A/N: Because I haven't said it in a while. The majority of the characters and places belong to Tamora Pierce.
If the meetings had seemed tense when discussing trade, Roald could only compare any of those so called tense moments to when he was a page and received punishment work. Hard enough at the time but nothing he couldn't handle. Now the meetings had turned for the worse and he felt the tension building like a noose around his own neck. Gwen had replaced their normal teas with calming teas in hopes to bring down the shouting that had started to take place over an hour before. Now looking at her, Roald could see her holding the now empty pot close like a good luck charm as she surveyed the room looking for yet another solution. He stared at her. After a moment she set the pot down and started to serve the contents of yet another pot that had been brought to the door only minutes earlier by a terrorized looking servant.
"The land was rightfully ours! It's part of Tusaine's history!" Juris stood and threw his fists down on the table, upsetting his cup of tea and spilling it across the table.
"It became part of Tortall during Jasson of Conte's wars. The land had been part of Tortall now for almost five generations. The people that live there have been Tortallan subjects all of their lives," Neal informed them. "The land was signed over in a treaty of peace during those wars."
"Not to mention the wording of the treaty of peace signed in the last war with Tusaine of 435 H.E. stated that Tusaine recognizes the land of the Drell River Valley belongs to Tortall and that any attempts to claim it could result in war," Faleron held up the documents in question. Every single person had a copy of the documents.
"Unlawfully taken during the wars of King Jasson! And King Ain was forced to sign those as you held his brothers hostage!" Juris threw a hand back and caught Gwen hard in the shoulder. She had been attempting to clean up the spilled tea. Roald watched her bite back a response of her own as she moved to another vantage point to mop at the tea. "It should be given back to its rightful owners. The people of Tusaine."
"It was given over lawfully in by your king at the time," Roald ventured his own comment.
"And if Tortall wasn't a bunch of barbarians pretending at civilization and hiding behind fantastic half truths of stories this conversation would be done as the right thing is to give back the land!" Another diplomat yelled. Once the personal attacks on the people of the country started, everyone took leave of their senses and started to bicker. This was what Roald had feared would happen. He would be blamed for war though he had been put in a fairly impossible situation. How did one handle such chaos and reign it back to civilized conversation. He stood trying to make his presence bigger and more commanding.
"Tortall is bullying us the way they bullied our forefathers. They dangle the trade we need as a small land locked country as bait and then take it away when we try and claim back what is ours!" One of the Tusaine diplomats yelled. Where conversation had turned to removing the trade agreements had come in, he wasn't sure. It was hard to grasp on to everything that was being said when eight people were all talking at once.
"If it's war you want, it's war you'll get!" Roald heard a man yell. "Let's take our advantage while we have it!" There was an incoherent shout that followed and a flash of red and gold crossed in front of him.
"No! Juris! Dammit!" The roar came from Sir Nikolas as Roald caught Gwen when she stumbled. Looking up Roald could see that Juris was being held down in his chair by Sir Nikolas and one of the other diplomats. Only Juris did not look appalled by his actions. So at least it hadn't been planned. But now Roald looked down at Gwen who was still in his arms with the hilt of a dagger sticking out of her shoulder.
"Neal," Roald called as he lowered Gwen into his own chair. "Gwen?"
"I'm okay," she whispered, a timid smile forming on her lips. "I didn't knock you out this time at least," she urged him to smile.
"I'm going to have to pull the dagger out to start to heal it," Neal told her, not bothering to look at anyone but Gwen. "On the count of three." He counted and Roald watched the pain pass over Gwen's features as the blade was pulled out the way it went in. "Fal? Go get my father. Tell him we'll need bandages, enough to wrap a shoulder wound."
"Get Sir Myles as well and have him bring some guards," Roald told him as he went out of the door.
"An assassination attempt is a very serious matter," Neal turned his attention half to Sir Nikolas. "Is this how you want these meetings to go?"
"Juris' actions are not condoned by the Monarchy of Tusaine," Sir Nikolas managed to say. "I do have to say Prince Edric would likely wish to be contacted regarding his behavior and be given the opportunity to intervene on his behalf. There are punishments that also have to be given to those who misrepresent the Crown he would like to put in place."
"Once the guards arrive you may go contact him. Should you need a mage, we can provide one for you," Roald informed the man.
"No need, I am a mage myself," Sir Nikolas held up a yellow green flame in his own hand and then extinguished it.
"I'm glad you got in your weapons' practice last night because you'll be restricted again," Neal informed Gwen. "It's not use complaining to me," he added when she pulled a face. "I'm going to cut your tunic off because pulling it over your head won't work right now."
