I returned to the Ursal estate and looked upon it from the outside. It was beginning to feel more and more like a prison and less like somewhere I can hold up and plan from. However I had nowhere else to stay while I was waiting for the opportune time to arrange to see the court. I would have to figure out when an event may be taking place by listening in on the conversations between Ermine and the others.
Entering I was immediately intercepted by the head servant and he looked rather nervous. “I heard what you were able to do and I hope it is successful. I don’t know how I can thank you enough.”
“I suspect you’ll soon be downgrading me to servant’s quarters. It seems I’ve displeased the Ermines. So if you can have something made as comfortable as possible I would greatly appreciate it.”
“I can see what I can do for you. Speaking of the Ermines they have summoned you to the master lounge as they are about to receive some guests from the Gaelin family and will be quite pleased if you could perform your best. I’ll bring your lute to the lounge if you want to head that way and find a place that you will be most comfortable.” He bowed deeply at the waist with gratitude and I returned it with a nod.
I was familiar with the house now and knew where to head. When I entered it was Lady Ermine waiting for me and her eyes were sharp and inquisitive. Tracey was yet to be there, “I received your message. Are you sure of its validity?”
I nodded wordlessly, “You overhear things in this place.”
There was a fire of anger in her eyes as she seethed with rage. “Bastard, ungrateful bastard.” She clutched a fan in her hand so tightly I could hear the wood in it creak. Deep breaths caused her bosom to rise and fall in great waves as I took my seat in the corner and waited for my lute. She whispered to herself so quietly I barely heard it, “We will see what I can do to make his life miserable.”
I kept any hint of a smile from my face as I sat there. Soon the lute was brought to me and I started to play a quiet and soft tune so as to not be too distracting for Arianna. Her eyes glanced at me a few times as she fought to calm herself down. Tracey entered and the pleasant smiles they exchanged hid anything that might’ve been amiss and I felt no sympathy for Tracey. If he hadn’t been so keen to throw me under the carriage I don’t think his secret would be out.
He sat next to his wife and as he went to hold her hand she pulled away slowly and with a point. He looked confused until he could see cracks in her facade and the bobbing of his throat made it harder to hide my smirk.
“My dear,” Said Tracey. “We will be entertaining Lord and Lady Gaelin today. They are the neighbors of the Truose family and have large access to some of the sea’s bounties. I hope you are able to keep Mrs. Gaelin distracted as I hear she is shrewd and tight fisted with her money. They’ll need plenty of wood for them to build their boats though so we have quite the upper hand when it comes to negotiations. Make sure to push that forward if you will.”
Arianna stared daggers into him while keeping that porcelain smile on her face. “We will see what I can do. I’m sure that our coffers will benefit most from this. Won’t they?”
“Not in front of the minstrel my love…” He whispered barely audible to her. If it weren’t for my enhanced hearing I would have missed the small exchange over the sounds of my lute.
There was a new man that entered the lounge and he wore the colors orange and black in a pattern much like my own. “May I introduce Lord and Lady Gaelin of the Duchy Gaelios. Shore of the great sea, collector of pearls, bringer of the bounties of the seas.”
The Ermines stood up and bowed deeply to the Duke and Duchess that entered the lounge. I made myself as non existent as possible but kept the music going like a whisper on a wind that wasn’t there. There were a few handshakes between them all after the deep bowing was done and the Gaelins took their seats quickly enough. Both of them were rotund with protruding guts and round soft features. Duke Gaelin seemed to be slathered in pale makeup with ugly obtrusive blush painted thickly on his cheeks. His overly full lips in a permanent pout as his watery brown eyes looked on the verge of weeping. I could hear his breath from hear as his body labored under his weight.
His wife was much the same with a large powdered tower of her hair reaching towards the ceiling. I could see the wire mesh throughout it to support its weight from crumpling everything down. She flipped a fan open and went about the task of cooling herself off through her stuffy and thick clothing. Her feet were nearly bursting from shoes that were far too tight. I could see her ankle almost roll over the rim of her shoe as her skirt rode up just enough to show them.
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Everyone sat down now a servant attended to pouring a good amount of tea out. The Ermines drank first to show it wasn’t poisoned and they started their discussions. Most of it was droll and pointless. Talking about trade routes and bandit sightings. The women separated after a few minutes and they started to discuss their children and their attempts at learning new things.
“Oh my Marigold does love to learn her harp,” Gushed Duchess Gaelin, “She is going to be a prodigy like no other on my word as a Duchess when she is introduced to the court in the summer it will be a grand thing. You’ll see.”
“Oh my children have been learning to sing you see…” Arianna started.
I cut past them with my focus and instead listened in on the two men speaking in the room. “I've got important news that you might want to hear. However there is something you must do for me if I’m to tell you.”
“I cannot see what could be so important for us to speak so privately. Before you say anything, what is it you want?”
