Sea of Sighs (Empath Book 2) (11 page)

Venn, much to Eden’s disgust, looked every
inch the lord he was. He wore delicate boots, not hardy riding
ones, and his fine trousers were belted in leather and gold. The
tunic was embroidered with careful roses, the emblem chosen by his
wife, not of his house. Around his neck was a fine fox pelt; the
animal was his nod to the arms of Daggerdale.

“Eden, isn’t it?”

Eden tried not to bristle. Venn knew
perfectly well who he was. “Yes my lord, is there anything you
need?”

“No, just a question. I hear you’re
attending this meeting with us. Why is that?”

Eden shrugged, trying to look nonplussed and
comfortable in conversation with a man like Lord Venn. “I’m not
sure my lord. I assume Vance is going to perhaps mention Sammah, or
mention the trial? I will have to be present for any judgement of
course, so it would make sense that I’d be there for any
announcements the king wishes to make.”

Venn frowned, and Eden realised from his
eyes that the lord didn’t believe a single word he’d said.
“
Vance
is it? Not
your highness
? Not
our liege
? You sound very familiar with
the man who is meant to be ruling us all, I must say.”

Eden had the sense to blush. “I’m sorry my
lord, I thought you were speaking casually. Of course my respect is
with his highness.”

Venn laughed, and it was a cruel noise. He
pushed Eden, and the lad staggered sideways, nearly knocking into
the wall. “I’m just playing with you lad. You look like you’re
about to choke, calm down. I’m a good friend of your father. What’s
happening to him is unjust. It’s all lies. We both know that, and
we both know that
Lord
Shiver is going to be getting out of
this with his titles and lands intact, don’
t
we?
”

Eden sensed that this was more of a
statement than a question, but he muttered his assent anyway. He
didn’t want to start making enemies before the meeting started,
because he knew perfectly well he’d have some by the time it
finished. The position of chamberlain was one of honour in any
castle, never mind being the chamberlain for the king himself. Many
nobles had coveted this position when it was likely they would
never take lands of their own. Vance had told him how unhappy he’d
made the court when he’d appointed Ross to the position, so the
fact that Eden was going to take the post now would raise more than
a few eyebrows.

Venn tried to bait Eden more on the way to
the meeting, but Eden stayed cagey and silent. By the time they
reached the king’s chambers, Eden was certain that Venn was
beginning to hate him. Eden had to ignore what others thought of
him. Ross couldn’t have cared, if he was so derided. There was more
at stake here than his feelings. Eden had to keep in mind that Venn
was one of his father’s closest allies and friends. Eden made a
mental note to speak to Rowan about this, to make sure that he
wasn’t going to be acting at cross purposes with any of his
brother’s alliances.

The closer they got to the doors, the more
Eden’s heart started to pound. He gave Venn a nervous glance,
convinced the lord should be able to hear it hammering against his
ribs. His palms were becoming sweaty and hot, but he resisted the
urge to wipe them down on his clothes. He raised his hands to his
hair, and ran two fingers past his temples for what felt like
hundredth time that day. After realising what he’d done, Eden
rammed his hands into fists and put them by his sides. The lord
would be watching him, he knew, and had gotten a close look just
then. Eden hadn’t wanted to appear nervous, but he was a complete
wreck in front of a man that he wanted to be an equal. He forced
himself to take a few deep breaths, and in a brief moment of
solace, Eden noticed Venn didn’t look completely at ease
himself.

Three guards stood either side of the
chamber door, halberds gripped to attention and faced forward. A
page stood to the left, announcing the lords as they arrived, so
the guards could open the doors. Eden was pensive as the page read
off Venn’s name, though to his relief, his name was announced next.
His irrational fears about this being a game for the king; that
he’d be laughed at and thrown out, were so far unfounded. Nervous,
trying not to look around wildly as he walked through the door,
Eden exhaled with relief when he realised that he and Venn were the
first two to arrive. Vance, obviously, was already in his own
suite, but he wasn’t seated. Instead, he was standing at a
high-arched window, his hands clasped behind his back, looking down
over his city.

