The Curse Of Chalion Part 33

Foix brought him a bowl of bean porridge, hot and aromatic, on a tray, and Bergon himself arranged his pillows and helped him sit up to eat it. Cazaril had thought he was ravenous, yet found himself unable to force down more than a few bites. Palli was keen to get away while the darkness still cloaked their numbers. Cazaril struggled to oblige, letting Foix help him back into his clothes. He dreaded the attempt to ride again.

In the post's stable yard, he found that their escort, a dozen men of the Daughter's Order who'd followed Palli from Taryoon, waited with a horse litter slung between two mounts. Indignant at first, he let Bergon persuade him into it, and the cavalcade swung away into the graying dark. The rough back roads and trails they took made the litter jounce and sway nauseatingly. After half an hour of this, he cried for mercy, and undertook to climb on a horse. Someone had thought to bring along a smooth-paced ambler for this very purpose, and he clung to the saddle and endured its rippling gait while they swung wide around Valenda and its occupiers' patrols.

In the afternoon, they dropped down from some wooded slopes onto a wider road, and Palli rode alongside him. Palli eyed him curiously, a little sideways.

"I hear you do miracles with mules."

"Not me. The G.o.ddess." Cazaril's smile twisted. "She has a way with mules, it seems."

"I'm also told you're strangely hard on brigands."

"We were a strong company, well armed. If the brigands hadn't been set onto us by dy Joal, they would never have attempted us."

"Dy Joal was one of dy Jironal's best swords. Foix says you took him down in seconds."

"That was a mistake. Besides, his foot slipped."

Palli's lips twitched. "You don't have to go around telling people that, you know." He stared ahead between his horse's bobbing ears for a time. "So, the boy you defended on the Roknari galley was Bergon himself."

"Yes. Kidnapped by his brother's bravos, it turned out. Now I know why the Ibran fleet rowed so hard after us."

"Did you never guess who he really was? Then or later?"

"No. He had...he had a deal more self-control than even I realized at the time. That That one will make a roya worth following, when he comes into his own." one will make a roya worth following, when he comes into his own."

Palli glanced ahead to where Bergon rode with dy Sould, and signed himself in wonder. "The G.o.ds are on our side, right enough. Can we fail?"

Cazaril snorted bitterly. "Yes." He thought of Ista, Umegat, the tongueless groom. Of the deathly straits he was in. "And when we fail, the G.o.ds do, too." He didn't think he'd ever quite realized that before, not in those terms.

At least Iselle was safe for now behind the s.h.i.+eld of her uncle; as Heiress, she would attract other ambitious men to her side. She would have many, not least Bergon himself, to protect her from her enemies, although advisors wise enough to also protect her from her friends might be harder for her to come by.... But what provision against the looming hazards could he effect for Betriz?

"Did you get the chance to know Lady Betriz better while you escorted the cortege to Valenda, and after?" he asked Palli.

"Oh, aye."

"Beautiful girl, don't you think? Did you get much conversation with her father, Ser dy Ferrej?"

"Yes. A most honorable man."

"So I thought, too."

"She's very worried for him right now," Palli added.

"I can imagine. And him for her, both now and later. If...if all goes well, she will be a favorite of the future royina. That kind of political influence could be worth far more to a shrewd man than a mere material dowry. If the man had the wit to see it."

"No question of it."

"She's intelligent, energetic..."

"Rides well, too." Palli's tone was oddly dry.

Cazaril swallowed, and with an effort at a casual tone got out, "Couldn't you just see her as the future Marchess dy Palliar?"

Palli's mouth turned up on one side. "I fear my suit would be hopeless. I believe she has another man in her eye. Judging from all the questions she's asked me about him, anyway."

"Oh? Who?" He tried, briefly and without success, to convince himself Betriz dreamed of, say, dy Rinal, or one of the other courtiers of Cardegoss...eh. Lightweights, the lot of them. Few of the younger men had the wealth or influence, and none the wit, to make her a good match. In fact, now Cazaril came to consider the matter, none of them was good enough for her.

