Swordpoint Diplomacy 46

“There is one more thing.” Lady Elaine lowered her tone as they crossed the grand pavilion. Her words were nearly lost underneath the sound of a running fountain. “The White Queen desires your presence in her chambers.”

Rose felt her eyebrows shoot up. “She does not ask for an audience?”

Lady Elaine kept a straight face, nodding at a passing courtier. “She does not,” the lady confirmed as soon as they slightly parted from hearing range.

The only sound was the quiet footsteps of four Queensguards behind them as Rose took a moment to marvel at the gall on that woman. Released from 22 years of political imprisonment and given rooms in the main palace, and she was attempting a power play by summoning the Queen Presumptive to her chambers?

‘I am going to have to keep an eye on her.’

“Respond as you find appropriate,” Rose finally said, “perhaps with a reminder of the protocol for petitioning for a royal meeting.”

She was fairly certain that Lady Vivian was hiding a smile when she ducked her head and curtsied as they parted. Rose walked the last hall alone and then ducked into an open dooway.

Rose took the stairs to her father’s private solar three at a time as soon as she was out of sight of the inner court. Her guards struggled in the distance behind her, armor clanking. She had no sympathy for them.

‘Everything is going so poorly. If I can’t have the key here for the ceremony- that is such a bad omen. People might claim the coronation is illegitimate.’

She had sent soldiers to escort the tragically lost heir back to the palace, but the odds of them catching him were, unfortunately, not as high as she felt comfortable with. She didn’t even know where he was going.

The double doors to this room were kept locked at all times, the key kept on a chain around the king’s neck. It was around her neck now. Rose leaned close enough to open the door without taking the chain off and then stuffed it back inside her clothing, out of sight. She pushed the doors open and stepped into the repository of the most privileged information and magical technology the kingdom had. 

‘I might be the only person alive who has been in here. Perhaps one of the Queens?’

It was a sobering thought. Perhaps Esperance had been invited in while the twins were gone, but not likely, given that she had been sent away to winter at the warmer shore.

Rose beelined for the back wall and pulled the heavy hangings down to let the eerie light shine out from a large mirror cut ostentatiously in the shape of a crown. She laid her palms on it and demanded, “Marquesse Karitas.”

She knew that far-distant in the mountains, a matching mirror was beginning to wail a summons. The call was one-way: the three most important districts of the kingdom each had the privilege of this direct line of communication with the Crown, but no autonomy to reach out themselves.

Rose waited in a tense silence. And she waited a long time, her haste turning to a furious suspicion. Eventually, she lifted her palms, trembling with rage. “Either this spell is broken, or the family Karitas believes themselves above my direction.” Rose was incandescent with rage. The Marquesse was ignoring her?

There was one good way to test that. She touched the mirror again and demanded to speak with the head of the Treveylans. 

It was less than a minute before the elderly patriarch appeared to her sight. “My- Your Majesty,” he corrected. He did not seem so shocked to see her alone, back in the royal palace and in the most privileged chambers.

Rose untensed very slightly at the implication. “Vivian has spoken with you?” she confirmed. Her little squad should have come and gone by now, but knowing that the timeline was on track would ease her nerves.

He nodded. “Days ago. She came with companions to retrieve the cloak, and left to continue. I confess, there was a local matter that called for her attention.”

“Oh?” Rose tried not to look murderous. This was fine. Vivian would not have gone off course unless it was necessary. 

“Yes, but it should be handled by now,” Vivian’s Uncle promised gravely. “My sympathies for your loss, Your Majesty. Do you summon me to the coronation?”

She hesitated. It would be very helpful to demonstrate that she had political support, but he was frail. “Will your health allow the travel?”

Duke Treveylan straightened his bowed spine. “I would be honored to attend.”

Then she could hardly turn him down. “Travel safely,” Rose said, and was tempted to confide in him that the key was leaving the kingdom. But– no, what if introducing the idea of a coup tempted them to side with another candidate? “There is much to discuss once you arrive,” she settled on. 

Vivian had thrown her lot in with Rose’s, but she was young and not the first heir. Rose couldn’t be too confident in their commitment. The ground under her feet would be a lot more stable when she had them as her guests in the palace. 

The Harrods, though. Rose called Duke Harrod’s lady wife next and laid the situation out clearly for her. 

With Avoie as her squire, Kian as her companion, and Duke Harrod still on the front lines, there was no other option than loyalty for that family. 

“I understand, Your Majesty,” said Duchess Harrod. She had become very pale when she heard the news of the King’s death, but steeled to her duty. “I will ready to travel to the Capital. I will leave word with our loyalists to tell Kian to turn and make haste to the ceremony.”

“Thank you,” Rose said, more than a little relieved. Having two of the three major families visibly at her side would remove the shame and suspicion from her and open up the juicy possibility that all the land and privileges of the Karitas were about to be on grabs for her supporters.

‘But why would he do this?’

Rose tried to work out his motivation on her way back to her chambers, scowling all the while. “He seemed to want my approval. His family probably wanted a match with me, he is the highest ranking nobleman in my age group. What could be more tempting?”

If she ignored her personal assessments, the most politically likely rival for the throne was Aunt Aime. She was experienced, older, and well-loved. After that, well, Etienne had a strong claim. It would have been a lot stronger if Father had been more subtle in his favoritism.

‘I need Esperance here, where I can protect her. Anyone who wants a puppet on the throne will want her to inherit and to guide her.’ 

After that, well, it was a toss-up to the whole royal family. The two Queens might both be able to draw support for a coup, having been granted half the powers of state already. Cousin ASDF was not a terrible candidate either.

But it didn’t matter. None of them, save perhaps the first Queen, would go long with an attempt to subvert inheritance. They were family.