Luard was truly a prince. Before I even knew what was happening, I had a new, thicker robe and was led back into a small room where more than just dancing probably happened. There, I found a steaming cup of something alcoholic, which I downed in two gulps. Another woman appeared with my things, including my vigilante bag, and placed them nicely at my feet, although I didn't miss her look of disgust at the smell of them.
After a few minutes, Katarine's older brother strolled in wearing that same look of amused confusion. I doubted he could be angry about anything.
"Well, well, this is certainly a surprise," Luard said, taking the seat across from me. "I've had naked women throw themselves at me before, but never a naked, supposedly dead princess."
I scowled at him. "I lost my robe."
"Sure." He winked. "But onto the supposedly dead part… Does Ilara know? Does Kat?"
"Kat, yes. Ilara…hopefully not." I gave him a quick summation of the past few months, including meeting with Katarine and Felix and the journey to Linden.
"Katarine said you were hardier than you looked," he said with an approving nod. "But traveling over the mountains on foot?" He shivered. "Even I've never done that before. Just sounds unpleasant."
"It wasn't great," I said with a grimace. "But I made it here, and that's what's important."
"And you found me, which is even more important!" Luard said. "Now, as my little sister's sister, you will be as welcome in our home as she is. Whatever you need, Ariadna would be pleased to provide to you—"
I braced myself. I had come this far, might as well go a little farther. Until my luck runs out, right? "I need your sister to help me take my kingdom back."
"Oh." He dropped my hands. "Well, that might strain the bonds of familial affection."
"I have…" I sighed, realizing this was going to sound ridiculous no matter how I said it. "I have a letter from Kat. She said that might help."
He tilted his head at me. "Do you even hear yourself? You have literally nothing to your name, and you want to come to my sister and ask her to provide you soldiers and ammunition to regain your kingdom?"
"I've traveled a long way, Luard," I said, looking at my hands.
"Ilara has an army."
"I know that."
"And bombs."
"Yes, I'm aware."
"And the longer she sits on her throne, the more people will accept her."
I sighed. "Yes, Luard, I understand all of that."
"I mean…" He rubbed the back of his neck.
"I honestly don't believe this is the best idea, either," I said, crossing my arms over my chest as the black cloud of indecision came back with a vengeance. "If I do nothing, Ilara will continue to destroy the country. From what I've heard, it's about to erupt into anarchy." I sighed. "I can't let my people go through that."
"So you'd rather go to war?"
"If I can avoid it, no."
"And how do you plan to depose a queen without bloodshed?" He tilted his head to the side, as if I were speaking nonsense.
"I'm working on it," I said with an impatient wave. "Just…help me meet with your sister. That's all I'm asking for."
Luard sighed loudly. "What you need, my dear, is a plan. And aren't you so lucky that Kitty-Kat sent you to the most brilliant strategist in Niemen?" He rose to his feet and extended his hand. "Let's head back to the castle. I've already sent a messenger ahead to draw for a special bath for you. And perhaps a de-lousing."
"Ha-ha."
I had my doubts about Luard's self-proclaimed accolades, but I couldn't deny it felt better to be speeding through Niemen in a carriage covered in furs than walking through the unfamiliar streets. If I closed my eyes, I could almost imagine myself back in Forcadel. Save the freezing temperatures.
"How did you get out of Forcadel?" I asked. "When Ilara invaded."
"Kat and I were having a private dinner, per your request, and she helped me find a safe space in the castle before the guards came for her," he said grimly. "The Severians found me in some hidden room and kept me well fed until Katarine returned." He looked at me, all levity gone. "I refused to leave until I knew she was all right, but she insisted I get out as soon as Ilara would allow it. She told me she watched you bleed to death. She was devastated."
I nodded, shame bringing warmth to my face and tears to my eyes. "Katarine looked well, when I saw her. Surprised to see me alive, of course. I wish…" I sighed. "I wish she wasn't stuck there, playing tutor. I'd much rather she was as far away from Ilara as possible."
"Ilara wouldn't do anything to risk open war with Niemen. Katarine may be our youngest sister, but she's still royalty. And even if Ilara's being an absolute shit to her, there's still the possibility that Ilara and Ariadna might mend some fences."
I hoped that was a distant possibility.
We arrived at the castle, even more formidable and dark up close, but with Luard by my side, it seemed a little homey, especially when we were greeted by roaring fires in the main hall. Luard led me to his so-called "small" suite on the third floor, which was anything but.
"Ten bedrooms, a personal dining room, a small library I've never set foot in once, a lovely sauna and bath area that you're welcome to, and, of course, this sitting room."
I stood in the middle and took it all in. Vaulted ceilings with mahogany wood rafters. Beautiful crystal chandeliers with flickering candles. The dark wood theme extended to a hand-carved set of chairs, a mantle over a brick fireplace, and to the frames of the paintings on the wall, which were of very naked women.
"Well, at least you're consistent," I said, eyeing the one closest to me.
"I love a woman's body," he said with a satisfied smile. "But don't worry, I know better than to try anything with you. Even if you did serve yourself up to me."
"I'm sure," I said dryly. "Presumably because I smell like the inside of a barn?"
He pointed to the bathing room. "Be gone with you. Then perhaps we'll talk about your insane plan."
I took the most luxurious bath, filled with lavender-scented bubbles, and I washed weeks of grime and grit off. Luard's attendants even drained the bath after the first few minutes and allowed me to soak in clean water for another half hour. Finally, when my whole body was pruny, I dried off with the fluffiest towel and returned to the private bedroom Luard had given me. On the bed, fresh clothes were waiting, as well as a night shirt.
