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A Stroke Of Midnight :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 189 из 293If he kills me, then you are rid of me, and can be the first to suggest that he needs todie for his actions.” She moved in her chair as if settling her skirts more comfortably. “Oh yes, Kieran, good plan. You made only one mistake.”
He looked up at her. “And what was that?”
“You underestimated the princess, and her men.”
“I will not make the same mistake again,” he said, and gave me an unfriendly look.
“Kieran, that sounded like a threat to the princess.” Andais looked at me. “Did that not sound like a threat to you, Meredith?”
“Yes, Aunt Andais, it did.”
“Frost, did Kieran just threaten the princess?”
“Yes,” Frost said.
“Darkness,” she said.
“Yes, he threatened the princess, or threatened to plan better the next time he plots to kill you, Your Majesty.”
“Yes, that is what I heard, as well.” She looked out at the nobles. “Blodewedd, did you hear him threaten me and mine?”
Blodewedd took in a deep sighing breath, then gave a small nod.
“I need to hear it aloud for all the court,” Andais said.
“Kieran has been foolish this day. More foolish than I or my house can support or salvage.”
Kieran looked at her, frightened for the first time. “My lady, you are my liege lord, you cannot mean…”
“Do not involve me in your stupidity, Kieran. Madenn is your wife and has always been your shadow. But if you could have persuaded more of your own house to take your part, I do not believe you would have enlisted Innis’s help.”
“An interesting point.” Andais gazed down at the unconscious form of Innis. “Dormath, I offer you a choice. One of your people must die. Innis or Siobhan, choose.”
“My queen,” Doyle said, “I would ask that Innis be spared, and Siobhan…”
“I know who you would kill, Darkness.” She looked at me. “I even know who you would have me slay, Meredith, but you are not their liege. I want Dormath to choose, so that the rest of his house will understand that he will not protect them.”
“My queen, do not make me choose among my lords and ladies.”
“Would you take their place, Dormath? Would you offer yourself to save Innis and Siobhan both? I am willing to entertain such a bargain, if you are willing to offer it.”
Dormath’s face got even whiter, something I didn’t think possible. He blinked his large, dark eyes slowly. Were we about to see Dormath, the door of death, faint?
“Come, Dormath, it is a simple question,” Andais said.
He looked up at her. “And what was that?”
“You underestimated the princess, and her men.”
“I will not make the same mistake again,” he said, and gave me an unfriendly look.
“Kieran, that sounded like a threat to the princess.” Andais looked at me. “Did that not sound like a threat to you, Meredith?”
“Yes, Aunt Andais, it did.”
“Frost, did Kieran just threaten the princess?”
“Yes,” Frost said.
“Darkness,” she said.
“Yes, he threatened the princess, or threatened to plan better the next time he plots to kill you, Your Majesty.”
“Yes, that is what I heard, as well.” She looked out at the nobles. “Blodewedd, did you hear him threaten me and mine?”
Blodewedd took in a deep sighing breath, then gave a small nod.
“I need to hear it aloud for all the court,” Andais said.
“Kieran has been foolish this day. More foolish than I or my house can support or salvage.”
Kieran looked at her, frightened for the first time. “My lady, you are my liege lord, you cannot mean…”
“Do not involve me in your stupidity, Kieran. Madenn is your wife and has always been your shadow. But if you could have persuaded more of your own house to take your part, I do not believe you would have enlisted Innis’s help.”
“An interesting point.” Andais gazed down at the unconscious form of Innis. “Dormath, I offer you a choice. One of your people must die. Innis or Siobhan, choose.”
“My queen,” Doyle said, “I would ask that Innis be spared, and Siobhan…”
“I know who you would kill, Darkness.” She looked at me. “I even know who you would have me slay, Meredith, but you are not their liege. I want Dormath to choose, so that the rest of his house will understand that he will not protect them.”
“My queen, do not make me choose among my lords and ladies.”
“Would you take their place, Dormath? Would you offer yourself to save Innis and Siobhan both? I am willing to entertain such a bargain, if you are willing to offer it.”
Dormath’s face got even whiter, something I didn’t think possible. He blinked his large, dark eyes slowly. Were we about to see Dormath, the door of death, faint?
“Come, Dormath, it is a simple question,” Andais said.