"Imposing men take themselves too seriously," said Suldrun. "Their talk is mostly orders and complaints."
"There is much else!" declared Lia. "It comes from my seamstress, who heard the conversation of Lady Pedreia. It seems that Faude Carfilhiot is the most romantic of men. Each evening he sits in a high tower watching the stars rise, pining."
"'Pining'? For what?"
"For love."
"And who is the haughty maiden who causes him such pain?"
"That is the curious part. She is imaginary. He worships this maiden of his dreams."
"I find this hard to believe," said Tuissany. "I suspect that he spends more time in bed with real maidens."
"As to that I cannot say. After all, the reports may be exaggerated."
"It will be interesting to discover the truth," said Tuissany. "But here is your father, the king."
Lia rose to her feet as did Tuissany and more slowly Suldrun. All performed a formal curtsy.
King Casmir sauntered forward. "Maidens, I wish to speak with the princess on a private affair; please allow us a few moments alone."
Lia and Tuissany withdrew. King Casmir surveyed Suldrun a long moment. Suldrun turned half-away, a chill of apprehension at the pit of her stomach.
King Casmir gave a small slow nod of the head, as if in corroboration of some private concept. He spoke in a portentous voice. "You must know that we are expecting the visit of an important person: Duke Carfilhiot of Vale Evander."
"I have heard so much, yes."
"You have come to marriageable age and should Duke Carfilhiot find you pleasing, I would look favorably upon the match, and I shall impart so much to him."
Suldrun raised her eyes to the golden-bearded face. "Father, 1 am not ready for such an event. I have not the slightest yearning to share a man's bed."
King Casmir nodded. "That is sentiment properly to be expected in a maiden chaste and innocent. I am not displeased. Still, such qualms must bend before affairs of state. The friendship of Duke Carfilhiot is vital to our interests. You will quickly become accustomed to the idea. Now then, your conduct toward Duke Carfilhiot must be amiable and gracious, yet neither fulsome nor exaggerated. Do not press your company upon him; a man like Carfilhiot is stimulated by reserve and reluctance. Still, be neither coy nor cold."
Suldrun cried in distress: "Father, I will not need to feign reluctance! I am not ready for marriage! Perhaps I never shall be!"
"Tush now." King Casmir's voice sharpened. "Modesty is all very well in moderation, even appealing. Still, when exercised to excess it becomes tiresome. Carfilhiot must not think you a prig. These are my wishes; are they quite clear?"
"Father, I understand your wishes very well." "Good. Make certain that they influence your conduct."
A cavalcade of twenty knights and men-at-arms came down the Sfer Arct and into Lyonesse Town. At their head rode Duke Carfilhiot, erect and easy: a man with black curling hair cropped at his ears, a fair skin, features regular and fine, if somewhat austere, save for the mouth, which was that of a sentimental poet.
In the Armory yard the company halted. Carfilhiot dismounted and his horse was led away by a pair of grooms in the lavender and green of Haidion. His retinue likewise dismounted and ranged themselves behind him.
King Casmir descended from the upper terrace and crossed the yard. Duke Carfilhiot performed a bow of conventional courtesy, as did his company.
"Welcome!" spoke King Casmir. "Welcome to Haidion!"
"I am honored by your hospitality." Carfilhiot spoke in a voice firm, rich and well-modulated but lacking timbre.
"I introduce to you my seneschal, Sir Mungo. He will show you to your rooms. A collation is being laid and when you are refreshed we will take an informal repast on the terrace."
An hour later Carfilhiot stepped out on the terrace. He had changed to a robe of gray and black striped silk, with black trousers and black shoes: an unusual garment which enhanced his already dramatic presence.
King Casmir awaited him by the balustrade. Carfilhiot approached and bowed. "King Casmir, already I am finding pleasure in my visit. The palace Haidion is the most splendid of the Elder Isles. Its prospect over city and sea is without parallel."
King Casmir spoke with stately affability. "I hope that your visit will often be repeated. We are, after all, the closest of neighbors."
"Precisely so!" said Carfilhiot. "Unluckily I am vexed with problems which keep me preoccupied at home; problems happily unknown to Lyonesse."
King Casmir raised his eyebrows. "Problems? We are by no means immune! I count as many problems as there are Troice in Troicinet!"
Carfilhiot laughed politely. "In due course we must exchange commiserations."
"I would as lief exchange problems."
"My robbers, footpads and renegade barons for your blockade of warships? It would seem a bad bargain for both of us."
"As an inducement you might wish to include a thousand of your Ska."
"Gladly, were they my Ska. For some odd reason they avoid South Ulfland, though they rampage across the North blithely enough."
A pair of heralds blew a shrill sweet fanfare, to signal the appearance of Queen Sollace and a train of her ladies.
King Casmir and Carfilhiot turned to meet her. King Casmir presented his guest. Queen Sollace acknowledged Carfilhiot's compliments with a bland stare, which Carfilhiot graciously ignored.
Time passed. King Casmir became restive. He glanced over his shoulder toward the palace ever more frequently. Finally he muttered a few words to a footman, and another five minutes passed.
The heralds raised their clarions and blew another fanfare. Out upon the terrace came Suldrun at a lurching run, as if she had been pushed; in the shadows behind her the contorted face of Lady Desdea showed for an instant.
With a grave face Suldrun approached the table. Her gown, of a soft pink stuff, clung close to her figure; from beneath a round white cap soft golden curls hung to her shoulders.
Slowly Suldrun came forward, followed by Lia and Tuissany. She paused, looked across the terrace, brushing Carfilhiot with her gaze. A steward approached with a tray; Suldrun and her maids took goblets of wine, then went modestly apart, where they stood murmuring together.
King Casmir watched under lowering brows and at last turned to Sir Mungo, his seneschal. "Inform the princess that we wait upon her attendance."
Sir Mungo delivered the message. Suldrun listened with a drooping mouth. She seemed to sigh, then crossed the terrace, halted in front of her father, and performed a somber curtsy.
In his richest tones Sir Mungo declared: "Princess Suldrun, I am honored to introduce to you Duke Faude Carfilhiot of Vale Evander!"
Suldrun inclined her head; Carfilhiot smilingly bowed and kissed her hand. Then raising his head and looking into her face he said: "Rumors of Princess Suldrun's grace and beauty have crossed the mountains to Tintzin Fyral. I see that they were not exaggerated."
Suldrun responded in a colorless voice. "I hope you have not heeded these rumors. I'm sure they would give me no pleasure if I heard them."
King Casmir leaned quickly forward with lowering brows, but Carfilhiot spoke first. "Indeed? How so?"
Suldrun refused to look toward her father. "I am made out to be something I do not choose to be."
"You do not enjoy the admiration of men?"
"I have done nothing admirable."
"Nor has a rose, nor a sapphire of many facets."
"They are ornaments; they have no life of their own."
"Beauty is not ignoble," said King Casmir heavily. "It is a gift bestowed to only a few. Would anyone—even the princess Suldrun—prefer to be ugly?"
Suldrun opened her mouth to say: "I would prefer, first of all, to be somewhere other than here." She thought better of the remark and closed her mouth.