James Lowder - Crusade

Putting that plan into action would have to wait for the following night, when he'd have a chance to make a suitable disguise.

The royal chamberlain, decked out in his finest costume, entered the throne room. He strode pompously to the center of the large hall and bowed to the figure on a throne at the room's opposite end. After a few moments of silence, which seemed to the Zhentish envoy like an hour, he sharply rapped the tip of his gold-shod staff on the polished marble beneath his feet.

"Your Highness, may I present Lythrana Dargor, special envoy from Lord Chess at Zhentil Keep."

The introduction rang through the room, echoing off the stone floor and beautiful stained glass windows, eventually getting lost in the rich tapestries that covered most of the walls. Special Envoy Dargor stood patiently still, despite the fact that she had been told in Zhentil Keep not to expect any formality when dealing with Azoun IV.

On the throne, the king tapped his foot, silently counting off the time before he would allow the Zhentish politician to advance. He fidgeted slightly and toyed with his long purple cloak. At Azoun's side, Vangerdahast stood, resplendent in his most colorful robe. A closer look at the wizard would reveal red, bloodshot eyes and a slight pallor about his cheeks, but he hid his exhaustion almost as well as Azoun masked his.

After a short time, when Azoun felt certain the wait must be seeming like an eternity to the visiting dignitary, the king sat up straight and said, "Let her advance, Lord Chamberlain."

The chamberlain bowed again and turned to Lythrana. She straightened her gray blouse, petulantly brushed a stray strand of raven-black hair, then started toward the king. Her high-heeled boots sent sharp, cracking footsteps throughout the hall, and her black, high-collared dress hissed where it dragged along on the floor behind her.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet Your Highness," Lythrana said in a low sibilant voice after she bowed.

"We are pleased that Zhentil Keep sent such an accomplished politician to discuss Faerun's needs," the king responded. Though Vangerdahast chuckled inwardly at Azoun's use of the royal "we," an affection he rarely adopted, he knew the king was serious in his praise of the Zhentish envoy. Lythrana Dargor's reputation as a shrewd negotiator was well known throughout the lands around the Inner Sea.

Noting the king's praise with a slight smile, Lythrana said, "On my way from the Keep, I learned of the recent attempt on your life. Lord Chess would certainly wish me to send his hopes that you escaped unscathed."

"This was the first you'd heard of the attempt?" Vangerdahast asked, a bitter taint of sarcasm edging his voice.

Spreading her long-fingered, white hands open before her in a sign of peace, the sultry envoy said, "It is natural for the king's worthy advisors-" she bowed slightly to Vangerdahast "-to suspect Zhentil Keep in this matter. We make no secret of the methods by which we solve our problems, or the gods we worship." The envoy brushed her long bangs out of her eyes. On her forehead lay a circle of black, surrounding a white, grinning skull-the symbol of Lord Cyric, the God of Death, Lies, and Assassination.

"We appreciate your honesty," the king said coolly.

Again Lythrana nodded and let her hair fall back over the symbol of her god. "While we are being honest, Your Highness, might I be so bold to ask why the Keep was not invited to the general meeting you held with your nobles, the Sembians, and the dalesmen?"

Vangerdahast shifted his weight, suddenly uncomfortable at the bluntness of the discussion. The wizard glanced at the king and was a bit surprised to see that Azoun was taking it all in stride. "The others were not in the right spirit to discuss plans for a foreign war in front of a Zhentish representative," he stated without hesitation. "Had you been at the meeting, I might not have found the other politicians very cooperative. Still, the lack of an invitation did not prevent you from spying on the conference."

Lythrana studied the king for a moment, puzzled by his honesty. She close to ignore the accusation, tacitly confessing the Keep's guilt. Instead she noted, "I infer from your comments that your crusade is gathering the support it needs."

"I told Lord Chess as much when I requested a special envoy."

After a moment of tense silence, Lythrana turned her green eyes back to Azoun. She forced her face to show a calm she did not feel. "It is a crisp, clear day, Your Highness, and I understand you have marvelous hunting a short ride to the north of Suzail. Could we not discuss your crusade under less formal circumstances?"

Azoun paused, perhaps a little too long, and tried to think of a way to politely decline Lythrana's request. He felt far too tired to ride and really didn't care much for hunting. Lythrana had probably guessed that, Azoun decided. But as soon as he had realized that the envoy was expecting him to decline, he smiled as brightly as he could and said, "Of course. Vangerdahast," Azoun added to his slightly shocked friend, "please have the groom prepare my horse and ask the royal huntsman to gather a suitable hunting party."

To Lythrana, who was staring in undisguised surprise at him, the king said, "Hawk or hound, Lady Dargor?"

"Hound," she replied, then motioned to her dress. "Perhaps I suggested this too hastily. I'm not quite attired-"

The king smiled graciously. "That shouldn't be a problem. We'll find you something to wear." That said, he sent the royal wizard away to prepare for a hunt.

"While we wait for Vangerdahast to get things ready," the king commented smoothly after his friend had departed, "let us discuss the Tuigan threat to Zhentil Keep."

Realizing that she was being overwhelmed by a far better politician than she, Lythrana Dargor smiled and let the king of Cormyr expound upon the menace of the horsewarriors. They had a leisurely stroll around the castle, Azoun alternately relating the history of each ancient family artifact they passed in their walk then describing the preparations for the crusade.

Within an hour, they moved the discussion outside, onto Suzail's main road. As the royal procession moved through the city, Azoun realized that it was a very good thing for the citizens to see him alive and healthy after the assassination attempt. Crowds quickly gathered at the side of the Promenade, cheering the monarch as he made his way to the northern gates of the city.

As soon as the hunting party was clear of the tent city that clustered around Suzail's walls, they let their horses speed over the open road. The chilly air whipped cloaks and made eyes water, but Azoun found it revived him. Though he didn't enjoy hunting, he did love the feeling of freedom riding a powerful horse gave him. So, grimacing against the chill breeze, Azoun pulled his purple cloak tight over his fur-lined surcoat and let his horse race on.

Eventually, the party slowed down again. As they brought their horses to a canter, the master of the hounds gathered his barking charges closer to his lead. The busy, thriving farms that surrounded Suzail had given way to wilder country, and the king and his party found themselves surrounded by thicket-covered fields and sparse forest. Azoun trotted his horse to Lythrana's side.

"Will this do?" he asked politely. "I suspect these fields and stands of trees might hide a suitable wild boar or two."

Lythrana nodded. Her green eyes were red from the wind, but that didn't dull their intensity. "This is as good as anywhere."

Signaling to the master of the hunt, the king took a barbed spear from a young squire. He handed the weapon to Lythrana, then took another for himself. The king's huntsmen hurried off into the woods with the hounds in search of game. Only when they'd flushed a large boar or stag from the trees would the hunt begin for the nobles. In the meantime, a handful of guards spread out around the tall grass in the clearing to protect the king.