Two Kingdoms 44 - Alliances

[DoctorM]

TWO KINGDOMS 44: ALLIANCES

This is the forty-fourth part of an AU construction about a Gwynedd where the duel at Kelson Haldane's coronation went very differently indeed. We are now almost three years into the Gwynedd Wars-- Charissa's new kingdom at Valoret against the Haldanes in the south and the kingdom of Torenth in the east. This episode takes place some weeks after both "Thieves" and "Visitors". As always, thoughts, comments, and suggestions are very much appreciated.

****

The morning's wine is a Fianna white, and Kyri de Roiste is finishing her third full cup. Thorne Hagen is there with her at the ducal palace in Tolan-by-Sea amidst a crowd of courtiers and petitioners. Hagen is dividing his time between watching the great doors to the upper chamber and trying to settle Kyri's nerves. Right now he's in the middle of a long explanation about the complicated flavors in the lighter reds produced on his own estates in Autun. He's being a bore, he knows, but he'd rather have Kyri bored than on edge.

The heavy doors come open and two Queen's Moors step through and stand to attention on each side. One of them calls to the room: "The Queen!"  All across the room, faces turn to the doorway and heads bow. Thorne Hagen reaches for Kyri's sleeve, but in a second she's halfway across the room.

Kyri strides to the middle of the floor and draws herself up. The two Moors stare at her, perplexed. She turns back to the bowing crowd and raises her voice in a clear, fine Connaiti lilt: "My lords and ladies— the Shadow Queen! Charissa, first of her name, Queen of Tolan and the West, Lady of the North, Protector of the Realm!"

The courtiers look up and stare at her, and there's a swell of shocked whispers. And behind Kyri, the Shadow Queen has come through the door.

There's a tail of people with the Queen, of course. Her husband is there, and half a dozen Tolan Guard. Her ladies-in-waiting are close behind, along with young Ratcliffe from her intelligencers and Darcek from the State Inquisitor's staff. A knot of Tolan and Marluk officers follow after.  The Shadow Queen is standing immobile just inside the doorway, and her people are bunching up behind her. The guards are beginning to frown.

The crowd inside draw back against the walls, and the floor empties out. Kyri motions Thorne Hagen to her side and holds the Shadow Queen's gaze.

The Queen is in a dark-blue khilat this morning, and she's standing there with her head tilted to one side, looking hard at Kyri de Roiste. She barely bothers to glance at the crowd. The courtiers and petitioners might as well not be there. Charissa crosses the space to Kyri. Her voice is quiet and soft. "Lady Roiste," she says. "You do me great honour. But, Flame— I will ask why."

Kyri bows her head in salute and looks up at the Shadow Queen. "Your Grace," she says. She can hear Thorne murmur the same beside her. She takes another breath. Her eyes are bright with wine and something very like tears streaks down her face. "It's not fealty," she says. "It isn't. Don't think that. But it's acknowledgment, and it's friendship, and maybe support, and everyone needs to know."

Charissa glances over at Thorne Hagen and at the near-empty wine cup in Kyri's hand. "Now they know," she says. "Everyone knows where you stand, Flame. Now you tell me why."

Kyri takes another breath. "We've been expelled from the Council, Thorne and I.  We've been laid open to mortal challenge. We're  outlaws now."

Charissa looks past Kyri at the crowd. She brings up one hand and points at them. "Clear the room," she says. "Now."

****

This is not the way the Baron Rheljan had planned for his morning to begin, and there's irritation in his face. His aides had found him mere minutes ago and he'd barely had time to dash back from the stables, still in hunting attire. It's the sort of thing he'd expect from Kheldour, though. The Shadow Queen's man hadn't bothered with sending outriders to announce himself. This was just what some light-horse sell-sword would do— turn up at the castle gates out of nowhere, a couple of dozen horsemen with him, and demand an immediate audience.

The baron had seen the banners, though— both Kheldour's falcon and the Queen's new Leopards. This is some kind of official visit, and the baron is trying to decide whether this is disrespect or not.

