The Needs of the Realm #2
“It was the final jab,” she said. “I had not necessarily wanted a physical altercation, but I used my staff in haste to trap Celesta’s hand against the desktop so I could grab the document she’d written up recommending the disbandment of Clan G’ladheon.
The attendants sought to restrain me for fear I was harming Celesta.
It was what set me off and I gladly took them on.
All the anger, frustration, the grief and humiliation.
..” She couldn’t meet the gazes of her king and queen, so she focused on the floor instead.
“I took perverse pleasure in it, but now I stand before you fully ashamed. I should never have gone to the guild house that day.”
“How did the fight end?” Zachary asked, revealing nothing of his thoughts at her confession.
“I cannot remember much, Your Majesty. I was told the constabulary came in and their numbers overwhelmed me.”
“You’ve something of the berserker in you, as do I,” he said thoughtfully. “Is there more I should know?”
Mara stepped forward. “Sire, if I may continue the story?”
“Proceed.”
Mara explained how she’d become concerned when Karigan was overdue to return to the Rider wing after her rest day, and then how Robert Hollingdale had sought her out. With his help they had located Karigan in the city jail. Mara spared no details about the conditions of the jail.
When she finished, Zachary remained pensive for a time before speaking. “So, let me get this right. Some of my Riders and one of my Weapons retrieved Rider G’ladheon from jail. How many of you were involved?”
“All of us, Your Majesty,” Connly said. “All the Riders chipped in for Rider G’ladheon’s bail.”
Fastion stepped forward, as well. “And all the Weapons. We also contributed to the bail fund.”
Karigan ventured a glance at Zachary. He looked genuinely gobsmacked.
“All of you?”
“I fear it is true, sire,” Connly said.
A wave of guilt crashed over Karigan, not only for the funds her friends had donated to get her out of jail, but now how they stood before the king facing judgment.
Zachary shook his head in disbelief. “You are only telling me now, even knowing this could have affected Rider readiness?”
“We ensured all was well covered,” Connly said. “As for secrecy, we followed Karigan’s example in keeping our actions as separate from the Green Riders and our sovereigns as possible. Karigan also chose to come forward of her own accord, without suggestion or pressure from us.”
“It is true,” Les Tallman said. “Sire, we believed the less said, the better to minimize the damage rumors and insinuation could do to the throne.”
“You, too, Les?” Zachary said.
“I am afraid so. I am, after all, a Weapon.”
“It feels almost as if a conspiracy has been perpetrated beneath my nose,” Zachary said, “but the truth of the matter is that I’d heard some rumor of the incident at the guild and hoped it was not Rider G’ladheon who had caused the stir.
I thought it likely, however, given the casualties and the fact there are probably few merchants who can wield a staff so masterfully. ”
The heat of shame boiled up to Karigan’s ears and in her cheeks.
“Given my suspicions,” Zachary continued, “I decided to give Rider G’ladheon the benefit of the doubt and hoped that if she were the culprit, she would come forward of her own accord.
It is in her character to do so, and she has not proven me wrong.
As for the rest of you, I did not recognize the depth of this ‘conspiracy,’ though I know Green Riders and Weapons take care of their own.
I appreciate the caution you took in concealing your connections to the throne, and that you returned Rider G’ladheon safely to us.
However, I would have preferred having been informed immediately when it was noted one of my own Green Riders had gone missing.
“As for Rider G’ladheon, I would have wished you had come to us to tell us of your clan’s troubles.”
“If I may answer?” Les Tallman looked to Karigan for her approval, and she nodded.
“Merchant business is very secretive, sire, especially among clans. For Rider G’ladheon to reveal the extent of her clan’s misfortune, it would have caused the clan to lose face and prestige in its community, and any edge it had against its competition.
I’ve family in the leather goods trade, so I know something of such matters. ”
Zachary gave her a long appraising look. “And perhaps there was G’ladheon pride in the mix, yes?”
Karigan wanted to wither away. “Yes, Your Majesty. It is a...trait of my family. I felt our business failures were a clan problem and I did not wish to burden the Green Riders or anyone else with them.”
“And yet it did become a problem beyond the clan. You went missing, and then had to recover from your time in the jail. This affected the readiness of my Riders, and potentially the needs of the realm.”
She hung her head in humiliation. She had let everyone down.
“You’ve a court date?” he asked.
“Yes, sire.”
“You will need a law speaker.”
“I’m afraid it’s beyond my means.” Even with the contributions from the Riders and Weapons, she couldn’t possibly afford one.
“That is easily remedied,” he said. “The crown retains several law speakers for various purposes. I can certainly spare a couple to your cause.”
A couple! “Your Majesty, I couldn’t possibly—”
“Rider,” he said in warning. “Remember, what affects you in this fashion also affects the proper functioning of my messenger corps. We are entering a critical period. Mornhavon has no doubt been assembling and preparing his forces this winter much as we have, and if the reports are to be believed, we may have to face actual living dragons at some point soon. I must have all my Green Riders at their best. If this had been Lieutenant Brennyn, or even Rider Ash, who was in trouble, I would do the same.”
Karigan went to her knee and bowed her head in even greater shame. “I apologize for my selfishness. I was thinking only of myself and not the greater needs of the realm.”
“You were grief-stricken, Karigan,” Estora said, “and under great pressure from your clan’s business which you were unexpectedly required to oversee in your father’s absence and during your aunt’s illness. And perhaps from other forces, as well.”
Zachary rose and stepped down the dais to stand before her. He reached out a hand. “Rise, Rider.”
She took his hand and allowed him to raise her to her feet.
“What the queen says is so,” he said. “But I can’t but feel somewhat responsible for your circumstances since I was the one who sent your father away.
However, I did not expect him to leave his clan in such dire straits, and I did not realize how heavily the responsibilities of the clan would fall on you.
While I cannot resolve your clan’s problems, I can assist in some discreet ways in light of the fact it was I who sent your father away. ”
“Your Majesty,” she said, “this is—”
“Your clan has been generous to the realm by directly supporting my Green Riders with supplies. I certainly will not allow your clan’s charter to be revoked.”
Karigan bowed her head again to hide her tears.
“You endeavored to keep your family business separate from that of the Green Riders, and any aid rendered will appear as unrelated. I will mark, however, that there was indeed a loss of discipline in your behavior at the guild that, regardless of the reason, is unacceptable and cannot go unpunished.”
She wondered in trepidation what he had in mind. Laundry duty? Detention in a block house cell?
“Sire, if I may interject,” Connly said, “might she not have been punished enough by the beating she received and having been locked up?”
“Valid points,” he replied, “but I have something very special in mind for her.”