[Final Fantasy IV] Every Light Casts A Shadow, Chapter Twenty-Two: The Traitor in Baron

[lassarina]

Pairings/Characters: Kain Highwind, plus cast
Rating: R (overall), PG (this chapter)
Warnings: Spoilers. Violence and language. Occasional sexual content. Other warnings may apply that are not listed here.
Notes: This fic belongs to the Lucis Ante Terminum arc. Chapter list is here.
Summary: Though it is possible to return home, it is rarely possible to return affairs to their previous state. Sometimes the only course of action is to move forward.
Wordcount: 7000 this chapter.
Beta: celeloriel

Ten years after Zeromus

Rosa sighed and looked at the prodigious heap of parchments before them. "Does it never end?" she murmured.

"It would seem not." Kain reached for his cup of tea, and grimaced upon discovering it had grown cold.

Rosa rubbed her eyes and squared her shoulders. "Well, let us continue, then," she said.

In the two years since Cecil's death, she had gradually emerged from her seclusion and resumed her role as regent, but it seemed sometimes to Kain that she was no different than she had been the night before his wedding, something he tried to put out of his mind whenever the thought occurred. He was relatively certain that Rosa had not forgiven him for what had passed—or rather had not passed—between them that night. She acted civilly enough when their responsibilities required them to be together, but the warmth of friendship that they had shared for so many years had vanished, leaving them like two strangers circling each other politely.

Kain took the next report from the stack and cast his eyes over Lord Nerthic's smooth, even penmanship, which was a blessed relief after Lord Demetrick's cramped, untidy chocobo-scratch. Rosa took another report and read the first page quickly.

"Well?" she said.

"Lord Nerthic's information suggests that the Damcyan tribesmen are still content to roam the deserts in small packs, and do not seem at all inclined toward creating any kind of central authority." Kain flipped rapidly through the rest of the report, but nothing leapt out at him as requiring additional attention. Lord Nerthic took great care to ensure that his summary pages included all the important points, so as not to waste their time unduly either by over-reporting minutiae or excluding important information that they must then check the rest of the report to discern. Kain put the Damcyan report aside to be filed in the archives later. "What news from Mythril?"

"None of importance," Rosa said absently. "He thinks the cost of mythril weapons will rise again soon, but not by a significant enough amount to send Lord Eltrin into a rage."

"May I?"

She handed him the sheaf of parchment and Kain glanced over the figures Lord Nerthic had assembled. He agreed with the assessment presented at the end of the summary, and added it to the filing pile.

The warm afternoon sunlight streamed into his office, where he had situated the desk precisely so that the light would illumine whatever he was reviewing without glaring into his eyes. Kain drank the rest of his cold tea, grimacing, and set the cup aside. "I beg your pardon, Rosa, but I must have a short respite," he said.

"As must I." She rose gracefully from her seat. "In ten minutes' time, then?"

He nodded, and she left his office, presumably in search of the garderobe. He heard her greeting the guards politely by name; they worked with the office doors open so that none might have fodder for gossip, but the guards were stationed far enough from them not to be able to overhear anything sensitive they might discuss. Kain went to the window and looked down into the courtyard. Two army units were training in a mock combat. This high up, the clash of their weapons was barely audible, but Kain could imagine the sound. He looked farther, beyond the courtyard to the castle walls, and thence to the city beyond. All seemed to be in order. Perhaps their country had not entirely flourished, these past few years, but neither had it faltered.

Kain stretched, feeling the twinges of pain in old wounds long healed. Even white magic could not perfectly heal a wound; wounds knit with holy power healed faster in the short term, but troubled the wounded person far more in later years. It was for this reason that white mages most often reserved their power for life-threatening wounds, and instead applied more traditional and mundane remedies, such as herbal tinctures, much of the time.

Just beyond the castle walls, he could see a small pack of chocobos approaching. He could not make out the details of the riders they bore, but he did notice them riding directly for the castle gates. Kain sighed, and wondered what new trouble had come to plague them.

"Are you ready to continue?" Rosa asked from the doorway.

"I am," he said, "but I fear we shall not have much more time to work before we are interrupted with some issue."

"Why do you say so?" She walked closer, though she took care to remain out of arm's reach.

Kain stepped aside and gestured to the window. "There are four, perhaps five chocobos just beyond the castle gates," he said. "They are riding too hard and fast to be casual visitors."

