The Tourney Read online

  "Fine," Keestu replied shortly. She wasn't anywhere near completely spent, but was reserving her breath as she'd been taught. She finished her run, dropping to a walk, randomly striding down the large outdoor garden's paths for her cool down, slowing her walking pace as her breathing quickly returned to normal, Rue matching her steps. Tenget and Gontu followed behind, rifles held ready, though there were other guards patrolling the palace grounds.

  Vahin continued to pace her as he gave her instructions. "It is King Ismer's wish that you let Prince Dinus continue to think that Rue is the Crown Princess. He will explain later in the dining hall before the prince and his entourage enter, so none attending are left wondering what's going on."

  "Oh, that's just great," Keestu groaned. Her brother Skomer was going to have laughing fits when he found out, and she'd be hearing taunts from him for the next few weeks.

  Rue tried to suppress her grin and failed. "Sorry, Kee," she apologized, "But I think I'm going to enjoy this. Remember when we used to play, and you'd let me be Crown Princess for the day?"

  Keestu suddenly found herself smiling as she realized that she for once wouldn't be the one under scrutiny. "Why yes, Your Highness," she quipped, bobbing a playful curtsy, "I look forward to fulfilling your every wish."

  Hearing a snort from behind them, Keestu turned. Both Tenget and Gontu manfully suppressed their grins, so she couldn't tell who let that laugh escape.

  Vahin, however, frowned beside her. As her protocol adviser, he always had propriety well in mind. Keestu thought that he must be having fits at the idea that the heir was reduced to playing the part of a mere servant, much less hearing Rue admit they'd played at it a few years ago. But, there was a reason behind everything King Ismer said or did, so she knew she'd be wise to obey. Once back inside the palace, she thanked Tenget for the lesson and retired to her quarters with Rue and Gontu in tow to get ready for dinner.

  Chapter two

  The great dining hall that ran half the length of the front of the palace was full. Prince Dinus and his entourage had yet to arrive as Keestu and her family entered the room and paced its length to their places on the south side of the room. Everyone was standing for the entry of the royal family, and Keestu could see that they had dressed in their finest. The men had hung their felt hats with their colored rank-striped bands on the backs of their chairs, while each woman was wearing a headdress, so one could tell at a glance each of the nobles' ranks. Keestu saw many she knew on sight, but the majority of the nobles she didn't recognize. She would have thought that only the highest members of nobility would attend this dinner to give them the first look at their alien visitor, but though all four counts and one countess were there, she didn't see as many of the planet's barons or baronesses as she was expecting, and there were a good number of high lords and high ladies present in addition to the lowest-ranking lords and ladies.

  Keestu noted that the entire royal staff was dressed in red, as she was. Several women were in pantsuits, and while hers was more elaborate in cut and style, she found she blended in. It was one of the more comfortable outfits she'd ever been required to wear to a formal dinner.

  Looking over the tables a second time, she saw that every noble man had worn a gray hat, and she wondered if her father had spread the word that they should all wear the same color, since black and dark brown were also acceptable formal colors for noble men. She spied some distance away a prince's hat, being removed by an older latecomer, who hurried to an empty seat at the table some distance away. Keestu was surprised to see it wasn't her 90-year-old great uncle Panat, but the one still living member of an opposing royal family who'd been granted the title of non-hereditary Prince by her grandfather for his assistance when her family had taken control of the planet during the Unification War of Sandar. He turned to King Ismer, bowing hastily before he hurriedly hung his hat on the back of his chair as he took his place. Ismer nodded solemnly back at the prince, and Keestu noted that he had chosen to wear Sandar's formal crown for this dinner. She saw that the black of her father's suit contrasted sharply with the red velvet of the crown, while the eight large bright blue topaz stones and one hundred and twelve smaller diamonds it contained caught the light and threw off bits of contrasting color as he turned his head.

  The excited babble of voices was almost instantly stilled as Ismer raised his hands for attention. He glanced at his personal steward before speaking, and the man nodded reassuringly.

