#vinson of genlith
IN THE PERFECTION OF CONDUCT AND VIRTUES, 10/?, PG-13
In the summer of 456, Maura of Dunlath takes up a post as Princess Kalasin’s lady-in-waiting.
Maura has almost taught Zenoby of Naxen to speak up when she can’t keep up when Midwinter at the Palace veers off its carefully choreographed schedule. The first any of them know of it is a fourth-year page - Warric of Mandash, Maura recognises, one of Keladry of Mindelan’s partisans and a cousin of Lynet’s - hurrying in, face dead white, and saying: “Your highness, a message from your brother Prince Roald.”
Prince Roald doesn’t borrow pages to send messages and he doesn’t send badly scrawled notes. Kalasin takes the paper at once, reads it, and almost before her eyes have flicked to the end of it hands it to Maura and rises to her feet. “Page Warric, my thanks,” she says, bestowing one of her lovely smiles on him. “Tell my brother we shall be in the audience chamber directly.”
Maura is staring blankly at the note, which says simply that Vinson of Genlith has left the Chamber and requested an audience. She hands it to Amoret, who muffles a gasp. Maura has no idea what that’s about. So Genlith wants an audience; what’s the problem?
