Bonds of Silver, Bonds of Gold 11: Sample (Part 1)

The third time I heard someone trying to suppress a laugh, I knew it had to be because of me. The first two, I’d assumed were just part of some conversation I didn’t hear. Deterikh Castle’s main hall was a huge room, lined with benches and littered with seats and tables, most of which were occupied. Pages walked the room with trays of food and mugs; while merchants, soldiers, and farmers’ speakers mingled and talked, all at once. My master had me on a lead behind him as he circled the room, sampling from the conversations, and it was all I could do to follow his words, much less anyone else’s. With two younger sisters, though, I knew well the sound of a restrained snicker, and it grew harder to block it out each time it happened.

If my master noticed my growing discomfort, he did his best not to show it, but it was obvious that he, too, could hear the amusement of those around him. All the way from the baths to the main hall, he’d walked with his head high and a smile on his muzzle, visibly eager for the event. When the guard posted at the door had announced his arrival, all eyes had turned, and for several minutes, the baron strode about the room as if he owned it, eagerly greeting familiar faces and subtly showing off his latest acquisition. His mood began to fall rapidly, though, as conversations paused as he approached, as silences lingered upon his departure, and as the occasional giggle followed in his wake.

“Baron?” A voice cut through the crowd, quiet but close, intended for few ears. Valentin, dressed in a tunic over his chain shirt and leggings, leaned down and placed his muzzle close to my master’s ear. “Might I have a few words?”

My master rolled his eyes and turned to his sergeant-at-arms. “Is it urgent? I should be talking with my people.”

The lynx looked this way and that, then turned back to the baron. “It is, sir, and bring your… pet.”

The baron grumbled in response, but he tugged down the hem of his dress shirt and motioned for the lynx to lead. Valentin nodded and turned, gesturing towards one of the side doors, whence came a trickle of pages carrying fresh offerings for the crowd. Holding open the door, he bowed his head as the baron and I walked past him into the kitchen, then stepped through the door and let it close behind him. As soon as it shut, though, his demeanor changed; his shoulders stooped and his head bowed. “Idiot.”

My master drew himself up sharply as if he’d been stuck. “What?”

The lynx turned to face his lord, but his frown showed anything but obedience. He waved a paw in my direction. “That’s about the worst thing you could’ve done right now, you realize.”

“What?” the baron repeated. He turned to me, his eyes wide, while I hung my head and cringed, my ears flat against my skull. “What’s wrong with em?”

Valentin closed his eyes and put one paw to the bridge of his muzzle. “Erik, listen to me. I’m sure this sounded like a good idea back in your room, but people are starting to talk, and not in a good way. Your mind’s not where it needs to be.”

My master scowled back at his sergeant-at-arms. “Are you saying I’m not paying attention?”

“No,” the lynx snapped in response. “I’m saying that you’re paying attention to all the wrong things. Namely, your new toy, and not your barony. Koshki’s luck that Baron Jazinsk wasn’t at court waiting for an audience with you! How do you think talks would have gone then?”

The baron took a half-step backwards, folding his arms across his chest. “He’d probably have asked to borrow em for the evening.”

“Oshka defend us,” Valentin swore, pressing with his fingerpads against the bridge of his muzzle. “That flippancy is going to cost you more than your title.” He groaned and leaned back against the wall, rubbing at his muzzle. “Erik, listen to me. We’ve known each other, what, going on six summers now?”

My master chuckled hollowly. “Long enough. Yes, I’ve been distracted, but not by Taneh, to be sure.” He waved a paw at the door leading out to the main hall. “You’ve been in the planning sessions. Datsia’s trying to break me, I swear to the Family.”

“Stop it, Erik.” The sergeant-at-arms said wearily. “You can’t blame Datsia for this one. Bringing him to court was a mistake, and you know it.”

