“He’s very excitable, isn’t he?” Ce’Nedra said as the two of them passed through the corridors of Iron-grip’s Citadel toward Lady Polgara’s apartments.
“He tends to be overdramatic at times,” Polgara replied. “These outbursts of his aren’t always genuine. Sometimes he behaves the way he does because he thinks people expect it of him.” She frowned slightly. “He’s right about one thing, though. Islena’s not qualified to rule. I think we’ll have to have a talk with her – and with the other ladies as well.” She opened the door to her apartment, and the two of them went inside.
Most of the damage that had resulted from Polgara’s vast rage had been repaired, and there remained only a few scorchmarks on the stone walls to testify to the violence of her fury. She seated herself at a table and turned again to the letter which had arrived that morning from Queen Porenn in Drasnia. “I think it’s rather obvious that we’re not going to be able to catch up with my father and the others now,” she observed somewhat regretfully, but at least there’s one thing we won’t have to worry about any more.”
“Which one is that?” Ce’Nedra asked, seating herself across the table from Polgara.
“There’d been some question about my father’s recovery from that collapse he suffered last winter, but from what Porenn says, he’s completely back to normal – although that’s not an unmixed blessing.” She laid Porenn’s letter aside. “I think the time’s come for us to have a little talk, Ce’Nedra. You’ve done a great deal of maneuvering and manipulating in the past few weeks. Now I want to know exactly what’s behind it all. Precisely why have you seen fit to ram your new status down everybody’s throat?”
Ce’Nedra flushed. “I am the Rivan Queen after all, Lady Polgara,” she replied stiffly.
“Don’t be absurd. You’re wearing a fictional crown because Rhodar decided to let you wear it, and because he’s convinced Anheg and Brand and Cho-Hag that you’re not going to do any damage. Now what’s behind all this?” Polgara’s look was very direct, and Ce’Nedra squirmed uncomfortably.
“We have to bring in the Arends and my father’s legions,” she said as if that explained it.
“That’s fairly obvious.”
“But the Alorn Kings wouldn’t be able to do it.”
“Why not?”
“Because a committee can’t win people’s hearts.” It was out in the open now, and Ce’Nedra rushed on. “Garion could have done it. The entire West would have risen at the call of the Rivan King, but Garion isn’t here, so somebody else has to do it. I’ve studied history, Lady Polgara. No army led by a committee has ever succeeded. The success of an army depends on the spirit of the soldiers, and the soldiers have to have one leader – someone who fires their imagination.”
“And you’ve elected yourself?”
“It doesn’t have to be anybody brilliant or anything – not really. It’s just got to be somebody visible – and unusual.”
“And you think that a woman’s going to be unusual enough and visible enough to raise an army – and incidentally to pose enough of a threat to attract the undivided attention of Taur Urgas and’Zakath, the Mallorean Emperor?”
“Well, it’s never been done before.” Ce’Nedra felt a little defensive about it.
“A lot of things have never been done before, Ce’Nedra. That’s not necessarily the best recommendation – and what convinced you that I wasn’t qualified?”
Ce’Nedra swallowed hard. “You were so angry,” she faltered, “and I wasn’t sure how long you were going to stay angry. Somebody had to take charge immediately. Besides-” she hesitated.
“Go on.”
“My father doesn’t like you,” Ce’Nedra blurted. “He’d never order his legions to follow you. I’m the only one who has a chance to convince him that he ought to join us. I’m sorry, Lady Polgara. I don’t mean to offend you.”
Polgara, however, waved that aside. Her face was thoughtful as she considered Ce’Nedra’s arguments. “It would seem that you have given the matter some thought,” she concluded. “All right, Ce’Nedra, we’ll try it your way – for now. Just don’t do anything exotic. Now I think we’d better have a talk with the ladies.”
The conference that took place in Polgara’s apartments that afternoon concerned matters of state. She waited quietly until the little group had all gathered, and then she spoke to them rather gravely. “Ladies,” she began, “in a very short time the Alorns and others will be taking the field on an expedition of some importance.”
