Feist, Raymond E - Riftwar Cycle 19 - Murder in Lamut by Feist Raymond E

Author:Feist, Raymond E [Feist, Raymond E]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780007383207
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2002-08-15T04:00:00+00:00

• Chapter Seven •

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THE SWORDMASTER OPENED THE DOOR.

Pirojil assumed he had something on his mind, as he didn’t wait upon protocol and let Pirojil open the door for him. Steven Argent had seemed content to keep his thoughts to himself on the walk from the Council chamber to his own quarters, though he did mention he had sent for Durine and Kethol to be waiting for them, just prior to the start of the Council.

Durine was, as he had been instructed by the messenger, already up in the Aerie with Kethol when Pirojil and the Swordmaster strolled in, looking for all the world like a couple of old friends, if you didn’t look too closely at the scowl on Pirojil’s ugly face.

Kethol, having beaten Durine to the Aerie, had taken the chair next to the hearth, and was busily scratching at the fire-drake’s eye-ridges, using the hilt of his knife. It looked to be less than gentle, at least to Durine’s eyes, but Fantus arched his back and preened himself like a reptilian cat, his wings spread either in pleasure, or simply to soak up the heat radiating from the fire.

Durine had parked his bulk on a wooden bench by the fire, and was staring at Kethol playing with the little dragon, not quite sure what to make of it.

‘I think he likes me,’ Kethol had said.

‘Oh.’

As Pirojil and the Swordmaster walked in, Steven Argent made a stay-seated gesture and waved Pirojil towards a chair, before seating himself across from Kethol. Then he stretched his long legs out and folded his hands behind his head. He seemed insufferably pleased with himself. ‘Well, that went better than I had expected, eh?’

Eh?

Pirojil turned to Durine. ‘The Swordmaster put Lady Mondegreen in charge of the Baronial Council.’ He nodded. ‘Which came as something of a surprise to some others, I’ll wager.’

The Swordmaster grinned. ‘It did that.’ He gave them a shrug, and a look of total innocence. ‘And truth be told, I think it’s defensible, and I’m prepared to make my case for it to Earl Vandros – since Baron Mondegreen did, after all, send his lady to represent him, and since he was the obvious candidate.’ He sobered. ‘How well the rest of it will go, I can’t say – there’s much work to do, and the Earl will have to judge how well they set priorities and budgets.’ He shook his head. ‘My life is weapons and martial arts, but I’ve been around long enough to know that we could empty the Earl’s treasury with loans to the barons for repairs come spring, and still not fix all the damage done in the war.’ He stifled a yawn. ‘I’ve no doubt that the presence of quick money and more work than workers will bring a flood of daubers, carpenters and stonemasons north from Krondor Province.’

Pirojil almost smiled. Only an Easterner would call the Principality ‘Krondor Province’. After twelve years, the Swordmaster was still, ‘that ex-captain from Rillanon’. He had been right in removing himself from the head of the Council.

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