The baron looks down the length of the hall and gives a cautious nod. His own officials and guards are filling one end of the room, and it never hurts to be the polite host. "My lord of Kheldour," he says. Polite, yes, but he's not quite ready to say "my lord prince".

Kheldour nods in return. "My lord FitzEwan of Rheljan."

Rheljan considers the Queen's husband. Kheldour and his people are in leather and mail shirts, and they've been riding hard. He decides to be surprised, but not unwelcoming. He arranges his face into a smile. "I wish you'd given us time for a proper reception, my lord, but then...you're Deryni and light-horse both. I've always heard that Deryni do just appear out of nowhere."

Kheldour grins back. "Trailing a whiff of brimstone, you mean? That could be Deryni, but maybe that's just me."

Servants are finally arriving with wine and trays of food. Kheldour takes a wine cup. "I do thank you for the hospitality, my lord. I quite like the Rheljan reds." He gestures back to one of his aides for a map case. "I'm here for the Queen. I'm just up out of Kulnán. We need to talk about the war here in the north. Things are moving, and you need to know about them."

****

Charissa looks back and forth from Kyri to Hagen. Her husband is at her side, but the rest of her entourage have faded back. "Tell me what's happened, and when."

Kyri breathes out. "There was a vote taken. We're off the Council. Thorne and I were expelled. And they voted to outlaw us. For taking sides with you. For being here."

Charissa's face is grim. "Barrett and Coram did this?"

Kyri shakes her head. "No. Not Barrett. He wasn't there. Coram had a letter of procuration with Barrett's seal. He used it to vote for Barrett. He said Barrett was ill, and he voted Barrett to  abstain."

"Tell me how you know."

"It was a closed vote," Kyri says, "but the Council servants knew. They always know. One came to me, another came to Thorne. People we know and trust. Coram said Barrett was ill; none of the servants believed that. But Coram's in charge."

Thorne looks up. "He could be dead. He could just be locked away. But Coram might've killed him. There was just the letter."

"The Council guards were changed," Kyri says. "Coram replaced them all with new faces. He brought in his own people."

Next to the queen, Christian makes a face. "It's an effing coup. But Barrett's not dead, not yet. Coram has him, but he's still alive. If Barrett was dead, Coram would've kept silent about it but used Barrett's letter to vote against you. He only voted to abstain. He's not ready to have Barrett killed."

Charissa is staring off at the walls. Her voice is crisp and clear. "Tell me what the vote was."

Kyri shrugs. "Coram and Vivienne and Claron all voted to expel. The servants said Laran started to vote against and Vivienne took him aside and said something no one could hear. Then he voted to expel. Denis Arilan abstained on the order of voting. He let the others all vote first, then  he voted to expel. That was five in favor. Claron made the motion to open us to challenge and outlaw us. Arilan seconded it. That vote was unanimous."

Hagen looks over at Christian. "Coram is supposed to have talked to Arilan about offering the Haldanes full support once there's a...new...Council. But that's just rumor. Nothing's been done yet."

Charissa and Christian share a look. "Barrett's locked up someplace," Christian says. "He may be dead soon enough anyway. He's not young, and he was already blinded. Coram will craft an explanation; it'll sound good enough." He looks over at Kyri. "One missing, two expelled and outlawed. Who are they bringing in to fill the seats?"

Kyri shakes her head again. "The servants didn't know. They hadn't said anything as of a few days ago, Vivienne and Claron and Coram. I don't know who they'll choose."

Thorne Hagen shrugs. "They'll have lists, Coram and Vivienne will. Nobody would trust Claron with picking members. It'll just be Coram and Vivienne choosing."

Christian nods at the Queen, "That means it'll just be Coram. He'll have had lists for a long time. Probably since the Coronation. Maybe before. He's been waiting to do this; he's been waiting a long time. Let's see if he looks south for new faces."

****

There's a map of the Rheljan mountains and western Torenth unrolled on the table. Khledour sweeps a hand over it. "This is what's happening, and it'll happen fast enough. Wencit's coming for you. He's going to seize Gwernach. He'll come up through Kulnán, too. He'll be on your borders north and south. Wencit's coming for you, my lord."

