Darksong Rising (65 page)

conditions.

That recalled something else. If she were to confront Rabyn. that meant sorcery, and she couldn’t

afford to keep getting caught off guard. She made a mental note to ensure that she always had

bread and hard crackers in a small pouch beside her saddle so that her blood sugar didn’t totally

crash—and to drink lots of water whether she felt like it or not. The only problem with those

ideas was that medieval-style nutrition wasn’t conducive either to carbohydrate loading or to

quick and heavy sugar intakes.

She picked up the quill, dipped it and jotted down the idea of a food pouch. Maybe if it’s handy...

Surprisingly, after the turmoil of the last day, the scrolls lay where she had left them, and after

she replaced the lutar in its case, she bent and retrieved the one she had dropped the afternoon

before. She did not read the rivermen’s petition again, but set it back on the table with the others.

The morning rain beat on the shutters. Would it pass, or would it rain for days and leave the

roads a mess? A mess... the way things have been going lately.

She glanced at the scrolls. They could wait a moment, perhaps longer, because there was no way,

with the rain, the injuries, and the attack, that she was leaving Defalk on the next day. According

to what she and Himar had figured out, in the glass or so of fighting, Lord Dannel’s surprise

attack had killed another twoscore of Anna’s armsmen and lancers, one of the cooks, a stable

boy, probably a dozen townspeople, Giellum, and Resor. Cens and Barat would recover, and

hopefully, Lysara. Ytrude had a shallow slash on one arm. The toll on Lord Dannel’s forces was

complete—more than tenscore bodies, plus Dannel and three others—presumably Hoede and his

two older brothers.

On the positive side, if it could be called positive, Tirsik and the stable boys had rounded up over

a hundred mounts, and most of the lances and blades of the invaders had been recovered as well.

Now... if you had armsmen and lancers to wield them.

She looked at the scrolls again. They weren’t going away. Perhaps she could deal with some of

them. She pulled up the chair. Setting aside the rivermen’s petition, she lifted the next scroll and

began to read.

Nearly a glass had passed, and her eyes were watering when Anna stood, made her way to the

doors, and peered out of the receiving room. “Do we have any pages or messengers?”

Besides Rickel and Lejun, three young women stood there— Alseta, Cataryzna, and Ytrude.

“We thought we could do it, Lady Anna,” announced the blonde Cataryzna. “Kinor’s really

almost a subofficer now, and Tiersen is still guarding Lysara.”

Anna smiled. She should have seen that one coming. “Fine. But only within the liedburg for right

now.”

The three nodded. So did Lejun, standing beside the door.

Then she paused. “Is Tiersen still up there?”

“Oh, no… Blaz took his place,” answered Cataryzna. "Tiersen was so tired that he didn’t

protest.”

“Not more than a half-score of times, anyway,” quipped Alseta.

“Oh... will one of you—beside Ytrude—ask Lord Jecks to meet me outside the scrying room in

half a glass—if he can. If he can’t, please let me know." Anna looked at Ytrude. ‘I’d like to talk

to you, Ytrude.” At the look of concern that crossed the face of the tall and gangly blonde, Anna

added, “It’s nothing bad."

“I’ll find Lord Jecks,” offered the strawberry blonde Alseta, her thin face revealing the animation

that once had marked her mother Liende’s face, Anna suspected.

Anna gestured for Ytrude to enter the receiving room.

The tall blonde shivered as she stepped inside. “What do you wish of me? Have I offended you,

my lady? Even if I have, don’t send me back to Dubaria.”

After closing the door, Anna held up a hand. “Wait. Listen to me before you jump to

conclusions... and sit down. And no, you haven’t offended me in any way." The Regent took the

seat behind the table, not the gilt chair on the dais where she formally received people.

Slowly, Ytrude eased herself into one of the straight-backed chairs that matched the one in which

Anna sat. Her eyes did not meet the Regent’s.

“First. I have some news. It’s not very good." Anna paused. studying the tall blonde girl across

the table from her.

Ytrude swallowed. “Father?”

“No…so far as I know, your father is fine. So is Tiersen, other than being exhausted from staying

up worrying about Lysara.”

“Lysara? Will she be all right?”

“I think so... but I don't know,” Anna replied honestly. “It’s about your aunt, the lady Gatrune.

There was a rebellion in Pamr. It was led by a darksinger. He and his followers killed about

twoscore of my lancers. We couldn’t reach your aunt’s holding in time. They killed her and

Kyrun, and everyone else. I’m sorry. I wish I didn’t have to be the one to tell you.” Anna paused

briefly, then added, “None of the rebels survived.”

