David Coe - Bonds of Vengeance

He dropped to one knee just inside the doorway, bowing his head to the emperor.

“Rise, Uriad,” the Emperor said, waving him toward the table. “Join us.”

“Thank you, Your Eminence,” the armsman said, standing and walking to where they sat. He nodded to Dusaan. “High Chancellor.”

“Good day, Commander.”

“Forgive my appearance, Your Eminence. I was working the men when you summoned me.”

“Of course. Please sit. I’ve called you here to discuss the invasion. The high chancellor has informed me that he and the other Qirsi believe we should begin the assault on Eibithar sooner than we had planned.”

Again the chancellor winced. Harel might not have any inclination to speak with the other ministers and chancellors about this, but if the master of arms was angry enough, he surely would.

Uriad frowned, turning to Dusaan. “Why would we do such a thing?”

Harel answered before the chancellor could speak. “We fear that by delaying, we give the Eibitharians time to prepare.”

“I’ve heard of no troop movements along the northern coast. Most of Kearney’s army is still guarding the Aneiran border.” He looked from the emperor to Dusaan. “There’s no need for this.”

“Kearney has been speaking with dukes from Wethyrn and Caerisse.”

“Yes, Your Eminence, I imagine he has. But again, I believe he does this because he expects to be at the war with the Aneirans, not with us. Our plans for the invasion are sound, but they require additional preparation. If we act too quickly, this opportunity will be wasted.” He looked at Dusaan again, as if pleading with the chancellor for his support.

Harel toyed with his wine goblet, clearly displeased. “I thought our fleet was ready.”

“It is, Your Eminence, but the Aneiran army is not. The failed siege in Kentigern weakened the army of Mertesse, and though the new duke has begun to fill his ranks once more, his army is not yet at full strength and many of the men are poorly trained.”

“Aneira has other dukes, Commander.”

“Of course it does, Your Eminence. But the men of Mertesse will lead any attack across the Tarbin. And even if they don’t, there are new dukes not only in Mertesse but also in Bistari, Tounstrel, and Noltierre, not to mention the new regent. It’s simply too soon to ask the Aneirans to join us in this war. In six turns perhaps, or better yet ten, they should be ready, but-”

Harel looked horrified. “Ten turns? Now you want me to wait the better part of a year for this war? I’ve already waited too long.”

“We might only have to wait six, Your Eminence. I was merely saying that ten-”

“Even six is too many! I’m tired of waiting. You’ve had ample time to prepare the fleet and the army, Commander. It’s time this invasion began. Send word to your captains that they’re to begin their assault on Eibithar as soon as possible.”

Uriad held himself still, his jaw clenched, and for just an instant Dusaan thought he might argue the point further, or even refuse to carry out the emperor’s order. In the end however, he wisely chose to comply. Harel might have been a fool, but he had little tolerance for dissent and often dealt cruelly with those who showed the least defiance.

Uriad bowed a second time, murmured, “Of course, Your Eminence,” and turned on his heel to leave the chamber, casting a dark look at Dusaan as he did.

After watching the master of arms leave, Dusaan took a last sip of wine and stood. “Perhaps I should leave you as well, Your Eminence.”

“Yes, very well,” Harel said peevishly. “Have word sent to me as soon as the orders are dispatched to my fleet.”

Dusaan bowed. “Yes, Your Eminence.”

As he had expected, the master of arms was waiting for him outside the chamber.

“How could you let him do that?” Uriad demanded, heedless of the soldiers standing nearby. “How could you and the other Qirsi even suggest such a thing?”

“It was my idea, Commander. I honestly feel that further delay might keep us from victory.”

“You can’t possibly be that foolish, High Chancellor. I know you too well.”

Dusaan made himself smile. “Is it foolishness merely because you say so?”

“When it comes to matters of war, yes. I’m more qualified than any man in this palace to make judgments pertaining to our fleet and army.”

“Including the emperor himself?”

Uriad faltered, his eyes darting in the direction of the guards. “The emperor depends upon my counsel at times like these, and I, in turn, expect others to defer to my knowledge of military planning.”

“In this case I couldn’t do that. I’m sorry, Uriad. Truly I am. But I believe I’ve done the right thing.”

“You’ve doomed our invasion to failure is what you’ve done.”

Exactly . “I hope that’s not true, for your sake as well as mine.”

The man stared at him another moment, shaking his head. Then he walked away, leaving Dusaan to hope that he wouldn’t see fit to speak of this with any of the other Qirsi.

Stavel ate his midday meal alone in the kitchen as he did each day, reflecting with satisfaction on the morning’s discussion. He knew that the high chancellor didn’t particularly like him, and that the younger ministers thought him too cautious. But he knew as well that voices of reason were needed in a court like this one, that at times it was more important that a chancellor be respected than liked.

This matter in the south was a perfect example. It would have been too easy to advise the emperor to capitulate to the demands made by Lord Muelry. No one wanted to see the people in Muelry starve, Stavel least of all. He had been born in the city of Muelry. Even after his mother and father journeyed to Hanyck so that his father could become a minister in the court there, his mother continued to refer to Muelry as their home. Few in the palace knew this about him. He had told the emperor once, many years ago, but no doubt Harel had forgotten. None of the other Qirsi had ever bothered to ask.

Nevertheless, his loyalties to Muelry were of little importance, and though he didn’t wish to see the people there suffer, he also didn’t believe that customs were to be abandoned lightly. The people of Grensyn had long laid claim to the lands in question, and they deserved consideration as well. That was why he had been so pleased when he thought of the compromise he presented that morning, and why he had been even more delighted when the high chancellor agreed with him. Serving in the emperor’s court was a great honor, but it could be disheartening at times. Harel had so many Qirsi advisors that a man like Stavel, who lacked the ambition of others, could find himself ignored more often than not. All of which made what had happened that morning so gratifying.

There had been a time when Stavel thought he might become high chancellor. He had been here longer than most, and when the former high chancellor died, many expected that the emperor would choose Stavel to replace her. But around that time Dusaan came to the court, and though he was young, even Stavel could see that he was not like other Qirsi. He carried himself with the confidence of a warrior and made no secret of the fact that he wielded four magics, more than most Qirsi. Harel, who had long taken pride in the number of powerful Qirsi he attracted to his court, saw this new minister as a prize, and immediately offered to make him high chancellor. Dusaan, of course, accepted, as any Qirsi would have done. Stavel’s friends in the court were outraged, though naturally they kept their anger to themselves, fearing the emperor’s wrath. For his part, Stavel accepted the emperor’s decision with equanimity. He thought himself a formidable man-intelligent, passionate when passion was warranted, and powerful in his own right, possessing gleaning, fire, and shaping magic. But he couldn’t compete with a man who wielded four magics, and so he didn’t even think to try. Whatever disappointment he felt was tempered by his knowledge of how difficult was the life of a high chancellor. He didn’t envy the man, at least not much.