"Your Highness, I'm going to need a new uniform," Gwen's smile was genuine as she looked to Roald and he couldn't help but smile back. She had taken a dagger for him. This was the second time she had taken a weapon aimed at killing him. And for the second time he had not been prepared for such an attack in his own palace. He would need to remedy that situation. And that Gwen was trying to make light of the situation meant she was trying to stop him from worrying over her. The door opened and the guards that came in were not the traditional palace guards that roamed but Captain Dom and a squad of the King's Own. Roald was certain he saw a look of relief pass over Dom's face when he noted it was not Kel or Neal that was injured. Myles arrived a moment later, his eyes sweeping over the room before landing on Juris being held in his chair and Gwen still being fussed over by Neal.
"What happened?" He asked though Roald was certain Faleron had filled him in. Roald reported what he was aware of and then added, quietly, that he was fairly certain that it had not been a plot put out by Crown in Tusaine but simply Juris acting on his own. His own companions seemed stunned by his actions and were helping in restraining him.
"Naturally, you'll wish to contact Prince Edric," Sir Myles turned to Sir Nikolas. "I hope you'll understand that we have an escort take you to your quarters to do so."
"It's only natural," Sir Nikolas looked to Gwen and frowned. "I want to assure you that this and war were the absolute last things that Tusaine wants to happen." He nodded to Dom who dispatched two of his men to go with Sir Nikolas and they left. Duke Baird arrived a few moments later with Faleron and after several moments of quiet discussion between Neal and Baird, Gwen was lifted up and moved out of the room.
"We'll have him confined to his rooms until we hear back from Prince Edric," Myles nodded to Juris. "The others we'll put guards on but not restrict their movements."
Then in a flash it was all taken care of. Roald stayed well after the Tusaine diplomats had cleared out with their guards and Sir Myles had left. Things had turned sour but as he thought about the ring leader in the sourness it had all been Juris. Perhaps Sir Nikolas had been right, that they did not wish for war. Certainly Sir Nikolas, the actual leader of the group, had not been putting in as much effort into riling up the meetings. In fact, he had hardly spoken at all except to point out that the land had historically belonged to Tusaine and that they needed the access to the River Drell.
"You're still in here?" Faleron peered in some time later.
"Cleaning up the wreckage," Roald pointed to the pile of cleaning cloths that he had begged out of a servant to mop up spilled tea and blood from where Gwen had dripped.
"Well leave the rest for the servants, it's why you pay them. Gwen's resting. She's still more worried about you than herself." Faleron made Roald stand and threw an arm around his shoulders. "Shinko is worried about you too. I can go assure your squire but you have to be the one to assure your wife. Should another child result out of this assurance, I am not going to be involved in any rumors of the origins of your dark haired, dark eyed children," Faleron winked as he steered Roald down the hall that led to his own rooms.
"Fal?" Roald stopped him before they made it to his rooms. "Answer something for me. Be honest."
"I'm always honest with you," Faleron assured him.
"Have I become so… I don't know… complacent maybe? Gwen has stepped in to save my life twice in less than half a year. Both times she's taken the damage for me. But I'm a fully trained knight. Shouldn't I have been able to realize what was happening?"
"Roald, you're surrounded by fully trained knights asking themselves the same questions. We were all so involved in the debate that we were just as stunned by what happened. Gwen's got exceptionally fast reflexes. Both Neal and I have questioned her on what warning signs she saw. She tells us it's usually the weapon that she sees that gives it away. So she has no more warning than most of us. She tells us that it's just instinct she's relying on when it comes down to it. We're just lucky her instinct is to protect you." Faleron sighed. "The ball, well, that only could have been avoided had we overly checked for weapons of people coming in, all night. That wouldn't go over well. Today could have been avoided. We should have looked into Juris a little better and we all should have been on alert when the tension started to rise in that room."
"We learned our lesson this time," Roald shook his head. "I hope we can avoid any tragedy next time. I'm not exactly sure what to thank Gwen with this time."
"Well, she needs a new uniform," Faleron winked and gave Roald a shove towards the door to his rooms. "Go see Shinko. I'll go watch over Gwen."
Roald watched Faleron walk away and smiled. He was grateful for his friends but he was mostly grateful for Faleron who knew exactly what to say to him and exactly how much teasing was enough. Roald also knew that Faleron would go keep an eye on Gwen just as he had volunteered himself to do when Gwen had first saved his life. He could rest easy knowing that Faleron was watching over his squire. And speaking of rest, he could certainly use some and he knew Shinko would know exactly how to take his mind off of the matters of the realm and his own life that usually kept him up at night. Perhaps this time, she might even feel bad enough for him to not drug his tea.