The gates of House Thalos were a deep and dignified purple. They were also closed. They had been closed for the better part of an hour.
I knew this because I had spent that entire hour staring at them through the carriage window, watching the color slowly lose its novelty. The guards outside wore the same purple, and most of them were doing an admirable job of pretending our carriage did not exist. One of them had not been so lucky.
"Apologies, my lady... Hero," he said. "We haven't gotten the word to let anyone in yet, so we can't, uh...." He glanced back at his companions. None of them came to his rescue.
I sighed. "I understand. There's no offense."
The man nodded so hurriedly his helmet rattled, and all but fled back to his post.
"This is taking far longer than I thought it would," I muttered, mostly to myself, still staring out the window. "Is he just not going to see me?"
"That would be rude," Estovan said from the seat across from me. "I do not believe Duke Thalos would offer an such an insult without reason."
"Oh, he has reason alright," Violet muttered. "The reason is that he's a scheming bastard like Julian. Sounds like reason enough to me. He didn't even reply to the letter."
That was true. I had sent a letter last thing last night, expecting to find a reply waiting for me in the morning. There had been none. There wasn't even a rejection, which was just odd. From everything I had been able to find out, Duke Thalos was in the city, though nobody had seen him for some days. You'd think the man would at least pen a rejection. So I had simply decided to show up, rejection or not.
For all I knew, it really was scheming. The writ Julian waved around bore Thalos' seal. It would have been the easiest thing in the world to assume the two of them were conspiring together. Besides, Thalos and Greenward had voted together for as long as anyone could remember. For all I knew, the old man was inside his manor at this very moment, laughing over my letter with Julian. And yet. I remembered what my father had said the day before. Thalos isn't an evil man. He's only a tired one.
I was not nearly naive enough to think my father infallible. But I was choosing to trust him here.
"If rockboy was here, we'd sneak in," Violet muttered under her breath.
"I don't think we'd do that even if he was, Violet," I said. "I'm pretty sure sneaking into another ducal House's estate is a good way to make things ten times more complicated than they already are."
"So what you're saying is it'd work."
“Yesn’t?” I said after giving it some thought. Violet just grinned at me.
Damian wasn't here, of course. I had sent news of my father waking to all of the lords serving under me, and Lord Everstand had come to the manor to see his old friend before the sun had even come out. Damian had decided to stay back with him. Which meant that for now it was just me, Violet, Estovan, Sere, and half a dozen House guards trailing behind the carriage.
Sere sat beside me with her notepad balanced on one knee, sketching the guards through the window. Every now and then she looked up, frowned at something only she could see, and then her pencil moved faster.
I had half a mind to turn around and leave. There were better ways I could be using my time. I could be planning Violet's coronation right now, or register for the King's Tournament before the deadline snuck up on me, or putting out some of the small fires that always seemed to be happening in my District. I had better things to be doing than waiting outside a gate that wouldn't open. In a district that was, I reminded myself, currently also hosting a runaway Princess, somewhere. I had spent an embarrassing amount of time glancing out the window, half-expecting to see her trailing after me. The less time I spent here, the better.
I had just opened my mouth to give the order when a long, groaning creak split the air.
The gates began to swing open on hinges that sounded like they hadn’t been used in weeks.
"Took them long enough!" Violet grumbled, as the carriage started to move again.
I reached over and idly brushed my fingers through Sere's hair, working through a tangle one knot at a time. She leaned into it without looking up from her doodling. She had drawn the gates as a great mouth full of purple teeth. Creative imagery, though I hoped she was wrong.
"I'm just glad it opened at all," I said.
The manor itself, when the carriage finally rolled to a stop before it, was large and wide. And it was rather… plain. That was the only word for it.
It had none of Greenward's exotic gardens, or the vast open fields of my own. There were many buildings, and they were all just plain stone, built around a single large passageway that cut through their center. The central building was larger than our own manor, though decorated no differently from the buildings that surrounded it.
A woman stood outside to greet us, dressed in simple deep purples that still managed to look elegant. She was clearly old, and clearly still beautiful, her silver hair arranged with a care that had probably taken someone an hour. A few guards stood at her shoulders. Duke Thalos was nowhere to be seen.
The door opened. Violet was already outside, hand outstretched. I took her hand and hopped down. I looked back at Sere, who held out her hand from inside, and smiled and helped her down too. Estovan was already standing a few steps beside us.
