«I would», Marie said promptly.
Zoë blushed furiously, flattered by the compliment, but Alyce's smile of agreement had a more thoughtful cast to it. In fact, she had noticed Ahern watching Zoë more than once, when he thought no one was looking — and Zoë herself had seemed somewhat taken by the young earl, and certainly dazzled by his horsemanship and sheer determination.
«I would say that such a development is not beyond the realm of possibility», she allowed. «He did seem — attentive».
«Alyce!» Zoë protested, blushing even more.
«I predict nothing…», Alyce said, raising both palms in a protestation of innocence. «I merely comment on what I have noted, when neither of you thought I was watching. And I would be willing to bet that a letter from him will arrive before the month is out».
«Oh, you!..»
«No, you!» Alyce countered, as she glanced at Marie and Vera and the three of them pounced on Zoë for a bout of tickling that continued until all four of them were breathless with laughter.
«Oh, stop, stop!» Zoë begged. «You'll have Lady Jessamy in here, wondering what on earth is going on!»
Her caution was enough to deflate their brief digression into childishness, though all of them were grinning as they ranged themselves against the fat pillows piled at the head of the bed and caught their breath.
«How I do love all of you», Alyce murmured, when she had caught her breath enough to speak. «Promise me that we shall always be friends and sisters — regardless of who Zoë marries!»
«We promise», the others said in unison, taking Alyce's hands and joining them, clasped in their own.
«Friends and sisters forever!» Vera added. «No matter what happens».
Once returned to Rhemuth, the four friends settled quickly back into the routine of the court, now with Vera as a welcome part of their circle. Now relieved of some of the tutoring duties that previously had occupied her, Alyce found more of her time freed up to pursue her own interests, returning to her explorations or the royal library and in the scriptorium. And these were interests shared by Zoë.
During their absence in Cynfyn, the first returns had begun to trickle in from the king's commissioners of inquiry, and were being compiled by a battery of scribes and copyists now filling the chancery and several additional chambers in one of the garden wings. As she and Zoë became acquainted with the compilations now starting to take shape, and recognized the scope and importance of such a survey, the two of them began to conceive a fitting acknowledgement of the king's foresight in ordering such an undertaking.
«This really will be an incredibly useful document», Zoë said, when they had pulled out several scrolls from King Malcolm's commission of inquiry and compared selected entries against the current commission's findings.
«It will, indeed», Alyce agreed. She leafed through another packet of parchment scraps bundled together by baronies and townlands. «I wonder if the king might like to have a special, illuminated extract of the collated returns from some small area, perhaps with fine calligraphy and some illumination-nothing too ambitious. If we started right away, we perhaps could have it ready to present to him at Twelfth Night court».
«This is still very early in the process», Zoë replied, holding one of the slips closer to a candle to read its heading. «What area did you have in mind? What area is complete enough, at this point?»
«I know it can't be perfect», Alyce said. «Compiling all the returns will take several years. I think King Malcolm's inquiry took more than two, and some returns were still missing when they stopped working on it. But I thought we might start with Dhassa. For some reason, that seems to be fairly complete».
«I've heard they're very punctilious in Dhassa», Zoë replied, scanning the cramped lines on an irregular scrap of parchment. «I suspect it comes of keeping track of all those tolls to get into the city, because of the pilgrimage sites. But we could do an illuminated cover page, and fancy capitals for the sections dealing with the actual shrines. Have you ever been to Dhassa?»
«No. But there must be people at court who have».
«We can talk to them, then, and get some descriptions. It would be fun to incorporate some of the local features. But no scrawny lions!»
Alyce grinned. «I promise — but only if you promise not to include any fat squirrels».
«Agreed!»
They enlisted the patronage of the queen to assist in their undertaking, and had the thin volume ready for Twelfth Night court. Alyce had compiled the text and copied it out in her best court hand, Zoë had done the illuminations, and Marie and Vera bound it in crimson velvet embellished with silk and gold laid-work on the cover and along the spine. They had wrapped it in white linen tied with a length of creamy yarn, and Alyce hugged it to her breast as the four of them waited at the back of the great hall.
But first came the business of the court: the formal enrollment of new pages, including a proud Prince Brion — Prince Blaine and Krispin looked on jealously; the pledging of new squires, and several knightings, though the girls knew none of the newly dubbed young men.
Late in the day also came Sir Rorik Howell to report the death three days before of his father, Corban Earl of Eastmarch, and to pledge his fealty to the king, thereby obtaining the right to enter into his inheritance.
«We receive this news with much sadness, Sir Rorik», Donal told the muddy, exhausted young man who knelt before him, offering up his father's seal as earl, as a sign that he acknowledged the king's right to confirm the succession. «Nonetheless, we understand that your father was ill for many months, and that release will have been a blessing, for him and for his family».
«God grant that he now rests in peace, Sire», Rorik murmured dutifully — and Alyce could Read that his regret was genuine. «I pray that I may be as wise a guardian of his people».
«They are now your people, Rorik Howell Earl of East-march», Donal said, enfolding the young man's joined hands in his and raising him up. «Accordingly, before these witnesses, I hereby receive your pledge of fealty and I confirm you in your lands and honors. Go to bed now, young Rorik, for I know you have ridden solid for three days, and probably will have ruined several good horses in the doing of it. Tomorrow, when you have rested, we shall make more formal acknowledgement of your new status».
A murmur of sympathy and approbation followed the new earl as he bowed and retreated from the hall, followed by a squire who had been directed to see to his needs. There came next an announcement by an emissary of the Earl of Transha that the wife of young Caulay MacArdry was lighter of a son and heir, born the previous October and christened Ardry. The news of the birth somewhat lightened the sober air left in the wake of the sadder news brought by Rorik of Eastmarch, and left the king in mellower mood by the time the formal business of the court had ended. As he and his queen retired to the withdrawing room behind the dais, for a break and light refreshment while the hall was set up for feast to follow, the girls followed at the queen's beckoning.
«Sire, I have conspired with the demoiselles de Corwyn and their friends to produce a special Twelfth Night gift for you», the queen said, as she and king settled into chairs before the fire and the girls hesitated at the door.
«A gift?» the king said, setting aside his crown and running both hands through his thinning hair.
«Aye, my lord. Ladies?»
At the queen's gesture, the four of them came to kneel at the feet of the royal couple, Alyce still clutching their precious manuscript to her breast.