The High King: Book Two of the 'Riothamus' trilogy (23 page)

Imperceptibly
his face tightened, “I have also become aware of a certain lack of
respect by the hierarchy of Haulgard to the other cities and towns
of the Province. Lately Haulgard seems to have adopted an attitude
of condescension towards anyone who is not of Haulgard. This must
of course stop at once.”

Aran let the
low conversation sweep across the table then held up his hand for
silence. Immediately the muttering died away.

“I ask this
not out of any sort of ill-spirit towards you all. The truth of it
is that this is a time when the Province must stand as one. Only in
unity shall we find the strength to overcome our enemies.”

Tuuvam looked
across at his king. Aran indicated that he should speak.

“My lord
King…you have called the Council to task on these matters.” He
sighed audibly, “Although the Council has had a long and
illustrious history, I am afraid that lately certain members have
allowed their personal ambitions to tangle the very fabric of the
Council—undermining the efficient and just governance of the
Province.”

The Council
chamber grew deathly quiet at the Spokesman’s censorious words.
“With the Andurian line reinstated we must now answer to a higher
authority, and I promise you that we will effect immediate and
sweeping changes to bring the Council to order.”

Aran nodded,
“Do as you must Councillor Tuuvam. However I would remind you that
the Council exists to help the Province and not to hinder it in any
way. I also believe that a non-Haulgard biased observer should be
admitted to your ranks in order to assist your deliberations and
speed the process towards fruition.”

Aran turned to
the Archmage, “Archmage Maran, I would ask you to select from the
mages who ride with us a suitable man or women who will be able to
act as an honorary Councillor during this time of change. This mage
should possess qualities of intelligence and diplomacy,” he added,
his voice heavy with irony, “For he or she will have the full power
of your name behind them.”

Maran inclined
his head, “Of course my lord. I will consider this matter and make
my choice before we ride out tomorrow morning.”

“My lord
King,” Tuuvam spoke again, “Time grows short before the banquet.
Let us now quickly discuss the changes you want effected, and the
Council’s roles and responsibilities during the months ahead…”

*

“Well what did
you think?” Aran asked his friends later that evening as he walked
with them to the feast hall.

Darven shook
his head in amazement, “Aran you astound me! Never have I known a
man who could blatantly infuriate the Council in one breath, then
have them eating out of the palm of his hand in the next.” He
stared at his king in disbelief, “At one moment I was ready to draw
my sword to defend you, and then I was amazed to hear the Council
actually apologising for its behaviour. Does such talent come
naturally to you Aran, or did you learn it at Master Cody’s forge
in Leigh?”

Aran drew his
cloak about him and smiled tightly, “I am just sick of
mealy-mouthed dealings with Haulgard and their Council. It is past
time that someone stood up to their absurdities, and I just
happened to be the only one in the Province, bar Maran, who
outranks their combined numbers.”

“True enough,”
Alissa interjected, “And I still think some of them are still
coming to terms with that…they are unused to being chastised I
think.”

“Ah well it’s
been said now,” Aran replied dismissively, shrugging his shoulders
as he put all thoughts of the Council out of his mind. “Now let us
hurry onto this feast hall. I have not eaten since I broke my fast
this morning, and I am starved.”

*

Early next
morning, as Aran swung into the saddle of his horse, he happened to
catch the considering glances of the few Councillors who had roused
themselves to see the column off.

“They will not
be displeased to see us go,” Darven muttered to Aran as he swung
his horse around and intercepted the looks of the Councillors,
“Although I believe we will be granted a warmer reception in
Leigh.”

Aran grinned
across at his friend, “I agree, but it may only be because I am a
returning son of the town than anything else.” He glanced back at
the clustering Councillors. “Tuuvam is the best of them. I only
hope that he will be able to effect the changes we put in place
last night.”

“Well at least
he will have Mage Cela to back him up,” replied Darven, “When I
went to fetch my horse this morning, there were a couple of mages
at the stables and from what I heard them say it seems that Cela’s
words can lash and caress almost at the same time. For an Earthmage
she has remarkable flair for diplomacy. I believe the Archmage has
chosen well,” he added with a smile.

