City of Swords (6 page)

‘We the citizens of the great city of Fortezza in the region of Tuschia, in the country of Talia, grieve at the death of Prince Jacopo Falco Ferdinando di Chimici, ruler of us all for nearly thirty years. We mourn his passing and we extend our deepest sympathy to his widow, the Dowager Princess Carolina, and his two daughters, Princess Lucia and Bianca, Duchessa of Volana.’

There was much appreciative murmuring in the crowd. These were the right words at the right time.

‘We also share in the sadness of Prince Jacopo’s wider family, many members of which have joined us at the Prince’s obsequies today – foremost among them Fabrizio di Chimici, Grand Duke of Tuschia and Duke of Giglia.’

That’s the one who wants to kill Luciano
, thought Laura.
Luciano, who used to be a boy called Lucien at my school. This is too weird
.

‘Prince Jacopo was like a father to us, his subjects,’ the herald continued. ‘But he has not left us orphans. We are fortunate that he has an heir – the Princess Lucia, who will take on his role and become in time like our mother. We owe her our allegiance, loyalty and respect.’

There was a ragged cheer from the crowd.

‘It is now my duty, in accordance with tradition and the wishes of the Council, to announce most solemnly that Princess Lucia di Chimici will become the ruler of Fortezza in her father’s stead unless there is any rival claimant to the title.

‘Hear ye, this is the only opportunity at which such a claimant may come forward, for after today the title passes to Princess Lucia in right and blood through her inheritance as older child of her father, our late Prince.’

The herald drew a much-needed breath, and blew another loud note on the trumpet. There was a hush as if everyone in the crowd held their breath.

‘Of course, it’s a formality,’ whispered Fabio. ‘There is no one else with a claim.’

And then a surprising figure stepped out of the crowd. Laura gasped. It was the Manoush called Ludo.

^*

‘It was totally unexpected,’ said Rodolfo. ‘Fabio of Fortezza sent me the news through my mirrors.’

‘Ludo has claimed the throne of Fortezza?’ said Luciano. ‘I can’t believe it!’

‘What happened exactly?’ asked Arianna.

‘According to Fabio, he just stepped forward and announced that he was Jacopo’s son by a Manoush mother and was a year and a half older than Princess Lucia.’

Luciano slapped his forehead. ‘I remember. He told us in Padavia, when we saved him and his people from the flames. He said he was only half-Manoush and his father was a di Chimici, but he didn’t know who. He said then he was ashamed to be half di Chimici.’

‘Well, he seems to have got over that feeling now,’ said Rodolfo. ‘He has put in a formal claim to the title.’

‘What about his illegitimacy?’ asked Arianna. ‘There is something in our constitution in Bellezza that says you have to be legitimate.’

‘It might be an issue,’ said Rodolfo. ‘But there is a faction in Fortezza that doesn’t believe a woman can be the ruler even if she is the legitimate heir. They might support Ludo’s claim. And I’ve never heard of a di Chimici princess or duchessa who has ruled in her own right.’

‘So they’d set aside the fact that Jacopo wasn’t married to Ludo’s mother?’ asked Luciano.

‘Some of them might,’ said Rodolfo.

‘I just can’t get my head round it,’ said Luciano. ‘Ludo of all people!’

‘Was the new Stravagante there?’ asked Arianna.

Rodolfo nodded. ‘She was with Fabio when it happened.’

Luciano thought. ‘Can you get Fabio to ask her to talk to Matt about Ludo?’ he said. ‘He was the one Ludo told about his parentage when he thought he was going to die in the fire.’

‘I can’t believe it went down well with Fabrizio,’ said Arianna. ‘He hates the Manoush – and he knows that Ludo is on the Stravaganti’s side.’

‘We don’t know that is still true though, do we?’ said Rodolfo.

Laura couldn’t wait to tell her new group of friends about what had happened in Fortezza. She couldn’t remember when she had last had a piece of news she wanted to share with someone else.

And their reaction was very satisfying.

‘Ludo? The Manoush? Are you sure?’ asked Matt.

Isabel had met Ludo briefly, but Matt was the only Stravaganti in this world who really knew him.

‘She’s not likely to be wrong about him,’ said Isabel, causing Laura to look away.

‘I thought the Manoush were friends to the Stravaganti,’ said Georgia.

‘Aurelio and Raffaella were,’ said Nick.

‘And we know the di Chimici are against the Manoush,’ said Sky.

‘Yes,’ said Matt. ‘It was the di Chimici anti-magic laws that nearly got Ludo and the others burned to death.’

‘Tell me about that again,’ said Laura, still carefully not looking at Isabel.

‘Well,’ said Matt, ‘you know the Manoush are Goddess-worshippers? Fabrizio di Chimici . . .’

