Ambition and Alavidha

by Candy Rae

  “The Larg?”

  “They have neither the dexterity nor the knowledge Thalia. No, it’s humankind who have the inclination, knowledge and potential ability to destroy us all. Find the core Thalia, find the core before the King of Leithe or another man who is far more ambitious and evil, gets his hands on it. Even the threat is dangerous. The Avuzdel are as we speak, keeping a weather eye on every person on the planet who they suspect might have had access to the information. Everyone is being investigated.”

  “We’re on the trail Father. We go to Galliard. Hal says that the frigate is fast and the thief shipped out on a merchantman. We might even reach Galliard before him.”

  “Let us hope that you do. Now go enjoy what time you have left with your mother and sister. And, Thalia, I’m proud of you girl. Never said it before but I am now. I should have. My fault.”

  For the first time in years father and daughter smiled at each other and shared a look of love and understanding.

  “Be careful Thalia,” her father warned.

  * * * * *

  -35-

  STEWARTON - ARGYLL

  Francis Durand, Foreign Secretary for the Ruling Council of Argyll sat back in his chair and watched the dusk-sky darken into night. He had much to think about.

  The reports were worrying, frightening even.

  The Intelligence Service he had inherited from his predecessors was good, not as good as perhaps, the Avuzdel, well, if he was honest with himself, it was definitely not as good as them, but it was efficient as far as funds and ability would allow and one could always apply to the said Avuzdel for help.

  But not this time and he was at a loss to understand why.

  This time the reply had been short and uninformative although most polite.

  He read it again.

  ‘Unfortunately, we cannot help you at this time,’ the Susa of the Avuzdel had written, ‘but we have made discreet enquiries on your behalf. There is no cause for concern about the population movements within Vadath. As the culture of the Lind is at bottom, being that of hunters of prey, it is natural that if the meat herds move on to pastures new that the rtaths of the Lind will move on also.

  We shall however, keep you informed of any developments and tell you about anything we feel you should be concerned about.

  Yours

  Susa Wilf and Asya.’

  And that’s basically me being told, no ordered, to keep my human nose out of their business. Francis tusked with vexation. There is something going on, I’m sure of it. As if I didn’t have enough to worry about either.

  His other main worry was about the growing strength of the Island Kingdom of Leithe and that of the other island states falling under Leithe’s influence. The powerful, rich merchants who were the true power behind the government in Argyll were growing worried about the safety of their ships, their profits and wanted something done about it. Port taxes in some of the Leithe influenced islands had quadrupled in as many years. The sound of anguish from the merchant houses and the guilds had been very audible.

  So, Francis Durand, with this to worry about, could have well done without the enigma of what was happening in Vadath and further west.

  He knew that Leithe must be the priority. However, Francis was a curious person.

  I’ll send a couple of agents west to make enquiries, he decided and as another thought struck him, I can write to Katie! She might know. I’ll write tomorrow, wonder where she and Kenlei are stationed at the moment?

  But tomorrow came and another crisis landed on Francis Durand’s desk. He didn’t write to his sister Katie. He did manage to remember to send two agents into Vadath.

  * * * * *

  -36-

  PORT LUTTERELL - ARGYLL

  It was a bell and a half before the frigate was due to sail.

  “What’s wrong Thalia?” asked Daniel with concern.

  The two of them were sitting in the guest common room at the Supply Station waiting for Hal. He was taking them out for a quick nuncheon. Zeb wasn’t going with them.

  He was reading. The boy was demonstrating an amazing aptitude for learning (now that he was being taught properly and not by uninterested elementary teachers who ran the free schools in Stewarton). He was sitting in his room demolishing (Daniel’s description) a history book reader and was finding the stories contained therein absorbing, far more absorbing than a meal out with the adults.

  Daniel was watching Thalia. She was sitting, lost in thought, unaware of his gaze.

  “Quarter bit for them?” he asked.

  “Wh _ at?”

  “What’s wrong Thalia?”

  “What makes you think something is wrong?” Thalia was temporising and he knew it.

  “I’ve never known you to stay so silent for so long,” he answered, “so I know you’re bothering about something.”

  Thalia sighed.

  “It’s Tara,” she said.

  “Your sister?”

  “Yes, I know she’s not happy, despite what Hal said. Daniel, I’m sure she doesn’t want the academic life that Father has set for her but she’s scared about saying. Father can be very intimidating.”

  “She wants adventure, like you?” Daniel hazarded.

  “I believe she does but she didn’t say anything to me, it’s more a feeling I’ve got, a gut feeling.”

  “You should pay attention to feelings,” advised Daniel.

  : Daniel talks a lot of sense : Josei told her : leave it with me :

  : Josei! Keep your great big paws out of the cauldron! What will be will be. Let Tara make her own decisions. There’s plenty of time :

  * * * * *

  “I’ll take you to the ship,” Hal offered after their meal and on their return to the Supply Station, “Captain’s a friend of mine.”