"I cannot make out the riders," Rosa said, "but I agree. It is unlikely to be cheerful news." She sighed. "Very well, then. Let us accomplish what we may, while we still have time."

As it turned out, they did have time to finish going through Lord Nerthic's reports before they were interrupted. Kain was just reaching for the first of Lord Eltrin's treasury reports when one of the guards entered.

"I beg your pardon for the intrusion, Your Majesty, Lord Regent," he said politely, "but Sage Solon is here with three companions, and begs a moment of your time. He indicated that it is an urgent matter."

Kain glanced at Rosa, who nodded. "Send them in," he said, and relocated the stack of tax reports to a different corner of his desk which would ideally keep it safe from any stray Fire spells, if Palom had accompanied the Sage.

Sage Solon entered the room and bowed stiffly. He was closely followed by Porom, who was now nearly sixteen by Kain's reckoning and carried herself with innate grace, and by Palom, who immediately set down the large wooden chest he carried and began to investigate Kain's bookshelves with an air of insouciance.

"Sage Solon," Kain said politely. "Please, be seated." He waited until Solon had eased himself carefully into the empty chair on the opposite side of the desk. "How may we assist you?"

"As you know, Lord Regent, High Summoner Queen Rydia graciously offered us a place in Mist, as we are currently deprived of our own homeland," Solon said.

Kain nodded.

"Since taking up residence, we have been working to rebuild the village. It has been hard work, given the toll that time and violence exacted, but we have been making quite satisfactory progress."

"Surely, Sage Solon, you did not come here merely to provide us with a progress report on the rebuilding of Mist," Rosa said gently. "You seem troubled."

Solon nodded. "Indeed, Your Majesty, I am troubled. We recently began excavating one of the ruined houses, to see how much of its stone could be recovered and used in other building projects. In the cellar, we found these." He gestured. Nothing happened. He turned his head. "Palom!"

The youth so addressed quickly pulled back the hand that had been reaching for a volume on Kain's bookshelf. "Sage?" he said, the picture of innocence.

"The scrolls, please, Palom," Sage Solon said with evidently strained patience.

Palom bent to retrieve the chest he had set down upon entering the room, and set it upon Kain's desk with a loud thump. He opened the chest with a grand flourish, and began to fish out the contents.

First he set down a dagger and falchion, both sheathed in hardened leather. Kain picked up the latter blade and drew it an inch out of the sheath, examining the edge with interest. It was fine craftsmanship, though not the equal of the dwarven smith Kokkol, and sharpened to a razor edge.

Meanwhile, Palom had dug out some two dozen scrolls. His box of treasures empty at last, he closed it and returned it to the floor. "Someone really doesn't like you," he said.

"Palom!" Porom sighed deeply. "What my brother means to say," she said, "is that we found a monstrously large cache of those weapons, which from the dust around them appear to have lain undisturbed for quite some time, and all of these scrolls."

Rosa picked up the topmost scroll, shook it out of its leather case, and unrolled it, scanning the contents rapidly. Her face paled, and her throat worked visibly as she swallowed. "Kain," she said faintly.

Kain set down the weapon immediately and leaned over to look at the scroll. Rosa angled it so that he could see it more easily.

It took him a moment to realize what he was looking at, but once he did, sick dread wrapped around his stomach like a leaden hand. "These are the missing plans," he said softly.

Hardly believing it, he reached out to trace the lines with a fingertip, finding the secret passage through which he had followed John Marek three years prior in the abortive assassination attempt against Jalen. There were multiple pieces of parchment that had been rolled together, and as they spread them out upon Kain's desk it became evident that there were far more secret passages built into Baron Castle than Kain had ever suspected.

"Have you looked at the other scrolls, Sage Solon?" Kain asked, his mind racing to try to discern who might have left these scrolls in Mist, and when, and why.

Solon nodded gravely. "I have, Lord Regent. There are extensive plans to make modifications to the castle walls to allow unauthorized persons to climb up the wall via handholds, and directions on how to activate secret passages in the castle. There are illustrations of pathways that might be taken to access the royal quarters—as well as your own, Lord Regent—undetected by the castle guard." He ignored the exceedingly profane oath that Kain muttered, and continued in his listing. "There are also battle plans indicating ways in which Baron Castle might be besieged and her siege defenses laid waste." He hesitated, and glanced at Rosa before continuing. "Lastly, there is an extensive accounting of supplies that were sent on to Wei to aid in his rebellion in Damcyan."

