John Carr - Siege of Tarr-Hostigos

"And what is your complaint, Baron?"

"This Hestophes has been trying to make suit with my daughter Lavena-despite my objections. I have told him repeatedly that she will never be betrothed to a former commoner. He has refused to heed my words and has accosted her in the streets of Hyllos Town. I want an end to his harassment!"

Kalvan found it hard to imagine General Hestophes acting in a manner that would offend any reasonable person, not that anyone who knew Sthentros would ever accuse him of reasonable behavior. In the Zarthani lands nobles, for property or dynastic reasons, arranged their children's marriages. This prohibited him from reading Sthentros the riot act as he wanted to do; instead he swallowed his bile and said, "Baron, Captain-General Hestophes is about to be re-assigned to an important post on the Beshtan border so I doubt he will be in a position to continue his suit-if in fact, there is such a suit."

Sthentros' body went rigid and his face turned the color of chalk. However, he was smart enough to keep his mouth shut; two years ago he wouldn't have been able to stop his tongue.

"If you have nothing to add, Baron, you may leave. I have other important matters to attend to this day."

The Baron leaned back as if slapped, and then wheeled around and stomped out of the audience chamber. Kalvan wished the Baron had been stupid enough to give him cause for complaint; he would have loved an excuse to have Sthentros put in chains and left to rot in the dungeons of Tarr-Hostigos for a month or two-preferably on short rations!

While he was woolgathering Chancellor Chartiphon brought up the next petitioner, announcing, "Guildmaster Dyag, for an audience with Great King Kalvan, overlord of the Princedoms of Hostigos, Sask, Ulthor, Beshta, Kyblos and Sashta and His Royal Majesty of the Great Kingdom of Hos-Hostigos. You may approach the throne."

Dyag was a man with an impressive spade-shaped black beard. He wore a black velvet robe that a prince might envy, and carried himself like a baron instead of a Guildmaster of the Goldsmiths Guild. Kalvan had crossed verbal swords with him before and wasn't looking forward to this audience.

The Guildmaster made the slightest of bows and said, "The Hostigos Town Council of Guilds has appointed me as its spokesman." He bowed again and removed a folded parchment from the inside of his robe. "Here is a list of items we would like Your Majesty to address."

Guildmaster Dyag's presumptuous use of the royal we made Kalvan glad Rylla was not seated at her throne, a smaller version of his own. Rylla was still unwilling to appear in public with her husband; Kalvan wondered how long her stubborn streak could last-probably until the rest of Mrs. O'Leary's cows came home.

"Present your list," he said.

"First, there is the matter of the Royal Guilds appointed by Your Majesty. The Council of Guilds would like to see them disbanded or given to the Council for reform."

Fortunately, Count Rogos, a member of the Council of Guilds and friend of the Ptosphes, had warned them about the proclamation; but it didn't make it any easier to swallow. "That's not a reasonable demand, Guildmaster. Those Royal guilds were created in the first place because the Council of Guilds refused to grant them charters. They are now Royal Guilds chartered by Ourselves, as Great King of Hos-Hostigos, and they will remain under Royal protection until We decree otherwise. This is not negotiable."

Dyag's face contorted as though he were passing a kidney stone. "That is within your prerogative, Your Majesty. But the Council will not sit quietly while its time-honored rights are disregarded and usurped. In the future, you may find that the Council is not as cooperative as it has been in the past upon consideration of items Your Majesty views as important."

Remembering how cooperative the Council had been when he had tried to gain their help to force the gunsmiths to standardize musket bores, Kalvan wanted to laugh in Dyag's face. Instead he reined his temper in, saying, "Are you trying to threaten Us, Guildmaster Dyag? Because if you are, We may find it necessary to sequester the entire Council of Guilds for the duration of the War on charges of treason." In actuality it wasn't a bad idea, since it would probably double the production of masters and apprentices kingdom-wide. He could then appoint Count Rogos as Royal Guildmaster, or some such position. Rogos was mild-mannered on the outside, but could make metal weep in a forge. He was also the only nobleman in the Guilds, since Rogos' father had been granted a patent of nobility by Ptosphes' grandfather for designing the molds for the first Hostigos gold Crowns.

This was obviously one possibility of the interview that Dyag had not anticipated; his face blanched. "That is not at all what I meant, Your Majesty. Perhaps I should advance to the next matter."

"An excellent idea. Tell your Council that the Royal Guilds are not taking away jobs or traditional guild privileges. The Royal Guild of Papermakers, the Royal Riflemakers Guild, the Royal Alchemists, the Royal Glassblowers and the other Royal Guilds are making more jobs and work for the other guilds, since much of their materials are made by the Carpenters Guild, the Smiths Guild, the Gunsmiths Guild and others. What we have here is an increasing pie with bigger slices for everyone."

"There is much truth to Your Majesty's words; however, this is not the major complaint. These new guilds do not pay their Council dues, nor are their Masters put to the same rigorous training as provided by our Guilds. After all, it is the people of Hostigos Town we are trying to protect."

Horsefeathers! thought Kalvan. "Are you saying that the Great King of Hos-Hostigos would let unqualified craftsmen work in the Royal Guilds?"

"No, no. Of course not, Your Majesty. It is just that there are certain precedents here and time-tested methods of training, as well as proper observances to Tranth-"

"Balderdash. You can't train people in the traditional time-lengthy matter to do new tasks such as papermaking, soap making or rifle smithing. But enough of this, my time is not endless-nor is my patience! What is your next point?"

"There have been complaints by the Carpenters and Fitters and Joiners Guilds that their traditional rights are being usurped by the teachers at the Royal University of Hos-Hostigos. They believe that some of their Masters should be made Masters of the University faculty and that the students be subject to Guild-sponsored apprenticeships."

Kalvan shook his head. What had happened to those halcyon days when Great King Kalvan could do no wrong? First it was Chartiphon questioning his military decisions, now the Council of Guilds. Next it would be the midwives going on strike to protest antisepsis. Is the separation between Rylla and myself, with all the attendant rumors, undermining our rule and lowering morale?

"We are going to make this quick and very clear, because We have more important matters to attend to, Guildmaster Dyag. The Royal University, the same as the Royal Guilds, is under Royal Charter and therefore is under complete jurisdiction of the Throne. We will not tolerate any interference in their operation from either you or the Council of Guilds. If you have a suggested list of Masters for faculty positions, send it to the Rector. He will give it serious consideration. That is all We can do, or will do on the matter. This audience is at an end."

The Guildmaster blew himself up as though he were about to launch himself into a harangue, then thought better of it, spun around and stomped out of the room. Kalvan turned to one of his scribes. "Make a note to have Duke Skranga conduct an investigation of Guildmaster Dyag and see if it's possible that he harbors Styphoni sympathies. Also, suggest that the Duke make a listing of reliable persons in the eventuality that we have to make some changes in the leadership of the Council of Guilds. Inform him that he can expect Count Rogos' complete support and that the Count would make an excellent candidate as Guildmaster should Guildmaster Dyag unexpectedly decide to retire." Remembering Thomas a Beckett, Kalvan added, "In good health, of course-at this time."