you out.”
Signaling the audience was over, the chamberlain approached to escort the men out as the chatra rose and headed for the door at the rear of the hall.
“This way, please,” the chamberlain said.
“One moment, Lord Chatra,” Saxthor said across the marble hall. “The queen will not be pleased to hear you’ve dismissed her representatives. She’ll be most displeased you would prevent us from conferring with the prince, her cousin.”
The chatra spun around, an ingratiating smile plastered on his face. The man clasped his nervous hands. “I’ve heard rumors that a powerful person high up at the southern court was traveling the peninsula.”
He signaled the chamberlain to come closer, then spoke in his ear. “It would be a dangerous mistake for the chatra to offend such a person traveling incognito. Better to indulge these fools than to risk offending the queen. Perhaps we might convince the prince to meet these people, just in case.”
“My apologies, gentlemen,” the chatra said in his oily tone. “I’m forgetting the time-honored right of petition. I shall prepare the prince for your visit tomorrow morning if you’ll return then at the official hour for such a presentation. I’m sure the prince will be most pleased to receive you.”
The men offered their thanks and pleasantries as prescribed by court protocol. They turned to the chamberlain, who’d stopped fidgeting. He led the petitioners back to the moat between the inner and outer baileys. The Captain of the Guard seemed somewhat surprised to see the men return but escorted them back to the sergeant at the primary entrance gate.
“Did you have a pleasant visit with the prince?” the sergeant asked. He grinned at the guards around him. Flaunting his victory, the smirk and tone revealed the man knew they didn’t see Prince Henri. Saxthor saw the gesture irritated Bodrin more than him.
“We’ve an appointment in the morning,” Bodrin said.
The sergeant’s smug look melted. “We’ll be seeing you again tomorrow then?”
“Yes, we’re returning tomorrow, Sergeant,” Saxthor said before Bodrin got in deeper and trouble came of it. They left the gateway and were lost in the throng beyond, routinely going about their daily business.
That night at the inn, they had dinner brought to Saxthor’s room. The four of them ate and planned what they would do should the prince not intervene and the chatra try to imprison them.
“Hendrel, you’ll stay behind and get word to Memlatec should we not return,” Saxthor said. “The palace guards don’t know of your involvement. They’ll think they have all the loose ends tied up if they imprison us. The chatra is the key. He seems to think he rules in Hoya. Prince Henri’s situation is a mystery, but clearly this pompous minister is in control.”
“We’ll just get the audience with the prince and see how things stand from there,” Tournak said. “Hendrel, you and Delia must move to another inn tomorrow in case we were followed from the Hoyahof.”
Next day, Tournak, Saxthor, and Bodrin were at the entrance gate at the appointed hour. The sergeant was more polite and ushered the men to the chamberlain. The chamberlain was as polite as before but visibly more nervous ushering the men into the chatra’s reception hall.
“Good morning, gentlemen,” the chatra said. “We shall go at once to your audience with Prince Henri.”
Without further discussion, the horrid little man led the three visitors through the bailey walls and across the now weedy courtyard to the colossal keep. Saxthor grew more worried knowing the princes of Hoya wouldn’t receive public petitioners in the keep’s private halls. The chatra seemed to anticipate the thought and smiled.
“The prince has been indisposed recently and not up to public functions. I hope you’ll not mind his seeing you in his private apartments.”
“It’s most gracious of his highness to receive us in his convalescence,”
Signaling the audience was over, the chamberlain approached to escort the men out as the chatra rose and headed for the door at the rear of the hall.
“This way, please,” the chamberlain said.
“One moment, Lord Chatra,” Saxthor said across the marble hall. “The queen will not be pleased to hear you’ve dismissed her representatives. She’ll be most displeased you would prevent us from conferring with the prince, her cousin.”
The chatra spun around, an ingratiating smile plastered on his face. The man clasped his nervous hands. “I’ve heard rumors that a powerful person high up at the southern court was traveling the peninsula.”
He signaled the chamberlain to come closer, then spoke in his ear. “It would be a dangerous mistake for the chatra to offend such a person traveling incognito. Better to indulge these fools than to risk offending the queen. Perhaps we might convince the prince to meet these people, just in case.”
“My apologies, gentlemen,” the chatra said in his oily tone. “I’m forgetting the time-honored right of petition. I shall prepare the prince for your visit tomorrow morning if you’ll return then at the official hour for such a presentation. I’m sure the prince will be most pleased to receive you.”
The men offered their thanks and pleasantries as prescribed by court protocol. They turned to the chamberlain, who’d stopped fidgeting. He led the petitioners back to the moat between the inner and outer baileys. The Captain of the Guard seemed somewhat surprised to see the men return but escorted them back to the sergeant at the primary entrance gate.
“Did you have a pleasant visit with the prince?” the sergeant asked. He grinned at the guards around him. Flaunting his victory, the smirk and tone revealed the man knew they didn’t see Prince Henri. Saxthor saw the gesture irritated Bodrin more than him.
“We’ve an appointment in the morning,” Bodrin said.
The sergeant’s smug look melted. “We’ll be seeing you again tomorrow then?”
“Yes, we’re returning tomorrow, Sergeant,” Saxthor said before Bodrin got in deeper and trouble came of it. They left the gateway and were lost in the throng beyond, routinely going about their daily business.
That night at the inn, they had dinner brought to Saxthor’s room. The four of them ate and planned what they would do should the prince not intervene and the chatra try to imprison them.
“Hendrel, you’ll stay behind and get word to Memlatec should we not return,” Saxthor said. “The palace guards don’t know of your involvement. They’ll think they have all the loose ends tied up if they imprison us. The chatra is the key. He seems to think he rules in Hoya. Prince Henri’s situation is a mystery, but clearly this pompous minister is in control.”
“We’ll just get the audience with the prince and see how things stand from there,” Tournak said. “Hendrel, you and Delia must move to another inn tomorrow in case we were followed from the Hoyahof.”
Next day, Tournak, Saxthor, and Bodrin were at the entrance gate at the appointed hour. The sergeant was more polite and ushered the men to the chamberlain. The chamberlain was as polite as before but visibly more nervous ushering the men into the chatra’s reception hall.
“Good morning, gentlemen,” the chatra said. “We shall go at once to your audience with Prince Henri.”
Without further discussion, the horrid little man led the three visitors through the bailey walls and across the now weedy courtyard to the colossal keep. Saxthor grew more worried knowing the princes of Hoya wouldn’t receive public petitioners in the keep’s private halls. The chatra seemed to anticipate the thought and smiled.
“The prince has been indisposed recently and not up to public functions. I hope you’ll not mind his seeing you in his private apartments.”
“It’s most gracious of his highness to receive us in his convalescence,”
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