"It was in confidence. But I definitely think you should ask her all about it, when we get to Taryoon." Palli smiled, and urged his horse forward.

Cazaril considered the implications of Palli's smile, and of the white fur hat still tucked into his saddlebags. The woman you love, loves you? The woman you love, loves you? Had he any real doubt of it? There was, alas, more than enough impediment to twist this joyous suspicion into sorrow. Had he any real doubt of it? There was, alas, more than enough impediment to twist this joyous suspicion into sorrow. Too late, too late, too late. Too late, too late, too late. For her fidelity he could return her only grief; his bier would be too hard and narrow to offer as a wedding bed. For her fidelity he could return her only grief; his bier would be too hard and narrow to offer as a wedding bed.

It was a grace note in this lethal tangle nonetheless, like finding a survivor in a s.h.i.+pwreck or a flower blooming in a burned-over field. Well...well, she must simply get over her ill-fated attachment to him. And he must exert the utmost self-control not to encourage it in her. He wondered if he could promote Palli to her if he put it as the last request of a dying man.

Fifteen miles out from Taryoon, they were met by a large Baocian guard company. They They had a hand litter, and relays of men to carry it aloft; too far gone by now to be anything but grateful, Cazaril let himself be loaded into it without protest. He even slept for a couple of hours, lumping along wrapped in a feather quilt, his aching head cus.h.i.+oned by pillows. He woke at length and watched the dreary darkening winter landscape wobble past him like a dream. had a hand litter, and relays of men to carry it aloft; too far gone by now to be anything but grateful, Cazaril let himself be loaded into it without protest. He even slept for a couple of hours, lumping along wrapped in a feather quilt, his aching head cus.h.i.+oned by pillows. He woke at length and watched the dreary darkening winter landscape wobble past him like a dream.

So, this was dying. It didn't seem as bad, lying down. But please, just let me live to see this curse lifted from Iselle. But please, just let me live to see this curse lifted from Iselle. It was a great work, one any man might look back on and say, It was a great work, one any man might look back on and say, That was my life; it was enough. That was my life; it was enough. He asked nothing more now but to be permitted to finish what he'd started. Iselle's wedding, and Betriz made safe-if the G.o.ds would but give him those two gifts, he thought he could go in quiet content. He asked nothing more now but to be permitted to finish what he'd started. Iselle's wedding, and Betriz made safe-if the G.o.ds would but give him those two gifts, he thought he could go in quiet content. I'm tired. I'm tired.

THEY ENTERED THE GATES OF THE B BAOCIAN PROVINCIAL capital of Taryoon an hour after sunset. Curious citizens collected in the path of their little procession, or marched beside it with torches to light the way, or hurried out to watch from balconies as they pa.s.sed. On three occasions, women tossed down flowers, which after their first uncertain flinch, Bergon's Ibran companions caught; it helped that the ladies had good aim. The young lords sent hopeful and enthusiastic kisses through the air in return. They left interested murmurs in their wake, especially up on the balconies. Near the city center Bergon and his friends, escorted by Palli, were diverted to the town palace of the wealthy March dy Huesta, one of the provincar's chief supporters and, not coincidentally, his brother-in-law. The Baocian guard carried Cazaril's litter on at a smart pace to the provincar's own new palace, down the street from the cramped and lowering old fortress. capital of Taryoon an hour after sunset. Curious citizens collected in the path of their little procession, or marched beside it with torches to light the way, or hurried out to watch from balconies as they pa.s.sed. On three occasions, women tossed down flowers, which after their first uncertain flinch, Bergon's Ibran companions caught; it helped that the ladies had good aim. The young lords sent hopeful and enthusiastic kisses through the air in return. They left interested murmurs in their wake, especially up on the balconies. Near the city center Bergon and his friends, escorted by Palli, were diverted to the town palace of the wealthy March dy Huesta, one of the provincar's chief supporters and, not coincidentally, his brother-in-law. The Baocian guard carried Cazaril's litter on at a smart pace to the provincar's own new palace, down the street from the cramped and lowering old fortress.