"Are you done yet?" Luard called.
"Coming," I said, pulling on the fresh clothes.
Luard was in the sitting room, his bare feet propped on the ottoman. There was a large dinner of chicken and vegetables waiting for me, and I unceremoniously dove in. I was halfway through my second chicken leg when I noticed the open letter sitting by Luard's side.
"Wasn't that addressed to your sister?" I asked nervously.
"Yes, and she was very happy to get it," he replied, turning over the page and reading the back of it. "Ariadna gets pissy when I keep things from her, so I ran upstairs and told her you'd arrived."
"And?" My heart pounded.
"And you're very lucky Katarine's an excellent writer." He half-smiled. "Ariadna wants to see you in the morning after breakfast."
I wasn't sure whether to be excited or terrified. "That's…great?"
"She wants to speak to you, but that doesn't mean she'll help." He rubbed his chin. "You might need to bring something more than just a request. What Forcadelian assets are you willing to give up? You'll need to dangle something truly juicy for her to bite."
"It didn't say in the letter?" I asked, plucking it off the table and scanning it. I caught brief mention of my intelligence and dedication to service, but no mention of Skorsa. "That's odd. Katarine told me to offer something, but I don't see it in here."
"Presumably, Katarine didn't feel it was her place to make concessions on your behalf," he said with a knowing smile. "Well, go on. What is it you want to give us? A new fleet of ships? Another marriage for Kitty-Kat?" He gasped and clapped his hands. "Are you going to make that girlfriend of hers a lady and let the two of them get hitched?"
"Perhaps," I said, sitting back. "What would you offer?"
"Ah-hah," Luard said with a smile. "Well, seeing as you're on the other side of the negotiating table, I really shouldn't tell you how to win against my sister."
I fluttered my lashes, hoping I looked innocent enough. "But you said you'd help."
"I did, and for good reason, because you clearly have no mind for political strategy." He crossed his legs as he reclined in the chair. "I will say that the Severian queen has made a giant mess of things. There's a reason Forcadel is such an important trading partner. Almost all of our food comes via Forcadel, and now our ships can't get past Skorsa. Of course, our relationship with Kulka has always been strained, so that way's out. Ariadna's been worried about the cost of food for weeks now."
"So that's…good, right?" I asked with a little hope in my chest.
"For you, yes. For Niemen, no," Luard said. "Ilara closed all the borders because neither Ariadna nor King Neshua in Kulka will officially accept her as queen." He paused and leaned closer, lowering his voice. "Now, between you and me, Ariadna is wavering on that promise. But the way her eyes lit up when I told her you'd arrived…" He shrugged. "It may not be impossible that Ariadna sees a benefit to helping you."
I exhaled a little.
"She will, of course, want to know what you plan to do with those forces, should you get them." He tilted his head. "You can't honestly think you can get rid of Ilara without spilling some blood, do you?"
I looked away, deciding it was better to lie than to show my weakness. "No, of course not. I'll use whatever forces Ariadna gives me to take over the city, obviously."
"How?"
"…I don't know, march on it?" Military strategist, I was not.
Luard snorted. "You'd be the first, little princess. It's been tried by about a hundred Kulkan and Niemenian kings and all were thwarted by Forcadel's natural defenses. Even your Ilara had to sneak in."
"Then I'll sneak in, too," I said. "Felix mentioned there was discord. I'd use the extra forces to sow more of that."
"Discord is helpful." Luard nodded. "But you have to be careful you don't sow too much. Power vacuums are dangerous things, and the wrong person with the right sway can screw everything up." I didn't miss the short look he gave me. "How many soldiers do you bring to the fight?"
"There are still Forcadelian soldiers in the city who swear fealty to Felix, and they would return to my side," I said. "And perhaps… a hundred more in the forest."
"Well, that's not nothing, but you'll need more than just fomenting rebellion and marching on an impenetrable city by tomorrow." He rose and rested his hands on my shoulders. "I'm sure you're tired from the long journey, so why don't you run off to bed? You've got to lose those bags under your eyes before you meet the queen. Makeup will only do so much. And I'll call for my tailor, and maybe my jeweler can whip up a crown tonight."
"Actually," I said softly. "I'm not…technically royalty anymore, so there's no need for a crown."
"Oh, that's your first mistake," Luard said, tutting at me. "You are royalty, or else why are you asking Ariadna to help?"
I rested my hand against the door. "To be honest? I don't know. I've been asked that question more times than I can count, but I just can't come up with an answer that feels true." I shook my head. "Felix used to say that he'd rather have a queen who'd been protecting her kingdom from under a mask. He said I should do everything in my power to get my kingdom back, but…"
"All you'll be known as is a war-mongering princess who decided her crown was more important than people's lives."
Sarala's words came back to haunt me again. It had been easy to avoid thinking about the end of the road, especially as getting here had been in doubt for so long. But tomorrow I would be meeting with Ariadna, and I would have to decide what to do.
"Clearly, you've done above and beyond what was in your power to do," Luard said, rising to his feet. "But you're here now, so you might as well start acting like you do want the help you're asking for, or you won't get it."
I forced a smile onto my face. "I will."
But as I closed the door behind me, I hated that a small part of me hoped Ariadna would deny my request, relieving me of the decision I couldn't bring myself to make.