which one of us he prefers, O’Teni?”
Ana pulled her arm away. Courtiers, chevarittai, and supplicants stared at them from down the hall, the ca’- and-cu’ whispering and pointing. “I have nothing to say to you, Vajica,” Ana said. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Francesca laughed, as if the two of them were sharing a joke. “Oh, we both know that I do, though I must admit that I’m a bit startled. It certainly can’t be
Ana gasped as if the woman had slapped her across the face. “Vajica, I won’t listen to this crudity.” She started to walk away but Francesca’s voice stopped her, nearly loud enough to be heard by the others watching them.
“You reek of him, O’Teni. I would suggest a long bath and strong perfume. It’s what I do afterward. And if you haven’t already taken precautions, I can recommend a good midwife who has potions you can take to avoid. . consequences.”
Ana half-turned to her. “We’ve nothing more say to each other, Vajica. I am done with this conversation.”
“Then listen to this as a parting word,” Francesca told her. “I won’t be replaced by you, O’Teni. I won’t.”
“No one ever wishes to replace a pile of dung, Vajica. They only wish to get rid of it as quickly as possible.” Francesca’s eyes widened as Ana gave her the sign of Cenzi once more and strode away.
“I’m to meet the Kraljiki and my vatarh after lunch, O’Teni cu’Seranta,” Francesca called after her-loudly now, so that all those in the hall heard her clearly. “I’ll be certain to mention to him that you and I had a perfectly charming conversation.”
Ana ignored her, continuing to walk toward the open doors of the palace. She could feel the stares of the courtiers and their whispered speculations at her back as she made her way to her carriage.
Deceptions
Jan ca’Vorl
The rider-an outrider scout, an e’offizier named ci’Baden-was mud-spattered and exhausted. He gratefully drank the flagon of water that Jan handed him, though he refused to take the seat that was offered. “My Hirzg, I came as quickly as I could. I have seen a platoon of the Garde Civile. They are within our borders and moving in our general direction. They number thirty men; they also have a single warteni with them, and several messenger birds in cages.”
They were outside Jan’s tent, in the early morning sun. Jan glanced over to Markell and Starkkapitan ca’Staunton; behind them, Allesandra sat on the stool of Jan’s field desk, listening quietly with her tutor Georgi, O’Offizier ci’Arndt, at her side. The army was encamped in a steep-sloped valley of pastureland. Sheep and goats wandered the hillsides, grazing on the heather. Around them, the men were striking their tents in preparation for the day’s march. “You know where they are now?”
The outrider nodded, gulping at the water. “I can find them again easily; they’re less than a morning’s ride away by now, following the Clario road.”
“Good. Go now and get some food. The starkkapitan will make certain you’re given a new horse and a troop of your own: ten men, to leave as soon as possible. E’Offizier ci’Baden, I want you to find that platoon of Garde Civile again. You will carry the standard of the Third Chevarittai and be dressed in armor with our colors prominent. Let them glimpse you and the banner. Make no contact with them and
don’t get close enough to let any of the war-teni’s spells reach you. As soon as you know you’ve been seen, turn and retreat back to here as if you’re startled at finding them and are rushing back to report-not so quickly that they can’t follow you; not so slowly that they realize you’re leading them. You see that knoll there?” Jan pointed to a small rise in the valley, with a stand of oaks at its summit. Ci’Baden nodded. “I will wait for you there. Can you do that?”
Ci’Baden bowed to Jan, who nodded back perfunctorily. “Bring them back by evening, E’Offizier.” Ci’Baden bowed again and rushed away as Jan turned to ca’Staunton. “Starkkapitan, take the army on through the pass at double-time and wait. Leave me a company of men here as well as U’Teni cu’Kohnle and two more of the war-teni- that should be far more than sufficient.”
Allesandra tugged at the sleeve of Jan’s bashta. “I will stay with you, Vatarh. I want to see.”
“No,” he told her firmly. “You’ll go with the starkkapitan. O’Offizier ci’Arndt will accompany you, so you can continue studying.” As he
glanced at ci’Arndt, he saw disappointment spread visibly over the man’s face. “Is there a problem, O’Offizier? You may speak freely,” Jan said to the man.
“My Hirzg, I would rather be with you, where my sword might be of help.” Jan saw Allesandra’s face light with that.
“And me also, Vatarh,” she said.
His daughter’s eagerness momentarily dissolved Jan’s irritation-
it reminded him of how he’d reacted, when his own vatarh had left
him behind to go to war. He’d wanted more than anything to be with him. . “There will be time and opportunity for you, O’Offizier,” he answered ci’Arndt. “I promise you. For now, take the A’Hirzg up on the slopes of the pass so she can see the valley. Stay with her and answer her questions.”
O’Offizier ci’Arndt saluted, Allesandra pouted. Starkkapitan
ca’Staunton shifted his weight, chain mail rustling. “My Hirzg, I would rather you allow me to leave one of my a’offiziers in charge here. You should stay with the army, where you can be protected.”
Ca’Staunton’s whining objection rekindled Jan’s irritation. “You
don’t think I’m competent enough to be in command, Starrkapitan?”
Ca’Staunton’s face blanched. “No, my Hirzg. Of course not. I only-”
Jan cut him off with a slash of his hand through the cool air. “You’ll do as I ordered, Starkkapitan,” Jan snapped. “I suggest you go make certain that those orders are carried out. Now.”
Ca’Staunton looked as if he were about to protest further. His eyes narrowed and his fingers tightened on the jeweled hilt of his sword of office. Then he bowed to Jan as curtly as politeness allowed and stalked off. Jan heard him bellowing orders as he went.
“The starkkapitan’s offiziers are going to be unhappy,” Markell commented. “He’ll take out his frustration on them. It would seem the Kraljiki has heard rumors of your advance.”
“It’s probably my dear wife who sent the Kraljiki the warning,” Jan answered. “And if I find out that’s the case, I won’t need an annulment from the Archigos to rid myself of her.” Markell rolled his eyes toward Allesandra, and Jan sighed. “Allesandra, perhaps you should leave. .”
“I don’t like Matarh either, Vatarh. I told you-I like Mara much better.”
He might have chuckled at another time. Instead, he grimaced.
“Go on,” he told her, sternly. “And this time, no listening. O’Offizier ci’Arndt, if you’d go with her. .”
Allesandra sighed dramatically. She hopped down from the stool and left the tent with ci’Arndt behind her. Markell’s face didn’t change expression, but the way his shoulders had drawn back told Jan that he was thinking, as was Jan, of the Kraljiki’s insulting arrogance in sending troops within Firenzcia’s border. “I will make inquiries on my own regarding the Hirgin and report back to you,” Markell said. “The Tete of the Palais staff in Brezno may have something he can tell us. But if the Kraljiki has sent out the Garde Civile to verify the rumors of our advance, won’t the silence from one of his offiziers confirm that? The messenger birds indicate that he expects regular reports.”
“By the time the silence becomes critical, we will be on the Avi a’Firenzcia and nearly within sight of the city. He won’t have time to react. Besides, Markell, who says that this offizier won’t be reporting back to the Kraljiki as
