Chronicles of Tarc 545-3: Count and Director

By Jiryü Räsen

Chronicles of Tarc is a journey of adventure, love, and hope in a future when a past has been difficult and bleak. Through effort and perseverance, dreams can come true and "happily ever after" is more than three words when it's walked hand in hand with a true partner and companion.

In Count and Director, Ilena has bee

• Language: English
• Publisher: J. Kassebaum
• Release date: Mar 19, 2022
• ISBN: 9781949359077

Book preview

Table of Contents

Ch. 35 Ilena is Called Up

Ch. 36 Winning the Châtelaine

Ch. 37 A New Place for Ilena

Ch. 38 Princess of Three Countries

Ch. 39 Bringing Petroi to the Castle

Ch. 40 A Kink in the Plans

Ch. 41 Things Begin to Become Difficult

Ch. 42 Mina Makes Happy Memories

Ch. 43 Ore and Ilena’s First Date

Ch. 44 Picking Up the Pace

Ch. 45 Traveling to Falcon’s Hollow

Ch. 46 Lord and Lady of Falcon’s Hollow

Ch. 47 Setting Up the Household

Ch. 48 Ore Returns to the Underworld

Ch. 50 Growing Relationships

Ch. 51 Leading Up to the Ball

Ch. 52 Introductory Ball

Ch. 53 Moving Forward Earnestly

Ch. 54 By Permission of the King

Ch. 55 Tests and Rewards

ANGEL WINGS

A1. Simple Pronunciation Guide

A2. People and Places

PIC

CHRONICLES OF TARC

545–3

COUNT AND DIRECTOR

Jiryü Räsen

3

RD

E

DITION

E

XPANDED AND

R

EVISED

P

UBLISHED BY

J. K

ASSEBAUM

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or events or localities is entirely coincidental.

March 19, 2022 3rd Edition Expanded and Revised

Second Printing September 29, 2023.

Paperback ISBN 978-1-949359-06-0

eBook ISBN 978-1-949359-07-7

© Jiryü Räsen. All rights reserved.

Published by J. Kassebaum, Indianapolis.

Cover background ©Sumners Graphics via Canva.com.

Jiryü Räsen asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work. All rights reserved in all media. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author and/or the publisher.

CONTENTS

Ch. 35 Ilena is Called Up

Ch. 36 Winning the Châtelaine

Ch. 37 A New Place for Ilena

Ch. 38 Princess of Three Countries

Ch. 39 Bringing Petroi to the Castle

Ch. 40 A Kink in the Plans

Ch. 41 Things Begin to Become Difficult

Ch. 42 Mina Makes Happy Memories

Ch. 43 Ore and Ilena’s First Date

Ch. 44 Picking Up the Pace

Ch. 45 Traveling to Falcon’s Hollow

Ch. 46 Lord and Lady of Falcon’s Hollow

Ch. 47 Setting Up the Household

Ch. 48 Ore Returns to the Underworld

Ch. 50 Growing Relationships

Ch. 51 Leading Up to the Ball

Ch. 52 Introductory Ball

Ch. 53 Moving Forward Earnestly

Ch. 54 By Permission of the King

Ch. 55 Tests and Rewards

ANGEL WINGS

A1. Simple Pronunciation Guide

A2. People and Places

CHAPTER 35 Ilena is Called Up

As of yesterday, Ilena had finally been allowed to sit up and put weight on her healing left hip. Her partner, Ore, third personal knight and Messenger to Prince Rei Touka, solicitously assisted her into her padded wheelchair. Their mistress and Ilena’s healer, the Lady Mizi, was hovering over them to calm her own concerns about having Ilena up and out of her recovery room so soon.

As Regent, Rei had called for all the lords of Suiran to come to Castle Nijou today for a Lord’s Court. Ilena was required to present her testimony at the court against her former lord, Earl Pakyo Shicchi. It would be tiring so she’d been resting lying down on a padded bench in one of the antechambers of the main throne room, separated from the audience hall by heavy dark blue curtains.

Have you rested enough, Ilena? Mizi had requested that the court be postponed even a week to give Ilena time to become stronger, but Rei had of necessity not been able to postpone past the time Ilena could be allowed to sit up.

Yes, Mistress Mizi, Ilena answered her.

Ore, if she becomes too weary, you must excuse her and bring her back here to lie down and rest. Even for all she said it, they all knew that they likely couldn’t do much. None of the three of them had much clout in the court of Suiran, nor really even in all of the kingdom of Ryokudo, even if they were all aides and personal friends of Rei’s.

Yes, Mistress. I’ll watch over Ilena properly, Ore answered to at least calm Mizi’s concerns as she pulled back the curtain between them and the audience chamber. They could see the carved back of the throne of the Regent on the raised dais in front of them and a few of the lords at the court around the far edges beyond it.

Mina, Rei’s second knight, turned in her position of standing next to Rei and motioned to Ore that it was time to bring Ilena. Ore pushed Ilena’s wheelchair forward as Mizi stood watching after them, her right hand held lightly clutched at her heart.

