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Everyone nodded.
‘Augustus of Arun will follow within the hour, as will Valentine of Thallasia,’ he told them. ‘It’s all been scheduled.’
‘What of the north?’ asked Rudolpho, his eyes sharply assessing.
‘I’ve had no communication with the mountain tribes to the north,’ he said. ‘They heard of the new water plans when you did.’ He glanced at the clock. ‘I don’t know if or when we will hear from them. Tomorrow I’ll send them a formal invitation to negotiation talks here at the palace and ask them to nominate a representative. See if that encourages a reply.’
Rudolpho sighed heavily.
‘You disagree with my strategy?’ Casimir asked coolly.
‘I know who we’re likely to get by way of an envoy.’
‘You liked him well enough once.’
‘That was before I knew what he was truly capable of. You’ll barely be able to guarantee him safe passage.’
Rudolpho was right. ‘Then he can come to the winter fortress, where I can guarantee safe passage.’
‘You would put him within a mountain range of your daughter? Of your future wife?’
‘I’ll send them elsewhere.’
The older man sighed again. ‘There’s no dissuading you from this course of action, is there?’
‘I’m fully committed. I have been for years.’
‘You planned this. You and Liesendaach, Arun and Thallasia. When?’
‘Years ago. Back when we were young men dreaming big.’
Rudolpho stiffened. ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’
‘You would have been duty-bound to tell my father and he would have destroyed any fair hope of these plans ever gaining traction.’
‘Your father’s been dead for four days. You could have told me what you planned to do during the hours and hours we spent working on your speech last night. A speech you did not give.’
‘I gave parts of it.’ But his chief advisor was right. ‘I could have told you my plans. I chose not to.’ Casimir looked around the room at the other aides, some of them pretending to work, others not bothering to hide their avid interest in the conversation. ‘I’ve been waiting years to right old wrongs and if you think I haven’t planned these next few days and what needs to happen in order to gain the confidence of my people down to the second, you’re wrong. Theo, Augustus and Valentine will stand with me because it benefits us all. Formal letters of invitation to peace talks will be sent north.’
He stood tall and squared his shoulders. ‘You know me. For thirty years I have stood at my father’s side and been what he wanted me to be. What Byzenmaach needed me to be. I have served. I have learned from my father’s mistakes. And I will not let my country stagnate and fail any longer. If you don’t like my vision for the future, if you are not capable of dealing fairly with those I bring to the table, there’s the door.’
No one moved.
‘Right,’ said Rudolpho. ‘Let’s get to work.’
* * *
Ana returned to the winter fortress just in time to catch the afternoon news and a replay of Casimir’s speech. She watched it with Lor, who had a faintly proud smile on her face and nodded when it was done.
‘Congratulations on your engagement,’ Lor said, but Ana was already shaking her head.
‘I’m not… We’re not…engaged. I didn’t agree to that. Casimir made a mistake.’
Lor said nothing.
‘But the rest of it was good,’ Ana said in a small voice. ‘Excellent. He’s an accomplished statesman.’
‘Your mother phoned while you were at the palace,’ Lor said. ‘She too offered her congratulations.’
Ana winced. ‘I should probably call her back.’ She sent Lor a wan smile and figured she should probably call from the privacy of her room.
‘Ana.’ Lor stopped her at the door. ‘Ms Douglas.’
‘I thought we’d moved past Ms Douglas,’ Ana said.
‘He’s a good man.’ Lor twisted her hands in her apron. ‘He was a good boy. Loyal to a fault, even when his emotional needs were not being met. And they were very rarely met. He might not show it, or say it, but he cares for you and the little one. I can see the change in him.’
