War

Somehow, Haden had found herself charged with looking after the Listener and his companion. Guarding the young prince's nursery had been one thing – it was an honor to be so trusted, and it allowed her to be close to Jennsen. But this…

She was beginning to feel like a nursemaid.

All around them, preparations were being made for war. The Lords Rahl sat in council with the queen and the Confessor, deciding when and where to send troops. The wizard pored over books, searching for references to the place they were to find and the magical ritual they were to stop.

And every morning, she and Jennsen woke the children, made them bathe and dress, saw to their breakfast, and then escorted them through their tasks for the day.

It was a wise precaution, Haden knew. Lord Rahl feared that when word spread through the palace that the Listener was being introduced to everyone to determine whether they were loyal, attempts might be made on the boy's life. Being entrusted with his care, along with Jennsen, by the ruling Rahl himself was just as noteworthy as guarding the prince – perhaps more so, given the subtle acknowledgement of her relationship with Jennsen, and yet…

Haden would prefer a task she could shoot at.

Bracing herself, she entered the nursery wing. The Listener and Lexi the Orphan were being treated as if they too were royal children. They had a playroom, a study, and a bedroom each, just down the hall from the prince.

Jennsen was already sitting in the study with Renn, quietly going through a list of the residents of the palace with him, deciding who he would see that day. The boy's hair was still damp from washing, his pink cheeks bulging as he politely munched on an apple fritter from the tray Jennsen had brought for breakfast.

"Where is the girl?" Haden asked, though she already had an idea.

Jennsen gave her an exasperated look. "I've told her that she has to stay in her room until she's prepared to mind her manners and do as she's told. You know she only listens to you."

Haden sighed, then put her hand on her Agiel and strode to the door leading to Lexi's room, opening it to find the girl sitting on the bed in her nightgown.

"Get yourself up and ready. Now!"

"I dun wan' ta wear tha dress. I want leathers."

"No. Only Mord'Sith may wear leathers."

"I wan' ta be a Mord'Sith."

"You're too young to volunteer."

Haden grabbed Lexi by one of her thin arms and dragged her none too gently to the washbasin in the corner of the room.

"Am not! Agh! Tha water's cold."

"It would be warm if you had washed when you were supposed to."

"I don't like warshin' all tha time. 'Fore I came here, I only warshed every couple o' weeks."

"That was before you came to the People's Palace. Here you will wash every day." Haden poured water over the girl's head, uncaring that she soaked her nightdress, then thrust a dry cloth into Lexi's little hands. "You are not disciplined enough to be Mord'Sith. Mord'Sith obey orders." Slyly, she added, "Mord'Sith wash every day."

Once Lexi was dry, Haden dragged her back over to the bed, picked up the dress the girl had thrown to the floor, and shoved it at her. "Put on your dress."

"No."

Haden didn't notice the way Lexi tried to imitate her tone and inflection, or that the child was mimicking her stance almost exactly.

Her patience now at an end, Haden grit her teeth, a muscle in her jaw flexing. "Do you know how easily I could kill you and dispose of the body? Or better yet," she ran her fingers down her sheathed Agiel, "force you to obey with this?"

The girl child laughed at her. She was clearly insane.

"Ya won't do nothin' ta me. If any of yehs kill me, Renn won't help no more. He promised. And sides that, if ya did anythin' ta me, Renn would know what ya done, and he'd tell tha princess, and she won't let ya tickle her velvet no more."

Quick as a snake, Haden gripped Lexi's shoulders in both hands. Her voice was deadly serious when she said, "You will mind your tongue when you speak about Lady Jennsen."

White as a sheet, despite her bold talk, Lexi nodded.

Haden stepped back. "Put on your dress."

Almost meekly, Lexi picked it up, but didn't put it on. "Hate pink," she mumbled.

Haden's lips twitched. "If you wear the dress today, tomorrow I will get you breeches and a tunic like the Listener's."

Emboldened again, Lexi looked up. "I want lea-"

"Only Mord'Sith wear leathers."

Lexi thought a moment. "I'll wear tha dress taday if I kin have breeches from now on, 'n ya let me hold yer hawky bird while Renn is doin' his borin' Listener spells."

"Done." Haden smiled one of her rare smiles.

"Do I hafta wear tha hair ribbin?" Lexi asked as Haden bent to lace up the back of the girl's dress.

Haden looked at the offending hair piece, held pinched between Lexi's fingers. "No. But don't tell-"

"Dun tell tha princess."

With that, the pair of them left Lexi's room to find Jennsen and Renn waiting for them in the study.

"Good, you're ready." Jennsen stood as they approached. "Renn has been working very hard. We've only the kitchen staff left to interview in the palace, then we can move on to the citizens of the city."

They had started with the military, the resident nobles, and any servants likely to come into contact with Prince Mason. So far, they had found only small wrongdoers – maids who stole cutlery, guards who cheated at cards, those sorts of things. As it became clear that there were no more spies of the Brotherhood within the palace, Lord Rahl gradually relaxed the security measures around the prince.

It was a relief to all of them to no longer be so confined to the nursery.

While Haden and Jennsen spoke, Renn got up and held his handkerchief out to Lexi. He'd saved her one of the apple fritters, even though Jennsen said it was the girl's own fault she missed breakfast. "You look pretty," he whispered, smiling at her.

She punched him in the shoulder, but took the apple fritter.

-l-

"Then we are in agreement. We will send the First Battalion to the old world. Even if they had a specific destination, they wouldn't reach it before the eclipse. Not even marching double time the entire journey. But if they begin travel now, they may be able to join us after we engage the Brotherhood. It could mean the difference between victory and defeat."

"You're sure you can't transport them with magic like you're going to do with us, brother?"

It was Zedd who answered, "Even with Darken and I working together, to try to take more than eight or so such a long distance without an anchoring gate spell is asking for disaster. It's not just a matter of power – power we have. But even we are limited by the laws that govern the world."

"Suffice it to say, brother," Darken cut Zedd off before he could begin one of his long winded magical lectures. "Someone would die in the attempt."

Richard nodded, scrubbing a hand over his face and then back through his hair. It was getting longer. Soon he'd need to cut it or tie it back to keep it out of his eyes.

It made him look a lot like his brother.

He stood. "I'll go talk to the men. Tell them the plan."

Darken nodded to him and rose to his feet, a silent acknowledgment that the meeting was adjourned.