“I’m going to need a new house to fly my home under and some lands that I would like to own near the sea. I guarantee the information I have will be well worth your time. If you give me your word that you will look after my family I will make sure that you are well and safe from something terrible that will be happening to your lands and family.”
The Duke looked a little red in the face as he fanned himself with his hand. “I can look after you if this information is truly worth its weight in salt, you know. But it wouldn’t be good for you to be so threatening about it.”
Tracey leaned in close to the Duke and barely whispered, “Truose plans to invade your lands when you dedicate your troops to the fight at the Ursal’s call. The wards you have taken will be claimed back and all your diplomatic weight against them will evaporate. I think the king himself plans to wipe your house out of the kingdom.”
Duke Gaelin turned red even through his thick makeup as he looked harshly at Tracey. “This is treason you speak of. What in the god’s names have you been listening to?” His response was so loud the ladies in the room perked up and stopped talking to one another.
Tracey looked near panicked and waved at the ladies, “Nothing to concern yourself with my dears please just another few moments and we will be done discussing the men’s business.”
Tension filled the room as they all went back to their own private discussions. “I have heard from a string of servants that the king himself had a meeting with the Truose family and after that they didn’t dedicate any more than a handful of troops to the dowry we have arranged between the Truose family and the Ursal house. I think there is merit to what I’ve heard but, if I am caught by my lord having warned you I don’t know if he is in on the conspiracy.”
My ears twitched at this, that was a baseless claim and I was angry on behalf of the Ursal boy. He wouldn’t be so treacherous and his mother in mourning wouldn't be thinking of betraying another house. That would accomplish nothing for them except to extend the war. I fought off my tongue to speak up and had the thoughts of warning the Ursal duke once more when I could.
In the midst of my thoughts a servant from the Ursal home set out some more tea and biscuits. The Duke idly ate them and the dry things crumbled in his hands. His eyes were distant as he stuffed his face. Then he turned red and clutched his throat as he began to choke.
“POISON!” Yelled the Duchess as I set my lute down and raced to him.
“No, I would never poison you all!”
I was nearly shoved away from the Duke as I clutched his face and knew this was a way to ingratiate myself to another house. My saving him would make sure that I would have yet another house backing my bid to join the court. I pried his mouth open and shoved a finger down his throat and swiped at the congealing and thick biscuit that was lodged in his throat. I was able to scrape it away as he gagged. Tears streamed down his terror ridden face as I dug again at the food. His wife battered me with her fists.
“YOU'RE KILLING HIM!” She screamed.
“I’m saving him, give me a moment!” After I shaped my finger to be a little longer I ripped free the chunk of biscuit that was choking him and as soon as I pulled my hand back he collapsed forward and began to vomit on the thick carpet. Bits of his breakfast and the biscuits that he was eating spilled from his body as he gasped and fought to breathe.
His wife nearly fainted as she swooned and grew extra pale. I set her down gently into a chair before she could fall over and her head began to roll as the blood drained from her. The Ermines were paralyzed in their places and I could feel the terror radiating off them. A Duke almost died in their presence and if it weren’t for me I doubted anyone would have been able to help.
I collapsed back into a chair as the Duke looked up at me, “Thank you minstrel.” His voice was more of a croak now than it was before. The damage to his throat must’ve been extensive. “I’ll reward you handsomely for saving me from this treason.”
Tracey paled as he looked on in fear. “I swear sir there was no such treachery in this. I’ll swear to anything you wish!”
The temptation to throw them under the carriage was strong but I wanted to make as many people in this court to appreciate me greatly. “It was merely too much biscuit for you to swallow. I think in your haste you just got carried away. Please don’t take it out on the Ermines. They’ve been such gracious hosts to me and without that I don’t think you would’ve survived.”
“I see, I think you are right minstrel please what is your name?”
“I’m Dolan Talespinner. At your service.” I bowed my head deeply as he looked up at me from the floor. His make up ran from his face and his eyes were bulged and watery.
“Tracey better take good care of you Dolan. I’ll be making sure that is the case when I bring you to my house in thanks. Please I must give you a feast in honor of you saving me.”
I bowed deeply and helped the Duke up. “I’d be most honored to be in your house with or without recognition. You are far too kind to be thanking a peasant such as I.”
“A man that saves the life of a Duke is no mere peasant. You’ll be raised in station! I’ll speak to the king himself about your heroism!” He was getting his strength back as his servants rushed from the other room to support him. “I must get home. This was rather taxing on me. Tracey, you will come to my house and we will continue what we discussed.” As he turned he yelled to the room, “Someone collect my wife.”
Tracey grabbed me and hugged me tight. I don’t know what we would have done if the Duke passed away with us in the room. We would be tried for murder most foul. By the gods it was good that you were here to help.”
Fortune seemed to favor me that day.