"When they reach Denguic," interjected Hanfor. "We need no disruptions here."
"All right," Anna agreed. "Can we get it there for those who have already left?"
"Those are mostly all foot, and the lancers have to stay with them. The wagons should catch up. That highway's good, but it's still six days, maybe seven, by foot."
"It's fair to keep the rest of the gold, isn't it? According to the way things go here?"
"You would have the right to keep it all," said Menares.
"I think it's better to pay the armsmen what they are owed, but only that," Anna said. "That should leave us some to pay our own." She turned to Hanfor. "How is that coming?"
"Slowly. It will take time. There are nearly twentyscore who would claim service to you."
"How many should we take?"
"Most of them, except those from the Prophet's Guard."
Anna nodded. "The grain. How many golds does Tirsik need?"
"He said that Jisplir had been giving him two golds a week."
"Menares, when we're done, you get the expense chest and meet Hanfor in the pay strong room." She turned to Hanfor. "Is this all right for now? You can't do it all forever, but... for a few more days?"
"A paymaster?" Hanfor sighed. "Responsible for the treasury of a whole land?"
"It'll make a good story someday."
"You are a slavemaster, Lady Anna, but I will do it." Hanfor grinned.
"Next..." Anna looked at the list.
They met until nearly midday, when Anna stopped. "That's more than enough. First, take care of the gold and the armsmen' s pay, then the grain, and the payments to the cooks for supplies..."
When Hanfor started to stand, Anna smiled. "There's something else."
"My lady, we cannot rebuild a land in a day."
"This is simple. There are a number of women-hostages of sorts-housed in the south tower.
They should have the freedom of the hall." Anna rubbed her forehead. "Bring them-no, have someone else bring them here first. though."
"That we can do." Hanfor nodded slowly. "I feared you would ask for the market square to be rebuilt."
"Perhaps we should," the sorceress offered, deadpan.
Hanfor looked slowly at her. Finally, the weathered face split into a grin. "You can be wicked, Lady Anna."
"Not me.
The de facto chief of staff and armsmen shook his head. "I'll have Himar take care of the women."
"Right after I grab something to eat."
The sorceress wolfed down some cold beef tucked between black bread, some cheese, an apple, and more water, before returning to the receiving room.
Four women stood up from around the table as she entered.
''lady Anna..." .
"Sorceress..."
"Lady of Defalk..."
"Please sit down." The sorceress walked to the dais and took the gilt chair, st ill not comfortable in what amounted to a throne, but trusting in Daffyd's and Hanfor's sense of the proper for Defalk. Then she studied the four women.
One was young and had straight blonde hair, square-cut just above her shoulders. Close beside her sat a narrow-faced and square-chinned woman in dark brown. Cataryzna and her aunt?
Another woman, almost as young, but red-haired and freckled, sat on the far side of the table.
The fourth was brown-haired and very pregnant.
"Which of you is Cataryzna?"
"I am," answered the blonde.
"You are her aunt?" Anna asked.
"Yes. I am Drenchescha," said the narrow-faced woman.
The sorceress turned her glance to the redhead.
"Lysara."
"I am Wendella," volunteered the pregnant woman. "My consort is Dencer."
Anna nodded. How Behlem or Barjim had gotten the woman was one question, but it certainly explained Dencer's nervousness when the sorceress had met the lord. "You have all been hostages. I do not know all the reasons, but I do know some. You will have to remain in Falcor for at least a time, but I see no reason that you should be confined to the south tower. Your quarters will remain unchanged, but you now have the freedom of the hall, if you wish. I would ask that you remain within the walls."
"Do you intend to keep us hostage?" asked Drenchescha.
"Until this morning, I only knew that you and Cataryzna were being held, and, honestly, I have been trying to undo the mess I found here."
"Why are you flying Barjim's banner?" questioned Lady Wendella. "He kept me here by trickery."
Even if she were pregnant, Wendella and her attitude bothered Anna. "I'm inclined to believe that was in response to Lord Dencer' s trickery, but I will look into it. As for the banner, I am acting as regent for young Lord Jimbob, and the banner is the best we can do at the moment."
Anna didn't miss the knowing glance that passed between Lysara and Cataryzna, but she turned to the redhead. "Why are you here?"
"I am the daughter of Lord Birfels of Abenfel."
"You're Birke's sister?"
"Half sister," Lysara corrected.
Anna wondered why Birke never mentioned his sister, or had the glances between the two pages been a warning to Skent not to mention Lysara? Things just kept getting more complicated. The sorceress stood. "I was reminded of your situation only this morning, and I cannot do everything at once, but I did wish to give you a greater degree of freedom."
"What if we leave the hall?" asked Wendella. "What then?"
