The Legacy of Telmar (The Telmar Trilogy, Volume 3)

Chapter 8--The Conference of Lords

"Let all those present report!"

"I, Lord Perrin of Eveston, with my chief advisor, present!"

"I, Lord Daltan of Puriva, with my chief advisor, present!"

"I, Lord Vern of Sordell, with my chief advisor, present!"

"I, Lord Burg of Venna, with my chief advisor, present!"

"And I, Lord Maletus of Telami, with my chief advisor, preside!"

Lord Maletus smiled evilly, "Very good; I thank you all for responding so promptly to my summons. I believe there is an—ah, hm—an issue you wish to discuss, Lord Daltan?" His voice dripped in hidden meaning.

Daltan stood nervously, holding in his trembling hand a paper that had come with his summons. He read from the paper, glancing up at the president Lord at every other phrase.

"Yes . . . it is the Lady . . . who now rules . . . Nast."

"Incorrigible wench!" Maletus spat charmingly. "What say you, Lord Vern?"

The Lord of Sordell stood, "My people were starving, Your Emminence, and a delegation of Nastians came and—"

"Swindled you, didn't they?" Lord Maletus interrupted, his eyes glinting daggers at the weak lord, "They cheated you into paying for these wares they feign to give freely! They extorted money away from your fair province, didn't they?"

The Lords were weak, but not foolish; they knew Lord Maletus' power, being Lord of the capitol province, and they realized the hidden plan behind the Council of Lords.

"Yes," Lord Vern said, and as soon as he sat down, Lord Perrin jumped to his feet.

"Those Nastians are liars! They cheated my people of good food by trying to pass of rotten and spoiled goods! That Lady is a witch!"

Lord Burg joined his comrade at an approving nod from Lord Maletus. "My advisors have heard certain rumors, Milord."

Lord Maletus turned his gaze to the slender, pale man standing just behind his lord's chair. "Pray, do tell us," he said, low and dangerous, "what rumors?"

"There are legends from Nast, oh Most Worshipful Lord," the flattering advisor said, striding out from behind the chair. "Legends from ancient times. It is said that she was banished from the infernal woods one hundred years ago, and is condemned to do the bidding of the Lion-demon of Narnia until Telmar is destroyed!"

"I have heard similar tales, Milord," Lord Vern's advisor chimed in, "and I would not have believed such tales, if a friend had not shown me these."

He brought out, to everyone's amazement, two portraits of Lady Melanie. He set up one on his left hand, saying, "This was painted when she first took office as Lady," and the other on his right, "and this one was painted only a week ago, when she was reinstated." Smiling in a way similar to Lord Maletus, he gestured to the paintings. "Aside from the clothing, do you note any other physical difference?"

The Lords looked closely, but they could not.

Lord Daltan, in an attempt to return to Lord Maletus' good graces, capitalized on the electricity of horrible fascination coursing through the room as he remarked, "One hundred years, and she has not aged!"

"What I would like to know," said Lord Perrin, "is how she can manage without merchants! Each of us must depend on imports even from fellow provinces for a stable economy, but the delegation so graciously sent by my grandfather, Lord Nestin, left even before the diabolical storm, and not one of them will dare set foot across the Pass!"