The Courtesy of Kings | ☑ Queenkiller, Kingmaker #2

25.1

'A gift, maharam, from The Honourable Consort, Rajini Chei.' Isla lowered her gaze, folded kashmeer extended in her hands.

Maharaj Khaisan's voice dripped with suspicion. 'A gift?'

His guards held her at bay. She would not have even gotten this close were it not for the rajini's motif—a wreath of rice stalks in faded copper—laced upon the chest of her ossa. Nobody could mistake the accent of red grains over sage green; a colour the rajini had carefully and precisely selected.

'To congratulate you on your recent accomplishments as right judiciary bench.'

The frown slowly eased from his face. Maharaj Khaisan nodded, and one of his guards stepped forward to take the cloth from Isla's hands, unfurling it before the crown prince.

Silver and black swayed in the afternoon breeze. 'A cloak, maharam, as befitting for a guardian of the law. It is made of the finest kashmeer, lined with winter ermine to symbolise the coming season.'

'It is fine indeed.'

'The rajini hopes it will serve you well for the remaining trial to come.'

'You can extend to her my gratitude.'

I'll do no such thing. Isla bowed low. Her grandmother knew nothing of this ruse, though she did not doubt the rajini would soon hear of the expensive commission she had only recently funded. But she would deal with that when it came to it.

It had taken Isla three days to finally see the crown prince; even now she had to accost him upon the covered corridors bridging the walk between the Grand Palace and the royal stables. It was impossible to catch him when he bothered to attend court assemblies, and when he was not engaged in matters of the state, he was off gods knew where.

'Thank you, maharam. Your hard work is much appreciated.'

'Of course.' His voice lifted along with his chest. 'I'm merely doing my duty.'

'If I may be so bold as to say; I was a dhayang at the academy before the rajini retained me into her House. One of the girls lost to the runesmith was a friend of mine. I'm sure I as well as the other dhayang can now sleep easy knowing you have secured the villain into your dungeons.'

'But then you must be displeased with my role as right judiciary bench.'

'Not at all, maharam. You have only done your duty to ensure a fair trial and that the real culprit has indeed been captured. Someone must hold scrutiny over the prosecutor's case; that witnesses are also presented to speak on behalf of the defence. And someone must ensure the severity of punishment does not exceed the gravity of the crime.'

'You found his sentence not too lenient?'

'Quite the contrary, I thought it judicious of you. For all his crimes, the runesmith was still acting under Rajini Dhvani's directions. Sparing both him and the silver-servant was wise. You would not wish to deter other silver-servants from obeying the royalborn to whom they have sworn fealty.'