“That ought to fetch some interesting people to the city.” Tounot was making an effort to accept this gracefully. “There are some sturdy fellows in the peasant camps on the other side of the Brede. Maybe we ought to have Jinmin train up a few of them over the winter. Let their families into Tresingale in exchange for service.”
“Do it, just keep them away from me,” Remin agreed. It was a good notion, and he would have been allowing them into the valley next spring anyway. The time when he could personally vet every new resident was passing. “And Auber—”
“It seems I am of more use to you at peace than war,” the former farmer observed mildly, and it made Remin’s throat tighten. He had been so very close to that dream of peace.
“I count on you for it,” he replied. “I need you to look after Tresingale for me. The planting, the building. The growing.”
It was bitter, knowing he would not be here to see it. Instead, he must spend hours considering their enemies, fromthe threats outside the valley to the foes hidden within it. Assassins and traitors, just waiting their moment to strike. But there was always the chance that they might reveal themselves at this work, and Remin and his men spoke long into the night, memorizing and then burning their notes.
It was very cold when Remin and Juste rode back to the manor.
“I did not like to say it openly,” Juste began as soon as they were alone. “But there are a few more considerations, my lord.”
Remin had expected this, too. Juste always thought a great deal more than he said.
“Go on.”
“The duchess. I will need to give her instruction some thought. I don’t think it would be possible to turn her into a Rose of Segoile even if we had four years instead of four months.”
“I don’t want to,” Remin said resentfully. This measure infuriated him more than any other. “I don’t want that here. I don’t want her to think that’s what she should be.”
“I am not sure it would be the right course in any case,” Juste replied, with the thoughtful air of a sculptor confronting a likely bit of clay. “We must consider the matter from the Emperor’s perspective.”
Swinging right at the lane by the storehouse, Juste led the way toward the Benkki Desantalimaru.The baths were long closed for the night, but they needed time for this discussion, and Remin had to settle himself before he went home.
“In the first place, he will want to take your measure,” said Juste, settling into his analysis. “He will wish to see how important she is to you. The Emperor will not be persuaded by songs.”
“I am not sure we ought to try,” Remin replied, doubtful. “I worried about this before. They will only try harder to harm her, if they think it will hurt me.”
“It is a double-edged sword,” Juste agreed. “There is no question, they will. But they will also pay a higher price if they dare to lay hands on a daughter of the House of Agnephus. My singers are going to tell the story of a secret princess, Daughter of the Stars, who redeemed the butcher of Ellingen with her love. I think there’s a chorus to that effect.”
“Oh, stars,” said Remin, revolted. “Who writes these things?”
“I have a lad in Tries.” Juste waved this aside. “It should tie her quite effectively to her father, as well. I judge it worth the risk, Your Grace. By the time we are done, anyone who dares to pluck a hair from her head will be hauled away as a heretic.”
Juste’s judgment was remarkably good in these matters. Remin eyed him for a moment, wondering that a man who had so little humanity himself seemed to understand it so well.
“Then do it,” he said, sighing. “Try to take care that such songs do not arrive in my own hall, at least.”
“If they do, it will not be for some time,” Juste noted. “I think you will be a while in Segoile, Your Grace. Having tested her importance to you, the Emperor’s second move will be to test the lady, and that will take time. He will try to discover whether she might be persuaded to act against you. And if she cannot, then he will likely attempt to take her from you.”
“I know.” Remin tried to ignore his sickness at the idea. He could at least be pleased that he had employed countermeasures against both possibilities. “But if it ever comes to it, and you must choose her or me, Juste, then choose her. I expect you to honor my wishes. I will tell the others the same.”
“Then I will make sure it never comes to that.” Juste exhaled, his breath puffing white. “And since we are discussing such delicate matters, there is one more. If I were the Emperor, and I could not kill you, and I could not deprive you of your wife, then my next step would be to deprive you of your progeny. Youcannot get heirs if the duchess is fed certain herbs, or visited by certain healers. If I were bent on vengeance, and wanted to wipe out my enemies, then I would not be content with trimming away a few leaves of their family tree. I would rip out the whole thing, root and branch, and sow the ground with salt. Would you set her aside, if she were barren?”
“No,” said Remin, after a long moment. He was shoveling a great many feelings into that dark pit inside him, and finding it difficult to lock them down.
“Then your blood will die with you, and I would call that victory,” Juste said, and Remin knew he was right.
Juste did not point out that Remin could have avoided this by making an heir immediately. But Remin bitterly regretted his treatment of Ophele when they were first married. What had he been thinking? If only he had not been so suspicious of her, if he had not indulged the petty vengeance of putting the Emperor’s daughter to hard labor, then she might almost be ready to deliver their first child.
It was not only the matter of his heir. A pregnancy would have been one of the best ways to protect Ophele herself. This was a self-inflicted wound, and even now, her body still had not resumed its natural functions. He had done that to her.
It might prove to be the costliest of all his mistakes.
“I will trust you to prevent that,” Remin said, keeping his voice steady with an effort.
“Her food is already being tasted,” Juste said, calm and reassuring. “I am yours, my lord, as always. I will do everything I can.”
