Darksong Rising by L. E. Modesitt Jr.

several things. She had yet to resolve the rather
    mysterious nature of the death of Lord Hryding, the little redhead’s father. The red-haired child,
    an echo of her own redheads, prompted her resolve to rewrite the letter to Elizabetta—or write a
    cover note—and just try to send the envelope without looking at her daughter, and ask Elizabetta
    to write a letter in return—and leave it someplace where it would be undisturbed and somewhere
    that Anna could visualize—like under the stairwell at Avery’s lake house.
     
    “Oh... Lady Anna... " Menares looked up from the map on the easel.
     
    “I’ll only be a moment.” Anna studied the fosterlings and pages slowly, her eyes resting on each
    in turn before she finally spoke. “There are neither Suhlmorrans nor northern lords in Defalk, not
    if you wish to have your children remain under the banner of Defalk, and not that of Sturinn or
    Mansuur or Neserea." Her eyes fixed on Hoede, but the stocky blond refused to meet her eyes.
     
    “There’s another reason why ships are important,” Anna said after another pause. “It costs less to
    carry grains and cargoes for long distances by ship. That is why Nordwei is powerful and how
    the Ranuans manage to get so much gold for their Exchange.”
     
    Seeing the confusion on both Tiersen’s and Hoede’s faces, Anna added. “Some of you wonder
    what golds have to do with power. How do we get the weapons for armsmen? We have to buy
    iron and pay a weapons smith to forge them. What do you pay armsmen with? If the Regency
    has to use levies for more than a few weeks, they must be paid. and even if they aren’t, their food
    costs money. Coins,” she added. It was still hard to recall that not all English terms translated
    into Defalkan German/Old English.
     
    Tiersen, Skent, and Kinor nodded. Horde continued to look blankly at Menares, as if he didn’t
    even want to acknowledge the Regent’s presence.
     
    “You may continue, Menares.” Anna nodded at the older tutor before slipping out the main door,
    Rickel before her and Lejun behind her.
     
    Why are the young men such knuckleheads? Does all that swordplay and honor nonsense knock
    every bit of the ability to think out of their skulls? That couldn’t be it. Jecks was reputed as one
    of the best blades of Defatk, and the white-haired lord could certainly think.
     
    As she slipped back into the receiving room, she slowed, and said to the duty page—Cens—
    ”Find Lord Jecks for me, if you would.”
     
    Cens bowed and scurried off. Anna picked up yet another scroll, another petition from the
    rivermen for a reduction in their permit taxes. How can you say “no” in another and different
    way?
     
    Before she had finished, there was a rap on the door.
     
    “Yes, lady?” Jecks bowed deeply as he entered the receiving room.
     
    “How would you suggest we get rid of that idiot Hoede? Or will that cause another great uproar
    among the distinguished northern lords?”
     
    Jecks’ face blanked at the bite in the phrase “distinguished northern lords,” but he replied
    smoothly, “Ah... his sire might be somewhat displeased... but you are the Regent.”
     
    “Can’t we just tell the good lord Dannel that Hoede is better fitted for direct instruction on his
    father’s lands? Or that he seems to have more ability with weapons than with a quill? Or
    something like that?”
     
    “He has little ability with a blade,” Jecks pointed out. “Even Lysara, slight as she is, would kill
    him, although they have never sparred.” He paused. “Well you might talk to Lady Essan. She has
    seen much about consorts and joinings.”
     
    Thinking about Lady Essan, the white-haired widow who remained in the liedburg, brought a
    smile to Anna’s lips. Essan had ridden to battle, although the lords of the Thirty-three would
    scarcely have wanted to admit that a woman and consort of the Lord of Defalk—even two
    generations back—had done so.
     
    Anna nodded.