“It’s ‘em,’” the baron huffed. “And no, it wasn’t a mistake; it was a gamble.” My master sighed. “You’re right, it didn’t work as I’d hoped, but—”

“But what? What were you trying to do?” Valentin sighed, then held up his paws, pads out. “No, I’m sorry, sir, I interrupted. Please, I’m curious. What did you hope would happen?” The lynx went silent, his eyes fixed on my master’s, who turned from his sergeant-at-arms, to me, and back again. He opened his muzzle to speak, then closed it, at which point Valentin shook his head. “As I thought. You didn’t know. You just acted.” The lynx shook his head, then put a paw on my master’s shoulder. “Listen, Erik, it’s not just your new plaything, and it’s not even Datsia. I know you try not to listen to gossip, but—” He stopped himself sharply, then lowered his voice. “There are people starting to say you’re not fit for the throne.”

My master’s retort was instant. “Who says?”

“Erik, it doesn’t matter who said it.” Valentin visibly struggled to keep his voice down. “What matters is that it’s being said, and not just in private. Let’s face it, Erik. You weren’t exactly born under the best stars, and given your mother—”

“Oh, by all that’s—” The baron growled. “I’m quite sick of people thinking there’s something wrong with me because of her! I’ve been checked by every physic in the barony. Iladin himself said I was fine!”

Valentin vaguely gestured to the door. “Yes, well, Iladin’s been wrong at least once before in his life, I’m sure. Listen, Erik. I don’t doubt you, but you can’t just say you’re the baron and then do whatever you’d like. You have to at least act the part until you’ve proven yourself. Your father was a good ruler because he waited until people were ready before he asked them to follow him into new territory. I don’t doubt he loved your mother, but he was Baron Deterikh for years before he was her husband, and more before he was your father. A year into your reign, you’re asking people to trust…” He sighed. “There’s no other way to say it. You’re asking them to trust an untested half-breed at a time when they’re worried their neighbors are going to attack them, and you’re too busy showing off your new pleasureslave to talk to anyone for more than a few minutes!”

Throughout his sergeant-at-arms’ speech, my master’s eyes grew harder, his posture growing more rigid. He held stock-still for a few minutes. He raised one paw, clenched in a fist, but then sagged back against the wall and covered his eyes with it. “Okay, yes. I am focused on Taneh and not Barony Jazinsk, but that’s because Datsia seems convinced that we’re already at war and every time I try to say we should talk with Jazinsk, she accuses me of being a whelp and of not being half the man my father was!”

Valentin chuckled darkly. “Datsia might be right; your father would’ve hit anyone who talked to him like that.” He held out his paws again in supplication. “You’re right, I’m sorry, poor timing. Listen, Datsia’s focused on military force, yes, but that’s because she’s Captain Deterikh; meanwhile, you’re not thinking about the military at all. I know you’d rather talk your way out of this, but we need to be ready in case that fails.” He put his paws on my master’s shoulders. “I think of you as a brother, Erik, but you’ve got to start taking this threat seriously!”

My master turned his head, his eyes closed. “If you want to take it so seriously, why don’t you be baron, then?”

The sergeant-at-arms shook his head. “Nobody would follow me; I don’t have six generations of founders’ blood in me. Listen, after court, I’ll help you work out what needs to be done, but you’ve got to start at least pretending to listen to Datsia. After supper, your quarters. I’ll deflect what I can of Datsia’s glory and we’ll come up with a plan that satisfies her without declaring battle lines. In the meantime…” He motioned towards me, making me flinch. “You should get back out there and listen to your people. I’ll take em back to your room.”

My master chuckled and stepped over to the door. “Fine. And be my guest while you’re there, but be gentle. Ey bruises easily.”

The lynx looked down at me, then back at the baron; his eyes were wide and his ears flat. “I couldn’t possibly.”

“Of course you can,” the baron said with a grin. “Think of it as payment for lessons taught. “He leaned over and kissed my forehead. “Do show Valentin a good time, pet. He’s earned it.”

I blushed. “Yes, master.” Then he was gone, back to court while his sergeant-at-arms led me away.