Elantris - Brandon Sanderson [94]
Sarene regarded the elderly man with surprise.
Shuden chuckled. “Lord Roial is, perhaps, the only bachelor in Arelon whose affection is more sought-after than my own. Not that I am jealous. His Lordship diverts some of the attention from me.”
“You?” Sarene asked, looking at the spindly old man. “Women want to marry you?” Then, remembering her manners, she added a belated “my lord,” blushing furiously at the impropriety of her words.
Roial laughed. “Don’t worry about offending me, young Sarene. No man my age is much to look at. My dear Eoldess has been dead for twenty years, and I have no son. My fortune has to pass to someone, and every unmarried girl in the realm realizes that fact. She would only have to indulge me for a few years, bury me, then find a lusty young lover to help spend my money.”
“My lord is too cynical,” Shuden noted.
“My lord is too realistic,” Roial said with a snort. “Though I’ll admit, the idea of forcing one of those young puffs into my bed is tempting. I know they all think I’m too old to make them perform their duties as a wife, but they assume wrong. If I were going to let them steal my fortune, I’d at least make them work for it.”
Shuden blushed at the comment, but Sarene only laughed. “I knew it. You really are nothing but a dirty old man.”
“Self-professedly so,” Roial agreed with a smile. Then, looking over at Hrathen, he continued. “How’s our overly armored friend doing?”
“Bothering me by his mere noxious presence, my lord,” Sarene replied.
“Watch him, Sarene,” Roial said. “I hear that our dear lord Telrii’s sudden good fortune isn’t a matter of pure luck.”
Shuden’s eyes grew suspicious. “Duke Telrii has declared no allegiance to Derethi.”
“Not openly, no,” Roial agreed. “But my sources say that there is something between those two. One thing is certain: There has rarely been a party like this in Kae, and the duke is throwing it for no obvious reason. One begins to wonder just what Telrii is advertising, and why he wants us to know how wealthy he is.”
“An interesting thought, my lord,” Sarene said.
“Sarene?” Eshen’s voice called from the other side of the room. “Dear, would you come over here?”
“Oh no,” Sarene said, looking over at the queen, who was waving her to approach. “What do you suppose this is about?”
“I’m intrigued to find out,” Roial said with a sparkle in his eyes.
Sarene acknowledged the queen’s gesture, approaching the royal couple and curtsying politely. Shuden and Roial followed more discreetly, placing themselves within earshot.
Eshen smiled as Sarene approached. “Dear, I was just explaining to my husband about the idea we came up with this morning. You know, the one about exercising?” Eshen nodded her head toward the king enthusiastically.
“What is this nonsense, Sarene?” the king demanded. “Women playing with swords?”
“His Majesty wouldn’t want us to get fat, would he?” Sarene asked innocently.
“No, of course not,” the king said. “But you could just eat less.”
“But, I do so like to exercise, Your Majesty.”
Iadon took a deep, suffering breath. “But surely there is some other form of exercise you women could do?”
Sarene blinked, trying to hint that she might be close to tears. “But, Your Majesty, I’ve done this ever since I was a child. Surely the king can have nothing against a foolish womanly pastime.”
The king stopped, eyeing her. She might have overdone it that last time. Sarene assumed her best look of hopeless idiocy and smiled.
Finally, he just shook his head. “Bah, do whatever you want, woman. I don’t want you spoiling my evening.”
“The king is very wise,” Sarene said, curtsying and backing away.
“I had forgotten about that,” Shuden whispered to her as she rejoined him. “The act must be quite the burden to maintain.”
“It is useful sometimes,” Sarene said. They were about to withdraw when Sarene noticed a courier approaching the king. She placed her hand on Shuden’s arm, indicating that she wanted to wait a moment where she could still hear Iadon.
The messenger whispered