“Seliora . . . that’s an old Pharsi name, isn’t it?”
“She’s Pharsi.”
Chassendri nodded. “That would figure.”
“Why?”
“She’d be one of the few to stand up to you, and you’ve been wise enough without knowing it to pick women like that. Was the first Pharsi?”
“Yes.” I shook my head.
She smiled again. “I’m too old for you, but even if I weren’t, the only way I’d have you would be as a friend.”
“You think you know me?”
She laughed. “You’re unpredictable, and no one really knows you, except maybe your Seliora. That’s what worries the senior maitres. I’d wager that all of them will heave large sighs of relief if you marry her, or someone like her.”
“I’m unpredictable?” I found that hard to believe.
She shook her head. “I’m certain that you believe that everything you do is perfectly predictable. It probably is, to you, or to someone who thinks like you do. But for the rest of the Collegium . . .”
I didn’t say anything.
“It’s not what you feel,” she finally said. “It’s what you do about what you feel. That’s what has Maitre Dichartyn and Maitre Poincaryt concerned.”
I still wasn’t sure what to say. So I shrugged.
Chassendri didn’t pursue it. She just asked, “Do you think we’ll have an early winter?”
“I’m beginning to think so. We’ve had more and colder frosts this year. . . .”
After breakfast, on my way across the quadrangle to the duty coach, I couldn’t help thinking about what Chassendri had said. Was she right? Was I that unpredictable? I didn’t think I was at all unpredictable. I just tried to resolve the problems I faced as well as I could.
Was that the problem, that often the Collegium really didn’t want any real resolution, or not one that upset the established ways? Even though I pondered those questions on the ride across L’Excelsis, I still had no real answers by the time the coach came to a halt outside Third District station.
When I walked inside, I saw Captain Harraf standing by his study door. A quick gesture made it clear that he’d been waiting for me. I walked into his study, but didn’t close the door.
Nor did he ask me to, instead inquiring sardonically, “Might I ask exactly how you managed all this? I’ve never seen a conscription team so well behaved. They’re even letting the patrollers do their rounds.”
“I doubt I had much to do with that, sir. They lost something like a hundred marines. It could be that someone in charge decided that it might work better if they were polite.”
“And your Collegium had nothing to do with it?”
“No, sir. Not in the slightest. Except for my presence.” I wasn’t about to mention that the Collegium wasn’t exactly pleased with my actions.
“Or could it be that the taudis-dwellers are being more cooperative? How did you manage that?”
“The only thing we did was capture Saelyhd-”
“That’s something else, Master Rhennthyl. You knew he was Youdh’s successor before anyone.”
I shrugged. “When I persuaded Horazt to help me, he told me that Saelyhd had taken over.”
“I can understand that, but no one has ever been able to get anyone in the taudis to cooperate before, let alone a taudischef.”
I smiled wryly, although I had my doubts, since Harraf had had some sort of arrangement with Youdh. “No one else has had the favorite nephew of a taudischef as a junior imager on Imagisle.”
“Those taudischefs have been known to kill nephews and cousins.” Harraf imbued the words with great skepticism.
“He says the boy is his nephew. I suspect the boy is his son. Either way, he had to talk to me, and that allowed me to persuade him to help.”
“You’re going with the team today?”
“Yes, sir. I can’t tomorrow because I have to be a witness at the hearing for the Tiempran priests and Saelyhd. But I only promised the major yesterday. And I won’t be here on Jeudi because I’ll be at the memorial service for my brother. He died in a wagon accident in Kherseilles last week.”
“I’m sorry to hear about your brother, but going to his service shouldn’t be a problem. The marines should be finished by Meredi . . . in Third District, that is.”
I hoped so. “I’d better find the team chief. They’re starting on Dugalle.”
Harraf nodded.
I inclined my head in return and headed out.
Mardi wasn’t an exact repeat of Lundi because the area the conscription team covered took in some of Youdh’s old area and all of Horazt’s, and there were more elvers and vagrants along Youdh’s streets, but the procedures and results were similar.
The team finished at half past fourth glass. Once I left the chief, I didn’t return to the station, but walked out to the Midroad and hailed a hack to my parents’. I wasn’t exactly looking forward to seeing Remaya.
