L. Modesitt Jr - Antiagon Fire

“You look beautiful.” Quaeryt appraised his wife, who wore a long black dress with a silver and black jacket.

“I can barely fit into this.”

“That doesn’t show.”

“It will before long,” said Vaelora. “I worried you’d forgotten we were having dinner…”

“No. I had to meet with Skarpa and Major Zhelan. I also dropped in and paid my respects to Submarshal Myskyl, then rode out and met with Subcommander Alazyn.”

“How was the good submarshal?”

“We were very polite. He intimated that Khel would be loyal to Bhayar and that if it weren’t, it would be my fault. I said that Khel had never been loyal to Kharst and the Pharsi Khellans especially didn’t see Bhayar as Kharst’s successor, but that I would certainly endeavor to establish such loyalty. He intimated that I was a devious schemer, if one enthusiastically loyal to Bhayar. I blandly noted that his and Rescalyn’s actions in Tilbor were masterful, and that I had learned much from them. We parted with amicable words.”

“But far from amicably.”

“Politely. He’s never liked nor trusted me, and I certainly don’t trust him. More important, I don’t think your brother should. Ever.”

“While you were ill, dearest, as I may have mentioned, we did discuss that. He will watch both Deucalon and Myskyl closely. He does believe that they have their uses.”

“Don’t we all?”

“Of course. Yours are just more valuable and longer lasting. And … we should be joining dear brother, dearest…” murmured Vaelora.

Quaeryt grinned. “A polite reminder to begin escorting you down the stairs and into dinner. Do you know who else will be there?”

“Marshal Deucalon, I believe, and perhaps several others.”

“Officers … local High Holders?”

“Brother dear did not convey that information to me.”

When they reached the main level and had walked a good fifty yards toward the front of the large hold house, they came to an undercaptain standing by the open door to the chamber adjoining the dining room. “Lady, Commander…”

“Thank you.” Quaeryt allowed Vaelora to guide him while giving the impression that he was the one leading, into the sitting room … or reception chamber.

There, Bhayar and Deucalon stood talking, half facing the window overlooking one of the already frost-killed gardens. Near the hearth at the end of the room away from the open double doors leading to the formal dining chamber stood two other men. One was white-haired, with a lined but tanned face, who wore the vestments of a chorister of the Nameless. The other, gray-haired, wore a formal black jacket and a pale gray shirt, with a high collar.

Bhayar turned. “Vaelora, Quaeryt…” He smiled at her. “You are lovely this evening.”

“You commanded that I look my best,” replied Vaelora with an expression just short of mischievous.

“You both know Marshal Deucalon, of course. The distinguished-looking chorister there is Amalyt D’Anomen. He has been the chorister of the Anomen Regis … before it was damaged by the storms created in the battle. The equally distinguished personage in black is Chamion D’Council, the head councilor of the city of Variana.” Bhayar turned to the two local officials. “Commander Quaeryt is the most battle-wounded and tested of my commanders, and also the husband of my charming youngest sister, Vaelora.”

Both the chorister and the councilor inclined their heads.

“The commander is also an imager and a scholar,” added Bhayar. “We’ve known each other since we were students, but that’s never prevented him from disagreeing with me.”

“Battle-wounded…?” ventured Amalyt. “I would not have thought…” He shook his head and added, almost apologetically, “Scholars here are much … different, it appears.”

“You might explain, Quaeryt,” suggested Bhayar. “Briefly.”

“I never set out to be an officer,” began Quaeryt. “I was pressed into service in the revolt in Tilbor. After the revolt, I served briefly as princeps of Tilbor, then as temporary governor of Montagne province after the earthquake and eruption there, long enough to restore order, before being called to serve as a subcommander in the campaign that led to Variana.”

“Commander Quaeryt proved most effective in leading from the front and forging somewhat inexperienced troops and officers into a most effective and devastating force,” said Deucalon smoothly. “He came close to dying at least twice.”

“I do believe dinner is waiting,” said Bhayar, nodding toward the open double doors, standing back, and then following the others.

A shorter table had been set, with screens shortening the room and blocking off the long table. Bhayar stood behind the chair at the end closest to the double doors from the sitting room, while Deucalon took the chair at the end of the table opposite Bhayar. To Bhayar’s right was Chamion, and to his left was Vaelora. Amalyt was seated below Vaelora, and Quaeryt below Chamion.

Once the others were seated, Bhayar settled himself at the head of the table and waited for the ranker in formal greens to fill the crystal goblets with a pale amber vintage. Then he raised his goblet. “My appreciation to our guests for their courtesy in joining us.”

“And our appreciation to you, Lord Bhayar,” replied Chamion in a raspy deep voice, “for seeking us out.”

After everyone had drunk, or sipped, the toast, and as the uniformed servers began slipping soup bowls before the diners, Bhayar spoke again. “I sought you out in hopes you could provide observations and other thoughts that will make the next months … less disruptive for everyone.”

“If I might say so, Lord Bhayar,” replied Amalyt immediately, with a slightly testy edge to his voice, “the very fact of your inviting us suggests that you wish the choristers of the Nameless to be supportive of your rule. While I certainly would rather have peace than anarchy or continuing conflict, I would suggest that the Nameless cannot be invoked as supporting or opposing any ruler…”

Bhayar glanced to Quaeryt.

“Honored Chorister,” began Quaeryt, “Rex Kharst attacked Telaryn with no warning or provocation after he learned that the former and ancient capital of Telaryn had been partly destroyed by fire and earthquake. When Lord Bhayar responded, Rex Kharst immediately threatened all his people and High Holders with death and worse if they so much as sold a single keg of flour to the armed forces of Telaryn. He had his own men burn the fields of poor tenants. He dispatched assassins against his own High Holders. Lord Bhayar and all his commanders have taken great pains to avoid creating unnecessary suffering for the people of Bovaria, and he has treated them far more fairly than did Rex Kharst.”

“I cannot dispute you, Commander, nor would I even if your words were not true, although I must admit that at least some of what you say, and perhaps more, is unhappily so. My concern and belief is that such views not be discussed in the anomen.”

“I can understand your feelings, Chorister Amalyt,” responded Quaeryt in as gentle but firm a voice as he could manage, “but so far as I am aware, and you may certainly correct me if I misspeak, the Nameless stands above physically taking sides in the conflicts of men. Yet … over time, those who have served the Nameless have often expressed their views about the practices of rulers and High Holders and whether those practices were in accord with the precepts set forth as worthy of the Nameless. If I recall correctly”-Quaeryt paused just slightly, then continued-“in olden times, the noted chorister Tharyn Arysyn barred even Rholan the Unnamer from the north anomen in Montagne, not far from Rholan’s own home, saying that only those who had studied the Nameless could speak and that Rholan’s teachings were not in accord with the ways of Tela. Perhaps I am misinterpreting that history, but it would appear that the chorister was using the imprimatur of the Nameless in support of the way things were, and that includes the ways of ruling. Likewise, is it not true that when barely a man, Rholan supported the Chorister Sumaal, when Sumaal allowed High Holder Quintus of Montagne to proclaim the unfitness of Lord Suffryk of Tela to rule? As I have read, Rholan declared that Sumaal was only doing what any good chorister should do in allowing Quintus to apply the precepts of the Nameless to rulers as well as to the common man, the tradesman, the factor, or the High Holder.” Quaeryt looked to Amalyt, waiting.