Rheljan is looking down at the map. He traces  a finger down the blue-inked line of the Belnorth river. "What's the Shadow Queen going to do about Gwernach?"

"Fight,"  Kheldour says. "The Queen's going to fight for Gwernach. If Wencit takes it,  he'll strike at you and at Count Rori in Kulnán. Then he's west through the mountains and on to Valoret. We're going to fight. We'll need soldiers."

Rheljan draws in a breath. "My lord...we've been fighting the Torenthi here for three years. My own forces are now counterattacking into Truvorsk, and that's where they mostly are. We're very extended here."

Kheldour raises an eyebrow. "We're all of us extended, my lord Rheljan. We're all of us extended and we're all counting pennies."

Rheljan pulls a chair away from the table and sits. He gestures to the other side of the table. "Sit. Please." This is not a conversation he wants to be having. "My lord Kheldour, three years ago I told your queen that I'd fight the Torenthi for her. The Torenth war was coming, and it wouldn't matter who was on the throne this side of the mountains. King Brion, King Kelson, Queen Charissa, whoever— Wencit was going to have his war anyway. I don't want the Torenthi here. I have no love at all for the kingdom of Torenth. I told your queen I'd fight Wencit for her. But I told her, too, that I was doing it as her ally in this one thing only, not as her vassal. I haven't pledged myself to your queen. She and I are fighting parallel wars with Wencit. Gwernach is her county to hold. My own war is going on inside Truvorsk."

The Shadow Queen's husband smiles. "I understand about the parallel war idea. That's a fine line to walk, though. Wencit wants into Gwynedd, and you're in his way. He gets Gwernach, and then he'll go through you on his way west. He'll go through Count Rori, too. Wencit doesn't care who you've pledged fealty to.  The roads run south and west out of Gwernach and through here. You know what Wencit does to anything in his way,"

"I've been keeping Wencit's captains east of the mountains for three years. I'm inside Truvorsk now, and— my lord, you understand that my son-in-law has an eye on Truvorsk. He wants to be duke of Truvorsk for your wife's new kingdom."

Kheldour's smile is bright. "Bran wants a lot of things. He wants Cassan and Claibourne, too.  Wanting's not the same as getting."

"My son-in-law has very sharp elbows. And he's only just finding out how large his appetite really is. If I withdraw from Truvorsk to defend Gwernach, he won't be happy."

Kheldour nods. "He won't be. But if Gwernach falls, and if the Torenthi get into Rheljan and Kulnán, Wencit will be a lot harder to placate than Bran Coris."

Kheldour is tapping at the map. "Wencit is coming. I know what his purveyancers are purchasing, and I know how many men he's bringing, and down which roads. I'm no general, my lord Rheljan. God knows I'm no general. But I can tell you exactly how he'll come. We're good at intelligence work at Valoret. We have to be. We're damned good at keeping secrets and we're better at finding them out. No secrets at Valoret, my lord."

Kheldour is still smiling. The baron returns the smile, He's very, very aware of his people there behind him and just as aware of the royal Leopard banner Kheldour had ridden in under.

"No," he says. And he knows what this is about: no secrets at Valoret. He knows what that has to mean. No FitzEwan secrets, anyway. "I suppose you'd have to be very good at ferreting out secrets, you and your queen and the Grey Death. I suppose that's what you do— know secrets."

The Shadow Queen's man lifts his wine cup. "We all know your son-in-law is exhausting to deal with. I think Bran's proud of being that way. But remember your grandson, too. Brendan's a fine boy, and I wouldn't mind him being my own son-in-law one day."

Rheljan sighs. "No comment about Bran. But you're right about Brendan, though. He'll be a fine, fine duke one day. He'd be a good son-in-law to you and your queen, I know."  He's staring up at the rafters, trying to think. "My lord Kheldour, I'm extended in Truvorsk. But I won't abandon Count Rori...or the Shadow Queen. I don't want Wencit's écorcheurs massing on my borders. For Gwernach— fifty men-at-arms, a hundred crossbowmen, three hundred pikemen. I can do that. The crossbows are mounted. They're good scouts and raiders."

