Tricksters Queen (30 page)

Dove sat in the walkway with a thump, ignoring the damage to her clothes.

"I am so very sorry. By the time you read this Zaimid and I will be sailing for Carthak. There is a ship waiting for us at Moriji Cove. "

The cove lay five miles downhill from the estate. It was a favored raka smuggling port because it was not readily visible.

The duchess continued.

"I can no longer watch as good people are taxed into poverty, jailed, beaten, or killed. It makes me sick, the never-ending executions, the despair, and the fear. Neither will I marry a boy thirteen years younger than me, to be a puppet for the regents. I know you cannot fight them and win, and once they have won, I would not give a coppers chance in a volcano for Dunevon or for me to live to old age.

"Please tell Dorilize, Pembery, Boulaj, Rihani, and Junai that I am sorry I made them sick. The herbs will wear off by dawn. I knew they would stop me.

"I would have done none of this if I were not truly, deeply in love. Zaimid is kind and gentle. When people are hurt, he helps them. We can’t bear to be parted. And neither of us can stand to see more people hurt where we can do so little. With him I can have the life I want, raising horses and our children, and helping him to build hospitals when he takes his post as the emperor's healer. Like me, he begs your forgiveness for our stealing away. I will write more when we are settled. Please try to understand, I did not do this on impulse. I have known I loved him for some weeks. The thought of marrying a child cousin was bad in itself, but it was so much worse when I compared it to marriage with Zaimid.

"I love both you so much, and Elsren and Petranne, too. I hope that you will wish me well. Zaimid has already said that our first boy will be named Mequen.

"Your devoted Sarai"

After hearing Sarai's letter no one had anything to say. They just sat in silent gloom on the steps.

Finally Nuritin came to see where they were. "What is it?" she asked sharply when she saw their faces. Mutely, Winnamine handed the letter to her.

While Nuritin read, Aly walked around the guesthouse to inspect it for listening spells. She found only a number of strong charms to keep any listening spell from taking hold there. There were similar protections all over the Fonfala buildings and grounds. The Fonfalas, she decided, loved their privacy. When she finished her search, she stopped herself from going to tell the ladies it was safe to speak here. She had been too overconfident for too long. Carefully Aly went over the place again. She even sent the darkings under the house to check there. When they returned to report they had found nothing, Aly then went back to find the ladies.

"There are no listening spells here that I could see," she told them numbly, sitting next to Dove. "And no spies."

Nuritin, rereading the letter, looked up with a frown.

"What makes you certain of that?" she demanded sharply.

"She knows, Aunt," Winnamine replied, weariness in her voice and face.

"Hmph," Nuritin said, still glaring at the seated Aly. Aly propped her chin on her hand and returned the old lady's look. She was tired and depressed. She was not about to stand because Nuritin thought her a servant. It was the older woman who looked away.

"Silly chit," Nuritin commented, giving the letter back to the duchess. "She obviously didn't believe that she could keep Imajane at bay on this marriage." Nuritin looked at Dove. "You will not make that mistake, though, will you?"

Dove blinked at her, startled. "Will the regents offer it to me? They're probably going to think Sarai as good as slapped their faces, doing this. I'm thinking maybe we should run for Tanair before they arrest us all."

"They dare not," Nuritin told her flatly. "You girls are too popular. Imajane admitted as much when she offered the marriage to Sarai in the first place. She needs to offer it to you, and you must do as we advised Sarai." Nuritin's abrupt smile was thin and frosty. "You're vexed that she didn't tell you," she added, glancing at Dove and Winnamine. "She did it to me, too, and I was as much her chaperon as anyone. She planned this under our very noses, the minx. She hid her interest in the Carthaki by including him with all her young men. She was good at slipping off for private assignations before you went to Tanair. Obviously she got better at it."

Aly, thinking of the raka and what this would do to them, shifted impatiently. It drew Nuritin's attention.