"My apologies, Lady Veyne," the woman said, and dipped her head. "I did not know I was to expect company." She turned. "And you, Lady Indri." She dipped her head again, this time for the First Sword. "And it is an honor to meet someone as decorated as the First Sword of House Veyne."
"You're too kind," Estovan said, tipping his own head.
Finally, she turned to Sere and smiled. "And I don't believe I know who you are, my dear." Sere smiled shyly back and took half a step behind me.
I knew who the woman was, of course, though I had never actually seen her before today. Not even on a portrait. She was Lady Irene Thalos. Duke Thalos' wife. I knew next to nothing about her, really. All I knew was that she largely stayed out of the public eye.
I made a curtsy. One that was almost not awkward. Beside me, Violet reluctantly made one too, and hers was very awkward. "The apology is mine to give," I said. "I've come on short notice."
"Come inside," Lady Irene said. "Let's talk there." She moved. I looked at Violet. Violet shrugged. We followed.
The halls of Thalos Manor were largely barren, but not inelegant. There were no portraits that I could see, no elaborate suits of armor. I only saw clean stone and the occasional vase of ordinary flowers. Lady Irene led us to a private atelier. It was a small, sunlit space with an easel in the corner and finished paintings leaning against the far wall. They were landscapes, mostly. One of them was the Great Wall at dawn. Sere's eyes went to the paintings at once, and stayed there.
We sat down, and Lady Irene brought tea and biscuits out for all of us, serving them herself, with only a single maid -a small dark-haired girl- to help her. "I apologize for the poor vintage," she said, setting a cup before me. "It has been some time since I've served guests."
"Don't worry about it," I said. "I do not have so fine a taste."
That was true enough. There was exactly one person whose tea I could tell apart from any other, and she was not here. We settled into our proper seats. I took a sip. It was fine, as far as I could tell, though I really was no judge. Mostly, I found myself watching the door and waiting for Duke Thalos to finally appear.
It didn't open. Lady Irene looked at me instead. "I heard about the business at the auction house," she said. "A shame about your father. Duke Adrian was always a brave man. I have been keeping him in my prayers."
I nodded awkwardly. It wasn't like anyone outside my own House knew that my father was awake. "We hope he'll wake up any day now," I said.
Then she turned to Violet. "And of course, my heart breaks for your lord father. I only ever met him on one occasion, but he was nothing if not polite. A shame that he left us all so soon."
"Errr… yeah," Violet said awkwardly. Her hand had found her braid. I watched her give it one short tug and then let go, and I very carefully did not look at her face.
"You must have your hands full managing your House," Lady Irene went on. "Though, I suppose Lady Veyne is helping you. Ah, but two girls managing the fate of two Houses. It must be difficult."
From another noble's mouth, it might have been an insult wrapped in sympathy. But I couldn't help but feel that the woman was genuinely being sincere, with the way she said it.
"Dunno," Violet said. "Just let the head maid handle everything."
Lady Irene nodded slowly, as if Violet had said something very wise. "Ah, but that will change once you become Duchess, Lady Violet."
"I guess," Violet grumbled into her cup. It was rather remarkable that she hadn’t broken the handle. I would have to praise her later for that.
Then Lady Irene turned to Sere, who had thus far slain three biscuits in perfect silence. "What is your name?"
Sere looked awkwardly to me. I honestly wasn't sure why Sere was even visible right now, not that I minded. "Her name is Sere," I said.
"Sere from House…?"
"None," I said. "She's a friend of mine."
Lady Irene smiled at Sere. "I see. Well, Lady Veyne. You have adorable friends.” I had absolutely no idea what to say to that.
Then the questions started. Lady Irene peppered us with them, and they were not the questions I had expected anyone to want to ask. Nothing about being a Hero. Nothing about the expedition, or the dragon, or the parade. Her questions were more… normal. What did we like to eat? What did we like to do? Was I getting enough sleep, with those bags under my eyes? What were our plans for the future?
"Meat," Violet said, to the first two. "And fighting."
"I see," Lady Irene said in a kindly tone, as if Violet had answered with something reasonable.
Sere held up her notepad. Cake. Then, underneath it, she added, Drawing.
"I bet you have a fine eye, Sere," Lady Irene said. “I’m not much of an artist myself, but I try to learn. Perhaps we can draw together someday?” Sere nodded slowly, and smiled.
The whole situation was simply confusing. More and more, I just got the impression of a kindly grandmother. Which wasn't exactly what I had expected from the wife of the man who made up half of Greenward's voting bloc.
