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  In the beginning, Trouble had not obeyed her any more than anyone else. Only when Rebenna sprained her wrist trying to break the mare to saddle did Geb force her to accept his help. He had taught her how to get Trouble's attention and control the willful battle mare without resorting to force. The result was a somewhat tame but no less mischievous companion, who obeyed only Rebenna and her brother.

  The crowd in the streets was thinner than normal, since it was slightly after sunrise. Rebenna had been to Desert Stronghold countless times, but she still enjoyed the architecture. When people lived in the desert, miles away from "civilized lands,” they tended to enrich their lives with artwork. The capital was originally built in a desert because the arid landscape and weather made it nearly impregnable. Nevertheless, that did not prevent people from wanting to be near the powers-that-were in Noenna.

  Bas relief was a favorite form of artwork for the buildings themselves. Lacking a unified religion, they depicted historical events rather than religious ones. Another common theme featured magical animals, which had been systematically eradicated during and after the Revolution.

  Although many people were indoors due to the early hour, Rebenna avoided the market streets. They were always busy, regardless of the time of day. Seeing a person in uniform and on horseback made the crowd part. Seeing a woman in uniform and on horseback made it positively recoil.

  "Isn't that the new ambassador?" she heard a man ask.

  "Yes, her name is Karen or Kathy or some such thing. She took over her father's position. Poor thing," a female voice responded.

  "Poor thing? She should never have taken a man's job,” the male voice scoffed. "But then again, no one else would take a job to Malzepher."

  Rebenna kept her head up and urged Trouble away from the speakers. There would always be people who held her in contempt for what she was doing. It was true, though, that the only reason she had gotten the job was that no man had wanted to put himself in that kind of danger.

  She had taken the position for various reasons, none of which anyone seemed to understand. Mainly, she wanted to continue her father's work: Jonathan had mediated between Malzepherians and Noennaans to end pointless conflicts. She also wanted to help those who needed aid; even as a young girl, she had loved being an arbitrator.

  What could the king want? she silently asked herself. Though she had been ambassador for nearly a year, she had not yet received a formal assignment. She suspected she had been kept waiting because she was a woman. Hopefully, this would be her first job.

  She reviewed all she knew about Malzepher. The land had once been a part of Noenna — but around seventy-five years before, the tenants had rebelled. The current king of Malzepher, King Rutherford, had only been five years old when the revolt had ended. Noenna had lost many brave men in that revolution and had eventually been forced to let the land west of the Impenetrable Mountains go.

  King Rutherford had a single child, a son named Delmer. Rebenna had met him when they were younger at a formal outing, which their fathers had attended. Then he had seemed like a typical eight-year-old boy, though he had lacked the normal arrogance of most High-born. He had also lacked other direct relatives. The only other bloodline with a legitimate claim to the throne was Duke Kennith and his son Lord Richmon. They were obscurely related to the prince through Delmer's mother, and not even of real royal lineage.

  She smiled with satisfaction. She probably could have listed every major High-born within Kingdom Cove and the nearby merchant cities as well. She could do the same thing for every High-born in Noenna. Her memory was impeccable. She loved making people slightly uncomfortable with how much she knew about them.

  After her father’s death, no one had been willing to become the ambassador to Malzepher, and Rebenna had stepped forward. Though her mother, Marian, had strongly objected when she had applied for the position.

  Rebenna was known far and wide for her ability to negotiate and was said to be better at it than even her father had been. She seemed to affect both humans and animals with this unnatural ability, and people noted that her negotiations were always made with a smile. Even when dealing with her difficult horse, which acted more like a stallion than a mare, she had a firm smile on her face. The truth was that Rebenna just thoroughly enjoyed dealing with the social aspect of life and had become good at it.

  While contemplating, she had reached the stables. The castle was at the top of a man-made hill. It had been created to give a view for miles all around the city. The stables had grown past the walls surrounding the castle. The stables served all the High-born who cared to use them.

  Dismounting, she led Trouble into the building where the stable master headed directly for her. "I was informed you would be arriving. Allow me to take your horse, Ambassador."

  As he reached for the reins, he yelped and jumped away from Trouble, which had decided to take a bite out of his hand. He looked contemptuously at the horse and then at Rebenna and snorted, "She acts like a warhorse, not an ambassador's palfrey."

  Rebenna smothered a piqued retort. Stupid man, he can't even tell the difference between a horse bred for riding and one for fighting. How did he get his job?

  "It is no problem. I will take her myself,” she said, trying to keep calm.

  Finding an empty stall reserved for guests, she settled her mare into it. "Don't make any more mischief,” she admonished Trouble with a twinkle in her eye.

  At the door a servant spotted her and conducted her to a parlor outside the king's private receiving room. It had two windows, both closed. She looked longingly at them, willing them to open. The castle was even hotter than outside. It's only a few marks after sunrise, and it is already stifling. I am glad I live near mountains.

  Fortunately, it was not long before an aide conducted her into the adjoining room. She rose, her sweat-slicked body making her uniform even more revealing. She had chosen the cooler version of the ambassadorial garb, that consisted of a sleeveless navy-blue tunic over a white linen shirt and tan breeches. Nevertheless, she was hot. She nodded at the guards, who nodded back and led her through the door.

