"Who's this one?" Cook asked, eyeing the stranger.
"This here's Belligerence," the old man said.
"Sober is sick, then?"
"Took ill of a sudden yesterday," the old man said. "We're here today to collect Friday's order, since we left yesterday without getting it.
Repentance settled back onto the bench. Sick! He was afraid to face her, that's what. Maybe no good explanation existed. Sober might have just plain betrayed her.
He'd said he wanted Tigen to sit on the throne. And his mistress was one of those Deliverance Day people. Maybe Sober was involved in some kind of plot and Repentance had given information to the king's enemies, after all.
The prince didn't make an appearance in the afternoon. Repentance finished her workday and went wearily, but thankfully, down to dinner. The table was full when she arrived. All the regulars were there. Three stable boys, Reticent, Shamed, and Blustering—all younger than Repentance by a couple of years. The four unbuttoned maids were there as well. Generosity and the three older ones—Biased, Blessed, and Forthright. The footmen, also, Meekness and Favor. And Merit, Cook's helper, who was, as Generosity had said, eyes-only for Favor and was barely aware anyone else was alive.
All the other servants, the ones who were buttoned, took meals with their own families in their own quarters.
Generosity waved to Repentance and motioned for her to sit between herself and Favor.
Favor grinned up at her.
She sighed as she squeezed between him and Generosity. She just wanted to be left alone. She was so tired. Tired of trying to figure out how to stay alive and who she should align herself with in order to save her sister and brothers. Tired of being forced here and there at the whims of others. And she was tired of men grinning and gaping.
"I'm sorry you've fallen on hard times," Favor said.
"What would you know about my times?"
He shrugged. "You've moved from the queen's chamber to the servants' quarters. Things can't be going well. And you sat with a world-weary sigh. But at least the prince is willing good fortune on you." He passed her the bread basket. "Things must improve now. He's a powerful man, and it's always good to have that kind of man as a friend and not an enemy."
"He's what?"
"A powerful man. Didn't you know? He's possibly more powerful than the king, now."
She shook her head. "You said he was willing me …?" She took a piece of bread and passed the basket on to Generosity.
"Ah. He's willing you good fortune. I heard the prince talking when he and his friends left in the carriage today."
She waited while he took a bite of pork roast.
"And?" she asked when he made to take a second bite.
He looked at her perplexed, his fork poised halfway to his mouth.
"What exactly did the prince say?"
"Lord Dahner said it would be simple enough to charge you with a crime and hand you over to the swingman."
His words slammed into her with such force that she almost fell off the bench. Why kill her? The prince knew now she was never going to provide the king with an heir.
"And the prince said he had no intention of letting you swing. He would fix the problem with the king, and you could move back to the queen's chamber." He shoveled in a bite of pork roast.
"Where did the prince go?" Repentance asked. "When he left in the carriage today, I mean."
Favor shook his head but said nothing, his mouth full.
Merit came up behind him and bent over his shoulder to put more roast on his empty plate.
He rewarded her with a grateful smile.
Repentance sat silent while her heart slowed back to its normal tempo. Yesterday the prince had been overjoyed to find that she was no longer the king's concubine. Why would he fix things with the king so she could have the queen's chamber back?
She could be sure of one thing—Favor was wrong to think the prince was willing good fortune on her.
Coincidence or Providence? Which lights my darkest hour?
Does He order my day? Choose my way?
Stoop to save me by His power?
~Repentance Atwater, The Fawlin Palace Poetry Collection
Chapter 24
After dinner, the slaves settled in for their regular evening activities, bringing out the games and the tatting and the books. As usual, several of the buttoned slaves joined them.
Cook sat at the head of the table, looking like the proud mother of a large brood, pouring mugs of steaming yak's milk flavored with cinnamon.
Tigen showed up, gave Repentance a shy wave, and joined a clutch of boys in one corner.
Repentance rose, thinking to take a wingback chair by the fire. She would sit and read as she had been doing.
But things were changed. She couldn't sit aloof anymore. Now that she was a servant like the rest, they opened their hearts to make room for her.
"Come, Repentance," Favor said. "Have a game of Dragon in the Tower with me."
"I don't know how to play."
He laid his square of suede across the table. "I'll explain it."
They'd been playing for half an hour when Tigen sidled up next to her.
She smiled at him and went back to studying the suede. She had two possible moves. She could eat Favor's crow with a polar bear or with a dragon. She hesitated, trying to see what his next move would be in either scenario.
She put her hand on the polar bear.
Tigen gasped softly.
"I heard that, Mr. Tigen," Favor said. "No helping."
The boy giggled.
Repentance looked at him from the corner of her eye. She moved her hand to the dragon.
Tigen gave