Clutching his precious saddlebags containing the future of two countries, Cazaril was brought by dy Baocia's castle warder to a fire-warmed bedchamber. Numerous wax lights revealed two waiting man-servants with a hip bath, extra hot water, soap, scissors, scents, and towels. A third man bore in a tray of mild white cheese, fruit cakes, and quant.i.ties of hot herb tea. Someone was taking no chances with Cazaril's wardrobe, and had laid out a change of clothing on the bed, court mourning complete from fresh undergarments through brocades and velvets out to a silver and amethyst belt. The transformation from road wreckage to courtier took barely twenty minutes.

From his filthy saddlebags Cazaril drew his packet of doc.u.ments, wrapped in oilcloth around silk, and checked them for dirt and bloodstains. Nothing untoward had leaked in. He discarded the grubby oilcloth and tucked the offerings under his arm. The castle warder guided Cazaril through a courtyard where workmen labored by torchlight to lay down the last paving stones, and into an adjoining building. They pa.s.sed through a series of rooms to a s.p.a.cious tiled chamber softened with rugs and wall hangings. Man-high iron candelabras holding five lights each, intricately wrought, shed a warming glow. Iselle sat in a large carved chair by the far wall, attended by Betriz and the provincar, also all in court mourning.

They looked up as he entered, the women eagerly, the middle-aged dy Baocia's expression tempered with caution. Iselle's uncle bore only a slight resemblance to his younger sister Ista, being solid rather than frail, though he was not overtall either, and he shared Ista's dun hair color, gone grizzled. Dy Baocia was attended in turn by a stout man Cazaril took for his secretary, and an elderly fellow in the five-colored robes of the archdivine of Taryoon. Cazaril eyed him hopefully for any flicker of G.o.d light, but he was only a plain devout.

The dark cloud still hung thickly about Iselle in Cazaril's second sight, though, roiling in a sluggish and sullen fas.h.i.+on. But not for much longer, by the Lady's grace. But not for much longer, by the Lady's grace.

"Welcome home, Castillar," said Iselle. The warmth of her voice was like a caress on his brow, her use of his t.i.tle a covert warning.

Cazaril signed himself. "Five G.o.ds, Royesse, all is well."

"You have the treaties?" dy Baocia asked, his gaze fixing on the packets under Cazaril's arm. He held out an anxious hand. "There has been much concern over them in our councils."

Cazaril smiled slightly and walked past him to kneel at Iselle's feet, managing with careful effort not to grunt with pain, or pitch over in unseemly clumsiness. He brushed his lips across the backs of the hands she held out to him, and pressed the packet of doc.u.ments in them, and them alone, as they turned palm up. "All is as you commanded."

Her eyes were bright with appreciation. "I thank you, Cazaril." She glanced up at her uncle's secretary. "Fetch a chair for my amba.s.sador, please. He has ridden long and hard, with little rest." She began folding back the silk.

The secretary brought up a chair with a wool-stuffed cus.h.i.+on. Cazaril smiled rather fixedly in thanks and considered the problem of getting up again gracefully. Rather to his embarra.s.sment, Betriz knelt to his side, and after a second more, the archdivine to his other, and both contrived to hoist him up. Betriz's dark eyes searched him, lingering briefly and fearfully on his tumor-distended midsection, but she could do no more here than smile in encouragement.

Iselle was reading the marriage contract, though she spared a moment as Cazaril seated himself to cast a small smile in his direction. Cazaril watched and waited. As she finished each page she handed the rectangle of calligraphed and ink-stamped parchment up to her hovering uncle, who had them fairly s.n.a.t.c.hed in turn by the archdivine. The secretary was last in line, but no less intent in his perusal. He collected the pages reverently back into order as they came to him.

Dy Baocia clutched his hands together and watched as the archdivine's eyes sped down the last page. He held the parchment out silently to the stout secretary.

"Well?" said the provincar.

