But this…this was something few queens would ever attempt. If Elayne were seen as seizing land and money for the throne, the other nobles would unite against her. She could guess the conversations in the other room. Her power base was shaky. Her allies, who had stood with her before the siege and faced the possibility of execution themselves, might very well now begin to question.
Best to move on quickly. Elayne gestured, and the Guards pulled the three prisoners to their feet and then led them to the side of the room. Even defiant Elenia seemed stunned. In essence, this proclamation was a proclamation of death. As soon as possible, they would commit suicide rather than face their Houses.
Birgitte knew her cue. She entered, leading the group of Cairhienin nobles. They had been invited to a display of Andor’s new weapon for “defending against the Shadow,” and were a mixed band. The most important in the group was probably either Bertome Saighan or Lorstrum Aesnan.
Bertome was a short man with a kind of handsomeness, though Elayne was not fond of the way the Cairhienin shaved and powdered their foreheads. He wore a large knife at his belt—swords had been forbidden in the Queen’s presence—and seemed disturbed by Elayne’s treatment of the prisoners. As well he should have been. His cousin, Colavaere, had received a similar punishment from Rand, though that had not affected her entire House. She’d hanged herself rather than face the shame.
Her death had elevated Bertome, and while he’d been very careful not to make public waves against Rand’s rule, Elayne’s sources picked him out as one of the major private critics of Rand in Cairhien.
Lorstrum Aesnan was a quiet, thin man who walked with his hands behind his back, and tended to look down his nose. Like the others in the group, he wore dark clothing after the Cairhienin fashion, his coat striped with the colors of his House. He had risen to prominence following Rand’s disappearance from Cairhien. Desperate times made for quick advances, and this man had not moved against Rand too quickly, yet also hadn’t allied with him. That middle ground gave him power, and some whispered that he was considering seizing the throne.
Other than those two, the Cairhienin here were a smattering of other nobility. Ailil Riatin was not the head of her House, but since the disappearance of her brother—a disappearance that was looking more and more like death—she had assumed power. Riatin was a powerful House. The slim, middle-aged woman was tall for a Cairhienin, and wore a dark blue dress slashed with colors, her dress shaped by hoops through the skirts. Her family had held the Sun Throne recently, if only for a relatively short time, and she was known to be a vocal supporter of Elayne.
Lord and Lady Osiellin, Lord and Lady Chuliandred, Lord and Lady Hamarashle, and Lord Mavabwin had gathered behind those of more importance. All were of middling power, and all—for one reason or another—were likely roadblocks to Elayne. They were a cluster of carefully done hair and powdered foreheads, wide dresses on the women, coats and trousers on the men, lace at the cuffs.
“My Lords and Ladies,” Elayne said, naming each House in turn. “You have enjoyed Andor’s demonstration?”
“Indeed we have, Your Majesty,” lanky Lorstrum said, bowing his head graciously. “Those weapons are quite…intriguing.”
He was obviously digging for information. Elayne blessed her tutors for their insistence that she understand the Game of Houses. “We all know that the Last Battle quickly approaches,” Elayne said. “I thought that Cairhien should best be apprised of the strength of its greatest and closest ally. There will be times in the near future when we will need to rely upon one another.”
“Indeed, Your Majesty,” Lorstrum said.
“Your Majesty,” Bertome said, stepping forward. The short man folded his arms. “I assure you, Cairhien exults in Andor’s strength and stability.”
Elayne eyed him. Was he offering her support? No, it seemed he was also digging, wondering if Elayne would declare herself a candidate for the Sun Throne. Her intentions should have been obvious by now—sending some of the Band to the city had been an obvious move, nearly too obvious for the subtle Cairhienin.
“Would that Cairhien had similar stability,” Elayne said carefully.
Several of them nodded, no doubt hoping she intended to offer one of them the throne. If she threw Andor’s support behind one of these, it would guarantee him or her victory. And it would give her a sympathizer as King or Queen.
Another might have made that ploy. Not her. That throne would be hers.
“The taking of a throne is a very delicate business,” Lorstrum said. “It has proven…dangerous in the past. And so many are hesitant.”
“Indeed,” Elayne said. “I do not envy Cairhien the uncertainty that it has known these last months.” And now the moment. Elayne took a deep breath. “Faced with the strength in Andor, one might think this would be an obvious time to have strong alliances. In fact, the throne recently acquired several estates of no small means. It occurs to me that these estates have no stewards.”
All grew quiet. The whispers in the other room stopped. Had they heard correctly? Had Elayne offered estates in Andor to foreign nobility?
She hid her smile. Slowly, some of them got it. Lorstrum gave a sly smile, and he nodded to her ever so slightly.
“Cairhien and Andor have long shared fellowship,” Elayne continued, as if the idea were only now occurring to her. “Our lords have married your ladies, our ladies your lords, and we share many common bonds of blood and affection. I should think the wisdom of a few Cairhienin lords would be a great addition to my court, and perhaps educate me upon my heritage on my father’s side.”
