Darksong Rising (18 page)

Two men stood on the porch of the inn, their pale gray tunics tinged red by the light of the sun

low above the western hills.

“...has to be the Regent ... Regency banner there.”

“...looks young, like a boy...”

“...sorcery... what you expect from a sorceress...”

"...no good of her being here...”

“Better a Regent deciding than having house fight house..."

 
Anna strained, but she was already too far away to hear more. Red stone—that was the

predominant building material in the town of Fussen. Redstone walls and dark-slate roofs. A few

dwellings were of wattle and plaster, and some of wood, but Fussen was mainly solid stone and

square.

Only a handful of people were on the streets or in the main square, and all studied the Regency

banner and Anna, silently, unlike the two men at the Last Drop. She was almost relieved when

she and Jecks reached the gateless walls at the west side of the town. There, beyond the town

buildings, the road, its paving stones newer, angled up the slope to the keep, its entire length

exposed to the parapets above.

Two lancers in maroon-and-green livery waited there. Both inclined their heads.

“Regent Anna?” asked the more slight and gray-haired armsman.

“She is the Lady Anna.” Himar had edged his mount alongside Farinelli.

“Yes, I’m Anna,” the Regent confirmed. "This is Lord Jecks of Elheld. He is head of the Council

of Lords advising the Regency, the Lord High Counselor.”

“Your grace and your honor, if you would but follow us.”

Anna nodded, and the two armsmen turned their mounts.

"I am pleased to know that I am Lord High Counselor. I would that you had let me know such

earlier.” Jecks laughed softly.

“That’s what you’ve been doing all along. I just thought you needed a title to go with the work.”

Anna grinned.

The oiled wooden gates overlooking Fussen were bound with heavy strap iron and swung wide.

Two rows of eight lancers in green and maroon formed an honor guard and an entry corridor that

led to the back of the courtyard. As Anna and Jecks and Himar rode through the gates and neared

the honor guard, a short fanfare—off-key—echoed from three trumpeters standing in the corner

behind the lancers of Fussen.

A tall figure in green and maroon stepped forward toward Anna, even before she had reined

Farinelli up. Ustal was tall for someone from Liedwahr, almost a head and a half taller than

Anna, and a head taller than Jecks. His shimmering blood hair was square-cut level with his

jaws, and his green tunic was spotless—and displayed his well-developed muscles effectively.

“A blond Prince Valiant," Anna murmured to herself squaring herself slightly in the saddle.

“Fussen welcomes the Regent and the Lord Counselor!” Ustal’s voice was a strong baritone, true

in tone. “Welcome to Fussen!” He bowed, then looked expectantly up at Anna.

Anna inclined her head. “We are most pleased to be here, and look forward to learning more

about Fussen and meeting with you all.” She offered a wide smile, hoping it wasn’t too forced.

“Lord Jecks, the Lord High Counselor. Overcaptain Himar. My chief of players, Liende, and one

of our pages, Skent.” As she finished the introductions, Anna wondered whom she’d forgotten.

“All of you are most welcome.” Ustal extended a hand, as if to offer Anna assistance, but Anna

swung out of the saddle, easily, hoping that after the long ride her legs wouldn’t cramp when her

boots touched the stones of the courtyard. She managed standing erect without hanging on to the

saddle, and got a low whuff from Farinelli, as if the big gelding were happy she had dismounted.

“It feels good to stand,” she said, to cover the silence. “and to be here, Lord Ustal.”

“We are pleased that you saw fit to visit Fussen, humble as it may be.”

Anna just smiled once more, aware that Ustal could out-“please” her. He’d been raised on

courtly nothings.

“Might I escort you...?"

“After I stable Farinelli.” She nodded toward the gelding.

Ustal took a long look at the palomino. “Ah... it is true. He is a raider beast, and only you can...

approach him?” The lord stepped toward Farinelli, as if to test what Anna had said.

The gelding snorted, edged back.

So did Ustal, nodding. “I will await you at the entrance there. Giesil will show you the guest

stable.” He smiled, formally. bowing again.

“Thank you. I won’t be long.” Anna returned the smile and followed the sour-faced armsman in

maroon.