Rosa roused enough from her stunned silence to ask, "Is there any indication of who might have assembled these documents?"

Solon shrugged and spread his hands. "I confess I am unfamiliar with the crests of all of your noble families, but much of the weaponry bears a similar maker's mark. I could not speak to the documents themselves."

Kain chose another scroll case at random and opened it. This one turned out to be an accounting of weaponry. He scanned the list quickly, astounded at the totals. "Are these accurate, compared to what you found?" he asked Solon, tilting the scroll so that the older man could read it.

Solon considered the numbers for a moment. "These numbers are quite a bit higher than what we found," he said eventually. "Yet I seem to recall that among the supplies sent to Damcyan were a significant quantity of weapons. If my memory serves, then between what was theoretically sent to Damcyan and what we found in Mist, I believe we would have accounted for the majority of that inventory."

Kain read the list again, trying to recall if the handwriting matched any of the heads of the noble houses. It was not particularly distinctive, being even and well-formed, but without the flourishes that most noblemen added to their script to distinguish themselves from their peers.

"So at least one of our noble houses is actively plotting against us," Rosa said wearily.

"That, in and of itself, is nothing new; yet this suggests a scale of treason of which I was hitherto unaware." Kain picked up the falchion again and this time drew it completely out of its sheath, turning the blade so that it caught the glint of sunlight. The maker's mark was incised into the pommel, an ornate and stylized T wrapped in vines.

"We should have Lord Nerthic find out what smith uses this maker's mark," Kain said.

"Not all the swords bear the same mark," Solon said. "However, the swords that seemed to be of the highest quality bear that mark."

"A master smith, and his apprentices, then," Kain said. "Or so I would presume."

Rosa nodded.

"Thank you, Sage Solon," Kain said gravely as he returned the falchion to its sheath. "We are extremely grateful for your aid, and for your goodwill."

Solon bowed his head. "We are pleased to be of assistance to you," he said simply.

"Let us meet with Lord Nerthic tomorrow morning," Rosa suggested. "I find that I am tired, and would rest."

"And I believe I am to meet with His Majesty the King and Her Highness the Princess," Kain said, rising from his seat.

Rosa raised her eyebrow and assumed that expression that was both stern and indulgent, and utterly maternal. "And what business have you with them?" she asked, though her tone was not censorious.

"It is time for King Jalen's weapons practice," Kain said. "If it meets with your approval, I would have Princess Sophia be able to defend herself as well."

Rosa sighed. "She will only use it to get up to more mischief—but yes, I think it is well thought of to have her learn, all the same."

Solon rose slowly from his chair. "You will, of course, stay the night here?" Kain asked.

"Thank you for your hospitality," Solon replied. "I confess my old bones did not relish the prospect of riding back this evening."

"I will have the seneschal arrange quarters for you," Kain assured him. "If you will come with me, I will leave you in his capable hands."

"That sounds dirty," Palom announced, then yelped when his sister twisted his ear. "Ow!"

"Mind your manners," Porom snapped.

Kain just shook his head and led the way out of his office.

Once the Mysidians were safely entrusted to Joseph Farrell's care, Kain made his way to the floor of the royal tower reserved for Jalen and Sophia. When he arrived, they were just finishing up lessons with their respective tutors, and both abandoned dignity entirely to race to him and attempt to climb him like a tree.

"Easy!" Kain laughed, and scooped Sophia up to settle her against his side. At six, she was really too old for such indulgence, but it was comforting to bestow the hugs that she demanded with all the assurance of a child who was well-loved. Jalen, meanwhile, was all but dancing in his eagerness to get outside and hit things with the wooden sword Kain had had made for him.

"So, my king, you would learn more swordplay?" he asked, though the question was hardly necessary. Jalen nodded vigorously.

"Uncle Kain!" Sophia tugged at his tunic. "Will you teach me, too?"

"Yes, Princess Sophia, I will teach you also." Kain set her down and she joined her brother in jumping and whooping with glee.

"Let us go outside, where we will not lay waste to the castle," Kain suggested, and held out his hands. They seized them eagerly and skipped beside him all the way outside.

