The Black Raven - Katharine Kerr [71]
“I’ll be back as soon as the prince has no need of me.”
When Nevyn returned to the council chamber, he found Maryn waiting there alone, standing at the window and staring out at the rain. He turned when Nevyn shut the door.
“I gave Oggyn leave to go,” Maryn said. “His blunder was eating at him.”
“That was kind of you, my liege.”
“Politic, anyway.” Maryn shrugged. “What does Lilli say?”
“She has absolutely no desire to marry Braemys, Your Highness.”
“Splendid! We’ll send the herald back with a message that will blister Lord Braemys’s ears for him.”
“Shall we compose it now, my liege?”
“Let me think on it a bit. We’ll consult later, and then I’ll summon a scribe—wait. Braemys sent his herald to carry a letter, but his herald shall hear my answer. Let it look like I’m not taking him seriously enough to have it written out.”
Nevyn left the prince and went up to his own chamber, a small round room perched at the very top of a tower. It held a narrow cot, a single chair, a small unsteady table, a charcoal brazier, and a large pile of his belongings—sacks and small chests, mostly crammed with packets of herbs and roots, as well as what few pieces of spare clothing he owned. Into an empty sack he put the medicaments he needed, mostly licorice root and a few simples, then went back down.
But when he reached Lilli’s chamber, he found the door open and her gone. Inside one of her maidservants was setting down a basket of charcoal near the bronze brazier that stood near the head of the bed.
“Where’s your mistress, lass?” Nevyn said.
“Gone off somewhere, my lord. A man from the king’s guards came up a little while ago and asked her to talk with him.”
“One of the silver daggers? Which one?”
“Branoic, my lord.”
“Ah. I thought it might be he.” Nevyn paused as a thought struck him. “Here, about Prince Maryn? He’s not king yet.”
“Oh, we all know what the priests say, my lord, but he’s king enough for us.”
“I see.” Nevyn had to smile. “Well, my thanks. I’ll just leave these things here, then, for later. Don’t touch them.”
“Have no fear of that, my lord!” The lass looked at his bundle with deep suspicion. “Are evil spirits going to pop out of that?”
“I doubt it very much. Just don’t touch it, and you won’t be in any danger.”
Nevyn was walking back down the corridor to the stairs when he met Oggyn, hurrying toward him and carrying an armload of the sort of parchment rolls chamberlains use to note taxes and other dues.
“Lord Nevyn, a moment of your time,” Oggyn said. “There’s somewhat I want to lay before the prince, but after my horrible blunder, I’m a—feared to.”
“Oh here!” Nevyn said. “I’d not worry about that if I were you. The prince has forgiven and forgotten.”
“I truly hope you’re right. At any rate, it concerns the taxes and dues from this demesne, Dun Deverry’s own lands and holdings, I mean. Could you tell me when he’s well disposed to consider such things?”
“Most assuredly, but I do think you could approach him yourself without harm.”
“It’s not just that cursed blunder.” Oggyn looked puzzled. “Lately he’s been much distracted. Deciphering his moods is a difficult thing.”
“Well, of course! Ye gods, he spent his whole life battling toward this day, when he’d have Dun Deverry for his own. Ever since he was a child, truly—and now he has it. And so it’s over, that entire part of his life. It’s left him feeling spent.”
“I see. Ah, how I wish I had your wise knowledge of the hearts of men!”
Nevyn refrained from making a sharp remark about hearts that resort to flattering those they in truth dislike. It was better to have Oggyn indebted to him, after all, than at odds.
In the great hall of Dun Deverry low fires smoldered in the pair of hearths to drive off the damp. Although the drafts won the battle for the center of the room, near the fire it was warm enough for Lilli to breathe easily. She sat with Branoic on a bench close to the honor hearth, where her noble birth gave her the right to be. Branoic