"I maintain that entertainment has more importance than many believe," Delphinia persisted.
"I thought their meeting would be over by now," Avor said. "I'm sure Father cares little whether Take goes or not. If he had his way," he paused, glancing at Electra and lowering his voice, "Take would likely be back in the dungeon."
Delphinia frowned at Avor. "Take has become your sister's friend, and an asset to Fernland. In truth, I, too, will miss him and his friends if they leave to go to Barburee. Their performance was outstanding."
A page stepped into the room to announce the King's arrival. He quickly stepped aside as Geoffrey entered the room.
"You should have started without me," Geoffrey stated, noticing that no one was eating. Geoffrey sat in his place at the head of the table and continued. "I spoke to Bataar after my meeting with Take and his two assistants. It is arranged to everyone's satisfaction."
Delphinia signaled to the page that lunch could now be served. "We are all anxious to hear the details, Dear."
King Geoffrey smiled malevolently. "That rascal Take had the effrontery to use me as an excuse not to accept Bataar's offer to visit Barburee. Actually, it worked out to my advantage as I've now added Muller the Spy and that young language student to the excursion."
"Hilgard?" Avor asked.
"Who?" King Geoffrey said.
"Hilgard is the name of the student who translated the night of the magic show," Avor said.
"Oh. Yes, I'm sending him along. He may be able to pick up some intelligence, not that he was all that impressive in his translations."
"Did Bataar say why he wanted the magicians to go to Barburee?" Electra asked.
"No, at least not as far as I know. It's often difficult to take his meaning. Why?"
"It just seems odd," Electra said.
"When will they be leaving?" Delphinia asked.
"As far as I was able to make out, Twenty Quivers and Great Fox, the two older ambassadors, plan to leave tomorrow with Muller and the others. It wasn't clear what the rest of the Barburee contingent plan to do," Geoffrey said.
"Do you think Bataar might stay for awhile?" Avor asked, the excitement showing in his bearing.
"I don't know, and that worries me. Bataar's a cagey one and he is obviously the one in charge. He feigns ignorance of the language when it suits him, especially when he doesn't wish to answer a question. I told him he is welcome to stay as long as he wants, but he just shrugged his shoulders. That could mean he didn't understand or he didn't know how long he would be staying. What it most likely means is that he doesn't want to tell me his plans."
"I hope he will stay," Avor said. "I would welcome another archery lesson."
King Geoffrey looked sternly at his son. "Do not delude yourself Avor. Bataar is not our friend."
That evening the Fernland Acting Troupe met at the home of Tom and Angie for a farewell party. Peaches and Trixie joined Take, Bear and Smiles around the cooking fire. Angie shook her head sadly.
"An' King Geoffrey really said ya could go ta Barburee or back ta yon dungeon, take yer choice?" she asked.
"I'd like ta know what you done ta make yer king hate ya so much," Bear said, glaring at Take.
"It was a misunderstanding," Take said, wondering how he could change the subject.
"Yeh, must'a been quite a misunderstanding," Bear said.
Tom was bursting to tell the story of how Take had stolen the infant Electra on Serafina's orders but a look from Take silenced him.
"I'll bet it's cuz our king's scared silly over that Barburee bunch," Trixie said. "He'd likely do whatever they wanted him to."
"He'd be a fool if he weren't scared silly," Take said. "I've heard some stories about Barburee."
"But what could they be wantin' with a bunch a actors?" Tom asked.
"I've racked my brain and I still can't figure it out," Take said.
"I think they was just taken with our magic show. Like they never seen nothin' like it. Probably want ta show us off, like," Smiles said.
"I don't feel right, stayin' behind," Tom said. "Mates should stick together."
"Don't feel that way," Take said. "You've got Angie and Trixie and Peaches to take care of while we're gone. Just be glad you weren't there at the shed the night Bataar came calling."
"Me an the girls'll keep yer bakery stall goin' while yer gone if you want," Angie said to Smiles and Bear.
"How 'bout that? Ain't that grand, Bear?" Smiles said.