  “Why, thanks Hal,” Thalia replied, settling her uniform tunic to rights.

  Daniel thought it looked good on her, just fitting her trim figure, trim after years alindback. The silver trimmings at cuff and collar set it of to perfection.

  Much smarter than the Royal Guard, he decided.

  As they rode down to the quayside Hal expanded both on their voyage and on the character of his friend.

  “Quarters will be a bit tight I’m afraid and I don’t think you’ll be all that popular in the wardroom. The Dalina is a frigate and space is at a premium at the best of times. Alun will have prepared space for Josei and Vya in the wardroom, it’s a short jump from the deck. Aya and I have dined there from time to time. Alun is a career officer and a good one if a bit different than some. Bit different than most. He obeys orders, don’t get me wrong but he’s prepared to strike out on his own if the need arises. That’s one of the reasons why the Admiral selected him for this job. He’s also the Admiral’s son-in-law. He’ll get you to Galliard no problem. Would you be amenable to a spot of advice?”

  “Advice is free,” answered Daniel.

  “Take him into your confidence. He can keep a secret and you might need his help before all this is over. Help works best if based on informed reasoning. He knows what you are doing is important and will even disobey orders at a pinch to get the job done. He’s hit some problems in the past because of this amongst the more conservative members of the naval leadership though he’s managed to weather it so far. I wouldn’t count on him ever making Admiral though. Too much of a maverick.”

  “What’s his name?” asked Daniel.

  “Commander Alun Hallam.”

  “They get everywhere, don’t they?” queried Thalia, “Argyll, Murdoch, there’s even a Hallam family in Vadath, they farm to the west.”

  “Might not be inter-related,” Hal answered, “there’s an entire island of them out there. When islanders come to the mainland they often use their island of origin as a surname no matter what they were called back home.”

  “So Tom the Cartwright becomes Tom Hallam, is that it?”

  “Precisely. I approve myself, makes keeping track of them a tad easier. The Dalina
isn’t one of the bigger frigates. She flies like the wind though, all Alun’s crew are volunteers, he takes on no pressed men or women. Doesn’t need to, he’s a good officer, from a long line of distinguished naval officers.”

  * * * * *

  Neither Chad nor the five who were chasing him knew it but the frigate shipped anchor a scant three days after Chad had left the mainland in an armed merchantman. He could have waited and bought passage on an even cheaper, round-bottomed, slower vessel but he was becoming nervous. Young Zeb would have realised by now that he had been double crossed and that Chad was not returning to the farm and quite possibly that he, Chad had not been going to Farquharstown at all. He had to assume that Zeb had sent word to his uncle and that an irate Nonder would have sent hired henchmen out to search for him. Nonder Walmson had a very long arm and was an important and powerful member of the Argyllian criminal fraternity.

  * * * * *

  That evening, Thalia’s sister Tara went for a walk in the garden. She often did this of an evening; to help clear her brain for sleep. Sometimes it was thumping so hard it didn’t want to rest and sleep became difficult.

  She spied a shadow at the back gate.

  “Tara?” It was a whisper.

  “Yes?” Tara walked closer, quite unafraid. It was her own garden after all. What was there to fear here?

  “It is Lyei, friend of Thalia and Josei. I have a message for you.”

  “What is it? Is it from Thalia?” asked Tara, surprisingly composed for one who is having a conversation with a Lind, at dusk, at the bottom of one’s parent’s garden.

  “Josei says that if it adventure you seek to be here at the Midnight Bell two moon nights from now. Bring with you a holdall with clothes and food. One will come.”

  The shadow disappeared and Tara began to wonder if she had dreamt the whole thing.

  * * * * *

  -37-

  THE GREAT EASTERN SEA

  Thalia stood watching as the shore faded over the horizon. Beside her stood Josei and off to one side was Vya, with her ever present little shadow beside her.

  For some reason Thalia’s eyes kept filling with tears. Because her sight was a bit muzzy, because of the tears, she didn’t realise that Josei’s large eyes were moist too.

  : Why is it that I am thinking I’ll never see home again? :

  : Home is where we are, together : he answered : the actual place of the ground beneath our paws is immaterial :

  : Lai’s wings! That’s a profound statement and a half! Whatever do you mean Josei? :

  : Never mind : he didn’t answer her question.

  * * * * *

  In the tiny cabin that has been allocated to her Thalia was going through the bag her brother had given her. She had been too busy to look before. Daniel had squeezed himself inside too. There was no room for Josei and Vya who were ensconced in the leftenant’s mess holding court in front of the entranced junior officers. Zeb was exploring the ship. Daniel hoped that he wouldn’t get into too much trouble.

  Thalia had no such qualms and said, with an arch look at Daniel, “Zeb’s got sense, more than some I could mention.”

  She hefted out several small jingling bags of coin then a bundle of papers. They were letters of introduction and safe-conducts.