Even with Rickel and Blaz taking the saddle, blanket, saddlebags, and lutar from her, and leaving

her to deal directly with Farinelli, stabling and grooming the gelding took Anna longer than

normal. Her bands felt clumsy, and she knew she was too hungry and dehydrated to function

well.

Finally, she gave Farinelli a last pat and picked up the lutar case. Rickel lifted off the saddlebags,

and Blaz the mirror. Kerhor and Lejun remained empty-handed. All remained close behind Anna

as she recrossed the courtyard in the fading light of day.

Standing inside the entrance, Ustal glanced from the four guards to Anna to Jecks, and back to

the Regent.

 
“You are cautious.”

“I’ve learned that nothing in Defalk is quite what it seems. Lord Ustal, and since I am a stranger,

I must be more cautious than you might be in my position.” Anna forced another smile.

“I understand. With Neserea so close to the west, we also have learned caution, if of a different

type."

“I was not aware that the new Prophet had created trouble. Is this something I should know?”

“We know little here, save that Mansuuran lancers have been posted to Elioch, or somewhere

near there.”

“That’s not surprising,” Anna said. “The new Prophet is increasing his armsmen, and he would

prefer the Mansuurans be as far from Esaria as possible."

“We should talk of such after you are refreshed. For you to have ridden here in four days is

remarkable.”

For a woman? Anna nodded. “It was a pleasant ride.”

“Let me show you to the guest chambers, such as they are.”

Ustal turned. Anna and Jecks followed through a set of heavy oak double doors, along a corridor,

and up one set of stairs.

“There is the dining hall,” said Ustal as he turned up the second set of redstone stairs.

The guest chamber was moderate in size, a single room with a tub shielded by a screen, and a

large and ornate armoire in the corner by the tub. The bed was set under a headboard decorated

with carved hunting scenes, and a settee rested at the footboard. Under one open window was a

writing desk.

A small alcove led to a curtained jakes set against the outer wall.

“This is very pleasant.” Anna smiled and inclined her head to Ustal.

“I will send up the servants with hot water. Once you are refreshed, we look forward to seeing

you at dinner and showing you the cooking of Fussen.”

“I also look forward to that.” Anna inclined her head.

Ustal bowed and eased out of the chamber. Rickel and Blaz deposited her mirror and saddlebags,

then slipped out to station themselves outside her door.

Anna looked at Jecks and smiled. “I’ll see you in a bit.”

He smiled back and bowed.

While waiting for the servants and the water, Anna took the mirror from where Blaz had set it on

the settee and eased it from its case, setting it on the writing table. Then she took out the lutar

and tuned it. Next came the vocalises, and more coughing and mucus than she would have liked.

Finally, she was ready for the spell.

Show from Fussen. danger to fear,

Ustal’s threats to me bright and clear....

When the mirror remained blank silver, Anna tried a second spell.

Mirror, mirror, in your frame,

Show me young Ustal in his fame,

Where’er he may stand or be,

Show him now to me.

The mirror silvered, then showed Ustal in a sitting room, pacing before a dark-haired and pale

young woman, who was seated on a low couch at the foot of a large bedstead. Ustal stopped and

leveled an index finger at her accusingly, almost violently. The woman, wearing a tentlike dress,

seemed to cringe from each motion of the pointed finger offered by the young lord. Anna

realized the woman was pregnant, and nodded to herself, quickly singing a release couplet to cut

off the image in the glass. So... Ustal is not the pleasant soul in private.

Anna’s lips tightened as she set the lutar on the bed and sank into the straight-backed chair,

waiting for the servants with the water.

Once the servants arrived—three young girls, each with two large buckets—Lejun accompanied

them in, standing between Anna and the servants.

When the chamber was clear again, Anna slipped the iron bolt and bathed, after using another

spell to clean and reheat the water—and getting a throbbing headache with the third spell. After

bathing, and after massaging her forehead, she slipped into the single green gown she had

brought, and into the green slipper shoes, and studied herself in the mirror.

The figure looking back from the glass had blonde hair cut short, shorter than a bob. The fine

features were those of a more mature woman than would have belonged to the almost girlish

figure below—trim and muscular, with lightly tanned and flawless skin and clear blue eyes that