Exiles Valor by Mercedes Lackey

Author:Mercedes Lackey
Language: eng
Format: epub

Exiles Valor

11

Something teased at the back of Selenays mind for the next several days, making

her feel restless, full of nervous energy. Perhaps it was the season; spring was

almost upon them, the early crocuses were already pushing their way up through

the flower beds, the last of the snow was gone, the really wretched

end-of-winter rains had begun, and now the days were long enough to make you

believe that winter might actually end, after all. The air still felt raw, and

other than the optimistic crocuses there was no sign of anything growing, but

there were moments when the sun felt warm as a hand on the cheek, and when there

was a hint of green-scent in the wind. Winter would end. Spring would come, and

after it, summer, and a year would have gone by without her father. Time, they

said, was a great healer. Some of her depression eased a little more with the

lengthening days, certainly. Maybe it was due to the season, maybe she was just

getting used to Sendar not being there anymore; there was no longer the blow to

the heart when she entered the Throne Room and did not see him there, nor quite

the feeling of emptiness when she took what had been his chair at the Council

meetings. Not all of itoh, by no means. But enough that she was sleeping the

night through, and not waking up to weep in the darkness.

Sometimes she even slept until her maids woke her, and it was a deep and

thankfully dreamless sleep.

Orthallen was as good as his word. At the next meeting of the Full Council,

before it was called officially into session, he asked for a moment to address

the group personally. “This is not Council business, precisely,” he said. “But

it is something that I would like the Council to hear.”

They all looked at Selenay; she nodded. The Seneschal called the meeting to

order, and gestured to Orthallen. And when he had the silent regard of everyone

around the table, he cleared his throat awkwardly, which was not like him at

all. That alone got him the full and alert attention of everyone sitting there.

“My lords, my ladies, I believe that we have been pressing the Queen on an issue

that really has no urgency at all,” he said, looking embarrassed. “And by that,

I mean the issue of her choosing a spouse immediately. After due consideration,

and more thought, I believe we have been overly hasty.”

Selenay inclined her head, accepting what he had said without saying a word

herself. This was not the time to add her own thoughts. She wanted Orthallen to

explain it all to the rest of the Council in his own words. Though there was one

thing that struck her as odd, and that was the phrasing Orthallen had used.

Spouse was a peculiar choice of word, when it came to the Queen of Valdemar. Why

not say Consort, which was the traditional title if the ruler was the Queen, and

the husband was not a Herald?

Perhaps it was because she had shown no real interest in any of the Heralds, but

Orthallen did not want to make that too obvious.

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