SWORDPOINT DIPLOMACY 28

Chapter 28

From behind Kian, Marcel gave her a questioning look. His eyes were wide and he lifted both his palms up in supplication. She wasn't sure how she was meant to respond without alerting Kian, so she ignored him and kept control over her facial features.

"I understand," Kian said, lips pursed. His eyelids slid down to be nearly shut. It was through his lashes that he turned and gave Marcel a doubting look.

'Why does Kian dislike him on sight? Is it really that annoying to him that Marcel was presumptuous?'

Rose ducked her head down to hide a smile. "I'll give you more information later," she promised. "He has no specific assignment, so perhaps it would be best if he could shadow you for the day."

Kian soaked that information in. "I can keep an assistant busy."

…Rose remembered that Kian seemed to be assigned to page training. Marcel was going to be busy indeed.

The alarmed confusion on Marcel's face was going to make her laugh as soon as he was gone. "Thank you," she said gravely. "Keep him out of trouble." She glanced towards the entrance. "I'm expecting guests soon, so it would be better to speak more later."

"Your Majesty," Kian bowed. He shot a scolding look at Marcel. The prince copied him a moment later.

'Has Prince Marcel ever had to be deferential? This might stretch the limits of his acting abilities.'

No matter how she trusted him, Rose wouldn't tell Kian about Marcel. It would be a betrayal of confidence, since she didn't have a chance to get permission. But Rose felt certain that Kian was going to figure out who Marcel was, probably within the next couple of hours. Had Marcel even realized that he should come up with a fake name while he was in the camp?

'I need to ask Kian later how long it took to recognize Marcel was out of place.'

A smile played along her lips. "You're dismissed." Rose watched them both go. When she was alone, she let her posture relax. "Kian is going to give him hell for his manners," she mused. "It'll be character building." She was in a steadier mood after the boys left. The emotional boost was something she held onto as the top nobility present began to arrive.

Rose greeted them and otherwise kept apart. She let her eyes fall nearly shut, idly watching conversation and the subtle glances around as people wondered where the King was.

Her hand started off on her chin, but at some point Rose realized she'd worked it under her collar to play with the little gold locket that she wore. It was the only jewelry that she routinely kept with her. She rubbed the tip of her thumb against the clasp and popped it open, then closed it again with a quiet click. The action was grounding. She ran her thumb over the engraving on one side and then the smooth backside.

It was an old comfort gesture. Her stomach lurched with nausea when she realized what she was doing, but she couldn't bear to let go.

She let go of the locket when Celestin entered. Her hand slipped back to rest on her lap with the other one in a perfect reproduction of the sitting posture she had been trained to do as a child.

A kind of startled comprehension dawned on a couple of faces when the general stood near her rather than waiting for the King.

Rose kept her face unimpassive. She tried not to think about family at all. She was only going to focus on what had to be done.

"I have news," Celestin said. He lifted a hand for silence. His gravelly voice barely cut through the quiet conversation, but everyone went silent and still. "Today, the King died."

Viscount Gerald fumbled and dropped something. Rose couldn't see what it was from her angle. His face was white.

"Long live the Queen," Celestin continued. He dropped to a knee.

The rest of the nobility echoed him and knelt, well-trained to respond to cues no matter how shocked they might be. Rose felt the full attention of the room come onto her. She inclined her head in acknowledgement, looking over the gathered faces. She didn't speak. She used a hand to indicate that they could rise.

"There are some logistical concerns." Celestin eyed the crowd, calm and somehow faintly disapproving as he got up from one knee. "Regarding the coronation."

A Duchess cleared her throat. "Duke Harrod has possession of the saber, as I recall."

Rose was a little too disciplined to go stiff.

'I'd forgotten. There's traditional roles in the coronation ceremony. Is the Duke going to be able to travel? I never found out what his injury was.'

"Yes," Celestin agreed. "And the cloak is in the keeping of the Marquis of Trevaile."

"And my father has the key of the kingdom, of course," Yavier Karitta said, standing. He looked at Rose with a flush on his cheeks. "With your leave, Your Majesty, I will go to him and retrieve it." He angled his body towards her like a flower turned to the sun.

