“Before we get started,” said Arwin, his eyes focused on the board as he considered his next strategy, “There is a matter of a little concern that the Emperor has asked me to discuss with you.”

     Leothan looked up, suddenly worried. He wasn't fooled by the ambassador's casual manner, Arwin saw. He knew that this would be important, maybe serious. “What is that?” he asked.

     “As you know, we've been having some problems with our machineries lately," said the ambassador. "Sabotage, made to look like accidents.”

     “Carrow. They want you to think that we're behind it. They want to drive a wedge between us.”

     “So you have said, and we've always believed it. Carrow has a certain, reputation, shall we say. Their penchant for dirty tricks is well known.”

     The game was forgotten now. The King stared at his guest. “You've always believed it?” he asked. “Past tense?”

     “We have the contract to supply mining and pumping equipment to Utrell, as you know,” the ambassador continued. “That contract was one of the ones hit by the sabotage incidents. It was a major embarrassment for us that we were unable to deliver as promised. We had to compensate them, as per the clause in the contract. Quite a considerable sum of money.”

     “You have my sympathy, but it was nothing to do with us, except indirectly. Carrow trying to hurt us by framing us for these acts.”

     “So you have said, repeatedly. Imagine our surprise, then, when it turned out that Utrell had received a major delivery of equipment from another source. From you, they claim.”

     “That is not true!” declared the King. “We would never do such a thing.”

     “The Utrell ambassador to the court of the Emperor states that you did do such a thing. He claims that agents of Maywell Manning, your principal engine manufacturer, approached them on your behalf and offered to fulfil the contract for the same price we offered them.”

     “That is completely untrue. It must have been Carrow agents, posing as Maywell Manning salespeople, trying to blacken our name. You cannot believe we would do such a thing. Losing the friendship of the Empire would be a major blow to us, would cost us far more than anything we would gain from one contract. It makes no sense that we would do such a thing.”

     “What you say is true. Nevertheless, our agents were able to make a close examination of some of these pieces of equipment, and they say they are definitely of Helberion manufacture.”

     “Clever imitations, I'm sure. Carrow has its own very capable arms manufacturers. If our people were to examine them, I'm sure we'd be able to find differences. Proof that they are counterfeit.”

     “Differences that would only be apparent to your experts, I'm sure.” He held up a hand as the King started to say something. “Bill, I believe you! I do! You’re right, it would make no sense for you to do something so foolish and dangerous. There are people in court, though, whispering in the Emperor's ear that you are counting on people thinking that, that you wish to make a quick profit at our expanse and blame it all on Carrow. Others say that this is merely a part of some larger scheme. Some ploy to increase your influence in the world. I don't believe any of this. I know you too well. We've been friends too long for me to believe you capable of such a gamble.”

     “Thank you,” said Leothan between gritted teeth. Arwin could only guess what it cost him to say such a thing to a guest in his own palace. He really does put the needs of his people come first, he told himself with admiration. Pride was a luxury he couldn't afford at the moment.

     “Our friendship is well known in court, though," the ambassador added. "People are whispering to the Emperor that our friendship prevents me from being objective. They want me replaced with someone able to see with what they call a ‘clearer eye'.”

     “This very conversation is proof that there is nothing wrong with your objectivity,” said the King. “And our friendship has benefited both our countries immensely over the years. I will get my people to work on this immediately. They will find proof of Carrow’s involvement, I promise you.” He rose from the table and went to the door. Outside, the guards on duty snapped to attention and Darnell, the King's Private Secretary, came forward. “Get Benley,” He commanded. “Now.” Darnell nodded and gave an order to one of the messengers standing beside him, who hurried off towards the administrative wing.

     The next door down the corridor opened and Matron Darniss looked out, looking worried and alarmed. “Majesty?” she said. “Is anything wrong?”

     “Nothing. Return to your duties.” The head of the household staff bowed her head and closed the door again.

     While the King’s attention was diverted, Arwin bent down to snatch up the scrap of paper he'd seen on the floor earlier. Probably nothing, but you never knew. He stuffed it into a pocket without looking at it, and made sure his attention was fixed on the board before the King turned back to him.

     “I promise you we will get to the bottom of this,” the King assured the ambassador. “To be embarrassed like this in my own palace! Someone will pay, I promise you.”

     “I'm sure they will,” replied Arwin. “Please, I urge you not to be too upset by this matter. It is Carrow, as you say. I’m certain of it. The Imperial Court is always full of gossip and accusation, most of it baseless. I wouldn't have mentioned it at all except that the Emperor instructed me to do so.”

     “No, I'm glad you did,” the King replied. “I'm glad you brought this to my attention. Someone has set out to blackening our reputation, and I don’t intend to let them get away with it.”

     “I wouldn't like to be in their shoes when you catch them.”

     Both men chuckled, and the awkward atmosphere that had fallen over the room dissipated. “It may take some time for Benley to turn up,” Leothan said. “He may not even be in the palace at the moment.”