Kain had arranged for a sizable corner of the practice yard to remain clear this afternoon, for he would not risk their safety even among men he trusted. Their guards, Dragoons all, had followed them out of the castle and took up positions that enabled them to see most of the courtyard, the better to anticipate any threats to their charges.

Jalen's wooden sword had already been brought out, and he seized it and began slashing vigorously at invisible monsters. Kain nodded to Marcus, the royal armourer, who stood nearby with a wooden case in his hands.

"Princess Sophia," Marcus said, with a polite bow, "I hope you find this to be of use." He opened his case to reveal a beautifully crafted bow, sized exactly right for Sophia.

Sophia frowned. "Uncle Kain," she said, "I thought you were going to teach me swordplay."

Kain had a moment of stunned recollection, remembering Rosa some twenty or twenty-five years earlier saying the same thing to her grandfather when he presented her with the same weapon. Old General Farrell had stood firm, insisting that swords were not proper weapons for ladies and a bow had been good enough for her mother and grandmother, and would be good enough for her, too.

"Did you want to learn swordplay, Princess?" he asked to buy himself some time. "I thought you might like to learn to use a bow, as your mother does."

Sophia shook her head firmly, blonde curls flying. "Bows are boring," she decreed firmly. "I want to learn to use a sword and a spear."

"A spear?" Marcus inquired.

Sophia nodded. "I'm going to command the Dragon Knights when I grow up," she informed him.

Kain rubbed a hand over his face to conceal his grin. "Very well, Princess," he said. "I shall be pleased to teach you the use of sword and spear both. However, since I want you to have a well-rounded education—after all, a Dragon Knight must be able to wield many weapons—why don't we start with the bow? I did not have a sword prepared for you for today, and Marcus has worked so hard on this bow for you."

Sophia considered this for long enough that Kain began to worry he would have to go retrieve a bit of wood and whittle it into a practice weapon for her on the spot, but eventually she nodded. "Very well, Uncle Kain," she said, and she was so solemn that he had to cover his smile once more or risk her thinking that he mocked her. "I will learn the bow first—but I will learn the sword and the spear, too."

Kain bowed in acknowledgement and lifted the bow from its case. "When you have an arrow in your hand," he began, "the point must always be aimed at the ground unless you are about to shoot. Never nock the arrow to your bowstring until you are ready to release it. This is the first rule of archery."

Sophia nodded, her wide blue gaze locked on the bow as he demonstrated how to string it and nock an arrow to the string. Marcus had done an excellent job of fitting the bow to her height and strength; Kain could easily break the bow pulling on it with his full strength, but it was beautifully suited to Sophia.

Jalen watched the archery lesson for a time, but eventually demanded his share of Kain's attention. Kain left the archery instruction to Marcus and spent the rest of his afternoon teaching Jalen the basics of the style of swordsmanship favoured by the Dragon Knights, which was designed to afford its wielder and his ward the greatest degree of protection; if a Dragon Knight had abandoned his spear in favour of a sword, the circumstances were dire indeed, and their swordsmanship reflected that.

Even as he taught Jalen the simple blocks and parries that were the cornerstone of a Dragoon's sword skills, Kain wondered if he would have cause to use them sooner rather than later.

~*~

The council gathered somewhat more swiftly than normal; some months back, Lord Eltrin had suggested, not entirely in jest, that fines be introduced for members of the council who were late. When Kain had agreed that it sounded like a wise proposal and suggested instituting a trial run of the program, it was astounding how many members of the council arrived early to the meetings.

Today was no different. The last member arrived some five minutes before the scheduled start of the meeting, and took his seat. Kain noticed many curious looks going to Palom, Porom, and Solon, who stood in the center of the curved table awaiting their turn to speak. An equal number of curious looks were going to Rosa; though she had resumed many of her duties, it was still rare for her to sit in council.

Kain waited until everyone had claimed his or her seat and relative quiet reigned in the council room before calling the meeting to order.

"There is business before the council this day that affects all of us," he said when he had their full attention.

"Is there another war in some backwater town that no one would care about if it didn't have a Crystal?" Lord Marek inquired, feigning a yawn.

A moment later he yelped and leaped from his seat, swatting frantically at a trio of tiny flames that had sprouted in the vicinity of his pants.

