“Move the whole court, there, then, not just me.”
“Impractical. I must be here, near the fleet. But Fastia, Anne, Elseny, and Charles will accompany you. I will not risk my children, either, with assassins abroad.”
“I refuse this protection. Send the children if you will.”
William’s face tightened. “Erren, speak to your mistress.”
From the corner of her eye Muriele noticed that Erren and Sir Neil had taken the moment she asked of them and finally entered the chamber.
“She already knows my mind, Majesty,” Erren replied.
“Lady Erren, you, at least, must have the sense to know this is for the best.”
Erren bowed politely. “Yes, Majesty. If you say so, Majesty.”
“Well, I do say so!” William suddenly leapt out of the bed and dragged a robe up from the floor. He threw it over his shoulders.
“Muriele,” he grated, “join me in Lady Gramme’s sunroom. Immediately. The rest of you remain here. I am your king, damn you all, and never forget it!”
William leaned on the casement of the window and regarded the sunset. He did not look at Muriele when he spoke.
“That was childish, Muriele, childish and destructive. What sort of word might spread in the court now? Did you really want Lady Gramme to think I tell you nothing? Do you want her to spread that around?”
Muriele choked back tears. “You do tell me nothing, damn you. If I don’t have your ear, why should anyone think I do? I’d rather be thought of as spurned than stupid, husband.”
William turned a shockingly weary gaze on her. “This is not the usual course of our lives,” he protested. “When all is normal, I do confide in you and seek your opinion. I kept this quiet because I knew you would not want to go, and I need you to go. You are correct, war looms everywhere, and they have already tried to kill you once. I don’t even know how they did it. I’ll wager hard that your deadly old Erren doesn’t know, either.”
“Then what makes you think Cal Azroth will be safer for me?”
“Because of all our manses, it is best built for defending against assassins, against craft and art and the winged, evil dead or whatever else might come along. It has a full garrison, so even if they send an army after you, you may be safe. You know the place, Muriele. Won’t you see reason?”
“It’s easier to see something in the plain light, than when it creeps behind you in the dark. I don’t like hearing my fate through rumor. Even four years ago, you would not have treated me so. Now it is commonplace. Are Gramme’s whispers growing strong in your skull? Do you really conceive of replacing me as queen?”
Something came over William’s face, then, something she had not seen for some time. He turned away again, unable to meet her gaze.
“All kings have mistresses, Muriele. Your own father did.”
“That never answers my question.”
He turned back to her. “You are my queen, my wife, and I think my friend.”
“We once were friends,” she said, more softly, a little confused.
“I can’t let you be killed. It’s as simple as that. I can live without Ambria, or Alis, or any of those others. Without you …” His hands dropped helplessly at his sides. “Being king is hard enough, without you asking me to be better as a man. You’ve never asked that of me. You’ve never even mentioned my mistresses. Why now, of all times, when things are worst and weakest, do you choose to … to … erupt in this manner?”
She lifted her chin defiantly. “I don’t know. I suppose because this is the first time I’ve felt truly unwanted. After I was nearly murdered, you came to me. You were tender, as you were of old. And then, poof ! Nothing. As if in that one night you could take my terror away. And now to send me off, like a child, without even talking to me? Intolerable.”
He cast his head down. “Tonight. Can’t we talk tonight, when we have cooled a bit?”
“You want me to come to our bed when you still have her stink on you? When I know for certain? What do you think of me? That I have no pride at all? I’m a de Liery, damn you, Wilm!”
She knew she was going to cry, then, if she didn’t leave quickly. “I’ll go. Not for myself, but if my children will be safer at Cal Azroth, I’ll take them there. Never mind your ridic—” She couldn’t finish. She turned and walked swiftly down the stairs, through the bedchamber.
“Erren. Sir Neil. To me, now.”
Her shoulders were shaking by the time she reached the hall. By the time they came to the Depren Stairs, the tears had started.
Neil paced slowly in the anteroom, wondering what he ought to do. Only a few hours ago, he had begun his service as the sole member of the Lier Guard. The queen had hardly said two words to him, and before he knew it he was off to confront his sovereign lord—the same king who had just given him the rose!—in a state of undress with his mistress.
Now the queen had shut herself in her bedroom, and the lady Erren with her.
The other knights assigned to the queen were confined to the halls. Only Neil was allowed in the apartment. He supposed he might stick his head out and ask them what he ought to do, but Vargus wasn’t there, or even Sir James, and he did not know the rest.
A door creaked, and he turned, hand on the pommel of Crow.
It was the lady Erren.
“Take ease, young chever,” she said, in Lierish. “The queen sends her apologies. She’s been—as you’ve seen, I think—too distracted to properly welcome you to her staff.”
“That’s no matter,” Neil replied. “This is so great an honor for me, I cannot even begin to say. But …”
“But you have questions, yes? Ask them of me.”
“Thank you, Lady. Mostly, it’s this—what exactly are my duties?”
Erren smiled sternly. “That’s simple enough. You protect the queen. Not me, not her daughters, not her husband, not the crown prince—but the queen. Always and only, your eye is to her safety. If you can save the king’s life by allowing the queen to be stung by a bee, you are to let the king perish. Is that simple enough?”
“It is. Quite simple.”
“You have command of yourself, in that case. No order will you be given, no task or errand can keep you from her side. It matters not who gives it. Act always as you think best.”
“And the other knights? The Craftsmen?”
“They are not under your command, if that is what you mean. Nor are you under theirs. The queen commands this household, and I am the chief of her staff. You obey the queen’s command, then mine, then the king’s, in that order. If at any time you feel any command jeopardizes the queen, you shall ignore it.” She paused. “But be certain. I’ll have no cocksure young man second-guessing every order I give. You are not the strategist, here. You are the watchdog. You are the sword. Do you understand the difference?”
“I do, Lady.”
“Very well, then. In time, we will assemble a real Lier Guard, and you will be its captain. Until then, things stand as I’ve put them before you. Do you have other questions? About what just happened, for instance?”
“No question that is meet, I think.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean it is a question I would put to the king, if it were not impertinent,” Neil said softly.
A mixed look of alarm and approval flashed across the lady Erren’s face. She placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Love her,” she said, “but do not fall in love with her. She counts on you for her life, and I would not want you to be dispassionate about that. But fall in love with her, and she is as good as dead. You might as well thrust the knife in yourself. You understand?”
Neil stiffened. “I know my place, Lady.”
“I’m sure you do. That’s not what I’m talking about.”