I was still wrestling with “what ifs” when the hacker pulled up before the front walk to the house. I paid him, then started up the walk. My breath steamed in the air that had gotten progressively colder as the day had passed, and I wondered if we might get snow, although the sky remained clear.
Nellica had already left for the day, and Remaya opened the door, then stepped back to let me in. “Rhenn . . . Khethila said you’d be here this afternoon. Will you be staying for dinner?”
“Tonight, I can do that. Tomorrow, probably not. I have to be a witness at a justice hearing, the one involving the Tiempran priests who blew up their Temple in the South Middle taudis.”
We walked into the family parlor where Mother was rocking Rheityr. She looked up. “I thought that might be you. We’re having roasted lamb.”
“That’s something I miss.”
“We thought so.”
I looked down at the dozing infant. Already, he looked more like his father than his mother. I swallowed, and I found my eyes burning. If I had said anything at that moment, I would have choked on the words. So I turned and sat in the armchair across from Father’s.
“It shouldn’t be that long before your father and Khethila are home,” Mother said.
“Culthyn?” I asked.
“He’s upstairs doing schoolwork. He had much to catch up on. He’s less than pleased.”
That sounded like Culthyn.
“How was your day, Rhenn?” asked Remaya.
“I had to spend it with one of the conscription teams. They didn’t have too many problems, except for vagrants and elvers, and one or two resisters.”
“If I were facing conscription,” Remaya said, “I might resist.”
“You only have to have a job, or be an apprentice, not to be conscripted.”
“That’s what the law says. Do you really think the teams that don’t have an imager with them are that scrupulous?”
“I don’t know. I’d hope so.”
“More than a few Pharsi boys with jobs ended up on ships,” Remaya said. “I knew some of them.”
I couldn’t argue with that and didn’t have to because I saw Charlsyn driving the coach under the side portico. “They’re home.” I stood and walked to the side door.
In moments, Khethila burst into the parlor and gave me a hug, which felt good. “I’m glad you could come.”
“I’m glad you’re here.” And I was, but I did step back.
“I’ll need to get the wine,” she murmured as she moved toward the kitchen.
Father stepped into the parlor and asked, “How is my grandson?”
“He’s sleeping,” Mother replied, “and he won’t be for long if you keep bellowing.”
A faint smile crossed Remaya’s lips.
Father dropped into his armchair with a heavy sigh.
No one said anything for a time, until Khethila carried a tray into the parlor, with a goblet of Dhuensa for Father, tea for Remaya, and hot mulled wine for me, Mother, and Khethila herself. Mother nodded to Remaya, then eased Rhei
tyr out of her own arms and back to Remaya, who settled onto the settee. Rheityr remained sleeping, which was a wonder to me.
“Dinner won’t be long,” Mother said in a quiet voice, slipping off to the kitchen.
As long as I didn’t look at Rheityr too often, I thought I could get through dinner without revealing all the Namer-demons that plagued me. Before all that long we were gathered around the table, where Father said grace, and then we all sat down to crisp roasted lamb and rice.
At one point, Khethila glanced over and said, “You’re quiet tonight, Rhenn.”
“The last weeks have been hard for everyone. I have to appear at the hearing tomorrow about the explosion of the Temple. With what happened to Rousel . . . and everything else . . .” I just shook my head.
Remaya nodded, and I wondered how much she knew-or guessed. She didn’t quite finish dinner with us because she had to leave to change Rheityr, and I begged off staying longer, pleading the press of the day ahead.
Mother did have Charlsyn stay late so that he could drive me back to Imagisle. I didn’t protest. When I opened my door there was an envelope slipped under it. Inside was a single note card with one line hastily written.
See me in morning right after breakfast.
Under that line was the initial D.
What other problems had surfaced? Had Master Dichartyn discovered Alynat’s death? Or did he just have last-moment instructions or information about the hearing. I hoped it was the latter, but feared it was the former. Sooner or later, Alynat’s death would come to his attention, but I preferred it be later, when everything was completed. Then, either I’d be successful . . . or dead.
54
Again on Meredi, I rose early and hurried through the next glass or so, until I finished breakfast and made my way to Master Dichartyn’s study. As always, he looked unflustered and calm, for all that he’d done the same exercises and run as I had-and he’d finished several hundred yards behind me. But then, he was a good fifteen years older than I was, and I wondered if I’d be doing that well in fifteen years.
