“Can you help me?” Mari asked. “Alain and I? Help us with the politics?”
“The Princess of Tiae become political advisor to the daughter of Jules? How can you trust me, Lady Mari? Do you not realize I would do anything to help Tiae?”
“No,” Mari said. “I don’t think you would do anything. I can see what this town is like. I’ve also seen places like Marandur, and I’ve dealt with the Senior Mechanics. I know what people who would do anything are like, and what their works are like. You’re not one of those people.”
Sien did not answer for a long time. Finally, she nodded. “Thank you. I often fear what I could become. What I could become for the best of reasons. Yes, Lady Mari, I will be happy to advise you in matters political, and perhaps help keep the vipers from whispering in your ears those things that benefit only them.”
“Can you just call me Mari, Princess?”
“Can you just call me Sien, daughter?”
Mari laughed, finally feeling her depression after the fight lifting a little. “That’s a deal.”
“And what does Sien call Mage Alain?” the princess asked.
“To friends of Mari,” Alain said, “I am Alain.”
“Then, Mari and Alain, let us go down to the streets and join the people who are celebrating the beginning of the rebirth of Tiae. It is a lean celebration, given how little we have, but no less sincere for that. And afterwards we will speak with each other of the impossible things we are going to do together, restoring my country and bringing peace to its people.”
“And overthrowing the Great Guilds and bringing the new day,” Mari said.
“And stopping the Storm before it causes more grief,” Alain said.
Princess Sien shook her head. “You two don’t dream small. I don’t know if I’ll be able to help you as much as you will help me. Can you change the entire world alone, Mari?”
“No, of course not,” Mari said. “But I don’t have to do it alone. Alain’s helping me get it done.”
Acknowledgments
I remain indebted to my agents, Joshua Bilmes and Eddie Schneider, for their long standing support, ever-inspired suggestions and assistance, as well as to Krystyna Lopez and Lisa Rodgers for their work on foreign sales and print editions. Thanks also to Catherine Asaro, Robert Chase, Carolyn Ives Gilman, J.G. (Huck) Huckenpohler, Simcha Kuritzky, Michael LaViolette, Aly Parsons, Bud Sparhawk and Constance A. Warner for their suggestions, comments and recommendations.