Chapter 8
*
Inside the council chamber, everyone stared at her. If Cassa's mission were less urgent, she would have been prey to a massive attack of stage fright. As it was she bowed to the King, and waited for him to acknowledge her.
King Theran had shoulder length, blonde-brown hair and looked every inch a king. Cassa had never seen him close to before, but recognized him from the few times she'd seen him from a distance, and from pictures. He looked at her curiously, but it was the King's Own, Jedin, who spoke first.
"Cassa! What are you doing here? You were on circuit with Garen!" He said, obviously worried. "Where's Leena? Is she alright?"
Cassa tried to stem the questions with an upraised hand. "Leena was guarding my back trail to stop the bandits making chase." She replied, forgetting that this would only confuse her listeners further.
"Perhaps, my dear," the King said gently "You should begin at the beginning." He gestured at a chair. "Now tell us why you are in Haven, and why you are here."
"Yesterday evening, someone crossed the Karsite border at White Foal Pass. He had a message for Herald Garen." Cassa noticed that Theran and Jedin exchanged a significant look. "After reading the message, Garen said it was very important, and had to be taken to you at once." Cassa pulled the papers from inside her cloak, and gave them to the King. He took them but did not read them. "Unfortunately, the messenger was being followed by a bandit group. My Foresight didn't come active until it was too late." Now she was no longer so eaten up by purpose, Cassa felt grief over Garen's death. "The bandits killed Garen and the messenger immediately. They closed around me and Leena." Cassa grimly contemplated their fate had they not known how to fight. It was not a pleasant one. "Leena held the road long enough for me to escape with the message. I don't know what happened to her." Anxiety replaced grief then; had Leena escaped? Was she dead, or dying, even now?
Theran began to read the papers now that Cassa had finished, but Jedin seemed to have other interests. "You rode from White Foal Pass to here in a night and a day?" he asked incredulously. "No other Herald could do that!"
"I did, with Camber." Cassa had not thought of that before - surely it was a new record!
They might have said more, but one of the great lords of the council - silent until this moment - chose to speak.
"Perhaps the girl should leave now?" He suggested in a slightly patronising tone. "The King will no doubt wish to reveal the contents of the papers."
"I do indeed," Theran said before Cassa could leave. "But Cassa has exhausted herself bringing these here; she should be allowed to know what she has brought."
Not even exhaustion could stop the giddy amazement that threatened to overwhelm her. She was going to sit in on a Council meeting? The very idea was laughable! Yet -
"Herald Garen was our spymaster." Jedin told her. "He has been for years. Only he knows the name of all the contacts and informers in and around Karse. That's why he and Dara were still on circuit, rather than retired." Cassa nodded; this revelation explained a lot.
The King cleared his throat. "These papers are battle plans, invasion plans. The Karsite army is already on the move, towards White Foal pass." Cassa could not smother a gasp, but it was drowned out by the murmurs and exclamations from the council. No wonder Garen's messenger had been followed! Everyone knew the Border bandits were in league with the Karsites. "You and Leena may well have brought information that will save Valdemar; without this knowledge, the Karsites would have overrun us. I convey the heartfelt thanks of the whole kingdom."
"How are we going to stop them?" demanded one panicky Lord.
The King looked grim. "It will be War with the Karsites. They have no advantage, now, but neither do we."
Cassa cleared her throat, feeling extremely self-conscious. "What about that trainee there are so many rumours about?" She asked, blushing when they stared at her. "Lavan Firestarter?"
"That's a good notion," Jedin approved. "But first there's that trial with that madwoman, Jisette."
Cassa listened intently; she must have missed this on her internship. "Trial?" she inquired.
Jedin looked slightly sour. "Jisette Jelnack blames Lavan for the death of her son." He explained. "She hired some murderers to get revenge. Lavan stopped them, but there has to be a public trial to prevent this happening again. And it will," He added. "Jisette is telling everyone that Lavan was responsible for the school fire."
Cassa thought this over. This had great potential for a wonderful piece of theatre. "Could you not reveal the war at the trial, and then introduce Lavan as the hope of Valdemar?"