Ytrude looked down. “She was good. Everyone said she was. Why? Why would they kill her?”

“For the same reason that Lord Ehara sent armsmen into Defalk or Lord Bertmynn slaughtered

hundreds of freewomen in Elahwa.” Anna knew her answer wasn’t strictly and factually true, but

in spirit, it was. Neither Farsenn nor his father had been able to accept women as anymore than

objects, and both were willing to kill to preserve their belief. And both had died. along with a lot

of other innocents.

“Does... father know?”

“I don’t think so. We returned as quickly as possible. I had meant to send a messenger, but then

Lord Dannel..."

Ytrude nodded.

“After we finish, I will be sending a scroll to him.” Anna paused, then added, “In a way, the

other thing I wanted to talk over with you is tied up with your aunt. I have a task for you— if

your father consents, and if you’re willing.”

The shy blonde forced her eyes from the floor stones and raised her head so that she looked

down at Anna. “Yes, Lady Anna?”

“You recall that the lady Herene was acting as guardian for Lord Sargol’s heirs?”

“Oh, yes. Is she ill or...?” Ytrude shook her head. “Of course..."

“She’s your father’s youngest sister, isn’t she?”

“Kylera was, but she died of the flux two years ago, and she never consorted. I’m glad you’re not

considering Je’elasia. She was only a half sister to Lord Kysar.”

“Lady Herene is the only heir to Pamr.” The only one you’ll consider. “She needs to return there

as soon as possible. I need someone I can trust to run the holding at Suhl and ensure that Dinfan

and her brothers are tutored and cared for. Would you be interested?”

“Me?” Ytrude looked down again, then forced her eyes to meet Anna’s. “I am honored... but

why would you ask me?”

“I had already thought of you, but after yesterday and today, I’m even more certain you’d do a

good job. If you are willing, I’ll send a scroll to your father, saying that I will send you to Suhl,

unless he voices any objection.”

“He will not,” Ytrude said with a surprising smile that faded with her next words. “He will be

most upset at my aunt’s death. He will say not a word, but be will grieve. He will like my being a

tutor in Suhl. Such a task would show you find favor with me and make me more attractive as a

consort.”

Is that all these girls think about? “Do you want to be someone’s consort?”

Ytrude looked down again for a moment, her posture recalling the extreme shyness she had

shown when she had first come to Falcor. “I would like to find favor in a consort’s eyes.” Her

eyes slowly lifted. “If he found favor in mine.”

“You do not have to accept the first offer,” Anna said. “Or any offer.”

‘Thank you, Lady Anna.” Ytrude moistened her lips. “It is said that Lord Dannel attacked you

because you would not allow Lysara to consort with Hoede. Is that so?”

Anna nodded. “Yes. Lysara did not wish to be Hoede’s consort.”

Ytrude licked her lips again.

“I can’t promise you a true love, Ytrude,” Anna said. “But I will stand behind you if you cannot

abide someone proposed as consort for you.”

The tall girl nodded slowly. ‘Thank you. We all thank you.”

‘That’s all I wanted to tell you,” Anna said, standing.

Ytrude rose quickly. “By your leave, Regent.”

“By my leave,” Anna replied softly. “I will send the scroll to your father by tomorrow.”

Once the door closed, she seated herself at the table and began to draft the scroll that would

contain the news of Gatrune’s death and Anna’s request for Ytrude to Lord Nelmor. Each word

was difficult. How do you tell someone that his sister died? Anna wasn’t about to take the total

blame for it, even if it had occurred at least indirectly because Anna had killed Farsenn’s father

in defending herself. And she couldn’t say to the touchy Nelmor that part of the problem was that

men in Defalk had an excessively exaggerated self-esteem. Don’t most men anywhere? Even on

Earth? She snorted. Most people did. She decided to concentrate on Gatrune’s efforts and the

resentment held against women in power by the chandler, and she added words about her actions

in destroying all those associated with Farsenn. Nelmor would want to know what Anna had

done to avenge his sister—that Anna did know. She took a deep breath

Then she smiled, thinking about Lysara and Tiersen. Please let it work out for them. She wasn’t

even sure to whom or what she addressed the short prayer.

She dipped the quill again and resumed the draft to Nelmor. Then she began the second draft, the

one to Herene. After it was completed, and laid out to dry beside the one to Nelmor, she stood