At last, Lady Irene set down her cup. "My apologies. It seems I've been too talkative. Seeing you three just reminded me of my son, and I couldn't help myself."
I didn't know much about any son. I didn't even know his name. But it would have been rude not to ask. "And where is your son? I do not see him around."
"Oh, he's at the Royal Academy," Lady Irene said, and her whole face broke into a smile. "He’s in his final year. He was rather lucky to be in the same year as the Crown Prince. They are even-" The door opened.
Duke Thalos walked in, and he was much the same as I remembered him. Old, and weary, and…well, tired looking. Just like my father had said. He wore plain black clothes without a single ornament. "So you weren't kidding," he said to his wife. "Lady Veyne really is here." His gaze moved over us.
"And the future Duchess of House Indri. I apologize. I was busy." Then he looked at Estovan, standing guard at the back of the room. "And even the First Sword of House Veyne. I do hope your services won't be needed today."
"I always hope the same, my lord," Estovan said politely.
I was just glad the man had actually shown up, and that today wasn't a waste. "It's fine," I said.
Duke Thalos crossed the room and sat down beside his wife. "Dear, you can't spend all day holed up," Lady Irene said, looking him over. "Your dark circles have circles."
"And so they do," the Duke agreed with a sigh, reaching for the tea she was already pouring him. He took a sip, and for one moment the weariness lifted clean off his face. "Ah. Just how I like it." He beamed at his wife -actually beamed- before turning to me. "Now. Why are you here?"
Straight down to business, then. A considerable difference from his wife. I found I didn't mind that. "You granted Duke Greenward the right to employ a mercenary company called the Third Shield," I said.
"I did." Duke Thalos nodded. "What of it?"
"Are you aware that said Third Shield are currently blocking access to that section of the wall? Right now, the men have to reach that section by walking the length of the wall itself. Naturally, this wastes their time."
I expected surprise, because he doubtless didn't know. Or perhaps smugness, if he really was in on it with Julian. Instead, Duke Thalos sighed and set the cup down. He raised one hand and massaged his forehead. "Always something, isn't it?" He looked up at me. "Let me guess. None of his men have actually stepped onto the wall itself?"
"...You would be correct," I said slowly.
Click. Click.
His heartbeat was slow and even. There was no sweat. Not even a flicker anywhere that I could see. I reminded myself that Duke Indri's heart had beaten just as evenly. Truthful was not the same as innocence, but it was a start. I turned my senses back down.
Duke Thalos sighed again. "Then it is within his rights. If that is all you came to say, then you should-"
"His rights?!" Violet shot up out of her chair. "What kind of rights are those, that he can just be such an ass and nobody can do anything about it?!"
There was silence. Lady Irene stared at her, open-mouthed. I sighed, took Violet by the sleeve, and pulled her back down into her seat. I braced myself for the Duke's anger. Shouting at one of the Golden Five in his own home was probably a diplomatic incident.
Duke Thalos turned to his wife. "The young ones these days are even more impatient than the last set of dukes."
"They are only children, Aurel dear," Lady Irene said.
Duke Thalos sighed, and turned back to us. "Lady Violet. When you become Duchess, if you feel like doing the same thing, I won't be able to stop you then either." He looked at me. "If you think this is some kind of preferential treatment, then it is not. It is simply the rules by which this place is governed."
"And just what kind of rules are these," I said, "that allow a lord to prevent the manning of a wall meant to protect all of us? I dare say such rules are not worth the paper they're written on."
Now I did expect the man to take some kind of insult from that. After all, enforcing rules was basically all he did. "They are not," Duke Thalos said instead. "They are also the only ones we have."
I stared at him. He stared back. Duke Thalos leaned back in his seat. "Lady Veyne. Are you perhaps aware of the set of circumstances that led to five ducal Houses being forced into a single city, endlessly fighting against one another?"
"The last demon war," I said. "It forced everyone into this city."
Duke Thalos nodded. "And do you know why we are forced to stay in this city?"
"What do you mean?"
He waved a hand, vaguely, at the window, at the city beyond it, at everything. "You don't find it strange? Five once-great Houses, forced into a single city. A fourth of the Kingdom barren and useless, and the Crown has made only the most token of efforts to reclaim it?"
"I didn't think they could," I finally said. Everyone was quiet. Even Violet. "The Wastes are a hard place."
