King's Crown: Teaser Chapter

Chapter 1, Part 6: Chisel or Sculptor?

Part 6: Chisel or Sculptor?

In the next month winter faded into memory, and the spring flowers bloomed. Politics in East Landly and particularly Frohliem City had warmed up faster than the weather. The succession question hung over the kingdom like the dark clouds of a threatening storm. Dax decided to act. He had promised the queen he would not take the throne, but he had not answered her about what he would say if he were given the throne. Would it solve the problem or create bigger ones? He knew the one person to ask.

Venjet Carmodi had gotten in the habit of coming to see Dax in his palace apartment in the evening, and Dax often returned the visits. Carmodi had come back to East Landly with the relief expedition sent by Queen Dara from West Landly after the Tharan attack. At that point he had announced his retirement as ambassador to West Landly. Now he lived in Frohliem City, and Dax enjoyed hearing the older man's stories from Dax's former home. Carmodi was happy to have someone to talk to.

This evening Carmodi brought Scarlet along when he came calling. Scarlet appreciated the older man's conversation too, but he also appreciated Carmodi's taste in wine. The old man always brought the evening's refreshments because, as he said, "while the dragon-bound can be trusted for the truth, they cannot be trusted for the wine."

This evening the succession crisis came up again in their discussion. Carmodi launched into a prolonged narration of events at this day's meeting of the Council of Nobles. The ex-ambassador was on the Council of Nobles because of his ties to the royal family, but he described his connection as "a royal ruffle rather than a regal relation." The other two had saluted Carmodi with their glasses in tribute to the clever phrase. It was a part of what made their evening talks interesting.

Carmodi was restless tonight. He paced the room waving his arms in the air as he related details of a complicated five-way split on the Council. Two factions favored two different candidates who had emerged from the nobility, but they were weak contenders at best. Three other blocs favored raising members of the merchant houses to the nobility to fill vacant noble positions, but they each had different schemes favoring different houses.

Scarlet set his drink down and observed, "Have they made any progress at all?"

Carmodi picked up the bottle of wine. He refilled Scarlet's glass and made a nod toward Dax's glass. Dax waved him off, and Carmodi topped off his own glass. After he put the bottle back, the old man strode over to the window and sighed. "The only progress the committee has made is to deepen the lines of division. The people of the city and the kingdom have similar divisions but less patience. We've had more and more riots with the latest in Falls Meadow almost rising to the point of an armed rebellion."

"So what solves it?" Scarlet asked.

Carmodi lowered himself back into his favorite chair and put his feet back up on the footstool. "If only the Goddess would whisper in my ear, I would tell you," he said resignedly and took a swallow of wine. "Last week someone even suggested me as a compromise candidate." He set his glass down and made an elaborate gesture which almost looked as if he were bowing to himself. "Me? A king? May the Goddess be merciful on this land."

Dax chuckled. "Well, I'd much rather see you on the throne than many others I've heard talk of." The conversation was in the right place, and it was time. Dax smiled and said deliberately, "Next they may suggest me for the job."

Carmodi picked up his wine again and took another sip. "Ah, now wouldn't that be a thought. If we could find just a trace of royal blood in you, my boy, we'd have you on that throne so quickly..." He stopped in mid sentence because Scarlet's head snapped up to look at Dax. Just as quickly Scarlet looked away, but Carmodi had noticed the sudden motion.