bounds of possibility!”
Trisdin shrugged this off. “It’s a shame that Isolder’s daughter favors her mother’s culture.”
“Culture!” Ta’a Chume echoed derisively. “You do the Dathomiri witch too much honor. Still, Tenel Ka is capable enough.”
“But she has no sense of duty! She refuses to serve Hapes, as you have done—and continue to do.”
Ta’a Chume resumed her pacing. “The issue of royal succession has become a point of contention between my son and his wife. Isolder grows ever more traditional, and he wants his daughter to reign, as is right and proper. Teneniel Djo insists that Tenel Ka remain free to choose her own path.”
“At least Teneniel Djo was willing to bear another child.”
“Willing? She insisted upon another child! And that has created another problem. My son is proud, and he knows full well the attitude of Dathomir’s Witches toward males. Teneniel Djo and her ilk treat men as little more than slaves and breeding stock!”
It occurred to Trisdin to wonder how this differed substantially from the Hapan matriarchal view, but he quickly squelched an impulse he knew to be suicidal.
“No doubt Isolder’s frustration led him to commit the Consortium to battle. I would not be surprised if the resulting failure left him more sensitive to perceived slights and insults than he otherwise would be. Perhaps the trouble between the prince and his queen will pass as his wounded pride heals.”
“Unlikely,” the former queen said darkly. “Isolder respects women of strength. What can he appreciate in a barbarian like Teneniel Djo? How can he willingly accept a subordinate role to someone so obviously unworthy?”
“Then the solution is to find him a worthy queen.”
These words were treason, punishable by swift and certain death, but Ta’a Chume merely nodded.
“Therein lies the problem,” she mused. “War is coming. There is no avoiding it now. We need a woman with ruthless intelligence, someone experienced in leadership.”
“You alone fit that description.”
She shook her head. “Once a queen mother has abdicated in favor of a successor, it is exceedingly difficult to take back power. The people need a warrior queen, and Teneniel Djo, for all her faults, fills that image.”
“So does Princess Leia,” he observed, suspecting where her thoughts might be headed.
“Leia has the breeding, the training, and the experience,” Ta’a Chume agreed, “but she is more diplomat than warrior. And quite frankly, a new set of maritalproblems would inevitably arise. My son would swiftly come to resent her. She is simply too much woman for him.”
And perhaps
, Trisdin thought,
too much for Ta’a Chume as well!
The former queen’s resentment of Teneniel Djo came in large part from the younger woman’s refusal to be advised, much less controlled.
“You obviously would not wish to see a weak woman on the throne of Hapes,” Trisdin observed. “But Isolder might be more content with a very young woman. No matter how competent she otherwise might be, he is more likely to feel himself in control of the situation. Naturally, a young queen would require advice from a wise and experienced mentor, and a woman of sense would not look to her husband for council.”
Ta’a Chume stared at him for several moments. Her eyes crinkled, giving evidence to the smile spreading beneath her veil.
“I was not granted a daughter of my blood, but you’re saying that perhaps I might yet train a successor, and mold a promising young woman into my own image.”
“And keep Isolder happy and out of the way while you’re doing it.”
Laughter bubbled up from behind the crimson veil. “Trisdin, you are priceless! Now go and prepare yourself for the evening festivities.”
He sauntered off, well pleased with himself. Ta’a Chume’s smile held until the door shut behind her current favorite. Then she walked to the settee and sank down with a deep and troubled sigh.
There were more
Trisdin shrugged this off. “It’s a shame that Isolder’s daughter favors her mother’s culture.”
“Culture!” Ta’a Chume echoed derisively. “You do the Dathomiri witch too much honor. Still, Tenel Ka is capable enough.”
“But she has no sense of duty! She refuses to serve Hapes, as you have done—and continue to do.”
Ta’a Chume resumed her pacing. “The issue of royal succession has become a point of contention between my son and his wife. Isolder grows ever more traditional, and he wants his daughter to reign, as is right and proper. Teneniel Djo insists that Tenel Ka remain free to choose her own path.”
“At least Teneniel Djo was willing to bear another child.”
“Willing? She insisted upon another child! And that has created another problem. My son is proud, and he knows full well the attitude of Dathomir’s Witches toward males. Teneniel Djo and her ilk treat men as little more than slaves and breeding stock!”
It occurred to Trisdin to wonder how this differed substantially from the Hapan matriarchal view, but he quickly squelched an impulse he knew to be suicidal.
“No doubt Isolder’s frustration led him to commit the Consortium to battle. I would not be surprised if the resulting failure left him more sensitive to perceived slights and insults than he otherwise would be. Perhaps the trouble between the prince and his queen will pass as his wounded pride heals.”
“Unlikely,” the former queen said darkly. “Isolder respects women of strength. What can he appreciate in a barbarian like Teneniel Djo? How can he willingly accept a subordinate role to someone so obviously unworthy?”
“Then the solution is to find him a worthy queen.”
These words were treason, punishable by swift and certain death, but Ta’a Chume merely nodded.
“Therein lies the problem,” she mused. “War is coming. There is no avoiding it now. We need a woman with ruthless intelligence, someone experienced in leadership.”
“You alone fit that description.”
She shook her head. “Once a queen mother has abdicated in favor of a successor, it is exceedingly difficult to take back power. The people need a warrior queen, and Teneniel Djo, for all her faults, fills that image.”
“So does Princess Leia,” he observed, suspecting where her thoughts might be headed.
“Leia has the breeding, the training, and the experience,” Ta’a Chume agreed, “but she is more diplomat than warrior. And quite frankly, a new set of maritalproblems would inevitably arise. My son would swiftly come to resent her. She is simply too much woman for him.”
And perhaps
, Trisdin thought,
too much for Ta’a Chume as well!
The former queen’s resentment of Teneniel Djo came in large part from the younger woman’s refusal to be advised, much less controlled.
“You obviously would not wish to see a weak woman on the throne of Hapes,” Trisdin observed. “But Isolder might be more content with a very young woman. No matter how competent she otherwise might be, he is more likely to feel himself in control of the situation. Naturally, a young queen would require advice from a wise and experienced mentor, and a woman of sense would not look to her husband for council.”
Ta’a Chume stared at him for several moments. Her eyes crinkled, giving evidence to the smile spreading beneath her veil.
“I was not granted a daughter of my blood, but you’re saying that perhaps I might yet train a successor, and mold a promising young woman into my own image.”
“And keep Isolder happy and out of the way while you’re doing it.”
Laughter bubbled up from behind the crimson veil. “Trisdin, you are priceless! Now go and prepare yourself for the evening festivities.”
He sauntered off, well pleased with himself. Ta’a Chume’s smile held until the door shut behind her current favorite. Then she walked to the settee and sank down with a deep and troubled sigh.
There were more
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