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Next chapter: Fragment
The Emperor's Mage
Chapter Twenty-seven: Verbal
Gary had offered to make the calls, but there wasn't much else for Alanna to do. Daine wanted to wait for her chance to speak with Arram alone, just as Alanna had always preferred at that age, and it would drive Alanna to do something if she was sitting there thinking all on her own. She would leave Gary the extra time to make final drafts of all the provisions, she'd give Jon the news.
She hadn't expected him to have his spelled mirror immediately at hand, but perhaps she should have. Sarge had been talking to her until just half an hour ago, and he would have sent a runner to the palace to give the king some warning.
"Alanna?"
"Hello, Jon. Did Sarge send on word?"
"He came on up himself to tell me quite a few things about Draper, but said that he wouldn't spoil the biggest surprise without a proper audience. It seems that it would be unfitting. I never knew Sarge was one for theatrics." Jon was feigning disapproval, probably to amuse himself, but he wasn't above a bit of showmanship. Alanna told him so, and the over-scripted presentation of the 'awesome' Dominion Jewel still made both of them laugh.
"Well. I seem to be doing this quite in the wrong order." Alanna finally felt a little more like herself, and maybe that was a much better way to give the news. "The papers are signed. We are at peace with Carthak, and did quite nicely on fishing rights and a basic set of rights for the trade route."
"And Daine?"
Alanna tweaked the magical protections surrounding her. Arram might have been able to peer through him, but the Emperor had handicapped himself of his best mage. "She's had quite a few shocks. I had to use my Gift to keep her magic from making waves, and I just might need a couple weeks to get her nudged back into shape. Daine was closer to Arram than nearly anyone, to hear Lindhall tell it, and it's a horrible reason to lose somebody."
Jon looked old all over again, but Alanna was in no shape to mend that for her friend. "Bring her home, then," he said. "We'll have peace for a time, then there will be some pretense for starting the whole process over again."
Alanna remembered one speck of good news, perhaps the only goodness to come from the trip besides the (however temporary) promise of peace. "Leave room to meet with Daine when we get back, Jon. You asked her, once, about her father."
Jon showed a spark of interest at that, but however much he teased she wouldn't give so much as a hint. That brief good mood passed, however. He had to get back to a meeting, and she had to go collect Daine. Her minute with Arram would happen soon, and no matter that Daine had preferred to wait alone, Alanna would be there when it was over.