Роберт Асприн - Forever After

Jord snook his head admiringly. “I love it, Domino. Speaking of ‘love,’ don’t you think it’s a bit late to do anything?”

“About Kalaran,” she agreed, pulling him close.

“Domi,” he gasped, “you’re breaking my ribs.”

The next morning, Domino made a point of hunting out Piggon.

“What do you think of our new recruits?” she asked with a friendly smile. “I must admit that your service with us gave me the idea of adding a bit of arcane power to the Company.”

Piggon preened. “I think that you have chosen wisely. We are even moving more efficiently now that you have them marshaled. I’ve notified the Prince of our projected arrival date and I believe that plans for the coronation are proceeding accordingly.”

Domino held her smile. “Wonderful! Of course, since Jancy and I are in the bridal party, so much of the final detail has to wait for our return.”

“Indeed.” Piggon nodded. “I was talking with Squill the other day and he said that Jancy had expressed some small concern on being separated from the Princess at such a critical time. Spotty, of course, is to be best man. I suspect that even that very strange Gar Quithnick will have his part.”

“Maybe he’ll handle the sacrifices,” Domino suggested. “He does have a certain odd perspective towards death.”

“Artistic,” Piggon agreed with a delicate shudder, “I’ve spoken with Spido on the matter.”

“Hmm,” Domino said, trying to stay casual, “so you speak with the others?”

“Somewhat,” Piggon said, “we have much more in common with each other than, for example, I do with most of your soldiers.”

Domino made her expression even wanner and inched Spite over so that they were riding quite cozily.

“Piggon, can you keep a secret?”

The sorcellet’s expression warred between curiosity and a shred of his usual supercilious arrogance.

“If it does not violate my loyalties to Prince Rango,” he said, “but you certainly would not wish to harm the Prince.”

“Never,” Domino said. “My loyalty to Prince Rango has never been questioned. But I need your oath that you will tell neither Rissa nor Rango what I am sharing with you now.”

“Well… Since you say that no harm is intended to the Prince, I agree.”

“Wonderful!” Domino leaned closer. “As I mentioned, Jancy and I are in Rissa’s bridal party. Traditionally, we are supposed to have a surprise party for her.”

“How can tradition be a surprise?” Piggon asked.

“Don’t ask me,” Domino said, “I’m still trying to figure women out.”

“You and every man ever born,” Piggon agreed.

“Well, this party is my responsibility and I’ve been torturing myself over how to reach Jancy and set up a meeting to plan this.”

“You want me to contact Squill and give him your message,” Piggon said with a satisfied nod.

“Exactly, and while we’re at it, we should remind Spotty and Gar of their similar duties.” She shrugged. “When I was Dominik I tended to direct such responsibilities. They may have forgotten that I’m on the other side now.”

“Very wise, General,” Piggon agreed stuffily. “Draft your messages and I will be happy to pass them along for you.”

“Can you make the contact directly?” Domino asked. “Since the other sorcellets may not share your discretion?”

Piggon considered. “It will take more power, but I can do it.”

“Very good.” Domino sat up straight and gave him a snappy salute. “I’ll have the messages drafted this evening.”

The message that she and Jord worked out read: “We need to meet privately to make plans for the wedding and coronation. I suggest that the Onyx Eagle would be an appropriate spot. Can you send me an estimate of your return date? Please do not tell Rissa or Rango as surprise is essential.”

“I’m not completely happy,” Domino said, reviewing the completed text, “but it has the essentials and the Onyx Eagle as a meeting point should offer some warning, since we used it during the Wars for planning sessions and kept the Tipsy Cherub for play.”

“More detail would be a risk,” Jord reminded her, “since we need one of Kalaran’s creatures to be our go-between.”

“I know, sweet, I know.”

Piggon sent the messages that evening and reported to Domino’s tent immediately thereafter.

“I have replies for you,” he said, his proud bow not completely covering his embarrassment at Jord’s and her state of undress. “Jancy Gaine and Stiller Gulik will meet you at the appointed place and will notify you of their arrivals in advance. I was unable to reach either Gar or Spido. However, if they are still in Gelfait, my magic would be unable to reach them.”

Domino nodded. ‘Thank you, Piggon. You have served Prince Rango well. Now all we can do is wait and hope that we’ll have sufficient time to plan when we return to Caltus.“

The day of the wedding and coronation dawned bright green and gold. The gold came from the risen sun, the green from the trio of comets that arched in slow, spectacular passage across the blue sky. In the palace chambers, surrounded by twittering maids who were dressing her for the festivities, General Domino Blaid reflected that thus far nothing had gone quite according to plan.

On her return to Caltus, she had settled her troops, reported to Prince Rango, and checked the Onyx Eagle to see who else was back. Jancy had left word — and in any case they saw each other at the interminable fittings for the bridesmaids’ dresses.

Spotty was late. When he did arrive in the capital, he admitted that he’d gotten caught up in a poker game with the dragon Schmirnov from which he had been dragged bodily by his dwarven companion, Ibble. Gar Quithnick had not shown up at all and, from what Domino had been able to pry from Prince Rango, neither he nor Spido had been heard from for some time.

The only good thing was that Princess Rissa had been receptive to their suspicions. Jancy had sounded her out with the blunt delicacy of her fine-honed ax and the Princess had confessed that she had developed her own suspicions during the weeks they had been apart.

Domino obediently sat so that a woman could try to do something artistic with her short-cropped hair. From the adjoining room, she could hear Jancy thoroughly cursing someone who was removing curlers from her blond locks. The phrasing was particularly good — Sombrisio’s influence no doubt.

Wishing that she had the resources of both Sombrisio and Mothganger, Domino let her thoughts drift to Jord. He and Spotty should be carrying out the first stages of their plan just about now. They had the help of the renegade priest, Lemml Touday, so she was little worried. How much trouble could subduing one elderly Chief Priest be?

Waiting outside the sacristy of the Cathedral of Dym, Stiller Gulick and Jord Inder listened for Lemml Touday to give them the all clear.

“The blessings of all the Gods, Goddesses, and Demi-deities of light be upon you, your Reverend Grace,” they heard him greet the Chief Priest.

Fenelais, the new Chief Priest, was known for his idiosyncracies — one of which was his desire to garb himself in privacy and have some moments of meditation before any religious service at which he was officiating. Despite knowing of his eccentricities, the comrades in arms were startled by his response.

“A good day, perhaps for me, foolish intruder,” growled a controlled voice, “but for you it means your death!”

They burst into the sacristy to find an elderly man with a freshly shaven head standing over Lemml’s crumpled body. Blood leaked from the priest’s nostrils. The elderly man was partially garbed in the ceremonial robes of the Chief Priest and a sand-cast gold sunburst with a star-burst of diamonds at its heart rested upon his breast.