Acting more as nurse than as First Adviser, Nacoya nodded her understanding. 'Your heart has no room for romance, daughter. For good or ill, Kevin holds all your affections.'
Mara bit her lip, while the birds stabbed and scrapped for the last bit of bread. For years her household had kept silence before the obvious: that her love for the barbarian slave was more than a woman's need for a man's arms to comfort her against loneliness. Dutiful to a fault, Nacoya had not broached a-subject the mistress had forbidden to her no matter how often she might ignore Mara's wishes about trivial concerns. But since Mara had matured enough to question her own course, the elderly woman spoke plainly. 'Daughter, I warned you the first night the barbarian slave came to your bed. That is as it has been Nothing can change what has occurred. Now you must face your responsibility.'
Mara bridled, and the small birds spread nervous wings and flew. 'Do I not spend my life protecting what shall be Ayaki's someday?'
Her eyes on the abandoned bread crust, Nacoya said,
'Your father would glow with pride to know you have prevailed against his enemies. But your days are not your own. You are the life of House Acoma. No matter how great your desire, daughter, you must rule first and find your happiness second.'
Mara nodded, her face an emotionless mask. 'I have moments . . .'
Nacoya recaptured Mara's hand. 'Moments that none who loves you begrudges, daughter. But the time will come when you must seek a firm alliance, if not with Hokanu of the Shinzawai, then with another noble's son. This new consort must father a child, to seal the alliance between our house and his. As Ruling Lady, you may ask to your bed whoever pleases you, and none may say no, but only after you bear a child to your husband. Before that, there must be no question who the father is. None. For that child must be as a bridge of stone across a deep chasm.' j
'I know.' Mara sighed. 'But until that time I shall pretend. . .' She left the thought unfinished.
When Nacoya made no move to leave, Mara forced aside her melancholy. 'You have news?'
The former nurse scowled to hide a smile of pride. 'The visiting emissary of Lord Keda is at the end of his wits and patience. He will press for a settlement this afternoon. You will need to eat, and see to your appearance, for Jican has used up excuses. The time has come for you to take charge of negotiations.'
Mara summoned up an impish grin. 'The desperate and vexing matter of grain warehouses. I had not forgotten.' She rose, offered a hand to the elder woman to ease her back to her feet, then made her way to her quarters, where maids awaited with an exhaustive array of formal robes.
Two hours later, with the hair at her temples pulled painfully taut by the weight of the pins that secured her headpiece, Mara entered the great hall of the Acoma.
Awaiting her, looking hot, stood the dignitary who had spent most of two frustrating days in contention with her hadonra. Equally bothered, and near to bristling with nerves, Jican arose to announce her.
My Lady of the Acoma,' he called to the visitor, who swivelled around and regarded her down a beaked nose with the stuffiness of a clerk. Behind him, but less quick to stifle expressions of irritation, a rumpled-looking contingent of scribes and trade factors shoved to their feet and offered bows.
Mara waited until their senior had performed the obeisance due her station before she advanced to her dais.
All eyes marked her progress, and the tap of Keyoke's crutch as he followed on her heels made a counterpoint to the creak of Lujan's armour.
His sulkiness buried under silken tones, for his master's family was one of the Great Five and above Mara's in station, the tall emissary offered his respects. 'Are you well, Lady of the Acoma?'
Cautious of her elaborately piled hair, Mara tipped her head. 'I am well, First Adviser Hantigo. Is your master, Lord Keda, well?'
The Keda emissary responded stiffly to her courtesy. 'I can say he was, when last I saw him.'
Mara took care not to smile in the face of the man's veiled bitterness. Distantly related to the Shinzawai, his master was a powerful man, not only above her in family standing, but Warchief of Clan Kanazawai. Lord Keda's was not a