“A king of your majesty and skill will always find a way to reign,” he said.
King Vaelor laughed.
“So true. But what am I to do? With no squabbles, no royal visitors, and no feasts planned, I am sorely pressed for entertainment.”
“For that, I have found a solution,” Gerand said. He clapped twice, and one of the guards at the throne room’s main entrance threw open the doors. Ten girls wearing silks that hid nothing walked into the room, bells jingling from their wrists and ankles.
“Dancers courtesy of Maynard Gemcroft,” Gerand said. “Come all the way from Ker. They are known as the Naked Bells.”
Slowly the women began their gyrations.
“Naked Bells?” King Vaelor asked, licking his lips. “Yet I see so much silk.”
“Give us time to earn our name,” one of the women said, her voice husky and foreign.
Gerand left the king to his pleasures, eager for nightfall and word from his turncoat. Once Thren was defeated, the only threat to the crown would be himself, and that was exactly what he wanted.
A lyssa walked ahead of Zusa on their return to the Kull’s camp, knowing her lead would make things easier for the other woman. Most of the guards stared at Zusa’s face as they passed, frightened by her skill yet drawn to her beauty.
“Alyssa!” shouted Yoren when he saw her. He stumbled over a pot, pushed aside another man, and then wrapped her in a ferocious hug. Kiss after kiss he planted on her face, and despite the loathsome being he was at night, Alyssa found herself relaxing in his arms and returning the kisses. After a moment he leaned back and let her stand, and that was when he noticed Zusa’s face.
“By Karak, girl, where’s your wrappings?” he asked.
Zusa took a step back and crossed her arms as if embarrassed.
“Gone,” she said. “Why do you care?”
Yoren didn’t seem to know how to respond, so eventually he shrugged and took Alyssa’s hands in his.
“Come,” he said. “Father will be thrilled to see you. And what of the dark paladin? Did you elude him in the night?”
“Zusa killed him,” Alyssa said as they walked around the tents on their way to the large pavilion.
“Did she now?” He glanced back at Zusa. “At times I wondered about my decision to hire you. It seems you three were well worth the coin.”
“Just one now,” Zusa said. Alyssa heard the sadness in her voice, but Yoren prattled on not noticing.
“We didn’t know what to do. Theo thought to send search parties to look for, well, your body. I meant to go to Veldaren and see if the priests of Karak had you. Better alive and imprisoned than dead in a field, I figured. But here you are! More than I could have hoped for.”
Alyssa glanced back at Zusa, who nodded. That nod gave her courage to continue.
“Please, hurry me to your father,” she said. “I have something he needs to hear.”
“On what matter?” Yoren asked.
“For his ears alone,” she said. ”If I am to rule in my father’s place, there are some details I would prefer to organize with Theo first. He is Lord of Riverrun, at least in fact if not in name.”
Yoren looked none too pleased about this request, but he delayed arguing until they were there. Theo sat in a chair, the remnants of the morning meal splayed out before him on the table.
“By the gods, Alyssa Gemcroft, safe and sound!” Theo cried, shoving against his chair to aid himself in standing. “I thought my guards were just babbling nonsense; either that or some pretty whore from the Kensgold had wandered over and been mistaken for you.”
“I’m flattered by the comparison,” Alyssa said.
“You should be girl, looking as you do. I’ve seen my dogs drag in less disheveled things than you. Twice now you’ve come to me in tatters. The Gemcroft line must be rolling in its graves.”
Alyssa felt anger mix with her self-consciousness. Indeed, the wade through the river had dirtied her dress, and she’d torn the tight silk during her frantic run. Drying it by the fire had shrunken it considerably, and she’d torn it more putting it back on. Her hair was a frightening mess, and she’d give just about anything for a hot soak. Still, she was Alyssa Gemcroft, heir to the northern mines, and she’d never willingly accept such insults.
“If you have any desire to remain in my good graces come my ascension, you should bite your tongue, or better yet, apologize for such remarks,” Alyssa said. “Compare me to a whore, then to shit your dogs drag in?”
Yoren flushed red at the sudden outburst, but Theo only laughed at the fire that suddenly burned bright in her voice.
“Quite right, and I do apologize, Lady Gemcroft. Come, let me fetch my serving women so they may bathe and dress you proper to your station.”
“No,” she said. “I have business to discuss, matters pertaining to my future holdings.”
“Surely these can wait…” Yoren began, but Alyssa cut him off.
“Now,” she said, her eyes boring into Theo’s. “Surely you would not insult a guest by denying them dealings? Or are the rumors I hear of the Kulls more truthful than I thought?”
The whole tent quieted. Theo’s smile drooped, the joy drained from his eyes.
“So be it,” he said. “Let us treat each other as partners of business. What is it you wish to discuss?”
“Not yet,” she said, glaring at Yoren. “We talk alone.”
Yoren scoffed but Theo was in no mood.
“Leave us,” he said to his guards as well as his son. He pointed a finger at Zusa. “But she goes too.”
Zusa bowed. The pavilion emptied until Theo sat alone, his fingers rubbing his silver knife.
“You may sit if you desire,” he offered. Alyssa refused.
“I have a question for you,” she said. “My father has vexed you time and time again. Do you know why? Because you are a mere tax collector in a far away city, scheming and fighting to take over a mere pittance of my father’s property.”
“Where is your question, girl?” Theo asked, his hand clutching the wide tableknife dangerously tight.
“I can give you far more than some miserable land in Riverrun,” Alyssa said. “Which is more important to you, your wealth, or your son?”
“What nonsense is this?” Theo roared. Alyssa reached into her skirt and drew the dagger hidden within its secret pocket. Two steps put her an arm’s length from Theo’s throat. The big man wisely paused, still clutching his tableknife as he tilted his head to one side.
“Forgive me,” he said. “I am still waiting for a true question, as well as an offer of deals and trades. But you are a woman, and unaccustomed to such matters, so I will be patient and give you another chance.”
“I will not marry Yoren,” she told him. “You will not inherit the Gemcroft line. But if I am declared Lady of the estate, then I will reward you handsomely. My father has several mines in the northeast, not far from your little town. Your taxes and harassment have made them near unprofitable. I’ll give them to you, as well as the properties you seek within Riverrun. You gain all this in return for disavowing any possible marriage between myself and your son.”
Theo rubbed his chin.
“You seem to forget something,” he said. “With your marriage, all of those would become mine in time, or at least my son’s. Why would I give up so much just to gain what I would already have? And don’t say because you threaten me, for I am not scared of your little toy.”
Alyssa smiled. She was tired of being someone’s plaything. It was good to finally be in charge. In the distance she heard a couple of scattered shouts from the guards.
“I knew you would say so,” she said. “And even if you promised, I would never believe it. You speak in lies, all you Kulls do, and I was stupid to have believed them for so long. But give me my inheritance, Theo, and I promise to keep my word.”
“Is that so?” Theo asked. “Just because you…”
And then he lunged at her, his arm swinging in a sideways arc to bat away her dagger. Alyssa parried it smoothly aside, stepped closer, and then smashed her elbow into his throat. Theo fell back into his seat, gasping for air. The tableknife thudded to the dirt.
“I’ve had enough training to deal with someone as slow as you,” she said. “Are you listening, Theo? And are you watching? I hope you are.”