We’ll now present for your examination the witnesses to these deeds. Andrew, Rei’s first knight and head aide was speaking, although they couldn’t see him because he was standing at the front of the dais. He was the Voice of Rei in all formal proceedings.

Mina had Ore stop Ilena behind Rei’s raised throne where they couldn’t be seen by the court. Ore set his hand on Ilena’s shoulder to strengthen her. She reached up and lightly squeezed his hand back as she looked up over her other shoulder into his tawny eyes, the most brilliant color on him since his spiky short black hair nicely matched his formal black uniform.

The look seemed to help him steady as well. As Pakyo Shicchi’s youngest brother in hiding and the last remaining member of his family, Ore wasn’t too calm about being in front of everyone either.

Mina nodded to Andrew, letting him know Ore and Ilena were ready. Our first witness is Miss Ilena, Steward of Tokumade for the last seven years and resident of the same House for the last fifteen. Ore pushed Ilena out to the place Mina indicated, to the side of the raised dais, then stood at relaxed attention behind her, his hands lightly clasped behind his back.

There were murmurs from the crowd of court and landed lords as they saw Ilena. Her long black hair, in her ubiquitous braid currently coiled and pinned up on her head, gold–tawny eyes, and lightly dark features which matched Ore’s, were offset by the simple but well tailored clothing that were in the colors of the household of the Touka’s: pale gold shirt, blue over–bodice, and blue skirt. She would’ve preferred the pants and jacket the other aides were wearing, as they were also what she’d worn as steward, but her maids had shown her quite plainly that a skirt was much easier to wear until her hip was sufficiently strengthened.

For those lords who knew of the accident, she was said to have died after the landslide that injured her and killed Earl Shicchi’s lady wife. To be actually alive was gratifying to her allies, concerning to those whose nefarious deeds she knew of. For a few in the crowd, there was some consternation because she was a female steward, which was nearly unheard of. For those who didn’t know her at all, perhaps the greatest surprise was that she was only twenty–four.

As the Steward of Tokumade for Earl Shicchi, Ilena was the direct eye witness of all the works of the Earl. Earl Shicchi had kept her tightly by his side in all things, as she’d been his bait to draw Ore home — or to kill him depending on the Earl’s mood of the day. Nearly all of his nefarious deeds had been traps to capture anyone who he thought might be Ore.

Because of the volume of information Ilena held in her memory, Rei had spent the last several days working closely with her on what her testimony would be. Ilena looked at Rei now, dressed in his pale gold suit with bright blue trim that matched his nicely cut pale gold hair and made his brilliant blue eyes stand out. He was sitting upright but relaxed on his throne, dark wood engraved with the arms of the Regent of Suiran over his head, the Royal blue in velvet cushions at his back and on his seat.

The look on Rei’s face gave nothing away, but his eyes asked if she was alright. She allowed an answering sparkle of a smile, and he looked relieved. She thought it was kind of her younger cousin to be concerned for her in the middle of his own first major test in this court. He’d only just been appointed Regent nine months ago and had been working very hard in that time to help the lords of Suiran learn who he was. With his nineteenth birthday just past, like Ilena he’d risen to a position of leadership at a very young age.

Ilena looked closely at the lords gathered in front of her. Just as it was their first time to see her, for the majority of them, it was her first time to see them. She knew all their names, their offices, even their family members and status. She hadn’t yet had the opportunity to put their faces to their information, as this was her first time out of her secret guarded recovery room.

Andrew turned to her and asked, Miss Ilena, will you please tell the Court what you’ve personally witnessed of Earl Shicchi’s actions from the time you entered the household until now? Ilena bowed slightly from her sitting position, then in her best lecture hall voice began her statement.

They’d timed it. It took an hour and thirteen minutes to tell. Rei had hoped for an hour, but it hadn’t been possible. When she was done, Ore handed her a cup of honeyed water. Just for her, he’d squeezed in the juice from an orange — her favorite fruit. She was grateful. It was both physically and mentally fortifying. The easy part was done. They were expecting another hour to hour and a half of cross examination next.

It seemed to be a standard everywhere. One could give all the details in their statement, and they’d all be forgotten and one would be asked for them all over again, multiple times. Ilena had little patience for this typically, but she’d been mentally preparing herself for it, so she just went right back into reporting mode, never varying in her answers. She distanced herself from the words, taking what she heard and regurgitating the appropriate response without emotional attachment.

The active part of her mind and her eyes kept busy memorizing the faces of the men in front of her and their general attitudes. When she heard names given, the two sets of data in her mind were able to finally merge. If a name wasn’t given, and he knew it, Ore would whisper it to her.

Ilena was sorting the lords into categories: those actively against the Regent, those for, many cautious. Because this was his first major official court action since he’d been instated as Regent of Suiran, they were judging his capacity and temperament. There were some faces that said it didn’t help his case that everyone on the dais was under the age of thirty.

