Cormyr_ a novel - Ed Greenwood [60]
"Half a hundred ambitious nobles!" Blaerla replied excitedly, her own brown eyes flashing in response, color coming into her cheeks. Her companion's cheeks always sported a blush-and several beauty spots-thanks to her capable crew of six maids-of-adornment, who also powdered her several chins. "At least twenty noble families consider the crown is as rightfully theirs as it is the Obarskyrs'!" She drained her glass to underscore the gravity of her words.
"You exaggerate, dear," Darlutheene said indulgently, pouring more of her fourth-best bitter orange generously. Blaerla licked her lips appreciatively, unaware that she wasn't actually getting the finest amberfly the bottle proclaimed it held. "Azoun is poorly, yes, but he still lives, and everyone, simply everyone, is looking to Tanalasta. It seems our silent miss is to have her chance at last!"
"Is she strong enough to seize it?" Blaerla asked eagerly, eyes snapping with excitement. "Or having taken the throne, to hold it?"
"Ah, but you must be unaware, my dear, that our weak, frail princess of books and sighs has-a man!"
"No!"
"Yes!"
"Tell!" Blaerla demanded, almost upsetting a tall glass with her chin in her forward-leaning eagerness. "Who is this next king of ours? Taldeth Truesilver? That leering one who gives her all the flowers-what is his name Hundilav… Hundilavatar Huntsilver? Surely not that popinjay, Martin Illance?"
"No, no… you'll never guess, dear, I didn't!" Madam Ambershields made the most of her moment, pausing to leisurely sip her current glass of cordial while her companion almost bounced and squealed with impatience. She settled for stroking Darlutheene's hand fondly, several dozen times.
"Well?" Blaerla demanded at last, unable to wait any longer. "Tell me!"
"His name," Darlutheene said slowly, refilling her glass, "is Aunadar Bleth, a hitherto overlooked young blade of the old and respected Bleth family."
"Respected, my dear? By whom?" Blaerla was a Roaringhorn, and the Roaringhorns did not think well of the Bleths as a matter of principle. The reasons went back several centuries, and by now the particulars were quite forgotten, but were thought to have been very good at the time.
"By-by, ah, all sorts of highly placed people at court, dear! They say he's quick with a blade, and handsome enough, and, well… has stayed at her side. A true young gallant!"
"Of the sort that rushes about waving his sword and his jaws nonstop and falling off his horse every tenday?" Blaerla asked dryly, and they chuckled together over their glasses.
"Well, whatever happens," Madam Ambershields said with satisfaction when she could speak again, "Princess Tanalasta has labored too long in her father's shadow, supporting him with her every word and act! It's high time she built a life of her own."
"Well, yes, she needs to chart her own voyage… but is she ready?"
"Are any of us, dear? It's true she's led a sheltered life, and all this may have come rather suddenly, sooner than she might have wished… but she should be happy now that she has a man!"
"Hah! Men!" Blaerla's passing acquaintance with men had not left her with all that high an opinion of the creatures, dogs barked more frugally and got into less mischief, on the whole. "What do we know about this Bleth boy, really?"
"Well, that is a matter of some spirited dispute, I may say," Darlutheene allowed. "Some say he has an impeccable character, but it must be said that none speaking so are women. He is rather obscure…"
"But they were saying in the palace yestereve that Tanalasta-delicate rose that she is!-quite lost her wits when the duke died, and though she's recovered enough to speak and recognize folk and feed herself, she's still a shattered thing!"
"No, no, my dear. Your sources are quite mistaken. The