"They are." He nodded. "But there should have been some progress made. Perhaps not all of the provinces. But at least one of them might have been reclaimed by now. Yet, none has. Before your reports of clearing the Everfrost, there was no hope of reclaiming any at all. I ask you again, Lady Veyne. Why do you think that is?"
I thought about it for a long time. The only answer I had ever had was that it was simply too hard. Or that the Crown didn't know where to even start. Duke Thalos was speaking as if that wasn't the answer, so I didn't understand. "Why?" I asked finally.
"Because they'd rather we simply didn't exist."
I stared at him. "What the hell are you saying?" Violet had leaned forward, pointing at him. "They want us dead?! The hell kind of crazy stuff is that?"
Duke Thalos looked at her. "Perhaps wanting us dead is a little excessive. Wanting us weak and feeble might be closer to the mark."
"Why?" I asked. I wanted to know. It wasn't the answer I had come here for, but I wanted it anyway.
"Before the demon war that took this land," Duke Thalos said, "the lords of the western provinces were quite wealthy. Far wealthier than the other parts of the Kingdom. Every province was blessed in its own way. One was a great farming land. Another had natural resources you could only find in other kingdoms. Another was a great bastion of trade, famous the world over. What, Lady Veyne, do you suppose happens when one part of the Kingdom -the part that does not hold the capital- is so much richer than all the rest?"
"The others find it an eyesore," I said finally.
"Indeed." Duke Thalos nodded. "And we aren't blameless." He shrugged. "Our predecessors were conspiring to form their own kingdom. The burden of taxation was too excessive, you see. Almost petty. The King at the time was forced by his lords to choose. And he was choosing against our interests."
I stared at him. At no point had I ever read this in any book I had ever seen. "Then the demons came," Duke Thalos said. "And the Crown at the time was rather slow to mount its defense. The ten gods drove them back, but they did not come here because the Kingdom sent them. In truth, they were just about all we had, or we'd have had to fend for ourselves. So we ran, as the hordes drove us farther and farther back, until we ended up in Aelheim. Aelheim itself would have fallen, if the gods hadn't won at the Battle of Dawnspire." He shrugged. "I suspect many of the other provinces were hoping we'd be wiped out entirely, so they could drive the demons back and take our lands for themselves. Maybe they could have. Maybe they'd have fallen too. These games are always rather petty."
Far at the back of my mind, Vaelin stirred. And with it came his impression. Rotten. And I suppose he was right. There was silence for a time. I was slowly processing all of it. It was impossible to say whether Duke Thalos was telling the truth. But then… why wouldn't he be?
When nobody said anything, he went on. "And so we were handed a charter by a King, to govern one city under five lords and all of their bannermen. A stupid charter that makes little sense. And my House was tasked with making sure this city didn't burn itself down. Now, here I am." He gestured at himself. His wife was right. His dark circles really had dark circles of their own.
"That was quite enlightening, Duke Thalos," I finally said. "But it does not change the fact that a section of the wall remains difficult to man. It does not change that House Greenward tried to strangle my District by withholding food."
"It does not," Duke Thalos agreed. "But it should change how you think about these things, shouldn't it?"
"I suppose so," I finally said. "So what you are saying is that I need to find a solution in our charter, if there is one to be found. Or I need to make Lord Julian step down himself. And you will not get involved."
Duke Thalos smiled. "That's good. I'm used to the lords of House Veyne angrily yelling at me and breaking my things when I tell them I cannot help them."
I blinked. "That… that has happened before?"
Duke Thalos pointed at the low table between us. "Your father broke the last one."
I looked at the table. I thought of my father, all seven feet of him. I decided I did not want to know the details. "Thank you, Duke Thalos," I said. "This has been most instructive."
And I meant it. My father's words came back to me then. It seemed he had been right about the man after all.
The manor fell behind us, and then the gates, and then the deep purple lights of the Thalos District.
"Goddamnit," Violet announced, slumping into her seat. "We just wasted our time for nothing. I mean, I guess the story was cool, but we didn't come here for that."
"We didn't waste our time," I said, looking out the window.
"What?" Violet asked.
"I know what we have to do now," I said. "Or at least, I have a good idea." The answer had been almost too obvious. I had hoped to get an easy solution from Duke Thalos, but oh well. The hard way was fine by me. If it meant speeding up some things, that was fine by me too.
"Esra," Violet grumbled. "What the hell are you thinking?"
"My Lady," Estovan said. "Perhaps you might share your thoughts?"
I turned to Violet, and smiled. "I was just thinking," I said, "that you should get used to people calling you Duchess Indri."