Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Exile's Road ❯ Chapter 12

Exile's Road: Twelve

 

The Countess Hazan and Ra'hel followed Jantha through the house to the drawing room, feeling the two guards wary gazes on her. 'Especially the tall one,' the handsome woman noted, reaching up to push her black hair back.

 

Taking swift glances she assessed the woman, coming to some quick conclusions. By the cast of her features she was an outlander, but unlike most of those she moved with both strength and confidence. Her short black hair suited the simple garb she wore, muscles coiled on her arms and from what she could see on her legs, too. If the rumors were true she was a bodyguard and hire-sword, retained to protect the Duchess against foreign assassins.

 

"Love," Ra'hel said to her softly, "from her comment it seems the other guard may be a member of our guild, but I suspect that would not sway her in her duty."

 

"I'd think less of her if we could influence her," Hazan answered mildly, smiling down at the other woman tenderly.

 

The drawing room they soon entered was simply decorated, couches and chairs set around the room for guests to sit. Unusually Jantha didn't invite them to sit, the lovely blonde frowning as she said, "What do you want, Countess?"

 

Hazan hid her dismay at the cold tone of voice, though it was harder than she expected. She had heard that Jantha didn't like her much, but she hadn't expected it to be quite so bad. Silently she cursed the sudden impulse that had once lead to her attempting to seduce the Duchess Jantha so long ago, and how badly she had messed it up.

 

Elisa knocked then came in with a tray, several bottles and glasses resting on it. "I'll just leave these here," the maid bowed, then swiftly retreated from the tension filled room.

 

"May I?" Hazan asked as she gestured to the bottles, stalling a bit while she tried to decide how best to make her pitch.

 

"Be my guest," Jantha said then sighed, "take a seat while you're at it."

 

"Thank you," Ra'hel bowed slightly then sat, careful to keep her skirts neat as she watched Hazan pour them both drinks.

 

"Interesting atmosphere," the tawny haired one murmured to the tall fighter, "what do you think, Midori?"

 

"I don't think I've seen this side of Jantha before, Laur'ien," Midori answered her mildly, keeping a wary look at both guests.

 

'Midori, I wonder if she's the same one as the star of that new ballad?' Hazan wondered at overhearing the guard's name, then she banished that stray thought. Facing Jantha she took a drink and began, "As most of the county's nobles are, I am aware of the somewhat... precarious position that our new Queen is in."

 

"I don't know what you mean," Jantha kept her voice mild.

 

"While our Queen has the support of some of the members of our nobility, her position is far from secure," Hazan said coolly, feeling a faint admiration in her heart at the woman's reserve. She drank again then set the glass down on a nearby table, "I have come here with a offer, a certain exchange of favors to propose...."

 

"Oh?" Jantha asked, "what would that be?"

 

"I can promise the support of the entire Guild of Gentlewomen for the Queen," Hazan said crisply to her crisply, "an not inconsiderable force. In exchange for that we only want an official recognition of our guild."

 

"The guild council controls such things," Jantha pointed out that fact, her eyes narrowing, "not the Queen."

 

"If the Queen requests," Hazan pointed out, "I doubt they would resist her, knowing it was in their own best interests to cooperate."

 

Dryly Midori spoke up, "And what sort of help could the Queen expect from your Guild of noblewomen, merchant's wives and street walkers, anyway?"

 

"You underestimate us," Hazan frowned at Midori, wondering why Jantha didn't just order her bodyguard to be silent. Rather annoyingly Jantha looked more amused by the interruption, so she likely couldn't expect help from her.

 

Midori raised an eyebrow, "Maybe so, but I recognized your friend right away from when she worked the dark corners in the Drunken Bard."

 

"I thought I recognized you too," Ra'hel admitted with a glare, "bouncer. But aren't you far away from the tavern, too?" She took a calming breath, "I left that life months ago, in part due to the aid from members of the Guild of Gentlewoman."

 

Hazan felt a flash of pride for the young woman, trying not to let a smile creep across her face. Getting back to Midori's first question she continued, "Wives of merchants and nobles can exert a great deal of influence, as well as gathering information that could be very useful, too."

 

Laur'ien spoke up, though she sounded somewhat reluctant to. "The Guild counts as it's members many female swordswomen, too," she said, "much like myself, and we could rally them to the Queen's aide."

 

"I'd normally assume they'd come to the Queen's assistance willingly," Jantha frowned as Laur'ien just gave her a skeptical look.

 

Hazan tried to hide her amusement, glad that the Guild had been trying to recruit female members of the guards. "There are many things we can help the Queen with," she said seriously, "if she can help us."

 

Jantha studied them, her expression carefully blank then finally said, "I'll give you this, you don't give up."

 

"Where would the profit be in that?" Ra'hel said with a grin.

 

A faint smile appeared on Jantha's face as she said, "All right, I'll bring your request to the queen." Cautiously she said, "I can not make any promises other than that, for my cousin is both a willful and unpredictable woman."

 

"That's all we can ask," Hazan said respectfully, nodding her head. She finished her drink then smiled slightly, "With your permission I and my companion will be leaving."

 

Ra'hel rose gracefully, slipping across the room to Hazan's side. "Thank you," she curtsied gracefully, "for your hospitality."

 

A wry smile quirked her lips as Jantha said insincerely, "We must do it again sometime." She looked to Laur'ien, "Would you escort them out?"

 

"Ma'am," Laur'ien bowed slightly then followed Hazan and Ra'hel out through the halls.

 

"Thank you for your words of support," Ra'hel said softly as they walked through the house, "I hope they won't get you in trouble with the lady."

 

"Me, too," Laur'ien sighed.

 

"If it is trouble," Hazan added, "we'll offer what help we can."

 

"M'lady," Elisa nodded as they reached the doors, the redheaded maid passing over their cloaks, then with a wry smile Ra'hel's knives.

 

"Thank you," Ra'hel gracefully slid the blades away.

 

Hazan tried not to let her annoyance show at the maid's keeping them waiting outside, her voice faintly sarcastic as she said, "Thank you for your hospitality."

 

"You've very welcome," Elisa kept her voice mild as they walked out.

 

"Behave, love," Ra'hel chided softly as they headed off down the street, "I suspect the Duchess made it clear her opinion of us the first visit."

 

"True enough," Hazan conceded. She scowled and added, "Damn me for a fool, I knew I should have kept my hands to myself when we were younger."

 

Ra'hel actually snickered softly. "You were both drunk at the time, from what you told me," she pointed out.

 

"I know," Hazan grumped, "but I never expected her to carry the grudge this long."

"At least she pledged to take our offer to the Queen," Ra'hel said with a grin, "I think that's a major step forward."

 

"Now we just have to make sure no one deposes her before she can recognize our Guild," Hazan said with a thoughtful smile.

 

"Easy enough," Ra'hel said breezily, getting a laugh from the other woman.

 

To be continued....