Tricksters Queen (42 page)

"And so he should be!" Nomru said. "Letting a woman decide a matter of state ..."

He looked down at the strong brown hand that gripped one of his arms, then up into Fesgao's eyes. "Perhaps we have not made ourselves entirely clear," Fesgao told him mildly. "We are not in this to put another luarin man on the throne. We are here to reclaim our homeland and set a proper queen of our own blood to rule."

Nomru took a breath, as if to argue, then halted, and released it. "I confess, we have done poorly with our charge," he admitted reluctantly. He looked at Dove. "Of course. The one who is twice royal." He fell silent, then nodded. "I am an old dog, but I believe I am still able to learn. Dovasary might do very well for us all."

The next day callers returned to visit the duchess. That night Duke Nomru moved secretly into Balitang House. One or two or three at a time the luarin conspirators, starting with the Fonfalas, learned they had new allies, people who were not prepared to allow them to take over. It took little to persuade most, particularly because Aly urged the duchess, Nuritin, and Dove to let them know what had happened to the court mages, their families, and the men set to guard them. The luarin conspirators could work it out for themselves that Imajane had done all this to cover up some dreadful act like regicide.

Two days after Matfrid Fonfala visited his grieving daughter, Trick told Aly that the Fonfala estates on Malubesang, next to the Nomru lands, had risen against the Crown. They were led not by servant and slave rebels, but by Winnamine's brothers. That same day word came from Malubesang of the discovery of the royal governor's body, hanging from the cliffs that overlooked Fajurat Bay.

When a twentieth Crown spy turned up dead, courtesy of Boulaj and Junai working from Aly's lists, Rubinyan and Imajane instituted a twilight curfew throughout Rajmuat. Even with the curfew, neither spies nor the night patrolmen themselves were safe from the rebels. From her sources Aly cheerfully reported growing unease in the warehouses commandeered for use as barracks and in the barracks proper for the army. The men complained that death in battle was expected; simply disappearing from the street was not.

Two nights after the curfew began, the chief conspirators, including Duke Nomru, the priestess Imgehai Qeshi, Winnamine, and Nuritin, met outside at Aly and Nawat’s suggestion. Certainly it was stifling indoors; the garden was cooler by far. Urged by Nawat, the miniature kudarung came out to meet the four luarin, who were charmed and awed. No kudarung had come voluntarily to Rajmuat in over two centuries. Aly thought better of the stern Nomru when she saw how gently he handled a small piebald foal that tried to eat the trim on his tunic.

The curfew gongs were ringing when the southeast horizon flared orange. Aly pointed it out to her companions as a big explosion thudded in their ears. Nomru started to his feet, the ladies and then the raka beside him. Over the southeastern wall of the house the orange glow expanded. Where the white light-veils and the multicolored sparks shifted over the sky, the orange glow kept its place on the horizon. Soon they heard the now-familiar clang of the city's alarm bells.

Nomru frowned. "That looks like it comes from the naval shipyards," he said.

Aly sighed happily. "It does. My little ones do such wonderful work."

"Their Majesties will start executing people over deeds like this," Nomru warned.

"They would do it sooner or later in any case," replied Ulasim. "They must, to show they have control. They will find it is not so easy to kill rebels here. And while they search for people to execute, they will force those who did not want to choose between them and the rebels to pick a side."

Aly pointed upward. The multicolored points of light scattered across the sky blazed more strongly than ever. "So nice to know our work is appreciated," she remarked.

The next morning, when she went to her workroom, her pack was already there, freshly washed and wearing clothes that did not smell of blazebalm.

"Very good work last night, my lambs," she told them as she flung herself into her chair and laced her fingers on her stomach. "Very inspiring. What is left?"

Jimarn unfurled a small, deadly smile. "Very little. No wonder it's a death sentence for a raka to possess blazebalm. It's very useful stuff."

"What next, Duani?" Olkey wanted to know. "We have ideas for our recruits, of course, but do you have anything special in mind?"

Aly tugged an earlobe. She would have loved to get to work inside the palace, but the raka there were too easily trapped. For the time being she named four people in the city as targets. All were the prince's cronies, placed in high offices when he became regent. It was even more galling that the lone raka among them was in charge of the Crown prisons on Gempang and Kypriang, where the prisoners were also mostly raka. If he felt anything for them, he had yet to show it.