     “Then let's have another game and drink some more of this excellent wine while we wait. My turn to be gold, I think.” He looked at the board again, thought for a moment, and made the first move.

     They played two more games, winning one each, and gossiped about the amusing activities and eccentricities of the people in their households and various celebrities known to them both. They were setting the board for a fourth game when there was a polite knock on the door. The King called for them to enter and Benley entered, still dressed in his travelling clothes. “Pardon my appearance,” he said, “but I was conducting business in the city. A runner found me and said you wanted me. Since it seemed to be urgent I thought I'd better come straight away.”

     “Yes, it is,” said the King.

     He quickly told the spymaster what the ambassador had told him.  Benley looked grave. “We knew Utrell was getting equipment from somewhere other than the Empire,“ he said. “We assumed it was Carrow.”

     “Which it almost certainly is,” replied the King.

     “I admit we didn't give the matter much attention. We’re almost totally focused on Carrow military movements at the moment.”

     “Well, from now on I want you to make it your top priority. Find out if Carrow is copying our equipment and find proof. Keep the Kelvon embassy fully informed on your investigation. Assign a man to liaise with them. Keep nothing from them regarding this matter.”

     Benley glanced at the ambassador and nodded. “We will,” he said. “We'll get you answers. You have my word.” He bowed to the King and left the room, closing the door gently behind him.

     “Please let the liaison officer know of any other incidents such as this,” he said to the ambassador. “If they’ve done it once, you can be sure they’ve done it again, or are planning to. I want to impress upon you our determination to honour the agreement we have with the Empire, informal though it is. Your continued friendship is more important to us than any number of supply contracts.”

     “I will continue to remind the Emperor of that, my friend. The full power of the Kelvon intelligence agencies will also be pursuing this matter. Between us, we will uncover the truth.”

     Arwin Tsocco stayed a hour or so longer, during which they played another couple of games and shared more jokes and anecdotes, but then the Ambassador made his apologies and said he had to go. “I'm meeting with some people from the cotton guild in the morning, and I’ll never get through it with mind and sanity intact unless I've got a clear head. The last time I arbitrated a dispute with them, it took me the rest of the week to recover.”

     “With me, it’s the cattle association," said the King ruefully. "I would never have guessed that raising beef could be so complicated. I hope you find a manager for your plantation.”

     “Oh I’ll find one. It's just a matter of finding one who doesn't think he’s worth higher wages than I get, and who understands his status as merely the most senior member of staff.” The two men walked together back to the entrance hall, where the doorman had somehow been expecting them and was waiting with the ambassador’s coat. “Until next time,” said Arwin as he put it on and moved towards the door, where the doorman opened it for him.

     “I look forward to it. I'll have the wine delivered to the embassy in the morning.”

     The ambassador's carriage was waiting for him in the forecourt, and a footman opened the door for him as he climbed inside. Inside, Dav Herret, his chief aide, was waiting, and Arwin sat on the seat opposite him.

     “What did he say?” asked Dav.

     “What we expected. It's all a Carrow plot. They'll look into it, and they expect to find proof of their innocence.”

     “Do you believe him?”

     Arwin sighed. “I don't know,” he admitted. “Yes, probably. I think he's probably telling the truth. I've known him a long time, I can't really believe him capable of this kind of duplicity. He's right about one thing. This is exactly the kind of dirty trick the Carrowmen like to play.”

     “Which would make them the perfect scapegoats if Leothan was trying to edge into our markets.”

     “Yes. Until someone finds some solid proof, it’s just a matter of who you want to believe. I might be wrong, Those Above know I've been wrong in the past, but I tend to believe the King. I just can't believe that he’s capable of lying to my face like that. Not unless he's been playing me from the very first day we met.”

     He suddenly remembered the scrap of paper he'd picked up from the floor of their private room. Probably nothing. That room was probably used for private meetings with all kinds of other people. Other ambassadors, members of his own palace staff. Any time he wanted to have a conversation he didn't want overheard, and he probably took notes. It was probably just a reminder to himself to have some new dinner suits made, or something equally mundane. With most of his attention still on the discussion he'd just had with the King, therefore, he pulled the paper out of his pocket, smoothed it out as best he could, and scanned his eyes across it, the words barely registering on his consciousness...

     Then he froze rigid. The paper now had all his attention, every smallest part of it. He hissed through his teeth and his hands tightened into fists, crumpling the paper again.

     “What is it?” asked Dav Herret, leaning forward in concern.

     Arwin barely heard him. He smoothed out the paper again, thinking he must have misread it, or perhaps misunderstood what he'd read, but the words were still there, just as he remembered them. He began to shake with fury, and his aide watched with growing fear as he thumped his fist on the seat beside him with enough strength to bring the sound of cracking wood from the frame underneath. “DAMN IT!”