The Jester: Foes Foreign and Domestic (1)
Episode 28: "Traitorous Connections"
As soon as they reentered the palace, Mardans and Lirens excused themselves from the king to plan their attempt to rescue Dinae. He wished them well, advising, “Just don’t plunge us into war.”
Lirens shouted over his shoulder, “No guarantees!”
A short while later, they entered Tiena’s house, finding Aran barely containing his impatience, threatening to conduct a one-man, door-to-door search of the entire city. Even the normally unflappable Tiena appeared near the limit of her patience. She sighed in relief as the brothers entered.
Even before they could greet the lady of the house, Aran rushed to Mardans. “Thank the Shepherd, you’re here!” He gave the prince a quick bow. “Tell me you have a plan!”
“No, no plan as yet,” Mardans replied, “but we think we know where she is being held.”
Aran walked to the front door but frowned when he found he stood alone. Mardans and Lirens had continued into the living room and sat down. “What are we waiting for? Let’s go get her!” the indignant younger man urged.
“Rein in your mount, soldier!” Lirens said, not unkindly. “There are . . . complications.”
Tiena raised an eyebrow. “Come sit, Aran. Cool your heels and learn.” When he reluctantly obeyed, eyes downcast, she turned to Mardans. “What have you discovered?”
Time being precious, her son decided not to mention their interview with the Prophetess. He could break that news later. “Based on some new information, we believe Dinae is being held in the temporary Tanjari embassy down in the lower city. We are not sure if the Tanjari ambassador is involved or whether the facility is being used without his consent. The property’s stable, where she may be held, is far enough from the house that the ambassador and his staff may be unaware of any activity there.”
His mother tapped a long, pink fingernail on a table beside her, something she did when thinking. “I think it prudent to assume the Tanjari ambassador knows until you confirm otherwise. Were you aware that ‘temporary embassy’ is a Tilanta property?”
It was Mardans’ turn to raise his eyebrows. “No, I wasn’t. What do you know about it?”
“Well, Steward Amandes gave it—or at least its use—to Formosis a couple years ago when he turned twenty-one. From the rumor I heard, he never moved in because he thought it dull, too far from all the action. He had some craftsmen make repairs last year, and before long, the Tanjari ambassador had moved in while his official embassy underwent renovations. I’m sure Formosis receives a hefty sum for its lease.”
“Tell me, Mother,” Mardans asked, arms crossed and tapping his chin with a forefinger, “do you know of any other connections between the Tilantas—Formosis, in particular—and the Tanjari? My investigation has turned in that direction.”
Tiena tucked a lock of her dark hair behind her ear as she considered her reply for a moment. “Not Formosis. However, a report was recently sent to me that Désira is negotiating a deal with them to buy a slice of the silk trade. Publicly, she is saying only that the deal will save her money on dresses, but there must be more to it.”
Lirens rolled his eyes. “Clearly. She has always been a schemer.”
Mardans nodded. “I remember back when we were kids, Désira always looked for an advantage, and Formosis always backed her, even when she was definitely wrong or caught red-handed.”
The prince rolled his eyes. “It was almost worship! Remember how furious he was when it was announced that Alfons would marry Constans?”
“No, I was out wrangling horses,” Mardans reminded him.
“Oh, yeah, sorry!” Lirens said. “It was at some ball or another, and Father made the announcement after dinner. Everyone was clapping and cheering and just happy for them. They made a handsome couple! And, of course, Constans is a Bardonnel, and we all thought, ‘Isn’t it wonderful that an Ankara and a Bardonnel would finally wed, since Margonne and Duke Darron had been such close friends all those years ago!’
“But not Formosis! His face turned purple, and he threw his napkin on the table and stormed out, slamming the door behind him. You can bet Amandes was furious with him! Right then, he publicly apologized to the King and the newly engaged couple for his son’s ‘temper tantrum,’ I remember him calling it. The relationship between the Steward and Formosis has been distant ever since.”
“Yes,” said Tiena, a sad smile on her lips, “it came out sometime later that Désira had indeed had designs on marrying Alfons. She had also been incensed at being passed over as the next queen but had done a better job of masking it.”
Lirens’ sudden roar of laughter had them all smiling with him. After he calmed down a little, he explained, “Sorry! I just find that hilarious! She had no chance. No chance at all! If Alfons could despise anyone—which I doubt, saint that he is—he would despise Désira. Not in a million years would he ever agree to marry her! Make her his queen? No act would destroy the kingdom quicker!”
“But she obviously believes she should be queen,” Mardans said thoughtfully. “Do you think she would commit treason and murder to take the throne?”
“Absolutely!” Lirens responded immediately. “She already acts imperious! No one avoids her contempt!”