Kain did not witness whatever Porom did to call her brother to order, but he did see Palom grimace, and the flames vanished, leaving Lord Marek unharmed save for his once-fine trousers, now scorched and singed.

"Are you quite done disturbing the business of the court, Alan?" Lord Eltrin asked.

Lord Marek spluttered in wrath, but fell silent when pinned with disapproving glares from many of his peers.

"As I was saying before Lord Marek's rude and untimely interruption," Kain said into the sudden silence, "there is business that affects all of us. Her Majesty Queen Rosa wished to bring this issue before the council, that it might be discussed and addressed as necessary."

He seated himself, and Rosa stood. She had given up wearing the green of formal mourning a year after Cecil's death, and resumed her customary white attire. The sunlight from the southern windows cast a dazzling glow upon her and gleamed off her white gown as off water, making her appear to cast a brilliant light herself. She folded her hands in front of her and began to speak. "As you know, those who fled Sage Livius's uprising in Mysidia have settled in the village of Mist, there to rebuild what was destroyed and to continue to practice their arts as they are wont to do. In the course of rebuilding the village, they came across some very interesting items that impact us here in Baron."

At Rosa's nod, Kain set upon the table the falchion and dagger that Solon had brought, as well as two of the scroll cases. The others were locked securely in his quarters, and would not be taken out unless it was absolutely necessary.

"These weapons are made in the style favored by Baronian smiths," Rosa said into the charged and echoing silence. "The scrolls which accompany them indicate intensive planning. Among other things, they listed extensive supplies given to Wei Hsiang's rebellious force in Damcyan, and plans for an invasion of this city." She waited until the first wave of murmurs died down before continuing. "Additionally, Sage Solon and his people located plans for the assassination of my son, my daughter, myself, and my late husband."

Kain was certain he was not the only one who noticed the faint catch in her voice when she spoke of Cecil.

"The plans to assassinate my son were already attempted two years ago," Rosa said, raising her voice to be heard over the increasing amount of conversation going on amid the council. "According to the documents that were found, the perpetrators attempted to lead a rebellion against the throne, slay the royal family and all of our confidants and allies, and take the throne for themselves."

"This is preposterous!" Lord Vyran pushed himself to his feet. "What proof have you?"

"You have only documents presented by Mysidian cowards who fled rather than face honest battle," Lord Marek sneered, rising from his chair as well. "What steps have you taken to ascertain that they did not manufacture these documents themselves, in order to discredit your loyal servants?"

"If you are counting yourself among said loyal servants," Lord Nerthic said coldly, "I suggest that you re-examine your arithmetic."

"How dare you!" Lord Vyran bristled. "Your family has no history—"

"My family has served in the military every single generation for the last thirty," Lord Nerthic shouted. "I grant you that we are not so wealthy as you, but when was the last time one of your kin lifted a weapon other than to sell it?"

The accusations and counter-arguments ran rampant, growing ever louder. Kain let the cacophony continue for a few moments, then put a stop to it. "Silence!" he roared.

When the murmurs did not abate fast enough, Palom gestured, and a dragon of flame leapt into existence, its body stretching the full length of the council table. Even Rosa drew back in surprise, and the dragon's appearance silenced everyone.

"Thank you," Kain said. "Now, if everyone has quite finished, I believe the Minister of Intelligence has some information to review, regarding the authenticity of both the documents and the weapons."

Lord Nerthic stood up, still glaring fiercely at Lord Vyran. He had a sheaf of notes before him, but did not consult it. "In the two days since this information was presented," he said, "I have done extensive research regarding the weaponsmiths whose marks appear on these weapons. I also consulted Lord Eltrin's extensive and careful records of tax revenues from two years ago. In the course of my research, I have proven links between not one, but two, of our noble families and these abominable attempts at treason."

Kain, who already knew the information Lord Nerthic was about to present, glanced back at the guards. They shifted from their stances beside the doors to standing in front of them, swords an inch out of the sheath. Most of the council was too focused on Lord Nerthic to notice, but Kain saw both General Farrell and Lord Darmin glance at the guards and nod, the latter with a small, cold smile.

"The weaponsmiths who use these marks are employed by House Vyran and House Marek," Lord Nerthic said clearly. "In addition—"

"You traitor!" Lord Marek shouted, lunging across the table at Lord Nerthic. The latter stepped neatly back to avoid him, and Lord Marek ended up sprawled across the table in an utterly undignified manner.

