Chapter 13 Aleksis
13
Aleksis
There were protocols to be observed when meeting with the Ruler, even for her senior adviser. He waited for Elisabeta’s serving woman, Paula, to tap on the door to the council chamber then, after a carefully judged pause, open it a crack. ‘Master Aleksis to see you, my lady.’
‘Enter, Master Aleksis.’ The Ruler sounded, if anything, rather weary.
Aleksis came in, closing the door behind him. He’d bathed and changed into appropriate clothing for court, formal garments in cream and dark blue in place of his travel-stained riding clothes, soft leather shoes instead of riding boots. ‘My lady.’ He gave the formal bow appropriate to such occasions.
Lady Elisabeta was not seated in her comfortable chair by the fire. Instead, she was at the head of the long table that could, if required, accommodate twenty or more. She offered a stiff nod of recognition. ‘Master Aleksis. Time for a talk, I think. It’s been some while since your most recent message from Heartwood reached me. I replied promptly, requesting that you return as soon as possible with this young woman you mentioned. I had expected you at court much earlier.’
‘It is a long way, my lady, and as we had injured men with us, we had to bring carts. That mode of travel is notoriously slow.’
‘Injured men, yes. I observed them coming in. And not only the girl, but another woman and a … goatherd? I’m told you’ve requested the services of the court physician, not only for our own wounded, but also for this person.’ Her brows went up.
‘The circumstances were such that I could not send a full report from Heartwood, my lady. You’ll have gathered that Commander Rihard’s mission went badly awry.’ Aleksis refrained from reminding her that his own advice, some while ago, had been never to put Rihard in charge of a mission again. ‘Such a report could only be delivered by myself, in person. In a nutshell, my lady, a great deal of damage has been done to the village of Heartwood, its inhabitants and the forested area close by. As for the mission itself, I’d have thought anyone could see the terrain makes it impossible for a path such as Rihard described to be created. Many men would be lost in the attempt, for no gain at all.’
Lady Elisabeta’s expression gave nothing away. ‘Sit down, Master Aleksis,’ she said with cool clarity. ‘Some mead?’ On a smaller table, close to that cushioned chair, there stood a flask and two cups.
‘Thank you, no.’ He seated himself on a bench, facing her. ‘If you want further details, my lady, I can provide them. You mentioned an interest in Stasya some time ago, after I first reported back from Heartwood with certain observations. After I sent that message, the situation deteriorated quickly. Rihard continued to work the local folk too hard; his response to any sign of insubordination was to mete out severe punishment. Stasya’s ability intrigued him; her habit of speaking out angered him. I believed her to be at risk and decided to bring her here. But it would have been inappropriate for a young woman to travel so far in company with a convoy of men. She needed another woman for support. Irina was the village baker; Stasya worked for her.’
An icy pause. ‘And the goatherd?’
‘A friend of Stasya’s. A fire in the village claimed the lives of many. The goatherd was badly injured and needs expert medical attention. Stasya would not have come without him.’
‘Ah.’ There was a note of interest in the Ruler’s voice at last. ‘More than a friend, perhaps?’
‘That, I can’t tell you. A close friend, at least.’
‘That might provide a useful bargaining tool, should the girl be disinclined to share her secrets,’ the Ruler said, rising and moving over to the hearth. With her back to Aleksis, she added, ‘I wish to speak to this young woman as soon as possible, Aleksis. I know you’ve had a long ride. In recognition of that, we’ll wait until tomorrow.’
Tomorrow. Aleksis bit back the words that sprang to his lips. It had perhaps been a mistake to sit as he had, his back perfectly straight, his hands relaxed, as if he had not just spent most of the day on horseback. A royal adviser learns how to create the right impression. In this case, competence. Restraint. ‘I believe she does have useful information for us,’ he said. ‘My advice is that you allow her significant time to rest and recover before she’s asked to speak.’
Elisabeta turned a certain look on him. At such moments, one became acutely aware that she was a person of great power. ‘Significant time. What does that mean, precisely?’
‘A few days, at least. The opportunity to be out of doors, as that seems to lift Stasya’s spirits. If you want her to answer questions, it’s worth remembering that.’
‘This is making no sense to me, Master Aleksis. I have never known you to waste my time before. You are a person of authority. She is some village girl, now, it seems, entirely dependent on our goodwill. You have questions; she has answers. Why would she not speak up?’
There was plenty he could say. But he had something more effective in hand. ‘It’s worth going about this with care, my lady. Let me show you something.’
He rose and went to stand by her, unfastening the soft kidskin pouch on his belt. He loosened the drawstring and fished out its contents, placing the amber owl carefully on the small table, where the firelight caught its glow. ‘I think you understood the reference in my message, though I did not specifically mention amber. Rihard took this from Stasya by force; she believes it to be still in his custody.’
Lady Elisabeta took the owl up, turning it one way then the other. ‘This is exceptionally fine. How could a farm girl come by such a treasure? Surely she has stolen this?’
‘From what I have observed, stealing is not in her nature, my lady. She chose not to answer a straight question as to its origin, but instead told a story. Stasya seems more comfortable talking that way. In her story, a young man and a young woman found amber washed up by a forest stream. The young man carved this token as a gift for the young woman. She did not specify where that was, but it was well known in the village that she and the goatherd, Lukas, frequently went walking in Heartwood Forest, venturing further than other folk dared. It’s said there are many such tales about the place, some of them very old.’
Elisabeta simply looked at him.
‘As I said earlier,’ he went on, ‘we’d be well advised to proceed with care, my lady. Much hangs on Stasya’s response to your questions. We’re not long arrived here. Wait a few days and you will get better answers.’
The Ruler heaved a sigh as she set the amber owl down again. ‘You know what’s at stake here, Aleksis. I must have plans in place before the next Grand Council. That may seem far away, but the days pass quickly, and I must strengthen my position. Lord Kasimir was well-regarded by the leaders of our neighbouring states; I don’t need to tell you that. I, on the other hand, am seen by some as a raw newcomer, almost an interloper, and there are certain parties who will not hesitate to take advantage if I show any sign of weakness. A large deposit of such a valuable trading commodity would help set us up as a credible ally. You know, and I know, that the amber in this trinket is of extremely high value. If we find the source, we might form alliances with more distant trading partners. Shore up our borders. This girl is here at court; she and her friend are well accommodated in the servants’ quarters. Warm, fed, comfortable. It’s evident that she knows pathways through the forest and how to use them. And something more. I heard that she has an unusual gift with animals. It’s not hard to see how useful that might be on such a journey. She may be able to guide a party all the way to the Hermit. It’s in her best interest to tell us the full truth. Without delay.’
‘With respect, my lady, if you want the full truth, you should wait longer. Three days, at least. I think it highly likely that too much pressure will send Stasya into complete silence.’
‘Two days. I won’t argue the point any further. Arrange what you want for these folk in the meantime, but they’re to be watched by a guard day and night, all three of them, and they don’t leave the servants’ quarters. You may go, Master Aleksis. Speak to the girl. Make sure she understands what is required.’
Aleksis rose to his feet. ‘Yes, my lady. And …’ He glanced at the amber owl. ‘By your leave, I’ll put that safely in storage.’
‘Make sure it’s locked up securely. We’ll need it.’
‘My lady.’ He executed the required bow, returned the owl to its pouch and walked out, closing the door behind him.