gray. The councillor took it and brought it up the steps to the queen. Kenan stood firm, face now stern, his eyes on Firomelle. She broke the seal and read the letter once, slowly, before handing it Yvelliane. Then she said, “Prince Kenan, be welcome in our domains. Your grandsire, our ally and vassal Prince Keris, does us honor through you.” There was a silence. Kenan looked right and left, then made the smallest of bows. A mutter ran through the lines of nobles, and Ambassador Ceretic began to look worried. Firomelle ignored it. She said, “We will receive your homage. Approach us.” There was another silence. Then Kenan climbed the three steps to the top of the dais and knelt, hands together and held out before him.
Firomelle said, “Kenan Orcandros. Your forebears held their lands and title at our good favor and in obedience to us. Do you seek now to be confirmed as heir to those lands?”
“Yes.” Kenan’s voice was pitched low and hard to hear even this close by. Miraude could sense dissatisfaction forming among the gathering. He would make few friends this way. If, indeed, he wanted to at all.
“And are you now willing to swear to me your loyalty and obedience, as your forebears have done before you?”
“Yes.” The second response was pitched even lower than the first.
“Then, Kenan Orcandros, make to me now your oath.” Firomelle leaned forward to place her thin hands about his. “Do you swear to hold your lands with justice . . .” She paused for a moment, as if seeking her breath. “With justice and honor?”
“I swear.” This time, Kenan’s voice was clearer,
There was another pause, this one longer. To Miraude, Firomelle’s face seemed flushed. “And will you respect . . . the rights of the crown in peace . . .” Firomelle swayed a little and coughed, once. “In peace and in war?”
“I swear.”
Firomelle coughed again, this time for longer. Beside her, Laurens leaned forward, concerned. “And will you . . . render all due services and . . . tributes and . . .” Another cough. There were lines of pain in Firomelle’s face. Kenan’s eyes were downcast. Miraude found herself gripping tightly onto her fan. She did not believe in omens. But there were too many who did, or would feign to, if it might bring them advantage. Firomelle regained her voice and continued, “And swear obedience . . . to our . . .”
She began to cough again, bending forward with the force of it. Yvelliane reached out toward her. The room echoed back the sound, rough and agonized. Under it, through it, Kenan’s voice said, clearly, “I swear.”
He lifted his head to stare at his hands. Miraude followed his gaze. His fingers and Firomelle’s were coated with blood.
4
I ARETH YSCOITHI OF ALFIAL to Urien Armenwy, called Swanhame, Councillor and Leader of the Kai-rethin : Greetings.
Tafarin kai-reth has written to you and to our lord Prince Keris of the incident that disrupted the homage ceremonial: I append this letter for your further information and consideration. I myself was not present at the event and can thus add nothing to Tafarin’s account of it directly. Consequent upon Firomelle Allandur being takenill, the reception was presided over by her consort and her son and passed off well, the prince consort making little of his wife’s indisposition. Returning from the palace,Kenan kai-reth seemed more than satisfied with the turn of events, which I will own to finding disquieting. He is due to return to the palace for a private audience with the Allandur in three days’time. In the meantime, I will maintain watch over him as you have directed. Ambassador Ceretic will certainly be writing to the Orcandros about the health of the Allandur and the reactions to it in her court and government.
I have had as yet had scant chance to go about within thecity, apart for that small part proximate to our residence and the Rose Palace. Nor have I seen Yviane Allandur save at a
Firomelle said, “Kenan Orcandros. Your forebears held their lands and title at our good favor and in obedience to us. Do you seek now to be confirmed as heir to those lands?”
“Yes.” Kenan’s voice was pitched low and hard to hear even this close by. Miraude could sense dissatisfaction forming among the gathering. He would make few friends this way. If, indeed, he wanted to at all.
“And are you now willing to swear to me your loyalty and obedience, as your forebears have done before you?”
“Yes.” The second response was pitched even lower than the first.
“Then, Kenan Orcandros, make to me now your oath.” Firomelle leaned forward to place her thin hands about his. “Do you swear to hold your lands with justice . . .” She paused for a moment, as if seeking her breath. “With justice and honor?”
“I swear.” This time, Kenan’s voice was clearer,
There was another pause, this one longer. To Miraude, Firomelle’s face seemed flushed. “And will you respect . . . the rights of the crown in peace . . .” Firomelle swayed a little and coughed, once. “In peace and in war?”
“I swear.”
Firomelle coughed again, this time for longer. Beside her, Laurens leaned forward, concerned. “And will you . . . render all due services and . . . tributes and . . .” Another cough. There were lines of pain in Firomelle’s face. Kenan’s eyes were downcast. Miraude found herself gripping tightly onto her fan. She did not believe in omens. But there were too many who did, or would feign to, if it might bring them advantage. Firomelle regained her voice and continued, “And swear obedience . . . to our . . .”
She began to cough again, bending forward with the force of it. Yvelliane reached out toward her. The room echoed back the sound, rough and agonized. Under it, through it, Kenan’s voice said, clearly, “I swear.”
He lifted his head to stare at his hands. Miraude followed his gaze. His fingers and Firomelle’s were coated with blood.
4
I ARETH YSCOITHI OF ALFIAL to Urien Armenwy, called Swanhame, Councillor and Leader of the Kai-rethin : Greetings.
Tafarin kai-reth has written to you and to our lord Prince Keris of the incident that disrupted the homage ceremonial: I append this letter for your further information and consideration. I myself was not present at the event and can thus add nothing to Tafarin’s account of it directly. Consequent upon Firomelle Allandur being takenill, the reception was presided over by her consort and her son and passed off well, the prince consort making little of his wife’s indisposition. Returning from the palace,Kenan kai-reth seemed more than satisfied with the turn of events, which I will own to finding disquieting. He is due to return to the palace for a private audience with the Allandur in three days’time. In the meantime, I will maintain watch over him as you have directed. Ambassador Ceretic will certainly be writing to the Orcandros about the health of the Allandur and the reactions to it in her court and government.
I have had as yet had scant chance to go about within thecity, apart for that small part proximate to our residence and the Rose Palace. Nor have I seen Yviane Allandur save at a
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