Lora of Two Worlds

It wasn’t hard for the justice of Jaxham to find the royal envoy’s boat. The moment the boats docked, Theo Yannic presented himself on shore. Yannic had been in Jaxham for years, growing gray. Weybrook’s relationship with the crown ran hot and cold, now the marcher lord could even appoint his own prefects. Yannic saw no path back to the capital. When he heard that Lord von Klein, the King’s attendant, was passing through, he was overjoyed. He couldn’t miss this heaven-sent chance. He thought and thought, and remembered a niece living in his household. His wife’s cousin had died young, leaving a beautiful daughter. Two years ago, she’d come to Yannic’s house, hoping to find a good match through her uncle’s connections. Now Yannic had a new idea: The King was in his prime. His household was thin of women, his heirs few. If he could send this girl to court, if she caught the King’s eye and bore a child, Yannic’s retirement to the capital would be a simple matter. He discussed it with his wife. They adopted the girl as their own daughter and renamed her. Worried that offering her directly to the King might make the envoy refuse, Yannic devised a roundabout approach. He’d waited two days, and finally, von Klein had arrived. Yannic Linnie boarded the boat with her adoptive father. The moment she appeared, von Klein guessed three-quarters of it. Because Yannic Linnie was genuinely stunning, her face radiant, and her figure precisely matched to the King’s tastes. Von Klein had served the King for years. He knew better than anyone: the King wasn’t the straight-laced man the world imagined.  His household was small, yes, but he dallied freely with maids and serving women about the palace, often deliberately avoiding the chamberlains’ record-keeping. Perhaps it was his way of defying Voss and Kursall and the chamberlains who smothered him. But every woman he chose shared a particular quality of figure, and von Klein knew that quality when he saw it. ”Lord Envoy, my daughter is a humble girl, but she’s learned a little song and dance. I’ve brought her to perform for you tonight, to ease the weariness of the road.” Only von Klein and Yannic sat in the cabin. Alvin had excused himself to inspect the cargo boats. Roland stood watch on deck with the guards. Only Leon had entered the cabin with three men, standing behind von Klein. Musicians struck up. The cabin transformed. As Linnie began to dance, Leon, behind the envoy, smiled coldly: Yannic Linnie, the King’s future favorite mistress! In his former life, he’d never known how she entered the palace. This time, by chance, he’d found her before she ever got there. ”Beans are dear in the capital, a stone for ten gold.” Because she envied a court lady’s figure, she’d remarked on ”the virtue of beans”, and noblewomen had bought up every bean in the capital. To push Prince Ambrose’s claim, she’d slandered the Crown Prince’s character, her doing, too. Leon had died too early to know the rest: that the Crown Prince was later killed on her whisper, at the King’s nod. And that when Prince Ewan took the throne, he’d had this scheming woman, entangled with Ambrose, served a cup of poisoned wine. Leon’s heart was heavy, his thoughts spinning. But outside the cabin, someone else was watching, eyes bright with wonder. Lora, who’d sneaked onto the passenger boat when she heard there was a performer, was drooling: Stunning. Absolutely stunning. If I were the King, with a natural beauty like this, I’d skip morning court too... She had no idea that the woman before her was the historical consort who’d trick the King into killing his own son, who’d flirt with Prince Ambrose, and who’d die by poison. ”Lord Envoy, how do you find my daughter? If she pleases you, I’ll give her to you. She can make your bed and fold your robes. Even the King would be glad for you.” ”No, no, no ” von Klein went pale. The words tumbled out: ”Your daughter’s beauty and talent are fit only for the King. How could a broken man like me presume?” He spoke from experience. Chamberlains in the Empire could marry and keep households. Voss and Kursall not only had wives, they collected godsons. Kursall had five sons from before he entered palace service. And the King, once, he’d fancied a chamberlain’s wife. Ordered the man to send her to the palace, and dispatched the husband on an errand from which he never returned. Von Klein had no such appetites. Why pretend to a family he couldn’t have? And worse, he feared vanishing, like that