before.
Starkkapitan ca’Damont gave a snicker through his nose, tossing the parchment on the table. “And how does the Kraljica intend to enforce this, Councillor?” he asked. “With the few battalions you’ve given Commandant cu’Ulcai? I’ve nothing but respect for the commandant, who is a fine offizier, but one doesn’t fight off an angry bear by threatening him with a twig.” He seemed to realize then that he’d spoken out of turn. His face reddened slightly. “My pardons, A’Hirzg. I’m a simple offizier, but these demands… ” He swept the parchment from the table to the floor; a page scurried over to pick up the scroll but didn’t return it to him.
“The Garde Civile and the chevarittai of the Holdings are not a twig, Starkkapitan,” ca’Mazzak blustered. He had puffed up like a toad, sitting erect in his chair, the wattles on his thick neck shivering. “You underestimate our ability to quickly field an army when our lands are threatened. It’s a lesson the last Hirzg Jan learned; I’m surprised that anyone from Firenzcia feels the lesson needs to be taught a second time.”
Allesandra appeared to be still reading the proposal, though Sergei could see her listening carefully to the exchange. She set the paper down in front of her and folded her hands over it. “All right,” she said. “Let’s forgo the posturing, Councillor ca’Mazzak. We all know that Nessantico is dealing with a threat to the west. We know what happened to Karnor; we’re hearing rumors that Villembouchure may have suffered the same fate-perhaps Commandant cu’Ulcai could enlighten us on that, since I expect he was there when the Holdings forces were routed? Everyone at this table knows that you haven’t sufficient forces to challenge us here. So what is it that the Kraljica really offers?”
Sergei had suggested this direct tack to Allesandra, but the stab at Aubri cu’Ulcai had been the A’Hirzg’s own contribution. The look on Aubri’s’ face was enough to confirm that her guess had been correct, and Sergei felt an upwelling of sympathy for his friend.
Ca’Mazzak looked as if he’d swallowed unripened fruit. He glanced at Petros, who seemed to be examining the fields past the edge of the tent, then at Aubri. “The Kraljica is prepared to offer a compromise,” he said finally. “Let the Hirzg and A’Hirzg return to Brezno with their Garde Brezno. However, Starkkapitan ca’Damont and the remainder of the army will remain behind to aid in the defense of Nessantico against the Westlanders, for which the treasury of Nessantico is willing to bear the expenses. As for the former Regent…” Ca’Mazzak glared at Sergei. “Kraljica Sigourney still demands his return to face the charges against him, no matter what agreement we reach here.”
Allesandra stood at that; a moment later, Sergei, ca’Damont, and the rest of the Firenzcian contingent followed. “Then we’re done here,” Allesandra said. “Regent ca’Rudka is an adviser to the crown of Firenzcia, and we consider him to be the current rightful ruler of Nessantico until a legitimate Kralji is named. If Regent ca’Rudka wishes to return to Nessantico on his own to pursue his claims, he may do so. Otherwise, he is under the protection of the Hirzg, no matter what the person you have named Kraljica wishes.” She bowed to ca’Mazzak and gestured. Sergei smiled broadly at the man. They turned to go.
“Wait!” It was Petros who called to them. Allesandra stopped.
“U’Teni?” she asked, but ca’Mazzak was already spluttering.
“ I am in charge of this delegation,” he said to Petros. “You will speak when I give you permission, U’Teni cu’Magnaoi.”
“Cenzi is in charge of my conscience,” Petros told the councillor. “Not you, nor Kraljica Sigourney. And I will speak. A’Hirzg, Nessantico is in desperate circumstances. Commandant cu’Ulcai would tell you-if he were permitted to speak-how easily the Westlanders took the cities, towns, and villages they have ravaged. Nessantico desperately requires all the allies it can muster now. Archigos Kenne is prepared to negotiate separately from the Kraljica, if he must, to achieve this.”
“What!” ca’Mazzak sputtered. He was on his feet now as well, pounding on the table. “No, no, no. We are done here. U’Teni cu’Magnaoi, you will be transported back to the city to answer for this. Commandant cu’Ulcai, order your gardai to-”
Sergei slapped the table immediately in front of ca’Mazzak, and the man’s mouth shut with an audible snap. “You’re nothing but the Kraljica’s yelping lapdog, Councillor,” Sergei told the man, leaning close to him. “Sit down.”
Ca’Mazzak glared back and turned to Aubri. “Commandant, you have your orders. You will take the u’teni into custody immediately.”
