Part 59 (2/2)
She had finished nearly a dozen and thought it was close to midday when there was a knock on the chamber door.
”Arms Commander Himar,” announced Bersan.
”Have him come in.” Anna stood and glanced across the piles of scrolls set on the table that had belonged to the late Lord Jearle, then at Himar.
Himar bowed, and his eyes went to the scrolls. ”You have been busy, Regent.”
”There was a lot I set aside to take care of Rabyn.” She shook her head. ”It didn't go away. I need these sent.”
”As you wish.” Himar nodded and took out his ubiquitous grease marker and a folded oblong of the crude brown paper.
Is that the standard issue Defalkan officer's writing tool? ”This pile goes to Lord Jecks in Falcor.”
Himar scribbled out something.
”This goes to Lady Herene in Pamr, and this to Ytrude in Suhl.” Anna paused.
”This is the one that we have to get to the Liedfuhr. What would be the quickest way?”
”With Hanfor, I would guess, Regent, and then by s.h.i.+p from Esaria.””We'll send a messenger to catch up with him.”
”We can do that.” Himar offered another nod.
”Oh... and this one goes to Lord Ustal.” She paused once more. ”Could you let Falar know that I'll need to talk to him tomorrow. He hasn't left yet, has he?”
”No, Regent.” Himar smiled. ”He had hoped you would see him.”
”He's a scoundrel, but trustworthy as scoundrels go.”
”I know him little, except by watching, but I would say his word is good.”
After Anna had bundled Himar off with the piles of scrolls, she stopped to munch on bread, actual dark bread. Where did Jearle get mola.s.ses if he was under siege for almost a season? She frowned, then cut another wedge of cheese from the platter on the side of the wide table, following that with water from the bottle beside it.
As she ate, Anna looked at her ”problem” list: Flossbend(Beltyr) Arien(Tybel) Silberfels(Hulber) Fussen(Ustal) Wendell(Genrica) Issl(Fustar) Mossbach(???) She was forgetting someone. Klestayr-the lord of Aroch. But she didn't know what he was plotting, only that he was.
Eight holds, out of Thirty-three. Some were problems she didn't have to address immediately, like Ustal and Hulber. Some she couldn't until she knew more, like Klestayr. And the possible power grab by Fustar probably wouldn't happen until Genrica died, which might be a while. So that left deciding what to do about the succession in Mossbach, and righting the problems in Flossbend and Arien.
”Arien and Flossbend, first...” she murmured.
There was another knock on the door. Anna turned over the sheet with her list.
”Yes?”
”The chief player.”
”I'll see her.” Anna rose and waited.
Liende stepped into the guest chamber and bowed, deeply. ”Lady Regent.”
Not knowing exactly what to say, Anna smiled.
Liende looked at Anna, then down, then back at the regent. ”I cannot thank you... not enough.”
”What? For giving your son more headaches than he'll ever be able to get rid of?
For ensuring that I have a loyal lord on the border so that I don't have to worry every time I leave Falcor? For putting him so far away that you'll seldom see him?”
Liende laughed, softly. ”All those would happen were he lord or blade or player.
Did you know... once I had hoped he might receive some small plot or a cot fromLord Brill. But it would have been a gift. My gift. This...” Liende gestured around her. 'This he has earned and will earn with every day he lives, and that I could never have provided.”
”But you did,” Anna pointed out. ”You raised him well and taught him. What you helped him become is why he is Lord of Denguic.”
Liende smiled and shook her head. ”He was not certain when he came to Falcor. He watched you.” The smile turned sad. ”At first, he saw a beautiful girl, and I think wanted you for little less than your form, and did not understand. Alseta- she saw you from the first, and she was not kind to him. But Kinor is not without wit, and he watched and learned. And you were kind to let him accompany you.” The chief player shrugged. ”He will do aught that is necessary to keep this hold and your faith.”
Anna nodded. ”I would hope so, and I would hope he can win the loyalty of the people. That will not be easy.”
”It may not be so hard. Already...there are tales, now that the lady Livya and her daughter have left,”
Were there tales in every hold? Anna took a long slow breath.
Liende bowed, her eyes taking in the table with the scrolls. ”You have much to do, and I would not hold you. I did wish to thank you.”
”Liende...” Anna's voice was soft. ”You have supported me and saved me when you didn't want to. I took youth from you, and I probably caused Brill's death. I didnt mean to, but... I didn't help there. I'm grateful to you. I won't say it often, but I am. I still need you, and your skills. I'm just glad that it worked out this way.”
”You are honest, and you are beautiful, and you see women as they should be.”
The chief player looked Anna straight in the eyes. ”You are a sorceress, and at times, you ask much. At times, you are cold. You must be, and I know that. But you essay to be fair and to care for those who support you as much as is possible for any ruler. We-and I-cannot ask more.” She dropped her eyes.
”Perhaps... I am getting old... I say too much.”
”You... you are the honest one,” Anna replied. ”I'm glad you are. Thank you.”
”I need be going.” A brief smile crossed the chief player's face. ”Know you when we travel?”
”I'd guess you'll have another day or two to enjoy Lord Kinor's hold.” Anna smiled. ”Maybe longer, but I don't know yet.”
Liende bowed, then departed.
Anna had scarcely looked at the problem list again before there was another interruption.
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