Islands in the Sky

2.7

The men-at-arms walked Cassa towards her grandmother’s chambers, holding her arms tightly.

They went down the central stairway, which had been built through the middle of the tower, replacing the now-unusable moving-box shafts which the ancients had there instead. The central stairway was wide, much wider than the older stairways, and Cassa assumed that width was why they were using it. Greater width meant there was room for both men-at-arms to be at her sides at once, both holding her arms, and they also didn’t have to ease themselves through narrow doorways where she might find some advantage.

Konstantin had thought this all through very well, Cassa thought.

Cassa walked angrily at first. She let them walk her down two flights of stairs, and then she got sick of stumbling, and being held, and tried to shake her arms free.

“Let me go,” she said. “I’ll come on my own.”

“I’m sorry, my lady,” one man-at-arms said. “Weapon-master Konstantin told us we were not to.”

“And I’m telling you that you should.”

“Weapon-master Konstantin also told us you would say that, and when you did, that we were to remind you that we answer to him, and to the captain of the watch, and to your grandmother, not to you.”

“One day you may answer to me,” Cassa said.

“That is true, my lady,” the same man-at-arms said, but didn’t let go.

“Well?” Cassa said.

“Weapon-master Konstantin has also sworn to find us better jobs elsewhere if need be,” the man-at-arms said.

He said it flatly, as if he was reciting something he’d been told, and Cassa stopped walking, surprised, and just looked at him for a moment. It was surprising, she thought, that Konstantin was taking so much care. It was surprising Konstantin had planned this enough to actually try and anticipate what she might do or say.

Cassa had stopped walking, and was standing still. The men-at-arms pulled on her arms, gently, trying to make her keep walking.

“Stop it,” she said, irritably, and pulled back, staying where she was. They stopped pulling. They didn’t have much choice. They could drag her, she supposed, but that would be unseemly, and they didn’t seem willing to do that yet.

“Konstantin actually said that?” Cassa said, thinking.

“He did, my lady.”

“He said that just in case I threatened you?”

“Not threatened, my lady, he was very clear that what you’d say would not be a threat because our lives are…”

“Yes,” Cassa said, interrupting. “But in case I spoke to you of consequences which might occur sometime in the future?”

The man looked uncomfortable, but nodded. “Yes, my lady.”

Cassa thought. “What exactly did Konstantin say?”

The men-at-arms looked at each other. They didn’t seem certain they should answer.

“Tell me,” Cassa said. “That is an order I’m entitled to give.”

There was still hesitation.

“Tell me,” Cassa said again, insistently. “And tell me exactly.”

One man-at-arms gave in. “Weapon-master Konstantin said we were to tell you he’d sworn to find us other work if you threw a temper tantrum and threatened us.”

“Oh,” Cassa said, a little dismayed. “A temper tantrum?”

The man who had spoken suddenly seemed worried. “That was what weapon-master Konstantin said.”

“Because I do that?”

The man looked uncomfortable. “My lady, I…”

“Never mind,” Cassa said. “Don’t answer.”

“Thank you my lady.”

The two men-at-arms were looking at her almost affectionately, Cassa noticed. They were waiting patiently. They wouldn’t do as she wished, but they were being nice about their refusal.

She knew exactly why.

People liked her. The retainers liked her. She knew they did, or more precisely, she knew many people mistakenly believed she was kinder, and would be a less demanding mistress, than any of her cousins. A great many of the household staff would prefer to one day work for Cassa than any other, because they believed their lives would be easier. It was an impression Cassa had deliberately cultivated, and it was only partly wrong.

It counted against her at moments like this, though.

“A tantrum?” Cassa said. “Like a child? I suppose meaning I’ll forget my vengeance by the time it matters?”

“You would need to ask weapon-master Konstantin his meaning, my lady.”

“Don’t be clever,” Cassa said sharply. “No-one likes a clever guard.”

“My lady, I apologise…”

“Oh stop it,” Cassa said. “Just tell me what he meant. I’m curious, in case I need to threaten someone more harshly than Konstantin another time.”

The man didn’t answer. He obviously wasn’t going to say anything more.

Cassa looked at the other man-at-arms. “Well?”

That one was silent, too.

“Tell me and I’ll consider forgetting this morning,” Cassa said. “I swear.”

“You will forget?” the first man-at-arms said. “Or you’ll only consider it?”

“What did I say about clever guards?”

The man grinned, and waited.

“If you don’t tell me right now,” Cassa said. “It will go far worse for you, I promise that.”

He didn’t answer. He kept waiting. The grip on her arms didn’t alter. They were both ignoring her threats, Cassa realized. They didn’t believe she would harm them. The clever one was even grinning slightly.

“I might do something horrible to you,” Cassa said, irritated.

They said nothing.

“Answer my question,” she said. “I order you to.”

“I have nothing to say, my lady.”

“You?” Cassa said to the other man-at-arms.

He shook his head.

She sighed, and then said, “Please?”

“Swear you’ll forget today?” the clever guard said.

Cassa glared at him, and then nodded.

He glanced around, and said, quietly, “Yes, I took it to mean that, my lady.”

“That I’d forget?”

The man-at-arms nodded.

Cassa sighed again, and gave up. She started walking again. She let them lead her awkwardly down the stairs. She really had no choice if she wasn’t going to hurt them both.

It was irritating that she’d been outwitted so easily, she thought, although she supposed it was useful to know what people truly thought of her.