  “This one’s from Susa Malkum,” she told Daniel, laying it aside and adding, “these are from the Ambassadors of Randall, Eilidon and the Galliard Cartel.”

  “This one,” she announced, wafting it past his face in an impressive manner, “is from the Murdochian Ambassador to Vadath no less!”

  “What’s his name?” asked Daniel, trying to read the signature upside down. He wished to learn the name of the man who had ordered him on this mission. He had been resentful but the resentment had long ago faded away but he still wanted to know.

  “It’s difficult to make out but it looks like, I think the first word is Count, yes it is, then the second word looks like it might be Peter but the second ‘e’ could be an ‘a’, Smith and a wriggle that could be anything.”

  “Let me see.” She handed it over.

  “Yes,” said Daniel, scrutinising the document, “Count Peter Smith. I don’t know him well but I am acquainted with his eldest son, he’s the same age as me. I was groomsman at his wedding. Good man. Fiercely loyal to the crown, as all of the southerly ducal houses are. I wonder how your Susa Malkum persuaded him to issue this? It’s basically got the same power as a royal edict; he must have talked pretty persuasively.”

  “He might know what it is we are searching for and realises the danger, I wonder how much Susa Malkum told him? He can’t have told him the full truth surely? Probably used our cover story about the theft of the McAllister sword. Hope he doesn’t put two and two together and make a credible four of it and send word back to Murdoch. If he has we might be battling against more than the King of Leithe’s agents all anxious to get their hands on the core. My father is very worried about that possibility.”

  Josei, who had been listening, added his bit : they are monitoring all his letters to the Queen and to Murdoch. Susa Malkum and Freya will make sure no word of the real reason gets out but he did have to tell him more than he wished to get him to issue the document :

  Thalia repeated Josei’s words to Daniel, adding, “it’s unlikely we’ll have to go through Murdoch anyway. If our suspicions are right it is to Leithe we will be going.”

  * * * * *

  “Have you had any problems with the Leithe Navy Captain?” Daniel asked Alun Hallam over dinner, “I’d heard that its ship numbers are growing.”

  “Not a one. There’s a sort of undefined line which separates our respective spheres of influence. We don’t sail on to their side and they do the same with ours. The situation is tense but not that tense, yet.”

  “Where does Galliard sit?”

  “It’s well inside our waters.”

  “That’s good, one less thing to worry about.”

  “We’ll reach it at Eighth Bell the day after tomorrow. How do you want to play it Vadeln Thalia? I’ll be going ashore when we berth, I have to register with the Port Authorities. The Cartel is very big on everything being documented and in its proper place.”

  “May I join you?” she asked.

  “I was hoping you would. We could kill two vuz with one stone and ask them about recent arrivals, not that they will hold records of individual passengers, That’s left to the inns and hostels, they’re more concerned about cargoes but you never know.”

  “I can go ashore,” interrupted Zeb, “ask some questions.”

  “I think our Zeb would manage to fit right in,” agreed Daniel, “keep out of any trouble though, no lifting little treasures out of unsuspecting pockets for instance.”

  “He is rather good at that, isn’t he?” replied Thalia, laughing but holding on to Zeb’s innocent-looking face with a stern gaze. The evening before Zeb had treated them to a demonstration of his skills. “I’m repeating Daniel’s warning. I don’t want to have to bail you out of jail.”

  “I’ll stay here with Josei and Vya,” said Daniel. “Lind presence would arouse comment and that’s something we want to avoid if possible. I don’t sound like a Vadeln of the Vada either, uniform or not.”

  “They’ll understand,” agreed Thalia referring to the fact that Josei and Vya would have to remain on the ship. Then a sense of mischievousness reared itself within Thalia’s breast. “I think you should join us ashore Vadeln Daniel. Think of it as a chance to strut around in Vada maroon.”

  Daniel gave her a withering look which she ignored.

  “What are the rules about warships in harbour Captain?” she asked. “Is there a limit on the time we can stay here? I seem to remember reading something about that.”

  “Only in times of war,” he answered, “and there is no war around, yet. If we were at war and there was an opposing warship in harbour when we arrived we would have to give them a day before following.”

  “I don’t understand,”
piped up Zeb from his position behind Daniel.

  “Gives a smaller vessel a sporting chance to get away,” Alun Hallam explained. “Now, I’ve got orders from the Admiral to help you in every way I can. When you leave the island I am authorised to take you where you need to go, within reason.”

  “Could you define within reason?” asked Daniel.

  “I won’t go into the territorial waters of Leithe, I don’t want to provoke an international incident, nor is my command a ship of the line. She’s built for speed, not for taking a pounding from cannonball after cannonball and things are tense enough already. Rumour has it that Cadan of Leithe has asked the fleets of Randall and Eilidon to ally with his. If they do then the combined fleets would certainly be able to threaten the navies of Murdoch and even Argyll, though not both together. A three-way stand off. That would be the best situation.”