*

Within minutes
the column was quickly mounted and clattering through the still
sleeping city of Haulgard. Occasionally Aran would see the distant
figure of a baker or a tradesman hurrying to his work, but more
often than not the cobbled city streets were utterly deserted.

“At least they
keep it clean,” Darven remarked riding up to join Aran at the head
of the column. “Some of the smaller towns are less fastidious, and
everything and I mean everything, gets thrown out onto the
streets.”

Aran gazed
about him at the sprawling city, “If they want to keep their city
free of pestilence and disease they have no other course of action.
We had plague in Leigh a number of years ago and the healers
finally determined that the rats were bringing the contagion in. If
the rodents have nothing to feed upon, then there will be few if
any of them about.”

“Too true,”
agreed Trevan who, riding a few feet behind had overheard the
conversation. “Generally our towns and cities are clean, the
healers and mages have seen to educating the people about that. If
plague comes, it is only because people have become lazy and
neglected their town’s hygiene.”

“What I can’t
work out is where they put their slops and rubbish.” Darven was
curiously staring about him at the freshly swept streets. “I mean
there’s not even an apple core about. A city this size must
generate a huge amount of rubbish.”

Darven urged
his mare forward, “I have spent some time in Haulgard and am quite
familiar with it.” He bent down to lightly touch the white neck of
his horse, “There is an arrangement that people keep their slops in
barrels, and their wastes in covered buckets. During the night
wagons go out to collect these containers and the slops are then
thrown into large decomposing beds…the resulting material is used
around Haulgard to enrich the local fields.”

“What about
the human wastes?” Aran asked, despite himself.

Trevan looked
up and smiled, “Most is collected in the covered buckets. There is
also line upon line of communal latrines situated in the thickness
of the city walls. All of these latrines empty out into huge
below-ground pits which the buckets are then emptied into.”

“So what
happens then?” Darven asked, fascinated.

“The Earth and
Healermages at Glaive have discovered that the blending of several
herbs and rock powders together will, if cast into this mess of
waste, break it down to a matter which can be spread across the
fields enriching them.”

Darven pulled
a face at that, and Aran frowned, “Then there is no risk of
disease?”

Trevan shook
his head, “The matter which is broken down has no smell, and is
highly beneficial to the crops. Haulgard and the other big coastal
cities have been using this process for years, and I’ve not known
of any sickness resulting from it.”

“And Glaive
taught them this?” Aran asked finally.

“The need for
the removal of human wastes to avoid illness has been known for
countless generations, but the uses of composted waste to enrich
the field? Why yes that is a Glaive idea.” Trevan said proudly.

“Then we are
indebted to Glaive,” Aran said simply. “Else it would be certain
that the fields on which Haulgard depend would soon be barren and
overworked.”

*

Before long
the column had gained the gate, and the night watch of legio
swiftly jumped to attention, saluting smartly their king and his
Guard. Being so deep within the settled security of Central Andur,
Captain Taran had arranged for the still sickly Alem, accompanied
by a small group of the Guard to ride escort on the supply wagons,
enabling the larger contingent comprising the remainder of the
Guard, and the fyrd from Dawnfast and Eastling to spur their horses
into a canter to ride swiftly towards Leigh.

Aran knew that
the Legion and garrison from Haulgard were still ahead of them on
the road, and he wanted to meet them and if time permitted, perhaps
ride ahead to greet the Legions as they arrived at Leigh.

Not wanting to
be delayed further in the city of Helmsgard, Captain Taran had
decided in consultation with Aran, and the Archmage that their
cause would be better served if they took the route to Leigh
through Haul East. Captain Taran deduced correctly that if they
took the southern road they would be obliged to spend yet another
day and night being entertained by the city elders and leaders. Any
other day they would have gladly fulfilled these obligations, but
time was pressing, and with every day that passed, it drew them
ever deeper into autumn and the unfortunate likelihood of a winter
campaign. Aran thought on these matters, as the column cantered
along the hard packed dirt road west out of Haulgard. If the horses
could endure a swift pace, then with the Goddess’s grace they might
gain Haul East by evening and then Leigh the following
afternoon.