"Yeh, grand. Take my advice and stick ta baking cuz this here magic work is likely ta get ya kidnapped," Bear said.
"That Bataar, he promised ya gold. Could be you'll come back rich," Tom said.
"Let's keep that thought," Take said. "Otherwise this won't be much of a party."
They all laughed at that and Angie began passing out glasses of mead.
Chapter 16
Kingdom of Fernland
At daybreak, a few small groups of people huddled together, stamping their feet and pulling their cloaks around them to ward off the morning's chill. King Geoffrey and several of Fernland's officials were on hand to bid goodbye to those departing for Barburee. The caravan included Take the Thief, Bear, Smiles, Muller the Spy, Hilgard the language student, several of the warrior-servants from Barburee and the two elder ambassadors, Rich Lion and Twenty Quivers.
Members of the acting troupe had come to see their friends off and Angelica was there to wish her husband, Muller, a safe journey. Hilgard, the language student, was attempting to comfort his weeping mother while his father and brothers stood by. Bataar and the remainder of the Barburee men were in a group, bunched around Twenty Quivers. The group opened up when King Geoffrey approached with his ministers.
"We hope you have enjoyed your visit to Fernland," Geoffrey said to Twenty Quivers. "Give our regards to the Great Khan."
"We bring army back soon if Great Khan agree," Twenty Quivers said with a smile and a slight bow.
"What?" King Geoffrey's brow broke out in beads of perspiration.
"Bataar say we come, help Fernland take Henge," Twenty Quivers said.
King Geoffrey looked at Bataar. Bataar nodded. He smiled. "Tell Father come, take Henge for friend," he said.
"Why don't we talk about this," King Geoffrey said. "That may not be the best idea. We have not yet drawn up an alliance."
"Friend not need alliance," Bataar said. "Make war on enemy of friend."
"It is our custom to negotiate these things," King Geoffrey said. He mopped his forehead with the sleeve of his jacket. His brain seemed to have shut down. He could not think of any good arguments. "Let me consult with..." He looked around at Fernland's ministers who all appeared as stunned as himself. "Muller," he said finally, gesturing with his hand to his chief spy.
Muller quickly jumped down from his horse and ran to join the king.
"We think it is not the right time to summon the Great Khan's army to come to Fernland and attempt to conquer Henge. Don't you agree?" King Geoffrey asked, pleading for help with his eyes.
It took Muller a few seconds to digest this bit of news. He promptly put on a grave face. "Quite right, it would certainly not be the right time."
"Why not?" Bataar asked.
Bataar looked at Geoffrey, waiting for a reply.
King Geoffrey dried his brow with his other sleeve.
Muller decided he must try something to help his king, who was beginning to turn pale. "Because of Helsop?" Muller ventured. His eyes looked uncertainly at Geoffrey.
"Exactly!" King Geoffrey said with great relief. "We have to work things out with Helsop. We may not go ahead with that alliance." King Geoffrey was warming to this line of reasoning. "Helsop lies between Fernland and Henge. A crucial consideration. There is the engagement to consider." He stopped here to see if Bataar was impressed with any of these arguments.
"Engagement? Ah, Electra, King's daughter," Bataar said, as if he could see
that this presented a problem. "Maybe Dagon dies. No more problem."
King Geoffrey considered the advantages of this suggestion for a second before realizing that his problems were only becoming more insurmountable. Now he must keep Bataar from killing Dagon if he did not want to alienate his daughter. Delphinia would never forgive him if he did anything to cause a rift with their newly found daughter. Then something that Bataar had said finally registered in his overworked brain.
"The Great Khan is your father?"
Bataar bowed slightly. "It is so."
"I had no idea." King Geoffrey said. "Perhaps we could tell your father it would be best to wait before sending the army. Give us a chance to clear up this Helsop matter and write up a proper alliance. Or perhaps we might just stay friends for awhile and keep an eye on Henge."
"Great Khan—he make decide when come," Bataar said with a slight edge to his voice. "No write up—we make alliance marriage maybe."
King Geoffrey looked at Twenty Quivers for clarification.