In the centre of the huge room was a grey
stone table, surrounded by thickly-carved oak chairs. There were
enough seats for Vance, the ruling lords of the provinces, and one
accompanying aide for each. There would be, therefore, a proper
seat for Eden. He was relieved; he didn’t want to be standing and
drawing more attention than he cared to get. It was going to be bad
enough when Vance announced his new appointment.

“Your highness,” the page intoned clearly as
they entered the room. Eden was jealous of how confident the boy
sounded. “Lord Venn of Daggerdale and Captain Eden of Sevenspells
are here for you.”

Vance turned, opening his arms in greeting
to them both. “Venn, welcome. Please, do take your seat. Do you
need anything? Wine? Food?”

“No, my liege, thank you. It’s too early for
me. Is it going to be a long meeting?”

Vance shook his head, “I hope not. Some
necessary formalities with everything that’s been going on. I have
to keep you all informed of what’
s
happening
with Lord Shiver and the B
aron
Sammah.
”

Venn nodded thoughtfully. “Of course your
highness, and, if I might add my voice to no doubt countless
others; how
glad
I am that you come out of this
unscathed.”

“The unscathed part remains to be seen,
though my rule remains intact. Welcome, Eden. Can the servants get
you anything? You look a bit queasy.”

Eden gaped, mortified that the king had
drawn attention to his nerves. Venn slapped Eden firmly on the
shoulder, saving him from floundering. “Of course he’
s queasy
, your highness, he’s attending his first
meeting with the lords of the provinces, and his father is in the
gaol.
He’s
the one who helped put him there. Whilst the lad
is a hero, I’m not sure I’d want to be riding in his boots right
now.”

Eden wanted to wince at Venn’s words, but
his reaction to them was mixed. It was true, he was nervous to be
in this meeting, but he was positive that he deserved to be here.
He wasn’t sure at all how he felt about his father’s position. Eden
did want to know just how much sincerity was behind his
well-wishing. He wouldn’t be surprised if Venn had been part of
Shiver’s plans from the start.

No matter what Venn’s intentions, Vance
seemed to take it all in good heart. “Yes, of course you’re
anxious. You’re only young, and court can be overwhelming. Here
Eden, drink something to calm your nerves.”

“Erm, I’m not sure that’
s
wise, my liege?
”
Eden stuttered.

“Don’t be ridiculous man. If I
order
you to drink, are you going to tell
me no?”

Eden was trapped, and he didn’t like it. He
was reasonably sure both of them were toying with them.
Unfortunately, the king was right. If he was ordered to have a
drink, could Eden actually say no? “I will have some wine, thank
you, your highness.”

Vance grinned and hollered and a servant,
not a page, came scuttling forward with a carafe. A glass was
poured, and Eden took it with a shaking hand. Perhaps the wine
would do him some good, after all.

“I thought you were your father’
s son. I
’m sure he would have gone for the ale
first.”

Eden hoped that Venn was still being
playful, and ventured a jovial response. “Given why we’re here, my
lord, I don’t think our king wants another Lord Shiver walking
around his court right now.”

Vance practically roared, throwing his head
back and slapping at his stomach. Venn didn’t look quite so
impressed, a very thin smirk edging the corner of his mouth, and
Eden were sure that this would get back to either his father or his
brother. He had his cover story, though; he was trying to get in
league with the king, and at the moment speaking against a man who
had betrayed him would be a very simple way of pushing an alliance
forward. Even if that traitor happened to be his own father.

“Come on, Venn, force a smile on that sour
face of yours. You didn’t think that was funny?”

Venn laughed
nervously
. “Of course your highness, it’s just that I feel
this matter is so serious.
I don
’t think
we should make light of the situation. I especially don’t think
Shiver’s
kin
should be doing it.” There was a very dangerous
edge to Venn’
s words Eden didn
’t miss.
The meeting hadn’t even started, and he’d made his first enemy. It
was going to be a long day.

Eden waited, standing awkwardly whilst the
king and Venn continued their small talk. Venn was trying to paint
other lords into corners with what might have been knowledge or
gossip, and Eden was given a sore reminder of how experienced he
was in this deadly dance of words at court.

