The Born Queen

"No," she said, unable to prevent a little grin, "but it might still have that effect."

"Might?"

"They'll try to cross the river tomorrow morning," she said.

"You saw that, too?"

She nodded and pushed the bowl toward him. "Try these blackberries. They're very good."

Artwair looked more than anything, puzzled.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

"You just seem…Are you really well? You don't seem yourself."

"Why do people keep saying that?" A

Artwair took another bite of his bread. "Thank you for your candor, Your Majesty. And now I suppose I had better see to that river crossing."

He lifted himself from the chair, bowed, and left. When he was gone, she signaled for Nerenai and Emily to enter.

"Do either of you think there's something wrong with me?"

Nerenai shook her head. "No. As you said, you're starting to come to terms with your power. You rely less and less upon the arilac, yes?"

"I see less of her," A

"Did you-" Emily began, but then stopped and put her hands in her lap. "What, Emily?"

The girl looked back up. "Did you really kill a thousand men?"

A

"Bother me? It's amazing. The saints really have touched you. It's like you're Genya Dare reborn, come to lead her heroes against the Scaosen, to tear the doors off their palaces and grind them into the dust."

"I don't quite have her power," A

"No, but you will," Nerenai said.

"My uncle Charles is so stupid," Emily said. "He said you were just a silly girl. If he could see-"

"Wait," A

Emily's hand flew to her mouth, and she reddened.

"I see," A

"I shouldn't have said that," Emily said.

"On the contrary," A

"Yes, Majesty."

A

The view was wonderful. Directly below her was the Yaner Gravigh, the northernmost canal of Newland, hewing from east to west. A wall four kingsyards high stood on the southern birm and went off beyond sight in either direction.

Beyond were the vast downs of Andemuer, gently rolling hills tilled and terraced by a hundred generations of plowmen.

The host of Hansa was a bit of an eyesore, but at the moment, even that was beautiful to her because for almost a league the canal was clogged with their wrecked and burning boats.

They had come before dawn, dragging light watercraft from behind the hills. In a few places they had tried to float bridges, but those had fared no better. Artwair reckoned that more than three thousand Hansans had been slaughtered in the attempt, falling to siege engines and archers massed upon the birm wall.

The cost to Crotheny could be counted on a pair of hands.

"You sent for me, Majesty?"

A

"A glorious victory," he ventured.

"I'm very pleased," A

"Why not farther?" he asked. "I understand they need to reduce Poelscild, but why try to cross here, under our engines?"

"More than two leagues upstream the ground around the river gets low and swampy, or so they tell me," A

"But the force coming on the Warlock-"

"You'll meet them," A

"Yes, Majesty."

"Cape Chavel?"

"Yes, Majesty?"

"Why didn't you tell me you're third in line for the Virgenyan throne?"

For a moment he just stood stupidly. Then he clasped his hands behind his back.

"Ah," he said. "You've been checking up on me."

"No," A

She leveled her gaze on him.

"Yes," he replied, looking abashed. "Yes, that is the case."

"I don't like being deceived," A

The earl tilted his head apologetically. "My uncle sent that insulting delegation as a negotiation," he said. "He reckoned you would be desperate, and his lack of respect would make you more so. My role was to offer a marriage in return for the troops you've requested."

"So you've lied about several things. You didn't come here to fight for me."

"No," he said, "but I decided to the moment you spoke. You were right, and my uncle was wrong. I was too ashamed of my original mission to mention it to you, and the only deception I've engaged in has been to prevent that shame from being exposed. I can't tell you how sorry I am, Your Majesty."

A

"If you had made the proposal-and if I had accepted-would your uncle have sent troops?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, to tell you the truth."

"Well, let's find out," A

"You're going to answer one lie with another?" the earl asked.

"It's the same lie," A

Cape Chavel's eyebrows went up "I have no need to feign interest, Majesty. I've never met a woman like you, and I'm sure I never will again. And it's only because you are queen that I haven't told you that. I'm dead in love with you, Queen A

As he spoke, an odd warmth suddenly spread down her limbs.

"You needn't overdo it," she said, suddenly not so sure of herself. "No one is listening."

"I'm telling you the truth," he said.

"Be careful, Cape Chavel," A

He stepped closer, and suddenly he seemed to enclose her, blotting out everything else around her.

"I am honest," he said. "I refused to court you for political reasons, remember? And I won't pretend to court you now when you so plainly have no interest in me. So let us keep things as they are: You my queen and I one of your knights."

A