The duke assured him that wouldn't be necessary. Fortunately, he didn't have to wait much longer. Kiin soon proclaimed the pig cooked to perfection, and ordered Lukel to begin cutting it. The rest of the meal quickly followed-a feast so large it would even have satisfied Kaise, if her father hadn't ordered her and the other children to visit their aunt's house for the evening.
"You're still determined to join us?" Kiin asked Sarene as he reentered the kitchen to grab the final dish.
"Yes." Sarene said firmly.
"This isn't Teod. Sarene." Kiin said. "The men here are a lot more… tradi-
tional. They don't feel it's proper for a woman to be involved in politics." "This from a man who's doing the evening's cooking?" Sarene asked.
Kiin smiled. "Good point." he noted in his scratchy voice. Someday, she
would have to find out what had happened to his throat.
"I can handle myself. Uncle," Sarene said. "Roial isn't the only one who likes a good challenge."
"All right, then," Kiin said, picking up a large steaming bean dish. "Let's go." Kiin led the way through the kitchen doors and then, after setting down the plate, gestured to Sarene. "Everyone. I'm sure you've all met my niece, Sarene. princess of our realm."
Sarene curtsied to Duke Roial, then nodded to the others, before taking her seat.
"I was wondering who that extra seat was for.' mumbled the aged Roial. "Niece. Kiin? You have connections to the Teoish throne?"
"Oh come now!" The overweight Ahan laughed merrily. "Don't tell me you
don't know Kiin is old Eventeo's brother? My spies told me that years ago."
"I was being polite, Ahan," Roial said. "It's bad form to spoil a man's surprise just because your spies are efficient."
"Well, it's also bad form to bring an outsider to a meeting of this nature," Ahan pointed out. His voice was still happy. but his eyes were quite serious.
All faces turned toward Kiin, but it was Sarene who answered. "One would think that after such a drastic reduction in your numbers, my lord, you would appreciate additional support-no matter how unfamiliar, or how feminine, it may be.
The table went silent at her words, ten eyes studying her through the steam rising from Kiin's several masterpieces. Sarene felt herself grow tense beneath their unaccepting gaze. These men knew just how quickly a single error could bring destruction upon their houses. One did nor dabble lightly with treason in a country where civil upheaval was a fresh memory.
Finally, Duke Roial laughed, the chuckle echoing lightly from his slight frame. "I knew it!" he proclaimed. "My dear, no person could possibly be as stupid as you made yourself out to be-not even the queen herself is that empty-headed."
Sarene pasted a smile over her nervousness. "I believe you're wrong about Queen Eshen, Your Grace. She's simply… energetic."
Ahan snorted. "If that's what you want to call it." Then, as it appeared no one else was going to begin, he shrugged and began helping himself to the food. Roial, however, did not follow his rival's lead; mirth had not erased his concerns. He folded his hands in front of himself and regarded Sarene with a very practiced gaze.
"You may be a fine actress, my dear," the duke said as Ahan reached in front of him to grab a basket of rolls, "but I see no reason why you should attend this dinner. Through no fault of your own. you are young and inexperienced. The things we say tonight will be very dangerous to hear and even more dangerous to remember. An unnecessary set of ears-no matter how pretty the head to which they are attached-will not help."
Sarene narrowed her eyes, trying to decide whether the duke was attempting to provoke her or not. Roial was as hard a man to read as any she had ever met. "You'll find that I am hardly inexperienced, my lord. In Teod we don't shelter our women behind a curtain of weaving and embroidering. I have spent years serving as a diplomat."
"True." Roial said, "but you are hardly familiar with the delicate political situations here in Arelon."
Sarene raised an eyebrow. "1 have often found. my lord, that a fresh, unbiased opinion is an invaluable tool in any discussion."
"Don't be silly, girl," spat the still nervous Edan as he filled his plate. "I'm not going to risk my safety simply because you want to assert your liberated nature."
A dozen snide retorts snapped to Sarene's lips. However, even as she was deciding which was the most witty, a new voice entered the debate.
"I beseech you, my lords," said the young Jindo, Shuden. His words were very soft, but still distinct. "Answer me a question. Is `girl' the proper title for one who, had things turned out a bit differently, might have been our queen?"
Forks stopped on the way to mouths. and once again Sarene found herself the focus of the room's attention. This time, however, the looks were slightly more appreciative. Kiin nodded, and Lukel shot her an encouraging smile.
"I warn you, my lords," Shuden continued, "forbid her or accept her as you will, but do not treat her with disrespect. Her Arelish title is no stronger and no more flimsy than our own. Where we ignore one, we must ignore all others."
Sarene blushed furiously on the inside, chastising herself. She had overlooked her most valuable asset-her marriage to Raoden. She had been a Teoish princess all her life: the position formed the cornerstone of who she was. Unfortunately, that self-concept was outdated. She was no longer just Sarene, daughter of Teod: she was also Sarene, wife to the crown prince of Arelon.
"I applaud your caution, my lords," she said. "You have good reason to be careful-you have lost your patron, the only man who could have given you a measure of protection. Remember, however, that I am his wife. I am no substitute for the prince, but I am still a connection to the throne. Not just this throne, but others as well."
"That's well and good, Sarene," Roial said, "but 'connections' and promises will do us little good in the face of the king's wrath."
'little good is not the same as no good, my lord," Sarene replied. Then, in a softer, less argumentative tone, she continued. "My lord duke. I will never know the man that I now call my husband. You all respected and, if I am to believe my uncle. loved Raoden-but I. who should have come to love him best, can never even meet him. This work in which you are involved was his passion. I want to be a part of it. If I cannot know Raoden, at least let me share his dreams."
Roial watched her for a second. and she knew that he was measuring her sincerity. The duke was not a man to be fooled by mock sentimentality. Eventually, he nodded and began cutting himself a piece of pork. "I have no problem with her staying."
"Neither do 1," Shuden said.
Sarene looked at the others. Lukel was smiling openly at her speech. and the stately mercenary Lord Eondel was nearly in tears. "I give my assent to the lady."
"Well, if Roial wants her here, then I have to object out of principle," Ahan said with a laugh. "But, happily, it looks as if I'm outvoted." He winked at her with a broad smile. "I get tired of looking at the same crusty old faces anyway."
"Then she stays?" Edan asked with surprise.
"She stays," Kiin said. Her uncle still hadn't touched his meal. He wasn't the
only one-neither Shuden nor Eondel had begun to eat either. As soon as the debate ended, Shuden bowed his head in a short prayer, then turned to eating. Eon-del, however, waited until Kiin had taken his first bite-a fact Sarene noticed with interest. Despite Roial's higher rank, the meeting was at Kiin's home. According to the older traditions, it should have been his privilege to eat first. Only Eondel, however, had waited. The others were probably so accustomed to being the most important person at their respective tables that they gave no thought to when they should eat.
After the intensity of the debate surrounding Sarene's place, or lack thereof,