L. Modesitt - Colors of Chaos

Cerryl glanced from the white-and-blonde-haired Kinowin to Redark. “You requested this meeting, Overmage. Perhaps you should begin.” He took a sip of water from the goblet, then poured water for both overmages.

“Ah…yes, ser.” Redark took a sip from the goblet before him. “There is no doubt, ser, no doubt at all, that you are the most powerful mage-in a quiet sort of way, you understand. But not all understand your power, and you are young…”

Cerryl smiled. “I understand.”

“At first…well…every High Wizard must take some time.” Redark shrugged. “It has been more than a season since you assumed the amulet, and spring has turned, and summer is upon us.”

“And?” asked Cerryl politely.

“Recluce…the Black Isle remains aloof. Their traders ply the Eastern Ocean, and they carry cargoes that should be from Candar. You have spoken well and often-”

“Their traders, or those receiving goods in Candar, now pay the full surtax,” Cerryl answered mildly.

“Those ships are few,” protested Redark, his voice rising slightly. “Many feel that the time to act has long passed. Were it not for having had three High Wizards in near as many years…”

“I do understand. The time to act will come. That is why you and Kinowin will explain to the Guild at the next meeting why we are not recalling any of the White Lancers or mages from Spidlar.”

Redark frowned. “We are not? They have been there for near on four years. They should be gathered for the attack on Recluce.”

Cerryl forced a broader and more winning smile, then nodded toward Kinowin. “I am but following the path laid out by my esteemed predecessors and by you and Kinowin. All of you foresaw the need for Fairhaven to gain control of the northern traders. That was to assure that the shipping tariffs and the surtax were paid. I continue to defer to your expertise. We have, of course, finally managed to do something about Tyrhavven, so that the viscount has not been able to use that port and the Sligan traders to evade his tariff responsibilities, as he once did. But Rystryr will not continue to pay those duties unless we keep the lancers to support Heralt and his assistants.”

“Ah…I had talked with young Anya,” Redark went on in a modulated voice. “She is of the opinion that Recluce remains the greatest danger facing the Guild.”

“She is indeed quite knowledgeable,” Cerryl said smoothly.

“She continues to be most concerned about Recluce and the threat which the Black Isle poses.”

“As are we all,” Cerryl agreed.

“There are a number of mages who feel this must be addressed above all,” Redark continued, leaning forward. “I fear you do not appreciate the intensity of feeling.”

An amused smile flitted across Kinowin’s face, vanishing before Redark straightened to await Cerryl’s response.

“I understand that, and we are working on plans to do so. This effort to gain greater control of trade is part of that plan. It will enable us to raise the resources to deal with Recluce.”

“Would you be so kind as to explain, ser?” Redark’s brow furrowed.

“I had thought Sterol and Jeslek would have been more forthcoming,” Cerryl said, “but they had much with which to occupy their talents. We now have nearly a score of ships upon the Northern and Eastern Oceans, enforcing the tariff rules. Is that not so?”

“Ah…somewhat slightly less than that.”

“And if we remove these ships and place them in a fleet to attack Recluce? What happens to the golds we have been collecting?”

“Ah…are you suggesting that they might not be collected? That they would defy the High Wizard?”

“I have noticed that in the past the Guild has had trouble collecting golds anywhere that we did not have several mages and detachments of lancers. That was true even when Jeslek was High Wizard, and he was the most powerful chaos wielder in many generations.” Cerryl smiled apologetically. “I cannot see why that would change unless we changed something else.”

“What do you propose changing?” Kinowin asked, as if to forestall any objection Redark might have.

“By using friendly traders, detachments of lancers, and junior mages with knowledge to ensure all ships that port in Eastern Candar pay their just tariffs, we have begun to do two things. You see that, of course.” Cerryl favored the ginger-bearded overmage with a smile. “We can free the older and more experienced mages for service against Recluce, and we can free the ships we have been using to enforce the tariffs for an action to blockade Recluce itself, to strike at the heart of the problem.”

Redark frowned.

“But…you know all this.” Cerryl smiled. “It has taken me some time and study to comprehend the brilliance of what you all had devised, and for that I beg your indulgence. I am now working to complete the plan so that we may have enough warships free of tariff-collecting duties to assemble a true fleet.”

“How long might this take?”

“I doubt that any would wish to serve on the ships of a fleet too small for the task at hand. Still, I would suspect that we should be ready to assemble a fleet by summer’s end.”

“Might I tell Anya of this?”

Cerryl forced a cold and bright smile. “It might be best if Anya were to speak to me directly. I would hate to have something I said taken falsely, and so would you, Overmage.” He paused. “Would you not?”

“Ah…yes. I can see that.” Redark did not quite stammer. “What might I convey, then?”

“That I share your concerns, and hers, and that I look forward to meeting with her about just those concerns.” Cerryl rose, to signify the end of the meeting.

“Might I trouble you for a personal matter, ser?” asked Kinowin quietly. His eyes went to Redark.

“By your leave?” said the younger overmage.

“By my leave. If you have other thoughts on how we might speed the assembly against Recluce, I would be most glad to hear them over the next eight-day or so.” Cerryl fingered his chin as if thinking. “Oh…you might tell Anya that I am working on something, but that I said she should hear it from me, given her interest and expertise.”

“Ah…that I will.”

Cerryl maintained the smile until the white oak door shut.

“You are getting dangerous, Cerryl.” Kinowin shook his head. “But words won’t stop Anya and the older mages who wish to sit in Fairhaven and collect their stipends.”

“I know.” Cerryl’s voice was bleak. “I know.”

“You also play a dangerous game in admitting to an attack on Recluce. Even Sterol knew such would be foredoomed.”

“The attack will fail,” Cerryl admitted, “no matter how many ships are used.” The crooked smile that he found coming more often appeared. “That is why the fleet must carry some of the more experienced and older mages.”

“That, too, might be fraught with risk.”

“Life is fraught with risk.” Cerryl shrugged. “I am but a young High Wizard who will do his poor best to restore the luster of the Guild.”

“You’d better practice the humility more,” Kinowin suggested.

They both laughed.

CERRYL LOOKED AT the weaver. The man’s lined face was haggard, and two children looked up from the corner beyond the floor loom. Despite the open shutters, little breeze flowed into the hot room.

“I’ve come to pay a debt,” the mage said.

“I do not recall, ser.” The man kept his eyes downcast, away from the mage’s whites and away from the golden amulet that hung around Cerryl’s neck.

“Are you the consort of Pattera?” asked Cerryl gently.

“She is dead, honored ser.”

“I had heard.” Cerryl extended the leather purse. “Once, when we were children,” he lied, “she gave me what coin she had, and those coins made all the difference. I’ve been away, and I would that I could have repaid her. These are for her children.”