Duty-Bound [ Lore of Penrua: Book II ]

21

"You can't mean to continue paying sellswords, Matei," said Uachi. "They can't be trusted with a maiden's petticoats, let alone the safety of an empire, for Zanara's bloody sake."

Although they were in a relatively private conference, Matei was taken aback that Uachi had used such profanity in their present company. He stole a glance at Mhera. The comment had brought a flush to her cheeks, but she was maintaining her composure.

"On the contrary, Your Grace," said Yorek without looking at the ranger. "They can be trusted, so long as they have your purse."

"Oh, aye, so long as they have your purse—which means they'll be flinging their swords at the feet of the next man or king to pay them. You'd trust an army with no honor." Uachi scowled at Yorek, then turned the dark look to Matei. "And you'd trust this sniveling weasel of a—"

"Uachi," said Matei in warning. "This man is an advisor to a throne in sore need of advice, as are you. I'll thank you not to insult him."

Yorek's affronted expression faded, smoothed away by a look of detachment. "Thank you, Your Grace. I only mean to remind Your Grace that it is an option and, of course, to draw attention to a fact that this...ah...gentleman has so plainly addressed: if you were to allow their contracts to lapse, these bands of mercenaries would seek other employment."

"Which would open the way for others to contract them instead," said Mhera. "Enemies to the new order of things."

Matei glanced from Yorek to Uachi; dislike crackled between the two men, almost tangible in the atmosphere. He looked at Mhera, trying to judge whether her words revealed her opinion on the matter. "So you believe we should maintain the contracts?"

Mhera turned her attention to an aged man standing somewhat apart from their conference. "Lord Geale, you've drawn up notes from the accounts?"

"I have, Your Grace, at the councilor's request," he said. "With Your Grace's permission?"

She nodded and stretched out a hand. The man approached and passed a leather folder of papers to her with a bow. "Thank you, Lord Geale. You may go." Glancing at Matei, she said, "We might as well review the ledgers to understand what Emperor Korvan paid them before we make a decision. It might help us to settle our minds."

Bowing again, Lord Geale backed out of the room. Watching him go, Uachi muttered, "You must have been confident in your course, bringing along the coin-counter with all his scribblings in order."

Yorek slid a glance at Uachi. With a frown, he said, "Here in civilization, sir, we call the lord or gentleman in such an office a chamberlain, and—"

"Councilor," interjected Mhera, before Matei could say anything. "Thank you for your advice."

"Don't stop him," said Uachi, giving Yorek a tight smile. "He called me sir. Never been called that before."

"And thank you, Uachi," said Mhera, giving the ranger a placid glance. "You both may go."

Almost before she had finished her sentence, Uachi jerked to his feet. He strode out of the room without so much as a glance back at Matei and Mhera. Yorek, for his part, rose to bid them a more courtly farewell.

"Your Grace," he said, bowing to Matei. Then he bowed to Mhera. "Your Grace. I bid you good day."

After Yorek had backed out of the room, Matei propped his chin on his hand, looking at the closed door with amusement. "It's a wonder they can do that without knocking into something with their backside along the way."

Mhera laughed softly. "It must be why no furnishings stand in the way from the doors to the chairs," she said.

With a sigh, Matei turned his attention to her. "Thank you for helping me keep order between those two. In a way, I'm glad they're at each other's throats—it's practice for when we have to deal with the council."

"That will be even worse," said Mhera. She opened the folder Lord Geale had given her and drew out a piece of parchment. Her glance skated over the neat accounts, and then she handed the paper over to Matei and selected another. "Goddess above, I've never seen such numbers."

Matei skimmed the page. It had been many years, but oversight of the palace accounts was one of the matters he had studied as a boy; an emperor had a full staff of servants to manage such things, but had to know enough to make decisions about the wealth of the realm. "This is nothing, Mhera. A drop in the well of the palace coffers."

"Think how much food one could buy with this coin," she said.

"There's another matter that weighs on my mind. Do you—"

A knock sounded at the door, and in the same moment, it swung inward. "Matei? Ah...Your Grace?" A soldier in Hanpean green stood there, looking uncertain.

Matei raised his brows in question. "Yes?"

"Someone called Captain Alban requests a moment of your...royal...time."

Matei tried not to let his amusement show. Hearing the Hanpean folk, who were not familiar with how things were done at court, stumble through the niceties circumstances now demanded brought much-needed levity to his days. He stood, setting aside the page of sums he held. "Let him in. Thank you."

Captain Alban bowed when he entered the room. "Your Graces."

"Welcome, Captain. Please, have a seat," said Mhera. "Will you take tea or wine?"

"No, thank you, Your Grace; I will intrude upon your afternoon for a moment only. I came only to advise that the search of the Mage's Keep is completed, as Emperor Matei requested."

Good news at last. "Were you able to take the archmage into custody?"

"I am afraid not, Your Grace. I can make a full report at Your Grace's command."

Matei looked at Mhera, who had turned her attention back to the accounts. He hesitated, but she glanced up at him and answered his question with her expression. She was as overwhelmed as he. "Mhera, shall I walk with the captain and leave you to the question of the contracts?"

"Unless you need me, I think so," she said. "I would like to come to a more informed understanding of this matter as soon as I can."

"I will be interested to hear your thoughts when I return; we must come to a decision quickly." Matei offered her a tense smile, which she returned, and then he strode toward the captain, gesturing to the door. "Let us leave Her Grace in peace and talk as we go, my lord. I think I should like to see the keep myself, if it would not be an inconvenience."

"Not at all, Your Grace. I can make ready a horse, if it please you," said Captain Alban.

"Thank you. I must find Uachi; I would have him accompany us, if he doesn't kill me on sight." Captain Alban's startled expression surprised a chuckle out of Matei. "Don't worry, Captain. It's not the first time he'll have contemplated my murder. I'll meet you at the stables."

Happy Friday, everyone!

Oh, Uachi. If you were less...erm...prickly, you might make some friends around here.

Then again, if you were less prickly, you might not be Uachi.

What do y'all think they will find at the Mage's Keep? We'll get a glimpse of the answer in Chapter 22, coming your way on Sunday!