Beyond those to another hall, with four doors--not woven doors, but real colorwood ones--redwood, bluewood, goldwood, greenwood--beautifully carved and obviously ancient.
The servants opened one and bowed me into a round-walled room that meant we were in a tower; windows on three sides looked out over the valley. The room was flooded with light, so much that I was dazzled for a moment and had to blink. Shading my eyes, I had a swift impression of a finely carved and gilded redwood table surrounded by blue satin cushions. Then I saw that the room was occupied.
Standing between two of the windows, almost hidden by slanting rays of sun, was a tall figure with pale blond hair.
The Marquis was looking down at the valley, hands clasped behind him. At the sound of the door closing behind me he looked up and came forward, and for a moment was a silhouette in the strong sunlight.
I stood with my back to the door. We were alone.
"Welcome to Renselaeus, Lady Meliara." And when I did not answer, he pointed to a side table. "Would you like anything to drink? To eat?"
"Why am I here?" I asked in a surly voice, suddenly and acutely aware of how ridiculous I must look dressed in his livery. "You may as well get the threats out at once. All this politeness seems about as false as…" I thought, but speech wouldn't come and I just shook my head.
He returned no immediate answer; instead seemed absorbed in pouring wine from a fine silver decanter into two jewel-chased goblets. One he held out silently to me.
I wanted to refuse, but I needed somewhere to look and something to do with my hands, and I thought hazily that maybe the wine would clear my head. All of the emotions of the past days seemed to be fighting for prominence in me, making rational thought impossible.
He raised his cup in salute and took a drink. "Would you like to sit down?" He indicated the table. The light fell on the side of his face, and, like on that first morning after we came down from the mountain, I saw the marks of fatigue under his eyes.
"No," I said, and gulped some wine to fortify myself. "Why aren't you getting on with the sinister speeches?" I had started off with plenty of bravado, but then a terrible thought occurred, and I squawked, "Bran--"
"No harm has come to your brother," he said, looking up quickly. "I am endeavoring to find the best way to express--"
Having finished the wine, I slammed the goblet down onto a side table, and to hide my sudden fear--for I didn't believe him--I said as truculently as possible, "If you're capable of simple truth, just spit it out."
"Your brother has agreed to a truce," the Marquis started.
"Truce? What do you mean, a 'truce'?" I snarled. "He wouldn't surrender, he , unless you forced him by threats to me--"
"I have issued no threats. It was only necessary to inform him that you were on your way here. He agreed to join us, for purposes of negotiation--"
A sun seemed to explode behind my eyes. "You've got Bran? "
"He's here," the Marquis said, but he didn't get any further.
Giving a wail of sheer rage, I plucked a heavy silver candleholder and flung it straight at his head.
The servants opened one and bowed me into a round-walled room that meant we were in a tower; windows on three sides looked out over the valley. The room was flooded with light, so much that I was dazzled for a moment and had to blink. Shading my eyes, I had a swift impression of a finely carved and gilded redwood table surrounded by blue satin cushions. Then I saw that the room was occupied.
Standing between two of the windows, almost hidden by slanting rays of sun, was a tall figure with pale blond hair.
The Marquis was looking down at the valley, hands clasped behind him. At the sound of the door closing behind me he looked up and came forward, and for a moment was a silhouette in the strong sunlight.
I stood with my back to the door. We were alone.
"Welcome to Renselaeus, Lady Meliara." And when I did not answer, he pointed to a side table. "Would you like anything to drink? To eat?"
"Why am I here?" I asked in a surly voice, suddenly and acutely aware of how ridiculous I must look dressed in his livery. "You may as well get the threats out at once. All this politeness seems about as false as…" I thought, but speech wouldn't come and I just shook my head.
He returned no immediate answer; instead seemed absorbed in pouring wine from a fine silver decanter into two jewel-chased goblets. One he held out silently to me.
I wanted to refuse, but I needed somewhere to look and something to do with my hands, and I thought hazily that maybe the wine would clear my head. All of the emotions of the past days seemed to be fighting for prominence in me, making rational thought impossible.
He raised his cup in salute and took a drink. "Would you like to sit down?" He indicated the table. The light fell on the side of his face, and, like on that first morning after we came down from the mountain, I saw the marks of fatigue under his eyes.
"No," I said, and gulped some wine to fortify myself. "Why aren't you getting on with the sinister speeches?" I had started off with plenty of bravado, but then a terrible thought occurred, and I squawked, "Bran--"
"No harm has come to your brother," he said, looking up quickly. "I am endeavoring to find the best way to express--"
Having finished the wine, I slammed the goblet down onto a side table, and to hide my sudden fear--for I didn't believe him--I said as truculently as possible, "If you're capable of simple truth, just spit it out."
"Your brother has agreed to a truce," the Marquis started.
"Truce? What do you mean, a 'truce'?" I snarled. "He wouldn't surrender, he , unless you forced him by threats to me--"
"I have issued no threats. It was only necessary to inform him that you were on your way here. He agreed to join us, for purposes of negotiation--"
A sun seemed to explode behind my eyes. "You've got Bran? "
"He's here," the Marquis said, but he didn't get any further.
Giving a wail of sheer rage, I plucked a heavy silver candleholder and flung it straight at his head.
( Sherwood Smith )
[ Crown Duel ]
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