He listened carefully to their words, trying
to keep up with the gist of their stories, their opinions and
stances, and the way their eyes told the truth behind the words
that came out of their mouths. Venn’s eyes always gave him away;
Eden could see that clearly. The king could see it too, with the
way his body reacted, twisting away sometimes, facing Venn fully at
others, depending on what lie the lord was crafting. So many people
spoke about the king like he was a headless buffoon, and whilst it
took a blend of luck and malice for Vance both get to stay on the
throne, to keep it for so long with wolves like his father
circling, had to take some level of character.

They were posturing now about taxes, and
Eden found it hard to concentrate on something so boring. He would
have preferred if they carried on talking about his father, but
understood why they wouldn’t, under the circumstances. That kind of
talk would be left to their meeting. Eden was glad, therefore, when
the remaining lords started arriving.

Eden greeted all of them in turn, bowing
where necessary and treating them with all of the decorum of their
posts. At the moment, he was still just Sevenspells’ captain of the
guard, but to their credit, all of the men who saw him tried not to
look too surprised at his presence. Disappointingly, Rowan was the
last man to enter the room. Eden realised, when he thought of the
other lords, that his brother really didn’t stand alongside them.
Rowan was already past marrying age, and Eden was sure that would
be brought up in the meeting. Rowan looked pale, and a patina of
grease coated his face. Rowan’s long black hair, usually
free-flowing like Eden’s, had been smoothed back with pig’s fat,
giving him an altogether unsullied look. Eden was mildly disgusted
with his brother’s attempt at showing himself as a lord, but he was
also slightly smug. He had arrived early, and had already settled
himself with the king and Lord Venn. The wine, half of the glass
already down his throat, hadn’t exactly hindered proceedings, and
he was glad the king at suggested it, after all. Rowan made a
beeline straight for Eden, barely acknowledging the lords around
him.
Another mistake
, Eden thought.

“Hello, brother, does today find you
well?”

“It does, my lord; and yourself?”

Eden used the noble form of address on
purpose, acknowledging out loud that his brother was his superior,
and that he was not here to supplant anyone in the Sevenspells
succession. It was also a move to keep Rowan comfortable, as his
brother had shown before that he felt easily threatened.

“We are very well today, thank you, little
brother,” Rowan had already started using the plural first person,
and he sounded like a fool. He’d fit in well with Venn and Shiver.
He’d also disregarded Eden’s rank, which made Rowan sound uncaring.
So far, Rowan was not doing well. “Any sign of the meeting
starting, yes?”

“
Soon
,
Sevenspells, we were waiting for
all
of the lords to attend.
I’m glad you could grace us with your presence.”

Vance had a sarcastic edge to his voice, and
neither of the Sevenspells men missed it. Eden only just managed to
suppress his smirk as Rowan scrambled for an apology.

“Ah, my apologies, your highness.” Rowan
sketched a bow to the king, and it was slow, mocking both in
descent and ascent. Vance gave Rowan a bland smile, but didn’t miss
a beat.

“Thank you Rowan. It’s been a long time
since your father dealt me the courtesy of a decent bow. It’s good
to see the heirs of Sevenspells know their place.”

Rowan smiled thinly, and didn’t respond. He
might have been arrogant, but he wasn’t a fool. Around him, the
lords had stopped their own to chatter to scrutinise Rowan and
Vance’s encounter. Rowan coughed, starting to look embarrassed and
awkward. Eden had edged away, not wanting to be associated with his
brother at this point. Vance let the agonising moment stretch on
for a few more seconds, before sparing Rowan from his torture.

“If you are all prepared, my lords? I wish
to begin.”

There was a brief muttering around the
lords, but everyone indicated that they were ready to start. Vance
raised one arm towards the guard at the door, and it was slammed
shut with an ominous finality. Eden suddenly felt that fear all
over again, with a sense of claustrophobia at being unable to
escape the situation. He knew he effectively couldn’t, that he was
trapped between the wishes of his king and his desire to please his
family. He felt too young to be burdened with these
responsibilities, but after the actions of his father, he didn’t
trust that anyone else in his family line could cope with it. He
was certain that River couldn’t.