"Great Khan never make written alliances," Twenty Quivers said. "Sometimes marry to make alliance—same you with Helsop." He spoke to Bataar in the Barburee tongue for a few minutes. He looked surprised as he turned to King Geoffrey. "Bataar say he take Electra for second wife if you want alliance. Make Helsop headman... ah, disappear." He swiped his two hands together like a magician making a coin disappear.
King Geoffrey took the arm of the finance minister to steady himself, and looked at Muller. Muller's eyes were big and frightened. His mouth opened, but no sound came out. King Geoffrey felt weak in the knees. He let go of the minister's arm to wipe his sweat-drenched face and fell to the ground in a faint. His ministers clustered around him and, finding a pulse, quickly carried him back to the castle.
Chapter 17
Kingdom of Fernland
King Geoffrey's eyes fluttered open and he jerked upright in his bed.
"What happened?" he asked.
"You may have lost consciousness, Your Majesty," his physician said. "Perhaps you should lie back down."
King Geoffrey ignored his physician's suggestion and looked around his room. Queen Delphinia, Prince Avor and Princess Electra looked back anxiously. Muller the Spy stood in the doorway, unsure whether he should stay or leave.
"Muller, you're still here," Geoffrey said. "Have the others left?"
"I've asked them to wait until we know that you are recovered, but I don't think I can delay them much longer," he said.
"Come closer, all of you. Physician, you may leave. I am fine now."
The physician packed his collection of knives and vials into his bag and left reluctantly, with many backward glances.
"We have a crisis before us," King Geoffrey said. His family and Muller
moved closer to his bed.
"I have learned that Bataar is the son of the Great Khan. This fact lends authority to his words, though he is careful to emphasize that all decisions rest with his father. Bataar is sending word through Twenty Quivers to his father to bring his army here and from here, to march on Henge."
Delphinia drew her breath in sharply and her hand flew to her throat.
"There is more, I'm afraid." He paused and bit his bottom lip. "I tried to stall such a catastrophe by claiming we still had matters to settle with Helsop. I said that the alliance was unstable. That Helsop lay between Fernland and Henge. I... only hoped to forestall the sending of his army, but Bataar chooses to remedy this problem by disposing of Dagon and taking Electra as his wife."
"His wife?" Electra shouted. "Surely you told him this is not possible!"
"I... can't seem to remember what I told him." Geoffrey looked up to see Muller inching toward the door. "Where are you going Muller?" the king asked.
"Nowhere, nowhere, that is, unless you wish to speak to your family in private," Muller said.
"If I wish you to leave, I will tell you so," Geoffrey growled. "What did I tell Bataar?"
"I believe at that point you fell unconscious," Muller said. He wanted to avoid the word fainted at all costs, as fainting spells were assumed to smack of femininity. "Bataar likely assumes he has provided for all your concerns."
"We must warn Dagon," Electra said, moving toward the door.
"Will you please stop trying to leave, all of you, until I have decided on a plan," Geoffrey said, irritation flooding his voice. "Dagon is not in danger yet."
King Geoffrey got out of bed, brushing away Delphinia's attempt to slow him down. He went to stand by the window where he could see the caravan still milling around beside the castle.
"First we must find a way to stop the army's advance on Fernland," he said.
"Would it be such a bad thing to have Bataar's help in conquering Henge?" Avor asked cautiously.
"My son, I meant it when I said Bataar is not our friend. It is one thing for Fernland to take Henge and quite another for the Great Khan's army to take Henge. Surely you see the difference. Fernland would be the Great Khan's puppet."
"Of course." Avor blushed and turned away.
"Why would Bataar want to marry me?" Electra asked.
"It is a common way to strengthen alliances. Certainly Dagon made use of it to garner his alliance with Fernland," Geoffrey looked sternly at Electra.
"We will not allow such a marriage," Delphinia said. "Barburee is too far away."
Electra turned to her mother with a shocked expression. "I would never consider marrying Bataar, no matter where he lived."
"Of course not, Dear," Delphinia said, patting her hand.
"He is already married anyway," Muller added.