colleague. ”Your praise honors us, Lord Envoy. I’ll send my daughter to her cousin’s house in the capital shortly. When you return, we can discuss further.” Leon slipped out of the cabin and found Roland. Lora quickly turned away and drifted toward the stern. Roland, helpless with his sister, pretended not to see her. He said to Leon: ”You couldn’t sit through it either? A county justice, brazenly scheming for his own fortune...” ”Find a way. That woman can’t go to Augustburg. She comes with us.” Leon cut him off, his voice hard. Roland dropped the banter and nodded: ”All right. Let me think. I’ll go in shortly.” Leon nodded and returned to the cabin. Lora materialized at his elbow: ”Why can’t she go to the capital? She’s so beautiful... Did someone take a fancy to her?” ”Children should be seen and not heard. Beautiful, so she should go to court? Remember what happened with the famous consort Yannic?” Roland didn’t know Leon’s real reason, but he trusted his friend. He tossed Lora a parallel from history. But ”the famous consort Yannic” triggered Lora’s memory: Right! King Edmond had a notoriously favored consort, Lady Yannic! Once, leaving her apartments, he’d written a poem about spring rain, lines that read like a man who’d just left a beautiful woman’s bed, light-headed and weak-kneed. She’d had a brother who’d helped her meddle in politics, a classic Yannic Guozhong figure. And their family had produced a chancellor through their connections... If this Yannic Linnie was the one history said was poisoned by the next King... Then ”the second Lady Yannic” was no exaggeration. She truly had the face to topple a kingdom. Lora caught Roland’s sleeve: ”What are you going to say?” ”Just invite her to travel with us.” ”The justice won’t allow that. He’ll be afraid you’ve taken a fancy to his daughter. Roland, I have a plan. All you need to do is stall for the time it takes to drink one cup.” Roland went in. The justice rose to greet him. Linnie had just finished a dance, cheeks flushed, lovely. Seeing Roland’s eyes on her, she didn’t blush or cower, she curtsied with perfect composure. ”Justice Yannic, how long has it been since you visited either capital?” Roland sat down, cross-legged, at the low table. ”Ah, ten years and more. My daughter here is sixteen, she was born after I left. I’ve longed to return.” Roland didn’t stand on ceremony. He settled in and smiled: ”No wonder. You’ve lost touch with what the court likes. If you send your daughter like this, you’ll be laughed at.” ”Laughed at?” How so? Linnie was beautiful. The family had land, lived comfortably. They’d raised her to climb high, song, dance, grace. What was laughable? But the General was Prince Jasper’s grandson-in-law. His son would know the court... Yannic bowed: ”I beg the young lord’s guidance.” Roland didn’t answer. Instead, he turned to Linnie: ”What’s the popular song in the capital this season? What dance? How do the ladies wear their hair? What face-patches? What eyebrow style? Stoles of gauze or damask? Is the neckline round... or square?” Linnie glanced down at her own neckline, fashionably low, a small vanity. Being caught out made her flustered. How could she answer so many questions? Yannic, though, waved it off: ”Minor details. Once she’s in the capital, she’ll learn. In the palace, the senior maids will guide her.” Linnie recovered her confidence and smiled: ”My dancing was taught by Mistress Mina, who came from the royal music academy. You may have heard of her, in her day, she was the finest dancer in the capital. She said I had talent, better than the palace’s most favored dancers. I’m confident of that.” Roland stopped looking at her and kept the questions coming: ”To enter the palace, do you know what sweets the King prefers? Whether he takes his herb tea salted or unsalted? What hour he likes to stroll in the garden? The name of his favorite fighting cock? Which consort is in favor? What does the Queen Mother dislike most? The lady-in-waiting the King once kicked and the Queen Mother later had killed, whom did she truly offend?” Roland, primed by his sister’s hint and armed with years of capital living, was in full flow. Even von Klein nodded. Yannic panicked. Everything Lord Roland said was true, and they knew none of it. He bowed again, sincerely chastened: ”Please, guide us!” Behind them, Leon suppressed a laugh, delighted: I told you to find a way, and you’ve actually opened your eyes! Only... This manner of speech, it was very like someone else...