Rei would listen respectfully to any lord who gave him useful advice, or who had a concern, but he’d yet to bring into his inner circle any older advisors. ...Although in that circle Andrew counted as one because he was so cautious, and was just about thirty. What the lords perhaps didn’t realize was that it was in the main because Rei had yet to finish testing them and find someone suitable. Ilena was also helping him with that today.

Ilena was glad to hear the voice of Earl Malkin speak frequently in favor of Rei’s position, but with reason and caution. He was one of her few supporters, and both of his sons — Dane and Tairn — were currently working directly with Rei, Andrew, and Mina in the Rose office, training to be Mina’s replacements when she returned to her home of Yosai for her own training as the heir to that Earldom.

Having both sons already in the Rose office wasn’t winning the Earl of Nakaba any points with the jealous lords in the crowd, but it appeared most of the reasonable lords already knew him to be fair minded and respectable. Rei and Ilena were both hoping that he had enough support among the lords to be an acceptable candidate for one position Rei was looking to fill.

Earl Durand, the Earl of Yosai and Mina’s father, was the other one they were keeping an eye on. Rei wouldn’t be able to call on him daily, as he was needed in his landed seat, but if he was respected in the court even a small appointment would go a long way to soothe older heads.

The hardest to find was going to be a court lord Rei could call up to stand next to him daily. He’d selected five names from the list of supporters Ilena had given him, choosing lords he’d visited with several times and thought might be good possibilities. How they acted here in this pot that would boil today would tell him who could truly be relied on. Ilena paid very close attention to those men.

After about an hour of questioning, the issues devolved into arguments against her testimony being trustworthy since she was the steward of the man in question, who hadn’t been trustworthy himself. Andrew put a stop to several of the arguers by saying that the further witnesses to come would prove it out.

Finally Rei raised his hand and quiet fell over the room. He nodded to Andrew, who thanked Ilena for her testimony and excused her. As Ore and Ilena passed Mina, she whispered a reminder that they should stay until the entire proceedings were completed.

The day after the castle army returned from their campaign against Earl Shicchi, Ilena had sent Rei her first official report as his Director of Intelligence. In it she’d listed every court lord and staff member and their standing for or against him, based on the extensive research of her agents within the castle, and some from without.

She’d also listed every member of the same group that was committing offenses against the crown, from fraud through treason, along with evidences of the same and the names of persons who could be questioned as witnesses.

In response, Rei had finally scheduled a meeting with his Director of Intelligence. During the time he’d been hunting Earl Shicchi and she’d been recuperating from her injuries and surgery there hadn’t been time to meet officially. Ilena’s personal testimony against the other lords that would come under scrutiny this day might also be needed.

When Ore and Ilena reached the private antechamber assigned to them, Mizi was very solicitous and made Ore quickly help Ilena back onto the bench to rest lying down again. After Ilena was comfortably laid out on the bench, Ore put his hand on her head. You did very well, Ilena, he rewarded her with praise and touch.

Thank you, she responded quietly with a smile.

That was a long time, Mizi commented. Are you feeling okay?

I’m glad to be lying down, Mistress Mizi, but the practice of sitting up will surely help me be stronger as well, she tried to reassure while being honest.

Rei had called Ore and then Ilena up to walk with Mizi. Ore to protect Rei’s heart as Mizi was the woman he intended to marry, Ilena to help Mizi traverse the hard pathway through the lords and court to stand there. When faced directly, the eighteen year old usually stood resolute. Having to watch her friends and not being able to help them directly left her at rather loose ends, only leaving her with not much better to do than worry.

Today, rather than being dressed in her usual medic’s uniform of blue leggings underneath a short cream–colored dress that allowed her to work equally efficiently with patients and herbs in the greenhouses, Mizi was dressed for the location. Her pale green dress with the court pale gold shirt underneath it was one that had been made for her to face the court of Yamanzar when she’d been sent as an ambassador to the First Prince there. The dress brought out her bright green eyes that were framed by the contrast of her flame–like hair, pinned up for the day like Ilena’s, although it was too short to braid so had only been curled.

Ilena looked at Ore, looking to see his own level of strength, as concerned for him as he was for her. When she was content with what she saw, she allowed her eyes to ask a question.

What is it? he asked her.

Is it okay to rest for a time? Ilena was tired enough to sleep, or at least doze rather soundly for a little while.

I’ll let you know if Mina gives us the sign to be prepared, he answered her.

Mizi nodded, giving her consent as well. It would be good if you could. It would also be very nice if Rei didn’t have to call you back at all, but perhaps that’s wishful thinking. The lords didn’t seem all that content.

Well, it’s as Mister Andrew told them. The other witnesses will support Ilena’s statements and then perhaps they’ll feel sufficiently answered, Ore said to calm her worries.

I hope it’s enough, Mizi said with a sigh.

Ilena smiled at Mizi. Even if they do wish to speak with me again, because of the things that they’ll have heard from the others it should be much shorter.

