The Black Raven - Katharine Kerr [117]
“Oh, come now! The Boar clan’s holdings are huge. There’ll be plenty of land to go round when the prince attaints them.”
“Your point’s well taken, but the prince’s vassals will want those attainted lands for themselves or for their younger sons.” Oggyn paused, chewing on his lower lip. “I’ve got maps up in the council chamber. Could you come look them over with me? I’d like to settle these matters as soon as possible.”
“No doubt, but you’ve got months to do it in. Maryn won’t be able to dispose land till he’s been given the kingship.”
“Ah, I didn’t know that. Could you tell me precisely how it’s done, then?”
“I’ll be glad to, but I’ve got to go look in on my apprentice first.” Nevyn hefted the packets in his hand. “I need to brew up some medicaments for that cough of hers.”
“Uh, well, I really would appreciate your immediate help.” Oggyn’s voice, normally so fluid, carried just a trace of desperation—only a trace, but quite enough.
“And what’s all this?” Nevyn snarled. “Has the prince told you to decoy me off while he goes hunting Lilli?”
Sweat broke out on Oggyn’s bald head.
“Of all the—” Nevyn stepped around Oggyn and headed for the staircase.
“Wait!” Oggyn came chasing after him. “Please, good Nevyn! Let us at least discuss this matter privately.”
“Very well. Come along, then, and we’ll get clear of the great hall. You’re right enough—everyone’s staring at us.”
They went upstairs to the council chamber, where a new set of maps and parchments lay thick as snow on the table.
“Assorted letters patent,” Oggyn said with a wave at the clutter. “Now about this matter of your apprentice—”
“I dislike being lied to,” Nevyn snarled. “That’s the true issue here, not what Lilli may choose to do. I realize that you could hardly refuse to do what the prince commanded.”
“Just so. Truly, this entire thing has struck me as lacking in dignity from the first. I’m much too old to be a go-between. The prince should be considering affairs of state, not shoving love notes under doors.”
“Precisely. I take it he went to her chamber, and you were supposed to hold me off?”
“Just that. Apparently he’s there still. He told me he’d come down to the great hall once he’d spoken with her. He was expecting her to send him right away, you see, but that was some while ago. Most likely she’s finally allowed him to dip his bucket in her well.”
Nevyn relieved his feelings with a few foul words.
“I only hope,” Oggyn went on, “that His Highness will get his fill of the lass and end this affair sooner rather than later.”
“No matter what the lass may think about it, eh?”
“That’s no concern of mine. I hope I may count on your aid to get this matter tidied away as soon as possible.”
“You mayn’t, actually. You’re forgetting that Lilli is my apprentice, and her welfare is my concern.”
Oggyn took a sharp step back at this veiled reminder of dweomer.
“Eventually the prince may well tire of her,” Nevyn went on. “But I’ll not have your meddling bring that day sooner than it needs arrive.”
“Well, by the gods!” Oggyn snarled. “If you’re so concerned, then consider this! A speeded courier rode in this morning with news of Princess Bellyra. The barges are making good progress despite the rains, and she’s likely to arrive within the eightnight. It lies well within the princess’s power to make little Lilli’s life miserable.”
“It does, but she won’t. I’ll see to that. It’s you I’m worried about.”
“You are in no position to tell me what I may or may not do.”
“Indeed? I think me you misconstrue my position. Let us consider another matter for a moment, that of the child-king’s unexplained death. I have a witness to the lad’s death who can testify he was poisoned. I happen to know that you had access to the poison that killed him.”
Oggyn went dead-white.
“Arrogance is a luxury you can’t afford,” Nevyn went on. “I’ve refrained from laying the evidence before the prince simply because Olaen was doomed. If you’d not killed him, there would have been some sort of quasi-legal execution. But if Maryn knew that you personally murdered a child, even