Forest Kingdom Trilogy 1 - Blue Moon Rising

return for my position as High Commander of the Guard, Sire.'
    'Of course, Lord Vivian. But of course.'
    Vivian bowed slightly, and replaced his harlequin mask. Faded blue eyes glittered coldly behind the black and white silk, and then Lord Vivian turned away and disappeared into the milling crowd. Harald frowned, and shook his head as though to clear it. Vivian's presence at the party was hardly a surprise, but somehow Harald felt almost disappointed. He'd expected better of the man.
    He glowered into his empty glass, tossed it over his shoulder into the fireplace, and casually acquired a fresh glass from a passing servant. The wine was lousy, but Harald was damned if he could face this party entirely sober. He looked up to see a masked Lord and Lady heading uncertainly in his direction.
    Harald sighed, and nodded politely to them. He'd better speak to somebody, or some of the guests might get nervous and leave. And that would never do. He bowed to the Lord and to the Lady, and they bowed and curtsied deeply in return.
    The things I have to do, thought Harald sardonically. The things I have to do ...
    More masked figures came and went as the Ball wore on. Harald met three Lords he had suspected, two he hadn't, and a handful of local traders; it seemed the Darkwood was bad for business. The vast majority of those he met turned out to be courtiers, which was pretty much what he'd expected. On the one hand, courtiers tended to be conservative by nature, for as landowners or sheriffs of the King's land, they had much to lose and little to gain from any political change. But on the other hand, when all was said and done, most courtiers were lesser nobles who wanted very much to be greater nobles. And the only way to achieve that was to acquire more land, or move to positions of greater influence within the Court. Which was why they came to Harald, hiding behind their masks of silk and leather and thinly beaten metal. The masks changed, but the story was always the same — support in return for patronage.
    After a while Harald stopped listening and just said yes to everyone. It saved time.

    Cecelia and Gregory paraded arm in arm the length of the Hall and back again, smiling and chatting and making sure that everyone's wine glass was full to the brim. With her beauty and his firm, masculine good looks, they made a handsome couple, bold and bright. Cecelia was at her sparkling best, her malicious little quips and barbed comments reducing even the most stern-faced to indulgent smiles and open laughter. While not the most diplomatic of men, Gregory could be charming when he put his mind to it, and with Cecelia at his side to inspire him the young guardsman strolled amiably among the uncertain, radiating confidence. Bluff and hearty, his sure manner and calm good humour steadied quavering nerves and spread a sense of purpose among the wavering. There were few glances at Cecelia's arm linked through his; everyone knew, or at least suspected. There were a few sidelong glances in Darius's direction, but nobody said anything. Since Darius knew and apparently didn't object, the subject was closed, at least in public. Among the courtiers, eyes met and shoulders shrugged. Politics made for strange bedfellows. Sometimes literally.
    Darius missed none of this as he circulated among his guests. Fools. He knew well enough that where reason couldn't sway a man, charm often would. Possessing but little charm himself, Darius needed someone else to front for him on occasion, someone with good looks, an easy manner, and not enough
    brains to double-cross his master. Gregory might have been tailor-made for the position. It helped that Cecelia liked him. But then, Cecelia wasn't exactly brilliant either.
    Darius sighed quietly, and looked around him. At least Harald had finally condescended to talk to his fellow guests, even if he did seem to be attracting mainly the lesser nobles of no real influence or importance. Darius sniffed cynically. About time Harald started pulling his weight and getting his noble hands dirty. Darius thought of the hard bargaining he'd just been through to get the two leading Forest grain merchants on his side, and smiled grimly. It wasn't just politics and force of arms that made a rebellion, as Harald and the Barons would find out to their cost. In return for certain future concessions, Darius now owned all the stocks of grain remaining in the Forest Land. Not so much as one cart-load would leave the carefully