"And she gave
you
the slip, watchful as you are," Nuritin said, that smile razor sharp. "That must gall you." When Aly, Dove, and Winnamine all stared at her, Nuritin rolled her eyes. "Even apart from mysterious hints about this one being more than just a maid, I've noticed how very attentive she is. I don t know what she's up to, and I don't want to. When I must know, I'm sure one of you will tell me. For the time being, it's important that we deal with this, first here and then at home. The regents will have the news by the time we get there, if that new spymaster knows the least bit about what he does. It will still be important to let them know in person. They will be outraged for a day or two, and then they will make their offer to our Dove. Mope about here if you like, but I am going to bed, and I advise you to do the same. There is nothing more to be done tonight." She looked at Aly. "Since Sarai made certain that Dorilize would be in no condition to stop her, I require you to undress me." Standing, she shook out her skirts and marched inside.

Aly stared back at her with admiration. "I want to be
her
when I grow up," she murmured.

"Let's work on growing up first," Dove replied, her voice and face glum. "Then you can be anyone you like."

"Nuritin is right," said Winnamine, exhaustion in her voice. There were tears rolling down her cheeks. She appeared not to notice them. "It's too late to do anything but sleep."

Aly passed a handkerchief to her. When the duchess stared at it, not understanding, Dove touched her cheek. Winnamine angrily swiped her eyes. "I thought she trusted us," she whispered. "I thought she trusted
me!”

"Except that you would have asked her to do her duty by her family and country," Dove said gently, her own eyes full. She did not cry, though. "You would have made her feel she was selfish to want her own freedom and happiness when others depend on her for so much. And you would be right. She knew that, too. So she ran away."

"Girl!" an imperious voice called from inside the house. Aly scrambled to her feet and went to assist Nuritin, thinking that Dove had the right of it. As she prepared all three ladies for bed, she berated herself. She had been overconfident for the last time, she hoped. She would pay for that. Only she and Dove knew that the raka and Kyprioth were not going to take Sarai's elopement well.

The duchess asked her to let the family know that Sarai, too, had felt unwell and had left the party early. Aly returned after delivering her message, but she did not sleep. Her mother had a rich vocabulary of curses, as did her father. Aly used all of those words first on herself, then on Sarai and Zaimid. Trick and Secret, understanding that she needed to think, kept quiet, though they hummed gently against her skin, offering comfort.

When she ran out of bad words, Aly decided that the joke was on her. Only a year before, she might have helped Sarai to marry her love rather than be trapped in a political life. At the very least, she would have loved Sarai's boldness. Aly's mother had done as Sarai had, chosen the life she wanted over the life that was expected of her. My, how I've changed, Aly thought ruefully. These days I
care
about duty to those who look to one to lead. These days I care less about fun and more about work. Though at least
my
work is fun.

Shaking her head, she began to prepare for the consequences of this night. Kyprioth had not appeared, which meant that he was still arranging for the theft of the sun and the moon shields. She would need all her arguments marshaled when the god returned, and when they brought the news to the raka conspirators. She wondered if the conspiracy wasn't to blame for not telling Sarai what they intended. Then Aly’shook her head. If Sarai had known of their plans, she would have fled all the sooner.

The next morning Winnamine sent Aly for the ladies' maids. They had recovered, but they could tell that something wasn't right. "It's for Her Grace to tell you," Aly said, leading them to the duchess.

As they helped their mistresses dress for the day, Winnamine explained what Sarai had done. For a moment, hardy Boulaj looked as if she might faint.

"She dosed you," Dove said quickly. "She dosed all of you. She said so in her letter."

"She must have put it in the sambal," Aly put in. "Boulaj, remember? She tasted the sambal and said she thought it might be off, but she couldn't tell, and neither did you. That's when she added the herbs to make your bowels run. She knew she'd get most of you, because Chenaol makes dreadful sambal, and you all eat it at every house we visit."

"How did she escape Aly?" demanded Pembery, her voice sharp but her hands steady as she pinned up Winnamine's hair. "Aly was supposed to be looking after our ladies." Dorilize, doing up Nuritin's buttons, shook her head.

