the Leathermines

Back to Chapter 26

 

Laun was wrapped up in several layers of light linens against the bright sun.  She did not want to have any clothing on at all, but it was the best she could do without being even more scandalous than she was.

It was the first time in a week she had been outside and to the tent.  It was becoming summer hot and the breeze that went by held the sweaty funk of the city in it.  It was not as warm inside the Palace, but it had become stifling.  Laun wanted some fresh air that did not smell of dying flowers.

It had been novel for her to receive cut flowers as she was recovering.  And then it was a little too heady in the room, the scent overpowering her some times.  And then she had to have all but one or two bunches taken out as the flowers started to wilt and smell of decay.  The scent had lingered for days and was finally too much.

It was a different scent outside, but still not entirely pleasant.

Gem was on her knees in the trampled grass rubbing Laun’s foot.  While Laun had been in bed, her ankles had decided that being three times their normal size was the order of the day.  It was better if she walked a little, but her head limited that until Laun forced herself to go outside.  She had tried putting her feet up and that worked for a little bit, but then as soon as her feet were below her belly, they would start to swell again.

The heartburn was not as bad, but then again, Laun was now constantly hungry and eating little bites while she was awake.  Almost anything put within reach was gone before she realized she was eating.  She felt it in her belly and hips.

Laun was not as vain as she knew others were.  Being in the Palace had shown her some extremes in that vanity.  The weight she was gaining because of the child, and not moving as she wished, was starting to weigh on her mind, too.  She was larger than all the noble women that had tried to stop in to see her while she was in bed.  In fact, she was larger than most of the men, too.  Laun had stopped letting in just anyone because of the annoyance they caused her.

Laun opened her eyes to the bright sun and saw one of the people she really did not wish to see coming towards her.

“Your excellency.  Taking the warrant contract yourself?”  

Laun did not move, did not motion, but the older Lady sat in the other chair as if she had been asked.  A feather fan was in the Lady’s hand, for actual use, not just affectation that day.  “Ithian has convinced me that perhaps I was a bit harsh towards you.”

“He does have a talented tongue, doesn’t he.”  Laun saw Gem color slightly and Engrid wave the fan just a little harder at her face.

“He is a diplomat, after all.  I am not.”

Laun let what she wanted to say lay in the quiet.  There were many undiplomatic things that circled her mind, but she was going to try to stay her thoughts coming out that day.

Engrid leaned back into the chair and looked down the slope.  She scanned the estates, her eye catching on several.  She also looked up and past the Southern part of the Capitol City to the few tall masts in the docks.  The kingdom colors visible were the black Myrned.

The Council General motioned to the few masts along the docks.  “I had a visit from the Merchant General today.  Almost all the Rosemond ships have gone back.”

Laun nodded.  “I think Liam’s schooner is the only one left.”

Engrid’s eyebrow went up.  “You know him?”

“Some.  He was introduced at your reception.  He sends me little trinkets with his messages, but he has not actually been to see me.  He does like to tell about his travels, though.”

“He is a slippery one.”  Engrid stopped fanning herself and looked directly at Laun.  “You are also slippery.”

Laun let that one sit for a while before she said, “How so, your excellency?”

Laun saw the older woman’s jaw tighten a bit.  “No one knows anything about you, yet you are holed up here at the Palace with Falmir under your thumb.”

“If he was under my thumb, I would have been to Liam’s schooner by now.”

Engrid bowed her head and started to fan herself again.  “You have at least distracted him from his plan.”

Laun wanted to reach over and smack the grand Lady.  Instead, she flexed her foot, smiled and Gem changed to working on the other leg.  “I am like a wood tick, your excellency.  I was uninvited, and yet will not leave.  At least not without some blood.”  Laun looked levelly at her adversary.

“I have the salt that will kill the tick, tongueless whore.”  Not adversary, enemy.

Laun smiled.  Engrid’s fan paused.  “I know that the guild does not like those of the clapperless bell.  We are weak and useless and fall to your blades easily.  The lower merchants of gossip do what they can, gathering and parsing out the little they have.  I understand how that is.”

Engrid turned slightly away.  “That is the level you will always be.”

Laun could not help herself.  She saw the danger.  She saw that she was already a target and would become more of one, but she was tired of the wordplay.  “You see those of the broken key, the red scarf, even the Masters you are peer to, all the same.  To you, no one is good enough.  And those of us who have multiple disciplines, we are the bastard children to be sent to the slaughter to keep you where you are.”

Engrid glanced down at Gem and then glared at Laun.  “You dare claim to have learned from one of my guild?”

Laun pulled up the sleeve of the linen tunic and hoped that the scars showed.  They did, the stripes of the harness still silver on her skin, the rope burns on her wrists a darker color and the little scars up her arm constellations pointing to the bright shoulder scar.  “Not just one of the guild, one of yours.”

