Within me, Verity roiled. I looked to King Shrewd. “This is true, my king?” I asked.
King Shrewd started. He looked over at me and blinked his eyes a few times. “I did sign those papers, did I not?” He seemed puzzled, and I think his mind had gone back to a previous conversation. He had not followed our talk at all. At his feet, the Fool was strangely silent. “I thought I had signed the papers. Well, bring them to me now, then. Let us get this done, and then get on with a pleasant evening.”
“What is to be done about the situation in Beams? Is it true that the Raiders have taken parts of the Near Islands?”
“The situation in Beams,” he said. He paused, considering. He took another sip of his tea.
“Nothing can be done about the situation in Beams,” Regal said sadly. Smoothly he added, “It is time Beams took care of Beams’s troubles. We cannot beggar all Six Duchies to protect a barren stretch of coastline. So the Raiders have helped themselves to a few frozen rocks. I wish them joy of them. We have folk of our own to care for, villages of our own to rebuild.”
I waited in vain for Shrewd to rouse, to say something in defense of Beams. When he was silent, I asked quietly, “The town of Ferry is scarcely a frozen rock. At least, it wasn’t until the Red-Ships called. And when did Beams cease to be part of the Six Duchies?” I looked to Shrewd, tried to make him meet my eyes. “My king, I beg you, order Serene to come. Have her Skill to Verity, that you may counsel together about this.”
Regal grew suddenly weary of our cat and mouse. “When did the dog boy come to be so concerned with politics?” he asked me savagely. “Why cannot you understand that the King can make decisions without the permission of the King-in-Waiting? Do you quiz your king on his decisions, Fitz? Have you so far forgotten your place? I knew Verity had made something of a pet of you, and perhaps your adventures with your ax have given you large ideas of yourself. But Prince Verity has seen fit to go gallivanting off after a chimera, and I am left to keep the Six Duchies rattling along as best I may.”