Marigold Court

Leadership: Queen Hesper

Territory: Summerhythe

The royal household of Quillet: Queen Hesper, her councillors, the Chancellery that runs the vale’s money, and the knights of the Marigold Guard who keep her doors. The marigold on their banners was the Founder’s own badge, a shepherd’s flower from the Sallow Hills.

Goals and methods

The Marigold Court’s stated goal this summer is to meet the lessor’s terms with dignity. In practice it is split. Queen Hesper means to pay the rent in full once she knows what it is. Her Chancellor, Wystan Pye, means to refuse it, and has hired a knight-errant to make the point. The rest of Hesper’s councillors are waiting to see who wins before it agrees with them.

Its real weakness is money. Two wet harvests and the old Queen’s long illness left the treasury running on loans from Marrable and Daughters, and a court that owes a bank cannot easily afford a war with a dragon, or a very expensive rent.

The Marigold Guard

Forty knights and their squires, sworn to the Crown’s household. Their duties are ceremonial nine days in ten. On the tenth, one of them was on the north tower with the great crossbow when the dragon came down the valley, and did not shoot.

Standing with the Wardens

The Wardens of the Lease hold Queen Hesper’s personal commission, which makes them part of the royal household on paper and outsiders in practice. Queen Hesper trusts them. The Chancellor does not. The Guard is divided about Beatrix Holloway, and says so in the mess.