The sky was grey and clouds hung low over the Queen's Garden. On days like this most Attolians were reluctant to venture outside, but the weather pleased Eugenides. It was warm despite the gloom, and the whole of it reminded him of the summer storms that broke over Eddis. He looked around idly, but saw no one aside from Attolia who walked silently by his side. Gen started to sing softly under his breath:

"Alas, my love, you do me wrong,

For I have loved you well and long,

Delighting in your company"

"My Lord Attolis, what are you singing?" Attolia's brow began to crinkle and she pursed her lips. The ballad and tune were both unfamiliar to her; it was written in Dorian mode with a rather Continental meter. Yet, it sounded strangely familiar.

"You mean you haven't heard it yet?"

"Don't be peevish." There was a edge in her voice that would have alarmed most people.

"My memory seems to fail me, My Queen," The king said lightly while pretending to inspect his sleeve with great interest. "But perhaps Costis knows?"

At this Costis sighed and got up from his post at the edge of the garden. With a baleful look at the roll he was eating, Costis tightened his armor straps and hurried towards the walking path.

"Is there something my queen desires?"

"Yes Costis, could you please inform me as to the origins of this song."

"Which song my queen?"

Costis was now more confused than usual. He often did not understand Eugenides, but he had long come to terms with that. After all, it would be a rather unimpressive king who was only as clever as a second rate guardsman. Frankly, he always regretted paying attention to his King and Queen's conversations, Attolis tended to pull Costis in as a prop for their flirtation if he happened to be near. Today however, Costis was truly perplexed.

"Greensleeves was all my joy

Greensleeves was my delight,

Greensleeves was my heart of gold,

And who but my lady greensleeves."

Eugenides had reached the chorus and bellowed it with more enthusiasm than musical talent.

"That song, Costis."

Of course, though Costis. It was never a simple task for gods forsaken Costis. No, he could not simply tell her, ' Why it is "The Frog Chorus" from the latest play, my Queen.' He supposed Attolis thought it would be amusing to make Costis explain.

"Oh, why did you so enrapture me?

Now I remain in a world apart

But my heart remains in captivity."

"Well... My queen, it is, that is to say," Why, thought Costis, did Eugenides always force him to explain the inexplicable.

"Costis." The Queen pursed her lips and looked slightly displeased. The hint of frost in her voice spoke to Costis about demotion, decapitation, and having his family removed from their land.

"The, the younger Erondites wrote it." Did the queen really not know, wondered Costis. Every milkmaid in Attolia knew that Dite was in love with his Queen, but was it possible that she still not be aware of it? She certainly showed no flicker of recognition, but the again she was Attolia.

"He sent it off to be printed before he left for the Continent. It's about a lady." He had run out of vague statements to make, so he stood there, feeling rather foolish and sorry for himself.

"Thank you Costis. You are the very soul of helpfulness."

Relieved, Costis tried to run away without looking like he was fleeing.

"Walk with us, Costis," The king suggested, as if Costis had a choice. "Do you know the next verse?"

Sighing, Costis half mumbed and half spoke the lyrics.

"I had been ready at your hand,

To grant whatever you would crave,

I have both wagered life and land,

Your good will and love for to have."

He would have had a solid, bright baritone if he had trained his voice to sing rather than shout battle cries and commands.

"No, I am more at your command,

Granting favors while you sleep"

I have both wagered life and hand,

Your good-will and love for to keep."

Eugenidies chimed in with the second speaker's part, still husky and unmusical. And suddenly the cogs clicked into place for Costis.

…

"I commend you on your musical ability, My Lord." Attolia arched an eyebrow, amused.

"Oh no, we Eddisans are very unmusical as a rule. We don't get nearly that bored during the winters," responded Eugenides just as dry.

"Green? I never wear green, not anymore."

"I never thought green suited you anyways. Oh, I doubt it was intentional on Dite's part anyways. He's a bit too, Dite to do something like that. I suppose 'green' just rhymed well."

"The under secretary of agriculture has been waiting."

It was a special talent of Attolia's to turn conversations around without inviting comment. Eugenides had the equally rare skill of ignoring this and plowing on through regardless.

"That old man with all the dung samples? I needed to get in some sword practice anyways."

Attolia knew that Eugenides would hear of everything that went on during the meeting anyways, and allowed her husband to leave.

…

"Let's start on parries in Quatre, shall we Costis?"

"Yes my King." Even though Costis knew now that Eugenides was one of the best fencers he had ever seen, he couldn't help being bored with the basic exercises his king liked to run through.

"Costis, how does the next line go?"

Costis muttered the verse under his breath.

Ah, Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu,

To Gods I pray to prosper thee,

For I am still thy lover true,

Come once again and love me."

Eugendies boomed the very last verse.

"Ah, Lover False, now farewell, adieu,

I must confess I did like thee,

But now I am the only one,

Come no more to call on we."

"That last verse is rather awkward, don't you think Costis."

"I don't know sir, I'm not very musical."

"Neither am I. That's why it's not a very good verse. Don't look at me like that, I hardly wrote the whole song. Dite wrote it on the ship before it sailed off. I just added some verses to the end."

Costis understood. The second speaker in the song was Eugenides's point of view, obviously, but he never thought that it was his writing as well. Eugenides had clearly learned something about poetry from copying over scrolls in Eddis's library. The Thief of Eddis writing half of a love song to the Queen of Attolia? A few years ago that would have been the punchline to a joke.

Author's Note:

Greensleeves is a traditional English song, occasionally attributed to Henry the 8th, who was rather more musical than Gen.

The real lyrics are found here:

http./student_orgs/arthurian_

I basically only added the second speaker's part. The Dite's half is basically unchanged.