Beverly bowed before the queen, while Tempus, lying nearby, merely raised his head in recognition.
"You sent for me, Majesty?"
"I did," Anna responded. "I am about to meet with Lord Walters about the trial. It appears he's concerned with the fairness of the proceedings. I'd like you here when he visits."
"Very well," Beverly replied. "Is there anything, in particular, you want me to do?"
"For now, I need you to bear witness, but feel free to ask questions if you have any, though let's try not to threaten him."
"Of course," the knight replied.
A knock at the door interrupted them.
"That's probably him," said Anna, turning her attention away from Beverly. "Come in!" she called out.
A Royal Guard opened the door to reveal Lord Montgomery Walters. He bowed deeply, then advanced to stand before the queen. Beverly stood to the side, watching intently, while Tempus, his interest piqued at the arrival of this newcomer, sat up.
"Your Majesty," he started, "I hope this day finds you in good health?"
"It does, Lord Walters. How kind of you to ask."
"I trust the kingdom is running smoothly?" he continued.
"Of course," she replied. "And why would it not? Are you in possession of information that would be of interest to the crown?"
"No, Majesty," the man blushed, "I merely wish to engage in friendly conversation before we get to the subject at hand."
"I see," said Anna, "so you expect to have a friendly chat while you drag my oldest friend before the courts?"
"I merely ask that a wrong be righted," defended Lord Walters. "My nephew's name was maligned, his family's honour impugned. Surely you would take action if the situation were reversed?”
"It appears your interpretation of your nephew's actions at Walpole Street differs from mine," said Anna.
"No doubt," he conceded, "but I seek only the truth of the matter. If the court finds that my nephew was to blame, then so be it, but my family has been subjected to rumour and innuendo for years."
"Something for which I am truly sorry," said Anna, "but at the time, people did what they thought necessary to keep the kingdom secure."
"And I can accept that," Lord Walters continued, "but you offer an enlightened rule, one that uses laws to govern men's actions. Surely it's time that the truth of the matter saw the light of day."
"Your words are wise, my lord," said Anna, "but it was you that came to see me. Tell me, pleasantries aside, what is the purpose of your visit today?"
Lord Walters fidgeted a little before continuing. "I would ask that you recuse Lord Arnim Caster from the trial," he said at last.
"He represents the crown in this," said Anna. "He is needed to carry out the prosecution."
"That is precisely the matter I'd like to address," Walters continued, "for it is my opinion that he cannot be objective."
"Explain yourself," demanded the queen.
"Lord Caster and Lord Matheson have known each other for some time," said Lord Walters. "One might even call them friends. I cannot, in good conscience, believe that such a man would carry out a just prosecution of his friend."
"Are you here, Lord Walters, just to criticize the crown, or are you offering an alternative?"
"I'm sorry if I've caused offence, Majesty, but I believe I have a solution that may serve both our purposes."
"Go on," urged the queen, "I'm listening."
"I would propose that you name another individual to the prosecution, one that won't be seen as favourable to your people."
"My people?" she asked.
"Everyone knows, Majesty, that you have surrounded yourself with trusted advisers. No one denies you that right, but when one of your own is on trial, you must be seen to remain objective. It was you, was it not, that promised the kingdom would have laws applicable to all?"
"It was," she replied. "So tell me, what name would you put forward to represent the crown in this?"
"It must be someone who is seen to have no affiliation to yourself," urged Lord Walters. "I would, therefore, suggest you use Lord Harwood."
"Lord Harwood?" burst out Beverly. "Surely, you jest? He represented Lord Montrose and may even have tried to help in his escape."
"Precisely why he would be ideal," said Walters. "What better way to show that you want the truth than selecting someone who has worked against you."
"An interesting choice," said Anna, "though I'm not fully convinced."
"Your Majesty," continued Walters, "Montrose is dead, and surely you cannot blame Harwood for the earl’s attempted escape when it was so clearly an accident. Choosing him would show the people of the realm that you bear no grudge towards the man."
"You make a convincing argument," said Anna. "I shall give it some thought."
"That is all I ask, Majesty," the lord said, bowing deeply. He began backing up until he was in front of the door. A guard opened it, allowing him to exit after one more bow.
