“Would you care for a sandwich, Your Majesty? Then perhaps we could begin to discuss increasing the number of caravans that travel the trade routes in the White Mountains and lowering the taxes that you charge merchants coming into Nerissette from Bathune.”
John cleared his throat. “I thought this meeting was simply a picnic? Not a trade negotiation, Ambassador.”
Eriste shrugged and held out the platter of sandwiches toward me. “I didn’t think trade was a topic that was off-limits. Surely we’re all better off if trade continues between Nerissette and Bathune?”
“Let me.” Eamon took it and tore a small hunk off the end of one of the sandwiches. The woodsman took a bite, chewing carefully, and then wrinkled his nose before winking at me—obviously trying to make amends for his comments a few minutes earlier.
“Roast beef. Could use a touch more horseradish, but other than that it seems fine.” Eamon placed the sandwich on the plate in front of me and I picked it up. I took a small bite of the sandwich and tried to hold back my groan of pleasure at the taste. I had no idea what Eamon was talking about—this might possibly have been the best sandwich I’d ever tasted, and it had the perfect amount of horseradish.
“More horseradish. I’ll keep that in mind,” Eriste said drily.
“It all looks delicious,” I said. “If Eamon doesn’t drop dead I’m sure it’ll be wonderful.”
Eamon poured the water into one of the goblets and then took a small sip of the water. Then he popped two grapes into his mouth. Once he’d tasted them he took out a small knife and carved a small sliver off an apple, biting into it carefully. “The food is not poisoned,” Eamon said, his voice flat and emotionless.
Eriste glanced at the guard still hovering over us. “May the Pleiades be praised that the Golden Rose is safe.”
“May they keep us all safe,” I said, my eyes narrowed at him.
“This,” Eriste said as he picked up a grape, ignoring the tension between us, “is a rather lovely spot, I must say. It’s a shame we couldn’t use the hillside where your mother held her picnics, but this is a surprisingly nice second option. Although the flowers are unusual. Are they dryad plants?”
I looked over at the rose vines that had been set up along the perimeter of what was going to be the memorial walk and admired the dark-green bulbs that had yet to sprout flowers. “Yes, Darinda has taken charge of growing them herself. She says it’s her personal duty to those she lost.”
“Do you know what they are? The flowers?” Eriste asked.
“They’re war roses,” John answered.
Eriste stiffened beside me. “I see. An interesting choice for a memorial.”
“Fitting,” John said.
War roses? “What are—”
Eamon caught my attention, shaking his head slightly.
“Your Majesty?” Eriste asked.
“What are…your plans for your time here in Nerissette?” I asked, trying to switch topics gracefully. Hopefully later, someone would explain to me the importance of the flowers that had yet to bloom around us. “You said you wanted to discuss trade?”
“Yes,” Eriste said. “I had hoped to initiate talks between you and Her Majesty, the Empress Bavasama. About trade routes, of course, but your aunt is also quite interested in meeting you and helping you to become accustomed to your new role. She’d like to get to know her niece.”
“Right. My long-lost aunt who I didn’t know existed until I arrived here and got myself sucked into a war. The aunt who didn’t help when I had an army of monsters at my front gate.”
“From what I’ve heard, there are a lot of things that were kept secret from you,” Eriste said, ignoring my last comment, and then glanced over at John, who shifted his weight from one foot to the other.
“My mother did what she thought was right.” I struggled to keep my voice even. “I’m sure she was waiting to tell me until I was older. She thought we’d have more time.”
“We always do, Your Majesty.” Eriste reached for my hand and held a sandwich in his other. “We always think we have forever with those we love, but somehow we always manage to leave things unsaid.”
“Right.” I felt myself choking up at the thought of my mother before I managed to swallow it down again. I wasn’t about to lose my cool in front of my aunt’s spy. “She would have had more time if it hadn’t been for the Fate Maker trying to kill her and all.”
“That is unfortunate, yes.” Eriste let go of my hand and took a big bite of his sandwich, munching down on half of it in one go. He swallowed, and then glanced over at me. “But since your mother is lost to us, your aunt would very much like to help you. To teach you the things your mother didn’t get a chance to. She cares a great deal for you.”
“She doesn’t know me,” I said as he took another bite, finishing the rest of his sandwich. And with everything I knew, I didn’t want to get to know her. After all, my aunt was such bad news that my grandmother had skipped over her and given the crown to my mother. Auntie Bav wasn’t really high on my getting-to-know-you list.
“You’re family. She doesn’t have to know you to love you with all her heart. Perhaps in the spring we can arrange for a visit? It’s too late in the year for you to leave for Bathune now—too much of a risk of you being caught in an early autumn snowstorm in the White Mountains on your return to Nerissette—but after the snows have melted a bit we can arrange it. Yes?” He took an apple from the plate and bit into it.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I said. “I’ve got a lot going on here, rebuilding Nerissette. I can’t just take a vacation.”
“I’m sure Her Majesty would love a visit from her aunt, though,” John said quickly. “If the Empress Bavasama is willing to cross the border. Perhaps a meeting at Her Majesty’s stronghold in the White Mountains would be best? Then neither of them would have to worry about being away too long.”
My stronghold? What stronghold? The only castle I knew about in the White Mountains was the one that Rhys oversaw, and it was nothing more than a stone tower surrounded by a fort that housed soldiers. And, according to Rhys, it wasn’t even much of a fort. In fact, he’d called the place a dump.
“Her Majesty, the Empress Bavasama was hoping that Queen Alicia would join her at the Palace of Night,” Eriste said, and wiped his mouth with his hand.
“I don’t think that’s going to be possible.” I shook my head and handed him a white cloth napkin from the picnic basket. “And you’ve got roast beef in your mustache.”
“Thank you.” He took the napkin and dabbed at his mouth. “Surely a short visit wouldn’t be too much trouble? You could finalize some trade treaties while you’re there. Or sign an act of alliance, so that our armies can join to battle the trolls and giants that plague both our lands.”
“I don’t want to leave the throne empty if I can help it,” I said. “But like John said, my aunt is more than welcome here. We can discuss trade, and her lord general and Rhys could work out a plan so that our armies can assist each other.”
Eriste gritted his teeth. “Perhaps we can come to some arrangement at a later date? After I’ve heard from your aunt.”
“Of course.” I nodded, trying not to gloat.
“Your aunt just wants to get to know you. You are family, after all.”
“The people of Nerissette are my family,” I said, looking him directly in the eye. “And if anyone thinks they’re pushing my family around ever again, I will crush them.”