Ilena caught Ore’s eyes again. Neither of them was telling Mizi that there were other reasons Ilena was required to stay. Mizi probably wouldn’t like it when they had to stay even longer than she thought they would. Ilena wasn’t sure that was a good idea. Her preference was always to let their mistress know what to expect ahead of time.

-o-o-o-

Ore had even more bad experiences than Ilena with not telling his mistress things ahead of time from his four and a half years of following after Mizi. He finally gave in to Ilena’s look. Ilena, you must rest. He waited until she closed her eyes, then he said quietly to Mizi, Mistress, Master told us when he left yesterday that he also wanted Ilena to stay for the final part of the court.

Mizi was confused. The final part? The passing of the judgment?

Ah, well that, but there’s another part that’s not related to Earl Shicchi. He looked at Mizi a bit skittishly, sure she was going to be unhappy with them and Rei. Indeed, Mizi was frowning already. Master’s intending to clean all of his court today at once, rather than call another Lord’s Court. He desires Ilena to be present for that part as well. He’ll use her own words and knowledge to present her to the castle today as his Director of Intelligence.

Mizi’s green eyes narrowed and her lips pursed. And just how long will that take?

It’s unknown, Mistress, but Master thinks perhaps no more than an hour to an hour and a half, Ore was very respectful in the face of her ire.

Mizi was quiet for a while. I see, she finally said. I can understand not wanting to inconvenience the landed courtiers in making them come back again. It will be even more important then, Ore, that you make sure to let Rei know right away if Ilena’s tiring.

Ore bowed slightly to her. I will, Mistress. In reality, he wouldn’t be able to do much. Ilena couldn’t leave her position in front of the court until she was released, and for the final bit she’d have to play her part the same as Rei would. He’d still let Rei know if Ilena tired so that he could shorten it if possible.

They fell into silence, waiting. Ore could tell that while Ilena rested herself she was listening to the testimonies of the other witnesses, all of whom were among those she called her Children and who called her Mother. This was the closest she’d been to them since she’d acquired them as witnesses.

Ore, listening to the witnesses as well, also recognized their names and voices because he’d collected them from their homes for this time. When the most shy of them was called, a young man named Peter, Ore smiled. He looked at Ilena and saw she was smiling as well.

He brushed her hand with his. She opened her eyes and looked at him. The look in their eyes was the same. Peter’s very strong today, isn’t he, Mother? he asked her, pride in his voice.

Yes, he is, Father, she answered. He’s grown very well. Peter had been the first of the witnesses Ore had been sent to retrieve and one of the first she’d found and protected.

Ilena took Ore’s hand in hers, holding it lightly. Ore?

Ore looked into her tawny eyes that were beginning to tear. Yes, Ilena? he asked gently.

Will I be allowed to go and see them? All of the witnesses were being kept protected at Falcon’s Hollow, a safe manor south of the castle, until this court was completed and the judgments carried out. Today’s subset of necessary witnesses had been brought to the castle the night before in secret.

Ore was glad he could answer her positively. Yes, Master said it would be acceptable after today and after the judgments are carried out. Her tears of happiness and relief spilled over, and he tenderly wiped them from her face.

-o-o-o-

Mizi, watching their exchange, felt her heart warm. It had been a long time in coming, that Ore could trust Ilena and be kind to her. Mizi had requested that Rei call up Ilena to be Ore’s partner at her back. She’d learned many things about Ilena very early on while taking care of her in the initial part of Ilena’s recovery nine weeks ago now. The thing she’d come to rely on most quickly was Ilena’s warmth and her constant strength that helped Mizi move forward daily.

Additionally, Mizi had come to learn more about Ore’s hidden past, because Ilena knew it. The two had known each other when they were young, before Ore had run from Tokumade for his life. They hadn’t seen each other since then until Mizi and he had gone with the rescuers from Osterly at the news of the landslide.

Initially, Ore had been suspicious of Ilena, not sure she could have grown up in such a bitter environment to still be the kind, caring person he’d known before. Mizi had felt that it would be better for Ore to experience Ilena from walking next to her so he could overcome his fear of his past. So far, that had proved successful. It had likely helped that Ore had gone with Rei, Andrew, and Mina to bring Earl Shicchi to proper justice.

Mizi brushed the escaping lock of her golden–red hair out of her face as she turned back to face the throne room of Castle Nijou, although they couldn’t see through the heavy curtains that hid them from the court. She was also listening to the proceedings of the court. She was trying to learn as much as she could as quickly as possible.

Already she and Rei had been together five years, but she was barely on the path she wanted to be on. Everyone in the inner circle understood that within the year the lords would be pressuring Rei to pick a princess candidate. For her own sake and the sake of Rei, Mizi needed to be recognized as the best candidate by that time, or before if possible. Ilena, herself a princess of Selicia and Ryokudo (although that was being kept a secret still), was helping her learn what she lacked.

