think the title’s going to stay in the family. Mangaran’s been
demonstrating his capabilities at every turn, and I don’t think any of
Oldoran’s nephews are really qualified to replace him. When are we
going to convene the peace-conference?’
‘Which peace-conference was that, dear?’
‘The one you’ve been working on ever since you came to Arendia.
Don’t be coy, Polly. I know what you’re up to – and I approve of
it. Wars are all very stirring for the men, I suppose, but the lives of
the ladies here and in Vo Wacune and Vo Mimbre are very tedious
when all the pretty young men are out playing in the woods. Now
then, what can I do to help?’
Our impromptu peace-conference was to be held, as I’d suggested,
at the Great Arendish Fair, which is technically in Mimbrate
territory. This automatically made Corrolin the host. To be quite honest
about it, I’d have been happier with Kathandrion at the head of the
table, but you can’t always have things the way you’d like them.
I’d have Baron Mandorin sitting at Corrolin’s elbow anyway, and I
was sure he could keep his duke from making too many mistakes.
I left VO Astur and went on across the border into Wacune. I wanted
to talk with Kathandrion before our conference convened.
‘We’re going to have to be careful, my Lord,’ I told my Wacite
friend when I finally got him alone. ‘There are hot-heads in all three
duchies, and a chance remark at the wrong time could make this all
fly apart on us without any warning. I’ll be talking to the assembled
notables from time to time, and I’m going to keep hammering on
the fact that as long as any one of the Arendish dukes has regal
ambitions, Arendia’s going to be vulnerable to Murgo plotting.
There might be an undisputed crown of all Arendia some day, but
not right now. I think that the best we can hope for at this particular
time is an agreement between you, Mangaran, and Corrolin that
there isn’t an Arendish crown, and there’s no point to killing half
the population in order to cram a fiction on somebody’s head.’
‘It seemeth me that some unspoken rebuke doth hover over that
last remark, my Lady,’ my handsome friend noted.
‘Look upon it as a cautionary word, your Grace. I shall not rebuke
thee until thine opinion of thyself doth grow too exalted. Look with
profound distrust upon any man who pretends to offer thee a
pathway to a non-existent crown. Now, then, I don’t think that lasting
peace is going to grow out of one meeting, so I’m going to suggest
that we follow an Alorn example here in Arendia. The Alorn kings
meet periodically on the Isle of the Winds for discussions of matters
of mutual concern. I think we might want to give that notion some
consideration here as well. If the three Arendish dukes meet every
summer, they’ll be able to deal with any frictions that might have
arisen during the past year. Let’s not give any imagined insults time
to fester.’
‘I shall strive to mine utmost to make this come to pass, my Lady.’
Then I flew on back to Vo Astur to wheedle a similar agreement
out of Mangaran and Asrana. In point of fact, I spent several months
on the wing in the skies over Arendia. It’s not a bad idea when
you’re dealing with Arends to get agreements on everything before
you gather them around the conference table. I kept my agenda
simple for this first little get-together, limiting our discussions to
two or three crucial points. If I could make this gathering an annual
event, there’d be plenty of time at later meetings to expand peaceful
contacts.
It was mid-autumn by the time we all gathered in the garishly
striped royal pavilion Corrolin had ordered to be set up on the
outskirts of the fair, and each ruler rose in turn to address an
assembly comprised of assorted state functionaries and by observers
from Tolnedra and from the Alorn kingdoms. Corrolin, as host,
spoke first. He formally greeted the other two rulers and the
emissaries from foreign lands, noting in passing that Salmissra had
declined the opportunity to send an observer. He then spent about
a half-hour saying nice things about me. I found that part of his
speech fairly interesting.
After Corrolin had exhausted his vocabulary, Kathandrion rose
and also waxed extravagant in his praise of me. I liked that speech
too. Then Mangaran stood up and demonstrated the fact that the
Asturians had not totally forgotten how to thee, thou, and what-not.
The shrewd old earl concluded his remarks with a little surprise,
however. ‘Nobles all,’ he said with a faint smile. ‘This gathering
here on the plain of our mournful Arendia hath as its ultimate goal
a lasting peace. For many, this will seem unnatural, and for others,
perhaps even unpious. Peace is an alien concept in Arendia, and
the fact that our meeting hath lasted for quite nearly an entire
afternoon with not a single drop of blood spilled may cause outrage in
some quarters. Since we are flying into the very teeth of convention,
let us further shock that stuffy old grand dame with yet another
violation of her conception of how things ought to be done. Ladies,
as all the world doth know, are creatures of delight, more beauteous,
more genteel, more tender than are we, and it is the sworn duty of
every right-thinking nobleman in all the world to protect and serve
them. It is also known, however, that their minds are not the equal
of ours. Our fulsome and most deserved praise of Lady Polgara this
day hath encouraged me to investigate a shocking possibility. Could
it be that great Chaldan hath, in fact, given women brains? Is this
possible? Then, emboldened by the fact that a divine thunderbolt
had not as yet incinerated me, I pushed this heretical concept even
further out into unexplored territory. It is well known, I think, that
Duke Oldoran hath recently been removed from his throne and
ensconced in a monastery to rave and scream out the remainder of
his life. It is also widely bruited about that I was responsible for his
removal. I will openly confess that this is true, but it would not
have happened had it not been for the assistance of two – not one,
but two – ladies. The one, of course, was Lady Polgara. I’m sure
that surprises no one here. What is not so widely known, however,
is the fact that a high-born lady in Vo Astur was also involved – all
the way up to her pretty eyebrows. Moreover, she has advised me
in most matters since I seized control of the government of the
duchy of Asturia. The need for total openness at this conference
impels me to reveal this and to introduce the lady who rules at my
side. Nobles all, may I present the Countess Asrana, a conspiratoress
without peer.’
There was some faint applause, which gradually grew less faint,
swelling finally into an ovation.
‘I’ll get you for this, Mangaran,’ Asrana said, rising to her feet.
‘Promise?’ he asked slyly.
Asrana struck a tragic pose. ‘And now is my dreadful secret
revealed,’ she declared. ‘How can anyone possibly forgive me?
Truly, gentlemen, it was not my fault. Polgara made me do it. It’s
all her fault., She sighed a long, quivering theatrical sigh. ‘I am
exposed now, so I guess we might as well get on with this. This
unnatural gathering has been convened to explore the possibility of
peace. – Isn’t that awful? How can we live without enemies? We
have to hate someone!’ She paused, then snapped her fingers. ‘I have
it, my Lords! I have the solution! Let’s hate Murgos instead of each
other! Murgos are hideous, and Arends are the most beautiful people
in the world. Murgos are dishonorable, and Arends are all
nauseatingly saturated with honor. Murgos are unmannerly, and
Arendish courtesy is the despair of the known world. Let us join
hands, nobles all, and pledge upon our sacred honor to hate the
eyebrows off every Murgo we meet.’
They were all laughing by now, and pounding on the table with
delight. The Countess Asrana had neatly rolled them all up into a
little ball and put them in her pocket.
‘I do confess that I like this charming young lady, your Grace!’ I
heard Mandorin say to his duke. ‘She is utterly delightful.’
I just happened to be watching Asrana’s face when he said that
about her, and her look became just a trifle smug. Then, without so
much as changing expression, she winked at me. She’d obviously
overheard Mandorin’s remark, and it was also obvious that she felt
that she’d just won something.
There was a banquet that evening, and Baron Mandorin managed
to find a seat next to Asrana’s where she promptly did war upon