12.2

"From the look on your face, I take it you are not bringing me pleasant news," Dirk observed as he watched his seneschal.

"You were correct in suspecting the advisors were meeting in secret to plot. The subject of the plot is far from betrayal, however," Cai reported. "They were meeting to discuss how best to further your future."

"How thoughtful."

"More like self-interested. There is universal concern about these episodes in which King Saris temporarily wakes up. The episodes seem to be getting more frequent. Your advisors want to assure that he does not return to the throne and get rid of them."

"Are they planning to kill my father?" the prince asked optimistically.

"Of course not. They recognized that his murder could unleash an unpleasant noble backlash against you and taint your claim to the throne. Several members of the aristocracy are still very loyal to King Saris - Blathmoor, for example. They settled on another course of action."

"A plot to make me king. Finally we have intrigue with a worthy objective," the prince mused. "And how do they intend to accomplish this?"

"The theory is that the Baronial Council could declare you king in light of your father's long-standing illness and inability to lead, provided there was unanimous support among the barons. Three of the six Barons attended the meeting, so their support is obvious."

"Which leaves Barons Vandor and Reznit, my least likely supporters," Dirk observed. The approach was not quite what he had been considering, but it certainly had its possibilities.

"As you know, those two are completely awe-struck by Zyrdicia and nip at her heels whenever they see her. They were both at Mora Valley. Reznit and Vandor saw her power first hand, and neither one has stopped talking about it since."

The prince listened thoughtfully. He had seen the phenomenon among those two barons every time they had come to Castle Blackpool. Vandor was the husband of Saris' youngest sister. Reznit was a cousin. Dirk knew both very well. Both men were serious, ruthless leaders. Yet, he had never seen them as overcome with reverence as they were in Zyrdicia's presence. It baffled him. She referred to them as her aristocratic lemmings.

Cai continued, "They have both made it known confidentially that they would unconditionally support your claim to the throne if-"

"Oh, you can't be serious!" Dirk blurted out in surprise as he realized the point of this plot. It was not so far from his own line of thinking after all.

Cai shrugged helplessly, "I'm afraid so. Whether or not she is an incarnation of Saxarba, they are convinced that she is a national icon. Her arrival marked the beginning of the most spectacular moment in Karteia's history. Her influence is nothing short of miraculous, and everyone has noticed. They believe the gods have spoken."

"Unfortunately, that voice they hear is her own when she chooses to parody those gods," Dirk commented wryly.

"They are, of course, assuming that you would have no difficulty convincing her to support your ascension. The sixth Baronial vote, her vote, would still be necessary as a perfunctory matter."

Dirk glared at Cai. Of course he could get her to support his claim to the throne. It was a non-issue. At issue was the fact that this was none of his advisors' business. There was a great deal that the advisors knew nothing about.

Cai sensed his the source of his irritation. The seneschal urged, "Once you are king, you could then decide what to do about the Edict. If you wanted to, after the Crown is yours, it would be reason to annul the marriage. Or you could take a mistress and sire an heir that way. Or arrange to dispose of her in her sleep. There is no limit to the ways to solve the problem once the throne is yours. Preventing King Saris' return to power would seem to be a more pressing priority, my lord."

"My relationship with her is none of their concern. Or yours."

"Lord Blackpool, as king-to-be, every aspect of your life has implications for the kingdom. None of this is news to you."

"I take it that you support this plot of theirs?" Dirk asked pointedly.

Cai was quiet a moment. He knew that this was an important opportunity. It was probably the only way to keep Portia here permanently, something he wanted very much. He had only recently admitted to himself that he had fallen in love with the outspoken, redhead who could efficiently mobilize an army of accounts, servants and businessmen and still have time to go dancing at the Cauldron when she was finished. Cai could scarcely imagine living without her at the moment. He had learned more from her than he had ever dreamed possible. The thought that Zyrdicia might decide on a whim to take her off to another world disturbed him. He had no intention of sharing that concern with the prince, though.

The seneschal answered carefully, "I support your claim to the Crown and your ascension to the throne-by any means." He weighed how to phrase the rest. "And the means in question could hardly be more advantageous. It is not as though they want to wed you to some aristocrat's homely, idiotic offspring. Zyrdicia is..."

"I know very well what she is," Dirk snapped defensively. He needed no reminder of how attractive, charismatic or effective she was. Nor how spiteful, rash and annoying, when she chose to be.

Cai advised, "The entire kingdom would welcome it. Your army would march off the Cliffs of Death if someone started a rumor that she had personally arranged their descent to the bottom. It would be easy to use the mass hysteria to consolidate your power." The seneschal smiled, "The Crown, conquest of all of Camarand, enormous wealth and the most breath-taking woman anyone has ever lain eyes on -- Lord Blackpool, what more could you possibly hope for in a pairing?"

Sanity, Dirk thought grimly, unaware how alien that concept would soon become.