Anna waited until the door closed before speaking, "I must admit I wasn't expecting that."
"Quite the surprise," agreed Beverly.
"What do you make of his suggestion?" asked Anna.
"I can't say I relish the thought of Lord Harwood picking apart Gerald's life, yet the man has a point."
"I'd have to agree," said the queen, "but we have bigger problems. In order to prevent a stalemate, I have to appoint a new Earl of Shrewesdale, and that means his cousin, Lord Webster. I don't suppose we have to put much thought into how he'd vote."
"No," said Beverly, "I suppose not, but aren't we still investigating Olivia's death."
"Yes," said Anna, "although Lord Montrose was found guilty, he likely had accomplices. We have people digging into his family connections even as we speak."
"Then perhaps there's another option," suggested the knight.
"You have me intrigued," said Anna, "go on."
"We cannot appoint a successor to the earldom until the investigation into the rest of the family is complete, but at the same time, we need the earl's vacancy on the jury to be filled, correct?"
"Yes," said Anna, "you've summed it up nicely. What is it you were going to suggest?"
"I believe there's a precedent for appointing a temporary governor, isn't there?"
Anna smiled, "Yes, I suppose there is. In the early days of the kingdom, the cities were all ruled by governors. There's still a law that allows the temporary appointment of a military officer in times of emergency."
"I thought as much," said Beverly.
"I will announce an edict. Until such time as the investigation is complete, I shall appoint your father as temporary governor of Shrewesdale."
"That would also make him a member of the jury for Gerald's trial," added Beverly.
"So it would," said Anna, "and a welcome addition he would make, I should think."
"It still won't give us a majority," warned Beverly.
"Agreed," said the queen, "but it will be a closer vote, and with any luck, the evidence will convince at least one more person to change their mind."
"It's still a risk," said Beverly.
"Yes," said Anna, "but it's better than nothing. Have a scribe write up the edict, and I'll sign it as soon as it's ready."
"Yes, Your Majesty," said Beverly.
"And have someone send me Aubrey," said Anna, "there’s a matter I'd like to discuss with her."
"Of course," said Beverly, bowing slightly. She strode from the room, leaving Queen Anna to her thoughts.
Aubrey arrived to find the room much as Beverly had left it. The only exception being the presence of Sophie, who was sitting on the floor, brushing Tempus. The great dog lay on his side, enjoying the attention, while the thick brush pulled away stray hairs.
"Aubrey," said Anna, "so glad you could make it."
"I'm always at your disposal, Majesty," said the mage. "How may I be of service?"
"I've been giving some thought to those creatures," said Anna.
"The bartoks?"
"Yes," said Anna, "I'd like to know more."
"I had thought them the stuff of legend," admitted Aubrey, "bedtime stories meant to scare children, but now that we've seen them in person, I realize they're much worse than expected."
"We need to know as much about them as possible," continued Anna, "if we are to defeat them in the future."
"You think there may be more?"
"Don't you?" asked the queen.
"I must admit I've given it some thought. From the little we know, it takes a Necromancer to create them."
"So we discussed earlier," said Anna, "but we need to know more. How difficult are they to create? Can Penelope call up more as she sees fit, or are there limitations?"
"I wish I knew," said Aubrey, "but I don't have that information available to me."
"I think you do," said the queen.
"I do?"
"Yes," Anna continued, "in Revi's house. I'm led to believe he has an extensive library on topics related to magic, much more so than the Palace is likely to contain."
"I would have to agree," said Aubrey, "but surely Revi is in a better position to investigate such things?"
"Revi has grown more erratic of late," replied Anna. "I want you to search out his library and see what you can find regarding these creatures."
"What type of information are we looking for?"
"Anything you think might be of use. I'm curious about the forms they take."
"Meaning?"
"Do they take the shape of existing people, or are they created in a certain image? We still don't know if the guardsman, Styles, was always one of these creatures, or if he was replaced somehow."
Aubrey thought it over a moment, before continuing, "I can look into it, but I can't guarantee an answer. My understanding is that the real library lies in the Tower of Andronicus."
"Yes," said Anna, "but we don't know where that is. Revi's been searching for it and still has no clues as to its whereabouts. You shall have to make do with what books are available."
"I suppose," mused Aubrey, "I could look into the old stories, that would give me a place to start."