Anna frowned, then turned and sang softly, hoping she was not breaking the form too terribly: "Wendella all too snide, never go the walls outside, unless I give you all my leave, and my pardon you receive."
The sorceress smiled. "You do not have my pardon or my leave."
Wendella flushed. "You're no better than either of those ... men. You're a singer. A darksinger."
Again, Cataryzna and Lysara exchanged glances.
"Defalk cannot afford treachery on its southern borders," answered Anna. "I tried to act in good faith, and you've attacked and accused me." She shrugged. "And the spell will hold as long as you live. So it wouldn't do much good to try to kill me, would it?"
Hatred poured from Wendella's eyes, before she looked away from Anna.
After the group had left, Anna sat for a time in the chair, collecting herself, glad she had a few moments before Lady Essan arrived. She thought she could work with Lysara and Cataryzna, but she'd need to talk with them alone, and she had neither the time nor the knowledge she needed.
"Lady Essan." Giellum made the announcement, while Skent brought in the tray with the goblets and the amber brandy.
"Thank you," Anna murmured to the page. She wondered if Skent had thought up the brandy or Lady Essan. Lady Essan, probably.
Anna rose and walked toward the older woman, leading her toward the nearest two chairs by the ancient, if slightly battered, inlaid wooden table.
Anna poured some of the amber brandy into the other's crystal goblet.
"My, and being served by a regent." Essan took the goblet and sipped.
The sorceress refrained from wincing. "Acting regent," she said mildly.
"Careful you are being, and that be good."
"It wasn't t careful to take on Behlem."
"What would you have of me?" asked Essan "Not that you be needing much."
"I said you would be as my mother, and, while I may not always be able to take your counsel, I value it." Anna waited, then added, "I would also like to ask if you would wish to return to your former quarters."
"The tower steps, though I walk them seldom, are hard on my bones."
Anna nodded.
"What else have ye on your mind?" Essan laughed, almost a cackle. "Even devoted daughters have ideas."
Anna grinned briefly. "Some questions."
"Ask, sorceress-regent. For what I know. I will answer."
"Lady Wendella?"
"A true wench, even more devious than her consort. A tongue like a viper. Rumor has it she poisoned her own sister, who was betrothed first to Dencer. Her sire was Lord Mietch. He held the lands north of Abenfel. His eldest, Mietchel, now holds them." Essan took another long swal- low of the brandy.
"Abenfel-why both Birke and Lysara?"
"Lord Birfels had two consorts. Lysara was by his first, and most beloved. After Lady Trien died, he consorted again for sons. Birke is his eldest, but a younger son-his name I forget- lives at Abenfel."
"So Barjim needed both as insurance?"
"Insurance?"
"Surety."
"Exactly."
Anna paused for a swallow of water. "Did Lady Alasia manage the finances of Defalk-the coins-for Lord Barjim?"
"None other. Who else could he trust, besides Jecks? And Lord Jecks wanted no part of Falcor. What else?"
Anna plugged through her list of questions. At least there was someone who knew where some of the skeletons lay.
When Essan left, Anna sent Skent for Daffyd. Her head was beginning to pound again. More water and nearly half a loaf of dark bread helped, but Skent rapped on the door even before she finished.
"The player Daffyd."
She rose from the conference table and swallowed the last mouthful of bread.
"Lady Anna."
"Sit down." She motioned him to the table. "I haven't forgotten you. You're in charge of the regent's players. We'll work out some suitable payment for you, and you can have your own quarters in the hall proper-something not too grand, but nothing dingy, either."
"Even your old quarters. Lady Anna-"
"Fine. Take them. Later, we'll see." She paused. "I'm sorry if I hurry. Every day seems like this, and I get edgy by the end of the day. I. have a special job I want you to start on."
"Me?" The young player's eyebrows rose.
"I want you to develop and train a group of players, not less than eight, and no more than fifteen. But I want horns-lots of brass, and the kind that carry. No more than two other string players besides you. The players have to be young-and strong. I don't care if they're men or women, but they have to have a clear, strong tone in their instruments, and they have to be in good physical condition. They'll have to travel, as soon as you have them trained, but I'd prefer you not tell them when, only that travel is expected."
Anna waited.
"For that... you must pay..."
"I'll pay. Just start work on it tomorrow. As soon as you have enough to practice, let me know, and I'll come up with the arrangements you need to learn-the spell tunes." Anna paused. "This isn't something I invented for you to do, Daffyd. It's important. Very important. It's so important that I can't tell you more yet. It's so important you can't tell people it's important. You can tell them I'm busy, that we don't talk much, or whatever, but not that you're doing something important.
"And it must be done quickly. I want a group that can begin rehearsing in a week. No more than two weeks at the outside. Do you understand?"