Chapter 226: Red-Hued Mountains pt.1
When I’d gotten a compressed course on noble etiquette, I’d learned a few things about timeliness. For one, showing up perfectly on time was apparently something that no one did. Never mind the logistics of appointing a specific hour and expecting someone to meet it precisely after a days’ long trip, if someone was already on the premises, “on time” was… atypical.
It was paradoxically both stodgy and rebellious. Like a polite statement always read as sarcasm.
Early was an error, a mistake of an overeager debutante without proper guidance and bearing. For what if the host wasn’t ready? Late, however, wasn’t late until some nebulous time determined by both the nature of the event and the time at which key attendees arrived.
Climb your way up to the top of the social hierarchy, and the arrival times grew more and more protracted… sort of. Alliances and rivalries and political maneuvering all affected precisely when someone would rise from their chambers, guest or otherwise, and proceed to the venue.
All of it, all of the preening and pointless posturing, struck me as incredibly funny as an outsider looking in. Call me a callous demon glutted on power, but I didn’t care.
As such, I returned a wide, toothy smile to a shocked room of irritated-to-outright-malicious glares. King Carvalon was not yet present, his seat at the head of the table vacant. Tall windows offered the grand room an excellent view of mountains painted red with the setting sun, contrasting with the tense-looking royal guards positioned at regular intervals. Up and down the long table I recognized only a few people.
Duke Ludwig Reynard, of course, sat next to the head of the table. Across from him, the seat where I presumed Duchess Arina Kapel would sit was empty, and the seat next to that was missing entirely. The next chair on Duke Ludwig’s side was home to a surprisingly young and round-faced man.
Duke Anzo Beck of Lofren? I may have dimly remembered my education, but I was quite certain this young man wasn’t him. Beyond the chairs of the three dukedoms were the counts and countesses. I had expected her husband, my former educator, but Countess Veronika Elstein sat at the end of the table. It seemed none of the many barons had been invited.
At the very end, across from Countess Veronika, was the other unoccupied seat. Mary steered me toward it, and I watched as all eyes followed me. Some even turned in their chairs. I imagined I cut quite the figure—quite literally head and shoulders above the others in the room.
Of course, my attire was not so out of place. Yes, my arms were perhaps closer to the diameter of a more typical noblewoman’s legs, but the countess’s design married elegance with a socially appropriate amount of suggestiveness. In short, or perhaps in tall despite my lack of heels, I was quite appropriately dressed.
Mary pulled the chair out, and I sat carefully, dress swept up underneath, legs swung in and kept together. I even kept my elbows off the distressingly polished wood table. The evening light reflected off it, and I wondered if someone here was at the right angle to catch the sun in their eyes.
When I looked up, Countess Veronika was staring at me. I blinked. Is she nervous? It must be the meeting.
“I’m pleased to see you’re wearing my dress, Marchioness Zarenna.”
Thankfully, I took a moment to think before blurting out the frankly insane reality. Instead, I nodded. “I am, yes. Quite frankly, I don’t understand the stigma against wearing a good dress twice. Not to mention this meeting isn’t exactly a planned event.”
She nodded, seeming distracted. “Quite so. I must confess, what I’m wearing is purely for comfort.” The countess was wearing a fine, if unadorned, winter dress with a corset that looked to be adjusted entirely for comfort.
“I’d honestly considered trousers,” I replied with a chuckle. “I’m used to them—it’s difficult to fight in a dress.” At that, I threw a side-eyed look up the table. That’s right, I’m not here to fight.
Duke Ludwig caught my eye and frowned. Oh yes, that’s quite the rage he has under a thin-lipped smile. I smiled and waved.
He scowled, but seemed to think better of making a scene and returned to his conversation about winter crops and dangerous roads. He must be waiting for King Carvalon. After all, the only authority in Edath higher than him was the king, and if he was going to justify his attack on Astrye, Carvalon was the only one who needed to approve.
And were I to bring it up right now, we’d have the demon conversation with the only two people who knew what I was absent. I stared at the duchess’s seat and tried to suppress my mounting anxiety. However, Arina and Carvalon weren’t the only people I’d met in more than passing.