The King looked surprised. "Where did you learn so much about politics?"
Cassa smiled. "Not politics, Majesty; people, theatre. I worked in a Carnival before I was Chosen."
The King smiled at her. "Well, it's a good idea, and one I wouldn't have thought of immediately. Thank you."
Cassa was astounded. Not even grief or anxiety could spoil this moment; she had advised the king! And he had thanked her! Not many people, or even Heralds, could say that.
*
The elation of the council meeting had quickly worn off, due to exhaustion and anxiety. Cassa had returned to her rooms, to be enthusiastically greeted by Mitt - Mitt had not enjoyed being left alone in the colegium.
Sleep did not come at her calling, in spite of an incapacitating weariness. Cassa had convinced herself that Leena was still alive, but when she tried to See the future, all she found was a dark maze, and many of its endings led only to death.
Finally, Camber intervened.
:You're keeping me awake, you know,: Her mindvoice was waspish. :What are you stressing about now?:
:Leena risked her life for me,: Cassa answered. :And I don't know what happened to her! She could be hurt, or dying . . .:
Camber sounded exasperated. :She isn't dead; the Bell would have rung. And we - the Companions - can still Feel Destus, so I very much doubt she's dying.: Camber's tone softened. :Chosen, I'm worried about Leena and Destus, too. I'd miss Leena almost as much as you would, and I'd miss Destus more than you would -: Cassa smiled slightly. Camber and Destus were one of the few permanent Companion couples in the field. :- but don't lose sleep over it yet. It'll be days before they'd turn up in any case. Now sleep!: Camber ordered. :I'm tired, and your brooding is coming through to me, too!:
:Sorry, Camber.: Cassa sounded penitent. :I'll let you get back to your nap. Good night!:
*
Author's note: Short, I know. Sorry! There haven't been enough reviews to make me work hard. (Hint, hint.) Now - votes for killing Leena. I haven't made any plans, so if you dislike her, I can remove her from the story. Thanks for reading!
*
Inside the council chamber, everyone stared at her. If Cassa's mission were less urgent, she would have been prey to a massive attack of stage fright. As it was she bowed to the King, and waited for him to acknowledge her.
King Theran had shoulder length, blonde-brown hair and looked every inch a king. Cassa had never seen him close to before, but recognized him from the few times she'd seen him from a distance, and from pictures. He looked at her curiously, but it was the King's Own, Jedin, who spoke first.
"Cassa! What are you doing here? You were on circuit with Garen!" He said, obviously worried. "Where's Leena? Is she alright?"
Cassa tried to stem the questions with an upraised hand. "Leena was guarding my back trail to stop the bandits making chase." She replied, forgetting that this would only confuse her listeners further.
"Perhaps, my dear," the King said gently "You should begin at the beginning." He gestured at a chair. "Now tell us why you are in Haven, and why you are here."
"Yesterday evening, someone crossed the Karsite border at White Foal Pass. He had a message for Herald Garen." Cassa noticed that Theran and Jedin exchanged a significant look. "After reading the message, Garen said it was very important, and had to be taken to you at once." Cassa pulled the papers from inside her cloak, and gave them to the King. He took them but did not read them. "Unfortunately, the messenger was being followed by a bandit group. My Foresight didn't come active until it was too late." Now she was no longer so eaten up by purpose, Cassa felt grief over Garen's death. "The bandits killed Garen and the messenger immediately. They closed around me and Leena." Cassa grimly contemplated their fate had they not known how to fight. It was not a pleasant one. "Leena held the road long enough for me to escape with the message. I don't know what happened to her." Anxiety replaced grief then; had Leena escaped? Was she dead, or dying, even now?
Theran began to read the papers now that Cassa had finished, but Jedin seemed to have other interests. "You rode from White Foal Pass to here in a night and a day?" he asked incredulously. "No other Herald could do that!"
"I did, with Camber." Cassa had not thought of that before - surely it was a new record!
They might have said more, but one of the great lords of the council - silent until this moment - chose to speak.
