Kushiel's Mercy

your spirits will gutter. You will face the slow loss of which General Liberio spoke. Amílcar will be forced to surrender. When it does, Astegal will not be merciful.”
    “What if we surrender now ?” Jimeno challenged her. “Others have accepted his terms.”
    He smiled, thin-lipped. “And we’ve something to offer in exchange. You and your paramour.”
    A gabble of comment arose. Sidonie waited it out until they fell silent once more, awaiting her reply.
    “Yes,” she said mildly. “You could do that, my lord. It may even be that Astegal would be merciful for that price. And Aragonia as you know it would cease to be. You would become a Carthaginian vassal state, subject to Carthage’s laws, Carthage’s customs, Carthage’s demands for tribute. Astegal’s rule and whims. Is that your desire?”
    There was a roar of protest.
    “It’s no one’s wish,” Serafin assured her.
    “Then what cost are you willing to bear for freedom?” Sidonie asked, raising her voice, clear and carrying. “Is the cost of a sovereign Euskerria too high? It is a minor territory that the Euskerri have inhabited time out of mind and will continue to do. Will Aragonia truly be destroyed if a small chunk of land is gouged out of its holdings?” She faced the council directly and let the silk shawl slip from her shoulders onto the floor. “I did not think so when I paid the price for my freedom.”
    The crowd broke into pandemonium, stamping and shouting. Sidonie turned to acknowledge them, and I saw Serafin catch his breath. I twisted in my seat to see that she’d had the back of her gown cut low enough to reveal the still-raw wound, proof of her tale.
    It was a long time before order was restored. Sidonie took her seat quietly. I retrieved her shawl, settling it over her shoulders.
    “Enough!” Serafin finally succeeded in shouting the crowd silent. “Has anyone aught else to say?” he asked the council. No one moved. If any of the others yet opposed it, they weren’t willing to follow Sidonie’s performance. “Shall we vote?”
    Another outburst erupted.
    “We want a voice!” someone shouted.
    “Give us a voice!”
    Ramiro leaned over and whispered to his son, who nodded in agreement.
    “Forgive me,” Serafin said in a low voice. “But this is an Aragonian matter, and I think it must be decided by Aragonians. It’s going to be mayhem if you stay. Let us have this debate, let the people have their say, and let the council vote. I will send word.”
    “Thank you, my lord.” Sidonie rose, and I accompanied her.
    “Wait!” Rafael de Barbara said sharply. “I note that you did not address my concerns regarding your fitness as an emissary, young highness.”
    She met his gaze. “Did I not?”
    He gave a sour smile. “That was a cheap theatrical gesture at the end.”
    “Indeed.” Sidonie inclined her head. “I would not have resorted to it were there not urgent need. I would expect a man of your rhetorical skill to understand.”
    We left the great hall unescorted; no one wanted to leave the debate. A guard closed the doors behind us, and we could hear a fresh clamor arise.
    “Gods.” Sidonie shuddered. “What do you think?”
    “I think you swayed the crowd. And I pray the crowd sways the council.” I cupped her face in my hands and kissed her. “I think you were splendid. Sidonie, if they fail to aid us, it can be through no fault of yours.”
    “I did my best,” she murmured. “Cheap theatrics and all.”
    “You were splendid,” I repeated. “And later, we can discuss this matter of serving as bait if they accede.”
    She gave me a tired smile. “How else did you suppose Astegal might be persuaded to divert his forces?”
    I sighed. “I hadn’t thought on it.”
    “Pray we get the chance,” Sidonie said soberly.

Fifty-Six

    There was no word forthcoming that afternoon or evening. We stayed awake late into the night, hoping to hear. The chirurgeon Rachel came to examine Sidonie’s injury, decreeing at last that it might be bandaged and covered, but she had no news. I fell asleep at length with Sidonie in my arms, waking briefly at the sound of her murmuring the word emmenghanom in her sleep.
    Later I was told the debate raged late and long. After the commonfolk had given voice to their wishes and the council had voted, members were up until the small hours, hammering out details of the agreement they reached and laying the foundations of a plan.
    We didn’t find out what it was