“Did Duchess Arina send word of her absence ahead?” I asked Countess Veronika. “I’ve heard the roads are dangerous of late—and I’ve seen the troubles in the city proper.”
She pursed her lips. “Trouble is an understatement. I’ve heard talk of… demons, and the Church is getting involved. If the duchess sent word ahead of her absence, I didn’t hear.”
“She did send word she would be late,” a soft voice said, quiet from down the table’s length. The one who’d spoken was the young-looking man next to Duke Ludwig. “Pardon me for speaking across conversations, but you must be the Marchioness Zarenna Miller I’ve heard much about. I’m Ortwin Beck, son of Duke Anzo. My father is too ill to travel at the moment, but I suspect he’d like to meet you.”
I didn’t miss the scowl that had formed on Duke Ludwig’s face before he quickly smoothed his expression out. “Your father should focus on recovery,” he said before I could reply.
Ortwin’s jaw snapped shut. “Of course, Duke Ludwig! I simply mean for when this whole business is dealt with. As a fellow steward of the borderlands, and one awarded her title on merit by the King himself, I simply think they would have much to discuss regarding border security.”
“Your lands border Daram,” Duke Ludwig replied with a smirk. “And the mountains. Do the lupines raid across them? Do the dwarves agitate for war?”
“They agitate coinpurses, I’d bet,” a count I didn’t recognize stepped in with a chortle.
Duke Ludwig threw him a tired glance, a bit of anger spiking.
Ortwin didn’t even hide his look of relief. “While our territory may be peaceful, it was not always so in the youth of my father. He may wish to reminisce with someone who can relate. I am implying nothing further.”
I bristled at the mention of “lupine raids.” Was this other dukedom the cause of hostile sentiments? “Should my duties allow, I would be honored to meet with Duke Anzo,” I said as politely as I could.
“Very well,” Duke Ludwig relented. “Perhaps we should cease chattering over the others?”
I returned his glare with one of my own.
“How has the March of Astrye been faring?” Countess Veronika asked, pulling my attention back.
My shoulders slumped. “We’ve survived several… attacks recently.” Don’t look at Duke Ludwig. “Our food supply is low, but with generous contributions from Duchess Arina, we should be almost comfortable until next harvest.”
“I’d heard the Church had found a demon in Astrye. I saw the contingent they sent—a veritable army.” She leaned forward, and asked with an earnest tone of voice, “Are you alright?”
I blinked. She can’t be… right? “Yes, I’m alright. I worry for my people more than myself, as I imagine any of us would.”
The countess nodded. “Good. When they’d returned, the Church forces had clearly taken heavy losses. I was worried the fighting would have damaged the city.”
City is a stretch these days. “The battle was largely outside of the city, and the castle kept our people safe,” I answered, getting a little closer to the truth than perhaps was wise.
“Did you see the demon, Marchioness?” the man to the right asked me. “Oh, and you might not remember me. I’m Karl, Count of…” He continued on while I tried to think of an excuse, until his next words forced me to think fast. “I was at the Winter Solstice Ball.”
I gave him a look for the first time. Relatively small and unthreatening, with a bush mustache that looked like it prematurely stole half the hair from his head, I didn’t recognize him at all. “Not until the battle proper.”
“Did you get a chance to fight the demon?”
“The church wanted to do it themselves,” I answered, trying to fight down my mounting nervousness.
“Really?” Duke Ludwig chimed in. “I’d have thought the Church would welcome a capable demon hunter such as yourself.”
I swallowed, taking a moment to think. “I’d have thought so as well. However welcome their aid may have been, however, their presence was a gross overreach of authority, was it not?”
The duke’s jaw tightened, but he surprised me by letting the matter drop. “Indeed. It is, after all, why we are gathered here today.”
Murmurs swept up and down the table, followed by several short conversations. By my ears, it seemed a slim majority knew the reason, while the rest assumed the growing unrest and danger posed by demons was the root cause.
It was, in a way. But had the Church not acted out as they did, I wondered if King Carvalon would have acted with such decisive summons. The mountains outside were a deeper red now, purple fading in at the edges.
