Fallen Blade 04 - Blade Reforged by Kelly McCullough Read Free Book Online Page B

and outcome of the duel. It took nearly an hour for the presentation
     of credentials to reach Maylien, who sat third from the end, a position determined
     by order of precedence.
    “The Baroness Marchon,” said the Duchess of Tien, in a loud formal voice.
    I slid Maylien’s chair back as she rose to speak. “Thank you, Chancellor. Your Majesty,
     Chancellor, peers of the realm. I am the Baroness Maylien Dan Marchon
Dan
Pridu, and I ask permission to approach the throne to present my credentials and
     formally claim the titles of Duchess Pridu and Crown Princess.”
    The Duchess of Tien, who had seemed practically asleep in her chair, abruptly sat
     up straight, “Pardon? What did you just say, Baroness?
Dan
Pridu?”
    Though she was so old that no one expected it ever to become an issue, the Duchess
     of Tien was also the current Crown Princess and formal heir to the throne, though
     not the Duchess Pridu, due to her lack of sufficient royal blood. That title was currently
     unclaimed. The king didn’t move, but his eyes, never warm to start with, went suddenly
     icy. The “Dan,” which replaced the “Tal” Maylien had used until now, indicated a legitimate
     claim to the Pridu name that Thauvik Tal Pridu himself didn’t own. The surrounding
     sea of lesser nobles, which had been very quietly chattering away, slowly quieted
     as they realized that something unusual was happening at the high table.
    “I asked permission to approach the throne so that I may present my credentials,”
     said Maylien. “While examining the cellars in Marchon House, I recently came across
     adocument which I am forced by law and custom to present to this body and the Crown.
     It seems that shortly before his death, my father, the late Ashvik the Sixth, formally
     adopted my sister and I as his heirs, legitimizing us. While I would never dream of
     claiming precedence over my uncle, who has been a wise and just ruler, I cannot in
     good conscience refuse the duty to the throne and succession placed on me by my late
     father with this document.”
    Maylien bowed formally to the head of the table. “For the second time, I am the Baroness
     Maylien Dan Marchon
Dan
Pridu. May I approach the throne?”
    The duchess jerked at that and the king now sat up straight as well, while the whole
     vast room went utterly quiet, with many holding their breath. The throne was the only
     noble seat not directly subject to the Right of Challenge under general circumstances.
     But there
were
exceptions, most notably if the Crown refused to cede certain acknowledgements to
     the top dozen or so members of the royal family in direct line of succession for the
     throne. If Maylien’s papers of adoption were adjudged to be real, she would fall into
     that select group, and refusing her permission to approach the throne three times
     would allow her to issue challenge.
    Maylien straightened the dueling blade that hung at her left hip. “For the third time—”
    The king flicked his eyes at the Duchess of Tien and inclined his head the barest
     fraction of an inch.
    She rose from her chair and bowed to Maylien. “Provisional on the acceptance of your
     claim, you may approach the throne and present me with the documents,
Baroness
Marchon.”
    As Maylien slow-marched around the foot of the table and up the dais to hand her papers
     to the chancellor, I slid back off the dais and paralleled her on the floor below.
     I had to force myself to break training and let my feet make noise as I walked. Perfect
     silence would actually have drawn more attention to me in the greater silence of that
     long walk. When we reached the Duchess of Tien’s seat, Maylien stuck a handout to the side without looking and I passed her the silk-wrapped scroll—it would
     have been beneath her formal dignity to carry it herself or to acknowledge my existence.
     She slipped off the silk sheath and handed the document to the duchess.
    The duchess took it without seeming to look at