Tiena was tapping her fingernail again. “I am not so sure, Prince Lirens,” she said after a moment. “I certainly believe she wants it, wants power, but I’m not so sure she would do something so radical alone. She would need a partner, a man. Despite her self-confidence, she knows how difficult it would be for a woman alone to gather allies.”
“Would she back Formosis?” Mardans asked.
“And rule through him?” his mother asked in return. She weighed matters for a long moment. “Actually, that might be ideal for her. A controlling woman like her would relish being the power behind the throne—and perhaps taking over after a few years when Formosis ‘mysteriously’ died, leaving her in charge. I know that’s rather extreme and morbid, but considering her character, such things are possible.” She shuddered.
Lirens sat up, drawing everyone else’s eyes. “I just realized something: Both the Tilantas’ suites in the palace are on the most direct route between Mother’s suite and the servants’ apartments. For what it’s worth.”
Mardans instantly grasped his brother’s intimation. “Gemena may have walked right past Formosis and Désira arguing about something incriminating in the hallway, and that instant of poor timing spelled her fate.” He shook his head in regret.
“That poor girl,” Tiena said, a slight catch in her voice.
“All right,” said Mardans, standing and pacing his mother’s front room. “It’s circumstantial, but it fits.” He continued another half-lap to the other side of the room and turned around. “Let me ask this, then: Do you think that Tanjar, or even just the Tanjari ambassador, would dare to meddle in Margonni politics to the point of aiding in a rebellion to overthrow the rightful king?”
Tiena took another long moment to consider the question. She finally shook her head. “Unless my intelligence is completely wrong, there is no chance the Tanjari would involve themselves in such a thing right now. Remember we spoke about this a week ago? They would love to be rid of Margonne, but Tanjar is too unstable, too politically weak, and too far behind militarily. If the Tanjari backed a play for Margonne’s throne and lost, it would be an unmitigated disaster for them. They could not hope to survive if Margonne retaliated with an invasion.”
“Which I would counsel and lead with prejudice!” said Lirens hotly.
“Calm down, little brother,” Mardans said with a grin, patting his shoulder. “Or should I say, ‘Rein in your mount, Commander!’”
Aran tried to stifle a snicker but failed. Lirens looked daggers at him, then winked, and both snickered.
Mardans plowed ahead despite them. “I think we can assume that if the younger Tilantas have Tanjari help, it is from a person or person’s acting against their government’s wishes.”
Tiena nodded. “Yes, and I think you are right to say ‘the younger Tilantas.’ I seriously doubt Amandes or Amancuse is involved. The father is too sick, and the brother is too busy. Besides, neither has ever shown any desire to rule Margonne. The stewardship and the duchy are more than enough for them to handle right now. You can’t rule them out entirely, but I think their involvement unlikely.”
Mardans took a deep breath and sat down again. He looked at each of them, finally saying, “I have a plan.”
Aran smiled and sat up, eager to get moving.
Lirens grinned fiercely and said, “Let’s have it!”
His mother sighed, getting up and heading into the kitchen. “Don’t mind me. I’ll get some refreshments. I can hear you from here.”
“All right,” Mardans said, rubbing his hands together, “this is what I propose: Lirens, take a small part of your company to the Tanjari embassy, a show of force to accompany you to a meeting with the ambassador. When you speak to him, try to find out if he knows what’s happening in his stables. Tell him there has been a report of criminal activity coming from there, and you would like his permission to inspect it. If he refuses, don’t push him, but try to argue that the king would look favorably on Tanjari cooperation. You won’t be there to fight or engage in Dinae’s rescue. Your role in this is as a distraction. I want everyone there looking at you and your men. Do whatever you need to do to make it a good show.”
“That sounds fun!” the prince said. “I get to perform like Dance, eh?”
“I’ll lend you my costume and fat suit if you want,” Mardans said, playing along.
“Too small, little brother!” He laughed. Tiena had to put the glass she was about to hand him on the table instead because he was laughing so hard at his own joke. Aran just shook his head as he grinned at the prince.
“Aran,” Mardans said, also grinning, “you’ll be with me. We’re the rescue party, along with Mother’s best available agent as a lookout and one or two of my fellow palace guards. Ready?”
Aran was already standing. “I was ready hours ago!”
A note:
Amandes is the current Steward of Margonne, a hereditary position designed to reduce the king’s administrative load, particularly over the palace and the kingdom’s holdings in Margonne and abroad. King Margonne created the office of Steward for his second son, Marcuse. As a Duke of the realm, the Steward also governs the city of Palisade and its environs up to forty miles from the palace in all directions. While a powerful position, it is also notoriously demanding, even grueling. Being in decline, Amandes had given his heir, Amancuse, all of his duties but for the most critical. He initially wanted to give Formosis some of Amancuse’s responsibilities but changed his mind when he saw that his younger son was unsuited for the position.