Fire Dragon - Katharine Kerr [10]
“I see. But I don't dare ask Decci for it.”
“Of course not. Leave it to me, but I can't do it immediately. I'm going to attend upon the prince for a brief while. We'll be writing out the formal declaration of the summer's fighting. Tomorrow at dawn the messengers go out to announce the muster.”
“I see.” For a moment Lilli felt like vomiting out of simple terror. “Oh ye gods, I hope this summer sees the end to it.”
“So do I.” Nevyn sighed with a toss of his head. “So do I.”
The prince had sent out the call for his vassals to muster for war so often that the meeting went swiftly. Nevyn suggested a final flourish of words, the scribe wrote out the first copy, Nevyn read it aloud, and the prince approved it. Nevyn and Maryn left the scribes at their work of copying the message several dozen times and strolled together out in the ward. The sun was hanging low in the sky and sending a tangle of shadows over the cobbles, and the warm day was turning pleasantly cool. Prince and councillor climbed up to the catwalks that circled the main wall of the inner ward and leaned onto it, looking down the long slope of the grassy hill.
“I need your advice on somewhat,” Maryn said. “I didn't want to ask publicly and embarrass the lad, but it's about young Riddmar.”
“Let me guess. He wants to ride to war with us.”
“Just that.” Maryn turned his head and grinned at him. “I like his spirit, but I don't want him dead before he's barely grown.”
“A very good point, Your Highness. We need him in Cerrmor. In fact, I suggest you tell him just that.”
“His safety's too important to the continuing peace in the kingdom? Somewhat like that?”
“Exactly. It has the virtue of being true. I remember you at about the same age. Whenever someone told you you were too young to do a thing, you wanted to do it three times as badly.”
Maryn nodded, smiling in a rueful sort of way. “My old tutor's still giving me grand advice,” he said at last. “My thanks.”
“Most welcome, I'm sure. I have to confess that I'm not looking forward to riding out, myself.”
“Doubtless not. I'll be glad of the distraction.”
“Distraction?”
Maryn leaned onto the top of the wall and looked out into nothing. Nevyn waited, considered asking again, then decided that Maryn would tell him about his troubles in his own good time.
When he left the prince, Nevyn went straight to the women's hall, which his great age allowed him to enter. He was lucky enough to find Bellyra alone, sitting on a chair at the window. She'd put her feet up on a footstool and sat spraddled with her hands resting on her swollen belly.
“You're going to have that child soon, from the look of it,” Nevyn said.
“The midwife says another turning of the moon, at least—I'd wager on two, myself. It's so big it must be another beastly son. Do sit down, Nevyn. What brings you to me?”
Nevyn perched on the wide stone of the windowsill. “Where's Degwa at the moment?” he said.
“I don't know. If you'll summon a page, I'll have him look for her.”
“No need. I wanted to talk with you about her, you see. Or rather, about that brooch Councillor Oggyn gave her.”
“You've seen that? It's quite pretty, isn't it?”
“It also belonged to Lady Merodda.”
“Who? Oh, wait—you mean the sorceress who poisoned people.” Bellyra hesitated briefly. “Lilli's mother.”
“Just so. I hate to bring Lilli up—”
“Don't apologize! I'm truly sorry I got so angry with her. It's hardly her fault. Maryn's very charming, and she's very young.” She leaned her head against the high back of the chair and seemed to be studying the ceiling beams. “Men are just like that, I suppose.”
Nevyn made a noncommittal noise.
“But about that brooch.” Bellyra looked at him again. “Does Lilli want it back?”
“Not in the least. I'm just afraid there might be a curse upon it.”
“Like that other wretched thing? The lead tablet?”
“Somewhat like that. Not as strong, surely, but even a little evil is too much. I can probably break it, the spell I mean, if Lady Degwa will let me have it