  King Marus sat on his throne looking much younger than his thirty years. Unlike his father, King Hector, he had already proven to be rash and selfish. Rebenna privately disliked the king. It was said that he took after his grandfather, the tyrant Malzepher had rebelled against. He was heavy-set, with dark eyes and a strong jaw. Many considered him to be handsome, but Rebenna had always preferred Malzepherian looks over Noennaans’.

  She bowed before him, and respectfully waited for him to speak first.

  "I'm glad you were able to come so swiftly, Ambassador Rebenna. I will speak plainly, so you will understand me." Rebenna silently bristled at the condescension but kept her face smooth and calm. The king continued, "The reason I have summoned you is that I have an assignment for you." He paused briefly and smiled at Rebenna, as though she were a particularly promising toddler. "Perhaps you have heard, King Rutherford, the King of Malzepher, met an...untimely demise yesterday. His son and heir, Delmer, has taken over. How ironic that the king should be killed on the very day of Malzepher's Celebration of Independence."

  Rebenna disguised her surprise and suspicion. This is news to me. How can this king already know? Not even the fastest messenger bird alive could have reached here already.

  Marus waved his hand, moving the conversation on. "I wish you to go to Malzepher and establish friendly terms. Get close to the new king. He will be susceptible to certain charms. He is grieving and will need comfort. I want you to inform me if he plans to attack us.”

  "Why would he want to attack us?" she asked, playing the lackwit he obviously thought she was.

  "You must not concern yourself my dear. Politics can be complicated," he replied, a greasy smile on his face. "Once you make friendly terms with Malzepher, you must report back to me personally. The former king and his mother before that have been too firm in their power, but an unsure young king will make mistake
s and not be ready for an attack."

  She would not cover her shock at this declaration and dropped her mask. "You wish me to seduce the king, spy on him, and then attack Malzepher based on information that I have collected?"

  "I believe that is essentially what I said,” Marus replied with disdain.

  "This does not seem to me to be a job an ambassador should perform. I am not a spy," Rebenna stated hesitantly. "Besides, why would we wish to attack Malzepher?"

  King Marus’ face contorted with rage. "Malzepher is our land. Your father never would have questioned me like this."

  Yes, he would have. You're just saying that to make me feel guilty. You know that you could never have gotten away with this plot while my father and King Rutherford were alive.

  To put him at ease again, she quickly gave her famous smile. "Of course, I cannot question your good judgment, King Marus. I will perform whatever job to set me." Like all the other brainless twits who serve you without question, she added mentally.

  "Excellent. This job will go smoothly if you follow my instructions. You are dismissed, Ambassador."

  Rebenna left a little confused, knowing there was some ulterior motive for her king's orders. It was more complex than simply desiring Malzepher. And how had the king known about the assassination? Not difficult to guess, but that didn't mean she liked it.

  She went to fetch Trouble, wanting to leave as soon as possible. She would be able to make nearly a half day’s journey before she had to stop. Prior to saddling the mare, she gave her a good grooming. Trouble was fairly passive because of the heat and the recent exercise. Swinging up onto her mare's back, Rebenna tossed a tip to the groom, who nodded his thanks.

  Rebenna had expected she would travel to Malzepher, so she had packed heavily. She already had everything she would need for the trip. When they ran out of food, they could live off the land. That way she could avoid her mother completely.

  As she guided her mare through the now crowded streets, she laughed silently at the looks on people’s faces. Men sneered in disgust, while women paled. No woman ever rode a horse; noblewomen took palanquins and peasant women walked.

  Well, before me no woman had held a political office either, but I changed that. However, if we had a more resolute king, I would never have been allowed to be ambassador.

  Though Rebenna's family was noble, they were well removed from the capital. Long ago they had been granted a land-holding in Ironton. Now they ruled over the town and even other noble families.

  Rebenna should have been kept away from horses and even books. Fortunately for her, she had been the only girl in a family with four boys. It also helped to be the youngest; her father had spoiled her. Even her two youngest brothers, seven and eight years older than she, coddled her.

  Geb had always been her favorite brother because he taught her physical skills like riding, archery, and sword work. She was more than proficient at all three. Flint, her second-youngest brother, had taught her to write and read. It was her father who had taught her politics and negotiation and made her want to be an ambassador.

  She had learned to play music alone. It was the only interest she had that truly pleased her mother for being ladylike. Rebenna was moderate on the lute but excelled at the harp. She took one with her everywhere, and it was as much a part of her life as Trouble was. Sighing over her family, she let her thoughts turn to her task at hand. She had to live up to her father's memory, which would be a true challenge.

  I will make father proud of me. I will not disappoint his memory.

  Chapter 2

  A fortnight of mourning was required for a death, whether of Low-born, High-born, or Royal. These fourteen days had been the hardest of Delmer's life. Without Morag, he might have given up. He was constantly in meetings, or making sure relations with Rugerr and Borse remained stable. He wanted to secure the status quo with Noenna as well but couldn't contact them. Their last communication had occurred the year before, when Noenna's ambassador had been killed in a raiding party.

