In Which Renata Recalls a Similar Precedent

March 19, 1181

"So." The last of her grandchildren finally tucked in for the night--their poor mother down with a nasty cold--Renata was not about to waste any more time in regards to that letter. Her son's letter, that was, for all it was an even more pressing concern to her. But God forbid that awful Lord Frandred correspond directly with a mere woman. "I take it he received our revised offer?"

Abrich nodded. "He did."

"And?"

Her son sighed and Renata fought back a tirade of curses. In truth, she hadn't expected much. As far as a man like Lord Frandred could see it, the new offer was one of instant and short-lived gratification. He could get much more out of the original bargain, never mind the fact that he already had that which he sought to gain. "I'm sorry, Mother."

"Don't apologize. You've done nothing wrong." And if he had, then she was equally guilty. But if Arkon hadn't told her, he wouldn't have told Abrich in any less necessary fashion than his will. "How dare that son of a bitch Frandred take advantage of your father like that."

"I don't want to fault Father either, but we both know he must have been drunk out of his mind."

And she should hope so. The greatest fool in the world wouldn't have agreed to that sober. "That doesn't excuse Frandred's conduct. If you know that no sober man will agree, then you know it's not a deal you ought to be making."

"Frandred doesn't see it that way. As far as he's concerned, it was a perfectly reasonable bargain that any one of his peers might have made. Father's state just made the negotiations a hell of a lot easier."

"Then that's diplomatic cowardice." Hands balled into fists, Renata turned to face the door. It was unlikely at this hour, but she wished someone would intrude--anyone, really. The steward. A servant. The ghost of her late husband, that horrid Lord Frandred himself. She didn't know how long she could hold back all that rage, and Abrich was hardly an appropriate target. "Write him back at your earliest convenience. Tell him I'm willing to take this to Oswald if I must. The Lord God Himself, even."

"Oswald has no jurisdiction over Frandred." Abrich's chair scraped the floor as he stood and pushed it back. The sound might have been a scratch on a slate. "Nor does Adrius. Frandred is a lord without a king. He works within the model of Carvalli law, and from what I've seen, he's within the bounds of that. No authority has the power to make him compromise."

"I see." Carvalli law. Renata's father was a count and a justiciar. His libraries were packed with legal texts and as a girl she'd perused many. That had been years ago now, but she thought she recalled some similar precedent. She would ride to Valcria first thing in the morning to confirm. "Perhaps we can work with that."

"How?" Resigned, Abrich stepped around the table. Poor boy never did have a lot of fight in him, just like Renata's dearly departed. At least he didn't compensate with drunken bravado like his father had. "I'm a lesser lord than Frandred. Even if I could afford to pay him off, he has no obligation to accept my offer."

"Then it's obvious what we must do."

"Mmm?" Her son frowned, eyebrows crunching as if caught in a press. "What are you suggesting?"

"I think you're cleverer than that, dear. If Frandred has no obligation to you, all we have to do is find someone else to take your place in the arrangement--someone of a higher rank."

"Do we know anyone eligible?"

"Would I have suggested it if we didn't?"

Abrich sighed. No doubt he didn't want to involve anyone else, for all there really wasn't much choice. She hoped he would see beyond that soon. It was his sister at stake. "Mother, you don't have to--"

"Don't be ridiculous. I was fully prepared to do much worse, was I not?" She had him there. Even if she hadn't, she hardly had much choice in that matter. Yes... tomorrow, she made for Valcria. Some time after that, before it was too late, Naroni. "You have daughters of your own, Abrich. Try telling me you wouldn't go to any extremes to save any one of them."

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