"Guards," Kain said quietly, but clearly. The two men guarding the doors pulled them open to admit a full unit of Dragon Knights, under the command of Matthew Darmin.

The Dragon Knights split into three groups, one of which seized Lord Marek. The second group stood patiently at attention behind Lord Vyran, while the third set itself around Lord Nerthic in a defensive formation. Kain rested his hand on the hilt of Bahamut's Tooth, which he had brought with him this afternoon although weapons in the council chamber were frowned upon. To his right, Rosa discreetly stood and withdrew a few steps, so that she would have room to wield the short bow she had concealed beneath the table.

"In addition," Lord Nerthic continued, as though the interruption had never occurred, "House Vyran purchased significant quantities of supplies through their merchant network—supplies which, according to their accounts, were never re-sold either through their own stores or to other merchants, but which are equivalent to the amount recorded in these scrolls as being sold to Wei Hsiang at a ninety percent discount."

Lord Vyran's face had turned a very ugly shade of mottled red, and he stared fiercely at Lord Nerthic. "I will see you dead," he said, and the threat was made more ominous by the utter calm of his voice. Kain wondered where Lord Vyran had found such self-control, for it had seemed to be quite lacking in him at all other times.

"Captain Darmin, take Lord Vyran and Lord Marek into custody," he ordered. "Their presence is no longer required or desired at this council."

Matthew nodded to his men, who bound both noblemen in iron shackles—unusual to say the least when dealing with those of noble rank, but Kain had desired the point made and Rosa had, surprisingly, agreed—and led them out of the room. Only after they were gone did the unit defending Lord Nerthic stand down and follow Matthew into the hall.

When the guards had closed the doors again behind the procession of prisoners and Dragon Knights, Kain sheathed Bahamut's Tooth and resumed his seat. Rosa did likewise, tucking her bow neatly out of the way.

Silence descended upon the room once again.

At length, Lord Darmin cleared his throat, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. "A trial is required," he said.

Lord Eltrin snorted. "I think we have heard quite enough, William. I myself have no doubts."

Lord Darmin shook his head. "You had access to the evidence. The rest of us have not. We serve the law—and Baron—ill indeed if we would pass judgment absent a trial," he said. "Regardless of whether you have made a decision already, we do great violence to the spirit and the letter of the law if we do not allow them a chance to defend themselves. I agree that the evidence seems quite damning, yet every citizen is accorded the chance for defense. This applies to nobility accused of treason as much as it does the farmer accused of cheating on his taxes."

"William is correct," Lord Nerthic said. "Though I confess I am quite willing to run them both through with my own sword, these things must be done the proper way."

"Lord Regent, Your Majesty," Lord Demetrick said, turning to Kain and Rosa, "would you consider having His Majesty the King sit at the trial? I know he is yet young, but he should have some idea of what being king will entail in matters such as this."

Rosa looked ready to protest, and Kain held his tongue.

"I concur," Lord Darmin said after a long pause. "I do not presume to tell you how your child should best be raised, Your Majesty," he added with a courteous nod to Rosa, "but I feel that it would lend itself well to King Jalen's education."

Rosa looked at Kain, and her mouth tightened into a thin, disapproving line. "I do not agree," she said, "but it would seem I am outnumbered. Very well. It shall be done."

"Let us convene for trial at nine tomorrow," Kain said.

There were nods all around the table, and he rose from his seat. "Lord Nerthic, we expect you to be able to present your evidence. Have copies made of any relevant documents. If possible, obtain samples of the weaponsmiths' other work for comparison of the maker's mark; you will be reimbursed by the treasury. Lord Eltrin, please ensure that the tax records Lord Nerthic cited earlier are available for the court's perusal as well. Lord Darmin, would you consent to act in the interests of the Crown for this trial?"

"I would be honoured, Lord Regent," he replied.

"Thank you. The council is dismissed with the Crown's thanks," Kain said.

Most of the nobles left the room, although Lord Darmin and Rosa remained behind. Kain nodded to the guards, who withdrew and closed the doors behind them.

"Lord Darmin, it seems you have somewhat that you would speak of," Kain prompted him.