  Tuck had discovered that the poison used against the king was of a rare variety, which had no known cure. It was made from the root of a desert flower. This again pointed to Noenna as the origin of the assassin. As for the actual assassin, it was obvious that he had been Noennaan.

  People from Malzepher were more lightly built and generally had blue eyes and dark hair, whereas people from Noenna were of heavier build, typically with brown eyes and blond hair. It was thought that it was the difference in climate that caused this interesting occurrence. Delmer found the blonde, brown-eyed combination in the Noennaans strange.

  As his foster-sister approached, Delmer was jerked back to reality. He never had time for any other thoughts than those concerning his duty and the future of his country. He knew the reason for Annabeth coming to him. It was time for the weekly assembly, where he would listen to any problems the people might have.

  Instead of waiting for the young woman, he walked up to meet her. She had been born right around the same time as he and had often been his companion when they were younger, before her mother died and the queen took her in. "Annabeth, is it time for the assembly already?"

  "Yes, it is, Your Majesty." She addressed him by his title, although they had been childhood friends. All his friends and servants, even the ones closest to him, had started to address him as Majesty. It was correct of them, but it irked him. He still was the same person, wasn’t he?

  "Annabeth, if you have no other business to attend to, I would like you to attend to me.” He added in a hushed tone, "We have known each other since we were babies, Annabeth. In private, I am only Delmer to you."

  She laughed, the barrier of formality dropping away. "I will happily attend to you, Delmer. Oh, I just heard that your second cousin Duke Kennith has finally confirmed he will attend the Coronation Ball! He has been absent from court for well-nigh two years, has he not?"

  "Thank you. Now at least I have a few days’ notice to prepare for an actual conversation with him. Do not worry; I will not forget my own coronation, especially since it is also the day of my father's funeral."

  "A funny thing, planning a celebration and a funeral on the same day," Annabeth muttered quietly.

  "Indeed, it is.” He stood lost in thought for a moment, then shook himself, “Come, let us go to the assembly now."

  She gave a small smile and followed him towards the reception room. They walked quickly and arrived in only a few marks, though the reception room was on the other side of the castle.

  Entering through the grand doors, Delmer nearly stopped in his tracks. It was the first assembly since the king's death. The crowd was enormous; the line went out the door. He had been to a handful of assemblies before, but he had never noticed the size of the crowd. He had always been too busy fiddling with the hilt of his sword or thinking about training. Now the thought of hearing the people's problems was daunting.

  He took the throne and made sure his face was neutral. The first story heard was of a young man whose father had recently died, leaving him with the responsibility of running his trading business. This story hit very close to home for Delmer, and he struggled to maintain his mask. He quickly solved the man's problems by suggesting a list of accountants who would help him keep track of his money. The young man's case was not a hard one to fix but made Delmer uncomfortably aware of how many people needed his help.

  Quickly, the tone was set. This man wanted to marry a woman his parents didn't approve of, while that woman wanted to get a job, but couldn't find a reasonable one for women. The problems were all fairly easy to fix, but it was tedious and heartrending work. The realm had a court system, but people often preferred a royal judgment.

  Delmer had never realized how much his father had gone through daily. By the end of the assembly Annabeth was dabbing Delmer's forehead, which was wet with sweat. Seeing that she was sweating too, Delmer dismissed her. He left quickly afterwards, heading towards the council chamber.

  Since
his father's death there had been a brief council meeting every day. Today, the permanent members would decide which other people would become permanent advisors. Delmer walked in and the three people there stood and gave sweeping bows. Tullister, the seneschal, was the closest to the door. Lindy was next to him at the circular table and Lynen was on his right. The latter two did not have other positions like Tully, but were full time advisors instead.

  "Council members, I would like to conclude this meeting as quickly as possible. Do we have any suggestions for making a full, new council of eight, including you?"

  "May I suggest we promote all the honorary council members to full membership?" Lindy said. “That will bring our number to seven at the stroke of a pen. All good and true High-Born men, who have served under your father, my king.”

  No one wasted time arguing against this idea. Lynen and Lindy had worked together for nearly twenty years, and Tully was a perfect match to them. Delmer still did not like council meetings because they were still run strictly by High-born. These three, at least, were reasonable.

  "What should be done about the eighth member?" Lynen asked.

  "I propose my present heir, Lord Richmon, son of Duke Kennith," Delmer stated, the idea just coming to him there and then.

  "Excellent idea, Your Majesty; he could use the experience in leadership," Tullister agreed.

  "Then we are agreed,” Delmer stated, relieved to come to such a painless conclusion. “I will call this brief meeting to adjournment and see you all tonight."

  With those words he all but fled from the council chamber. Bodyguards, who had been waiting at the door since they had not been allowed inside, rushed towards him. Delmer nodded to them and started walking fast. They hurried to keep up, but their king turned the nearest corner before them.

  He hit the small indent behind the corner of a tapestry and ducked inside the opening that appeared. Shutting the door securely behind him, he hastened his pace beyond a speed he would ever take in public. He got to his room almost panting. A fortnight without exercise, and already I'm getting out of shape.