Chapter 19 #2
That reminded him he’d be seeing Matthew on Tuesday, and trying to explain this idea to him was even more tangled.
Not something he was going to bring up with Gabe today, though.
The others he had to talk to all had a decent sense of what was involved in a Council Challenge, and what the stakes were.
With Matthew, he’d be starting from an entirely different foundation, and a more delicate one to navigate.
It made him realise something. “It’s the ultimate act of magical arrogance, isn’t it? To go into the Challenge chamber and think you’ll come out successful.”
“Oh, yes.” It got a laugh from Gabe, though.
“Whether or not I like my colleagues— though mostly I do, actually, which is a pleasant change in a couple of cases— I respect their skills. Your mother included, as I’ve said before.
I might wish they brought a few more skills and a trifle less ego to particular decisions, but that’s true of most people, even among the Penelopes.
But it is arrogance. That’s not your particular failing, though. ”
“Thank Orion for it. I was on my way to being utterly awful before him.” There were a number of things Claudio was utterly certain of in his life.
One of them was that he and Orion had saved each other from being horrible people in particular ways.
“I can figure out a time to talk to Isembard and Thesan.” They’d support him, he knew that, even if he wasn’t entirely sure how Isembard would take the idea.
Then he tilted his head. “Would Cyrus talk to me, do you think?”
“Probably. What about?” Gabe twisted at the waist, which gave him an excuse to peer at Claudio directly now.
“I’m increasingly curious about Hereswith Rowan, Alexander’s predecessor.
I know the public things, of course. I read a lot of those ages ago.
But it was her public face. Cyrus overlapped with her, he’d know more, maybe?
” Claudio wasn’t entirely sure. Cyrus kept a number of the more personal things close, and Claudio had never had the kind of relationship with him where asking was viable.
Not without good reason, far beyond curiosity, anyway.
Gabe nodded. “He would. I’m not actually sure how much, but he mentioned once that she’s the one who mentored him in diplomatic work.
She was deft with that. Whatever the Tower is, it isn’t necessarily all destruction.
And you’ve seen how Alexander is entirely house-broken the past decade or two.
” Then Gabe held up his hands. “Which I am putting that way so you have something to tease me about later. Or threaten me with. Anyway. Ask Cyrus when you get a chance. If he baulks, I’ll trade a favour with him, but I don’t think I need to. ”
It put Claudio in a better humour. “I will save your deliberate provocation of Alexander for an occasion.” Then he considered. “Though I ought to talk to him, too, about some of it, I suppose.”
“Talking. All the best people do it, as Uncle Gil says. Even if Alexander’s dubious about that.
But here’s a thought for you, about how Alexander has flourished once he’s had space to fully inhabit his role.
He’s always been shaped for the Tower. From his birth, I expect, though I do not fully understand the cosmological arguments there.
But when he knew it was his place, his role?
There’s been no one better. Nothing that could be better for the land we love. ”
Claudio nodded slowly, thinking about that. It was, in fact, an entirely different shape for him, not one he’d ever thought about claiming or wanting or taking on. But he could, just possibly, see how it might go. A rough shape of it, at least.
Gabe shrugged and went on. “Right. So the only other topics to cover are who’s sponsoring you, and what you’re doing about telling your mother.
Neither of which we actually have to solve today, and perhaps better not to.
I am, of course, glad and honoured to stand up for you, as it were.
But if you and Orion think that would be more to your preference, I naturally defer to the older friendship.
” Gabe waved a hand, as if that was no big fuss.
“Mother will throw a fit about that, along with everything else.” Claudio said it, even as he knew he’d never ask that of her.
Or want it for himself, either. Everything around his mother had sharp edges, in ways he knew how to handle under ordinary circumstances, but making a Challenge was anything but ordinary.
Even given the family history. “Though— how long have we been in here? I ought to think about getting along. I might manage to get supper and get upstairs before she comes home.”
“Go, go.” Gabe craned his neck. There was, in fact, a clock on the wall nearer him. “Happy May Day. I’ll catch up with you on Tuesday or Wednesday. Write if you need an imminent rescue from your mother or any other such thing.”
Claudio snorted. “Let’s hope not.” He levered himself out of the water.
That had in fact been a great help. Then he went off to dry off and dress in the small dressing room off the baths.
Fifteen minutes later, he came out of the house to find Rathna and Rowena arriving.
They’d clearly had a long day of it, so he didn’t linger, bar wishing them both a happy May Day and heading back to Auctoritas.
There, he learned Tiberius was out at a party and that Mother was planning to go out.
He brought his kit upstairs, then came back down to arrange a tray.
And to look in the library for something to read when he’d made a start on the necessary reports.
He was in the library, deciding which book to bring upstairs, when his mother came in, looking a little rushed. “Claudio. Are you coming to the gathering at the Hancocks? I didn’t think you were home.”
“Only got in a few minutes ago. I’ve reports to write up, and I’ve been up since five. Not good company, I’m afraid.” The courtesies were automatic, of course, and they also gave him a little space to find his footing.
“Ah, pity. It’s likely to be a bore.“ That was not exactly encouraging him to volunteer, of course. She took a step toward the passage to her own rooms on the far side of the courtyard, then turned back. “We’ll have a Challenge sometime this summer. Landry’s retiring.”
Claudio shifted, keeping the weight on his front foot, the duellist’s pose to give him more room to move if he needed. He was rattled enough by all the other things he wasn’t going to say that what came out was, “I know.”
“You do?” His mother arched an eyebrow. “How, may I ask? I didn’t until Wednesday.”
Mother— and Father— had at least trained him in covering this kind of mistake, though more through sheer self-preservation on his part than anything deliberate on theirs.
He shrugged, the sort of casual gesture needed here.
“Gabe mentioned it this week. Not public then? Not that I’ve had a chance to see anyone else. ”
“The Council knows, he told everyone in the meeting after discussing it with me.” She said nothing one way or another about what Orion had said, which was interesting. “I’d like to have supper with the likely candidates as they announce their intentions. It might affect our usual day.”
“Of course.” Claudio spread his hands slightly. “I hope tonight isn’t too tedious, then.” He plucked a book off the shelf more or less at random. He was at least standing by the history section. Then said, “I really do need to get upstairs. Have a good evening.”
It was more than a trifle rude of him, but retreat was definitely the best strategy at the moment, before he said other things that would be a bad idea.