“Of course, my lord. Have I not just sworn allegiance?” Irony crept into Sinnath’s voice as he added, “Did you not say we were to express our concerns openly?”
Gaelen laughed wryly, shaking his head. “You are correct, Sinnath. Thank you for reminding me. I will need such reminders again I am certain. One does not step into the position of lord knowing all one needs to know.”
They all relaxed, and Klast knew Gaelen had passed his first test.
“My next decision may please you less,” Gaelen began again, studying each of them carefully before continuing. “Be assured I came to this plan after carefully considering all possible outcomes. I will not be swayed on this, and will need your full support, until I satisfy you that it is sound.”
Klast came even more alert. Gaelen had not had time to inform him of what was coming. The amnesty was already making the council sit up and take notice. From the look on Gaelen’s face, he was aware that they might have a hard time swallowing the next announcement.
~4~
A RISKY CHOICE
The wary faces around the table told Klast that this test might be a more difficult one. He could see that Gaelen knew it too. But Gaelen went ahead as though he expected full support.
“The prisoner we hold upstairs is Cataniast’s daughter, Marja. You will recall that, just over a year ago, I was sent by my lord father to Lord Cataniast to negotiate an offer of alliance. You also know that a section of that agreement stated that his daughter would be sent to join with me, to become my wife. The joining would add strength to the alliance. You will recall that Cataniast refused. I intend to extend that offer again.”
Klast watched shock and concern flash on both Sinnath’s and Janest’s faces. Argost showed little surprise.
Gaelen paused before continuing. “Not only is she most comely,” he flashed a quick, mischievous grin, then sobered again, “she has shown remarkable courage and intelligence. If I can persuade her to agree, I am of the opinion that it will help convince the Catanians they will be treated fairly. And so they will be less likely to plot rebellion.”
All three looked ready to speak at once. Gaelen forestalled them, raising his hands. “My friends, let me anticipate your concerns. The woman is beautiful and intelligent. Some will claim I have been bespelled, that she holds me in thrall.”
Sinnath nodded.
Gaelen forged on. “Only time will allay those superstitions. Some will say I am merely swayed by the wiles of a beautiful woman, and these, too, will choose to see her hand in my decisions. The doubters will need to wait and see. The challenge lies in keeping her safe long enough to convince them. Objections will be most prevalent among our own people. The Catanians will be slower to see ill in this.”
Gaelen grew even more solemn. “I charge all of you with convincing the superstitious that there is no spell at work. While I do not deny that I find her desirable, you know me well enough to understand I will not be swayed from what is best for Bargia.”
“Consider the alternatives.” Gaelen gave them no time to interrupt. “We could keep her as a political hostage. That may have some small impact on the response of Catanians to my authority. Some of our own will also see it as a means to bend the Catanians to our will. Yet she is a woman, and so cannot inherit power. There is no male child for whom she could act as regent. That makes her value as a hostage unconvincing. As well, we need to consider the costs and efforts required to keep her comfortable and under constant guard.”
Gaelen searched the three silent faces, each intent with concentration. Klast knew this development would challenge each one. Gaelen turned, as Argost leaned forward and placed his elbows on the table, hands loosely linked ahead of him, his expression thoughtful but unreadable. Janest, too, had leaned forward, eyes wide and eager, like a child about to be handed a fascinating new toy. Sinnath, in contrast, leaned back against his chair, his arms crossed, his expression masked.
“We could execute her.” Gaelen tossed his hand in the air dismissively, indicating this would not be considered seriously.
Klast watched Sinnath’s expression become even grimmer, and he leaned further away from the table, as if to distance himself from this discussion, as Gaelen continued.
“That would satisfy the traditional thinkers, unable to adapt to change. It will also antagonize her people and make them less inclined to comply with my authority. Besides,” now Gaelen grinned a little sheepishly, “I have given her my word she will come to no harm.”
As Gaelen paused to gauge their reactions, Klast saw Sinnath grimace. Janest still seemed to be waiting for more, and Argost looked even more thoughtful, if such a thing were possible.
Gaelen took a deep breath. “On the other hand, what do we gain if she becomes my wife? First, it courts the good will of her people. They may take a wait-and-see attitude to Bargia’s rule. We gain time to establish order and dominion. We earn a reputation for sound leadership that can be trusted, and for myself as a man of honour. Secondly, it gives her people hope of an heir with Catanian blood. That will appease some.”
All three faces had become unreadable. No one seemed ready to interrupt now. They listened intently.
“Since we do not have a male member of my family to take up governance in Catania, it is important to avoid plots against Bargia for as long as possible. I have considered that the lady may use her position to plot against the House of Bargest for vengeance or power. We will need to be vigilant. Yet it is a risk we must take. I am convinced she is astute enough to see that her agreement will be in her people’s interests as well as her own. It will rest with me to convince her to my proposal and to have her swear allegiance to me publicly. I am aware that guiding our own people to see the merits of this plan may prove difficult. Thus it is of the utmost importance that you three stand behind it, and convince others to do so as well.” Gaelen stopped. “Now I am ready to hear what you have to say.”
