The Fireseed Wars

There were armed soldiers at every gateway and Sirna was frisked more than once. It took her half a candle before she was presented to the Queen in her private audience chamber. The room was dark and dank, and you could see the moisture stains on the wall where the hangings and tapestries met. Lavena looked shrunken, as though she was falling into herself, while her big belly hung down on her frame. Her face was wan and she hadn't bothered to put any makeup on-a first.

"Sirna!" she cried, jumping up.

They hugged tightly, and Sirna was concerned by the fact that she could feel Lavena's rib bones poking through her flesh.

"Your Majesty, are you all right?"

"I'm here all alone," she said, as her eyes began to well. "Dralm-damnit!" she cried, as she wiped her eyes with the edge of her robe. "I don't know these people, and I don't trust any of them, either. The guards look me over like a fresh piece of meat. And that oily Chancellor Lyphannes; he'd sell me out for a silver service setting!"

Sirna had met the Chancellor and noticed that he couldn't meet her eyes. She wondered if he was selling out to Prince Selestros' faction or had designs on the Throne for himself.

"I'll stay here with you, if you want," she heard herself say.

"Thank you, Sirna, thank you. You don't know how much that means to me."

"You need to eat more, you have to think of the baby."

"I know, I know. I've just been so worried…"

What am I thinking? Sirna asked herself.At least, my guards are loyal, since they were picked out by Maldar Dard. Besides, it's partially my fault Lavena's in this predicament. If only I hadn't titled that play King Kaiphranos.

"How are things on the streets?" Lavena asked.

It sounded as if the Queen was starved for information. Her courtiers probably didn't want to pass on more bad news, or didn't care.

"Things are calm at the moment. That will probably change at dusk, when most of the soldiers return to their barracks. Only a few will do night duty and they keep to the better parts of town." Where they get bribes to stay on guard from the merchants and the nobles.

"If only the army could keep the curfew."

Probably not, because many of them are among the worst of the rioters, certainly the looters.

"Maybe it's time to consider leaving the capital, Lavena."

"Sirna, you're joking. And go where? Hostigos Town, which is now a cemetery, and stay with my father? He can't even protect himself."

"You're right. There is nowhere to go that's safe. At least the Army is on your side."

"For now…"

III

Hestophes himself was now in charge of the operation to put a Hostigi on the Throne of Light; it was too important a job to leave in Ranthos' hands, although the former Greffan had done a good job of rescuing the lad. Hestophes was seated in the Great Hall of the manor waiting to be reunited with his wife, who had disembarked from the Prince Ptosphes a quarter moon ago. He wondered who she would be bringing to take Dementros' place at the manor in Zeleos.

There was a knock at the Hall door. One of his bodyguards opened it and a petty-captain stuck his head in. "Captain Lysia has returned, sir."

"Show her and her party in."

A moment later his wife came in alone. Without thinking about propriety, Hestophes rushed forward and gathered her in his arms. He might have crushed her but for her steel breastplate. "How is the Great Queen?"

"She is well, but big as a hut! The baby should be born by now. Praise Dralm that it will be a boy and heir to the Throne!"

"What is her opinion of the plan to put a Hostigi on the Agrysi Throne?"

"She was quite enamored of the idea. Enough that she put her godson, Aspasthar, forward to be the claimant."

"Harmakros' son!" he exclaimed, his jaw dropping. "There must be no end of good candidates, so why Aspasthar?"

"Because he's several winters older than his age both in experience and maturity. Not that he still doesn't act like a boy sometimes; I ought to know, having spent a moon half with him and his three compatriots."

"You brought more than one boy?"

"Yes, my love. It was the Queen's idea; she wanted him to have company he could trust and possibly use to pass messages. As the new King, Aspasthar will not be out of Styphoni eyes for a moment."

Hestophes mulled that over for a moment. "She's right. Either Archpriest Grythos or one of his priests will have the boy under constant surveillance. With three more boys to stir the bowl, it will be much harder to keep an eye on any one boy, much less all four. What was Kalvans advice?"

"He is still in Greffa, waiting for the Grand Host to retire," Lysia answered. "King Chartiphon has been making heavy raids upon the Styphoni supply lines and they are growing low on foodstuffs. If the Grand Host of Styphon doesn't leave soon, it will be too late for the peasants to plant their potatoes and corn."

And, if that happens, it won't be good news for anyone in Thagnor City, Hestophes thought. Rations had been tight last winter and without a fall harvest people might starve this coming winter.