Chapter 33 | The Queen Who Ruled by Herself

Meetings

Gaping maw filled, Temmin returned to his study to find Jenks and no Teacher. "Where'd he get to?" said Temmin. "He said he wanted to catch up on all the time we'd missed. It was only a week, you'd think it'd been spokes and spokes."

"He said something, sir, about King Brinnid needing him," answered Jenks.

"Brinnid needs him?" said Temmin. "Oh, well, I can hardly blame him for standing me up, then."

In the guest wing, Stewn was just opening the door to the Teacher's knock. "Ah, Teacher, thank you for seeing me," said Brinnid, gesturing to his sitting room couch. "Can I offer you anything? Wuisc? Brandy? I've been furnished with several bottles of the best of everything the Keep's cellars have to offer, according to that worthy butler, Affton, and I've brought along some of my own favorites as well. Arom? Calvas--my own apples and my own distillery, you've never had the like, I promise. Ah, but now I remember. You don't indulge."

"No, your majesty," said the Teacher. "But please, don't take that as my disapproval." Stewn poured Brinnid out a measure of wuisc, bowed and left the sitting room, closing the door quietly behind him. "Now. What is this about, sir?"

"Always to the point, you counselor types."

"It is my job to be to the point."

"And you do it very well, your job, or so I hear." Brinnid took a sip of the ruddy golden wuisc. "Your job. Exactly what is your job, Teacher?"

"I'm sorry?" said Teacher, surprised. "I'm not sure I follow you, your majesty."

"You're Harsin's chief counsel, yes?"

"Yes," said Teacher cautiously. "You know that. We have met before on matters of state, in Belleth. First with your advisors and then with you directly as we settled this matter."

"My marriage. Odd to call it 'this matter,'" said Brinnid with a crooked smile.

"What do you need from me, your majesty?" said Teacher, a tad impatiently. "I have a student to teach."

"Whisht, counselor, calm yourself," said Brinnid. "Knowing Temmin he's either sound asleep or raiding the kitchens. Another of your jobs, teaching the Heir. How many Heirs have you taught?" The Teacher was silent. "I know generally speaking just how old you are, appearances to the contrary. We have always known they were no descendents of yours we saw century after century, but you yourself. The Heirs. Most of them?" prompted Brinnid.

"All of them."

"How did they lose the magic, the kings of Tremont? We still have ours, as do our brother kings elsewhere, and the Nijan Emperor. Even the leaders of the various islands in the Vakalele Confederacy have their little bit, even if it's just enough to catch a fish. And yet Harsin, ruler of one of the two great powers of our time, can't even kindle a fire. You can, though. I wonder," said Brinnid, stretching his long legs, "would you feel a tickle of magic in the Far Isles? When I am in Belleth, the land recognizes me. I feel a little ball of power scratching at the base of my skull, but I can't quite call on it."

"We have ruled in Belleth for several centuries. The land may recognize you, but it obeys us. And as for the Far Isles, I'll never know, for I cannot leave our borders. Again, your majesty, I ask you: What may I do for you?"

"Ah," resumed Brinnid, "you're Harsin's chief counsel. You hold the magic for the family. You're nigh-on immortal as far as I can tell. You teach the Heirs. Anything else?"

"I am trying very hard to follow your train of thought, sir, but it is quite peripatetic," said the Teacher sharply.

"Very well, I'll get right to it. How long have you been Princess Sedra's nanny?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Well, if you're not her nanny, you're definitely something to her. Which job of yours exactly covers your duties towards her highness?"

"If you mean to imply something, imply it and get this over with," said the Teacher wearily.

"And get called out? No, I'd rather just let you clear up my confusion as to what you are to her highness."

"What are you basing all this speculation on?" said Teacher, looking over at Brinnid with a frown.

"Observation. Of you. Of the princess. Of you and the princess."

"The princess and I have no business together."

"Ah, and hence my question." Brinnid shifted in his chair and smiled thinly. "That was quite a ferocious conversation the two of you conducted yesterday out by that ridiculous little pavilion."

The Teacher considered the king for a moment and then smiled. "Princess Sedra is on the ferocious side, your majesty."

"I very much hope she is," said Brinnid.

"That wasn't a question."

"No, it wasn't, was it? You seemed fairly worked up yourself. What were you talking about?"

"That is between her highness and me. If she wishes to answer that question, she may. But I will not."

"You have feelings for her."