“My lord, this is madness!” sputtered Sinnath. “She will surely betray you. You will wake one night with a knife in your heart! To take the enemy to wife! I beg you to reconsider!”
Janest’s answer was more circumspect. “Do you have a plan if she refuses? And a way to make sure she does not betray you if she does agree? This is a dangerous path you tread, my lord.”
This time it was Argost who appeared more hesitant. “It could be beneficial, as you say, my lord, but I, too, am concerned for your safety. Even if she produces an heir, she could still find a way to rid herself of you and act as regent for your son. Have you thought on how to ascertain her intentions and secure her allegiance?”
“You know that I cannot do so. But I am well versed in reading the signs in speech and body that will give clues to her state of mind. And I will have Klast with me when the agreement is presented.” He looked at Klast, who acknowledged him with a short bow. “You all know Klast’s reputation for smelling deceit. I will proceed as carefully as I may.
“There are risks, serious ones, but I am convinced they are worth taking … and necessary.” Gaelen smiled grimly. “I will also make sure there are no knives in the bedchamber … at least until I am more confident of her compliance.” He rose from his chair. “I leave you now to present her with my offer. Talk among yourselves, but only in this room. Sleep on it tonight. We will speak of it again tomorrow. Until then it remains with you alone. No one must hear of it. Good night, my friends.”
Gaelen took the tray with some of the remaining bread and cheese and the pitcher of wine with him. He beckoned to Klast waiting by the door. “Come with me.”
Klast heard the clamour of the men’s voices as soon as he closed the door. As they headed for the stairs, he heard Gaelen sigh. This would make a thorny hurdle for them. Yet he believed Gaelen was right. It was the best way … if she would agree. They trudged together up the stairs to the room where Marja waited.
When he reached the top of the stairs, Gaelen turned to Klast. “My friend, I will not be swayed from this. I will
need you to be my eyes and ears. I wish to present the proposal to Lady Marja immediately. Come. Watch and listen.”
Klast nodded, keeping his face inscrutable. “As you wish, my lord.”
At the door, Gaelen told the young guard to wait at the bottom of the stairs. “We must not be disturbed. This may be a long interrogation.” He repeated this to the guard sitting in the room.
~5~
CAT AND MOUSE
Marja woke from fitful dreams to the sound of Gaelen’s instructions to the guards. By the time he entered the room, she had remembered where she was and come fully awake and alert. Here it comes. This is where it will be decided.
As she straightened herself up, she became aware of how stiff and sore she felt. The day’s privations and sleeping upright, had taken their toll. While she listened to Gaelen giving orders to the second guard, she took the opportunity to take a long drink of water and a bite of cheese. She needed her strength. Who knew when the next meal would come?
She studied Gaelen as he turned and barred the door with his free hand. He looked grey with weariness and appeared to hold himself erect with a sheer effort of will, feet planted firmly apart. He wore the same clothes as when he had taken her captive, spattered with dried blood, covered with dust and reeking of smoke. His hair hung in lank, greasy laces, escaping their thong. Even so, she thought, he made an impressive figure, with a natural air of confidence and authority.
And who was the coarse man with him? she thought as Klast placed himself with his back to the door. He looked vaguely familiar. Why?
Marja had a small advantage. At least she had rested. And this was not the elder Lord Bargest, nor even Lionn, the heir intended, but the second son, one who had never thought to come to power. Perhaps she could use that knowledge to her advantage. She watched as he set the tray on the table beside her. Then he pulled the second chair over and set it down facing her.
He studied her silently for a moment, then scanned the room, letting his gaze rest on the empty bed. “My apologies, lady; I had thought the bed ready with blankets and pillow. I regret you were unable to rest more comfortably.”
“That would certainly have made what you intend more comfortable for you,” she replied acidly, to test his reaction.
Gaelen sighed deeply, shaking his head and lowered himself into the second chair. “Lady, I know not what you expected my intentions to be, but I assure you I find rape distasteful. I gave you my word that you would not be harmed.”
She remained still as he poured wine into the goblets, then raised his eyes to meet hers evenly. “You may choose,” he said, ‘so you will know it is not poisoned,” and waited for her to take one. “It is passably good wine, one of your own. Please, it will fortify us for our negotiations. They could take some time.”
Marja took a sip. It was good. Somehow they had found a cask of Catania’s second best. She took another swallow, watching him silently, gauging him, searching for signs of weakness. So far the only one that struck her was his exhaustion. It was now well into the night. The battle had begun at dawn, and he clearly had not rested at all. Yet his eyes looked alert and purposeful, and he had himself well under control. There would be no hasty actions taken. She was safe, at least for the moment. She needed to take care not to drink too much … and to watch to see if he did. In his current state it would not take a lot to affect his judgment. That could work either for or against her. She shook her head as he offered her the platter of food.
Marja remained silent, watching him cut a slice from the cheese and tear off a chunk of bread, taking the time to chew it before he began to speak.
“What I am about to say will not be what you apparently expected. Let me recall you to last spring. At that time, my lord father sent a delegation to negotiate an alliance with your father, Lord Cataniast. I was part of that delegation. We hoped to strengthen trade and, of course, to be able to call on the forces of Catania for assistance in the event that we were invaded from the west by the Handosh. Included in that offer was the request that you become my wife, to strengthen our ties. Those negotiations fell through, and no alliance was formed. Tell me, did you know of the offer?”
