and the locals got along pretty well, but there were some roving bands from Helasda. They looted us and attacked a couple of our towns. Everybody's trying to rebuild.”

“So how is it, being a Roving Eye?” We all liked Peitar's nickname for the trusted people he'd dispatched around the kingdom. They were officially called “Royal Emissaries,” and had a signed letter of passage.

“It's great. I get to ride around and stick my nose into things, and no one can chase me away. I like being important.” He pretended to throw back lace from his wrists and grinned. “I like being a Tasenja for the nobles who care about rank, and I like being a Sharadan brother for everyone else, especially those who might want to ignore a kid.” Another grin. “You should hear some of the rumors! The farther you get from Miraleste, the crazier they are, and your brother said to never confirm or deny the really good ones—like where we three decoyed the rest of the army while you captured King Darian single-handed.”

I snorted. “From what I remember, the rain decoyed the army—on both sides.”

“Yes, but Peitar said people want to believe the stories. The truth can go in the records, but for now let people talk. He says Derek was right about how they make everyone feel better.”

Yes, but they also had unexpected results. “People who come to see Peitar look at me like I've got magic powers—it's so strange.”

“I was about to ask how things are for him.”

“He works all the time. Except when visitors come, mostly courtiers, whose first question is, ‘When will you summon the nobles to court again?' Or they present daughters who want to flirt with Peitar and try to become queen.”

“Flirt! With Peitar!” Innon thought this hilarious. “What does he do? Does he even notice?”

“Oh, he acts as polite as ever. Then he starts asking questions about the repair and rebuilding in their provinces until they give up and go away. He's serious about no formal court until the kingdom is in better order.” I sighed. “Great-Aunt Tislah spent our entire breakfast lecturing him about marriage. If he doesn't send her home by tomorrow, I might visit Bren in Riveredge. Deon's already gone—Tsauderei sent her to a mage he knows up north. If Dtheldevor and her pirate kids really exist, she'll find them.”

I thought back over the rapid changes since that night at Selenna House. I'd looked at Peitar, wondering,
What now?
Afterward, it seemed like the entire kingdom looked at him and asked the same thing.

And he'd told them, with confidence. Some complained, but what he wanted was slowly coming to pass.

“So the grown-ups listen to you?” I asked.

“They pretty much have to. So I try not to make any mistakes.”

“Derek said the same thing, before he set off to inspect the towns. And Halbrek did, too—they are listened to, but they also have to listen.”

Innon leaned back on his elbows. “Well, it seems to be working. Out loud I say that I'm there to gather reports and note anything that requires crown help, but every single person I've visited so far seems to know that I'm also there to check up on how
they're
doing.”

“Are you done?”

“Oh, no, I've only just finished the western provinces. Peitar was very specific: every single estate, every town and village. I never knew how many there were.”

“Sounds awful,” I said.

“Well, that's why I'm doing it, and you're not,” Innon said. “Fact is, I'm good at lists and patterns and numbers, so I can tell when someone's trying to blinker me. I really like seeing the kingdom being put back together.”

“Derek said that, too.” I tossed the last of my bread into the pool and watched the golden and silvery fish rise to the surface. “He just left again yesterday.”

“Sorry I missed him,” Innon said, and then a yawn caught him by surprise. “Hoo! I'm tired. Long ride, but I wanted to get here and report.”

“How about some lunch first—oh, wait. Here he comes.”

Peitar crossed the terrace toward us. He'd had only two visits from Tsauderei, but already his walk was much easier. He limped, but he no longer needed a cane.

Peitar came closer, looking worn out. “Problem?” I asked, some of the fear from the bad days squeezing my heart. I hadn't told Innon, but I still had nightmares.

“No.” Peitar's lips twitched. “I studied magic texts far too long last night, and I'm feeling the effects. But I'll live.”

And you'll do it again
, I thought, but I didn't say anything. We'd promised one another: no nagging about what we thought the other's duty to be.

“Innon! Welcome,” he said. “Go have some lunch. Reporting can wait.”

Innon called a good-bye over his shoulder as he ran off.

As soon as he was gone, Peitar said, “I will keep assuring you that there is no danger.” It was easy for him to read my face, too. “Commander Leonos has already discharged most of the army to their homes to work on rebuilding. And Uncle Darian will keep his word.”

“I wish I could believe it.”

I hadn't been there when Uncle Darian woke up from the Lure sleep. I wanted to be well away, and I was, sound asleep myself at the home of Derek's new Selenna Leader, who turned out to be Deon's grandmother.

Peitar had waited until we were going back to Miraleste to tell me what had happened.
They carried Uncle Darian to my room, and I made certain that I was the only one there. It was bad enough that he woke to find that he'd lost the kingdom once again—all his leaders agreed to the truce when they found out he was in our hands. I could not bear to make it worse.

But he could have killed you!
I protested.

But he didn't,
Peitar retorted.
We talked, just the two of us, after I told him what happened. And when we made our agreement, we walked out of the parlor together.

Uncle Darian and his leaders agreed to exile, which meant leaving Sarendan. Tsauderei transferred them by magic to one of the northern countries.

Peitar looked beyond the fountain—beyond the palace and the kingdom. “After I was sentenced, Darian and I sat up all night talking. Knowing that you have less than a day to live clarifies your thinking,” he added dryly.

“Talking?”
I cried. “And he wouldn't halt the execution?”