"You might advise these four that it's a mistake to support the current government," she said. "They should be allowed to live. But they should remember they cannot hide from us. Indulge your imaginations. Be mindful of their children. Many times children grow up to make different choices than did their parents. Jimarn, you might want to visit the Crown warehouses on Josefa Street. They are packed with grain. Wouldn't it be nice to hide it someplace so we can share it with those in need this winter? Do as you like with the empty warehouses."

"Duani, remind me to stay on your good side," Hiraos commented, shaking his head. "You really know how to hold a grudge."

"And
she makes it painful," Guchol remarked soberly.

Aly waved goodbye and watched them go. Their tasks would keep them occupied for a few days. By then she ought to have some ideas for the palace in general, and the Gray Palace in particular. The darkings had already mentioned that their noisemaking and item-throwing had increased the tension of all who lived there.

As soon as the pack was gone, Trick told Aly that Imajane was sending Lady Edunata home to her family covered in bruises. The morning after Edunata left, Imajane woke to find that two more ladies-in-waiting had left her service in the night. They did not want to risk Imajane's jealousy.

That same day Rubinyan brought Varwick Jimajen, his oldest son by his first marriage, to court from his home estates. Aly passed on to the conspirators that Rubinyan confided to Varwick his fear that he could not control his queen. It worried him that she had ordered the deaths of the mages without consulting him. He rightly asked himself what other orders she might give.

Nawat expanded the work of the crows. They had already put a stop to the Crown's attempts to communicate with the outer Isles by winged messenger. The only reliable ways to get news or give instructions were through messengers on the ground or by mage. Since the queen trusted what her new mages told her no more than she had the old mages, the newcomers were a jumpy crew. Nawat then made sure that it was not safe for a noble or soldier on the open palace grounds. When Imajane tried to do a day's hunting just outside the walls, Nawat and his friends mobbed the falcons, driving the royal party back to the Gray Palace.

Seventeen days after Dunevon's death, Kioka raced into Aly's workroom. "I just came from the docks!" she announced, panting. "You won't believe it! They posted it on the docks while their messengers delivered the letters to the palace. They're calling their ambassadors home!"

Aly drummed her fingers until Kioka caught her breath. "I would share your joy more quickly if I understood what to be joyful about," she said gently.

"I'm sorry, Duani. It's the Tortallans, and the Carthakis. They say their mages discovered the storm that sank King Dunevon's ship was magical, and they traced the magic back to the Gray Palace. They say they will not trade with king-slayers! Every Tortallan and Carthaki ship in port is weighing anchor, even if they don't have cargo. Even if they're half unloaded! Olkey says the Tyrans are debating cutting their trade with the Isles, though he isn't sure they'll do it. Tyrans are less choosy about where they get money."

Aly stopped drumming her fingers. She hadn't expected this. Tortall and Carthak had just put the Isles under a trading ban until the king's murderers were caught. With a bad harvest and national unrest draining the royal treasury, this was a heavy blow. How would the monarchs cope? They would have to find someone to take the blame. A pity that Imajane had been so quick to kill the mages, but Aly supposed the princess had decided she couldn't be certain that the mages would keep quiet about who had issued their orders.

Would the Crown try to hold the Tortallan and Carthaki ambassadors here in Rajmuat? Aly hoped so, but surely Rubinyan and Imajane wouldn't be that stupid. If they did try, they could expect the Tortallan and Carthaki navies within the week.

"It's good, right?" Kioka asked, brushing her hair back from her eyes.

Aly sighed. "Think how distressed Their Majesties must be," she said. "And shouldn't the people know our two richest, most powerful neighbors have stopped trading with us?"

"Got it," said Kioka. She raced from the room, squeezing past Nawat.

Aly raised her eyebrows. "You left me to sleep the rest of the night alone," she said.

Nawat grinned. "I was helping to steal soldiers who couldn't keep up."

"What do you do with them?" she asked, curious. "I haven't heard of bodies being found."