"She hasn't sold Chalion." The archdivine signed himself and opened both hands palm out in thanks to the G.o.ds. "She's bought Ibra! My congratulations, Royesse, to your amba.s.sador-and to you."

"To us all," said dy Baocia. All three men were looking vastly more cheerful.

Cazaril cleared his throat. "Indeed, but I trust you will not say as much to Royse Bergon. The treaties are potentially advantageous to both sides, after all." He glanced at dy Baocia's secretary. "Though perhaps it would allay people's fears to have the articles copied out in a large fair hand and posted on the wall beside your palace doors, for everyone to read."

Dy Baocia frowned uncertainly, but the archdivine nodded, and said, "A very wise suggestion, Castillar."

"It would please me very much," said Iselle in a soft voice. "I pray you, Uncle, have it seen to."

A breathless page burst into the chamber, to skid to a stop before dy Baocia and blurt, "Your lady says Royse Bergon's party 'proaches at the gate, and you are to 'tend on her at once to welcome him."

"I'm on my way." The provincar took a breath and smiled at his niece. "And so we bring your lover to you. Remember now, you must demand all the kisses of submission, brow, hands, and feet. Chalion must be seen to rule Ibra. Guard the pride and honor of your House. We must not let him put himself above you, or he will quickly become overweening. You must start as you mean to go on."

Iselle's eyes narrowed. Around her, the shadow darkened, seeming to tighten its grip.

Cazaril sat up, and shot her a look of alarm and a tiny headshake. "Royse Bergon has pride also, no less honorable than your own, Royesse. And he will stand before his own lords here, too."

She hesitated; then her lips firmed. "I shall shall start as I mean to go on." Her voice was suddenly not soft at all, but steel-edged. She gestured at the contract. "The substance of our equality is there, Uncle. My pride demands no greater show. We shall exchange the kisses of welcome, each to each, upon our hands alone." The darkness uncurled a little; Cazaril felt an odd s.h.i.+ver, as though some predatory shadow had pa.s.sed over his head and flown on, thwarted. start as I mean to go on." Her voice was suddenly not soft at all, but steel-edged. She gestured at the contract. "The substance of our equality is there, Uncle. My pride demands no greater show. We shall exchange the kisses of welcome, each to each, upon our hands alone." The darkness uncurled a little; Cazaril felt an odd s.h.i.+ver, as though some predatory shadow had pa.s.sed over his head and flown on, thwarted.

"An admirable discretion," Cazaril endorsed this in relief.

The page, dancing from foot to foot, held open the door for the provincar, who swept out in haste.

"Lord Cazaril, how was your journey?" Betriz taxed him in this interlude. "You look so...tired."

"A weary lot of riding, but it all went well enough." He s.h.i.+fted in his seat and smiled up at her.

Her dark brows arched. "I think we must have Ferda and Foix in, to tell us more. Surely it was not so plain and dull as that."

"Well, we had a little trouble with brigands in the mountains. Dy Jironal's doing, I'm fairly sure. Bergon acquitted himself very well. The Fox...went easier than I expected, for a reason I didn't." He leaned forward, and lowered his voice to them both. "You remember my benchmate on the galleys I told of, Danni, the boy of good family?"

Betriz nodded, and Iselle said, "I am not likely to forget."

"I didn't guess how good a family. Danni was an alias Bergon gave, to keep himself secret from his captors. It seems his kidnapping was a ploy of Ibra's late Heir. Bergon recognized me when I stood before the Ibran court-he had changed and grown almost out of reckoning." had changed and grown almost out of reckoning."

Iselle's lips parted in astonishment. After a moment she breathed, "Surely the G.o.ddess gave you to me." the G.o.ddess gave you to me."

"Yes," he admitted reluctantly. "I've come to that conclusion myself."

Her eyes turned toward the double doors on the opposite side of the chamber. Her hands twisted in her lap in a sudden flush of nerves. "How shall I recognize him? Is he-is he well-favored?"

