Unicorn Saga - The Unicorn Peace Part 59

"Have a care, lady," Varodias said frostily. "Hasty threats are oft repented at leisure and paid for in blood."

He turned away from her as the pages swarmed in to retrieve the plates.

Naxania realized that she had eaten practically noth- ing and that, she thought, was the fault of the Emperor.

He had been right about one thing, though: she had spent too little on the army. Very well then, she would rectify that when she got home. Darius had been the 323.

one who had held her back, but Darius was gone. It would mean raising taxes and the people would com- plain, but then the people always complained. Varodias had challenged her and she meant to be equal to the challenge. She would show the puffed-up little man what a Queen could do.

chaptCR 27

^he Celador that Marianna and Jarrod surveyed from the privileged vantage point of their apartments was rea.s.suringly unchanged. The recent influx of guests meant that there were lines outside the bathing places, but the capital did not show the strains that had man- ifested themselves when it had been threatened with siege. There were no campfires in the courts, no lines of was.h.i.+ng strung, no broken windows. This time it was the aristocracy that was the invading force. Servants seemed continually ascurry, and a forest of splendid tents grew up beyond the walls.

As the numbers swelled, it became apparent to those in charge of administration that an event of unantici- pated magnitude was taking place. The palace staff had known from the beginning that everyone of note on Strand had been invited, but they had not reckoned that so many would attend. Lesser folk were accommodated in the town, but that was no more than a stopgap mea- sure. The truly great, as usual, swanned above the tur- moil; the rest battled and settled as best they could.

Routines were abandoned from time to time to watch the arrival of royalty. The Emperor of Umbria had ar- rived on the Upper Causeway at the head of a caravan of steam chariots. The display was impressive, but there were persistent rumors that they had been pulled by horses for the majority of the trip. Queen Naxania's entry through the East Gate in a coach painted deep 325.

purple and drawn by six black horses with ebon plumes nodding over their heads was obviously designed to cause comment, and it did. The image was quickly sup- planted by the Oligarchs of Isphardel, who came in a group and a welter of somber samite. They had taken up residence in great silken tents outside the south wall.

Their relative modesty caused even greater comment, much to the chagrin of the Queen of Paladine.

Pages in the royal household, farmed out among the visitors, gathered of an evening to discuss their experi- ences. Those detailed to attend Varodias and his entou- rage had the best stories, tales of mechanical clocks and pet raptors. The Songeans had bizarre requests for food.

Those who served Naxania told of bursts of bad tem- per. All were awed by a sense of occasion and the awareness that, difficult or not, this opportunity would never come their way again.

The Collegium, normally an oasis of order, came in for its share of disruption. The Archmage's embalmed body lay in state on the dais in the Students' Hall, and people great and small filed through, day after day, to pay their respects. Indeed, since there were no tourneys or b.a.l.l.s, it was one of the few distractions available.

For the aristocracy, there was much visiting back and forth, and manuevering for seats at dinner in the Great Hall became an art. The Chamberlain, who had to juggle conflicting protocols and deal with touchy personalities, was transformed into an irritable tyrant.

He was not the only one burdened with administra- tive duties or the intricacies of national pride. The Col- legium had the job of working out the funeral arrangements. The placement of the chief notables in the procession to the Burning Ground and where they could be seated once they were there took a full sen- night, and even then not everyone was satisfied. The final order of march decreed that the bier, borne by six

326 t JOHN LEE

Magicians, would be followed by Marianna of Gwyn- dryth and the unicorn. Immediately behind them would come the "virtuous youths and maidens," one for each year ofRagnor's life, dressed in long white tunics. Rag- nor, in his final days, had insisted that he was ninety years old, but most of those who knew him thought he had rounded up the figure. Nevertheless, it made for an even division of the young people and was allowed to stand.

Behind them would be the Mages, Greylock, Simmer and Courtak and the new Chief Warlock of Talisman.