"Nor will you," Nawat informed her, sitting on a corner of the worktable. "They were still alive when we gave them to my warriors at the edge of the jungle." He picked up Aly's hand and laced his fingers with hers. "My warriors will be able to say
they
last saw the missing soldiers alive, when the troops went on a visit to the jungle."

Aly walked her free fingers over their entwined hands. "But why would Crown soldiers visit the jungle?"

"They didn't think they would at first," Nawat admitted. "So my warriors show them the beauties of the deep jungle. They take away all the things the soldiers have of the civilized world, such as clothes and weapons and armor, so the soldiers will appreciate the jungle with their entire bodies. But my warriors have seen jungle before, so they get bored and leave. The soldiers stay longer."

"Like the tax collectors," Aly whispered, awed by the beauty of what he described. "Take away all they have and leave them to survive the jungle. If you’re questioned under truthspell, you can say they were alive when you left them. And the only way they could survive naked out there ..." Nawat was shaking his head. Aly nodded. "I take it you don't leave them near any trails."

"They are there to appreciate the jungle that has been untouched by humans," Nawat told her, a teacher to a student who did not quite understand.

Aly sighed. "I am limp with envy," she told him. "Simply limp."

Nawat raised the hand still entwined with his and kissed it. "I knew you would be." He got to his feet.

"You're leaving?" Aly asked, dismayed.

Nawat bent down and kissed her thoroughly enough to make her limp again. "I am bored with nobles and soldiers who hide," he explained. "The flock that watches the palace will keep them busy. I thought the city flock and I could play for a time. But I will come back." He cupped her cheek in one hand. "I promised myself that I would not let any day go here when I did not see you once, and not just for kisses." He tweaked her earlobe and left her there among her reports.

She propped her chin on her hands. There was a great deal to be said for having a former crow as a lover, she decided. They kissed as if they meant it to last. They kissed as if you were the only one they had ever kissed or would ever want to kiss. And this one . . . there were no two ways about it. He was a man.

"I won't be able to push him around anymore," she observed aloud.

"You have work," Trick reminded her. "Do not let kissing distract you."

"I don't, not for more than a moment or two," Aly replied. She glanced at the darkings. "You know, my mother always told me you had to seize the bright moments, because you never know when they will come again." She smiled dreamily. "The older I get, the smarter she seems."

"Rubinyan visits Sevmire," Trick told her. "Sevmire is drunk."

Aly glanced out her window. "It's barely noon."

"Rubinyan is very unhappy," Trick added. "Rubinyan knocked Sevmire down."

"Well, the man's drunk when he's supposed to be on duty," Aly remarked. She looked at them, sitting up a little straighter. "I suppose you could say the same of me."

"You are happy," Secret told her. "That is nice. You don't have many nice times."

Aly smiled. "I believe that is changing. Is Rubinyan going to get rid of Sevmire?" She wasn't sure she wanted that, not now, when Sevmire was doing such a terrible job.

"Sevmire promise not to drink," Trick told her. It straightened, then quivered. In a flash it joined with Secret to become a two-stranded necklace again. Aly was putting them on when Boulaj poked her head into the workroom.

"Our ladies have received an invitation," she told Aly. "The new queen invites us to a late breakfast tomorrow morning. She wishes to consult with 'certain valued friends' about the coronation ceremonies."

"Oh, splendid," replied Aly, reaching for reports. "Has she said how they will pay for those ceremonies?"

"Not in the invitation," Boulaj said with a shrug. "Is the treasury really so low?"

Aly nodded. "They have to keep the armies and navy happy, which is to say, paid. There's not much left over. They’re discussing an invitation to the merchants and the nobles to contribute to the ceremonies as a proof of loyalty. I'm sure everyone will be delighted to hear they must beggar themselves to confirm the new king and queen."

"No doubt," Boulaj replied. "Anyway, Lady Dove asks if you will come with us."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Aly assured Boulaj.

The conspirators, particularly the luarin ones, were not as eager as Aly. That afternoon, they protested when the duchess told them about the invitation.

"I don't like it," Lehart Obemaek declared. "Bringing so many of our ladies together at the palace—what if they mean to hold them, to ensure the lords' obedience? Because it's not just you and Nuritin and Dovasary, Winna. My wife and daughter have been invited."