The royal house fed Kelton well while he waited for his master to meet with the King. Roast bird, duck he assumed, slivered thin with a thick fruit topping. A rare treat, indeed. He wondered if it had once been meant for the King and the new security needs had rerouted it in case it contained dreamvine. Kelton had already taken a few bites before the idea dawned on him, so there was no reason not to finish it.

It was a silent ride back through the city. Master Tarvakian had demanded no conversation after he had finished his consult with the King. Zello was sitting in the wagon next to his father with impatience painting his face. It pained Kelton not to be able to tell Zello what had transpired with his talk, but he couldn't risk speaking and jeopardizing what had transpired. He was equally curious about his master's meeting and the final decrees from the King.

Alas, it wasn't until they were back at house Tarvakian, and safely in its walls before Master decided it was safe to speak. Vasco had been waiting with the same look that painted Zello's features.

"All-Father, Kelton," Tarvakian began. He wiped the sheen off his brow with his sleeve. It had been a tense day. "What transpired on the road to force such things. Filgot only told me of bandits."

"What things?" Zello asked before Kelton could speak.

"We are to absorb house Barrenkee into ours, and act as liaison for a new house between here and Mila," Tarvakian replied. Kelton smiled in relief. The King may be pompous, but his word was as good as solid coin.

"Barrenkee is done?" Zello asked.

"Aye, by morning. Until then, we are not to speak of it outside of this room. He won't even make it to the mines," Taravakian said. "Treason of the highest order," he added with a shake of his head.

"I knew he was vile." Zello smiled and slapped his fist into his palm. He looked at Kelton as if they had just won some great war.

"It is happening too fast," Tarvakian continued. "On the morrow, we must claim the house and soothe those who will become ours. Filgot will have to seek out new guards to employ while spreading his current staff thin. We must learn transportation skills and feed twice our number. It is an overwhelming task, at least at the start."

"What of Barrenkee's guards?" Vasco asked.

"Complicit, or at best tolerant of the treason. There is no place in our house for men such as those, and many will find themselves in the mines by the end of it. There was no mercy in the King's words."

"Felicity could help, Master," Kelton said. "She is known to those in the house. Her words will carry weight and help to gain the cooperation needed for things to transition smoothly."

"Aye, aye," Tarvakian agreed. "She is pleased with my house and I with her. It is a good thought, Kelton. It is easy to see why the King desires you."

"Desire me, Master?" Kelton asked.

"Aye, and I think I greatly disappointed him, though it was hard to tell. His anger of Barrenkee's plot was mixed into all his words." Tarvakian sighed. "He offered me ten thousand gold for you. I may have put my house in jeopardy by declining."

"Ten thousand?" Zello asked with wide eyes.

"Aye," Tarvakian nodded. "It was hard to say no. But my vow is my vow. I can not be assured of the King's care, only of ours." He smiled at Kelton. "Besides, your vow to me ends when house Tarvakian relinquishes ownership. I can't have you running about dismantling the kingdom and killing ship captains, now can I?"

"Ten thousand," Zello repeated. "It is a great sum."

"Would you have sold?" Tarvakian asked his son.

"Nay," Zello answered without delay. "It is just the sum that amazes me." He looked at Kelton. "You are of house Tarvakian, not a bolt of cloth to sold to the highest bidder. I might as well sell a leg or an arm."

"I thank you, Master," Kelton said to Zello, recognizing the compliment even if it was skewed by the laws of ownership. "If I must be owned, it is house Tarvakian I would choose." The sum surprised Kelton as well. He had feared the King might want him hidden in the deepest mine, or buried there. The monarch had much to protect, and Kelton had whittled away at some of it, even if he had saved the bulk from Barrenkee and Mortique.

"What of this new house, the one on the road to Mila?" Vasco asked.

