Bev pointed toward the smokestack just barely visible amidst the forest of masts. “If the Guild plans to start anything, they first thing they’ll do is order that ship to get steam up. We’ll see the smoke and know there’s something up.”
“If there is an attack on this ship,” the official said, “Julesport can officially do nothing. But there will be boats near you, ready to take on…refugees from the fighting and bring them ashore, where a unit of the city militia awaits to protect anyone and take them to a safe location.”
“Good,” Mari said. “Hopefully it won’t come to that. Alain, aren’t you going to change out of your Mage robes before we go ashore?”
Before Alain could answer, Mage Dav spoke up. “I would advise that Mage Alain remain garbed. He must show that he is still a Mage in good standing, not a Dark Mage skulking about in the clothes of a common and willing to sell his skills in exchange for money.”
Mage Asha nodded. “The advice of my uncle is wise.”
Mari wasn’t so certain, knowing that they had made it through many dangers only by hiding their guild status, but when Alain nodded in agreement she knew there wasn’t much sense in arguing wisdom with three Mages. Arguing with one was usually frustrating enough. “All right. Mage Dav, Mage Asha, will you listen to the…suggestions of Mechanic Alli in my absence?”
Both Mages inclined their heads slightly in agreement.
Mari got close to Alli. “Remember. Suggestions, not orders.”
“Right,” Alli said. “They’re Mages. I’m not too likely to forget that, what with the robes and the deadpan faces and all. If we run into any problems getting along I’ll ask Dav for advice, since he seems to be on such good terms with Mage Asha.”
“Alli, give the guy a break!”
“Not on your life! Teasing him will be the only entertainment we have to pass the time while waiting for you and Alain to get back from the latest trap you’re no doubt walking into.”
Mari nodded in reluctant acquiescence. “If the Mages warn you of danger approaching, listen to them. Their warnings may be very vague, but they’re probably true.”
“Got it. And we’ll watch that stack. See you back here soon.”
The official bowed courteously as he led them toward the ladder into the launch. “I am Colonel Faron, commander of the Julesport harbor guard. It is an honor to meet you.”
The journey to the quay was fast, the rowers bending to their labors and someone in the bow of the launch waving off any boat that threatened to get in the way. Colonel Faron hustled Mari and Alain up another ladder to the top of the quay and along it to a building on the shore. There a large force of soldiers in light armor waited, swords at their hips, some with crossbows at the ready, eyeing Mari with questioning looks and avoiding looking at Alain in the manner of commons around Mages everywhere.
Faron spoke quietly to the commander of the soldiers, who saluted briskly. Most of the soldiers faded back into the building, but two squads fell into place on either side of Mari and Alain as they walked inland along a broad street. The soldiers cleared any pedestrians and wagons out of the way, but Mari felt uncomfortably like a prisoner being marched to confinement. She stole sidewise glances at Alain, seeing that he betrayed no signs of alarm, and felt slightly comforted as a result.
They reached an alley down which Mari and Alain were led by Colonel Faron as the soldiers formed a solid wall behind them facing the street. The alley ran behind a building that looked imposing even from the rear. Faron entered a back door and led them along several long passages.
“This place looks oddly deserted for this time of day,” Mari observed. It called to mind uncomfortable memories of the city hall in Ringhmon.
“Those who normally work here were asked to leave for an emergency drill,” Colonel Faron said. “Just a routine test of procedures.”
“Of course. Absolutely routine.”
Finally, Faron led Mari and Alain up some stairs to a large room dominated by an impressive table with only a few chairs near it. “Please wait here.”
Mari could see Alain watching Colonel Faron closely. “Is anything wrong?” he asked.
“No,” Colonel Faron said. “I just have to inform certain people that you have arrived.”
Alain nodded, and Faron left.
“No warnings yet?” Mari whispered to Alain.
“No. I have seen no signs of deception in him,” Alain replied.