"Perhaps the girl should leave now?" He suggested in a slightly patronising tone. "The King will no doubt wish to reveal the contents of the papers."
"I do indeed," Theran said before Cassa could leave. "But Cassa has exhausted herself bringing these here; she should be allowed to know what she has brought."
Not even exhaustion could stop the giddy amazement that threatened to overwhelm her. She was going to sit in on a Council meeting? The very idea was laughable! Yet -
"Herald Garen was our spymaster." Jedin told her. "He has been for years. Only he knows the name of all the contacts and informers in and around Karse. That's why he and Dara were still on circuit, rather than retired." Cassa nodded; this revelation explained a lot.
The King cleared his throat. "These papers are battle plans, invasion plans. The Karsite army is already on the move, towards White Foal pass." Cassa could not smother a gasp, but it was drowned out by the murmurs and exclamations from the council. No wonder Garen's messenger had been followed! Everyone knew the Border bandits were in league with the Karsites. "You and Leena may well have brought information that will save Valdemar; without this knowledge, the Karsites would have overrun us. I convey the heartfelt thanks of the whole kingdom."
"How are we going to stop them?" demanded one panicky Lord.
The King looked grim. "It will be War with the Karsites. They have no advantage, now, but neither do we."
Cassa cleared her throat, feeling extremely self-conscious. "What about that trainee there are so many rumours about?" She asked, blushing when they stared at her. "Lavan Firestarter?"
"That's a good notion," Jedin approved. "But first there's that trial with that madwoman, Jisette."
Cassa listened intently; she must have missed this on her internship. "Trial?" she inquired.
Jedin looked slightly sour. "Jisette Jelnack blames Lavan for the death of her son." He explained. "She hired some murderers to get revenge. Lavan stopped them, but there has to be a public trial to prevent this happening again. And it will," He added. "Jisette is telling everyone that Lavan was responsible for the school fire."
Cassa thought this over. This had great potential for a wonderful piece of theatre. "Could you not reveal the war at the trial, and then introduce Lavan as the hope of Valdemar?"
The King looked surprised. "Where did you learn so much about politics?"
Cassa smiled. "Not politics, Majesty; people, theatre. I worked in a Carnival before I was Chosen."
The King smiled at her. "Well, it's a good idea, and one I wouldn't have thought of immediately. Thank you."
Cassa was astounded. Not even grief or anxiety could spoil this moment; she had advised the king! And he had thanked her! Not many people, or even Heralds, could say that.
*
The elation of the council meeting had quickly worn off, due to exhaustion and anxiety. Cassa had returned to her rooms, to be enthusiastically greeted by Mitt - Mitt had not enjoyed being left alone in the colegium.
Sleep did not come at her calling, in spite of an incapacitating weariness. Cassa had convinced herself that Leena was still alive, but when she tried to See the future, all she found was a dark maze, and many of its endings led only to death.
Finally, Camber intervened.
:You're keeping me awake, you know,: Her mindvoice was waspish. :What are you stressing about now?:
:Leena risked her life for me,: Cassa answered. :And I don't know what happened to her! She could be hurt, or dying . . .:
Camber sounded exasperated. :She isn't dead; the Bell would have rung. And we - the Companions - can still Feel Destus, so I very much doubt she's dying.: Camber's tone softened. :Chosen, I'm worried about Leena and Destus, too. I'd miss Leena almost as much as you would, and I'd miss Destus more than you would -: Cassa smiled slightly. Camber and Destus were one of the few permanent Companion couples in the field. :- but don't lose sleep over it yet. It'll be days before they'd turn up in any case. Now sleep!: Camber ordered. :I'm tired, and your brooding is coming through to me, too!:
:Sorry, Camber.: Cassa sounded penitent. :I'll let you get back to your nap. Good night!:
*
Author's note: Short, I know. Sorry! There haven't been enough reviews to make me work hard. (Hint, hint.) Now - votes for killing Leena. I haven't made any plans, so if you dislike her, I can remove her from the story. Thanks for reading!