She locked eyes with Lorstrum. Would he bite? His lands in Cairhien were small, and his influence great for a time—but that could tip. The estates she’d seized from the three prisoners were among the most enviable in her country.
He had to see it. If she took the throne of Cairhien by force, the people and the nobility would rebel against her. That was partially Lorstrum’s fault, if her suspicions were true.
But what if she gave lands within Andor to some of the Cairhienin nobility? What if she created multiple bonds between their countries? What if she proved that she would not steal their titles—but would instead be willing to give some of them greater holdings? Would that be enough to prove that she didn’t intend to steal the lands of the Cairhien nobility and give them to her own people? Would that ease their worries?
Lorstrum met her eyes. “I see great potential for alliances.”
Bertome was nodding in appreciation. “I too, think this could be arranged.” Neither would give up their lands, of course. They simply planned to gain estates in Andor. Wealthy ones.
The others shared glances. Lady Osiellin and Lord Mavabwin were the first two to figure it out. They spoke at the same time, offering alliances.
Elayne stilled her anxious heart, sitting back in the throne. “I have but one more estate to give,” she said. “But I believe it could be divided.” She would give some to Ailil also, to curry favor and reward her support. Now for the second part of the ploy. “Lady Sarand,” Elayne called toward the back of the room.
Elenia stepped forward, wearing her rags.
“The Crown is not without mercy,” Elayne said. “Andor cannot forgive you for the pain and suffering you caused. But other countries have no such memories. Tell me, if the Crown were to provide you with an opportunity for new lands, would that opportunity be taken?”
“New lands, Your Majesty?” Elenia asked. “Of which lands do you speak?”
“A unification between Andor and Cairhien would offer many opportunities,” Elayne said. “Perhaps you have heard of the Crown’s alliance with Ghealdan. Perhaps you have heard of the newly revitalized lands in the west of the realm. This is a time of great opportunity. If I were to find you and your husband a place to form a new seat in Cairhien, would you take what is given?”
“I…would certainly consider it, Your Majesty,” Elenia said, showing a glimmer of hope.
Elayne turned to the Cairhienin lords. “For any of this to take effect,” she said, “I would need authority to speak for both Andor and Cairhien. How long, do you suspect, might it take for such a situation to be arranged?”
“Return me to my homeland through one of those strange portals,” Lorstrum said, “and give me one hour.”
“I need only a half an hour, Your Majesty,” Bertome put in, glancing at Lorstrum.
“One hour,” Elayne said, holding up her hands. “Prepare well.”
“All right,” Birgitte said as the door to the smaller chamber closed. “What in the name of the Dark One’s bloody left hand just happened?”
Elayne sat down. It had worked! Or it seemed as if it would. The plush chair was a comfort after the stiffness of the Lion Throne. Dyelin took a seat to her right; Morgase sat to her left.
“What happened,” Morgase said, “is that my daughter is brilliant.”
Elayne smiled in gratitude. Birgitte, however, frowned. Elayne could feel the woman’s confusion. She was the only one in the room with them; they had to wait one hour to see the true results of Elayne’s plotting.
“All right,” Birgitte said. “So you gave up a bunch of Andor’s land to Cairhienin nobility.”
“As a bribe,” Dyelin said. She didn’t seem as convinced as Morgase. “A clever maneuver, Your Majesty, but dangerous.”
“Dangerous?” Birgitte said. “Blood and ashes, will someone please explain to the idiot over here why bribery is brilliant or clever? It’s hardly Elayne who discovered it.”
“This was more than a gift,” Morgase said. Incongruously, she took to pouring tea for those in the room. Elayne couldn’t ever recall seeing her mother pour tea before. “The major obstacle blocking Elayne from Cairhien was that she would be viewed as a conqueror.”
“Yes, so?” Birgitte asked.
“So she made bonds between the two nations,” Dyelin said, accepting a cup of Tremalking black from Morgase. “By giving that group some land in Andor, she shows that she’s not going to ignore or impoverish the Cairhienin nobility.”
“Beyond that,” Morgase said, “she makes herself less of an oddity. If she’d taken the throne, she’d have gained its lands—and become the only person to have holdings in both countries. Now she’ll be one of many.”
“But it’s dangerous,” Dyelin repeated. “Lorstrum didn’t give in because of the bribe.”
“He didn’t?” Birgitte said, frowning. “But—”
“She’s right,” Elayne said, sipping her tea. “He gave in because he saw that I was handing him the chance for both thrones.”
The room fell silent.
“Bloody ashes,” Birgitte finally swore.
Dyelin nodded. “You have created enemies who could overthrow you, Elayne. If something were to happen to you, there is a good chance that either Lorstrum or Bertome could make a play for both countries.”