helped.”
“Not knowingly.” Without taking her eyes off Azoun, the queen held out her free hand. A waiter scurried forward and placed a glass of wine in it, which she sipped until he had retreated out of earshot. “Vangey used me. Had I known how much she had changed, I would never have… I just didn’t know how much she had changed.”
“After the Abraxus Affair I should think you would consider that a good thing,” said Azoun. “She certainly does. So do I, and so does Vangerdahast.”
“It will make her a stronger queen, yes,” said Filfaeril, “but will it make her happy?”
A pang of sorrow shot through Azoun’s breast, and he had to look away. He loved Tanalasta like any father loves a daughter, but the truth of the matter was that he could not concern himself with her happiness. The good of the realm demanded that he think only of making her a strong ruler. That was a steep price indeed to demand of any parent.
After a moment, he said, “Tanalasta was my favorite, you know. Always so eager to learn. You had only to tell her a thing once, and a year later she would repeat it back to you word for word. And so sweet. How her guileless smile would light the room….”
“I remember.” The queen’s voice remained cold. “I fear what we loved best in her is what Vangey destroyed.”
Azoun grew stoic. “The royal magician did what is best for the realm.” He forced himself to meet Filfaeril’s gaze, then said, “We were wrong to shelter the crown princess from the harsher side of royal life. Even had Aunadar Bleth never set foot in Suzail, Tanalasta’s innocence would have served her poorly on the throne.”
Filfaeril lowered her voice to an angry hiss. “And now that Vangerdahast has stolen her innocence, you do not like the result? Now you deny her the throne?”
“She has not lost the throne yet,” said Azoun. “Tanalasta may still make a fine queen someday-provided she finds a man she can abide as a husband and stops being so headstrong about this business with Chauntea.”
Filfaeril’s pale eyes grew as hard as ice. “You and Vangey are the ones who made her. If you do not like what she has become, then it is your fault and not hers.” The queen finished her wine in a gulp, then held the empty glass out for a servant. “Besides, how can you be sure she isn’t right? The blight is spreading, you know.”
“Yes, I know,” said Azoun, “and Tanalasta is defying me in that, as well. There are reports from the Immerflow to the Starwater of Purple Dragons using Chauntea’s magic to save blighted fields.”
“Good.” Filfaeril gave her glass to a waiter and waved him away, then thrust another liverpaste under Azoun’s chin. “Enjoy.”
Azoun had no choice but to accept the loathsome thing. As he began to nibble at it, the queen flashed a smile to Raynaar Marliir, signaling him to come forward. The king groaned inwardly, though he knew there was no avoiding this moment. He had heard that Marliir had put together an odd coalition of nobles, War Wizards, and high priests who wished to discuss “the destiny of the realm.” Though he suspected they were less interested in discussing destiny than dictating it-specifically that of the crown princess-he would have to listen politely. The loyalty of the Marliir family was his strongest bulwark against Arabel’s disagreeable habit of rebelling at the kingdom’s most trying moments.
Azoun ran his tongue over his teeth to cleanse them of liverpaste, then smiled as broadly as he could. “Duke Marliir, how good to see you again. I trust Lady Marliir is feeling better.”
“Sadly no,” Raynaar answered curtly. “She is still bedridden with ague, or else she would certainly be in attendance today.”
They had exchanged similar greetings on each of the previous four days. After Tanalasta’s rejection of Dauneth, Merelda Marliir had fallen ghastly ill and asked the royal party to depart her home for the sake of its own health.
“Not knowingly.” Without taking her eyes off Azoun, the queen held out her free hand. A waiter scurried forward and placed a glass of wine in it, which she sipped until he had retreated out of earshot. “Vangey used me. Had I known how much she had changed, I would never have… I just didn’t know how much she had changed.”
“After the Abraxus Affair I should think you would consider that a good thing,” said Azoun. “She certainly does. So do I, and so does Vangerdahast.”
“It will make her a stronger queen, yes,” said Filfaeril, “but will it make her happy?”
A pang of sorrow shot through Azoun’s breast, and he had to look away. He loved Tanalasta like any father loves a daughter, but the truth of the matter was that he could not concern himself with her happiness. The good of the realm demanded that he think only of making her a strong ruler. That was a steep price indeed to demand of any parent.
After a moment, he said, “Tanalasta was my favorite, you know. Always so eager to learn. You had only to tell her a thing once, and a year later she would repeat it back to you word for word. And so sweet. How her guileless smile would light the room….”
“I remember.” The queen’s voice remained cold. “I fear what we loved best in her is what Vangey destroyed.”
Azoun grew stoic. “The royal magician did what is best for the realm.” He forced himself to meet Filfaeril’s gaze, then said, “We were wrong to shelter the crown princess from the harsher side of royal life. Even had Aunadar Bleth never set foot in Suzail, Tanalasta’s innocence would have served her poorly on the throne.”
Filfaeril lowered her voice to an angry hiss. “And now that Vangerdahast has stolen her innocence, you do not like the result? Now you deny her the throne?”
“She has not lost the throne yet,” said Azoun. “Tanalasta may still make a fine queen someday-provided she finds a man she can abide as a husband and stops being so headstrong about this business with Chauntea.”
Filfaeril’s pale eyes grew as hard as ice. “You and Vangey are the ones who made her. If you do not like what she has become, then it is your fault and not hers.” The queen finished her wine in a gulp, then held the empty glass out for a servant. “Besides, how can you be sure she isn’t right? The blight is spreading, you know.”
“Yes, I know,” said Azoun, “and Tanalasta is defying me in that, as well. There are reports from the Immerflow to the Starwater of Purple Dragons using Chauntea’s magic to save blighted fields.”
“Good.” Filfaeril gave her glass to a waiter and waved him away, then thrust another liverpaste under Azoun’s chin. “Enjoy.”
Azoun had no choice but to accept the loathsome thing. As he began to nibble at it, the queen flashed a smile to Raynaar Marliir, signaling him to come forward. The king groaned inwardly, though he knew there was no avoiding this moment. He had heard that Marliir had put together an odd coalition of nobles, War Wizards, and high priests who wished to discuss “the destiny of the realm.” Though he suspected they were less interested in discussing destiny than dictating it-specifically that of the crown princess-he would have to listen politely. The loyalty of the Marliir family was his strongest bulwark against Arabel’s disagreeable habit of rebelling at the kingdom’s most trying moments.
Azoun ran his tongue over his teeth to cleanse them of liverpaste, then smiled as broadly as he could. “Duke Marliir, how good to see you again. I trust Lady Marliir is feeling better.”
“Sadly no,” Raynaar answered curtly. “She is still bedridden with ague, or else she would certainly be in attendance today.”
They had exchanged similar greetings on each of the previous four days. After Tanalasta’s rejection of Dauneth, Merelda Marliir had fallen ghastly ill and asked the royal party to depart her home for the sake of its own health.
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