people. Greed rode the city, as wealth was flaunted and gifts exchanged. The greater the gift, the greater the giver. Then, this morning, Duke Palatyne announced he had a special gift for the king.
So the whole court gathered before the evening feast to see this new marvel. Piro looked for Dunstany, but he wasn't present. She hadn't seen him since that first night and she was surprised by the depth of her disappointment.
Standing behind Isolt's chair, Piro watched as Palatyne's men wheeled in two objects covered by cloth. From their size and shape she knew what they were, and she ground her teeth in impotent fury.
'My king, I bring you a most unusual gift.' Palatyne clearly enjoyed the attention. 'Creatures so cunningly preserved they look as if they could spring to life!'
With a flourish he pulled off the cloths to reveal King Rolen's stuffed wyvern and foenix. The courtiers gasped and clapped.
Piro schooled her face to betray nothing.
A small cold hand closed on her wrist. 'You were not surprised by the duke's gifts, Seela. Why?'
Piro hid her dismay. These last few days had taught her one thing. Isolt was much cleverer than anyone gave her credit for.
'I used to dust them in King Rolen's trophy chamber,' Piro improvised.
The answer satisfied Isolt.
The old king clutched the arms of his chair. 'They are dead, you say?'
'Couldn't be deader, though cleverly lifelike!' Palatyne assured him.
The king stood and walked around the table, but he did not approach the creatures.
'Touch the wyvern, Palatyne. Put your hand in its open mouth,' King Merofyn commanded, voice thin.
His order made no sense to Piro. Although she wasn't supposed to be able to understand Merofynian, the king's fear was clear from his stance, so she asked, 'Why does the king fear a dead wyvern?'
At first she thought Isolt would not reply. Then she sighed and whispered. 'When he was a boy, Father was almost killed by a pet wyvern. His father had all the wyverns on the estate killed.'
While she spoke, the duke placed his hand in the beast's mouth with a flourish, then laughed and bowed to his king. Piro thought the bow a very nicely timed insult.
She glanced to Isolt to see if the kingsdaughter had read the same meaning into this. Their eyes met and they shared a moment's perfect understanding. Duke Palatyne definitely held King Merofyn in contempt.
The king stepped nearer and prodded the stuffed wyvern. He and Palatyne began to discuss the creatures. The rest of the courtiers crowded round and even Isolt left her seat, joining the others.
Unlike the courtiers, she was more interested in the foenix. She stroked its coat, whispering in Rolencian. 'So soft. Surely it cannot be like this in real life?'
'It's even softer,' Piro said, then added quickly. 'The kingsdaughter had a pet foenix. I used to feed it.'
'Father never let me have a pet,' Isolt said, then seemed to regret the admission, for she drew away from Piro.
Feeling lost amidst the pack of overdressed courtiers, Piro followed Isolt and remained by her side. As she watched the nobles chatter to either the king or the duke, depending on their allegiances, Piro felt her lips curl with contempt. No wonder Isolt trusted no one. None of these people were worth trusting, all too eager to flatter and win favour with the king or the duke. Dunstany would have flattered neither.
And, as if her thoughts had called him up, there he was, slipping into the feasting hall and making his way towards the gathering.
Isolt nudged Piro, gesturing to where Palatyne preened, enjoying the attention.
'The duke outdoes himself,' Isolt remarked, putting heavy emphasis on the title. She said the words loudly, as though baiting Palatyne.
Piro did not think Isolt expected an answer from her, but chose to give one. 'Naturally, he sets out to impress you.'
'Naturally?' Isolt looked at Piro. 'You placed extra emphasis on that word. Why?'
With a jolt Piro remembered that Isolt did not know Palatyne meant to marry
So the whole court gathered before the evening feast to see this new marvel. Piro looked for Dunstany, but he wasn't present. She hadn't seen him since that first night and she was surprised by the depth of her disappointment.
Standing behind Isolt's chair, Piro watched as Palatyne's men wheeled in two objects covered by cloth. From their size and shape she knew what they were, and she ground her teeth in impotent fury.
'My king, I bring you a most unusual gift.' Palatyne clearly enjoyed the attention. 'Creatures so cunningly preserved they look as if they could spring to life!'
With a flourish he pulled off the cloths to reveal King Rolen's stuffed wyvern and foenix. The courtiers gasped and clapped.
Piro schooled her face to betray nothing.
A small cold hand closed on her wrist. 'You were not surprised by the duke's gifts, Seela. Why?'
Piro hid her dismay. These last few days had taught her one thing. Isolt was much cleverer than anyone gave her credit for.
'I used to dust them in King Rolen's trophy chamber,' Piro improvised.
The answer satisfied Isolt.
The old king clutched the arms of his chair. 'They are dead, you say?'
'Couldn't be deader, though cleverly lifelike!' Palatyne assured him.
The king stood and walked around the table, but he did not approach the creatures.
'Touch the wyvern, Palatyne. Put your hand in its open mouth,' King Merofyn commanded, voice thin.
His order made no sense to Piro. Although she wasn't supposed to be able to understand Merofynian, the king's fear was clear from his stance, so she asked, 'Why does the king fear a dead wyvern?'
At first she thought Isolt would not reply. Then she sighed and whispered. 'When he was a boy, Father was almost killed by a pet wyvern. His father had all the wyverns on the estate killed.'
While she spoke, the duke placed his hand in the beast's mouth with a flourish, then laughed and bowed to his king. Piro thought the bow a very nicely timed insult.
She glanced to Isolt to see if the kingsdaughter had read the same meaning into this. Their eyes met and they shared a moment's perfect understanding. Duke Palatyne definitely held King Merofyn in contempt.
The king stepped nearer and prodded the stuffed wyvern. He and Palatyne began to discuss the creatures. The rest of the courtiers crowded round and even Isolt left her seat, joining the others.
Unlike the courtiers, she was more interested in the foenix. She stroked its coat, whispering in Rolencian. 'So soft. Surely it cannot be like this in real life?'
'It's even softer,' Piro said, then added quickly. 'The kingsdaughter had a pet foenix. I used to feed it.'
'Father never let me have a pet,' Isolt said, then seemed to regret the admission, for she drew away from Piro.
Feeling lost amidst the pack of overdressed courtiers, Piro followed Isolt and remained by her side. As she watched the nobles chatter to either the king or the duke, depending on their allegiances, Piro felt her lips curl with contempt. No wonder Isolt trusted no one. None of these people were worth trusting, all too eager to flatter and win favour with the king or the duke. Dunstany would have flattered neither.
And, as if her thoughts had called him up, there he was, slipping into the feasting hall and making his way towards the gathering.
Isolt nudged Piro, gesturing to where Palatyne preened, enjoying the attention.
'The duke outdoes himself,' Isolt remarked, putting heavy emphasis on the title. She said the words loudly, as though baiting Palatyne.
Piro did not think Isolt expected an answer from her, but chose to give one. 'Naturally, he sets out to impress you.'
'Naturally?' Isolt looked at Piro. 'You placed extra emphasis on that word. Why?'
With a jolt Piro remembered that Isolt did not know Palatyne meant to marry
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