  "Everyone will kindly address handmaid Rue as Crown Princess Keestu this evening. The Autocracy Prince, Dinus of Purvol, is here to discuss a trade treaty between the Union and the Autocracy and has mistaken Rue for her. I feel that this may be advantageous in the coming negotiations, so it is our will that you support the misconception."

  Keestu saw all eyes turn her way, but she was used to being examined. She stood silently, back straight, next to Rue, just behind her mother and father, as was their custom before being seated at a formal dinner.

  She felt her brother Skomer nudge her from behind. "We'll talk later," he whispered somewhat loudly, and she sighed, trying to maintain her dignified posture, though she'd love to make him pay for poking her. She could hear his mirth already. King Ismer glanced back, silencing his errant progeny with a severe look.

  "Let Prince Dinus and his entourage enter and be announced," he ordered.

  The tall double doors that led to the smaller private dining room that adjoined the formal dining hall were opened. It acted as a staging area for important visiting guests and had a video screen, so the proceedings could be watched by its occupants, but it was soundproofed so those inside couldn't hear any last minute orders the royal family would give before they entered the formal dining hall.

  The footmen controlling the doors smoothly swung them open as the announcer stepped up.

  "Your Majesty, Your Grace, Your Highnesses, and Nobles of Sandar, I present His Highness Prince Dinus, House of Purvol of the planet Phaet, member of the Autocracy, and entourage."

  There was an appreciative murmur from the gathered nobles as Prince Dinus strode in. He was wearing the same outfit, and she realized why King Ismer had ordered her and all the servants to dress in red. The prince's entourage of half a dozen men was dressed in matching outfits of loose pants and tunics, though they sported a different geometric design across the right breast, an equilateral triangle with a rhombus inside, and their tunics were purple with blue stripes overlaid; the exact opposite color scheme of what Dinus himself wore. Keestu, trained to look for subtle differences in dress, immediately realized that the arrangement of the color of his outfit must be his badge of office.

  Dinus marched the short distance to the main table and gave a stately bow. King Ismer and Queen Mewa gave dignified nods of their heads in return. The prince turned to the remainder of the royal family and sketched another stately bow, which Keestu, her siblings, and their assorted footmen and handmaids returned with bows and curtseys as appropriate. Dinus turned and bowed to the rest of the assembled nobles, who bowed and curtseyed back.

  The announcer pounded his stun staff on the floor three times, at which signal Dinus was ushered to his seat in the place of honor just to the right of King Ismer. Dinus motioned for a footman to be seated to his right, while the others in his party arrayed themselves behind his chair. Keestu and Rue took their accustomed seats opposite the prince, to the left of Queen Mewa's chair, only this time Rue sat between Keestu and her mother. This meant that her oldest brother Prince Skomer sat to her left. She kept her face as neutral as possible as he smirked beside her and instead studied the prince's companion, who sat directly opposite her. She thought they looked remarkably similar, not just because of their matching clothing. Their coloring was the same, straight light brown hair and muddy brown eyes, and they both had a similar sturdy-looking bone structure. Perhaps he was a younger brother or cousin? Curious. She'd have to research what was known about the Autocracy when she had the time. She'd also have to report her observation to K
ing Ismer at her earliest chance.

  The first course was being served, a rich creamy soup. Keestu made a mental note that perhaps she'd want to run two laps on the trails the next time she went out to the countryside to train to compensate for what were going to be formal and fatty meals while they had company. She found herself presented with a bowl before Rue. Thinking the servant had erred in serving her first, she looked up sharply, but saw the same thing was happening on the other side of the table and managed to suppress her comment in time. The prince's table companion took up a spoon, elaborately wiped it with a cloth he produced from somewhere in his outfit and dipped it into the soup, trying not to slurp too much as he tasted it. A food taster? How quaint. All food was passed through a scanner as it was taken from the cart, making such a display unnecessary, but she felt Skomer poke her in the hip under the high table. Startled, she realized she was supposed to act as Rue's taster for the evening. She followed suit as muffled murmurs of surprise traveled down the tables.