The Council General flicked her eye to Gem who was turned away so she could not see the older Lady.  Laun saw the fear on the apprentice’s face.  “You are too young to have gone through those tests.  None of mine would have-”  She stopped herself and had a scowl bring her eyebrows together.  “Silver.  He always did push too far too soon.”  She glared at Laun.  “And what of the whores who taught you the ways of the bell?”

Laun held her hands out, palm up.  “You know I cannot tell you.  But then again, you have had most of the Masters in the Midlands taken down to such a level that none of them can function in the greyworld any more.”  Laun saw a change, a slight fear cross the lady’s face.  Laun’s heart was racing and her head was pounding.  “Then again, once the last is taken from someone, there is little to stop them from taking wild actions.  Especially when it is the Master’s lineage at stake.”

Her fan was waving wildly.  She was looking everywhere but at Laun.  Her shoulders turned away.  The Council General was very angry, and very scared.

Laun was also scared.  But she also saw Falmir charging across the lawns, servants running to keep up in his wake.

Laun did not want to take pity on the Lady.  She stood and held out her hand to Falmir, bringing the attention of the Council General back to the now.  “Father, have you come to join us on the green?”

“I thought I told you, you were not to see her without me.”  Falmir rounded on the sitting woman, his hand going protectively around Laun’s waist.

Laun put her hand on his heaving chest and said, “You know telling one of us women not to do something means we have to do it.  Engrid and I were having a good talk, though I think the heat may have been a little too much for her excellency.”

Both Falmir and Engrid looked at Laun.  Engrid stood and said, “Protect your little bitch while you may.  You still owe me-  Rosemond.”  She stepped out into the sun and tried to glide away, though the servants who were still catching up to their King tripped up her stride more than once.

Laun put her hand to her head and motioned for support back to the chair.  She sat and could feel the eyes of her father on her.  “I was just sitting here.  She came to me.”

“And your sharp tongue is no match for her, little thorn.”

Laun smiled and looked at Falmir as he collapsed into the other chair.  “I think I held my own for a while.”

He shook his head.  “No more.  I have to get you away from here.”

Laun leaned forward.  “I would be glad to go back to-”

“No.”  He was shaking his head.  “I am sending you to the Hawkwell estate.”

Laun was quiet.  She sat back and tried to wrap her head around what he had just said.  “If you think it is for the best, sire.”

He pointed at her and fiercely said, “None of that from you!  I will not have you twisting my thoughts and making me doubt myself.”

“As you wish, sire.”  Laun bowed her head to him, her hands palm up.

He grunted.  “I am the Lord and Master of this Kingdom.  I will have you obey me.”

Laun tried to not tilt her head, but it happened anyway.  “I am not your greatest concern, sire.”

He looked away and said, “Will you please stop that?  It is as though you look straight through me and to what I don’t want you to see.”

Laun sat back and was quiet.  Gem held up a tankard of water for her and Laun took it, a smile and a lingering touch on the girl’s hand.

Falmir turned back and saw the touch, the look in the girl’s eye.  It was the same he had seen in Ithian’s.  What did she do to get that loyalty?  Was she that good in bed that-  Falmir stopped his thoughts right there as he looked at her belly.  Even he would not sink to that level.

He thought of the people he knew had been in the green guest room.  Nobles of all ranks had been seen coming and going.  His officers reported on names, but not much else.  Oddly, several of them had volunteered for double duty in watching her.  Had she...?

Laun was sipping the water and watching a flock of birds fly by.  Her face seemed so innocent when she was like that.  So open and full of wonder about the world.  It had been a delight watching her at the reception as the entertainers had come past.  The way she had been brought down to help the magician had been without price.  She did not seem to be afraid of anything, not even the exotic bird that had perched on her hand for a moment.

Not even Lady Engrid.  She had a core to her that never wavered.  That was why she had to be sent away, secured for her own safety.  And for his grandchild’s.

“Laun...  I will not be going with you to the estate.”

She turned and looked at him.  “I would not expect you to.  You need to be here, directing that of the Midlands you hold.”

He narrowed his eyes.  “At least your household has delayed my need to start the payments.  Damn you anyway.”

Laun shrugged.  “I have nothing to do with either, sire.”

He shook his head.  “Every message I get back from there pointedly says, ‘in the name of Lady Laun Dresden, leader of Salam-Dir.’  You are the foundation and damn you for laying a strong one.”

Laun smirked and looked at her tankard.  “Yes, sire.”

Falmir motioned and a tankard of water was in his hand.  He gulped it down and handed it back.  He almost thanked the servant and caught himself.  “Send messages out.  The people you don’t send messages to, I will do for you.  You leave tomorrow.”

Laun had a pang of something.  Regret.  Guilt.  But she smiled at him.  “As you wish, sire.”

 

Onto Chapter 28