David Coe - Shapers of Darkness

But though he no longer hoped to win back the minister, in recent days Kayiv had begun to see that there might be a way to combat the Weaver without placing himself in harm’s way. It was the coward’s path. He knew that. Still he thought it better to do something, anything, than to sit by idly as Dusaan brought ruin to all the land.

Oddly, his plan demanded that he turn for help not only to Stavel, but also to the Eandi in Harel’s court, something the minister never thought he might do. He hated the Eandi, and had nearly all his life. He still believed that the Forelands would be a far better place were its realms led by Qirsi nobles. As for Stavel, for as long as he could remember he had been disgusted by the blind devotion with which the older chancellors served Harel, and to his mind, none had been worse in this regard than Stavel. The chancellor embodied all that Kayiv hated about his own people’s history in the Forelands. The man debased himself with his obsequiousness. When Kayiv’s people spoke of white-hairs whose blood ran more Eandi than Qirsi, they did so with men like Stavel in mind.

But it was the chancellor who had first revealed to him that Dusaan was advising the emperor to begin his attack on Eibithar early, and that the high chancellor was presenting this as counsel that came from all of Harel’s Qirsi. Even had there been another Qirsi whose help the minister preferred to accept, he would have had to turn to Stavel eventually. And as it happened, there was no one else.

First, though, Kayiv needed to enhance his standing in Harel’s court. And for this, he needed the help of the one man who, only a short time ago, would have seemed an even more unlikely ally than Stavel: Uriad Ganjer, the emperor’s master of arms.

Rumor had it that the arms master was livid at the emperor’s decision to hasten the invasion of Eibithar, and that much of his ire was directed at Dusaan and the rest of the Qirsi, whose counsel he believed had convinced Harel to attack so soon.

As Eandi went, Uriad was more intelligent than most, and though a warrior, he was not given to the blind hatred of all Qirsi that Kayiv had observed in other Eandi men of arms. Still, the minister had never before had occasion to speak with Uriad other than to exchange pleasantries at an imperial banquet or while passing one another in the palace corridors. No doubt the master of arms would view with suspicion any overtures Kayiv made. The minister could only hope that Uriad’s anger at Dusaan and his concern for the success of the invasion would overmaster his distrust.

For several days after resolving at last to speak with the master of arms, Kayiv searched for ways he might contrive to begin such a conversation without seeming too obvious. The truth was, however, their paths rarely crossed, and it occurred to Kayiv that this was hardly a discussion to be started casually, or by chance. At last, on the eighth day of the waning, the minister decided that he had little choice but to approach Uriad directly.

He found the armsmaster early in the morning in the central courtyard of the palace, training the men of Hare’s imperial guard. Most of the soldiers would be sailing for Eibithar in another few days. There was little that Uriad could teach them in the time he had left. Kayiv sensed, however, that the master of arms no longer did this for the men, but rather for himself. Perhaps fearing that the emperor’s decision had upset all his careful planning, Uriad sought to reassure himself that the army wouldn’t fail for lack of preparation. Or perhaps he merely vented his anger at Harel by working his men mercilessly. Whatever his reasons, the master of arms watched the men with a stony expression on his long face, his black eyes narrowed, as if he were watching for the next mistake so that he could yell at the soldiers again. Occasionally he barked out instructions, his voice echoing off the palace walls.

Faced now with the prospect of approaching this imposing figure, Kayiv faltered, nearly retreating back into the palace. But he could imagine Nitara laughing at him, calling him a coward and worse. Taking a breath, he crossed to where Uriad stood, stopping just beside him. The master of arms was nearly a full head taller than Kayiv, and the minister felt like a child standing with him.

“The men look to be in fine form, armsmaster.”

Uriad glanced down at him, his expression unchanged.

“I’ve no doubt that they’ll acquit themselves quite well in the coming war.”

Still the man offered no reply, and Kayiv found himself casting about for something else to say. Too late, he realized that complimenting Uriad on the training of the men had been a poor idea. As far as the armsmaster knew, he was one of the Qirsi who had joined with Dusaan in recommending that the emperor begin his invasion sooner rather than later. No wonder Uriad had greeted him so coldly.

“What a shame that others in the palace aren’t showing such dedication in their preparation for the invasion.”

Uriad cast him another look, then turned fully to face him. “What do you want, Minister?”

Gods, the man was big! Kayiv had to fight an urge to flee. “Merely to speak with you, armsmaster. You may not believe this, but you and I are allies in this fight.”

The man frowned. “What fight? What are you talking about?”

Kayiv winced. He wasn’t handling this well at all. “I know the high chancellor made it seem that all the emperor’s Qirsi were in favor of moving the invasion forward, but that’s not the case. Some of us-a good many, really-feared that by upsetting your plans so, we risked dooming the invasion to failure.”

Uriad’s eyes flicked toward his men, and when next he spoke, his voice had dropped lower. “The plan is still sound. I would have liked more time, but the invasion will succeed.”

“Of course it’s sound, armsmaster. None of us questions that. But if you could have more time, wouldn’t you still want it?”

“We both know that’s not possible.”

“But the high chancellor-”

“The high chancellor merely told the emperor what he wanted to hear. The emperor had long since grown impatient with my preparations.”

“But he never would have changed his mind had the high chancellor not recommended it.”

“What is it you hope to accomplish, Minister? As I say, the decision has been made. You and I both know that the emperor isn’t about to change his mind. The men will soon sail for the waters off Galdasten, perhaps before the end of the waning, and by then the fleet’s battle with Eibithar’s ships will already be under way. There’s no more time.”

“You can’t know that for certain. And even if you’re right, don’t you find it alarming that the high chancellor should wield such enormous influence with the emperor?”

“Not at all. It’s to be expected.”

“But these are dangerous times. Don’t you fear giving such power to the Qirsi? What if a man in the high chancellor’s position didn’t have the best interests of his realm at heart? What if he were abusing his influence, misrepresenting the counsel offered by his fellow Qirsi?”

Uriad’s eyes widened. “Is the high chancellor doing that?”

“It would be cause for concern, wouldn’t it?”

“Answer me, Minister. Is the high chancellor doing that?”

“I’ve already told you he made it seem that all the emperor’s other Qirsi supported rushing the invasion. We didn’t.”

The master of arms frowned. “That’s hardly the same thing. I wouldn’t expect the high chancellor to relate to His Eminence every point of view presented in your discussions. The emperor hasn’t time for such foolishness. It’s proper that he merely inform the emperor of the decisions you reach.”

He didn’t discuss it with us at all , Kayiv wanted to say. But he couldn’t go that far. At least not yet. “We reached no decision,” he said instead. “The high chancellor imposed his will upon us and then presented the recommendation to the emperor as if we had all agreed with him.”