Standing in the center of the room, Mari pivoted to look around. “One thing for sure, this isn’t a prison cell.” The high-ceilinged room was paneled with light woods that had darkened with age. Assorted statuary stood in the corners and a number of paintings adorned the walls, some of them clearly evoking events from the life of Jules herself. Under Mari’s feet fine carpets covered the hardwood floor, and the table on one side of the room had been made from one of the rare and exotic woods that had once been exported from Tiae. Various weapons were displayed, including swords, a few crossbows, and some shields. Banners hung along the top of the walls, one of those banners the crossed-swords flag of Jules.
“I wonder if that’s a banner that Jules herself flew,” Mari commented. “It looks old enough.”
“The room lacks windows,” Alain said. “That is common for rooms in Mage Guild Halls. Do you find it of concern here?”
“No,” Mari said. “When people are talking about secret things, or meeting someone they don’t want anyone to know they’ve met, they want rooms without windows.”
The door opened again. Colonel Faron entered, followed by an elderly woman and a middle-aged man and woman. The old woman and the man wore the fine clothes of well-off common people, while the other woman wore a uniform similar to Colonel Faron’s.
The old woman walked with difficulty to the table and sat in the largest chair before it. The others took up a standing position on either side of her, while Colonel Faron went back to the door to stand sentry.
Silence stretched as no one said anything. Mari felt growing annoyance. “If you’re trying to unnerve us or put us off balance,” she finally said, “you should know that we’ve been to Marandur, and personally faced dragons and trolls. This is just irritating me.”
The old woman smiled thinly. “You sound as though you think you should be in charge, Lady Mechanic.”
“No, I think that if someone has something to say, they should say it,” Mari replied.
“Will you give us your name and title, Lady Mechanic?”
“I am Master Mechanic Mari of Caer Lyn.” She turned just enough to indicate Alain. “This is Mage Alain of Ihris.”
The woman in uniform studied Mari. “Do you claim any other title, Lady Mechanic?”
Alain answered before Mari could, his voice as Mage cold and unfeeling as it had ever been. That gave it more authority, as if one of the statues had suddenly begun speaking. “She claims nothing. She has been foreseen to be the one foretold, the one known as the daughter. Master Mechanic Mari will bring a new day to this world.”
The old woman leaned forward, intent. “The Mages have seen this? She is the one?”
“It has been seen. I have seen it,” Alain said.
With a sharp gesture the old woman caused the man to one side of her to produce a document bound between stout panels of wood. “We have the prophecy, Sir Mage. The prophecy as given to Jules herself, recorded in the words of Jules. The Mages have always denied the prophecy existed. We knew otherwise. Why does a Mage now admit to it?”
“Because I have seen it,” Alain said.
Colonel Faron spoke from near the door. “The Mage Guild wants her dead, wants it badly enough that they have demanded our assistance in ensuring that happens. I have never before heard of the Mages openly seeking the death of a particular Mechanic.”
“Hmmph,” the old woman commented wordlessly. She opened the document to read out loud. “The Mage came upon me in the twilight just before night, as rain fell and darkened the world even more. He looked upon me and his
eyes widened. I had never seen a Mage show such feelings. He pointed at me and spoke in an odd voice. A daughter of your blood will someday overthrow the Mage Guild and the Guild of the Mechanics. She will unite Mages, Mechanics, and the common people to save this world and free the common people from their service to the Guilds. Only through her can the new day come and halt the Storm that will otherwise consume all. After he stopped speaking, the Mage looked frightened and stumbled off through the rainfall. I lost sight of him quickly and hastened back to my ship, which was already preparing to leave port. I told no one, but later learned that the Mage Guild was vigorously seeking a woman seen in Caer Lyn. Some women in Caer Lyn who resembled me were reported to have vanished, though of course the Mage Guild refused to answer any questions about them. I still feel guilt for those innocents who must have died because of their resemblance to me, but I know when the Mage Guild finally learns who I am they will seek to ensure my death and those of any of my children. I will take steps to prevent that, no matter the pain it causes me. This is my sworn account of the prophecy, as I heard it and saw it. Jules of Landfall and Julesport.”