Lord Darmin sighed. "I never expected to be head of my House, you know," he said obliquely. "My elder brother, Henry, was to be the heir. I thought to pursue a career in the military, as is traditional for younger sons in my family."

Kain nodded. It was well known that any younger scion of House Darmin who wished to retain access to the family's coffers was required to serve ten years in the military; those wounded too badly to continue their service were granted exceptions, but those who sought other paths were advised to perform their service first if they wished to retain the goodwill of the house.

"Henry was killed in the Battle of River's End, and I was wounded," Lord Darmin continued. Kain blinked in surprise; his own father had died at the Battle of River's End.

"Your family's history of distinguished service is well known, Lord Darmin," Rosa said, granting Kain a few more moments to reorganize his thoughts without appearing rude.

He nodded his thanks for the compliment. "I have now been serving my family in a less violent capacity for nearly thirty years," he said. "I have sat through many trials requested by the Crown, and something perturbs me about this case."

Kain saw the direction Lord Darmin was taking, and nodded. "You think that it seems too easy," he said.

"Precisely." Lord Darmin began to tick off points on his fingertips. "To have their well-known smiths craft weapons and leave so obvious a mark upon them; to directly purchase supplies for an enemy through one's own commercial interests; to leave one's plans in the Village Mist instead of sending someone to destroy them as soon as it was known that the village was no longer to be abandoned; to not at least keep a watch on such dangerous items so that they might be destroyed at the next available opportunity—all these things add up to a very neat, even overwhelming, pile of evidence. Yet I cannot help but think that for all their outspoken opposition to everything that you or the late King tried to do, Edwin Vyran and Alan Marek are not stupid men. Thus, I wonder what other force is at work here."

"Do you think them innocent?" Kain asked.

"Given what was presented, and acknowledging I have not yet read over the documents myself, the evidence seems very clear that they have committed malfeasance." He paused, and studied the table thoughtfully. "No, I do not think them innocent, merely….surprisingly careless."

"Do you suggest that someone manipulated them into making these decisions?" Rosa asked.

"I am not sure I would go so far," Lord Darmin said carefully. "Yet I cannot help but think that they are but cats' paws in some greater plan. Perhaps they were merely encouraged and permitted to create these plans, and resources made more easily available to them that might not have been accessible otherwise."

"An easing of the road, rather than a direct manipulation," Kain said with a nod. "It makes a certain degree of sense. I myself have little enough respect for Lords Vyran and Marek, but given the degree of infighting in both their Houses this decade past, surely someone would have gotten rid of one of them in some permanent fashion ere this if they were truly so incompetent as to leave their plans available for anyone to find, and to go about them so directly."

"Just so." Lord Darmin nodded. "Yet it seems to me also impossible to say for certain that they are being framed. Lord Nerthic is exceedingly diligent in the performance of his duties, and always has been. If he says there is clear and distinct evidence indicating that they were behind the assassination attempt on the King and the rebellion in Damcyan, then I am sure that the evidence exists."

"And if it exists, we must use it in the trial; and if it is as good as he says, they will be convicted, and they will die." Rosa's voice was very quiet, and she stared at her hands as she spoke.

"Even did they not conceive the plan themselves, still they are guilty of participating in it," Kain pointed out.

"Guilty enough for execution?" Rosa asked.

Kain raised an eyebrow. The question, You say this in regards to those who would have murdered your son in his bed? rose to the tip of his tongue, but he held it back. Instead, he said, "They sought to do lethal violence against a member of the royal family, and very nearly succeeded. I find this sufficient reason for their death—and were it not, they gave aid to an enemy of Baron in war."

Rosa slammed her hands palm-down onto the table with such force that Kain wondered she did not cause herself pain. "We have already killed two men over that," Rosa snarled, "and do not you dare suggest that I am any less interested in the lives of my children than you. Yet I find myself unwilling to have their blood on my hands."

"Fear not, Your Majesty," Kain said grimly. "The stain will be mine alone." As I have stained my hands on your behalf for nigh thirty years.

Rosa gritted her teeth and spoke very carefully. "Regardless of whose hands rest upon the weapon, my word in agreement or benediction of the execution makes me as guilty as any other."

"The guilty parties," Kain said coldly, "are those who sought to harm you and yours. Do you forget that they planned to kill you, as well?" When she made no answer, he steeled himself and continued, "Do you forget that their plans led to Cecil's death?"

