‘We?’ Erris repeated in that creaky, wheezing voice of his that always suggested he was not long for this world, even though the old bastard showed no sign of obliging. He pushed himself up. ‘It seems to me that there is no we any more, little girl. Your time as heir to the throne has come to an end and I see no reason to tolerate your prattling wishfulness any further.’ He motioned to two of his personal guards. ‘Remove the child.’
From the moment the emergency session of the Ducal Council had been called, I’d ignored my usual instincts and instead opted to be polite and take my beating as graciously as possible. Now I found myself staring at the sheaf of paper and the pen used for recording major decisions. I reached over and slid it along the gleaming oak surface towards the guards approaching Aline. ‘You’ll want to fill out the names of any next of kin before you take that next step, gentlemen.’
Aline rolled her eyes at me. ‘You’re not helping, Falcio.’
‘You expect me to let them drag you out of the room?’
‘They wouldn’t dare to try.’
‘Really?’ I said, my eyes on the guardsmen, who were doing an excellent job of ignoring me. ‘You think your winning smile will keep them from following their Duke’s orders?’
Aline didn’t reply, but looked at Valiana, who’d kept silent during this most recent threat to Aline’s safety. Her eyes were locked with the guardsmen’s and now I understood why they weren’t paying attention to me at all. The raw ferocity in Valiana’s eyes burned so hot that it could only be the Adoracia fidelis running through her veins. Normally she kept it under control, but right now she was letting just enough of it rule her to make everyone nervous. The men Erris had ordered to remove Aline had been here in this same room when the poison had overcome Valiana some months ago during the war of the Saints. Clearly they remembered that little incident.
‘That mad dog has no business being here,’ Erris declared. ‘She should be locked up during these episodes of hers.’
Valiana’s voice was surprisingly calm, and dreadfully cold. ‘You ought not to trouble yourself with my episodes, your Grace. Worry instead over what I will do whilst in full control of my faculties should you ever again command men to set hands on Aline.’
How any person alive could not adore Valiana was beyond me.
The light clack of a teacup being set down on its plate broke the silence. ‘Are we all done with the theatrics and posturing?’ Ossia asked. ‘I imagine this “Magdan” and his army would be rather amused to find us at each others’ throats.’
Amused, I thought bitterly, but not surprised.
‘That presumes this tale we’ve been spun about a Trattari amassing war bands and arming them with Shan steel weapons and cannons is even true,’ Hadiermo said.
Ossia looked over at him with all the disdain he deserved. ‘You think Falcio val Mond of all people would manufacture a tale of the Greatcoats joining with Avares, abandoning their King’s missions and turning traitor against their own country?’ She didn’t wait for a reply. ‘No, gentlemen, the threat of invasion in Hervor and Orison is real and imminent. We need to be redoubling our efforts to rebuild our own military so we can face this Magdan with a united front.’
‘And behind whom, precisely, shall we unite?’ Jillard’s tone was perfectly balanced between genuine respect and subtle mockery. ‘I take it you have some wisdom to offer on that score?’
‘I do.’ She let her gaze travel around the room. ‘All of you have been operating under the assumption that this boy, this “Filian”, is the true son of King Paelis.’
‘You haven’t seen him yet,’ Hadiermo said. ‘Take one look at the scrawny runt and you’ll have no doubts.’
‘Really?’ She turned to look the Iron Duke up and down. ‘Are you saying that if I travelled the length and breadth of this country I couldn’t find some overweight, flat-faced braggart who could pass for your brother in a pinch?’
Even Erris laughed at that one. ‘She’s got you there, Hadi!’
Ossia went on, ‘Patriana loved nothing better than to plot and scheme, to engineer deceit against those she believed had slighted her.’ The Duchess gestured towards Valiana. ‘Did she not take this orphan child and train her to believe that she was a princess?’
Jillard’s eyes narrowed as if he was trying to determine if Ossia knew something she shouldn’t. ‘You’re saying Filian is another fake?’
‘I’m saying we have no reason to believe he is the true son of King Paelis until we have proof – the kind of proof Tristia has always demanded of its noble houses.’
‘You want to summon the City Sages?’ Aline asked.
When the two of us had been trapped in Rijou, it was the City Sage, drawing on some esoteric mix of magic and genealogical lore, who’d discerned the true identities of the noble lines assembled before him.
‘I do,’ Ossia replied.
‘I can have the Sage of Rijou here within the week,’ Jillard said.
‘Precisely why I suggest we don’t rely on one Sage.’ Ossia turned to look at each of the Dukes in turn. ‘Gentlemen, this country has seen far too much chaos and uncertainty of late. For the good of the nation, for the assurance that our people will surely demand, I recommend that we summon a Sage from each Duchy.’
‘Including Hervor and Orison?’ Hadiermo asked.
‘Especially Hervor and Orison.’
‘Clever,’ Jillard said, stroking his short beard. ‘If our Sages should decide the boy is not the heir, then the fact that those from Trin’s territories do swear to his authenticity will be seen as political manipulation on their part.’
‘I leave such ploys to you, my lord Duke of Rijou,’ Ossia said. ‘I only know that this will give us the time we need to explore our options.’
It didn’t take long for them all to agree to Ossia’s proposal. The one thing everyone wanted was more time to make sense of this development and work out its ramifications. For me, it meant a chance to find some law that might justify putting Aline on the throne even if she did turn out to be the younger.
My sense of relief disappeared when I caught the glance that passed between Hadiermo and Erris. I didn’t need to be told they’d be using this time to seek out Filian and see what kind of deal he might offer them for their support.
Ossia was still sipping her tea; Jillard was staring off into space, contemplating, no doubt, the various ways he might arrange for this new heir to suffer a tragic accident before the Sages could be assembled.
And if he did, would I stop him?
Kest’s words came back to me unbidden: ‘My First Cantor takes a dim view of murder.’
He used to, anyway.
I felt Aline take my hand and squeeze it. ‘You had no choice but to bring Filian here, Falcio,’ she said. ‘Nor do the Greatcoats have any choice but to uphold the law if he truly is the rightful heir.’