Cormyr_ a novel - Ed Greenwood [147]
"But why would she do that?" Blaerla asked, brown eyebrows furrowed in genuine puzzlement. Then she added cattily, "I thought she liked nobles in their beds-male nobles, and lots of them."
Darlutheene gave a little crow of laughter that made her several chins shake heartily, then slapped at her confidante's arm with perfumed fingertips. "Ah, shrewdly said, Blaerla! Shrewdly said!"
Blaerla flushed with genuine pleasure and held out her own glass for a refill. Darlutheene awarded her with a delicate pouring of her best ruby-hued Elixir du Vole and continued. "Why, dear, don't you see? She's removing nobles who've declared their loyalty to our dear court wizard-because certain noble houses, I've heard, are hiring mages in Sembia, Westgate, and farther afield to organize a raid on the palace! She needs to be sure that the families working for the wizard won't foil them!"
Blaerla squealed with excitement, almost-but not quite-spilling her cordial in her bouncing breathlessness. Her low-cut gown briefly displayed movement akin to a ship breaking up in heavy, rolling waves. Darlutheene could only watch in fascination as the perfume wafted forth from her friend's heavily gem-and-fine-chain-adorned front. Blaerla asked, "Raid the palace? Why? Oh, Darlutheene Ambershields, before all the gods, tell me why!"
"I have heard they're coming for the king, of course," Darlutheene said smugly. "To wrest him away-sickbed and all-from Vangerdahast's clutches. Of course, with all the evil spells that have been laid on him by now, they're probably too late. For all we know, Azoun could be a zombie under our dear Royal Magician's control, even as we speak!"
"Oh!" Blaerla squealed, clutching her glass to her ample bosom, "this is all so exciting!" She felt the cold glass against her flesh, remembered what she was holding, and drained it in a single gulp.
Holding it out for more, she said triumphantly, "We are truly favored of the gods to dwell here in Suzail, with the eyes of all the world upon us, while all these… dramatic, important things are happening!"
Darlutheene patted her friend's cheek fondly, seeming not to see the empty glass held out to her. "Yes, yes, dear," she said fondly. "Of course we are."
* * * * *
Had Blaerla not been quite so excited, the two fine-gowned ladies might have heard a brief commotion in the street below. The Purple Dragon sword captain Lareth Gulur, a veteran of the Tuigan War, had just nodded a wordless greeting to a war wizard he knew slightly-Ensibal Threen, a mild-mannered sort-when out of the crowd strode a noble in deep-blue velvet and white shimmersheen, his fingers bristling with rings. One of the Silverswords, Lareth thought, wrinkling his brow as he delved in his memories for the man's name. He was rather chubby, with long blond hair and a wispy mustache of the same hue-gods, don't these young fools know what they look like, with a few brave hairs sprouting from otherwise bare upper lips?
"Know, Vangerdahast-loving wizard, that it is I, Ammanadas Silversword, who brings down upon you forthwith your richly deserved doom!" the young fop snarled.
Ammanadas, that was it! Lareth almost smiled at the haughty little puppy for his helpfulness-until he saw the long, glittering skinning knife flash out of the noble's sleeve.
The wizard Ensibal had turned at the sudden, ringing declaration, and in doing so presented his throat to the blade. The Silversword obligingly plunged the blade into the proffered throat. Blood fountained, and the war wizard collapsed like a toppled oak as screams went up on all sides and folk scurried about, either to get clear or to find a better view.
The Silversword noble made a disgusted sound and leapt back, almost into the Purple Dragon's arms. Lareth had his own dagger drawn by then. The Purple Dragon used