"Aly was lured away and locked up," Aly said absently, her mind churning with plans and questions. "If one of the Fonfalas' maids hadn't needed a nightshirt for a guest who forgot his, I might still be locked up." She wasn't about to mention the Graveyard Hag, not yet. She had already concocted a story for those who might not accept the truth. "One of Zaimid's servants brought a message saying you wanted to tell me something, Pembery. I knew you were sick, so I went running, and that's when they grabbed me." Even the hint that she might have been involved would stop Pembery from digging further into the mess they were in.

Winnamine shook her head. "We must put our best face on this," she told the maids. "To our men-at-arms and the rest of the staff. The thing is done. We all knew Sarai was more interested in her heart than politics." She got to her feet. "Let's show proud faces to the world, shall we? It will take some time to live down this shame. Give no one the satisfaction of seeing we are hurt. I must explain things to my parents, and let the rest of our people know we are leaving today rather than tomorrow."

As soon as she had left the house, Pembery and Boulaj pulled Aly out onto the porch. "How could you let this happen?" cried Pembery, tears running down her cheeks.

Boulaj, too, wept. "Can the god—?"

Aly put her finger to her lips. She motioned toward the house: Nuritin and Dorilize were within earshot.

Dove had followed them outside. "We can talk at home. Why don't you two start packing up, please?"

The women moved to obey as Dove turned to Aly "Walk with me. I don't have that much to pack."

They strolled out into the misty air. It was cool. Howler monkeys proclaimed their territories; crows shrieked in reply. Aly walked at Dove's elbow without mentioning that her feet were soaked. Sandals were inadequate cover for early morning grass. They halted by one of the many streams that crossed the property. Aly looked around. There was no sign of magic anywhere.

"They act like it's the end of everything." Dove's soft voice sounded tentative.

"But it isn't," Aly replied. "It could be the beginning."

Dove looked at her, eyes ablaze in her small face. "How may I convince them?"

Aly thought about it. "Work," she said at last. "You're farming, that's all. The ground's been tilled and prepared and it's ready to take the seed. If one batch of seed gets moldy, we find another batch."

"One less vulnerable to mold," added Dove. "Will you help me?"

Aly held out her hand. Dove clasped her by the forearm.

After a moment's hesitation, Aly clasped Dove's forearm. "I don't need a maid," Dove said. "I need a friend." For a moment Aly found it hard to breathe. It had been hard to get passionate about Sarai as queen, as the raka had been. But Dove . . . Dove was no stranger to emotion, Aly knew, but it didn't govern her as it did Sarai. Dove understood duty to those who needed her. Dove could be trusted to keep a clear head. She was one of the most ferociously intelligent people Aly had ever known. Aly had seen it the night before: they must put Dove on the throne.

"I will be your friend until the end of time," she told the younger girl.

The ride home was silent. All along the way the raka who came to watch them pass saw that Sarai was not with them. Aly’studied their faces, her mind busy. At the city's outskirts she saw members of her pack, as uneasy as the bystanders over Sarai's absence. To each query they made by way of hand-signal Aly replied:
When we meet at home.
She didn't want word getting to Balitang House ahead of them.

While Dove and Aly had settled the focus of the rebellion between them, Aly knew some raka conspirators would require persuasion. They were used to seeing Dove as Sarai's intelligent, bookish, quiet sister, a fine counselor, but not the kind of person who could rally the passions of her followers. Dove would have to show them they were mistaken.

When they reached Middle Town, Dove greeted many soldiers at the checkpoints by name. Vendors and shopkeepers waved and called to her; Dove waved back with a smile. Aly was instantly reassured. Dove
did
have charm. It was quieter and less flashy than Sarai's, but it was there. Aly also thought that once the people remembered they still had one twice-royal girl, their first concern would be to put her on a throne. Afterward they could fret about her ability to win the crowd.

As the riders clattered into the courtyard before the house, servants ran to take their horses. Ulasim trotted out the front door, bowed to the duchess, then pulled Aly down until she could hear his whisper: "Nawat and his crows got every one of the raka who rose on that Ikang estate off the island. Every one! He and his crows drove the army mad while our people made it to the escape ships. More than two hundred raka, safe thanks to him."