The Name Of The Sword (Book 4) by J.L. Doty

Author:J.L. Doty [Doty, J.L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Swords and Sorcery, Epic Fantasy, Young Adult, Coming of Age, Romance
ISBN: 9781942899105
Publisher: Telemachus Press, LLC
Published: 2015-02-17T00:00:00+00:00

20

Come the Sword

With the family assembled in Olivia’s audience chamber, AnnaRail watched the old woman’s expression as Roland reported the incident on the border. Olivia didn’t take her eyes off DaNoel as she turned angry, then furious, then livid, and then calm. Open anger was always better than the calm.

DaNoel’s eyes darted about like a cornered animal. Olivia spoke to him in a cold, hard voice. “This means war, you idiot.”

DaNoel cringed. JohnEngine and NickoLot remained silent, smart enough to know not to draw the old woman’s attention.

It had taken all of AnnaRail’s skills to keep Brandon alive with a punctured lung. He would survive and recover, though he’d be in bed for days.

AnnaRail looked at DaNoel and couldn’t hide her own bitter disappointment in her son. But as head of the clan, Olivia’s fury could mean the loss of many lives. AnnaRail said to the old woman, “Let’s try to remain calm.”

Olivia’s gaze remained locked on DaNoel. “Calm,” she said. “This fool has just started a war.”

Roland had carefully interrogated DaNoel’s armsmen while JohnEngine and AnnaRail retrieved Brandon. “Technically,” Roland said. “Lewendis started it.”

Olivia’s calm evaporated. “Lewendis killed a horse. We could’ve settled that with payment. The war started when this moron killed armsmen.”

DaNoel said, “We don’t know they’re dead, and it was an accide—”

Olivia rose and crossed the room in a heartbeat. DaNoel stood a head taller than her, but somehow she loomed over him. “Yes, we could have claimed an accident, had you reported the incident to us. But now they’ve attacked, wounded and almost killed the heir to Elhiyne.”

AnnaRail wasn’t terribly happy with her oldest son at the moment, but she had to control Olivia’s anger. “The greater wrong has been done to us; as you say, the heir to Elhiyne versus a few common armsmen. I recommend we send a diplomatic mission to Penda, sue for peace. If the Penda armsmen are dead or disabled, we can offer reparation.”

Olivia’s calm returned. She turned away from DaNoel and paced back and forth, considering AnnaRail’s proposal. “We’ll appear weak.”

“Better that than open war.”

Olivia stopped pacing and turned toward her. AnnaRail knew that look well. Olivia said, “Perhaps war wouldn’t be such a bad thing, after all.”

Roland said, “No.”

Olivia smiled at him. “We can send messengers to the other Lesser Clans, make sure they hear our version first. The heir to Elhiyne versus a few armsmen; we were clearly wronged.”

AnnaRail said, “War with Penda would be bloody and costly.”

“Probably,” Olivia said. “But if it weakened the ties between Tosk and Penda, it might be worth it.”

They argued heatedly throughout the afternoon. Perhaps the only thing that stopped Olivia from going to war was that everyone in the family opposed her, though DaNoel didn’t say a word one way or the other. He wisely kept his mouth shut, but AnnaRail was certain he too would prefer a peaceful resolution to this crisis. At least she hoped so.

They decided to send a messenger to Penda to pave the way for a diplomatic mission.

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