‘That’s what Lord Vanion thought. The document appeared to be quite genuine, though, and Duke Osten died years ago, so there wasn’t any way to refute the claim. The Earl of Lenda examined the parchment very closely, and finally even he had to vote to legitimize Lycheas.’

Sparhawk swore

‘I knew Duke Osten,’ Kalten said. ‘He was a confirmed bachelor There’s no way he’d have married. He despised women.’

‘Is there some problem?’ Patriarch Dolmant asked, riding back down the road to join them with Sephrenia, Kurik, and Talen close behind him.

‘The Royal Council has voted to legitimize Lycheas,’ Kalten told him. ‘Annias produced a paper that says that Princess Arissa was married.’

‘How strange,’ Dolmant said.

‘And how convenient,’ Sephrenia added.

‘Could the document have been falsified?’ Dolmant asked.

‘Easily, your Grace,’ Talen told him. ‘I know a man in Cimmura who could provide irrefutable proof that Archprelate Cluvonus has nine wives – including a lady Troll and an Ogress.’

‘Well, it’s done now,’ Sparhawk said. ‘It puts Lycheas one step closer to the throne, I’m afraid.’

‘When did this happen, Berit?’ Kurik asked the novice.

‘Late last night.’

Kurik scratched at his beard. ‘Princess Arissa’s cloistered at Demos,’ he said. ‘If Annias came up with this scheme just recently, she may not know she’s a wife.’

‘Widow,’ Berit corrected.

‘All right – widow, then. Arissa’s always been rather proud of the fact that she lay down with just about every man in Cimmura – begging your pardon, your Grace – and that she did it on her own terms without ever having been to the altar. If someone approached her right, it shouldn’t be too hard to get her to sign a statement that she’s never been married. Wouldn’t that sort of muddy up the waters a little?’

‘Where did you find this man, Sparhawk?’ Kalten asked admiringly. ‘He’s a treasure.’

Sparhawk was thinking very fast now. ‘Legitimacy – or illegitimacy – is a civil matter,’ he noted, ‘since it has to do with inheritance rights and things such as that, but the wedding ceremony is always a religious one, isn’t it, your Grace?’

‘Yes,’ Dolmant agreed.

‘If you and I were to get the kind of statement from Arissa that Kurik just mentioned, could the Church issue a declaration of her spinsterhood?’

Dolmant considered it. ‘It’s highly irregular,’ he said dubiously

‘But it is possible?’

‘I suppose so, yes.’

‘Then Annias could be ordered by the Church to withdraw his spurious document, couldn’t he?’ ‘Of course’

Sparhawk turned to Kalten. ‘Who inherited Duke Osten’s lands and titles?’ he asked.

‘His nephew – a complete ass. He’s very impressed with his dukedom and he spends money faster than he earns it.’

‘How would he react if he were suddenly disinherited and the lands and title were passed to Lycheas instead?’

‘You’d be able to hear the screams in Thalesia.’