Since arriving back at the castle from her trip to Kouzanshi and the university there and the interruption to care for Ilena in Osterly until she could be moved, Mizi had moved from being in the medical department as a court healer to being Rei’s Adjunct, handling all of the petitions that came before the Regent. That move put her before the lords directly and was showing them her capabilities. She’d also run the Rose office while Rei, Andrew, Mina, and Ore had been away for the battle against Earl Shicchi.

Today was a rare opportunity to learn how a Lord’s Court worked, even though it was a bit tedious. Even more important to Mizi was how Rei was handling the lords as a group. If she ever had to sit his throne for him, she’d need to understand her limitations and the power that could be wielded acceptably.

Having now heard that there was going to be more than just the case against Earl Shicchi and his allies brought before the court, she decided that when Ilena and Ore had to go out again, she’d go as well. She’d been given a title by Crown Prince Amiran of her homeland, Yamanzar, so by right could stand with them, although she wouldn’t be given a voice. From there she’d be able to see better what the full proceedings were. Then she’d know better how to react in the future if she should need to. ...Except she’d forgotten to bring her medallion of title. Ore, I’ll be right back. I forgot something.

Mistress! Ilena called quickly.

Mizi stopped. Yes?

Please, send Thayne. Thayne was Ore’s man–at–arms, given to him by Ilena. He’d come with them, but was waiting for them outside the audience hall.

Ilena was reminding Mizi that she wasn’t to be her own errand person any more. She’d been encouraging Mizi to hire at least a personal maid now for several weeks. Mizi had to agree that in this case, having someone else do the running did make sense. She just was having a hard time coming to the agreement that she shouldn’t be doing the simple things for herself.

Alright. I’ll do that. Mizi left the antechamber out the back way and found Thayne, his shoulder length curly blond–streaked brown hair and friendly face making him easy to find. She explained what she needed and gave Thayne her key to her personal room, then returned to the antechamber.

Thayne returned to the antechamber with Mizi’s medallion of title and key just as Andrew was giving the closing summary of the case against Earl Shicchi and the lords he’d worked his evil deeds with.

It was interesting to Mizi that it was necessary for Rei to hold the court in the first place. He’d already passed judgment and carried out the penalty. It seemed more like it was to explain to the lords of Suiran why he’d done what he’d done and convince them he hadn’t made an arbitrary choice. She wondered what the next part would be like.

-o-o-o-

Andrew wrapped up the summary, then listed off the offenders and their respective punishments, beginning with Pakyo Shicchi. Half of Pakyo’s allies had had their Houses wiped out by the man himself. Not only had Pakyo wiped out the first three families who’d been his allies, way back when he’d begun his nefarious deeds, but when he’d run from Rei, he wiped out the three who’d been his current allies.

The other half of his allies over the years received punishments of prison sentences for the Heads and demotion of the families. It was rather a great blow to the Northern portion of the Region to have seven noble families wiped out, including the Shicchi’s, and six more brought low, but nothing else could be done, and it was necessary besides. Leaving unloyal lords in place only cankered a country until it was embroiled in civil war.

Andrew called for a five minute recess. There was a bit of surprised murmuring from the room. It was already nearing the lunch hour, and many of the lords had expected their dismissal. For this next part, Rei didn’t want any lord leaving the room. If they returned to their offices now, they'd learn what he was having the castle guards do while they were in the throne room and would escape from his justice.

During the five minute break Andrew traded out his documents and took a drink of honey water. Mina offered the same to Rei to keep him properly hydrated as well. Ore moved Ilena to be near the front side of the audience hall at the proper respectful distance from both Rei and the lords. Mizi moved to stand at the opposite side of Rei from them, and additional soldiers moved into the hall.

Behind, in the antechambers, the witnesses to the first case were removed to be taken back to Falcon’s Hollow and the witnesses to the new cases were brought in to wait their turns. Although they couldn’t see these last preparations, the lords wondered even more what was going to happen as they observed the rearrangements in the audience hall.

Rei, through Andrew, opened his cases against the lords of the court beginning from the lowest staff members. In the main they were sons of lords who’d shown through their fraudulent behavior they hadn’t been properly trained as paiges or as junior staff members to understand how to support their liege. They weren’t in the room, but several fathers were, and all of their management was.

Three of them were banished from the castle, the remainder, about twelve in all, were demoted back to paige for retraining for a probationary time. If they were able to demonstrate appropriate progress, they’d be reconsidered for reassignment as junior staff again. If they were unable to be reformed, they’d be dismissed after that time.

Obviously, if their initial training had been problematic, the Head of Paiges must take responsibility for it. Rei’s answer was to retire the current Head of Paiges, who looked very relieved that he hadn’t received a stricter punishment and accepted his fate as his due. Rei then instated an older, conservative staff member he felt would be very good for both training new paiges and for being strict with the retraining of the ones now on probation.

Just this first adjustment was sufficient to make several lords begin to sweat. It was obvious to them all what Rei’s intentions were. He remained calm, not looking at any particular lord.

