“Captain-General, come forward,” the Empress ordered.
Hecht pushed himself. He was able to pursue ceremonials under fierce pressure. He did those things an empress would expect, but once he completed his obeisance he dared say, “This is irregular in the extreme, Your Grace.” He understood that honorific pleased Katrin, though it was more suited to a Prince of the Church.
“It is. Yes. Sit. Be comfortable.”
The Captain-General did as instructed. The Empress had gained a regal air along with the haggard look. Helspeth had gained… something dangerous. More magnetism than in his frightened fantasies.
Katrin continued, “There are matters I want to raise with you. I couldn’t, elsewhere. As it is, my Council Advisory will fulminate and bluster when they hear about this. Jaime will be petulant. But not enough to endanger his chance to become Imperial Consort.”
The woman with the challenging eyes approached the Captain-General. She brought coffee in a little cup so thin the fluid level was evident from outside. The odor said this was the finest Ambonypsgan, smuggled through Dreanger and so expensive that only kings and princes dared enjoy it.
There was a message in the appearance of that cup. The Empress knew a lot about Piper Hecht. Including his fondness for coffee.
The woman who brought the coffee murmured, “Compliments of the Princess.”
She knew.
A glance at Helspeth. The Princess Apparent was not behind that message. She had best hope this woman was a true friend.
“Thank you for the coffee, Your Grace. I haven’t had the pleasure in some time. How may I be of service?”
Encounters of this sort often dragged on, no one speaking to the point, everyone looking for some bit of leverage. Hecht was impatient.
“Two matters, Captain-General. Possibly more, later. Firstly, the Remayne Pass. You came that way?”
“I came with King Jaime. Who went the northern way. He had reservations about the pass.”
“Because the thing my sister squashed there has found new life. In a smaller way. It’s making trouble but I can’t unleash my ferocious little Helspeth again.”
So. She had heard the whispers marking Helspeth as the truer child of the Ferocious Little Hans.
Helspeth was not pleased. That was clear. But, as mentioned in more than one careful letter, she meant to be the perfect younger sister and Princess Apparent.
“And?”
“Only the Captain-General of the Patriarchal forces has the power and means to eliminate this pest. The Empire will bear the expenses. Including indemnities to the families of anyone lost in the hunt.”
Hecht took a tiny sip of coffee. That could have been arranged by go-betweens. Even if Katrin was flexing her Imperial muscles for the benefit of men who had been pushing her this way and that. Who might be inclined to do more pushing, more vigorously, these final days before the wedding.
Once trivial opposition to her choice of husbands had grown dramatically since King Jaime had become available for direct assessment.
Only Katrin remained infatuated.
Katrin proved capable of cutting through when she wanted. “That’s my lesser problem. I have something bigger in mind. First, though, I want your oath never to discuss it outside this room. If we can’t come to an accommodation.”
Hecht thought the Empress naive if she believed anything discussed here would remain secret. The ladies-in-waiting had husbands who wanted to know. Someone would tell someone, in strictest confidence.
Hecht toyed with blond hair he had let grow long. And was considering pruning back. Strands of gray had begun to appear. “I can make that commitment. But my silence won’t keep the secret.”
“No doubt. The great symbol of the Empire is the eagle. But I’m surrounded by vultures.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“But you’re not surprised.”
“The price of power, Your Grace. The higher you rise the more parasites you accumulate.”
Katrin rose from her cushions. Helspeth did the same. The Empress said, “Come with us. There’s a quiet room back here.”
Every lifeguard and lady-in-waiting began to stir, driven to protest. Katrin snapped, “My ferocious little sister will guard me against the wicked Brothen.”
Moments later the Empress herself shut the door of the most austere quiet room Hecht had seen. The walls were bare stone that sorcery could not penetrate. There were no furnishings.
Hecht studied the milky rock sheathing.
“Captain-General? I promise, it’s real. The best stone, from the quarry where Aaron and his father worked.”
“I was looking for cracks. An acquaintance-he belongs to the Collegium-can spy on a quiet room if there’re cracks anywhere.”
“Muniero Delari.”
“Him. Yes.”
“Helspeth. Stop that.”
The younger woman was trembling.
“All right.” The Princess Apparent feigned an abiding interest in the integrity of the stonework.
Katrin said, “I’ll get straight to it. Excusing themselves one way or another, someone will force that door soon. Captain-General. I want to hire you away from the Church. You, your staff, and all your professional people.”
Helspeth gasped. “Katrin?”
“Your Grace?”
“I swore an oath when I was crowned. Only my confessor knows. I mean to make the pilgrimage to the Holy Lands. Leading a crusade. I want you to be its commander.”
That Katrin might launch a crusade was no secret. But…“I don’t know what to say.”
“I’ve been surrounded by the great men of the Grail Empire my entire life. The best of them, like the Grand Duke, are petty, self-serving, and would backstab any other lord I might appoint my champion.”
Hecht started to protest.
“Bad choice of words, Captain-General. Not champion. Supreme commander. General of generals. For the same reason you were made commander of the Brothen City Regiment. You have no ties to any faction.”
“So all your dukes and grafs and ritters would be against me because I’m an interloper.”
“My father developed tools for handling that sort. I haven’t deployed them yet. Once this marriage is made I intend to put together a new Council Advisory. Jaime and the Patriarch back me.”
“Possibly. I suspect Jaime will be a nuisance, determined to control you.”
Katrin’s temper flared. It was true. She would hear nothing against Jaime.
Hecht stole a glance at Helspeth, who had been stubbornly silent. That startled her. She said, “Surely you’d find service with the Grail Empire an important step forward, Captain-General.” Her voice was breathy. It wavered.
Katrin clearly appreciated the support but was puzzled by her sister’s shyness.
“It would be, indeed,” Hecht said. “I can imagine no greater honor, nor any task more challenging, than being warlord for the Grail Empire in such a holy enterprise. But…”
“But?”
“A crusade would be expensive in the extreme. Even if every fighter volunteers, wages still have to be paid. Men have to eat. Their animals have to eat. Weapons have to be purchased. Armor…”
“There should be wealth enough, Captain-General. Despite the costs of the Calziran Crusade, my father was frugal. He left a sizable treasury. My brother not only preserved that, he added to it. Despite the jackals surrounding him. Likewise, the current Empress. Who expects to come into substantial additional riches soon.” A remark she would not pursue.
“I have a contract with the Patriarch,” Hecht said. “At his will. In effect, I’m his till he loses faith in me. Right now I’m engaged in a bitter campaign to exterminate revenant Instrumentalities in the End of Connec. They refuse to go easily.”
“As with the thing Helspeth defeated.”
“I’ll do what I can about that.”
“And when Boniface goes?” Helspeth asked, voice stronger now. “Will you be free then?”
“No. Bellicose of Viscesment will be the next Patriarch. To reunite the Church. I’ve sworn to stand behind him. In case the Collegium try to renege on the Church’s promises. It’s a pity Boniface became Patriarch so late. He might have earned a place in history, given more time. He’s the best Patriarch I’ve known.”