L. Modesitt Jr: Antiagon Fire

The captain stationed there inclined his head, more than perfunctorily, “Subcommander, sir.”

“Just wait until the bells strike the glass.”

“Yes, sir.”

Quaeryt did note that as soon as the first chime echoed down the wide hallway, the captain turned, walked to the study door, and rapped upon it. “Subcommander Quaeryt, sir.” Before Bhayar finished speaking, the captain opened the dark oak door and motioned for Quaeryt to enter.

The study of the late High Holder Paitrak was located on the north side of the chateau, designed to be cool in the summer. Overlooking a walled garden, now brown, with snow and ice in the shaded corners, the north outside wall held narrow floor-to-ceiling windows, each separated from the next by dark wooden bookshelves exactly the same width as the windows. The shelves also ran from floor to ceiling and, with the inside shutters open, the small leaded panes radiated a coolness not entirely dispelled by the fire in the hearth set into the east wall.

The wiry Bhayar rose from behind the wide table desk positioned before the bookshelves comprising the west wall. His shortish brown hair was disarrayed, as it often was, but his dark blue eyes were intent. “You’re looking well this morning, almost back to your old self.” His Bovarian was impeccable and far more precise, Quaeryt had discovered, than the language used by most of the chateau functionaries, unsurprisingly, since Bovarian had been the court language at Solis.

“I’m feeling well.” Quaeryt smiled.

Bhayar gestured to the chairs before the desk, then reseated himself.

Quaeryt took the leftmost chair and waited for the Lord of Telaryn and Bovaria to speak.

“Matters have been going well,” Bhayar said. “The shops and factorages in Variana are all open. The High Holders in the east and south, except for those in the southwest and those within two hundred milles to the north and west, have pledged allegiance. Most have remitted token tariffs.”

“Token?”

“Bovarian tariffs are due in the first week of Feuillyt. Most claim, and have receipts to prove it, that they had already paid. We did recover over thirty thousand golds from the strongrooms in Chateau Regis. I insisted on a token of a hundred golds from each High Holder.”

Quaeryt nodded. “What about the lands farther north and northwest?”

“Messengers have barely had a chance to reach that far.” Bhayar shrugged. “There’s also the far southwest. The clerks who survived claim that there are High Holders along the border with Antiago who haven’t paid tariffs in years. We can’t tell. Your winter freeze turned those records to mush.”

Quaeryt doubted that the cold had, but most likely the thawing had rendered poorly entered ledger entries illegible. “It’s sounding like Kharst didn’t actually rule all of his own lands.”

“He may not have. I’m not Kharst.”

“Is there anything else?” As if that weren’t already more than I wanted to learn.

“I’m pleased about the way your imagers have finished rebuilding and restructuring the interior of the Chateau Regis…”

“They did well. I rode there on Lundi. Or is there something else you would like done?”

“No … The furnishings will come as they will … but that’s not why I wanted to meet with you.” Bhayar’s dark blue eyes fixed on Quaeryt, but he said nothing more.

Because he disliked Bhayar’s gambit of using silence to force another to speak, Quaeryt nodded once more and smiled politely.

“There is the problem with Khel…”

“I can imagine. Have you heard from Major Calkoran?” The former Khellan officer had been dispatched-while Quaeryt had still been unable to hear or communicate-with the other Khellan companies to present Bhayar’s suggestion that the resurgent Pharsi High Council agree to Bhayar’s rule, under far more lenient terms than those imposed by the late Rex Kharst.

“I made him a subcommander and constituted all the Khellan companies as a battalion. He sent one dispatch from near Kherseilles. He was heading to Khelgror to meet with the new High Council.”

“What happened to the provincial governor?”

“We can’t even find any records about one. Maybe they didn’t have one. Whatever happened, I doubt it was pleasant for Kharst’s functionaries. Before Calkoran left, I revoked all the holdings of Bovarian High Holders in Khel. There weren’t many.” Bhayar frowned. “I haven’t granted any of those lands to new High Holders.”

“It might be wise not to,” suggested Quaeryt. “Not yet, anyway.”

“I’ll need to create some new High Holders…”

“I’m sure you will. I suspect you can find enough existing high holds in the former lands of old Bovaria whose holders died or who would not fit your standards to meet that need. I even ran across a few I’d be happy to recommend.”

“I’ve read your reports. There may not be enough.”

“There will doubtless be more before the consolidation is over, but you’ll only buy the same troubles you had in Tilbor-except worse-if you try creating high holdings in Khel. Besides, you need fewer High Holders, not more.”

“I’m aware of your feelings about that, Quaeryt. I’m not about to do anything in Khel until the situation is clear. Calkoran won’t be able to resolve the situation. I knew that before I dispatched him.”

“So that’s why you’re going to send me?”

“I don’t believe I’ve mentioned that to you-or anyone else. You’re wrong. I’m not sending you.” Bhayar smiled, the expression one of pleasure, with a hint of mischief. “I’m making you and Vaelora my envoys.”

“Vaelora?” asked Quaeryt. “She is with child, you know?” He didn’t keep a slight acidity from his voice.

“She rode from Solis here without stopping more than a few glasses at any one time,” said Bhayar coolly, “and that didn’t hurt her. She’s not due until late spring or early summer. I’ve had Subcommander Khaern look into the fastest means of transport. You and Vaelora, as I was about to tell you, can take Kharst’s personal canal boat along the Great Canal from Variana to Laaryn and then down the river. I’ve already arranged for the Montagne to meet you at Ephra and take you to Kherseilles. From there, you can take a flatboat up the Groral River to Khelgror. You’ll have two regiments and what’s left of your Fifth Battalion as an escort. And your imagers.”

“The Montagne is a large vessel, but she’s scarcely large enough to carry two regiments and first company,” Quaeryt pointed out, “let alone mounts for the men.”

“I also sent the Solis and made arrangements to charter ten other merchanters. You’ll have to leave most of the mounts behind, but the traders in Kherseilles should have enough mounts for you there.”

Quaeryt had his doubts about fitting two regiments and a company on even twelve ships, and whether all twelve would even arrive at Ephra. “How do I know we’ll have enough mounts at Kherseilles?”

“I’ve done what I can. You’ll have to do whatever’s necessary when you get there.” Bhayar smiled again. “There aren’t any Pharsi troopers left, except the ones you commanded, and they won’t attack you. I can’t believe that any remaining Bovarian units in Khel, if there even are any, are large enough to give you, of all my commanders, any difficulty.”

“All your commanders?”

“You’ve been promoted to commander.” Bhayar gestured to a felt pouch on the desk. “All your insignia are there. I’d appreciate it if you’d put them on before you leave the study.”

“I’ll make sure I do, sir.” Quaeryt had to admit that none of the Telaryn senior officers who’d covertly opposed him would be able to say a thing, not publicly, after his imaging had destroyed almost all the Bovarian defenders, as well as the late Rex Kharst, his court and family, and all the senior Bovarian officers … as well as more than a score of High Holders close to Kharst. Equally important, the senior Telaryn officers, especially Marshal Deucalon and Submarshal Myskyl, would be pleased to have Quaeryt out of the way. Quaeryt had no doubts that they would be planning to reduce his influence by the time he and Vaelora returned.