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“That’s all we need to know?” Avila’s faint sarcasm roused me from trying to tease out all the potential consequences of a plan irresistibly forming in my mind.
“My thanks, my lady.” Temar shot Avila an unexpected look of reproof.
Avila smoothed her skirts as she rose. “And now I have another chance to see how many different gowns one woman can wear in the same day.”
“May I take a moment of your time?” I stood, hands laced behind my back, formal stance stiffening my resolve.
Lady Cha
I took a deep breath. Some ideas look perfectly convincing inside your own head and then sound like drooling idiocy once you try to explain them.
“We’re sure, aren’t we, that Tor Bezaemar’s the House orchestrating hostility to D’Olbriot and D’Alse
“The Emperor’s word was law in our day.” Avila sat down again.
“What if we could prove Tor Bezaemar’s enmity to the Emperor directly?” I looked at Lady Cha
“He won’t want open strife between D’Olbriot and Tor Bezaemar,” said Lady Cha
“Would your Houses accept an Imperial decree cutting through all this convoluted argument before the court?” Temar asked Lady Cha
“Given the consequences to the minor Houses if Tor Bezaemar and D’Olbriot go for each other’s throats?” She looked pensive. “Most would back an Imperial decree, if only to save their own Names.”
“We know Malafy Skern is still a favoured retainer of the Relict Tor Bezaemar,” I said slowly. “She has to be involved.”
“No one drops a hairpin in that House without her knowing,” Lady Cha
“What if we could get her to betray what she knows?” I suggested.
“In front of witnesses?” She shook her head. “She’d never do it, and in any case witnesses can always be discredited.”
“What if she didn’t think there were witnesses? What if she were provoked into boasting or threatening?” I persisted. “What if the Emperor heard her for himself?”
Lady Cha
“Dirindal is too sharp for that, Rysh,” said Temar, disappointed.
“What if Artifice were prompting her to speak without her usual care?” I tried to ignore the qualms in my belly. “What if she were alone with you, my lady, confident anything you claimed could be denied? There are enough rumours flying around the city; it wouldn’t be unusual for you to discuss them with her?”
“Tor Bezaemar must still think themselves secure,” Temar said unexpectedly. “They have no reason to believe we suspect their malice.”
“They’ll know by the end of the day, if I know Guliel,” said Lady Cha
“Dirindal would be keen to know what the Sieur is thinking,” I suggested.
“If she were a
Lady Cha
“The Emperor could see and hear it all if a mage worked the right magics,” I told her. “Dirindal would never know.”
Lady Cha
“Scrying is mere sight without sound.” Casuel was frowning in thought. “It could be done with bespeaking, but you’d need another mage with her ladyship as well as one with the Emperor.”
“We’ve Allin and Velindre to call on,” I pointed out. “Either or both could help. Planir won’t disagree, if it means we can head off this strife.”
“I would have to be close at hand, to work the Artifice on Dirindal,” said Avila slowly.
“Dirindal will never betray herself in front of three witnesses,” said Lady Cha
“Couldn’t you be in the next room, Demoiselle?” I persisted. “Out of sight?”
Avila thought for a moment. “Yes, I believe so. Master Mage?”
Casuel nodded eagerly. “A short distance would be no hindrance.”
Lady Cha
“Can’t you meet on neutral ground?” Temar asked impatiently.
“A dressmakers?” suggested Casuel hopefully. “A jewellers?”
“Such people come to us, Master Devoir, we don’t travel to them.” Lady Cha
I cast my mind back to my early sworn days attending the minor Demoiselles of the House. Where had they gone to gossip free from the discreet supervision of their elders? “A feather merchant?”
“That’s believable, at least.” Lady Cha
“And even Maitresses of a Name have to go to the merchants, since none of them will risk hawking such fragile and precious wares from residence to residence,” I nodded.
“Is there a feather merchant where Dirindal would meet you?” Temar demanded of Cha
“Masters Anhash and Norn,” Lady Cha
“It has to be worth trying,” I urged. “Outright enmity between D’Olbriot and Tor Bezaemar will serve no one.”
“True,” agreed Lady Cha
“Then send the Relict Tor Bezaemar some message enticing her to meet you at once, my lady.” I ticked off points on my fingers. “We need you, Avila and Velindre at the feather merchant’s before Dirindal arrives. Then we three need to convince the Emperor to listen to us.” I looked at Casuel, whose face was a potent mix of eagerness and apprehension. “And we need some way of knowing when exactly Casuel needs to work his magic”
“Allin could send word,” suggested Temar.
“I can’t see you getting an audience with Tadriol, a scant half-morning before the biggest social event of Festival.” Lady Cha
I looked at Temar. “You’ve not met the Emperor yet, have you? This isn’t the ideal time, but I don’t suppose anyone will gainsay you if you ask to introduce yourself. I’m sure you could claim a Sieur’s right of immediate access to the Imperial presence.”
Lady Cha
“If that is what we need to do, to get before Tadriol, that he may see the magic’ Temar was looking nervous. “But you will explain it all, Ryshad, when we see Tadriol. This is your idea after all.”