“It was the verdict. Though he admitted he was angry when he chose the jury. Anyway, I think I understand him better now. The terms of our agreement were precise. I trust him to stay beyond the border until I invite him back.”

“I know it sounds odd, but I always feel as if he's lurking around, watching.”

“I hope he
does
watch from a distance,” Peitar said. “That will keep me honest.” I groaned, and he gave me a humorous glance.

But I wasn't in a laughing mood. A growing sense of guilt made me say, “And I've been doing exactly nothing to help.”

“Most of what needs doing is being done. I don't know if my plan will work. It's a gamble, and unfortunately the risk belongs to us both if I don't win.”

He meant using the crown treasury to pay for all the jobs—all the reconstruction and repaving and reseeding—and not collecting taxes until a year had passed, to give everyone else the chance to rebuild, too.

Peitar dipped his fingers in the pool and watched the ripples. “Two things you might consider,” he finally said, in a tentative voice.

“Go ahead,” I responded. “That's not exactly nagging!”

“The first, I wish you would write up what happened, just as you lived and saw it. I think your perspective would be interesting as well as important.”

“I don't even want to
look
at that fashion book for at least ten years. Twenty!”

“Very well.”

“You give in too easily,” I grumped. “But I'd rather just tell you, and
you
can write it down. You're the one who wrote all those letters. All I did was scribble things.”

“I don't think I could do the job you would. I didn't see what you saw. All I did was worry about whether or not I ought to take action, and once I did, I managed to get myself into trouble from which I had to be rescued.” He looked sardonic. “Don't waste time denying it.”

“I don't see it that way.” And when he didn't answer, “So what's your second thing?”

“You must keep your promise to Atan and visit her. Tell her what happened.”

I drew in a breath of sheer pleasure. “Of course I want to go back to the valley, but I keep thinking I might be needed here. You know, in case.”

“In case I need any more rescuing?”

My face burned, because it was true. Despite everything, my feelings were unchanged—I had to watch out for my brother. Even if he
was
a king. But I kept remembering what Tsauderei had said about passion and practicality.

Peitar said, “For now, life is quiet here, so you've time for both things, if you wish. Eventually I think we'll return to the old ways, though with significant changes. I've been thinking about something like the Sartoran page system.”

“When the nobles send their kids to someone else to learn manners and governing?”

“Exactly.” He turned his face to the sun. “I don't want people to believe the only requirement for inheriting land and rank is to be ornamental, because then we'll have the same problems all over again. But change has to be slow.”

I didn't know what to say to that. Some didn't like change, truth be told. Others were trying things they'd dreamed about. Bernal was back in Arnathan, starting his horse farm. Bren was helping repair Riveredge, and thinking about Peitar's offer to send him to Colend, which had the best art academies on the continent.

Mirah and Nina went right back to cooking, but now they had magical aids in the kitchen again. Tsauderei oversaw the mages who were traveling throughout the kingdom, renewing spells. Lexian was prenticed to the silversmiths, and Lizana had come back from Delfina to take Master Halbrek's position when he was appointed a Roving Eye. She didn't say anything, but I suspect she had waited until there was peace because she felt the old loyalties to Uncle Darian, despite her allegiance to Peitar.

Peitar's and my lives were forever changed. Father was dead, and here we were, king and princess. We'd known one another's true selves for so short a time, and now he belonged to the kingdom, whereas I . . .

I belong to myself,
I thought, looking out over the lake. Peitar had agreed that if Innon and I wanted, we could dissolve our betrothal. And, before he returned to Delfina, Tsauderei had told me,
Remember what I said. He needs you.

How?
I asked.
I can't govern.

Be yourself. It's the best gift you can give him.

How could I help him, since we'd promised never to nag each other? What was that about perspective? I groaned again.

Peitar laughed. “Now what's wrong?”

“All that writing. I don't know if I can do it!”

But I have!

And here it is.

 
Sherwood Smith
first started writing about Lilah's world, Sartorias-deles, when she was eight years old, and hasn't stopped since! Her novels include Crown Duel and, for younger readers, the Wren books (
Wren to the Rescue, Wren's Quest, Wren's War,
and
Wren Journeymage) and A Posse of Princesses
.
Wren's War
was both a Mythopoeic Award Finalist and an Anne Spencer Lindbergh Award Finalist. Her story “Mom and Dad on the Home Front” was a Nebula Award Finalist.

She has served on the jury for SFWA's Andre Norton Award since its inception and is an active member of Book View Café (www.bookviewcafe.com), a publishing nexus for writers, readers, and all those concerned with science fiction and fantasy.

When not writing, she has worked as a teacher and in theater. She lives in California with her family and thousands of books. Visit her at
www.sherwoodsmith.net.

A
LSO BY
S
HERWOOD
S
MITH

 

The Sartorias-deles Books

A Stranger to Command

Crown Duel

Over the Sea: CJ's First Notebook

Mearsies Heali Bounces Back: CJ's Second Notebook

Hunt Across Worlds: CJ's Third Notebook

Poor World: CJ's Fourth Notebook

Senrid

Fleeing Peace

Sasharia en Garde: Once a Princess

Sasharia en Garde: Twice a Prince

The Trouble with Kings

The Spy Princess

 

 

The Wren Books

A Posse of Princesses

Barefoot Pirate

Wren to the Rescue

Wren's Quest

Wren's War

Wren Journeymage