Part 18 (2/2)
”I am only going to Mencha for certain....”
”Why... if I might inquire? Your lands do not require attention that urgently.”
The hint of a smile crossed the lips of the white-haired lord.
”I have an idea, one that might help Defalk a lot.” If it works. ”And it won't put anyone in danger.”
”You are not sure it will work?” Jecks raised his eyebrows.
”If it doesn't, it won't hurt anyone.”
”Saving you.” Jecks frowned. ”Defalk needs its Regent. Do not hazard yourself.”
”I'll try.” Anna paused. ”What do you know about Lord Hulber? Of Silberfels?”
”Less than most of the Thirty-three. The line is old, older than even the Corians, and Hulber has always paid his liedgeld and answered the calls for levies-but never offered more... or less. I have never met him, nor had Barjim or Donjim. Not to my knowledge.”
”Hmmmm... what about his lands?”
”He is said to have one fertile valley on the Chean, and the rest fit for little but forage for sheep. His consort is the youngest daughter of Lord Clethner's sire, perhaps ten years younger than Clethner. You recall him?”
”Lord Clethner? I met him at Elheld before I went to Vult.”
”He was impressed with you, and he may have written his sister. How close they are. I would not hazard.” Jecks paused, then added, ”If you will excuse me.. .
this morning Himar and I are instructing both the lancers in the penal detail and the fosterlings.”
”The doublet. I should have realized,” Anna said. ”Don't let me keep you.” Then she asked, ”How is Jimbob responding?”
Jecks shrugged. ”He is doing as I expected.””Not quite sullen, and going through all the motions without being overtly rebellious.”
”You understand?”
”Unhappily, yes.”
Jecks bowed again, then turned and left the receiving room.
Jimbob-what could she do about the spoiled brat he had apparently become? Or had always been? Despite taking the punishment of a lancer penal detail, the youth wasn't listening to Jeccks... and had clearly withdrawn more into himself.
The problem was that there really wasn't anyone else to inherit Defalk-the acceptability of everything Anna and the Regency were doing rested on the idea that she was doing it to preserve and enhance the succession. Without Jimbob, there was no succession, and without the succession.. . She didn't even want to think about the mess that would occur. Not now.
She took a long and slow deep breath, and set aside the draft message to the Thirty-three. Next she needed to work on the spell for mining or refining- through sorcery. She reached for another sheet of the rough paper and dipped the quill pen, ignoring the blot of ink that dropped on one corner of the brown paper even before she began to write.
After what seemed more than a gla.s.s, Anna looked at the draft spell... or what was the beginning of it.
Search, search, search the ground deeply all around, verily, verily, verily, gold will here be found....
Bring, bring, bring the gold, straightly to the mold, verily, verily, verily....
But how would she end the spell? She took a deep breath and then a sip from the goblet.
”You need a break.”
Finally, she stood, and made her way out of the chamber and up the stairs to the south wing... and Lady Essan's chamber. Lejun and Kerhor followed her, stationing themselves outside Essan's door when Anna entered.
The white-haired woman sat erect in the sunlight falling through the window, then turned her head at Anna's presence. Anna still found it hard to believe that she was the widow of the man who had ruled Defalk before Jimbob's father.
”Lady Essan, I'm sorry. It's been longer than I'd have liked since we last talked.” Anna turned the straight chair across from the ancient rocker where Essan sat, then seated herself, looking straight at the older woman.
”You are the sorceress-Regent, my dear near-daughter....” Essan smiled faintly.
”This be a hard land that asks much of those that rule, and most of the gla.s.ses of their lives.”
'There isn't much time.” Anna admitted. ”It always seems that way.””Synondra tells me that you and Lord Jecks put Barjim's brat on a punishment detail. Be it true that he spat at your Lord High Counselor?”
”Yes,” Anna admitted.
”Donjim would have flayed the skin off his back, and considered that merciful.”
”Jecks had him whipped.”
”Good! Feared your Lord High Counselor was getting too soft on the brat” Essan squinted through the sunlight at Anna. ”Know ye that young Jimbob has been talking about sending you off to Mencha once he's old enough?”
”No... but I can't say I'm surprised.”
”Boy doesn't know what strong is. . . or what he owes you.” Essan shook her head. ”Enough of ungrateful young wretches. You need more like that young Skent.
Proper and dutiful fellow he is... make him an undercaptain, you should, then a captain If he has it in him. Then when you consort him to Cataryzna... he'll have the experience and the reputation to hold the lands.”
Anna laughed. ”Is there anything that doesn't come to you?” ”Leave an old woman her secrets. 'Sides, that be so obvious that I'd have told you if you were not already minded to do so.” Essan took a sip of the ever-present apple brandy. ”Is there any other gossip or tidbit that this old brain of mine can offer?”
”You do know more about the past than anyone else I've met in Defalk,” Anna smiled.
”That be because the hard times took all the other old folk.” Essan sniffed.
”What have you heard about Lord Hulber of Silberfels?”
”There were always rumors... that lineage is strange... mountain folk from before the Corians...” Essan said, almost as if musing to herself.
Great...Gnomes out of Oz burrowing under the mountains in a world where music creates magic. Anna merely nodded, waiting.
”... been said once that the old folk were miners... but none have seen such...
nor much of their lords....”
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