Daughter of Regals by Stephen R. Donaldson Page A

time
to claim—or even to think— that he was ready to fight any opposition in order
to master the realm. Instead, I continued, “And if you dare not kill me, then
you also dare not harm me. Look upon me, my lord of Nabal. Look!” I
slapped the table again to startle him further. “I am indeed plain and puny.
But do you think that I am also blind and deaf? My lord of Nabal. I am aware of my appearance. I understand the consequences of such plainness. You
cannot render me unfit for any man or marriage; I have long since given up all
hope of such things.
    “Therefore it will cost
me nothing to denounce you to Canna and Lodan if you harm me. I will not be
afraid or ashamed to proclaim the evil you have done me.” If he had any more
than half a wit in his head, he was able to see that I would not be afraid or
ashamed. “The result.. will be the same as if you had slain me. In
self-interest if not injustice, Canna and Lodan will join together to reave you
of your crown so that I will be avenged.”
    His surprise was fading;
but still I did not relent, did not allow him opportunity to think. I knew what
his thoughts would be: they were written in the sweat and darkness of his face.
He had reason to avoid anything which might ally Canna and Lodan against him.
Why else had he given any credence to the counsel that he should offer me
marriage?—why had he sought to rape rather than to murder me? But he also had
reason to think that he might be strong enough to prevail even against the
union of his foes—especially if Ryzel stood with him. I sought to deny his
conclusions before he could reach them.
    “And if you dare not
murder me—and you dare not harm me—then you also dare not risk battle. Ryzel
supports you now because you are the strongest of three. But if Canna and
Lodan join against you, you will be the weaker of two, and so Ryzel will turn
from you for the sake of the realm.”
    But in that I erred.
Thornden’s purpose was suddenly restored. His stance sharpened, a grin bared
his teeth. Clearly, his hold upon Ryzel’s support was surer than I had
supposed, and so the threats I had levelled against him collapsed, one after
the other. As he saw them fall, he readied himself to spring.
    Still I did not waver. I
could not guess the truth between Ryzel and Thornden: but my ignorance only
made my anger more certain.
    “But if you are too much
the fool,” I said without pause, “to fear Ryzel’s defection, then I will not speak
of it. And if you are too much the fool to fear Queen Damia’s Dragon, that also
I will not discuss.” Though Thornden’s wits were dull, Brodwick’s were as sharp
as they were corrupt: and he had undoubtedly brought his lord to Ryzel’s
conclusion—that Damia’s Dragon was an image of a Creature she could not
identify, and that therefore it was not as dangerous as it appeared. “But are
you also fool enough to ignore King Thone? Have you not observed that his Mage
has left the manor?”
    That shot—nearly blind
though it was—went through Thornden like a shock. He stiffened; his head jerked
back, eyes widened. I tasted a fierce relish for my gambit.
    “My lord of Nabal,
Cashon is a master of Fire. Without Brodwick to defend them, your armies are
lost. Cashon will turn the very ground beneath their feet to lava and death.
    He could not know that I
was lying. With a howl of rage, he sprang toward the door, heaved the chair
aside, burst from the chamber. From the outer passage, I heard the pound of his
running and the echo of his loud roar:
    “Brod wick!”
    Relief and dismay and
anger and fear rose in me as nausea. I wanted to collapse into a chair and hug
my belly to calm it. But I did not. Unsteadily, I walked to the concealed door
which should have brought the guards to my aid.
    When I thrust the
tapestry aside. I found Mage Ryzel there.
    His eyes were full of
tears.
    The sight nearly undid
me. I was so shaken that I could hardly hold back from going to him like a girl
and