The next set of people who were arraigned were mid–level staff. Again, this level of staff wasn’t present in the room, save for a very few who’d come as secretaries for their lords. Those who’d committed lower level crimes, where Andrew began reading the records, were merely removed from their offices and fined. As the crimes moved up in scale, so did the punishments.

There were individuals who were personally corrupt, but as the court proceeded, it began to become apparent that there were several offices that were losing more of their personnel than others. The Ministers of those departments began to be very nervous.

When the last of the mid–level staff judgments was told, Andrew went to the next page of his statements. Two of the ministers who hadn’t sufficiently kept watch over their subordinates were retired, along with one assistant minister. The other assistant minister was moved up into the position of minister. Then Andrew paused and looked towards the back of the hall at one of the doors there and nodded.

The guards at the door opened it and allowed a guard–escorted man to enter. When he’d been brought before Rei, Andrew called him by name and titled him as an Assistant Minister. This man’s direct Minister stood frozen in shock, then moved as if to protest. Rei looked at him sharply, and he subsided, turning pale.

In the end this department lost it’s assistant minister, but not it’s minister. Even still, the minster was very shaken and received probation as his punishment for not realizing what his direct report was doing, being moved down to the level of his removed subordinate until he had re–proven his capabilities.

Andrew nodded again to the guards at the door and this time the room held its collective breath. Both the assistant minister and the secretary of the Minister of Interior were escorted in. As the Minister of the Interior turned pale, then red, two guards approached him and ‘invited’ him to join them. Using both the evidence from Ilena, and also from Mina’s first assistant, Tairn, Earl Malkin’s oldest son and an agent of King Sasou, Andrew read off the case against the three men.

This time, because the minister himself was being convicted of crimes against the state, he had the right to defend himself and demand evidence be presented. He did so with all his might. Rei presented the witnesses Ilena had suggested, and finally did have to present Tairn as well. When the Earl realized that his subordinate who’d been taken by the prince had betrayed him, he went into a rage.

Rei allowed him to have his say briefly, then raised his hand. The guards restrained the minister. Tairn presented his evidence, then was excused. Andrew read off the punishment: imprisonment of all three and removal of their peerages. They were then removed from the room for the judgment to be carried out immediately. Following that, two more ministries lost their top three officers.

The room was starting to feel the strain. It wasn’t so much that the other ministers and lords were surprised Rei was cleaning house, per se. It was more that the holes were adding up, and each time it was a somewhat unexpected surprise as most had come only expecting to hear the case against Earl Shicchi. While all of the cases were well supported, and Rei was being very careful in each case to not be overbearing, it was still stressful on the group as a whole.

When the last set of offenders had been led out of the room, Rei looked at Mina. She walked over to Ilena and leaned over to speak to her privately, then returned to Rei and spoke to him privately as well. Every eye in the room followed her and every mind surely wondered why Ilena had been consulted. Rei motioned to Andrew and he took one of his papers to Rei and handed him a pen. Rei made several notations and handed the pen and paper back to Andrew. Andrew then return to his place.

Thank you for your patience with these overly long proceedings, he said to the remaining lords. We’ll now assign the new appointments. The tenor of the room changed to one of tentative relief mixed with just a bit of suspicion that an unknown, unranked female had been consulted first.

Andrew read off four names and their appointments to the offices of the ministers that had just been deposed. It would be up to those ministers to find acceptable assistant ministers and their own secretaries. There didn’t seem to be any dissenting to the appointments, so Andrew continued.

Earl Malkin is hereby appointed as temporary overseer of all the lands between his own Earldom of Nakaba and the Earldom of Tokumade. Earl Malkin went slightly pale. That was a lot of work, and he certainly hadn’t been expecting it. The total land was at least that of a duchy, being two baronies, one viscounty, and the Shicchi earldom on top of his own.

Earl Durand is appointed as advisor to the Regent in the matter of training the new landowners as they receive their appointments. Again there was a surprised face in the crowd as Mina’s father received an appointment he wasn't at all expecting.

Viscount Aiden is hereby appointed to assist the Regent in the Rose Office. Ilena, previous Steward of Tokumade, is formally acknowledged as the Regent’s Director of Intelligence. The first three appointments received tacit approval as all three men were sufficiently respected. As expected, the room went into an uproar with the final statement.

Rei and Ilena both listened carefully to the complaints being called out, listening for the main points, then Rei raised his hand for order and the room gradually settled. Because she wasn’t titled, being announced as a director wasn’t a conflict, where being announced a minister would have been. However, she was completely unknown to the lords, and was a very young woman in their eyes.

Once the lords were still, they seemed to form ranks and spokesmen from the higher orders were silently chosen. The highest ranking moderate stepped forward. Regent Rei, please explain your appointment of Miss Ilena.

Rei nodded and Andrew answered with the prepared statement. "Miss Ilena has provided the majority of the evidence presented here today through her carefully created information network and her own personal efforts. From the time she entered the service of Pakyo Shicchi until this time, she has already been the Regent’s Head of Intelligence.