  After several moments, the servant across the table nodded and passed the bowl to Dinus. Keestu followed suit with as much dignity and poise as she could, trying not to spill any of the soup on Rue, who remained silent though her eyes were dancing with mirth.

  "Did you enjoy your tour of our home, Prince Dinus?" King Ismer paused his eating to ask.

  "Yes, quite. It seems quite a secure residence, and Your Majesty's designer is to be commended not only for that, but for the layout of Capital City as well. Most efficient."

  King Ismer smiled, "We're sure our father would thank you if he could, Prince Dinus," he responded.

  Queen Mewa spoke up. She deliberately slowly looked the prince over, but while he straightened up in his chair a little more, his attitude was otherwise unchanged. "Prince Dinus," her mother asked, "Have you no wife? We are saddened to see your lack of female companionship for we are most curious to learn more about your people."

  Dinus actually flushed. "No Your Grace," he responded, "I'm not attached at the moment."

  Princess Hemda, Keestu's younger sister, spoke up, "If you want a Sandarian princess to wife, I volunteer! I won't have a throne otherwise," she pouted.

  Titters of laughter traveled up and down the table. Hemda kicked her wooden shoe heels loudly against the legs of her chair, the fabric of her voluminous skirts swishing around her legs as she did so. "I'm see wee us," she lisped loudly, to renewed mirth. She frowned, clamping her mouth shut over missing baby teeth, the presumed source of her endearing speech impediment.

  Keestu had to give Dinus credit, for he formally bobbed his head in consideration of her offer and replied, "Well, I don't know how it's done on Sandar, but in my culture it will be several years before you'd be old enough to attach, and a lot can happen in those years, Princess."

  His eyes flicked speculatively to Rue, and he suppressed a smile with effort. Keestu glanced at her father, who had seen that look, and he covered his own smile as he glanced at Queen Mewa, who was staring sternly at Hemda. "What have I told you about speaking out of turn, Daughter?"

  Hemda paled. She knew she was in trouble when she was called "Daughter," with the implied capital D. She slid down in her chair, her dress bunching up around her, looking as if she wanted to crawl under the tablecloth.

  Ismer put his hand on Mewa's arm. "Surely you remember the exuberance of youth, my dear," he said quietly, "and it's been while since we had alien dignitaries to dinner." Ismer turned to his youngest daughter. "However, I'm afraid I have to agree with your mother and Prince Dinus, Hemda," he said, "You are much too young to be considering attachment at this time."

  Dinus looked greatly relieved, but cast another meaningful sidelong glance at Rue before responding to Hemda. "I thank Your Highness for your offer, though."

  Keestu's youngest brother Prince Kang perked up. "So how many sisters and brothers do you have, Dinus?"

  "I have four sisters and four brothers, Kang," Dinus replied, showing no annoyance at Kang's lack of formal address; equals on Sandar rarely used titles when talking with each other, and their visitor apparently was aware of this.

  Kang's face screwed up. "Ugh, how do you deal?" Rue snorted and almost choked on the last of her soup.

  "Oh, they usually stay in their wing of our home during the evenings," Dinus said. "See, we aren't a sexually segregated society, but my sisters find things to keep themselves busy so they don't have to spar with me or my brothers that much."

  Skomer looked up at the mention of combat. He was a fan of military strategy. "You outnumber them, then?"

  Dinus smiled. "At present, yes, but my stepmother is currently carrying a half sibling who may even our numbers up."

  The second course was arriving. Keestu saw to her delight it was a salad that had hirot stalks in it. She saw another server pouring hirot liqueur into the tiny eighth liter goblets at each place on the table. Trying to mask her delight, Keestu picked up her salad fork and tried it. It was hirot shoots. They were crisp and had a refreshingly delicate flavor that was perfectly complimented by the light dressing the chefs had chosen. Hirot was grown on Sandar and was a major export. It was such an important commodity that it was seldom seen on the royal table, though her father kept a flask of hirot liqueur in his private cabinet.