I made small talk with Countess Veronika and Count Karl; highly concerning reports of missing travelers and demonic rituals dominated the narrative. Every conversation up and down the table kept returning to either the unrest or the Church’s intervention, and none of the plans bandied about would address the root cause. People were dying at Envy’s hand, and more than once I barely stopped myself from tearing the metaphorical, magical mask off.
If I did that now, Duke Ludwig would have the upper hand. I couldn’t even accuse him of sending mercenaries alongside the Church forces without outing myself poorly. Frankly, it was safe to assume their alliance in the battle had been of convenience, an awful coincidence of two same-goal parties meeting on the road.
Duke Ludwig, for all I detested the man, seemed an able administrator. Norgath was considered prosperous for all social strata. I did, however, doubt the man was so against the Church as he purported himself to be. Perhaps his views were meant simply to contradict Duchess Arina Kapel, and would change as hers pivoted.
The conversation continued until the red had faded almost entirely to purple, and the light in the room had dimmed to where candles had been lit by servants and refreshments served on small plates before the king’s imminent arrival was announced. Shadows cast by the duchess’s empty seat stretched long across the table.
Please be okay.
“Announcing His Royal Majesty, King Carvalon the First of Edath.”
The ornate doors by the table’s head opened as all seated within stood with practiced motion. Despite the fact I was pretty sure we all needed to watch His Majesty’s entrance, I received more than one double take.
Careful posture and a controlled voice could do wonders to diminish my presence. But standing up reminded at the very least the man next to me just how tall I was. Needless to say, I had an excellent view of the king’s entrance.
Carvalon wore a much more ornate suit than I’d seen him in last. Gold accents and thread, frilled cuffs, and at least three rings on his fingers completed the look of a ruler. Oh, and his crown—gold and adorned with just enough jewels to make me frustrated the wealth wasn’t spent elsewhere.
King Carvalon wasn’t a young man per se, but he looked a good deal more tired than the first time we’d met. Despite that, his eyes were bright and the slight stoop to his posture didn’t shake or jitter, leaving me to wonder how much of his countenance was an act.
He sat down with a flourish, then waved for us to be seated. No one spoke a word until he threw a glance at Duchess Arina’s empty seat, cleared his throat, and began.
“Thank you all for attending this summit on such short notice. Duchess Arina Kapel has arrived within the castle. She is preparing herself after a long journey and will join us shortly. I have instructed she be apprised of what I am about to say as well.”
He placed his elbows on the table and folded his hands. Apparently it’s not a breach of etiquette when the king does it. “Before we begin, for the benefit of those who may not be familiar, I will introduce two people specifically. Orwin Beck is here to represent his father, Duke Anzo of Lofren.” The king inclined his head ever so slightly. “Your father is a great and stout man; I wish him a swift recovery.
“Second, I wish to introduce the recently ennobled Marchioness of Astrye, Zarenna Miller. Some of you are doubtless familiar with her from the Winter Solstice Ball, but for those who are not, understand that I have put my faith in her as a current and future pillar of Edathan identity.” He smiled at me, somehow both warm and predatory.
Well, shit. All kind words and a vile-feeling undercurrent of plausible deniability. Under the table, I clamped my hands together as I returned the pleasant smile. “Thank you, Your Majesty. It is an honor to serve the people of Astrye and Edath as a whole.”
I drew more than one raised eyebrow for my choice of words. “Serve” Astrye rather than “lead.” Truthfully, I wasn’t quite sure why I’d chosen those words myself, but perhaps I considered my leadership more for humans than demons.
Regardless, it earned a chuckle from King Carvalon, who seemed pleased. “Excellent. As you can see, she represents the true spirit of a Marchioness. A spirit that has been heavily tested of late, no doubt.
“I will not mince words: the Church has violated the Treaty of Gedon. Perhaps not in ink, but in spirit. The same troubles we’ve been facing are not isolated to Edath: the Empire, from Cavenze to the eastern forests, is facing crisis. To accuse Edath of falling to corruption and of failing to administrate effectively in the face of a demonic threat is slanderous at best.
