Shadows of the Scriptures

NINE: Trucebreaker

Maybe she thinks she can actually play a fiddle on me, the Winner of Games, Sterya reflected. Or mayhaps she loses deliberately, to gain my trust. Good Vaven, this place is making me lose what little straw I have left for stuffing in my head.

The trucebreaker recited a sequence off the stag-card, hearing which Selicia openly groaned. That told Sterya what possibilities for Selicia's synumbers she could rule out and internally she smiled. Sterya was planning the schedule of her next bluff, its nature and implications, when a knock on the door gave her a start.

"Come in!" called she.

In came a girl in a sundress with cheeks like dried apricots. Sterya recognized the girl as Minair, one of her mother-in-law's handmaidens.

"What brings you here, sweetie?" asked she of the girl.

Said Minair, "The Lady Highest would like an audience with you, your Majesty."

"So she shall have it. When is my audience required by her?"

"She stands outside the chamber right this moment, your Majesty."

"Not anymore," said Eoli Khad, tall and once fair, as she stepped up besides Minair. She was dressed in heavy samite and wore a lovely diadem on her head. Her eyes were pale white. They flitted over the Penva board and cards and dice disapprovingly. Not surprising in itself; her son the King disapproved of the game also. What Sterya tried to understand to no avail was, how was it gambling if there was nothing monetary involved?

Everyone arose, herself included, the old trucebreaker a tad slower than the rest. Minair looked down at her feet.

"We shall take our leave, Lady Mother," said Saphira, risen from the sofa, gathering up her tinsel-dress.

But Eoli said, "Nonsense. You can all of you stay. Yes, you too." The trucebreaker stopped in her step. Beigall's face lit up. "I just wanted a quick word. Rosy here," she shot the handmaiden a look of edge, "was supposed to ask you a question on my behalf."

"Rosy!" Beigall exclaimed. "Apt name. These servants sprout thorns behind our backs."

Less thorns than you, Sterya was tempted to say. She felt she wanted to remind the Highlady Beigall that when her Tilva had been a House, its sigil had been a fish.

"It is sommer what I call her by," said Eoli, "and I will not hear another say a word about my servants."

For all her rich clothing and jewelry, Beigall looked identical to Rosy - nay, Minair - when she put her eyes on the floor.

"I'm - I'm sorry, Lady Mother," meanwhile stuttered the maiden. "My fa - father, he has fever. The healers say it could be Brackwhisp and - I've just been - "

"My deepest sympathies," Eoli said dismissively. She was all smiles when she turned to Sterya. "Now, child, I know you're . . . otherwise occupied. But I am going to-day as I do every other month to visit the Central Ations House. It bodes well to let the city know your active hand in their security."

Child. Not that she minded not being called "your Highness" or "Majesty" or "Grace" for once, but in spite of what her husband told her, Sterya had a sinking feeling in her chest that Eoli Khad did not fully accept her as the life partner to her son. May be this was in view of the fact that Sterya originally had a nuptial arrangement with Vaarin - Aryan Khad's son, but not Eoli's.

"Indeed, mother," was all she said.

"Would you like to join me?" proposed Eoli.

"Nothing would delight me more."