The King's bastard

'Don't let them hear you say that!' Piro warned. 'They're Lords Brookfield and Dellton now, having come into their titles since you last saw them. And they've joined Lence's honour guard. They think themselves men.' She frowned. Trust Cobalt to travel with a servant. 'The fancy one is the new Lord Cobalt.'

'Spurnan's son, Illien? The one who's been in Ostron Isle these last thirteen years?'

Piro nodded. 'Father's acknowledged him as our blood kin.'

'Really? My father will be pleased to see the breach mended. He'll be sorry to hear that Spurnan's dead.' Elina hurriedly smoothed down her hair, then threw the door open. 'Lence Kingsheir, always welcome at Dovecote.'

Piro watched her brother's face lighten with delight, then tighten hungrily. She could not imagine a man ever looking at her like that.

Lence swung his leg over the horse's back and dropped to the swept stable yard. 'Elina, lovely as always. Don't you have stable lads to take our horses?'

'I was playing with the puppies.' Her words were prim but her voice held laughter. 'We have more of King Rolen's kin visiting. Come, Piro.'

She stepped from behind the door. 'Hello, Lence.'

'Piro!' Lence looked surprised, then forced a smile. 'What are you doing here?'

Elina laughed and rolled her eyes. 'Brothers!'

Piro noticed both Brookfield and Dellton could not take their eyes off her friend and even Cobalt straightened unconsciously in the saddle. Why did Elina have this effect on men?

Lence seemed to recollect his manners. Keeping a firm hold on Elina's hand, he turned towards the youths. 'Elina, you know Arturo and Moran, now Lords Brookfield and Dellton. And this is Lord Cobalt. Illien, this is Elina Dovecotesdaughter, the prettiest girl in Rolencia.'

Both youths dismounted and bowed formally as if they were in court, insisting that Elina use their personal names, as they made free with hers. Piro had to look away and bite her bottom lip.

Cobalt swung down from the saddle, handed the reins to his servant and made the Ostronite bow, which should have looked ostentatious but he carried off with great style. He kissed Elina's hand as was the Ostronite custom then held on to it, saying, 'In the court of the Elector of Ostron Isle there are poets who claim Ostronite women are the most beautiful in the world. I believed them… until I met you.'

Elina blushed but Piro laughed outright.

Cobalt flicked an annoyed glance in her direction. 'Little Piro, so good to see you again.' He dropped Elina's hand to reach up to Piro's head. 'Hold still, you have hay in your hair, child.'

He threw something away with a practised flick. Resentment filled Piro. She was not a child.

While the stable boys ran out to take their horses, Elina smiled and accepted clumsy compliments from Brookfield and Dellton. She was all kind forbearance as they tried to outdo Lord Cobalt. Lence let them flounder for a few moments, then took over. His line of compliments was much more polished.

Compliments usually bored Piro. Today they annoyed her.

'Well, Piro.' Cobalt turned to her. 'I did not think to see you here. Where's Byren?'

The truth would not do. Piro searched for inspiration. 'He's gone hunting with Orrade.'

'Really? There won't be much game along the canal, too many travellers.'

'Then it's just as well they're on horseback,' Piro told him. 'Hunting's good up near the lookout.'

'I wish them luck,' Cobalt said. 'Though I'm sure they won't need it. They tell me Byren is a remarkable hunter.'

The conversation between Elina and Lence faltered to a stop.

Cobalt turned to Elina. 'Lence has been singing the praises of your cook. He says Queen Myrella has offered her a place in the king's castle but she wouldn't leave Dovecote.'

'Yes, father would never part with her. Shall we go inside?' Elina offered her free arm.

Brookfield and Dellton both tried to take it. There was almost a scuffle. Lence saved them from themselves by walking off with Elina. Piro smirked. Silly boys.

'Father will be so pleased to see you, Lence,' Elina told him. 'He was sorry to miss the Midwinter's Day celebrations.'

As Piro watched Brookfield and Dellton hurry after them, she caught herself wishing Lence hadn't arrived. She still didn't know if Elina was going to meet Byren.

Elina paused and looked back over her shoulder. 'Come on, Piro.'

Piro caught Lence's impatient glance. It seemed she was a nuisance and it occurred to her that maybe Lence hadn't come out of his way just to see Elina, maybe he was also here to discover why Orrade had been disinherited.

'Cousin Piro?' Cobalt offered his arm.

The last thing she wanted to do was take it. She'd much rather go back and play with the puppies. Dredging up a smile, she accepted Cobalt's arm and tried to do her mother proud by making polite conversation. 'How did negotiations go with the warlord of Cockatrice Spar?'

'That's not for me to discuss,' Cobalt told her.

Piro flushed and ground her teeth. He was acting as if she was too young to be involved in strategy discussions, but they'd thought her old enough to marry the Cockatrice warlord.

Brooding over this, Piro hardly paid any attention when Lord Dovecote greeted the new arrivals. Once again, Lence introduced Cobalt as their cousin, making it clear that King Rolen had acknowledged the blood tie, and Piro had to listen to the sad tale of the Utland raid all over again. It would have touched her, if she hadn't known that Cobalt felt nothing.

While Elina played the perfect hostess and called for wine, arranging to have bed chambers opened and aired, Piro watched Cobalt set out to charm Lord Dovecote. He was up to something and she didn't like it. Suddenly she knew what Seela meant, when she said her nurslings had all grown up and had to play the game of Duelling Kingdoms for real.

Old Lord Dovecote proudly showed off his latest dove crossbreed. This one had fancy feathers down its legs. Piro thought it pretty enough, but she had seen them all before.

'Play with me, Piro?' Garzik suggested, beckoning her over to where he was opening the carved box that held the Dovecote's Duelling Kingdoms game.

'Of course.' Piro joined him, relieved one male wasn't behaving like a besotted idiot, but then, Elina was his sister. As she helped Garzik lay out the board she leant close enough to whisper. 'Do you think Lence is here to find out why Orrie was disinherited?'

After casting a quick glance to their visitors, Garzik caught her hand, placing her piece in her palm and squeezed her fingers. 'Don't worry, none of the servants know, only the family. And we're not going to tell.'

So she settled down to play.

Later, when they went upstairs to clean up for the evening meal, Piro finished dressing quickly and darted down the hall to the room Lence always used. She tapped on his door and thrust it open to find Cobalt with him.

Both turned towards her, startled by the interruption.

'Sorry,' Piro said, perfunctorily. She'd been marshalling her arguments since Cobalt refused to discuss the Cockatrice warlord negotiations and was determined to hear what Rejulas had said. 'Did you manage to patch things up with Rejulas, Lence? Is he coming to the Jubilee? Is he mad about — '

'Quiet, Piro.' Grimly, Lence pulled the strings of a small velvet bag closed and handed it to Cobalt.

'Well?' Cobalt asked.

'You've convinced me,' Lence said, with reluctance. 'Go. Do what's got to be done.'

'As you wish, kingsheir.' Cobalt tucked the bag inside his vest, cast Piro a swift glance then left.

'Well?' Piro pressed as the door closed.

Lence focused on her with a distracted frown. 'What?'

She rolled her eyes. 'What did Rejulas say? You can't put me off. I want to know.'

'It's none of your business and besides — '

'I was there, at the war table, when father sent you. I was the one Rejulas was going to marry.' Piro relished saying this, certain she was on solid ground. 'I think that makes it my business. After all, I am a kingsdaughter.'