Tricksters Queen (49 page)

The priestess Imgehai Qeshi had perished in her burning temple, Lord Obemaek in the fighting. Countess Genore Tomang was dead, killed helping to defend Balitang House. Her son Ferdy lost an eye in the battle before the palace gates. Aunt Nuritin had kept looters from breaking through the servants' gate at the house before a stroke felled her. She was working now to speak again, but the healers said her left hand would never regain its strength.

Once the fires were put out and the palace secure, Dove met with the captive luarin nobles. Chenaol, the duchess, Quedanga, Ysul, and Duke Nomru were present to advise her. From those who surrendered and acknowledged her as queen, she required a blood oath on the spot. She did not ask for one from Taybur.

"They murdered his king," she explained to her council of advisors. "As far as he was concerned, their authority over him ended there. I will trust him."

Her elders argued. They told Dove that, having betrayed one set of monarchs, Taybur could never again be trusted, but Dove would not be swayed. Aly said nothing in front of the others. She had already convinced Dove that Taybur deserved a chance.

Dove also sent out messages to the commanders of the Rittevon forces in the outlying Isles, and to the rebel raka. She received replies in trickles, promises of surrender or vows of resistance. A number of noble luarin hurried to court, anxious to convince their unofficial new queen that they deserved to keep their wealth and lands. Dove told them, every time the subject came up, that property would be redistributed. The luarin could be content with less wealth than they had possessed before, or they could leave the Isles. Most chose to stay, particularly as the Nomrus, Balitangs, Fonfalas, Obemaeks, and Tomangs began to divide their own lands with those who had a legal claim.

For the challenges to her rule, Dove sent out troops led by Fesgao, Nomru, and others. Nawat, who wore a multicolored, incredibly gaudy necklace these days, as did every crow Aly saw, also went out to persuade the fighters to stop. As summer deepened and began to wane, crops were far more important than battle. By the end of August most of the Isles had decided to see how they'd manage with a half-raka queen. Only Ikang and parts of Malubesang and Lombyn continued to resist.

Aly worked even harder than she had before the fighting. Rubinyans old study, with its well-executed maps and many useful books, became her office. Soon she had to clear rooms on either side to make space for her deputies, Vi-torcine, Yoyox, Olkey, and Atisa. They took in the information that arrived each day and rendered it in a form that could be presented to Dove and her counselors. When she could leave things in their hands, Aly ventured out into the Isles, turning the spies of the raka conspiracy into her agents. She chose people from every walk of life. By the start of September she had broken the Kingdom into districts and appointed an agent to take charge of each.

One September morning she woke up—she had fallen asleep on her desktop again—to find Trick squeaking in her ear and Dove settled in a chair in front of her desk. Aly, her brain muddled, struggled to push herself to her feet.

"Stop that," Dove said crossly. "When was the last time you slept in a bed, not at your desk?"

Aly yawned. "Recently, Your Majesty." "When was the last time you saw Nawat?" Aly grinned. "Very recently, Your Majesty." She touched the antipregnancy charm he'd given to her. She wore it on a chain long enough that she could tuck it into her breast band under her sarong.

"Better. When are you getting married?" "Before I lay eggs," Aly said, awake at last. "Why is Your Majesty asking me these questions?"

"Do you plan to nest here or at home?" Dove wanted to know. "Because of all those I have worked with, you are the only one who hasn't sworn to me. Are you going back to Tortall?"

Aly bit her lip. Why couldn't Dove have started this after Aly had spent a night sleeping in a bed? At last she replied, "I wouldn't sell your secrets to other realms, Your Majesty."

"That isn't why I'm asking," Dove snapped. Secret squeaked from its position around her throat. She and the small darking had been inseparable since their first meeting, just like Aly and Trick. "I'm sorry, Secret. But really, Aly, one moment you're braiding my hair and the next you're at least a table length away, giving reports. It's not the same." She looked down at her bronze silk lap. "I thought you were my friend," she added quietly. "I still need a friend."

Aly’sighed. It was time to make choices about her future. "Taybur would do very well as your new spymaster," she said, shuffling papers. "He's got the right shifty turn of mind."

