Part 57 (1/2)

”Well met again, cousin,” she said. ”We do not see your wife among us. We trust that she is not indis- posed?”

The Emperor, in contrast to the rest of the guests, was dressed in dark grey. The piping on the jacket and 313.

trousers was black as was the lace at throat and wrists.

He wore black gloves.

”Our thanks for your concern,” he returned. ”The truth is that the Empress Zhane no longer travels.” He produced a small, apologetic smile. ”She has the dropsy.

She had a great regard for the late Archmage and would have come if she could have. Her Wisewomen would not countenance it.” His hands rose in a helpless ges- ture.

”Ah yes,” Naxania said, ”we may be monarchs, but it is the Wisewomen who are the true tyrants. Be sure to convey my deep regard for her and my wishes for a speedy recovery.”

”You are most gracious. Lady.” He paused and looked quickly around the area before looking back at her. ”We are not the only one unaccompanied,” he said.

”It is a shame that a woman as lovely as you has yet to find the joys of matrimony.” He bowed slightly and moved on, leaving Naxania fuming.

How dare he, she thought. Marriage, as he very well knew, was a dynastic matter and it was for her, as ruler, to decide who and when she should marry. She re- garded the company as she tamed her rising temper.

Greylock, wearing the chain of the Archmages, was deep in conversation with Sumner. As she watched, they were joined by Courtak and the Gwyndryth girl. She had put on weight and was wearing a vulgar amount of jewelry.

Hard to believe that she was Darius' daughter.

Arabella and Prince Saxton were chatting with Var- odias, and Naxania caught sight of a dapper, slim man hovering at the Emperor's shoulder. Quern. What was his first name? No matter, he was unimportant, indeed he had no right to be at this end of the hall. Attendants should know their place. Her eyes narrowed. Varodias was, if anything, an even greater stickler for the con- ventions than she was. If Quern was so closely in atten-

314 dance, he must have considerable standing with the Em- peror. When she had last seen him, he had been Phal- astra of Estragoth's secretary. Evidently a man worth watching. She advanced on the group.

”We were just speaking of the difference that dear Ragnor's death will make,” Arabella said. ”People tend to forget that he ruled Arundel when I was a girl. I relied on his advice right up to the end.”

”He was certainly a force for unity,” Naxania re- plied.

”Let us hope,” Varodias interposed, ”that his spirit will continue to watch over us.” He turned to Naxania.

”You are to be congratulated, by the way, for your prompt suppression of the rebellion.”

She smiled, thinking that it was less than polite of the Emperor to bring the subject up. ”It had no popular support,” she said, ”and the traitors' heads now adorn our battlements. We hear that things are not so settled in your own realm,” she added maliciously.

Varodias rubbed his gloved hands together briefly.

The smile he produced matched hers for lack of warmth.

”We are fortunate that our subjects love us. There have been some local disturbances aimed at one or two land- owners, but we have been spared the kinds of uprisings that you have suffered. You were fortunate,” he added, ”to have had the services of the Lord Observer.” He deliberately used the t.i.tle by which Darius had been known when in Umbria.

He turned his head as Malum materialized again and whispered something. The corners of the Emperor's thin lips twitched upward. That disagreeable little man, Naxania thought, is telling him about Darius' defec- tion.

”We understand,” she said, resuming the conversa- tion, ”that a good deal of the animosity was aimed at your Church. An unfortunate time, perhaps, to have

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lost your Mother Supreme.” She was gratified at the way that both pairs of eyes fastened on her.

”A great loss,” Varodias agreed noncommittally.

”Arnulpha, however, was one of those women who are better at telling other people how to run their lives than in ordering their own. We can but hope that our newly elected Mother Supreme shows more self-discipline.”