From Darkness Won - Jill Williamson [206]
“I think you are wise to keep the council, Your Highness,” Sir Eagan said. “But you should appoint the members. And you must also appoint your Great Officers.”
Achan had never heard of that. “What are they?”
“The men who will serve you here, in Armonguard,” Prince Oren said. “Your staff, so to speak.”
“Are there men serving in these positions now?”
“No. The positions have been vacant for years,” Prince Oren said.
And so, with a little help from the knights and Prince Oren, Achan spent the next hour appointing his Great Officers. Prince Oren would serve as Lord High Steward, which meant he would manage Er’Retian property and financial affairs.
Sir Eagan would serve as Lord High Chancellor, or secretary to the king, until he could train Manu Pitney, as Sir Eagan wished to return to Carmine with Duchess Amal and travel to Zerah Rock to reconcile with his father.
Achan could think of no one better for the position of Lord Great Chamberlain, officially charging Sir Caleb with the management of the king’s living quarters, wardrobe, and general well-being.
Achan appointed Sir Gavin as Lord High Commander of the Royal Armies, which Sir Gavin had been doing already.
Duchess Amal became Lady Chairman of the Council of Seven. But due to Cela Duchy’s rebellion, Achan divided Cela duchy in two for the time being. Half the land went to Barth Duchy and half went to Nahar Duchy. If the Hamartano women could not be reasoned with, perhaps the Council of Seven would become the Council of Six. Or there could be another war. Only time would tell.
Duchess Amal would remain duchess over Carm Duchy, Lord Orson over Therion, Duke Pitney over Allown, and Lord Dromos over Nahar. Inko son of Mopti would become Lord Mopti and rule over Barth Duchy. With the strife there, it would not be an easy assignment.
As king, Achan would preside over Arman Duchy. He left Lord Levy in Sitna for now. And he decided that Prince Oren’s son, Donediff Hadar, would move to Mahanaim as ruling lord, and Donediff’s second in command would be promoted to warden of Eret’s Point.
Achan appointed Toros Ianjo as Lord High Priest.
Which left only one position undecided: The Lord High Master of the Horse. Unfortunately, the stablemaster and his assistant had both died in the battle for Armonguard.
“I would like to appoint Noam Fox,” Achan said.
“The stray?” Sir Caleb said.
Achan could only stare at Sir Caleb.
“Forgive me. I mean no disrespect, Your Highness. I only wonder how much this young man could know about running a stables for a palace like Armonguard.”
“Noam has run the stables in Sitna for the past five years,” Achan said. “He is young, but I have no doubt in his ability to care for and train horses.”
“I’ll vouch for him,” Sir Gavin said. “He took masterful care of my horses when I was in Sitna.”
“I shall draft official letters of appointment and send them to each individual appointed this day,” Sir Eagan said.
“I’d like to take Noam’s letter myself,” Achan said.
“Very well,” Prince Oren said. “If you do not have anything further to discuss, I would like to show you the how the repairs are coming along.”
So Prince Oren led Achan and the knights to a balcony overlooking the northern arc of the keep.
Achan turned in a circle, taking in the view now that he had the chance. The sunlight cast glittering diamonds over Lake Arman and warmed Achan’s head. The lake surrounded the whitestone castle on all sides with three bridges leading back to land: north, east, and west. The Gadowl Wall stretched across the western land like a line drawn in charcoal. To the north, the Gate Road wound up the Cela Mountains. In the distance beyond, he could see the peak of Mount Bamah, which stood halfway between Armonguard and Barth. The King’s Road twisted off over the eastern prairie until it vanished into the Nahar Forest on the horizon.
Below, the bailey swarmed with