  Keestu saw the visiting footman pull out his own utensils, slipping what looked like miniature forks over each fingertip before spearing and sampling the salad for his Prince. Keestu smiled at the sight as she passed the salad to Rue and picked up the first goblet and took a sip of the liqueur. Its flowery fragrance tickled her nose while the fine liqueur burned in her mouth, warming her throat and belly as it made its way down. She had never been allowed to drink alcohol at a formal dinner before and found its mild sweet flavor appealing. She rather thought she'd be keeping a flask of hirot in the private cabinet herself when she ascended the throne.

  She saw that her brothers and Hemda were not allowed to have any hirot, since they were all under the legal age of sixteen. Keestu wondered if her siblings were jealous that she was now allowed to drink, but saw no hint of emotion on their faces as she took another sip.

  Always nipping at her heels, they were, but the older Skomer more so than Kang or Hemda. If he was the truly violent type, Keestu thought he'd try and take her title for himself by force. Of course, just a few minutes prior, Hemda had expressed displeasure at not having a throne of her own, so maybe it was more than simple sibling rivalry, and something she could not understand because she knew what she was to eventually become when she grew up; their futures weren't so certain.

  Prince Dinus tasted the liqueur and the salad, donning eating utensils identical to those of his taster, handling them with skillful grace. Keestu noted that the metal of his utensils was decorated with a geometric design where his fingers slipped into them.

  "These are major exports for Sandar," Ismer said after the Prince put down his goblet. "Hirot only grows on Sandar. Each blossom produces a generous 15 milliliters of nectar, which is fermented into the liqueur in your goblet. Fresh stalks, when chopped, make a popular salad green. In addition, when steamed, the stalks can also produce a volatile oil valuable for the perfuming industry, but there's only a minor market for that."

  After taking another significant sip from his goblet, Ismer concluded, "Hirot liqueur is resistant to all repro vat processes. It must be fermented naturally with Sandarian materials and processes, or it lacks the fire of the original. The stalks cannot be used for artificial reproduction of the plant, and it is illegal to take hirot flowers, whole plants, or seeds off the planet, as it is our most important produce export. Our people would never think of doing so and possibly put themselves out of a livelihood, but we have had occasional smuggling attempts, which so far have been one hundred percent thwarted, so our position as exclusive supplier of hirot greens and liqueur is currently quite secure."

  "Have you any cases of either on hand right now? I can see a market for both in the Autocracy."

  "How much do
you have in mind?"

  "One thousand half liter bottles of the liqueur would be a good start. I would gladly take it back with me on this trip."

  "We will have our advisers check to see if there is that much in the city, and if not, we can have it shipped in before you leave. How much of the greens did you think?"

  "We have room in our stasis locker for one hundred kilograms."

  "We are certain our suppliers can provide one hundred kilograms in fresh hirot greens. Consider that done. What do you have to trade?"

  "I will have to have you look at our goods, Your Majesty. I cannot presume to speak for what you might like to take in trade."

  Queen Mewa spoke up. "I'm afraid the king will be too busy. May we look at your trade goods, Prince?"

  "Certainly, Your Grace. We would be honored to have you select your trade items from our cargo."

  "You're too kind," Mewa looked back, eyes suddenly glittering. Keestu thought the foreign prince would come out much poorer than he intended; Mewa had a sharp eye for business and was a tough negotiator, having run her family's Market store for several years before meeting and marrying the king.

  After the first two courses were done, conversation was opened to the nobles. As the course of fried breaded lodalvo fish from their closest neighboring Union planet Weegai was served, Countess Sulca Aralad spoke up. Keestu identified her as a fourth cousin, who'd married Count Hudu Aralad five years prior and with him oversaw all the baronies on this continent.

  After identifying herself by name and rank, Sulca posed her question. "I am wondering, Prince, why you seek out Sandar for trade, when Weegai is closer to your star cluster by two and a half light years? They could just as easily sponsor your request with the Union and help you set up your ring schedule. For that matter, you could apply for a trade contract and permanent barter kiosks at the Hub in person and have direct contact with all the Union's trade liaisons, not just Sandarian."