"Until the Isles are at peace, I need Taybur with the Queen's Guard," retorted Dove. "He's thorough. If I'm to visit some of the Isles next week, I want him preparing the way. I want
you
for spymaster."

Aly looked at her sadly. "There are things about me you don't know," she told Dove, her belly clenched with tension. "Things that make it impossible for me to be your spymaster. Things that as your permanent spymaster I
must
tell you.

"Oh, stop bouncing and say it." Kyprioth appeared in a window seat, dressed in a jacket and sarong like woven copper, jangling with jewelry. "You know you want to."

Aly scowled at him. "I thought you were going to be really large if you won."

"I am large," retorted the god. "This is only the part you see. I imbue this palace with my essence, every stone and every drop. My visit will do wonders for the flowers."

Aly propped her chin on her hand. "So does manure," she observed.

Kyprioth chuckled. "Whyever would you want to leave me, my dear? We're
made
for each other, in a god-to-servant way." He looked at Dove. "I see you're removing those statues of my sister and brother outside." His face lit with anticipation. "Will you have them melted down?"

"Perhaps
you
can afford to offend them," Dove replied. "I can’t. They’re going to the temples of Mithros and the Goddess in Rajmuat, as is proper. Do you want me to put up a statue to you? Our custom says it's very unlucky."

"Put a statue up of me? Nonsense," scoffed the god. "I am multitudes. You see but one of my faces. I am—"

"Vast," Aly interrupted. "Yes, you've mentioned it."

"So when's the big day?" Kyprioth asked Dove, unmoved by Aly's sarcasm. "When is my queen to be crowned?"

"The day after Midwinter," Dove replied, a smile tweaking her mouth. "So my official reign begins with the rebirth of the year."

"With the rebirth of the sun," the god corrected her. "Not that I begrudge him, poor fellow. He still hasn't gotten his shield back. That thief I got is truly talented." He raised an eyebrow. "Ah. A summons." He looked at Aly, black eyes dancing. "If she's crowned at Midwinter, the foreign delegations will have to come by the end of October and stay the season," he pointed out. "Your monarchs are sending their very favorite people. You had better hurry up and tell her." He vanished, leaving a thin layer of copper sparkles where he'd sat.

"What did he mean by that?" Dove wanted to know.

Aly had a very bad feeling. "I'd like to tell Winna at the same time, if I may," she said wearily. "I think you both should hear it from me. Trick?"

Trick sat up on her shoulder. "She comes," it said. Like the other darkings given to specific people, Winnamine's had chosen to remain with her as the duchess took over the running of the domestic side of the palace. She had long since ordered Aly to call her by her nickname.

Waiting for her, Aly and Dove talked over plans for Dove's visit to the nearby Isles. The chief problem lay in finding ways for her attendants to keep up, since she would be riding the winged stallion she had named Kypry. "I just won't land until I know the place is safe," she was telling Aly as Winnamine swept in.

The duchess had set a new fashion, wearing her dark-ing as a glossy band twined throughout her hair. Other ladies of Dove's new court were trying the same style, without success, since a darking could grip better than a satin ribbon. "Midget says you two want to discuss something with me," she said as she settled into a chair. "It's not bad news from the outer Isles, is it?"

"You should wait," said Trick. "Fesgao and Chenaol come, too. We told them."

"Why?" Aly wanted to know.

"The darkings are right," said Dove. "They were with us at the beginning. They should hear whatever it is, too."

Aly changed position, hiding the fact that she was making sure the knives in her sash and under the top of her desk were ready to hand. Sheer self-preservation had made her flinch from telling members of the old raka conspiracy. Of all the people Aly had dealt with since her arrival in the Isles, she felt they had the most right to be vexed when they learned the truth about her.

"While we're waiting," the duchess said, pulling a folded parchment from a pocket. Dove and Aly recognized the bold writing right away.

"Sarai!" cried Dove, and grabbed the letter.

As Dove read greedily, Winna told Aly, "They married when they reached Carthak. Sarai is expecting a child next spring." She smiled, her lips trembling. "If it is a boy, they do mean to name him Mequen. They won't be here for the coronation, but they promise to visit as soon as it's safe."