Colonel Faron was staring at Mari. “On the ship, she had Mechanics and Mages behind her, following her orders, and the captain and crew were following her as well.”
“So.” The old woman looked at Alain. “What say you, Sir Mage?”
“I was told the prophecy said what you have told us,” Alain said.
“May I ask by whom?”
“A Mage elder.”
The old woman tapped her teeth with one fingernail. “Did she tell you of this Storm?”
“She did,” Alain said. “And I have seen it, as have many other Mages in recent years. It threatens all, just as the prophecy says.”
“What sort of storm?” the woman in uniform asked.
“A Storm born of the built-up frustrations of the common people,” Alain said. “They will rise, and destroy. Armies will clash, cities fall, all will be laid waste. Though you seek to hide your knowledge, I can see that you know this Storm approaches as we speak.”
The old woman sagged back in her chair, the prophecy lying in her lap. “And now a young woman comes to us. A young woman wearing the dark jacket of a Mechanic, one of those who have enslaved us for time out of mind. With her is a Mage, one of those who have treated us even worse than the Mechanics. And they say they will save us. Would you believe this, Lady Mechanic?”
Mari felt a sudden rush of sympathy for the old woman. “I’m sorry. I can’t be anyone other than who I am. I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t want it. But I am told it is a job given to me, and when I am given a job to do, I get that job done.”
The middle-aged man raised his eyebrows in surprise. “You, a Mechanic, apologize to us? Why?”
“Because I believe in doing the right thing,” Mari said.
“And she has shown me how to do the right thing,” Alain added.
The woman in uniform rubbed one hand across her brow. “You must know what we’re facing, Lady Mechanic. If the Mechanics Guild learns of your presence in this city, they will demand that Julesport turn you over or be placed under a Guild interdict and be banned from receiving the service of any Mechanic. The Mage Guild would retaliate in even worse ways. And always the Empire seeks justification for another war on hopes of finally gaining a foothold beyond the Southern Mountains. What do you want from Julesport?”
“Nothing,” Mari said. “Except an averted gaze. We need to take on supplies. We’ll pay for them. Once we’ve loaded the food and water we require, we will be gone,” she promised. “I do not want Julesport crushed because of me.”
“Tell me,” the old woman said, “why we should not hand you over to the Great Guilds, who have promised immense rewards for your bodies, alive or dead.”
Mari felt anger at the question, but also weariness. Why did it even have to be asked? And yet she knew it would be. “Why not? Because it would mean your continued slavery. You would be selling your chance at freedom. How much is the Mechanics Guild offering? How much is your freedom worth?”
“More than the Great Guilds offer,” the old woman said. “More than they have. But you ask us to believe that you can gain us freedom.”
“All I can do is ask,” Mari said. “And I know that’s hard. I’m a Mechanic, and Mechanics have done you great harm in the past. But the fact that the Great Guilds fear me so much, me and Mage Alain, is a sign of what I might be able to do.”
“You ask leave to depart Julesport. Where will you go?” the woman in uniform asked.
“If you don’t know, you can’t be forced to tell,” Mari said.
“Were you in Ringhmon this last year?” the old woman asked abruptly.
“Yes,” Mari said.
“And Dorcastle?”
“Yes.”
“You slew a dragon there.”
“Yes.”
The old woman took a deep breath. “And then the Northern Ramparts. Another dragon. And great damage to an Imperial legion. And a Mage in your service.” She looked keenly at Alain.
“Yes,” Mari said. “But he is not in my service. He is my partner.”
“The stories we have heard,” the middle-aged man said, “claim that you did great service for common soldiers in the Northern Ramparts and refused all payment.”
“They needed my help,” Mari said.
“And then Marandur?” the old woman continued. “Why Marandur?”
“I cannot tell you,” Mari said.
“Jules was in Marandur,” Colonel Faron said. “Long ago.”