"What?" Electra demanded
King Geoffrey scowled at Muller and Muller looked at his feet.
"Evidently it is common to have more than one wife in Barburee," King Geoffrey said so softly, his family had to move closer to hear it.
"This is outrageous," Electra flung her arms in the air. "He never mentioned anything about marriage or an alliance to me. Are customs so different in Barburee? And killing Dagon? Who are these people?" Electra took a deep breath and tried to compose herself.
"We need a plan," Geoffrey rested his chin on his fingertips. "But we need to tread lightly. We cannot risk offending Bataar if he truly has an army at his beck and call."
Everyone was quiet for a few minutes as they considered King Geoffrey's words.
"I have a plan." Electra paced as she spoke.
"You have a plan?" King Geoffrey asked, turning his attention from Muller to his daughter.
"Not a perfect plan, but one that might delay the army." Electra looked into her father's eyes.
"We haven't much time. Tell me the gist of your plan."
"I could pretend to be honored by his proposal and tell him we should first go to Henge before summoning his army. I could tell him there is a powerful sorceress in charge of the army in Henge. He seems much in awe of magic and sorcery."
"Thank you for your effort." Geoffrey looked at Electra as though she were wasting his time. "But I don't believe such a fantasy would suffice."
King Geoffrey snapped his fingers as though he had just had a sudden inspiration. "Perhaps I could feign a serious illness," Geoffrey said. "With no clear leader in Fernland, he would have no sure ally." He looked at Prince Avor and realized that with the king incapacitated and his son in charge, Bataar would do as he liked. He looked quickly away, but Avor had noticed.
Electra interrupted her father. "There is something I have not yet told you."
King Geoffrey was now clearly irritated. "What?'" he asked.
"Serafina is still alive, and likely the wife of Prince Blackwell by now."
A shocked silence fell over the small group.
"Is this a trick? Or payment for some wrong you imagine we have done you?" King Geoffrey demanded.
Princess Electra stiffened at the accusation. "I would have told you earlier, but it seemed everyone was made content
by believing her dead. I believed her dead myself until she arrived in Helsop in time to turn the tide for Dagon with aid from Blackwell."
"But..." Queen Delphinia seemed unable to wrap her mind around this new development.
"Keeping a secret like that is tantamount to treason." Prince Avor's voice was cold and unforgiving. "That woman is evil."
Electra stared at her brother and saw clearly the animosity she had suspected he still harbored. She decided a counter attack would be the best strategy.
"Keeping such a secret would be treasonous only if it harmed Fernland or Fernland's royal family. My intention was the opposite—to spare you grief. I played no part in what Serafina chose to do. Though she tried to persuade me that she kidnapped me to save me from an evil father, I still came here against her wishes to find out if Prince Avor's version of the story was the true one. For some reason Serafina carries a hatred of King Geoffrey sufficient to drive her into the enemy's camp."
Electra could see that this accusation had hit home. Her mother, father and brother all knew that Serafina's behavior had its roots in King Geoffrey's rejection of Serafina after their engagement had been announced and celebrated by the whole of Fernland. The three of them seemed properly chastened. They said nothing in their defence.
"But that is all in the past. I tell you she still lives now because I think it may be the pivotal point in my plan. The fact is she still considers me to be her daughter."
Delphinia frowned, but she did not lift her head to meet Electra's eyes.
"I could go to Henge without fear of capture," Electra did not meet her mother's eyes.
"Have you been visiting back and forth?" Delphinia asked.
"No." Electra lifted her chin. "I have not seen her since she left for Henge after the defeat of Fernland's army."
This was not true. She had seen Serafina the day of her engagement party, but since Serafina was disguised as an old woman, perhaps she could be thought of as someone other than Serafina.
This news seemed to lift Delphinia's spirits. "And now you know your brother spoke the truth."
"Yes. But I believe I am still in a position to unite Henge with Fernland against Barburee, should it come to that. My best hope is that Bataar may be sufficiently deterred by the idea of fighting a sorceress to recommend that his father change his plan to take Henge.