Free Shards of a Broken Crown by Raymond Feist Page B

still there, Highness.”
    Patrick’s
head came around and he said, “Who gave you leave to talk,
Keshian?”
    Nakor returned
an insolent grin. “Your King, many years ago, if you remember?
And I am Isalani.”
    Wearying of the
scene, Pug said, “Patrick, what’s done is done. It’s
an unhappy solution, but at least it’s a solution. You can’t
deal with the invaders to the west, Kesh to the south, and the
magicians at Stardock. You must start somewhere; Stardock is the
easiest. With the community there guaranteed their autonomy, Kesh
will have to remove itself back to the old border. That’s two
problems solved. Then you can reclaim the West.”
    Patrick said
nothing, forcing himself to calm down. “I do not like it.”
    Nakor said, “The
King won’t like it much either, but he’ll understand.
Prince Erland spent time in Kesh. He saved the Emperor and knows the
Empress well. Very well,” he added with a grin. “Erland
will go down and visit again and soon things will be back to normal
along this border.”
    “Except
I’ll have lost Stardock.”
    Pug said,
“You’ll lose a great deal more unless you agree.”
He looked the young prince squarely in the eyes. “Sometimes
ruling is hard choices, between bad and worse. Agree that Stardock
can rule itself, and you defeat Kesh.”
    Pug’s
wording made the young Prince pause. After a moment he spoke. “Very
well. Prepare documents, my lord duke,” he said, using Pug’s
formal rank as Duke of Stardock. “It is your duchy we’re
losing. I’m sure Father will have another office or something
for you. After all, he did explain you were some sort of royal cousin
and need to be treated as such.”
    Pug glanced at
his wife. She returned a slight shrug. He was young, she seemed to
say in agreement with his own thoughts. Pug started to turn away, but
Patrick continued to speak. “I think, though, that you’d
best explain directly to the King what is at hand here.”
    Pug turned back
to face Patrick. “You wish me to prepare a report for the
King.”
    Patrick’s
expression showed his temper was still getting the better of him.
“No, I wish you to use whatever magic arts you have to take
yourself to Rillanon. In fact, I command you to do so,
my lord
duke
! Perhaps being wiser than I, the King can discern how this
isn’t some sort of treason.” He glanced at Miranda. “If
your
wife
isn’t an agent of the Empire, I’ll be
astounded.”
    Pug’s eyes
narrowed and he remained silent.
    “You’ll
need to demonstrate that loyalty I currently find lacking, magician,
if you’re to regain this court’s favor.”
    “Demonstrate?”
said Pug softly. “I have labored to my utmost to prevent the
destruction of all we hold dear.”
    Patrick said,
“I’ve read the reports. I’ve heard the tales.
Demons and spawn of the lower hells. Yes, magic to warp the world to
darkness, and all the rest of it.”
    Arutha looked
from one man to the other, saying, “Highness! Grandfather,
please! We have much to do and contention in our ranks does us no
good.”
    Pug looked at
his grandson, and slowly he said, “I am not attempting to
contend, Arutha. My only purpose has been, from the first, to serve.”
    He stepped
forward and his voice was filled with menace. “If you command,
my prince, I will obey. I will take the time to visit with the King.
If you are not satisfied with my performance in recent months,
perhaps he will be persuaded that the price I paid demonstrates my
commitment.”
    “Perhaps!”
said Patrick. He spat hot words. “You gave away a duchy that by
all reports you have neglected, and I have a city lying in ruins, as
well as my entire Principality to the west in thrall to hostile
forces. Who between us has lost the most?”
    Pug’s
throat burned as color rose in his cheeks. In a hoarse whisper he
said, “Lost? You
dare
speak to me of loss?”
Stepping up so that he was mere inches from the Prince, Pug looked up
at the taller, younger man. “I lost