He looks back at his officers, fidgeting there behind him. "We can do this. Call in the purveyancers and my treasurer. We're doing this."

Kheldour nods. "My lord FitzEwan of Rheljan. You have the Queen's gratitude, Mine, too. You're an example to your grandson. Parallel war, yes, my lord. I understand about that. But we are together in defending Gwernach. We'll defend Rheljan together, too. The Shadow Queen and I never forget loyalty."

****

Charissa is pacing around the room. Kyri and Hagen are still standing in the center of the floor. Her aides and guards are standing well away.

She points back to Ratcliffe. "Extra security for both Lady Roiste and Lord Hagen. There are procedures for Deryni threats. Use those." She jerks her head at Darcek. "Get Aurelian. I need him here. Write Brechlin's people in Valoret— extra security there, too. New living quarters there for Thorne and Kyri, with their own guards and wards."

The Shadow Queen stops and looks hard at Kyri and Thorne. "I told you both I'd keep you safe, and I will. But I need something from you. Christian asked about names for Coram's new Council. If you know any names Coram might choose, you tell him."

"Southern names, especially." That's Christian, cutting in. "Coram's doing something with southerners, with people from down by the desert edge. I need to know if he's looking south, and to whom. Whatever you know, I need to know."

Kyri closes her eyes for a second. "Shadow," she says, "I'll stand in public and say you're a queen. If you're the one who rules in your new kingdom and not the Haldanes, that's fine, too. I don't care about the Haldanes, or about who wins the crown. I'll tell everyone so. I might even cheer if ever you ride back into Rhemuth. Shadow, I'll stand with you against Coram and what he's doing. But I can't destroy the Council for you. That I won't do. I took oaths I won't break."

Charissa reaches out and brushes a finger over Kyri's hair. "We're allies, now, Flame. You don't know it yet, but it's true. Coram's showing what he always was. You and Thorne, you're outlaws now. There are people who are going to try to kill you both, and it's Coram and Vivienne and Claron who'll be sending them. I'll keep Rhydon off you, and I'll keep Coram's people away, too." Her thumb traces over Kyri's lip. "We're allies, Flame. I won't ask you to bow or bend the knee to me, but you and I, you and I and Thorne, we're all together in this. Stefan Coram thinks you're standing under the Leopards now, and whatever you do, he'll think that."

Charissa is looking into Kyri's eyes. "You haven't betrayed anyone or anything. It's Coram, not you— he's destroyed the Council. You'll build something new one day; I'm not against that. And I'll never let anyone harm you. You know what you've meant to me. Shadow and Flame, always. Always, But you're standing with the Leopard banner now, whether you know it or not. We're allies. We were always meant to be." She draws a finger over Kyri's cheekbone. "This is home now, Roiste. You're with us. And I'm glad."

[tmcd]

"The Shadow Queen and I never forget loyalty."

I wonder whether Rheljan will perceive the barb in that comment, because he has never pledged loyalty?

[Jerusha]

It seems the cracks in the world are widening.  I too wonder what Southerners Coram is considering.  Or should I say commanding?

[DoctorM]

"The Shadow Queen and I never forget loyalty."

I wonder whether Rheljan will perceive the barb in that comment, because he has never pledged loyalty?

Rheljan has been a de facto ally of the Shadow Queen, and he's been using his "parallel war" idea to shield himself from admitting that. He has multiple people (Bran Coris, Charissa, Kelson) to whom he may have to justify himself one day. He's walking a very fine line. He wants to keep the Torenthi out, hang on to (and maybe expand) his lands, move his family up in the world (via Bran's role at court and Brendan's future prospects), and not alienate any of the major players.

[DoctorM]

It seems the cracks in the world are widening.  I too wonder what Southerners Coram is considering.  Or should I say commanding?

The Hand of Camber people, and maybe some Nur Hallaj names and faces... Though you're quite right. Coram is looking for subordinates, not colleagues.