The Diplomat Read Free

“Who do I deal with here? Yourself? An ambassador?”
    “King Cedrin and Queen Talitha themselves. You’ve come at a dire time for us, and they’ll hang on your every word. The King is in session, but the Queen is in her private chambers. I’m going to take you there now.”
    “How gracious.” Rema dusted some dirt from the hem of her coat. “I usually have to deal with functionaries.”
    “All we have around here are disfunctionaries,” said Yorin without smiling. “This way.”
    He led her back to the court and directed her to a high stairway in the corner. As they climbed, Rema looked down at the heads of the people below her. “Are they all here for an audience with the King and Queen?”
    “Indeed, although only the King gives audiences.” Yorin proceeded slowly with one hand on the balustrade. “The peasants need some assurance in times like this.”
    “And who is actually governing?”
    “Well, my official response is that the King and Queen are.” A conspiratorial note entered Yorin’s voice. “You seem like a canny woman, however, so let’s just say that I have the authority to handle many affairs. Prince Calan interferes where he can, and Elise likewise does her best to make my job difficult.”
    “Elise. That must be our ill-fated princess.”
    The stairs ended at the junction of three corridors. A faded black-and-purple carpet ran down their lengths, and a painted mural decorated one of the cracked stone walls. Rema peered at its peeling design, a hunt scene, although the hounds were so faded that they might have been sausages for all she knew.
    Yorin drew Rema away from the stairs. “Understand that Elise doesn’t like being called a princess. She’s our court enchantress and skilled at her art. She’s also very displeased with Ormun’s terms, as you might imagine.”
    “An enchantress?”
    “You don’t believe in magic?”
    “I once was sent to parley with the so-called Wizard Kings of…no, I can’t even remember the name of their territory; there were simply too many vowels. It turned out their feared sorcerous army was regular armor covered in pitch and set alight. It had something of the effect of flaming warriors, if an enemy didn’t think to look closely.”
    “A few charlatans. Sometimes a farmer sells you a bad egg, but you don’t give up on eggs.”
    “You might, if the egg were bad enough.” Rema shook her head. “I don’t discount there’s an odd thread of enchantment in our world, especially in the south. Even Ormun has a court magician. But in my experience the majority of magicians are little more than clever frauds.”
    “Elise is genuine. I’ve seen her accomplish some remarkable things.”
    “Such as avoiding marriage until the age of twenty-six. Not that I can blame her.”
    Yorin’s expression became even more grim. “Let’s not keep the Queen waiting.”
    He led Rema to an unassuming wooden door and knocked twice. The handle rattled, the door cracked open and a small girl peered through the gap. After a second of blinking incomprehension, she opened the door wide and smiled in earnest terror.
    “Thank you, Alys,” said Yorin. “You can go make yourself useful in the kitchen.”
    Alys nodded. She looked at Rema, and her eyes grew huge with wonder. “M’lady, you’re wearing trousers!”
    “Alys!” Yorin scowled at her. “Off to the scullery.”
    “Yes, Master.” Alys gave Rema a final amazed look before darting back down the hallway. Rema smiled to herself. Given the task ahead, a touch of levity was welcome.
    Yorin gestured to the open door. “Talitha wants you alone. I’ll close the door after you.”
    Despite numerous flickering candles, a drab gloominess pervaded the Queen’s chamber. No surprise there—palaces of this kind were commonly grim, as if shadows seeped from their walls. Rema crossed the threadbare carpet and stood in the center of the room. Talitha sat in a tall wooden chair, her wrinkled hands upon a closed book on