The old woman nodded at him, then looked back at Mari. “You must have heard the rumors the Imperials have been spreading. Rumors about the Dark One, Mara the Undying, who companioned the first emperor, Maran.”
Mari flinched. “I’ve heard them. I think you can see that I don’t fit those rumors.” Mara was supposedly beautiful as well as deadly.
“You don’t look like one who craves the blood of handsome young men, no,” the old woman said, smiling very briefly. “But you did escape from Marandur. Then Palandur, rumor has it. An attack by Mages, followed by a battle between Mages and Mechanics in the heart of the Empire. Neither of the Great Guilds has deigned to explain what happened there, and the Empire has done its best to suppress such information.”
“Having been to Marandur,” Alain said, “we could not remain in Palandur to explain events to Imperial authorities.”
“I suppose not, Sir Mage,” the old woman said, twisting one corner of her mouth in a sardonic smile. “The Emperor would make your deaths painful, prolonged, and public to ensure no one else attempted to visit the forbidden ruins of Marandur. After that, we have had scattered reports of setbacks for Mechanics, including the pride of the Mechanic fleet nearly sunk, before the city of Altis suffered great damage and a great battle was fought in its harbor that left another Mechanic warship on the bottom. This was you?”
Mari nodded. “Mage Alain helped. We did everything together.”
“Why Altis?”
“Again, I cannot yet explain.”
“Do you want what happened at Altis to take place at Julesport as well, Lady Mechanic?”
“No,” Mari said as firmly as she could. “Altis was badly damaged by Mechanics Guild assassins trying to kill me. I want to leave Julesport quickly so that it won’t happen here.”
The middle-aged man held up a paper. “We have a report from Altis. A swift ship reached Gullhaven and couriers carried copies throughout the Confederation. This arrived only last night.”
“What does it tell you?” Alain asked.
“It tells us you speak the truth.” The man paused. “And it tells us that you are the daughter.”
The woman in uniform spoke sharply. “If the people of this city hear that the daughter is in Julesport, the resulting mayhem will make the riots of last summer look like a minor street celebration.”
“What does the report from Altis say?” Alain asked. “Was there rioting th
ere?”
“No, Sir Mage,” the old woman said. “Are you going to tell us why? Some Mage spell that compels obedience?”
“If such a spell existed, the Mage elders would use it freely and not depend on fear,” Alain said. “It does not. There were no riots in Altis because Lady Mechanic Mari told the people there not to riot, not to rise up, but to wait.”
“Why would they listen?” demanded the woman in uniform.
“Because they had hope,” Alain said. “They had a reason not to destroy.”
“It was not the strong hand of the Mechanics Guild that suppressed any rioting? It was not the work of Mages or fear of the consequences?”
Alain gestured toward the east. “When we were in Palandur, there were riots. An entire district burned, and a legion was called in to restore order. This in the Empire, where order is valued above all else. Have you heard this?”
Colonel Faron nodded. “Mostly rumors, again, but with credible details. You are saying the rioting was born of the same problems we have seen?”
“And the same problems that tore apart the Kingdom of Tiae. We were there in Palandur. We could see it, we could feel it.”
“If the empire is starting to feel the rot as well—” began the woman in uniform.
“It’s not rot,” the middle-aged man argued. “I do not welcome this news, but it does not surprise me. It is despair. You all know it as well as I do. What this Mage says matches our own knowledge. You talked to those arrested after the last round of rioting here and you heard, just as I did, that they had lost hope.”
“I remember hope,” the old woman commented, gazing into the distance. “When I was very young. Before I learned what the world was like, and what my role must be in serving the will of the Great Guilds. But even the very young today don’t know what hope is. It has been too many years of enslavement. The next riots will be worse. I fear whether our police and military will be able to control them, and at what cost to this city. What sign can you give me, Lady Mechanic? Your words are all that they should be, and I want you to be what you claim. But what sign can you show that something that has never existed in this world can now be?”
The Pirates of Pacta Servanda (Pillars of Reality Book 4) Page 6