Chenaol arrived from the kitchens, her arms covered to the elbows in flour. Dove had pressed her to accept a more important position, but the raka had refused flatly. Her place was in the kitchen, she'd told Dove. If people wanted to talk weapons, they would find her there.

Fesgao was not far behind the cook. As commander of the queen's armies, he kept an office at the headquarters building near the Rittevon enclosure. He had settled into his work, spending his days like Aly, sorting through papers to decide what mattered and what did not. He'd told Aly that he looked forward to Dove's trip as a break from documents.

When the door was closed behind them, Aly took a deep breath. "Your Majesty, friends," she said quietly, her hands resting on her sash, "I cannot be your spymaster. I am the daughter and granddaughter of Tortall's spymasters, and the daughter of Tortall's King's Champion. The god did not teach me most of what I know—I learned it at my father's knee. I am
not
working on Tortall's behalf. Kyprioth claimed me after I'd foolishly left my home, and set me to work with you. That is the truth of it." She looked down, listening for the slightest hint of movement. The knives in her sash were the quickest to reach, but if it was Fesgao who came for her, she'd need the sword secured under the desktop.

For a very long moment, much too long for Aly's taste, no one spoke or moved. Then Chenaol hoisted herself to her feet. "If that's all, I've got two wagonloads of flour coming from Digger Brothers' mill. I want them to explain how I found gravel stitched into the bottoms of the bags last time. Then I need to decide how much I'll take out of them in blood."

Aly stared at her. "That's it?" she demanded, shocked. "Or will I find you waiting for me in some dark night with one of those thousand and three new carving knives you bought for the kitchens?"

Chenaol rolled her eyes. "Half for the kitchen, half for the armory," she explained. "Why
should
I care? The god picked you. How many times do you have to prove whose side you're on? Oh, I remember—you've already done that." She stomped out.

Fesgao called after her, "Wait." To Aly he said, "She's right, you know. The god wouldn't saddle us with someone who worked for a rival country. I wonder what happens now. Will your father spank you for playing with the neighbors?" He followed Chenaol. "I thought I asked for a
thousand
knives for the armory," he told her.

"Five hundred is what you get with the treasury in the mess it is," they heard her reply. "Talk to Quedanga, if you want to hear her moan about all the money spent on food supplies for those whose crops didn't make it."

Aly blinked, then looked at Winna and Dove. "Maybe the god's recommendation is good enough for you, Your Majesty," she said to the queen. To the duchess she respected she added, "But, Your Grace . . ."

Winnamine smiled and rose to her feet. "Chenaol is right. You have more than proved who has your allegiance, Aly." She came over and leaned down, in a puff of lily-of-the-valley scent, to kiss Aly's cheek. "I would hate to force you to choose between your family and us, but it goes without saying that we need you more." She smiled at Dove and left them, gently closing the door behind her.

Aly looked at Dove.

"Are you going to be my spymaster or not?" demanded the younger girl. "Winna's right. We need you more. We met your father, didn't we? Last year, at Tanair. Only he said he was a merchant."

"Your Majesty, he lies," Aly said, shaking her head with regret. "He lies all the time. I think sometimes he lies just to stay in practice."

Dove smiled and stood. "And to protect his daughter, alone in the enemy's country," she pointed out. "Will you be my spymaster, please? I still do need a friend."

Aly got up and walked over to her, then knelt, took Dove s hand, and pressed her forehead against the younger girls fingers. "I will serve you all my days, Your Majesty," she told Dove softly, meaning it with her whole heart. Then she looked up. "You're wearing five rings. You promised you'd never wear more than three."

Dove giggled. "Boulaj says they look nice." The young woman had decided that she liked the post of bodyguard-maid and kept it.

"She's Kyprin," Aly scolded. "They think twelve necklaces on one neck is nice."

Dove pulled a ring off, a gold band with a piece of basalt set in it. Embedded in the smooth, matte black stone was a small copper kudarung. "Then here," she said, holding the ring worn by her personal household to Aly. "You wear this one.

For once Aly had nothing to say. She could only nod, and slide the ring onto her index finger.

Someone pounded on the door. "Your Majesty!" called Nuritin, pronouncing each word with care. "You have an audience in the Throne Hall this morning. Will you be late to your own audience?"

Dove grimaced and walked out to meet her obligations.