"I don't know how ladies judge such things-"

The doors swung wide. A great mob of persons surged through: pages, hangers-on, dy Baocia and his wife, Bergon and dy Sould and dy Tagille, and Palli bringing up the rear. The Ibrans had been treated to baths as well, and wore the best clothes they'd managed to pack in their meager bags, supplemented, Cazaril was fairly sure, with some judicious emergency borrowings. Bergon's eyes flicked in a smiling panic from Betriz to Iselle, and settled on Iselle. Iselle gazed from face to face among the three strange Ibrans in a momentary terror.

Tall Palli, standing behind Bergon, pointed at the royse and mouthed, This one! This one! Iselle's gray eyes brightened, and her pale cheeks flooded with color. Iselle's gray eyes brightened, and her pale cheeks flooded with color.

Iselle held out her hands. "My lord Bergon dy Ibra," she said in a voice that only quavered a little. "Welcome to Chalion."

"My lady Iselle dy Chalion," Bergon, striding up to her, returned breathlessly. "Dy Ibra thanks you." He knelt to one knee, and kissed her hands. She bent her head, and kissed his.

Bergon rose again and introduced his companions, who bowed properly. With a slight sc.r.a.pe, the provincar and the archdivine, with their own hands, brought up a chair for Bergon and set it by Iselle's on the other side from Cazaril. From a leather pouch dy Tagille held out, Bergon produced his royal greeting-gift, a necklace of fine emeralds-one of the last of his mother's pieces not p.a.w.ned by the Fox to buy arms. The white horses unfortunately were still back on the road somewhere. Bergon had been going to bring a rope of new Ibran pearls, but had made the subst.i.tution on Cazaril's most earnest advice.

Dy Baocia made a little speech of welcome, which would have been rather longer if Iselle's aunt, catching her niece's eye, had not seized a pause in his periods to invite the a.s.sembled company into the next room to partake of refreshments. The young couple was left to have some private speech, and bent their heads together, largely inaudible to the eager eavesdroppers who lingered by the open doors and frequently peeked in to see how they were getting along.

Cazaril was not least forward among this number, craning his neck anxiously from his repositioned chair and alternating between nibbling on little cakes and biting his knuckles. Their voices grew sometimes louder, sometimes softer; Bergon gestured, and Iselle twice laughed out loud, and three times drew in her breath, her hands going to her lips, eyes widening. Iselle lowered her voice and spoke earnestly; Bergon tilted his head and listened intently, and never took his eyes from her face, except twice to glance out at Cazaril, after which they lowered their voices still further.

Lady Betriz brought him a gla.s.s of watered wine, nodding at his grateful thanks. Cazaril felt he could guess who had taken the thought to have the hot water and servants and food and clothes waiting ready for him. Her fresh skin glowed golden in the candlelight, smooth and youthful, but her somber dress and pulled-back hair lent her an unexpectedly mature elegance. An ardent energy, on the verge of moving into power and wisdom...

"How did you leave things in Valenda, do you think?" Cazaril asked her.

Her smile sobered. "Tense. But we hope with Iselle drawn out, it will grow less so. Surely dy Jironal will not dare offer violence to the widow and mother-in-law of Roya Ias?"

"Mm, not as his first move. In desperation, anything becomes possible."

"That's true. Or at least, people stop arguing with you about what's possible and what's not."

Cazaril considered the young women's wild night ride that had flipped their tactical situation so abruptly topside-to. "How did you get away?"

"Well, dy Jironal had apparently expected us all to cower in the castle, intimidated by his show of arms. You can imagine how that sat with the old Provincara. His women spies watched Iselle all the time, but not me. I took Nan and we went about the town, doing little domestic errands for the household, and observing. His men's defenses all faced outward, prepared to repel would-be rescuers. And no one could keep us from going to the temple, where Lord dy Palliar stayed, to pray for Orico's health." Her smile dimpled. "We became very pious, for a time." The dimple faded. "Then the Provincara got word, I don't know through what source, that the chancellor had dispatched his younger son with a troop of his House cavalry to secure Iselle and bring her in haste back to Cardegoss, because Orico was dying. Which may be true, for all we know, but all the better reason not to place herself in dy Jironal's hands. So escape became urgent, and it was done."

