"I will give new instructions to my agents. There will be no more disorder. When King Milo dies, Brezante will be king. We will give him Madouc in marriage, and by this means join our houses."
Queen Sollace made an objection. "Brezante is already wed! He married Glodwyn of Bor!"
"She was frail, young and sickly, and she died in childbirth. Brezante is notably uxorious, and he will be quite ready for new nuptials."
Queen Sollace said mournfully: "Poor little Glodwyn! She was barely more than a child; it is said she never gave over her homesickness."
Casmir shrugged. "Still and all, it might well work to our advantage. King Milo is as good as dead. Brezante is a bit dull, a factor favorable to our cause. We must make occasion for his visit."
Sollace said doubtfully: "Brezante is not altogether gallant, nor is he handsome, or even dashing. His penchant for young maidens is notorious."
"Bah! Old or young, what of that? The business is all cut from the same cloth! Kings are above small-minded scandal."
Queen Sollace sniffed. "And queens as well, no doubt!" Casmir, staring thoughtfully across the room, ignored the remark.
"One matter further," said Sollace. "I refer to Madouc. She is difficult in matters of this sort."
"She will obey because she must," said Casmir. "It is I who am king, not Madouc."
"Aha! But it is Madouc who is Madouc!"
"We cannot make bread without flour. Scrawny red-headed little whelp she may be: still she must yield to my command."
"She is not ugly," said Queen Sollace. "Her time has come, and she is developing-slowly, of course, and with little to show for the effort. She will never boast a fashionable figure, such as mine."
"It will be enough to affect Brezante." He slapped his hands decisively on the arms of the chair. "I am prepared to act with expedition."
"Your policy is no doubt wise," said Queen Sollace. "Still-"
"Still what?"
"Nothing of consequence."
King Casmir acted without delay. Three couriers rode off from Haidion into the evening: the first to Fort Mael, ordering a return to routine conditions; the second to a high-placed agent in Twissamy; the third to King Milo, wishing him health, deploring the ruffians who flouted royal authority, and inviting King Milo and Prince Brezante to Haidion for a gala visit. Or Prince Brezante alone, if King Milo"s health made such a visit impractical.
A few days later the couriers returned. From Fort Mael and the agent in Twissamy came simple acknowledgments that Casmir"s orders had been received and would be acted upon. From King Milo came a dispatch of greater interest. King Milo thanked King Casmir for his kindly wishes and fraternal support. Next he announced his return to jovial good health and described how the change had come about. In a pa.s.sage of some length he described the circ.u.mstances. It seemed that one day, just prior to his dinner, a sudden desperate spasm came upon him. Instead of his usual regimen: one quail egg and half a gill of b.u.t.termilk, he commanded a joint of roast beef with horse radish and suet pudding, a suckling pig fresh from the spit surrounded by roast cinnamon apples, a pot of pigeon stew and three gallons of good red wine. For his supper he took a more moderate repast of four roast fowl, a pork and onion pie, a salmon and a number of sausages, along with sufficient wine to a.s.sist in digestion. After a night"s sound sleep, he breakfasted on fried flounder, three dozen oysters, a raisin cake, a ca.s.soulet of broad beans and ham for a savory, and a tankard or two of a particularly fine white wine. It was this return to a sound and wholesome diet, declared King Milo, which had renewed his strength; he now felt as good as new, if not better. Therefore, wrote King Milo, he and the recently bereaved Prince Brezante would be delighted to accept King Casmir"s invitation. Neither he nor Brezante would be reluctant to discuss the topic at which King Casmir had hinted. He endorsed King Casmir"s suggestion that an era of friendlier relations between their two realms was about to be initiated.
Madouc learned of the projected visit from several sources, but it remained for Devonet to explain the occasion in detail. "You will find Prince Brezante very attentive," said Devonet airily. "He may wish to take you somewhere alone, perhaps to his rooms, for a game of "sly" or "fiddle-de-doodle"; in this case you must be on your guard. Brezante is partial to young maidens. He may even suggest a marriage contract! In any case you should not succ.u.mb to his blandishments, since some men become bored with easy conquests."
Madouc said stiffly: "You need not fear on that account. I am interested neither in Prince Brezante nor his blandishments."
Devonet paid no heed. "Think of it! Is it not exciting? Some day you might be Queen Madouc of Blaloc!"
"I think not."