"I do not, I assure you," answered the Teacher. "Not, at least, if you mean romantic feelings. I am not your rival, if that is your concern."

"But you do have feelings of some kind."

"Oh, most assuredly," said the Teacher quietly, looking down. "It is difficult to be near someone like Sedra and not have feelings of some kind."

"Specifics, please."

The Teacher looked up angrily. "Sir, you have my assurances that there is nothing now nor has there ever been anything between me and the princess but friendship, and currently not even that, to my great sorrow. If you must know, I was helping your suit yesterday, not hindering it."

"I'm not sure if I need that kind of help, if her expression during that conversation is anything to go by, my friend," said Brinnid.

"Any anger was directed at me, not you, your majesty, believe me."

Brinnid sat back in the wingchair, nodding and looking into his wuisc. "She's been angry with you for some time. I watched you dancing with her at the ball. What did you do to make her so angry?"

The Teacher sat silent, mouth working, then came to a decision. "I taught her."

"Taught her?" said Brinnid, raising his brows. "I should think that teaching her would please her."

"It did. It was the stopping that angered her. Her father did not approve, and in fact, I undertook teaching her knowing he would not approve."

"I think, counselor, there is more to it than that."

The Teacher stood. "Anything more is not mine to tell. As you become more the princess's confidante, you will be able to ask such things of her, and she will no doubt tell you. In the meantime, I must insist that this line of inquiry end."

Brinnid downed the last of his wuisc and stood up himself. "You say you are not my rival--and I believe you," he said, holding his hands up in front of him at the Teacher's scowl. "You are not my rival. The idea of you is." The Teacher nodded with a grimace. "Thank you for not insulting me and admitting as much. Now. How do I compete with a phantom? How do I win her heart? I ask you sincerely."

Temmin flung himself down on the green velvet couch and put his feet up. "I have an afternoon to myself! What have you planned for me, Jenks?"

"Nothing, sir," said Jenks from the bedchamber.

Temmin sat up. "Nothing? That's very un-Jenks-like behavior. There's always something I'm supposed to be doing."

"Then I suggest, sir, that you figure out what that something is, and do it," Jenks answered as he came out bearing a suit coat that needed a freshening.

"Look here, Jenks, don't run off! What is the matter with you? Ever since I came back from the Temple you've been acting funny!" Temmin frowned in concern. "I saw Her kiss you, you know--Neya." Jenks lifted his brows and gazed at the floor. "Did She tell you something that made you angry with me?"

Jenks looked up, startled. "No, no, Tem--no, sir, no, not at all. Many a time I've wanted to throttle you over the years," he said with some of his old warmth, "but not at this particular moment."

"You can't tell me what She said, I understand. I can't tell anyone, either. Except Teacher. For some reason he can talk about things the gods tell a person. Queer fellow, that Teacher, but he's all right, I s'pose." He shook himself. "Still gives me a chill, though. Any event," he continued, laying back down, "if you need to talk to someone about what She said, go talk to Teacher."

Jenks was silent, holding the coat over one arm and picking imaginary bits of lint from its sleeve. "Perhaps I should. I'm not sure I understand entirely what She said." Or perhaps I do and I don't want to, he added to himself with a sigh. "I would suggest a sparring match with young Wallek, sir, but it's his day off."

Temmin yawned. "Well, then, if you don't have an idea, I think I shall follow my inclination and take a nap!" He settled down against the cushions and closed his eyes.

Jenks sighed in exasperation and then took the coat down below stairs to the laundry for a good airing. Coming back into the main servants hall, he saw the kitchens were quiet after lunch; the pastry chef worked alone, glazing a rack of fruit tarts and mixing up doughs for tea, while Ania polished silver at the servants' table. She looked up through the wisps of dark hair hanging over her eyes and acknowledged Jenks with a nod and a slight tug at the corner of her mouth that passed for a smile. "Art looking for Britt, Mister Jenks?" she said in her brittle little voice. "She's in her room, resting a wee bit before tea service."

"No, I wasn't," he answered, but she only gave him a shrewd look before re-applying elbow grease to the plate in her hands. Jenks set his mouth and climbed the servants' stairs to the mezzanine. He really hadn't intended to look Britt up, but he was so restless, so--no, he would pass by.

But at the sound of his step in the hall, her door opened, and he came to a halt. "Mister Jenks," said Britt. "And here thou art."

Jenks looked down into her round face for some time before he said quietly, "Here I am."