Her face drained of all colour. He had been prepared for her rage, had thought himself prepared for her pain, but the naked grief in her expression struck him like a stab to the heart. He gripped the arms of the chair until the wood dug into his hands and his nails, short though they were, bent back, but held her eyes.

Rosa stood abruptly, shoving her chair back. "I will rule as the law requires," she said in a voice that was too rigidly controlled, "and we will act as our roles bid us. But do not ever make the mistake of thinking that I enjoy this bloodshed."

She left the room, leaving Kain alone with Lord Darmin. He closed his eyes for a moment, feeling unspeakably weary. "I apologize, Lord Darmin," he said formally.

"There is no need for apology," Lord Darmin said obliquely. "For some time after his death, I wondered at King Cecil's reasoning when choosing his regents. I believe that now I understand."

Kain opened his eyes and looked at Lord Darmin, who wore a faint smile. "Do you?" he said.

Lord Darmin nodded. "Think of it in terms of balance, Lord Regent," he said. "Tip the scale too far to one side, and you will end the regency with a King unable to function when the reality of politics collides with the passion of ideals. Tip it too far the other way, and the King will be too pragmatic—perhaps even too ruthless—to lead Baron forward into advancement. Yet with the scales balanced to the niceness of a feather, then at the end of the Regency, you might have a King who balances practicality with a passion for improvement."

He rose from his seat and made a deep, formal bow. "With your permission, Lord Regent, I would withdraw to prepare the Crown's case for tomorrow's trial."

"Thank you for your service, Lord Darmin." Kain inclined his head in a deep nod of respect and watched Lord Darmin depart.

Alone in the council chamber, he thought on the older man's words. Was it possible that Cecil had chosen him out of deliberate foresight, as Lord Darmin implied, rather than blind childhood loyalty? Kain had thought that Cecil had deliberately turned his back on everything he had learned about the realities of managing a kingdom when he donned a paladin's armour, but mayhap he had been counting on Kain to be the practical half of a rulership team, permitting Cecil to indulge his desire for idealism.

Kain's lips curved in a joyless smile. He rose from his seat and performed a formal Dragon Knight salute to the empty air. "It is my pleasure and honour to serve Your Majesty as best I might," he said. "I admire Your Majesty's deviousness."

"Kain?" The soft voice came from the doorway. He turned and saw Elizabeth standing there, a look of confusion upon her face.

"Yes?" he said.

"You were—never mind," she said hastily. "Ah, I heard a most interesting rumour just now."

"Did you?" Kain leaned back against the table. "What sort of rumour?"

"Lillian is in tears because apparently Lord Vyran has been arrested for treason. It appears that House Marek has also been implicated." Elizabeth raised an eyebrow to indicate her curiosity.

"Lords Vyran and Marek have indeed been arrested for treason," Kain said. "We have significant evidence linking them to the plot to assassinate King Jalen two years ago, in addition to evidence that links them to the plot in Damcyan that led to the battle in which..." His voice trailed off, without his having made a conscious decision regarding the matter.

Elizabeth nodded briskly. "That is as it may be," she said, "but I think you have had quite enough of politics for one day."

Kain raised an eyebrow at her. "Do you so?"

She reached out her hand in an imperious gesture. "I do," she said firmly. "Come, you need food and rest. Tomorrow will be a long and difficult day."

"It is not even sunset," Kain protested.

Elizabeth scowled. "You have been up past midnight for the past three days and then rising before dawn," she said. "I say that you have had enough of politics and work. You are not even prosecuting the case yourself; you have but to hear the evidence presented and pass your verdict. You will present none too fine an image of the Regency if you are yawning your way through the trial for lack of sleep. Now, will you come with me willingly, or shall I use force?"

Kain knew he outweighed her by four stone or more and though she was tall for a woman, he still had a few inches' advantage in height. Yet when she pinned him with that particularly determined gaze, those advantages seemed to diminish rapidly.

"As you say, my lady," he replied after a moment, and offered her a courtly bow. The corners of her lips quirked up in a smile.

"After you, my lord Regent," she said, sweeping her arm out in a grand gesture.

"With you, my lady Elizabeth," he replied quietly, and held out his arm for her.

"As you say." She linked her arm with his and smiled.