Elantris

Her father groaned.

'Father,' Sarene chided. 'You know you need to lose weight.' While the king was nowhere as large-in either muscle or fat-as his brother Kiin, he was more portly than he was stocky.

'I don't see why,' Eventeo said. 'Did you know that in Duladel they consider fat people attractive? They don't care about Jindoeese notions of health, and they're perfectly happy. Besides, where has it been proven that butter makes you fat?'

'You now what the Jindos say, Father,' Sarene said. 'If it burns, it isn't healthy.'

Eventeo sighed. 'I haven't had a cup of wine in ten years.'

'I know, Father. I used to live with you, remember?'

'Yes, but she didn't make you stay away from alcohol.'

'I'm not overweight.' Sarene pointed out. 'Alcohol burns.'

'So does Hraggish weed soup,' Eventeo replied, his voice turning slightly impish. 'At least, it does if you dry it out. I tried.'

Sarene laughed. 'I doubt Mother responded very well to that little experiment.'

'She just gave me one of her looks-you know how she is.'

'Yes,' Sarene said, recalling her mother's features. Sarene had spent far too much time on diplomatic missions in the last few years to suffer from homesickness now, but it would be nice to be back in Teod-especially considering the seemingly endless series of surprises and disasters that had filled the last few weeks.

'Well, 'Ene. I have to go hold court,' her father finally said. 'I'm glad you occasionally take the time to call your poor old father-especially to let him know when you've overthrown an entire nation. Oh, one more thing. As soon as we found out about Iadon's suicide, Seinalan commandeered one of my fastest ships and set sail for Arelon. He should be arriving within a few days.'

'Seinalan?' Sarene asked with surprise. 'What part does the patriarch have in all this?'

'I don't know-he wouldn't tell me. But, I really have to go, 'Ene. I love you.' 'I love you too. Father.'

'I've never met the patriarch,' Roial confessed from his seat in Kiin's dining room. 'Is he much like Father Omin?'

'No,' Sarene said firmly. 'Seinalan is a self-serving egotist with enough pride to make a Derethi gyorn look humble.'

'Princess!' Eondel said with indignation. 'You're talking about the father of our Church!'

'That doesn't mean I have to like him,' Sarene said.

Eondel's face whitened as he reached reflexively for the Aon Omi pendant around his neck.

Sarene scowled. 'You don't have to ward off evil, Eondel. I'm not going to reject Domi just because He put a fool in charge of His Church: fools need to have a chance to serve too.'

Eondel's eyes turned down toward his hand: then he lowered it with an embarrassed look. Roial, however. was laughing quietly to himself.

'What?' Sarene demanded.

'It's just that I was considering something, Sarene,' the oId man said with a smile. 'I don't think I've ever met anyone. male or female. that's quite as opinionated as you are.'

'Then you've lived a sheltered life, my duke.' Sarene informed. 'And where is Lukel, anyway?'

Kiin's table wasn't as comfortable as Roial's study. but for some reason they all felt most at home in Kiln's dining room. While most people added personal touches to their study or reception room, Kiin's love was his food, and the dining room the place where he shared his talent. The room's decorations-mementos from Kiin's travels including everything from dried vegetables to a large, ornamental axe-were comfortingly familiar. There was never any discussion about it; they all just naturally came to this room when they met.

They had to wait a few more moments before Lukel finally decided to return. Eventually, they heard the door open and close, then her cousin's amiable face popped in the door. Ahan and Kiin were with him.

'Well?' Sarene asked.

'Telrii definitely intends to take the throne,' Lukel said.

'Not with my legion backing Roial. he won't.' Eondel said.

'Unfortunately, my dear general,' Ahan said, settling his bulk into a chair, 'your legion isn't here. You have barely a dozen men at your disposal.' 'It's more than Telrii has,' Sarene pointed out.

'Not anymore, it isn't,' Ahan said. 'The Elantris City Guard left their posts to set up camp outside Telrii's mansion.'

Eondel snorted. 'The Guard is hardly more than a club for second sons who want to pretend they're important.'

'True,' Ahan said. 'But there are over six hundred people in that club. At fifty-to-one odds, even /would fight against your legion. I'm afraid the balance of power has shifted in Telrii's favor.'

'This is bad,' Roial agreed. 'Telrii's superior wealth was a great problem before, but now…'

'There's got to be a way,' Lukel said.

'I don't see one,' Roial confessed.

The men frowned. deep in thought. However, they had all been pondering this very problem for two days. Even if they'd had the military edge. the other aristocrats would be hesitant to support Roial. who was the less wealthy man.

As Sarene studied each lord in turn, her eyes fell on Shuden. He seemed hesitant rather than worried.

'What?' she asked quietly.

'I think I may have a way,' he said tentatively.

'Speak on, man,' Ahan said.

Sarene is still very wealthy, — Shuden explained. 'Raoden left her at least five hundred thousand deos.'

'We discussed this. Shuden,' Lukel said. 'She has a lot of money, but still less than Roial.'

'True,' Shuden agreed. 'But together they would have far more than Telrii.' The room grew quiet.

'Your marriage contract is technically void, my lady.' Ashe said from behind. 'It dissolved as soon as Iadon killed himself, thereby removing his line from the throne. The moment someone else becomes king-be it Telrii or Roial-the treaty will end, and you will cease to be an Arelish princess.'

Shuden nodded. 'If you unify your fortune with that of Lord Roial, it would not only give you the money to stand against Telrii, it would also legitimize the duke's claim. Don't assume that lineage doesn't matter in Arelon. The nobles would much rather give their loyalty to one of Iadon's relatives.'

Roial found her with eyes like those of a benevolent grandfather. 'I must admit that young Shuden has a point. The marriage would be strictly political. Sarene.'

Sarene took a breath. Things happened so quickly. understand, my lord. We will do what must be done.'

And so. for the second time in only two months, Sarene was engaged to be married.

'That wasn't very romantic, I'm afraid,' Roial apologized. The meeting was over, and Roial had discreetly offered to escort Sarene back to the palace. The others, including Ashe, had realized that the two needed to talk alone.

'It's all right. my lord,' Sarene said with a slight smile. 'That is how political marriages are supposed to be- dry, contrived, but extremely useful.' 'You're very pragmatic.'

'I have to be, my lord.'

Roial frowned. 'Must we return to the 'my lords,' Sarene? I thought we were beyond that.'

'I'm sorry, Roial,' Sarene said. 'It's just hard to separate my personal self from my political self.'

Roial nodded. '1 meant what I said, Sarene. This will be strictly a union of convenience-do not fear yourself obligated in any other way.'

Sarene rode quietly for a moment. listening to the horse's hooves clop in front of them. 'There will need to be heirs.'

Roial laughed quietly. 'No, Sarene. Thank you, but no. Even if such were physically possible. I couldn't go through with it. I am an old man, and can't possibly survive more than a few years. This time, your wedding contract won't forbid you from remarrying after I die. When I'm gone, you can finally choose a man of your own preference-by then we will have replaced Iadon's silly system with something more stable, and your children with the third husband will inherit the throne.'

Third husband. Roial spoke as if he were already dead, herself a widow twice over. 'Well,' she said. 'if things do happen as you suggest, then at least I wouldn't have trouble attracting a husband. The throne would be a