Part 47 (1/2)
”I don't doubt that.” Anna paused. Jecks had clearly smoothed things over. What could she say?
”Sometimes truth is harder to swallow than false tales, and my strangeness... the fact that I don't know Defalk as well as you do...that can lead to misunderstandings.”
”Lord Jecks explained. I did not know how many arrows you have taken for Defalk and those you lead.”
The swarthy lord shook his head. ”You are not as you look.”
”Lord Gylaron, I am much older. 1 didn't look for what happened to me.” She paused, gauging his expression. ”I have no heirs here on Erde. I never will.”
”He told me that as well. That clears another fog.” His face wrinkled. ”Yet. . . why would you not add my domains to Lord Jimbob's?”
”Lord Jimbob will need more than Falcor, to raise the coins a leader of Defalk must have. He shouldn't ever have more than that, but especially not as young as he is. Too much power corrupts.”
”You would judge that?”
”Is there anyone else who can?” Anna asked bluntly. ”I can't pa.s.s anything on. I have no ties to anyone. I could be wrong, but I saw how Lord Barjim couldn't raise the coins or armsmen necessary to save Defalk.
I also saw how Lord Behlem squandered golds. I think a ruler should be somewhere between.” She smiled. ”What do you think?”
”I think. . . Lady Anna, that I am fortunate to retain my head and my lands. I will not trouble you more.”
”Lord Gylaron...” Anna tilted her head slightly, wondering if that would be too flirtatious even as she did.
”I will always be here to answer honest questions. I will do my best to preserve Defalk. I make mistakes.
Even sorceresses do. If you have a question, if you have a concern, I will answer. I may not always agree, but I will answer.”
”Lord Jecks told me how you spent golds to gain seed corn for the south. I would that I had known.”
That, and Gylaron's opening words, were all the apology she would ever get, but they were enough.
”When you have pressing needs, let me know.”
”I thank you, lady. And Reylan would thank you as well, were she here.” Gylaron smiled. ”We would see you at the evening meal.”
'I will be there,” Anna promised.
After Gylaron had left, Anna walked to the window. She didn't wait long before Jecks arrived.
”How did you manage that?” Anna asked warily.
”I did what Rickel suggested. I had him put on arms-man's greens. Rickel took him around. He talked to arms-men. Anyone and anywhere he wanted. Then he came back and we talked some more.” Jecks smiled, and his eyes twinkled.
”So he doesn't believe I'm the b.i.t.c.h from dissonance any longer?” Anna walked toward Jecks, seeing the lines around the eyes, the fatigue.
”He has...a healthy...respect for you,” Jecks answered.
”Like Birfels? He respects me, but can't stand what I'm doing.”
”Gylaron is distressed that his world will be changed. I did persuade him, as did his consort, that his situation is far better than it would have been under anyone else. including Lord Ehara or the Liedfuhr of Mansuur. Or the Evult.”
”I'm so flattered.'' Anna snorted.
”Lady Anna. . . nothing had changed in Defalk for generations. Then came the drought, and the Evult.
Everyone expected that, once the rains returned, so would the good days of the past.”
”They weren't that good,” muttered Anna.
”That matters not. For the lords, they think those days were good.”
”So they're upset now?”
”Not all. Some see beyond their noses and fields.” Jecks smiled. ”Those like Clethner who live with their backs to Nordwei, or Nelmor, who sees the sun set over Neserea.”
”I don't know. I'm not a very good politician. The older I get, the harder it gets to smile and pretend to be a good little girl. To pretend that it's all my fault that they don't understand. To pretend that I didn't make it perfectly clear when I spelled it out in words a five-year-old should understand.” Anna walked back to the window and looked down at the courtyard, where several score of her armsmen stood or sat under the shade of overhanging battlements. ”I never was that good.”
”Give them time. Like Gylaron, they will see that all you bode for Defalk is good.”
”Do I? Really? I wonder.” She turned again. ”You're tired, and what I did didn't help. Can you get some rest before supper, or dinner, or whatever?”
”Supper, here in the south,” Jecks said.
”Will you get some rest?” she asked again.
”I will have some food sent to you,” Jecks said. ”You did not eat.”
”I couldn't.” She met his eyes. ”Please take care of yourself and get some rest.”
”As my lady commands.”
”I don't command you,” Anna said with a smile. ”I doubt anyone's ever commanded you.”
”Not until now, lady.” Jecks bowed. ”You're impossible.”
''Just ancient.''
”You're not that, either. Now go get some rest, and let a poor sorceress think about how she can avoid swallowing her boots again.”
Jecks bowed once more, and Anna shook her head, ruefully, as Jecks departed, graceful, muscular, and far more understanding than most of his peers. Most? How about all of them?
53.
MANSUUS, MANSUUR.