Palli had drifted over to listen; dy Baocia strolled up to join them.

Cazaril gave dy Baocia a nod. "Your lady mother wrote me of promises of support from your fellow provincars. Have you gained any more a.s.surances?"

Dy Baocia rattled off a list of names of men he had written to, or heard from. It was not as long as Cazaril would have liked.

"Thus words. What of troops?"

Dy Baocia shrugged. "Two of my neighbors have promised more material support to Iselle, at need. They don't relish the sight of the chancellor's personal troops occupying one of my towns any more than I do. The third-well, he's married to one of dy Jironal's daughters. He sits tight for the moment, saying as little as possible to anyone."

"Understandable. Where is dy Jironal now, does anyone know?"

"In Cardegoss, we think," said Palli. "The Daughter's military order still remains without a holy general. Dy Jironal feared to absent himself for long from Orico's side lest dy Yarrin get in and persuade Orico to his party. Orico himself is hanging by a thread, dy Yarrin reports secretly to me. Sick, but not, I think, witless; the roya seems to be using his own illness to delay decision, trying to offend no one."

"Sounds very like him." Cazaril fingered his beard and glanced up at dy Baocia. "Speaking of the Temple's soldiers, how large a force of the Brother's Order is stationed in Taryoon?"

"Just a company, about two hundred men," the provincar answered. "We are not garrisoned heavily like Guarida or other of the provinces bordering the Roknari princedoms."

That was two hundred men inside Taryoon's walls, Cazaril reflected.

Dy Baocia read his look. "The archdivine will have speech with their commander later tonight. I think the marriage treaty will do much to persuade him that the new Heiress is loyal to, ah, the future of Chalion."

"Still, they do have their oaths of obedience," murmured Palli. "It would be preferable not to strain them to breaking."

Cazaril considered riding times and distances. "Word of Iselle's flight from Valenda will surely have reached Cardegoss by now. News of Bergon's arrival must follow on its heels. At that point dy Jironal will see the regency he counted upon slipping through his fingers."

Dy Baocia smiled in elation. "At that point, it will be over. Events are moving much faster than he-or indeed, anyone-could have antic.i.p.ated." The sidelong look he cast Cazaril tinged respect with awe.

"Better that way," said Cazaril. "He must not be p.r.i.c.ked into making moves he cannot later back away from." If two sides, both cursed, struck against each other in civil war, it was perfectly possible for both sides to lose. It would be the perfect culmination of the Golden General's death gift for all of Chalion to collapse in upon itself in such agony. Winning Winning consisted of finessing the struggle so as to avert bloodshed. Although when Bergon moved Iselle out of the shadow, it would presumably leave poor Orico still in it, and dy Jironal sharing his nominal master's fate... consisted of finessing the struggle so as to avert bloodshed. Although when Bergon moved Iselle out of the shadow, it would presumably leave poor Orico still in it, and dy Jironal sharing his nominal master's fate...And what of Ista, then? "Bluntly, much depends upon when the roya dies. He could linger, you know." The curse would surely twist Orico toward whatever fate was most ghastly. This would seem a more reliable guide if there were not so very many ways disasters could play out. Umegat's menagerie had been averting, Cazaril realized, a deal more evil than just ill health. "Looking ahead, we must consider what sops to offer to Chancellor dy Jironal's pride-both before Iselle's ascent to the royacy, and after." "Bluntly, much depends upon when the roya dies. He could linger, you know." The curse would surely twist Orico toward whatever fate was most ghastly. This would seem a more reliable guide if there were not so very many ways disasters could play out. Umegat's menagerie had been averting, Cazaril realized, a deal more evil than just ill health. "Looking ahead, we must consider what sops to offer to Chancellor dy Jironal's pride-both before Iselle's ascent to the royacy, and after."

"I don't think he'll be content with sops, Caz," Palli objected. "He's been roya of Chalion in all but name for over a decade."