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This is not injured pride, Lyrna decided He siood man, and a builder with skills ain at Illian, watching her reveal a set of perfect white teeth as she s nod from Davoka Beautiful, but so is a hawk, and for now I have esturing for one of the three scribes present to formally record a Royal Pronouncement, “Under the Queen’s Word I hereby strip you of all rank and set aside your father’s authority As a free subject of this Realm you may choose any path open to you by law”
• • •
She had been surprised to find the council chaap in the west-facing wall, the tapestry that covered it flapping in the breeze In a break with custo Aspects attend the Council, for Aspect Elera as Minister of Royal Works and Dendrish as Minister of Justice Neither her father nor her brother had ever appointed an Aspect to an official position and there had been so the other council ive them an inch more than you have to, her father had once said of the Faith I tied the Crown to them to win the Realm, but if I could, I’d sever them froht a different lesson Aspect Tendris’s diatribes against her brother’s toleration of Denier beliefs had done much to weaken the Realm, but his power had been limited by the closeness of the other Orders to the Crown Yourto theh
“As in Warnsclave, more people arrive by the day,” Brother Hollun reported, seated on Lyrna’s left “The civil population of Varinshold now stands at over fifty thousand We can expect the figure to double within the month”
“Can we feed so ,” Brother Hollun said “And continued supply from our Alpiran friends and Fief Lord Darvus’s provision of Nilsaelin produce The winter months will be hard but none should starve”
“How stands the army, my lord?” Lyrna asked Vaelin
“With our new recruits, Baron Banders’s knights and cohty thousand men and women under arms before the year’s end”
“We need more” Lyrna turned to Lord Marshal Travick “Tomorroill draft an edict of conscription, all Reale will be inducted into the Realaze to Lady Reva “The edict will extend to all fiefs, my lady I trust you have no objection”
The Lady Governess maintained a neutral expression but Lyrna saw she was carefully phrasing her response “For hness, no,” she replied after a moment “And for many of my people who suffered at Volarian hands However, there are some corners of Cuer”
“To be dispelled by the Blessed Lady’s words, I should hope,” Lyrna told her “Perhaps you should return home for a time, Lady Reva Let your people see you, hear the tale of your deeds, for they are so inspiring”
Reva’s nod of assent was ihness colimmer of disloyalty from this one, Lyrna mused So why does she cause me such unease?
She set the question aside for further consideration and turned to the Shield “Fleet Lord Ell-Nestra, please advise on the strength of your command”
As was his wont these days, the Shield’s perpetual half grin disappeared as he addressed her, his eyes only briefly hts, Highness We’ve captured quite a few Volarian traders but the seas grow ever more empty as the winter storms descend”
“A decent-sized force to repel any invasion,” Count Marven commented “Crewed by the best sailors in the world Plus, this time we are forewarned”