"Use whatever resources you must," said Anna. "Go to Shrewesdale if it is needed. I understand the Library of Kendros holds much knowledge."
"Kendros will have to wait for now," said Aubrey. "I'm needed here to search the spirit realm."
"A valid point," agreed the queen. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Not that I can think of," said Aubrey. "I'll visit Revi's house this very afternoon, but it will likely be several days before I can find any answers. His books are scattered throughout the house, with no thought given to their organization.”
"Do your best, Aubrey," said Anna, "that's all I can ask."
"Might I enquire what's happening with Gerald's trial?"
"I'm afraid it will be starting soon," said Anna. "I can't put it off any longer."
"You're the queen," said Aubrey, "surely you have the choice as to when it will begin?"
"Up to a point," confessed Anna, "but the longer I put it off, the more it looks like I'm trying to protect Gerald. At some point, it will have to begin, or I risk losing control of the Nobles Council."
"The perils of decentralizing control," said Aubrey. "Perhaps your father had the right of it, pulling all the power back to the crown."
"King Andred wasn't my father," reminded Anna calmly, "and it's taken a lot of work to give some of the power back to the people."
"You mean the nobles," suggested Aubrey.
"Yes," the queen agreed, "at least to a certain extent. I want the Nobles Council to take on more responsibility in the future, freeing me up for the more important tasks."
"They'll like that," observed Aubrey, "most of them are hungry for power."
"I might remind you that you're a noble too," said Anna.
"Yes," the mage agreed, "but the only power I'm interested in is the magical variety."
"You've been to Weldwyn," said Anna. "Tell me, what do you think of the way they run their kingdom?"
"They appear to have a firm grip on things. Why? Is that what we're moving towards?”
"Not precisely, but something along similar lines. You know the mages there can't rule."
"I was aware of that," said Aubrey, "and given a choice between being baroness and being a mage, I'd take magic, every time."
"I'm not suggesting you have to give up your position," mused Anna, "but I was thinking of making it impossible for a king or queen to be a mage."
"To what end?" Aubrey asked.
"Mages are far removed from the common people," explained Anna. "Perhaps a little too removed, though I suppose you could say the same thing of the nobility. The difference, I suppose, is that nobles are bred to rule, whereas mages are bred to, well, do magic."
"I can't argue with that," said Aubrey, "even running Hawksburg is proving to be a drain on my time. If it weren't for Kraloch, I'd be too busy to do anything else."
"That's another promise I haven't kept," lamented Anna. "I promised the other races that I'd give them representation on the Nobles Council."
"You will," said Aubrey, "but you must give it some time. You've only been in power for a short period, and already you've made sweeping changes. You'll get to where you want to be eventually."
"But we could lose their support," said Anna, "and now is such a crucial time."
"They trust you," soothed Aubrey, "and they know you have their best interests at heart. They were here long before Humans came along. I would think they're willing to wait a little longer."
"I suppose you're right," said Anna. "It just feels like the war never ended. I thought once we defeated Henry's forces that things would get better. Instead, they just keep getting worse."
"Change is difficult," said Aubrey, "and great change never came without some form of opposition."
"Do you think I've tried to do too much?" asked Anna.
Aubrey thought it over carefully. The young queen had already enacted some significant changes to the kingdom, chief amongst them the laws of succession and inheritance, but was it too much? She didn't think it was, and yet who was she to judge?
"I think," she finally responded, "that some people will always object to change, but without it, we wouldn't have a kingdom to call home. After all, if the Mercenaries that originally came here didn't favour change, we would still be meandering about in small warbands, fighting each other."
"Well spoken, Aubrey, you're becoming quite the philosopher."
"I do my best," the mage replied.
"As will I," the queen promised, "though I will try to slow things down a little. I don't want to push everyone away."
The queen fell into silence, her knitted brow indicating she was deep in thought.
"I'd best be going if I'm to dig up information on those creatures," said Aubrey.
"Very well," said Anna, "let me know when you find anything."
"You mean IF I find anything," Aubrey corrected.
"No, I mean WHEN," said Anna, "I have faith in you, Aubrey."
Aubrey bowed. "Then I shall do my best to reward that faith," she said.
"As I knew you would," said Anna.