Patricia C. Wrede - Lyra 1 by Shadow Magic (Undead)

Author:Shadow Magic (Undead) [Magic, Shadow]
Format: epub
Published: 2010-12-24T00:11:00.500000+00:00

CHAPTER

THIRTEEN

Alethia was awakened the following morning by a young Shee girl, who brought her fresh clothes and wash water. The girl returned just as Alethia finished dressing, and led her to another room where Har, Maurin, Tamsin and Jordet were breakfasting.

“Good morning!” Alethia said as they rose to greet her. “I hope you haven’t been waiting for me long.”

“No, but you’ll have to hurry anyway,” Jordet said. “The Council of Lords will begin soon, and we must all be there before it starts. It wouldn’t be wise to keep them waiting.”

“Yes—but about the aid for Brenn,” Har said. “How many men do you think they will send?”

“It is not at all certain that they will send any,” Jordet said reluctantly. “That is one of the things the Council must decide today.”

“But Queen Iniscara…”Alethia’s voice trailed off as she mentally reviewed the previous night’s conversation with the Queen of the Shee. Iniscara had never actually promised to send anyone to Brenn.

“Sheleran is not ruled by the Queen,” Jordet said slowly. “In fact, the Council of Lords holds the power here. Do not expect too much.”

“Sounds just as bad as home,” Har said disgustedly. “A figurehead ruler governed by her council—like our regent and the Nine Families.”

Jordet flushed a little. “Few lords will see an attack on Brenn as a threat to Sheleran, and many of them will fight against renewed contact between our peoples. Some will be simply disinterested in your plight. I am sorry.”

There was silence for a moment. “At least that man Queen Iniscara dismissed won’t be there,” Alethia said finally. “If he were in charge of the Council, we wouldn’t have a chance.”

“Medilaw will be at the Council,” Jordet replied. “He is no longer High Minister, but as a Lord Advisor he has a great deal of influence. Do not underestimate him.”

“How can he be a Lord Advisor?” Har said. “I thought the Queen dismissed him?”

“Lord Nember has replaced Medilaw as High Minister, it is true,” Jordet said, “but even the Queen cannot dismiss a Lord Advisor, except for treason or insanity. Medilaw has two years to go in his term of office.”

“I don’t think there’s anything we can do about Medilaw,” Maurin said as Har opened his mouth to speak again. “What else should we know about this Council?”

“Medilaw isn’t the only lord who dislikes humans. If you hope to sway the Council, you must ignore their intolerance, no matter how unpleasant they are.”

Har snorted. “We would have been better off going to Lacsmer the way I wanted to in the first place.”

Alethia frowned at him. “If you could be polite to First Lord Orlin when he was in Brenn last year, I don’t see why you can’t manage to do the same for a Shee council. Particularly since it’s so important to Brenn.”

Before Har could reply, a guard arrived to summon them to the Council. He led the little group through the palace corridors to one end of a long hall, where he showed them to their seats.

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