However, due to the sensitivity of the position she held, in order to obtain the information necessary to convict the ex–earl, her position as the Director of Intelligence was kept secret until this time. As the Earl and his allies have now been convicted and judgment carried out, the Regent is now free to publicly acknowledge her.

The room was still. Then the spokesman of the dissenters standing against her announcement stood forward. How can we know that this is truth?

Indeed this is a difficulty, it seems, Andrew answered. Would an example of some sort provide sufficient proof?

The spokesman was surprised, then shook his head. No, that wouldn’t. She could have learned anything from the past within the last several months. Rather, hearing from one who’s respectable as to the truth of the claim would be acceptable.

Rei nodded again. Mina motioned to a person standing behind his dais and Lord Mitchel Barkley, Queen Mother Kata’s Minister of Intelligence walked out to stand before the lords. Andrew asked, Would the word of Lord Barkley be sufficient?

Every lord in the room knew that he couldn’t be influenced by Rei or anyone else. The spokesman nodded. It would be, Regent.

Andrew addressed Lord Barkley. Lord Barkley, do you recognize the woman in the wheelchair?

Lord Barkley looked over at Ilena, who looked back at him mildly. Yes, I do.

Will you please tell the Lord’s Court what her name is?

Miss Ilena of Tokumade.

Has Miss Ilena been in the service of the Regent as his head of intelligence since she entered the service of the deceased Earl Pakyo Shicchi? Andrew asked.

Lord Barkley answered with a faint smile. She’s been that since before then, but that would be an acceptable official date, yes.

Is there someone who could be called upon to be a second witness to that fact? Rei had wanted to be thorough. He knew they wouldn’t consider him to be an acceptable second witness.

Lord Barkley considered. There are two. King Sasou himself, and his Minister of Intelligence. The lords in the room were completely stunned. She’d been accepted by both Ministers of Intelligence of the kingdom and by the King and the Regent. Not for just at this moment, but for many years previous.

Are there any more objections? Andrew asked into the quiet.

The current spokesman looked behind him to see if anyone else had anything to add. He received no support. Looking back at Andrew and Rei he shook his head. No, Regent. He stepped back into his place.

Andrew thanked Lord Barkley on behalf of Rei, excusing him. Then he said, Regent Rei calls Sir Ore to come before him.

Ore straightened in shock, then stiffly walked up to stand facing Rei on the very edge of the raised platform and knelt before him on one knee.

For his bravery and many deeds in the effort to bring his elder brother Earl Pakyo Shicchi to justice, including the final subjugation of the same, Regent Rei hereby advances Sir Ore to the order of Count of the Court, with all of the attendant rights and responsibilities thereof. Ore was further awarded a coat of arms of a sleeping black cat upon an ermine field, and was granted Falcon’s Hollow and all the lands around it as his deed of land.

Ore had obviously not been expecting the peerage. Count of the court was a sudden sharp rise in Ore’s status from knight; however, it was correct since he was the last remaining heir to the earldom, even with Tokumade being removed from him as the punishment to the Shicchi family as a whole. The slight scowl that passed by on his face told those on the dais that he wasn’t pleased to have his heritage announced, but they didn’t really care. It was necessary.

-o-o-o-

Ore looked at Rei in complete shock, unable to wrap his mind around what was happening. When he was released, he properly thanked the Regent, stood, bowed, and returned to his position behind Ilena. When he was finally there and it seemed the attention had moved away from him, he very quietly whispered to a proud Ilena, Isn’t Mister Andrew going to kill me for being raised up before he was?

Ilena looked up at him and whispered back, Wouldn’t he already have done it before now? Besides, Master Rei has other plans for him.

Ore looked down at her in surprise, but nodded. It was true. Andrew would have already known Ore’s peerage was going to happen. Ilena chuckled. What?

It’s funny how your stunned mind works, Ilena smiled up at him. Congratulations.

Ah, thank you, I think. Ore wasn’t sure how he was supposed to be feeling about it.

I hereby appoint you as my Deputy Director of Intelligence. Ilena almost said it too casually for Ore’s already stunned brain to catch hold of.

He stared at her, his tawny cat–eyes going wide. Can you do that? he finally asked.

Yes, now I can, she answered mildly.

-o-o-o-

Mizi was the first to reach Ore and Ilena.Congratulations, Ore! And Ilena, too! Mizi had stars in her eyes and was very excited. She loved the pomp and circumstance of formal palace actions, and to have both of her companions rewarded for their efforts made it all the better, in her eyes.

Thank you, Mistress, Ore bowed to her. Ilena also bowed her head and thanked her.

Did you know Rei was going to do that? Mizi asked.

They both shook their heads. But it was a good time to, Ilena said.

Earl Malkin joined them. Miss Ilena, was it your fault I’ve been put into this mess? he asked her.

No, Lord Malkin. It was your own, and that of your sons, Ilena smiled back at him. I did speak highly of you, however, when asked. It’s good to see you again.