'That's proactive of him. Is he making a move to get my favor already? He might be ambitious. I'll remember him.'

Rose inclined her head. "You may."

Karitta looked at her for a moment with his lips slightly parted and a look of indecision on his face. Then he gracefully bowed and stepped back into the crowd.

"As you may surmise, this news will not be announced until Her Majesty is crowned." Celestin positively emanated menace at that point. "We do not wish to cause a loss of morale, or lead the enemy to suspect that we are in a moment of crisis."

"To that end, your discretion is requested," Rose cut in smoothly. Celestin was being rather heavy-handed, but that only gave her a rare opportunity to be the gentle touch. She let her eyes soften as she looked at the assembled nobles. She didn't know any of them well. The people Father had chosen to keep around were an eclectic mix. His closest friends had been dispersed in the other armies, likely to enact his will and report on his family.

"For the time being, we won't make significant changes to what the King ordered. I apologize for not inviting you all back to the palace, but in the name of preserving order and maintaining normalcy, I wish for as many as possible to remain here and keep up appearances and morale. I am relying on your discretion and assistance."

There was only a little disappointment on their faces. Most of them either nodded stoically or gave her a smile.

'Nobody wants to be the first thorn in my side,' Rose noted wryly. She kept up a sweet smile.

"As your Majesty says," the Duchess deferred. Rose still didn't remember her name. The rest followed her lead and trailed out. They were doubtlessly eager to go discuss what had just happened away from Rose.

'I wonder if anyone will come and report on their conversations to me. If no one does, I might be in trouble.'

"Thank you," Rose said. "Celestin, would you stay for a moment?"

"Of course." He angled his body towards her, but didn't take his gaze off the crowd until they had all taken their leave. "How may I be of service?"

Rose flexed her feet to remove the stiffness and then stood. "I plan to remain here until we hear back from the Duke." She brushed hair off of her face. "We should travel to the capital together. Someone must fetch him."

"I agree," Celestin nodded. His dark eyes were trained on her, steady and assessing. "The young lord Karitta has volunteered to send for the key. That leaves only the cloak."

Rose nodded. "When we send for the Duke, the Treveylan girl should be sent to retrieve it from her family estate."

Celestin's eyebrows rose, but he didn't quite smile. "Her name is Vivian."

"Thank you," Rose said crisply. She realized that she was playing with the locket again and let go abruptly. She didn't want to think about it. "I didn't catch her name."

Amusement danced in his eyes. He didn't actually say anything, so Rose pretended not to notice. She rolled her eyes and looked up at the ceiling, thinking. Was there anything else that needed to be done today? Who should be sent to the forward camp?

"What are your intentions?"

Rose went still.

Celestin was staring at her, intent. The faint amusement had faded away. It was impossible to know what he was thinking. "Regarding the war," he clarified.

She paused.

Was there any harm in being more open? If she was queen, she could work to end it.

'Technically, I'm really not queen. Not until I'm crowned.'

Her gut instinct urged for caution.

Rose looked away and tried to look busy in thought. "For now, we won't countermand my Father's orders," she repeated. "But I do need to know what his last ones were, actually." She tapped the side of her jaw. "Can you get me that information?"

Celestin inclined his neck. "As you say."

She had the distinct feeling that he wasn't pleased with her answer. What did it mean? Did he want her to declare that she'd continue the war? Would he be angry about his strategies being wasted when she sued for peace?

"I had another question, Your Majesty." He shifted his weight. "I did not recognize one of the soldiers who accompanied us back to camp. Could you enlighten me?"

Shit.

'Marcel, you well-bred bastard. Why can't you keep your head down?'

"You know how I am with names, sorry," Rose said. Her heart jumped in her chest. "Can you bring me that information in my private tent?" Rose avoided his gaze. "I'll see you in two hours. Rest a while, General." She was the first to leave. She nearly jumped out of her skin when the Kingsguard fell into step at either side.

…Queen's guard, now. It was hard to internalize that they were her bodyguards now. She gave them a nod of greeting and walked away quickly, trying to leave that conversation with Celestin behind.

She wanted to think about what she had to do next and move on to problems that she could solve. But Rose had the sinking feeling that Celestin knew more than he should.