Both Arabella and Naxania had opted to take their po- sitions among the heads of state and would walk just behind the leaders of the Discipline. The rest of the details were left to the hapless Chamberlain. One thing was clear to those who labored late at the Collegium:

this was an event of supreme importance for the Disci- pline. The whole of Strand would be represented, in one way or another. Even the Mother Supreme would at- tend. Ragnor had served them in death as he had in life. This was his final triumph.

Jarrod woke early on the morning of the funeral. He slipped quietly out of bed so as not to wake Mananna and went to wash and dress. He donned his usual blue gown. He would change later into something that Rag- nor would have approved of, indeed something that the Archmage had furnished. Part of the old man's will had left all of his robes to Jarrod. Sooner or later, Jarrod thought with fond humor, the old rascal always got his own way.

Almost every Magician on Strand was gathered on the grounds of the Collegium that morning for the Making of the Day. The Weatherwards had had to stay at their posts, but those who were able to travel had done so. It was the first time in living memory that so many had come together for this essentially private rite, 327.

and it was an occasion that none of the partic.i.p.ants would forget. The feeling of communal energy, of a combined merging, was thrilling.

Part of that charge clung to Jarrod as he made his way back toward the palace, and he decided to visit Nastrus before returning. No one challenged him as he walked through the stables to the unicorn's stall.

'My but you 're in a good mood, considering what's go- ing to happen today,' the unicorn commented.

"True. Part of it is because I've had time to get used to the fact that Ragnor's dead, but most of it is due to the Making of the Day It was quite extraordinary.'

'I would love to go for a gallop with you while you're in this mood.'

'So would I,' Jarrod replied, 'but it wouldn 't be con- sidered seemly and I have to get back to Mananna.'

'Marianna, Marianna, it's always Marianna,' Nastrus complained. 'You never spend any time with me any- more. '

'Now, you know that isn't true,' Jarrod said. 7 spend as much time with you as I can. It's just that I'm a mar- ried man now and I have responsibilities.'

'Sires do as they please.'

Jarrod ignored the remark. 'They'll be along to groom you in a while. You and Marianna will be the first ones, right behind the coffin. It's a considerable honor '

7 liked him,' Nastrus said thoughtfully. 'He used to bring us treats and take us out for exercise. There was a great deal of affection in him.'

Jarrod smiled both mentally and physically. 'He loved you all. He loved to watch you. and going riding with you was a huge thrill for him. He always felt that you and your family were the key to our victory.'

'An unusually intelligent human,' the unicorn con- curred. 'Will you be keeping watch over the candles again?'

328 'No Candles of Remembrance this time,' Jarrod re- plied. 'Ragnor didn't even want a tree. He just wanted his ashes buried al the foot of the Archmage's Tower. He said that there were enough statues to keep his memory alive longer than anyone wanted, but they are going to plant a tree in the Collegium grounds anyway.'

'I'm glad thai I can share in this,' Nastrus said. 'How- ever, once this is over. I shall return to the Island at the Center.'

'Of course. I'm grateful that you have stayed this long.'

Jarrod paused. 7 hope you will continue to visit us. I shall miss you terribly.'

'You are a married man now, with responsibilities,'

Nastrus reminded him, none too kindly. 7 make no promises. I have already devoted a great deal of time to this world.'

'And we are grateful,' Jarrod said. 'Know that you and your offspring will always be honored.' His sending was courtly and formal.

Nastrus responded in kind. 'As you are part of the Memory forever. Jarrod-almost-unicorn.'

They were both aware of the other's subtext and Jar- rod moved forward and put his arms around Nastrus'

neck and hugged him.

7 can rely on you to behave, can't I?' he said, with an attempt to return to his old style.

'As much as you ever could,' Nastrus returned good- naturedly.

'If not for me, for Ragnor,' Jarrod said.

He patted the glossy flank and turned to leave. The unicorn's benign amus.e.m.e.nt stayed in his mind as he crossed the stableyard.

When he got back to the apartments, he found that Marianna was already in the long black gown that she had had made. It was long-sleeved, had a high neck and

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was absolutely plain. The maid was moving around her putting up her hair and pinning in it place,

"There's chai and some sweet rolls in the bedcham- ber," she said. "You had better eat now. There's no knowing when we'll see food again."