in dumb despair.
Lady Ulia coldly extended her hand.
'And the pearl pendant too, I think.' Miliana's stepmother snatched off the rose-pink pearl, then gazed upon her ward as though Miliana had slithered out from under a rotten log. 'We, of course, await your explanation.'
'I…' Miliana stared in absolute bewilderment at the endless tide of gems. 'I… I've never seen them before in my life!'
Tekoriikii shivered, transmitting terror right through Miliana's back; suddenly the girl realized from whence the jewels had come.
Lady Ulia made a grand progress, moving a great, slow circle about the gathering treasure; clearly all of her worst, most cherished, most delicious matronly fears had come true.
'My emeralds, Lady Silverleaf's pearl, and every other bauble stolen in these few weeks past. We found them up inside your loft, of course, half covered by straw. Perhaps you fancied you were making yourself a nest?' Ulia ponderously cruised herself back into Miliana's view. 'I believe we have found Sumbria's secret cat burglar at last.'
Ulia's eyes fell upon Lorenzo and Tekoriikii, and venom dripped out of her smile.
'Aaaah, the errant fiance! Your mentor in crime, I presume? An inventor of… climbing tools? Of thievish plans?' Ulia flicked a glance across the boy and bird. 'Meat for the headsman's block. Take these two wretches away! They have led this poor girl, unwittingly, into a life of crime!' Ulia gave Miliana a pitying gaze rich with self- satisfaction. 'Poor child. My poor, dear child.'
Soldiers clamped their hands onto Lorenzo and the bird. Lorenzo drained pale white, and Tekoriikii hid his face beneath one wing. Miliana-terrified and alone-gave them a dreadful gaze of despair, looking deep into Lorenzo's eyes.
'Wait.'
Her voice, soft and husky, somehow carried through the room. The soldiers relaxed their grasp. Small, pale and frightened, Miliana dropped her gaze down to the floor.
'I did it. I am the cat burglar. It is my fault alone.'
Lorenzo simply stared. Miliana drew a breath and raised her face, tears streaming from her eyes.
'I wasn't going to keep them; I wanted to steal all the jewels, then hang them from the city walls just to show what I could do. It was… It was simply out of pride.'
'Miliana?' Lorenzo stared as he felt the soldiers let him go. Beside him, Tekoriikii's face emerged from hiding. 'Miliana?'
'These two tried to stop me. Lorenzo Utrelli and his-his pet bird.' Miliana wearily raised a limp hand toward her two friends. 'I wanted to take the Sun Gem, but they dissuaded me. Sir Utrelli is a scholar, and a perfect gentleman.'
Tekoriikii gave a soft trill of despair as he saw soldiers close about Miliana from behind.
The princess waited like a lamb tethered for the slaughter.
'I confess my crime. Do what you will with me.'
Lady Ulia swelled her breast behind a dangerous creak of bodice lace; power was her ultimate desire, and here were all her fantasies fulfilled.
'Well, my dear. It seems our efforts to raise you as a lady have failed.' The great horned hat assumed an air of absolute malevolence. 'Since your crimes were motivated by pride and not by greed, I think we can apply a suitable corrective force; the owners of the gems will be pleased to cooperate now that they will have their goods returned.
'We shall return them, and we will say no more about this 'thief'-forevermore. He shall disappear into oblivion,' Lady Ulia's words brought a nod from all those around her; a forest of bribes would be little enough to pay for avoiding family scandal.
'As for you, my dear: finishing school shall teach you the meaning of obedience and humility. Perhaps in a few years you will have learned the error of your ways.' Ulia snapped her fingers at the guards. 'Take her hence!'
Miliana needed to be half carried from the room. Her hat fell aside, and Lorenzo saw the coils of magical spell sheets hidden deep inside. He caught her hat up with a cry and tried to press it into Miliana's hands.
'Your hat!' The artist couldn't seem to make the girl take hold. 'Miliana-you have to take your hat!'
'Apparently, I shan't be needing it anymore.' The girl seemed as ashen as a corpse; her energy drained out before Lorenzo's eyes. Leaning forward, she brushed at the artist's cheek with a secret, tragic kiss.
'Thank you both for giving me a life-just for a little while…'
Her whisper left Lorenzo's cheek stained wet with tears. Walking quietly between her guards, Miliana allowed herself to be led away. Behind her, Tekoriikii and Lorenzo could only stand locked within the shadows of her broken heart.
'A great tragedy. A catastrophe! But one we quite expected, I am sure.' Lady Ulia had found Miliana's fall from grace utterly cathartic; even the flood of rumors that would escape her net of bribes were not too great a price to pay; she would dine out upon the story until the end of time.
The future couldn't be more perfect!
Safely ensconced in the palace once more, and with her husband leading a wild hunt on the tail of Svarezi, Ulia looked forward to the continuance of the night's ceremonies.
The gift painting from Lomatra was wheeled forward into place; the nobles and courtiers gathered admiringly around for the unveiling. If the young man trundling forth the painting was wet clean through and smelled of water weed, no one thought to comment aloud; it had, after all, been a most chaotic festival.
Luccio passed the unveiling cord into Lady Ulia's hands and escaped out into the courtyard with his head held high. Sumbria's first lady gazed out in triumph at her guests, and let her words peal forth across the waiting crowd.
'We have here the work of an unknown genius-but a man who has seen fit to encapsulate the very essence of our land.' The mighty lady let her bodice swell with pride. 'My lords and ladies! I proudly unveil a new masterpiece entitled 'The Sea Beast Rising from the Waves'!'
The cord tugged, silken shrouds swept down, and there before the nobles, allies, and peers of Sumbria shone the risque portrait of the Lady Ulia herself.
It is said that in far nations, barbarians still speak in fear of the earthquakes caused by Lady Ulia falling to the ground in a dead faint…
10
Hoof beats hammered at the soggy earth, deep, heavy blows that shuddered far down into the ground. The crushing weight of war steeds bearing armored men sent a shock wave rippling out into the frosty morning air.
The Valley of Umbricci was deep enough into the cold slopes of the Akanapeaks to already feel the winter's bite. From the passes, the city of Sumbria could be seen basking under a warm autumn sun, while high above the valley, the great mountains shone with crisp new snow. Across the valley floor, the fruit trees hung heavy with the last crops of fruit, while the fields had all been shorn into stiff mats of brittle stubble. The dense-packed carpet crunched and splintered underfoot, making infantry lurch and curse as they struggled out into the open fields.
The army of Sumbria marched up through the southern pass, made its way beneath the gigantic overhanging mass of rock and ice that loomed above, and thundered through into the valley like an all-destroying wave.
It was unseasonable weather for an attack; an autumn campaign had been utterly unheard of for nigh on a hundred years. Rain might dampen bowstrings, swell the rivers, and churn the roads; snow might block the passes and bring sickness to the men. Only the most furious, impassioned warriors would stir themselves to war at such a time. Few causes couldn't wait for the long winter months to blossom bloodily into spring.
Few causes-but for the foulest insult of them all. A broken contract of peace-honor trampled, pride destroyed. At the head of the first battle of troops, Prince Cappa Mannicci waved his mace over the valley floor and angrily pushed his forces on. They had marched for a day and a night without rest, a gamble that had successfully brought them through the pass without meeting a single Colletran scout. With luck they would overrun the valley and pour