Devonet spoke reasonably: "I agree that Brezante is not the most comely of men; indeed, he is fleshy and squat, with a round belly and a big nose. Still, what of that? He is a royal prince, and you are to be envied, or so I suppose."
"You are talking sheer foolishness. I have not the slightest interest in Prince Brezante, nor he in me."
"Do not be too sure of that! You are much like his previous spouse. She was a young princess from Wales-a little wisp of a thing, naive and innocent."
Chlodys joined the conversation with eager zest. "They say that she cried constantly from both homesickness and distress! I believe that eventually she went out of her mind, poor thing. Prince Brezante was troubled not at all and bedded with her nightly, until at last she died in childbirth."
"It is a sad story," said Madouc.
"Exactly! The little princess is dead and Prince Brezante is heartsick. You must do your best to console him."
"He will surely want to kiss you," said Chlodys with a giggle. "If so, you must kiss him nicely in return; that is the way one wins a husband. Am I not right, Devonet?"
"That is one of the ways, certainly."
Madouc spoke with disdain: "Sometimes I marvel at the ideas which seep through your minds!"
"Ah well," sighed Devonet. "It is less disgraceful to think than to do."
"Although not so much fun," added Chlodys.
"Either of you, or both, are welcome to Prince Brezante," said Madouc. "He will surely find you more interesting than I.".
Later in the day King Casmir met Madouc in the gallery. He was about to pa.s.s her by, eyes averted, in his usual style; instead, he stopped in his tracks. "Madouc, I want a word with you."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Come with me." King Casmir led the way into a nearby council chamber, with Madouc lagging reluctantly six paces behind.
Casmir, smiling the smallest of grim smiles, waited by the door until Madouc entered, then closed the door and went to stand by the table. "Sit."
Madouc seated herself primly in a chair across the table from Casmir.
"I must now instruct you," said Casmir ponderously. "Listen with care and heed me well. Certain events of importance are in the offing. King Milo of Blaloc will presently be our guest, in company with Queen Caudabil and Prince Brezante. I intend to propose a contract of betrothal between you and Prince Brezante. The marriage will be joined at an appropriate time, possibly in three years. It will be an important marriage, in that it will consolidate a strong alliance with Blaloc, to counter p.o.r.n perol"s tendency toward Dahaut. These are affairs of state which you will not understand, but you must believe that they are of the highest priority."
Madouc tried to think of something to say that would delicately convey her feelings and yet not enrage King Casmir. Several times she started to speak, then thought better of her remarks, and closed her mouth. At last she said, rather lamely: "Prince Brezante may not favor such a match."
"I suspect otherwise. King Milo has already expressed interest in the arrangement. Almost certainly an announcement will be made during the royal visit. It is a good match for you, and you may consider yourself lucky. Now then, attend! Lady Vosse will instruct you in the proprieties which must be observed. I expect total decorum from you on this occasion. You may not indulge in any of your famous vapors or tantrums, at risk of my extreme displeasure. Is this quite clear?"
Madouc answered in a tremulous voice: "Yes, Your High ness, I understand your words." She drew a deep breath. "But they fly wide of the mark. It is best that you should know this now."
King Casmir started to speak, using a dangerous voice, but Madouc was quick to antic.i.p.ate him. "In ordinary matters I would hope to obey you, but remember: my marriage is far more important to me than it is to you."
King Casmir bent slowly forward. Over the years dozens of frightened wretches had seen such an expression on his face before being dragged away to torment in the dungeons under the Peinhador. Casmir spoke from deep in his throat: "So you think to thwart my volition?"
Madouc spoke more carefully than ever. "There are circ.u.mstances, Your Highness, which make the plan impossible!"
"What circ.u.mstances are these?"
"First, I despise Prince Brezante. If he is so anxious to marry, let him betroth himself to Lady Vosse or Chlodys. Second, if you will recall, I am born of halfling mother and an unknown father. My pedigree is lacking; for this reason, my maidens call me "b.a.s.t.a.r.d", which I cannot deny. If King Milo knew of this, he would consider the betrothal a mockery, and an insult to his house."
King Casmir blinked and stood silent. Madouc rose to her feet and stood demurely leaning on the table. "Therefore, Your Highness, the betrothal is not possible. You must make other plans, which do not include me."
"Bah!" muttered Casmir. "All these circ.u.mstances are small fish in a big pan. Neither Milo nor Brezante need know of them! After all, who would tell them?"