"A strange thing, this new house," Tarvakian said, looking at Kelton. "Volunteers, the King said. Property that does battle in the war against the dreamvine and can cure the desire for it. They are to be frozen there for a year, then allowed growing freedoms for the next four, at which time they will have earned citizenship. During the first year, we are to be their only source of food and goods." Kelton couldn't help the smile that continued to grow on his face. It was not the perfect solution he designed, but it did protect the kingdom from the initial shock of escaped property becoming citizens. In a year, most would know only of the cure and not care how it came about. The King was wise and played his game well.

"A cure for the vine?" Zello asked.

"Aye, Master," Kelton replied. "It is not without risks, but I have seen the results. The cured look and act like you and I. They still feel the draw but no longer have the need."

"And you could not tell us of this when you returned?" Tarvakain asked.

"Not declaring treason and deceit to the King, is itself treason and deceit for a citizen, Master," Kelton said. "I wished an outcome that didn't waste the cure or the property that knew it. It required slower revelations that would have put house Tarvakian at risk if you had known. A gamble to be sure, but I could not forgo some lives to protect others."

"You traded knowledge of treason for favors from the King?" Vasco asked with some shock.

"A gamble," Kelton repeated, nodding his head. "It was best that all good things were preserved before the bad was removed. An owner could not have done this, only property with less to lose." He looked to his Master. "When do we give word to the new house?"

"After the fall of house Barrenkee, though you will not be attending such a meeting," Tarvakian said. "The King fears further involvement by you. Said you'd negotiate the throne out from underneath him if given the chance." Zello and Vasco stifled chuckles.

"The King is sending his daughter," Tarvakian said and looked towards his son. Zello's face straightened to attention at the word of Alliette. "He thought the Prince would be too commanding and breed fear instead of cooperation. He has asked that Zello accompany her and a large contingent on the mission."

"Aye," Zello agreed with surprise. "He...he will allow such a thing. Does he...know?"

"Aye, he knows," Tarvakian said with pride in his smile. "The King and I have agreed to not deny what our children desire. If you and she wish it, your hands will be joined." Zello was in shock. "At least it will give you two something to discuss while on the King's mission."

"Like that?" Zello said. "He has not met me, nor am I situated in a great house, or destined to rule a foreign land."

"In this, he trusts his daughter," Tarvakian said with a shrug. "I have the pride of a father and can only see the pairing elevating her, not the other way around."

"Aye, Master," Vasco agreed. "It will only strengthen the kingdom and its princess."

"You are right, father. It is all happening too fast." Zello was both pleased and nervous.

"You are to convey words to the Princess, Kelton," Tarvakian continued. "Words that will allay the fears of these volunteers that all is in their favor to cooperate with the Princess. The King does not wish for problems beyond the trivial."

"Aye, Master," Kelton said. Then he smiled again. There were some words that would work well, but the Princess might cringe saying them. It would cost him her anger, yet it almost made him laugh to think about it. Life needed little pleasures, and he intended to grasp them when he could. After all, she did smack the back of his head.

Alliette pushed the meat aside. It was rather dull and lacked the spice her tongue was used too. Her father ate as if unaffected by the loss of the best cooks. She sighed and began nibbling on the fresh bread, which was at least warm.

"How much longer must we suffer poor cooking?" Alliette asked.

"Until we have ferreted out any conspirators," the King said. He took another bite of meat. "It's not as if we will starve." The humor in his eyes was irritating Alliette. She knew it wasn't true suffering, but at least he could acknowledge the inconvenience.

"I am sending you on a diplomatic mission, of sorts," the King said. Alliette perked up. It wasn't often issues of states were laid in her lap. His trust was more pleasing than she wished to make known. "Your picture mind has identified a group of escaped property that have managed to work out a cure for the vine. If I send your brother riding in front of a force, they will likely scatter to the winds. They will take pause if there is a woman leading."

"I am to bring Kelton there?"

"Nay," her father replied, shaking his head. "That man will give away the kingdom if we allow him too deep. It is no place for property. His part in this is over." He paused to consume another bit of meat and wash it down with a sip of wine. "I am thinking you could be accompanied by his young owner...Zello, isn't that his name?"