It’s also good to see you’re alive and well. We’ve been concerned about your welfare. It was kind of Count Ore to stop by and let us know that you were at least under the Regent’s protection. He looked at Ore significantly as the last time they’d met Ore had used an alias, stealing for himself a court peerage at that time.

Ore had the grace to blush slightly in embarrassment. Thank you for your hospitality at that time, he responded politely, trying to apologize again.

Truly, I hadn’t expected to have both of my sons stolen from me as a result of your visit, Earl Malkin said with mild reproof, although I’m pleased it’s been to be placed in the direct service of Regent Rei. Ore had come to Nakaba to collect his younger son, Dane, as one of the witnesses against Earl Shicchi.

He does intend to return Tairn to you at the time he may, but I’m afraid you’ll have to bear the heavy burden of your appointment without either one for a while still, Ilena said to him. He loses Miss Mina after today. Her father, Earl Durand, will be taking her home for her own training then, and they are her replacements in the Rose Office. She says that when she returns next spring Tairn may come help you.

Hoh, it will be so long? Earl Malkin was both surprised and disappointed. He’d probably been thinking he might be able to have one of them sooner.

She was kept longer than expected because of the matter with Earl Shicchi, Ore answered. Thus she’s already used up her allotted time, but perhaps you may negotiate with Earl Durand. I’m afraid the Regent has used up all of his negotiation powers with him for the year.

Earl Malkin sighed. Well, I’ll try it then, as we’ve both been appointed as overseers of the same land. He left them to see if he could find Earl Durand.

Mizi was looking closely at Ilena. Ore, I think it’s time to take Ilena back, she said.

Yes, Mistress, Ore answered. They moved towards the antechamber and the rear exit of the audience hall, Mizi in the lead. Not a few eyes followed them, noting the interplay between them. Everyone in the court knew Ore followed and protected Mizi for Rei’s sake. Now that she’d been announced, they wanted to understand Ilena’s place.

When they reached the outer hall and Thayne, they stopped to speak with him briefly to tell him the results of the court. He congratulated both of them, then took Ore’s place behind Ilena’s wheelchair. They were about to continue when Lord Barkley stepped up to them. Congratulations on finally being recognized, he said to Ilena.

Thank you, she said with pure gratitude. And thank you for your support, though truly, I’ve always thought that you hated me.

Lord Barkley shook his head and smiled at her, the smile not a familiar gesture on his face that was normally hardened by his role out of necessity. No, but it’s always been my job to make sure that you were doing yours properly. It was my pleasure to make the court finally eat crow and accept Regent Rei’s authority.

Ilena smiled back at him. I hope I’ll be able to continue to do my job properly so as to not bring shame to you for your statement in my behalf today.

I hope you will, as I desire to enjoy retirement in the near future, Lord Barkley rejoined.

Ilena almost–glared at him. It would appear from the work I’ve had to do these past two months that you’ve already taken retirement quite some time ago. Ore looked at her sharply and frowned. It had been a very strong rebuke. Ilena recognized his disapproval; however, she didn’t look away from Lord Barkley.

For his part, Lord Barkley properly bowed apologetically. I’m afraid that because Queen Kata was constrained to place those men in those positions in order to hold the peace of the region when she became Regent, I was constrained in what I could do. Thank you for being able to correct them now that Prince Rei has taken up the reins of Suiran.

Ilena looked at him a while longer, her lips pursed. Then she asked, Other than the one House King Sasou himself is containing, is there anything I’ve missed from among the lords and staff today?

No, Director, Lord Barkley answered.

I’d very much like to begin receiving regular reports from your office, Minister, she said to him, her eyes continuing to hold his, at least until such time as you’re finally able to retire.

Very well, Lord Barkley bowed and excused himself.

-o-o-o-

While Ilena would have liked to have gone to meet up with Rei, Mizi’s back walking in front of her said that she wouldn’t be dissuaded from taking Ilena directly back to her recovery room in the medical wing.

By the time they arrived, Ilena had to agree that she was glad Mizi had insisted. Once Ore had helped her into her bed and she was able to relax, she found that she was indeed much more tired than her nerves had let her feel. Likely she’d pay a price for sitting up so much in one day so soon after she was allowed to.

Ilena, Mizi called.

Yes, Princess Mizi? Ilena typically called her the title she was working towards when they weren’t in public to remind them all where she was headed.

When you begin to feel the pain, you must let me or Ryan know immediately. I forbid you from braving your way through it this early in the recovery. Mizi had learned well that Ilena was very stubborn and needed a firm hand.

To some degree that was on purpose as Mizi was a gentle and obedient girl by nature. Ilena had already found it necessary on many occasions to push her to more strength by being the thing that she had to push against. That had made Ore’s responsibility to see to Ilena’s castle training more difficult at times, but Ilena had been trying to find an appropriate balance.

Yes, Princess Mizi, Ilena answered now, immediately