“Yes, I did.”
“If your father had agreed, would you have come willingly?”
“That is of no consequence now. The alliance was never formed.”
He grew thoughtful for a moment. When he answered, his voice betrayed his anger at that decision. “True. Yet we acted in good faith. It was unfortunate that Lord Cataniast did not trust our intentions. I hope that you do not share his penchant for seeing plots where there are none. Forgive me if this offends you. I am too weary to play games. The outcome of this discussion will have consequences for both our peoples, and we have but little time.”
Against her better judgment, she had to ask. She could not wait any longer. “You speak of my father. I know he was killed. What do you know of the rest of my family?”
Gaelen shook his head regretfully. “I am sorry, lady. None survived. My men have seen the bodies.”
Marja’s voice broke. “Even the children?”
“Yes, lady. They hid in a building that our soldiers fired and were overcome by smoke, along with their mother. Your brother was cut down in the fighting. You are the last of your line. I regret being the bearer of such grave news.”
“I see,” she whispered, lowering her head and squeezing her eyes shut to stop the tears. Alone. Just as she had suspected. It was up to her now. She looked away, fighting to regain her composure. She must not break down. She would have time to mourn later.
When she finally turned to face him again, he ventured, “Lady, I know something of what you feel. I, too, lost a father and brother today and am the last of my line. While I believe it was none of your doing, I also lost my mother, a sister, a brother’s wife and his infant son to assassins a year ago. Your father sent those assassins after our failed negotiations. That was the reason for our attack today. All this is the fruit of Cataniast’s faithlessness and suspicion. While I feel sympathy for your losses, you must understand the necessity of our retaliation. Such an act of aggression could not go unanswered.”
Marja heard this with stoic silence. She had known of the assassinations. It had been her father’s misguided attempt to prove his supremacy. Those of his family and inner circle had grown increasingly aware of the madness that drove him to such extreme measures, and which precluded any attempts by others to form alliances. He had also executed two close advisors who had the temerity to point out that such actions were unwise, accusing them of treason. In the last few years, any who wished to live learned to tread carefully.
Marja had been willing to join Gaelen when the offer came. She had seen it as a way to escape the air of wary mistrust surrounding all who lived under Cataniast’s scrutiny. Or those who used his suspiciousness to manipulate him to their own advantage. Her father’s madness had increased over the last years, fuelled by whisperings from those who recognized they could use it to increase their own influence and power. The castle had become a bleak place where no one smiled. Celebrations had ceased, and visitors avoided coming. Cataniast’s reputation had spread, in spite of efforts to conceal it. Marja knew that many had feared knowledge of it would incite others to invade. When the attack from Bargest finally came, it had not surprised her.
Yet Marja held her peace. To admit that her father had been mad would put her at a disadvantage. She must bluff it out. “Since you obviously feel justified, it leaves me wondering why I yet live? Would it not be more prudent to rid yourself of all members of Cataniast’s family?” As an afterthought, she added scornfully, “My lord …” She paused, then asked, “What could you possibly gain by letting me live?”
Gaelen sighed again and passed his hand over his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose, just as she had seen him do when he arrested her. Marja felt a moment of triumph over his obvious discouragement. This was not going well for him.
Gaelen raised his head and
met her gaze. “My lady, you are not alone in these thoughts. Even as we speak, my advisors argue this very point. Yet, I believe my reasons are sound. I will set them before you. Please hear me out, and think carefully before you answer. The futures of both our peoples may depend on your response. Your own may also be determined by how you answer. If my bluntness offends you, be kind enough to attribute it to fatigue. I have been a full day without rest and with very little food. Were it not so critical, I would have waited until tomorrow.
“Even as we speak, my men are setting a secure room to rights in the castle. You will be moved there, to wait in comfort and greater safety. I do not require your answer today. I will lay my plan before you as fully as possible and also explain my reasoning. Then I will leave to rest. You have until tomorrow to think over what I propose. We will speak again at that time, when I will require your answer.”
And so, Marja listened, resisting the urge to ask for clarification or to interrupt with a caustic retort. She wanted to remember every word, to etch every nuance of tone and expression into her mind. She tried to memorize changes in his posture and face, however subtle. Gaelen’s voice was low and flat as he laid out his proposal and reasoning. When he finished, after what seemed like a long silence, he rose and called the guards. As though unwilling to leave anything to chance, he and Klast both accompanied her as they escorted her to the castle. Marja experienced an instance of shock as she realized she had forgotten Klast had been present the whole time. How could she have done that? What kind of man could make himself invisible like that? The thought made her skin crawl. She vowed to be more careful.
~6~
KLAST
In his usual fashion, Klast remained silent when they left Marja’s new chamber, waiting for Gaelen to ask his opinion of her. Gaelen made him wait longer than he expected. When the question finally came, it showed just how much his new lord needed his support. He knew that Gaelen trusted him to be strictly frank. Gaelen had never wanted approval unless it could be given sincerely.