Speaking of busy, what make you of this?" I held out the letter.
Oria took it and frowned slightly as she read. When she reached the end, she said, "It seems straightforward enough, except…Merindar. Isn't she some relation to the old king?"
"Sister," I said. "The Marquise of Merindar."
"Isn't she a princess?"
"While they ruled, the Merindars only gave the title 'prince' or 'princess' to their chosen heir. She carried the family title, which predates their years on the throne."
Oria nodded, pursing her lips. "So what does this mean?"
"That's what I'm trying to figure out. I did help bring about the downfall of her brother. I think a nasty letter threatening vengeance, awful as it would be to get, would be more understandable than this."
Oria smiled. "Seems honest enough. She wants to meet you."
"But why? And why now? And what's this about 'guidance'?"
Oria looked back at the letter, her dark brows slightly furrowed, then whistled softly. "I missed that, first time through. What do you think she's hinting at, that she thinks the new king ought not to be king?"
"That is the second thing I've been wondering about," I said. "If she'd make a good ruler, then she ought to be supported…"
"Well, would she?"
"I don't know anything about her."
Oria handed the letter back, and she gave me a crooked grin. "Do you want to support her bid for the crown, or do you just want to see the Marquis of Shevraeth defeated?"
"That's the third thing on my mind," I said. "I have to admit that part of me--the part that still rankles at my defeat last year--wants him to be a bad king. But that's not being fair to the country. If he's good, then he should be king. This concerns all the people of Remalna, their safety and well-being, and not just the feelings of one sour countess."
"Who can you ask, then?"
"I don't know. The people who would know her best are all at Court, and I wouldn't trust any of as far as I could throw this castle.
Oria took it and frowned slightly as she read. When she reached the end, she said, "It seems straightforward enough, except…Merindar. Isn't she some relation to the old king?"
"Sister," I said. "The Marquise of Merindar."
"Isn't she a princess?"
"While they ruled, the Merindars only gave the title 'prince' or 'princess' to their chosen heir. She carried the family title, which predates their years on the throne."
Oria nodded, pursing her lips. "So what does this mean?"
"That's what I'm trying to figure out. I did help bring about the downfall of her brother. I think a nasty letter threatening vengeance, awful as it would be to get, would be more understandable than this."
Oria smiled. "Seems honest enough. She wants to meet you."
"But why? And why now? And what's this about 'guidance'?"
Oria looked back at the letter, her dark brows slightly furrowed, then whistled softly. "I missed that, first time through. What do you think she's hinting at, that she thinks the new king ought not to be king?"
"That is the second thing I've been wondering about," I said. "If she'd make a good ruler, then she ought to be supported…"
"Well, would she?"
"I don't know anything about her."
Oria handed the letter back, and she gave me a crooked grin. "Do you want to support her bid for the crown, or do you just want to see the Marquis of Shevraeth defeated?"
"That's the third thing on my mind," I said. "I have to admit that part of me--the part that still rankles at my defeat last year--wants him to be a bad king. But that's not being fair to the country. If he's good, then he should be king. This concerns all the people of Remalna, their safety and well-being, and not just the feelings of one sour countess."
"Who can you ask, then?"
"I don't know. The people who would know her best are all at Court, and I wouldn't trust any of as far as I could throw this castle.
( Sherwood Smith )
[ Court Duel ]
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