Aubri didn’t move, didn’t respond. Sergei could feel the tension rising in the tent. He saw hands sliding carefully toward hidden weapons-he had his own blades, too, one in his boot, another under the blouse of his bashta, and his ears sang with the hum of his own fear. He hadn’t been able to contact Aubri beforehand, and if Aubri decided that his loyalty to the Sun Throne was more than his old loyalty for Sergei, then… Well, then Sergei didn’t know what might happen here.
“Commandant cu’Ulcai, this is treason,” ca’Mazack growled. “I will have your head for this if you don’t do as ordered.”
Aubri said nothing; his contemplative gaze still on Sergei. The chevarittai, of both sides, tensed, ready to move. Sergei placed himself between Allesandra and the table. “I suggest you sit down, Councillor,” Sergei told ca’Mazzak. “Let U’Teni cu’Magnaoi finish outlining his offer.”
For several breaths, ca’Mazzak didn’t stir. His gaze moved slowly around the tent, and Sergei knew he was assessing who in the tent would follow him and who would not. Evidently, he wasn’t pleased with the result. Slowly, ca’Mazzak lowered himself to his chair again. He stared at his hands.
“Good,” Sergei said. For a moment, the ringing in his ears diminished. “Petros, what has Archigos Kenne to offer Firenzcia?”
“Information,” Petros answered. “We have proof that Archigos Semini was involved in the assassination of Archigos Ana. We can give you names to verify that.” Behind him, Sergei heard Allesandra suck in her breath at the accusation. He wondered at that-she sounded more alarmed than surprised. “Because Kraljiki Audric was killed in the same manner,” Petros continued, “we have to suspect that the false Archigos was also involved in that. If Hirzg Jan is prepared to try Archigos Semini for Archigos Ana’s death before his own court, we will supply him the evidence we have. In return, the Faith of Nessantico will work with the Faith of Brezno to repair our rift; Archigos Kenne will call for a Concordance of all a’teni to elect a single Archigos to rule the Faith, and he will also step down voluntarily if he is not elected-though any Archigos must take the Archigos’ Temple in Nessantico, not Brezno. Likewise, the Faith is prepared to acknowledge Allesandra ca’Vorl’s claim to the Sun Throne. Archigos Kenne will support her before the Council of Ca’ against Kraljica Sigourney.”
“No!” Ca’Mazzak hurtled to his feet again, spittle flying from his mouth with the explosion of the word. “Archigos Kenne will be thrown into the Bastida for this, and the teni who support him purged-”
“And if that happens,” Petros answered calmly, “then Archigos Kenne will order the war-teni to remain in their temples rather than answer the Kraljica’s call. How will the Garde Civile and the chevarittai fare against the Westlanders without the war-teni, Councillor? How will they stand against the army of the Hirzg?”
Again, ca’Mazzak sank back into his seat. He shivered as if with a fever, stroking his doubled chin. Sweat beaded at his hairline, and under his arms, the fabric of his bashta had turned dark.
Allesandra touched Sergei’s shoulder, and he stood aside. She was smiling grimly. The A’Hirzg gave the sign of Cenzi to Petros. “You offer all this for the trial of Archigos Semini?”
Petros nodded to her. “We trust the Hirzg’s court to be fair and impartial. And there is one more thing: all prosecution of the Numetodo must stop. Immediately. The Numetodo are innocent of any of this. Ambassador Karl ca’Vliomani must be restored to his previous position.”
Sergei could feel the negotiations hanging on the balance point of Allesandra’s answer to that last point. She was fingering the cracked globe of Cenzi hung around her neck. His own life hung there also, as well as that of Petros and Aubri. If he had guessed wrongly…
“I will talk to my son,” Allesandra answered. “I will relay to him everything that has been said here.” Sergei thought for a moment that this was the entirety of her answer, that he had lost. But Allesandra took a long, shivering breath. “I will suggest that the Hirzg accept the Archigos’ offer,” she said. “Councillor ca’Mazzak, Commandant, U’Teni-we’ll return to the parley tent in three turns of the glass to give you our answer.”
“If Archigos Kenne has evidence, I will weigh it,” Allesandra had said to Sergei on the way back. “And if Archigos Semini is responsible for Ana ca’Seranta’s death, then…” She had pressed her lips together grimly. “Then I am inclined to convince my son to accept the Archigos’ offer.”
Somehow, she seemed to have done exactly that, though Sergei had not been present for that discussion,
