Bonds of Vengeance (64 page)

Dusaan had to grit his teeth. “Yes. Thank you, Your Eminence.”

“Still, I think it wise to speak of this with Uriad before making my decision. Don’t you agree?”

Dusaan winced inwardly, but said only, “By all means, Your Eminence. I have no doubt that the master of arms will have much to say about this.”

Uriad Ganjer, the emperor’s master of arms, was one of the most intelligent and formidable Eandi the Weaver had ever met. Dusaan actually liked the man, though he knew that when the time came to wrest control of the empire from Harel, Uriad would have to be the first man to die. The master of arms was also a talented military strategist who weighed risks carefully and cared a good deal about the men under his command. Dusaan fully expected Uriad to oppose any attempt to hurry the invasion along. He felt equally sure, however, that when
faced with conflicting advice from the chancellor and the master of arms, the emperor would side with Dusaan, not because he trusted the Qirsi more but rather because he wanted to invade now.

The emperor called to one of his guards and instructed the man to have Uriad summoned to the chamber at once.

“Do you have evidence that the Eibitharians are building up their forces?” the emperor asked, as he began to eat again.

“Nothing certain, no. But they will have noticed our ships in the Scabbard and the Strait of Wantrae. They’d have to be fools not to see this as a threat to their fleet and their northern shores. In addition, we have some reports of discussions between Eibithar’s new king and dukes from Wethyrn and Caerisse. Kearney may be hoping to gather allies in preparation for a war.”

Harel nodded, chewing vigorously. “No doubt he is. We can’t allow that to happen.”

“Quite so, Your Eminence.”

Uriad arrived a few moments later, his face flushed and damp with sweat. He was a tall man, and lanky. His hair and eyes were black, making it clear to all who saw him that while he now served the empire, he had been born elsewhere. As Dusaan understood his family history, the man’s father had been a merchant from Tounstrel in southern Aneira who took his family from that realm when the wharfages imposed by the Solkaran king became too onerous. Uriad had been but a boy at the time and he spoke without a trace of an Aneiran accent.

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.

He had hoped to build a friendship with the new high chancellor, just as he had with Dusaan’s predecessor, but it soon became apparent that Dusaan and the emperor meant to change the high chancellor’s responsibilities from what they had been. What little contact Stavel and the other Qirsi had with the emperor diminished even further. Dusaan became a conduit of sorts, meeting first with the emperor and then with the other ministers and chancellors, carrying orders from one and counsel from the other. Stavel could see where the new arrangement might be attractive to Harel, keeping his audiences brief and simple, but it left many of the Qirsi feeling superfluous, even resentful. For his part, Stavel accepted this new state of affairs, realizing that there was little he could do to change it. “All that matters,” he told himself and any others who would listen, “is that we continue to offer sound advice to the emperor.”

He viewed days like this one as a vindication of his forbearance.

When he had finished his meal, he returned to his chamber, as he did each day, to write out the minutes of the day’s discussion. No one had ever asked him to do it; he had taken on the task himself. But Dusaan had once mentioned that he found the documents helpful, and so Stavel had continued the practice. Once he completed his work, he walked to the gardens, enjoying the late-day sunshine and the warm breezes blowing down from the hills.

It was there, wandering among the swelling buds of the roses, blackthorns, and woodbine, that he encountered the emperor. Harel was with the youngest of his wives, and several guards walked before them and behind. Stavel stood to the side and allowed them to pass, bowing as the emperor and empress stepped by him.

The emperor nodded to him, then hesitated.

“You’re Stavel, aren’t you?” he asked.

The chancellor could not help but smile as he said, “Yes, Your Eminence, I am.”

“The high chancellor told me it was your idea to make our solution in the south a temporary one, as a way of appeasing Lord Grensyn.”

“Yes, Your Eminence.”

“A fine idea, Chancellor. Well done.”

Stavel bowed again, his heart racing. “Thank you, Your Eminence.”

“I was also pleased to hear that the rest of you thought it wise to begin the invasion early. It’s good to see all the gold I pay you Qirsi being put to good use.”

Harel started to walk on

“Yes, Your Eminence,” the chancellor called after him, abruptly confused. “Thank you.”

They hadn’t even discussed the invasion. Not at all. They hadn’t spoken of it in days. Certainly the ministers and chancellors as a group had reached no decision at all regarding the timing of the assault on Eibithar. Stavel doubted that they would decide anything of the sort without hearing first from the master of arms. And even then, he didn’t see how rushing the invasion could serve any purpose. For a moment he considered following the emperor to ask just what Dusaan had told him, but he quickly thought better of it. Harel had honored him by speaking to him at all. For Stavel to ask any more of him, and in particular to ask him about a conversation he and the high chancellor had in private, would have been utterly inappropriate. There was no telling how the emperor would respond.