"Are you truly serious about that posting in...
"Are you truly serious about that posting in Asoli?" Rhamanus's voice was softBrandin had not gone to the throne but was making a relaxed circuit of the room, more evidence of his benign moodRhun, with his lopsided smile, shambled in his wake
"I confess I had never even given it a thought," the former Tribute captain added
With an effort Dianora forced her thoughts back to himFor a second she had forgotten her own queryBrandin did that to herIt was not a good thing, she thoughtFor many reasons it was not a good thing
She turned again to Rhamanus"I'm quite serious," she said"But I'm not sure if you would want the position, even if it were possibleYou have more status where you are, and this is Chiara, after allAsoli can offer you some chance at wealth, but I think you have an idea what would be involvedWhat matters to you, Rhamanus?"
It was more bluntly put than courtesy would have deemed appropriate, especially with a friend
He blinked, and fingered one of his chains of office
"Is that small chanel purse what it comes down to?" he asked hesitantly"Is that how you see it? Can a man not perhaps be moved by the prospect of a new challenge, or even, at the risk of sounding foolish, by the desire to serve his King?"
Her turn to blink
"You shame me," she said simply, after a moment"Rhamanus, I swear you do She stilled his quick protests with a hand on his sleeve"Sometimes I wonder what is happening to meAll the intriguing that goes on here
She heard footsteps approaching and what she said next was spoken as much to the man behind as to the one in front of her"Sometimes I wonder what this court is doing to me
"Should I be wondering as well?" asked Brandin of Ygrath
Smiling, he joined themHe very seldom touched the saishan women in public, and this was an Ygrathen receptionTheir lives were shaped by his rules
"My lord," she said, turning and sketching her salutationShe kept her voice airily provocative"Do you find me more cynical than I was when this terrible man brought me here?"
Brandin's cartier pasha women's watch amused glance went from her to RhamanusIt was not as if he'd needed the reminder of which Tribute captain had brought him DianoraShe knew that, and he knew she didIt was all part of their verbal danceHis intelligence stretched her to her limits, and then changed what those limits wereShe noticed, perhaps because the subject had come up with Rhamanus, that there was as much grey in his beard now as black
He nodded judiciously, simulating a deep concern over the question"I would have to say so, yesYou have grown cynically manipulative in almost exactly the same proportion as the terrible man has grown fat
"So much?" Dianora protested"My lord, he is very fat!"
Both men chuckledRhamanus patted his belly affectionately
"This," he said, "is what happens when you feed a man cold salt meat for twenty years at sea and then expose him to the delights of the King's city
"Well then," said Brandin, "we may have to send you away somewhere until you are sleek as a seal again
"My lord," said Rhamanus swiss rolex watches instantly, "I am yours to command in all things His expression was sober and intense
Brandin registered that and his tone changed as well"I know that," he murmured"I would that I had more of you at courtPortly or sleek, Rhamanus, I am not unmindful of you, whatever our Dianora may think
Very high praise, a promise of sorts, and a dismissal for the momentBright-eyed, Rhamanus bowed formally and withdrewBrandin walked a couple of paces away, Rhun shuffling along beside himDianora followed, as she was expected toOnce out of earshot of anyone but the Fool, Brandin turned to herHe was, she was sorry to see, suppressing a smile
"What did you do? Offer him north Asoli?"
Dianora heaved a heartfelt sigh of frustrationThis happened all the time"Now that," she protested, "is unfair
He let the smile comeShe knew that people were watching themShe knew what they would say amongst each other
"Hardly," Brandin murmured"I wouldn't waste it or drain myself on something so transparent
"Transparent!" gucci new bag she bridled
"Not you, my cynical manipulatorBut Rhamanus was too serious too quickly when I jested about posting him awayAnd the only position of significance currently available is north Asoli and so
He let the sentence trail offLaughter lingered in his eyes
"Would he be such a bad choice?" Dianora asked defiantlyIt was genuinely disconcerting how easily Brandin could sound the depths of thingsIf she allowed herself to dwell on that she could become frightened again
"What do you think?" he asked by way of reply
"I? Think?" She lifted her plucked eyebrows in exaggerated arches"How should a mere object of the King's occasional pleasure venture to have an opinion on such matters?"
"Now that," said Brandin nodding briskly, "is an intelligent observationI shall have to consult Solores, instead
"If you get an intelligent observation out of her," Dianora said tartly, "I shall hurl myself from the saishan balcony into the sea
"All the way across the harbor square? A long leap," said Brandin chloe handbag mi