Part 4 (1/2)
Alone momentarily in the receiving room, Anna took a deep breath. Then she set aside the lutar, replacing it in its case, and refiling the spell in the folder.
She ma.s.saged her forehead, then poured another goblet of water. Both Blaz and Giellum had been shocked. Had it been because she'd used sorcery? Or because she'd let Wendella live?
She rang the bell again.
Skent peered in.
”Have Blaz and Giellum step in for a moment, please.”
The two guards stepped inside the receiving room, and the door clunked shut. Giellum swallowed. Blaz remained stone-faced.
”I'm not upset or angry,” Anna said quietly.
Neither guard moved.
”But I do have a question for you. Blaz. . . do you think I was too lenient on the lady Wendella?”
”It be not my place to judge.” The guard's voice was hoa.r.s.e.
”Giellum?”
”I... How... would ?”
”I know.” Anna sighed. ”Anything you say would be wrong. That's the problem with being a ruler, even a regent. No one wants to tell you what they think. If they agree, it's flattery. If they don't, it's dangerous.”
She smiled wryly; ”So I'll have to guess.”
Giellum swallowed again.
”Giellum. . . you don't have to swallow”
That got another swallow, and Anna wanted to sigh in exasperation. Instead, she continued. ”The lady Wendella was extremely rude.” She glanced at Blaz. ”I think that's something we can all agree on.”
The wary look in Giellum's eyes, and the fractional nod from Blaz confirmed that.
”In fact, after I spelled her, she as much as admitted that she and her lord Dencer were disloyal to the Regency. Did either of you wonder why I let her go?”
The lack of reaction confirmed her guess.
”You did, but you don't want to second-guess a regent. Think about this. If I had executed the lady Wendella, several things would have happened. First, Lord Dencer would immediately start telling everyone how I killed his wife and heir, and how I was out to take over all Defalk by replacing all the old lords. Then, he would be free to marry whoever he wants, possibly even some relative of Ehara of Dumar.
This way, he has a struggle with his wife. If he kills her, and he may, probably with poison, it will take some time. I can certainly accuse him of proving his disloyalty, and I don't have her blood on the Re- gency. He might even get the message and become more loyal.” She shrugged. ”It's a nasty business, but the fewer disloyal lords and ladies I have to execute outright, the stronger Lord Jimbob's position will become.”
Blaz gave the slightest of nods. Giellum had turned pale.
”You look shocked, Giellum. Ruling isn't all battles. A lot of it is positioning things so that your enemies look bad and unreasonable. Wendella and Dencer have been trying to make me look like the b.i.t.c.h of Defalk. We'll announce to all the lords that we are pleased to return Lord Dencer's consort and his heir to him and wish them both every happiness. It should confound just about everyone.” Anna took a sip from the goblet. ”And you can tell anyone you want what happened. I will, and there's no secret about it.” in fact, I hope you do tell just about everyone.
She studied the two, catching the hint of a smile in Blaz's eyes. Well, one out of two wasn't bad, and maybe the older guard could get it across to Giellum.
”Do you have any questions?”
”No, lady,” said Blaz.
”No. . .lady,” added Giellum.
No sooner had her guards left than Resor opened the door again. ”There is a player here, Lady Anna He says his name is Delvor.”
”I'll see him.” No one else could, and at times like this she missed Daffyd. She really needed another player-master, but where would she find one?
Blaz followed the would-be player into the receiving room and stood just inside the door, hand on his blade.
The young man stepped into the receiving room and looked down at the floor. Lank brown hair-too long- spilled across his forehead. His fingers were white where they clutched his violino case.
”You. . . summoned me, sorceress.” His thin voice trembled out of a thin face.
”I requested players.” Anna waited. Yes, she had requested players, from everywhere and 'even with the promise of a healthy wage. And this trembling youngster was only the second since harvest-two in half a season, when she needed a good dozen, if not more. The first so-called player had carried a falk horn on which he couldn't play ”Come- to Jesus” in whole notes. Anna's eyes focused on the youngster. ”Are you interested in being a player for the Regency?”
”Yes, lady.” He looked down.
”I take it that you are worried about playing for an unknown sorceress, but you need the coin even more than you worry?”
The youngster just s.h.i.+vered.
”What is your name, young player?” Anna hated it when she'd been given a name and didn't remember it, but she'd never been that good with names.
”Delvor, lady.”
”Delvor, I don't eat players. I do pay them well, if they can meet my standards. That's a silver a week.”
She paused.
”A silver...”
”Take out that violino and play something for me.” Delvor's fingers still trembled as he fumbled out the old and polished instrument. The trembling lessened as he began to tune the violino.
”Anytime you're ready.”
Slowly, he raised the instrument and the bow.
After the first unsteady notes, the short melody was clear. Delvor didn't squeak or shriek, and his fingering looked sure.
From where he stood by the door, Blaz gave the faintest of nods. Anna wasn't so certain.
”All right” Anna gestured for the violinist to stop. ”How do you learn a new melody? Can you read nota- tion?”
The look at the floor answered that question.
”I take it that you learn by ear?”
”I can play what I've heard,” the player answered. He swallowed. ”Sometimes, I must hear it more than once.”