“You mean war, Pol?” Queen Layla asked in a sinking voice.
“We’re going to try to avoid that if it’s at all possible,” Polgara replied. “At any rate, the departure of your husband and the Alorn Kings will leave affairs at home in your hands – and the same holds true for each of you. I wanted to go over a few things with all of you before we left.” She turned to Queen Islena, who was splendidly gowned in red velvet. “Your husband is somewhat less than enthusiastic about any arrangements that will leave you in charge of Cherek, Islena.”
Islena sniffed. “Anheg can be tiresome at times.”
“Try not to agitate him. Drop a hint or two that you’ll allow yourself to be guided by advisers he trusts. It will set his mind at rest a bit.” Polgara looked around at them. “The campaign is not likely to take us so far away that you won’t be able to stay in touch with us – not at first, anyway. If anything serious comes up, communicate with your husbands immediately. Deal with the day-to-day matters yourselves. I also think you should all stay in close contact with each other, once your husbands have left – and also with Porenn in Boktor and Mayaserana in Vo Mimbre. You all have your strengths and your weaknesses, but if you’re not afraid to seek advice from each other, everything will be all right.”
“Possibly we should arrange for some kind of network for communications,” Queen Layla mused thoughtfully. “Relays of horses, messengers, fast ships – that sort of thing. The Tolnedrans have done that for centuries.”
“I’m sure you’ll be able to arrange it, Layla.” Polgara smiled at her. “The one thing you all must remember is to pay close attention to anything Porenn tells you. I know she’s very young and a bit shy about putting herself forward, but Drasnian intelligence will report directly to her, and she’ll be aware of things long before any of the rest of you are. And I want you all to keep a particularly close watch on the Tolnedrans. They like to take advantage of periods of turmoil. Absolutely do not sign anything offered to you by a Tolnedran – no matter how attractive it looks. I trust Ran Borune about as much as I’d trust a fox in a henhouse – no offense intended, Ce’Nedra.”
“I know my father too, Lady Polgara,” Princess Ce’Nedra replied with a smile.
“Please, ladies,” Polgara told them firmly, “no adventures while I’m gone. Just try to keep things running smoothly, and don’t be afraid to consult with one another. You’ll also want to keep in touch with Xantha. The Dryads have access to a great deal of information about what’s going on in the south. If any real emergency arises, get word to me immediately.”
“Will you want me to keep the little boy?” Merel asked. “I’ll be at Val Alorn with Islena, so he’ll be safe with me. My girls are very fond of him, and he seems happy with us.”
Polgara thought about it for a moment. “No,” she decided finally. “Errand’s going to have to go with me. Aside from Garion, he’s the only person in the world who can touch the Orb. The Angaraks may realize that and try to take him.”
“I’ll care for him,” Taiba offered in her rich voice. “He knows me, and we’re comfortable with each other. It will give me something to do.”
“Surely you’re not planning to go along on the campaign, Taiba,” Queen Layla objected.
Taiba shrugged. “Why not?” she replied. “I don’t have a house to keep or a kingdom to oversee. There are other reasons, too.”
They all understood. What existed between Taiba and Relg was so profound that it seemed somehow outside the sphere of normal human attachment, and the Ulgo’s absence had caused the strange woman something rather close to physical pain. It was now obvious that she intended to follow him – even into battle if necessary.
Ariana, the blond Mimbrate girl who had accompanied Lelldorin of Wildantor to Riva, cleared her throat in preparation to raising a matter of some delicacy. “The lives of women are circumscribed by proprieties,” she noted. “Though battle doth rage about her and rude war turneth all to confusion, a lady must not be unattended in the midst of an army lest her reputation suffer. Lady Adara and I have of late held some conversation concerning this and have concluded that we must accompany Princess Ce’Nedra as her companions. We would do this out of duty even were we not impelled by love.”