“To date, the Empress has not condemned the actions of the Church of Dhias. As such, we must be prepared to face an emboldened Church that will seek to regain the authority we had rightfully stripped from it.
“It is my firm belief we must take decisive action. Whether that be by pen or sword shall be determined at least in part by the results of today’s words. So I urge you all to think carefully, think toward the future, and think not of personal gains but the glory of Edath.
“With this, I open the discussion.” He opened his hands and sat up straighter, eyes panning the assembled nobles.
“If I may,” Duke Ludwig started immediately, “I would also like to highlight the ongoing crisis. For as much as the Church’s interference may prove a threat to Edath’s autonomy, my highest priority is the wellbeing of the citizens of Norgath.
“At the Winter Solstice Ball, demons were directly responsible for dozens of deaths and the near destruction of my estate. I am not alone in losing my home and those close to me while having only one tenuous lead as to the source of this demonic incursion.
“If we were able to take decisive action and make headway against this threat, I believe the Church’s already fallacious argument would be easily dismissed by all parties. Does anyone agree?” Duke Ludwig finished by placing his hands together.
Murmured agreement sounded up and down the table. I made sure to nod as well, because despite the subtext that I dreaded he was using as a foundation for an accusation, the logic was sound. I very much liked the people of my homeland with their blood and bones inside of them.
“Has the investigation from the Winter’s Solstice Ball turned up nothing?” Count Karl next to me asked.
“That is the one lead,” Duke Reynard confirmed with a raised finger. “The demons infiltrated my staff, using the distraction of Marchioness Renna’s unusual affliction to poison Duchess Arina Kapel.”
“The Marchioness’s unusual affliction?” King Carvalon asked.
Duke Reynard shot me a glare before taking on a snide smile. “She has professed to be a demon hunter, Your Majesty. As such, she has been tainted by their corruption and a nightsbane held in her hand slowly turned black under the watch of myself and many others who are here today.”
“I see,” King Carvalon said slowly. “Well, that aligns with my understanding of her as well, Ludwig. She has demonstrated quite the capability, even before I ennobled her. I would hardly call such a thing an ‘affliction.’”
“Is that why you’re so tall?” Count Karl asked. “I never had the chance to ask you at—”
“Sort of,” I cut him off, desperate to make sure I didn’t miss my opening. Across from me, Countess Veronika was wringing her gloved hands and looking rapidly between myself and the duke.
“Is it not prudent then, that we rule out all possibilities?” Duke Ludwig pressed. “I think highly of Marchioness Zarenna for the work she did to save lives at my estate. However, if there is a possibility that her presence may attract demons, or that the corruption present in her may turn her against Edath, it is critical we understand the full picture.”
This time, the murmurs that broke out were a little more divided. It warmed my demonic heart to think that there were at least some complete strangers who thought the duke was being unreasonable.
“Duke Ludwig,” King Carvalon started. “Do you mean to accuse the marchioness of wrongdoing?”
“Not at this juncture, your highness.”
Deep breaths, Zarenna. I wanted to bring up the mercenaries, but I hadn’t thought to bring proof. And if I did, the question of what precisely they were attacking would risk turning the narrative against me.
There were two options ahead of me: continue the game of subtle politics I was terrible at and hope to beat a seasoned professional, or do something wholly unexpected. The trick was landing on the right side of the line between “unexpected” and “colossally stupid.”
“May I respond, Your Highness?”
“...You may.”
“Duke Ludwig.” I inclined my head and panned over the table with a serious gaze. “I must admit an unfortunate truth that the people of Astrye have suffered through: I have made enemies of two powerful demons, the Sovereigns of Envy and Avarice. I believe they are the ones behind this crisis, and they have previously targeted those close to me.”
“However, I can assure you that you do not have to worry about me ‘falling to corruption.’” I smiled, my teeth sharpening as I let my transformation slip. Behind me, I heard hands moving to weapons in the stunned silence. A lick of flame escaped my lips. “You can’t corrupt someone who’s already a demon.”
I looked straight at King Carvalon and winked.