‘I saw him at the funeral,’ Laura interrupted. ‘He’s very good-looking.’

Nick snorted. ‘So are tigers,’ he said.

‘Fabrizio, the Grand Duke,’ Matt went on, ‘invented these anti-magic laws to catch out Luciano or any other Stravagante, but when the Governor of Padavia adopted the new laws, it meant that about thirty Manoush fell into the trap, because they insisted on carrying out their rituals.’

‘You would think Ludo would have hated the di Chimici after that,’ said Laura.

‘That’s what I thought,’ said Matt. ‘He didn’t want to find out which one his father was, but he had a ring with his father’s crest on it.’

‘He must have decided he did want to know after all,’ said Isabel.

‘When his mother gave him the ring,’ said Matt, ‘it was just before she died and he told me he had never looked at it. It was in a little pouch he wore round his neck.’

‘I couldn’t have stopped myself from looking,’ said Georgia.

‘But what are they going to do in Fortezza, Laura?’ asked Nick.

‘They have to investigate the claim, apparently,’ said Laura. ‘It’s their rule.’

‘I can’t see my brother, Fabrizio, just sitting back calmly while a goddess-worshipper tries to take a title from a di Chimici,’ said Nick.

‘But remember that the Pope is there and Gaetano too,’ said Georgia.

‘They would stop him doing anything too reckless.’

‘What does Fabio think?’ asked Sky.

Laura shifted uncomfortably.

‘He said he thought it would end badly,’ she said. ‘He talked about civil war.’

‘Should we go to Fortezza?’ asked Luciano.

‘Not yet,’ said Rodolfo. ‘The Fortezzan Signoria might just throw Ludo’s claim out. We should wait and see what they make of it. And you should go back to your studies.’

Luciano sighed. He hadn’t been able to make much of his time at the University of Padavia, what with being kidnapped and nearly murdered, having to rescue the Manoush and then taking part in both of the Battles of Classe. His professor, Constantin, had despaired of him.

‘It’s not as if I’m doing a real degree,’ Luciano grumbled. ‘It’s just a sort of finishing school for Talian nobles as far as I can see.’

‘But you cannot always see very far, even now,’ said Rodolfo. ‘And better education would help you to see further. As for finishing, that’s exactly what I want you to do – finish the course you signed up to do. You will not get another chance once you are Duke Consort of Bellezza!’

‘Go,’ said Arianna, kissing him again. ‘You have already been delayed by this news from Fortezza. Go and finish your classes and then come back and marry me as quickly as you can.’

‘I promise that if the situation in Fortezza needs us,’ said Rodolfo, ‘I will tell you and we will go there together. Is that enough for you?’

It was not, but with that Luciano had to be content.

Chapter 4

A City in Waiting

Guido Parola had been at the funeral and followed the crowd to the castle, so he had heard Ludo’s astonishing claim at first hand. As soon as the Manoush had made his move, officials had taken him into the castle and Guido had been left outside fretting.

What did this mean for Lucia? Surely the citizens of Fortezza wouldn’t let an illegitimate older half-brother usurp her claim to the throne? But even in the short time he had been in the city, Guido had heard mutterings against a woman being ruler in her own right.

To Guido, born and brought up in Bellezza, which practically worshipped its elected Duchessa, whoever she was, this was a barbaric view, but he was not confident that it wouldn’t prevail. The next day he made up his mind to go and see Ludo himself, hoping his slight friendship with the other Manoush would be enough to get him admitted.

Ludo was being housed, in some luxury, in upper rooms in the Palazzo della Signoria in Fortezza’s main square. There was a clause in the city’s constitution – never used until now – that if there was a rival claimant to the title and throne, he must be treated as a potential ruler of the city while his claim was examined. If it was found to be false, he would then be exiled from Fortezza for ever.

So Ludo the Manoush was kicking his heels in an apartment with silk hangings and velvet sofas and, for the first time in his life, apart from when he had been held in the jail of Padavia, considering sleeping under a roof. It was a relief to get a visitor who didn’t want to ask him a long list of questions.

‘I’m Guido Parola,’ said the ex-assassin when they were alone, ‘a friend to the Stravaganti.’

‘Welcome,’ said Ludo. ‘I am their friend too. At least I was. I don’t know what they will think when all of them know I am half di Chimici.’

‘But if your claim is accepted, you will be
all
di Chimici in effect,’ said Guido.

The two men standing looking at each other could have been half-brothers, one a redhead, the other rusty-haired. But the difference was that Guido had always known who his father was.

‘Will you sit and take some wine with me?’ asked Ludo.

‘I will,’ said Guido. ‘I have no quarrel with you as yet. Indeed, I have met other Manoush – Aurelio and Raffaella – and would call them my friends.’