"Aye, father," Alliette said then realized she was smiling and forced it away. The King laughed.

"I thought that would please you." He waved away her next words with fork in hand. "I have spoken with his father, and we have agreed. You and Zello can choose as you both desire. Neither of us can see a reason to deny, nor force such a union. Mayhap, this mission will allow you two time to make decisions." He shrugged. "Mayhap, not."

"Mother will be angry," Alliette said. The queen had visions of prestige for her daughter. House Tarvakian was small and not well known in the circles the queen preferred to travel in.

"Bah," the King said. "She will do as I command, and I desire your happiness. It pleases me to see you smiling again." Alliette stopped fighting the curl in her lips. "Your mother and I were not given the gift of choice. We have both benefited by our union, but coin is cold. I wish you more of the warmth that has been reported to me." He tore off a piece of bread and began to chew.

"Reported?"

"Aye, my daughter. It seems his lips have more sway than I these days." The King smiled.

"Your guards talk too much," Alliette growled.

"They do as commanded." The King shrugged. "I found joy in the reports. I once thought you too angry to find happiness. It is hard for one such as you. Driven like a man, yet housed in a woman's body."

"It is the laws...."

"Old argument," the King interrupted before Alliette could reestablish her most significant complaint about the structures of the world. "We speak of your future, not of what can't be changed."

"Zello allows me my mind," Alliette said with a softness that surprised even her. That, and his lips are what pulled her so tightly to him. A man who had no fear of sharing everything.

"Then we shall elevate his house," the King said as if it were a trivial task. "Mayhap, in time we will please your mother as well."

It has been a long time, not since Alliette was a child with a naive understanding of the world, had she thrown herself into her father's arms. His fork dropped from his hand as the surprise of it took hold.

"I have missed this," the King admitted as his bearish arms wrapped around his daughter.

A knock on the door broke their embrace. The King sat taller, and Alliette stood, wiping her eyes while straightening her dress. The knock repeated.

"Enter," the King announced. The small man who ran the royal stables entered. A rarity when his business wasn't the topic.

"Your Majesty," The man said with a bow. "I bring the missive you asked for."

"Bring it forth," the King said, waving the man forward.

"I was told the speed was more costly than expected," the man said as he placed the folded paper in the King's hand. Alliette could see it was waxed seal multiple times.

"Speed? When is more than a month fast?" the King growled. Then he sighed. "You will inform the captain we will make him whole. And no mention beyond that - to anyone."

"Aye, your Majesty." The man bowed again and left with haste.

"Important?" Alliette asked.

"Mayhap," the King replied and broke the seals. He held the single page in such a way that Alliette could see nothing of its contents. After a short pause to read, he rose from his seat, moved to the hearth, and tossed the letter in. The flames began to do their duty.

"We must keep our eyes on this picture mind of yours," the King said. "He disrupts much, yet his methods are intriguing." He looked at his daughter. "Do you think he knows the true effect of his actions?"

"I don't know the effects," Alliette admitted.

"Ahh, aye. Few know enough to discern the ramifications of his deeds." The King moved toward the door. "I must speak with your brother."

When the door closed, Allietted moved quickly. She retrieved the burning missive and used her boot to stamp out the flames. Most of it was ruined, yet the tail end remained. When the final glowing embers were extinguished, only a few lines remained.

I like the boy. Do not end him. Mayhap, he will help you with your decision.

Alliette was sure from his father's comments that the boy written of was Kelton. She had no idea what was meant by her father's decision. And knew no one who could command her father do anything, much less not to kill.

She tossed the remnants back into the fire, lest her curiosity be known. The signature that was at the end was equally confusing. Try as she might, she couldn't place the name. She had always prided herself in remembering people and places. Especially royalty, diplomats, and influential houses. Yet, nowhere in that memory was the name 'Rolic.'