Heroes Return (42 page)

But Fiona didn’t dismiss everyone to the gardens. “I am the Duchess of Westsea,” she announced. “I am the titleholder of this land, made so by tradition and law. Many of you have forgotten what that means. I have chosen this day and this time to remind you.”

I expected whispers of resentment. There was silence.

“I, as titleholder, have responsibilities to you. I am to protect you from the incursions of others. I am to maintain law and order on my land and my waters. I am to provide aid and support during times of crisis. When the ridge fell, I did not hide in the manor and order others to risk their lives digging for survivors. I led them.” That had a few people nodding. “I did not stand by and let Healer Browne be executed, but risked my position with the Emperor to protect her. This you must acknowledge.” She paused, and while there were no shouts of agreement, I didn’t hear much in the way of denial, either. “Your responsibilities to me include tithing, obeying the laws I establish, and loyalty. That many of you have failed in the latter, you must acknowledge.” Some more mutters, but again, no outright denials. “I admit, most of that is my fault. I did not have you take an oath of fealty when I first came, thinking that an old-fashioned and unnecessary custom. I’ve come to realize my mistake. You need that ceremony, to remind you all what I am, and what you owe me. And so, we shall perform it now.”

I had witnessed such a ceremony before. I found it demeaning, but I couldn’t deny that something had to be done.

“You have chosen to remain here. Already you have proven yourself braver and more honorable than your brethren. But I still require your oath. Anyone who feels unable to give me their fealty will be out of their cottage within seven days.”

That brought some protests, but Fiona merely stood there waiting for silence, and in a short while, she got it.

“The Dowager Duchess may be first,” she announced.

My jaw dropped as my gaze snapped to the face of the Dowager Duchess. She looked stunned. I couldn’t remember seeing her look so shocked before. It was hysterical.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she snapped.

“You will show the others how it’s done. From what I understand, my predecessor didn’t hold the ceremony, either.”

From what I knew of Taro’s elder brother, he wasn’t in Flown Raven long enough after receiving the title to perform any kind of ritual.

“I will not,” said the Dowager in outrage, her usual frosty demeanor nowhere in sight.

“Then you will vacate the dowager house within seven days.”

“You are required by law to maintain me in that house.”

“I am required by law to maintain you, but not necessarily in that house. I can settle you elsewhere, somewhere far from here, where you will have no influence over others.”

Send her away, woman. Her oath of loyalty would probably be worthless anyway.

“You wouldn’t dare,” said the Dowager.

“I most certainly would,” said the Duchess.

“You certainly don’t expect me to kneel.”

The Duchess looked at Frances, who, apparently the only one to have been taken into her confidence about her plans for the day, took from a bag a small, rolled-up carpet and spread it on the ground before Fiona’s feet.

Taro snickered.

We waited for a while in silence.

“If you’re going to refuse,” said the Duchess, “you might as well go to the dowager house and start packing now.”

The Dowager glared at her, her expression sparking with hatred and resentment. She started walking toward the Duchess, and I suspected she was going to use this opportunity to smack the Duchess a good one across the face. I put the tips of my fingers against my lower lip, waiting for the inevitable blow.

The Dowager was very stiff as she lowered herself to her knees on the carpet before the Duchess. Gasps sounded out around me. I may have emitted one myself.

“I, the Dowager Duchess of Westsea,” she said through her teeth, “offer to the Duchess of Westsea, and her heirs, my eternal loyalty and that of my heirs, the best of my holdings, and obedience to her laws.”

“I, Lady Fiona Sterling Diane Keplar, Duchess of Westsea, accept the services of the Dowager Duchess and offer in turn my strength and my judgment.” The Duchess knelt, grabbed up a handful of dirt, and held it before the Dowager. The Dowager raised her hand, palm up, and the Duchess deposited the dirt in it.

The Dowager immediately rose to her feet, brushing the dirt from her hands. She turned on her heel and headed back toward the dowager house.

“The next may proceed,” the Duchess called, and more than one person stepped forward to receive their clump of dirt.

As I watched person after person step forward, I had the sensation of something unsettled finding its place within me, stronger than the slight jittery feeling that was also present. The people who stepped forward to swear their loyalty all appeared sincere. I believed things would be much better in Flown Raven from then on.

What I did find interesting was that Fiona didn’t require Taro or me to swear an oath. And so she shouldn’t. We weren’t supposed to swear oaths to titleholders. I supposed a part of me feared that the Emperor had set a precedent that others, even Fiona, might feel compelled to follow.

The Emperor and his damned oath. Lila had claimed that the Emperor had wanted Fiona killed and Taro alienated from me. The Dowager also wanted to separate Taro from me, and claimed that the Emperor still wanted Taro to hold the Westsea title. The Emperor continued to be interested in Taro. I couldn’t see that changing. And that was going to be a problem.