*

‘Brother…how
fare you?’

Aran looked up
from his musings and the half-stupor he had habitually fallen into
whilst riding.

“Sarana? It is
good to hear your voice…I had feared you would not be joining us,”
Aran murmured quietly.

There was the
suggestion of a laugh in his ear, ‘How could I not abandon you. We
were born twins, and whilst you have living breath I am joined to
you like a newborn is to its mother. Could you rip out the roots of
a plant and still ask it to live and thrive in the soil
brother?’

Aran shook his
head, “So how have you spent your days, sister?”

‘Whilst I was
able, I stayed near the sea,’ Sarana’s voice breathed, ‘…now that
you and those who ride with you have struck inland, I must too stay
closer to you.’

Aran smiled,
“I am sorry Sarana, we debated about taking the southern coastal
road, but we feared our trip would be overly delayed by Helmsgard.
If we had done so you would have been able to stay near the
water.”

There was the
suggestion of the smile in her voice, ‘It is no matter, for I am
looking forward to renewing my acquaintance with the creatures
around Leigh. It has been almost two months now since you left
there.’

“Aye,” Aran
agreed “Although I look forward to seeing my foster family again, I
am apprehensive about meeting Sed. Master Cody said that he has
changed, and I fear that it is not a change for the better.”

‘Sed seemed
always jealous of you,’ Sarana told him gently. ‘I did not want to
disturb your life Arantur, so I watched over you from a distance.
Even I could tell that he wanted to be first and foremost. He is a
user, brother, and I have observed many times as he gloatingly
displayed his hunting skill over you.’

Aran nodded
sadly, “There is truth in that. I could never understand why Sed
took so much pleasure in inviting me hunting when he knew all too
well that I had no love or talent for it.”

‘He is a small
man both in stature and character, brother,’ Sarana replied. ‘Be
wary around him when you go to Leigh…if since your elevation, he
bears you great ill-favour.’

“I could give
him great wealth and position, Sarana.” Aran said puzzled. “Does he
not realise that? Any other man would think that it was his great
good fortune that a member of his family was made king. Any other
man would be already at my door asking for money or a position
within my court. Yet he shuns me and bears me ill-will.”

‘I guess that
he is jealous of you…treat him gently but with caution. It would
not do well to make an enemy of him.’

“It seems that
already he is my enemy,” Aran growled unhappily.

‘He may regard
you as his enemy, Arantur,’ Sarana murmured, ‘But do not let it be
seen that you see him as yours. You are the one who must set the
example,’ she said softly, ‘The people can easily dismiss the
frailty of an ordinary man, but they will be less generous if their
king shows flaws in his character,’ Sarana added finally.

Aran nodded,
“Very well, I will be tolerant of him…although he does himself a
great disservice by his actions.”

*

The day drew
on and the column made good time on the hard packed dirt road. Once
or twice they stopped to rest and water the horses, the second time
eating a simple meal by the side of the road. Looking about him
Aran noticed that the farmland that they had been riding through
was very similar to that further south near Leigh, although in
truth this land was flatter with wide alluvial plains which would
flood given unseasonably heavy rains and high tides. However the
very proximity of the river ensured good harvests, and an assured
water supply. This far up the Titan River the water was fresh, for
it was no longer contaminated by the tidal influences of the salt
water of the Havart Bay. As they rode, Aran could see that most of
the harvests were now in and farmers were busily preparing their
fields for winter fallow or rotation. Occasionally the looming bulk
of a haystack could be seen near an isolated farm or homestead, but
mostly the gathered crop had already been sent to market or stored
away in the tall barns which dotted the countryside. With the
fields showing either bare soil, or dying stalks of harvested crop,
and with a grey overcast sky above, the day seemed as hard and as
uncompromising as steel.