“There is one bit of information that has come to my attention,” he began. “At this point, we don’t know exactly what has occurred, but Baratyn reported that High Holder Suyrien was requested to meet with Ryel later today. Do you have any knowledge of this meeting, or the possible reasons why it might be taking place?”
“Sir, any thoughts I have would be very speculative.” Accurate, in all probability, but speculative.
“I’d appreciate some speculation.”
“I cannot believe that my brother’s death was strictly an accident, sir, but that is speculation. There have been other events that do not seem coincidental, but I would rather not say anything at the moment. I would like to get through the next few days with as few distractions as possible.”
For a moment he seemed as though he wanted to press. Then he nodded. “That is a reasonable request. When you feel it is appropriate, I would appreciate more information.”
“Yes, sir.”
“If I don’t see you before tomorrow, convey my condolences to your family.” He did sound sincere, as if he understood.
I thought he very well might. “Thank you.”
As I walked from the administration building, I considered the short meeting. In effect, Master Dichartyn had warned me that matters had gotten more serious. He’d also backed off, and that definitely signaled that I was on my own. I only hoped that Grandmama Diestra’s “measures” and my abilities would be adequate to protect my family, because that was clearly Ryel’s focus.
The duty coach was waiting, as always. Because the Square of Justice was only about half as far from the Collegium as Third District station, it pulled up outside the Hall of Justice just as the single bell of the half glass echoed from the nearby Anomen D’Council.
I walked up the main front steps and then along the center hall toward the main hearing room in the Hall of Justice. Outside the open double doors stood the bailiff with his heavy oak staff, topped with the bronze sheaf of grain.
“Master Rhennthyl, I presume?”
“Yes, sir?”
“You’ll likely be the second witness. Just go into the hall. Turn right and take a seat in the first room. That’s for witnesses. You are not to speak of the subject of the hearing to the other witnesses, you understand?”
“I do, thank you.”
He nodded, and I stepped into the justicing chamber, a good thirty yards from the back to the black dais at the north end with its wide and featureless black desk, and close to fifteen yards from side to side. Already, more than half the low-backed benches that faced the dais were filled, although there seemed to be more people on the side to the right of the center aisle. The shorter rows of benches on each side of the open space before the dais were empty.
When I entered the witness chamber, I saw that Captain Harraf was already there, as were the two patrollers who had stood behind us when the Temple exploded.
“Good morning, Captain,” I said as I took a seat on the other end of the bench on which he sat.
“Good morning, Master Rhennthyl.” Harraf’s voice was pleasant, and he actually smiled as if he meant it.
I wondered if he’d been wanting to strike a blow at the scripties for years.
A few moments later Major Trowyn stepped into the room and sat down on the other bench. He did not address us, nor did he look in our direction.
No one else entered the witness chamber.
Somewhat later, outside the closed door, I heard the bailiff. “All rise!”
A time of silence was followed by the bailiff’s next words, somewhat muffled. “You may be seated. Bring forth the accused.”
We sat there for some time before the bailiff opened the door to the witness chamber, and a voice, presumably that of the prosecuting advocate, announced, “Naval Marine Major Trowyn to the bar.”
The major rose and, without looking at the rest of us, left the witness chamber. The bailiff closed the door.
Close to a glass and a half passed before the door opened, but the major did not return. The bailiff left the door open, and the prosecuting advocate announced, “Maitre D’Aspect Rhennthyl to the bar.”
I stepped out and walked down the center aisle until I was standing below the dais. I inclined my head politely to the justice, whom I had never seen before.
“Master Rhennthyl,” began the justice, “do you understand that you are required to tell the whole truth, and that your words must not deceive, either by elaboration or omission?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Proceed.”
The prosecutor turned to me. “Please recount what occurred on the morning of Vendrei, sixth Finitas, after you reported to the Third District station, with particular attention as to how those occurrences relate to the Temple of Puryon and the naval conscription efforts scheduled to begin nearby.”
“Yes, sir. When I reached Third District station, Captain Harraf explained to me that the Navy was concerned about what might happen in the taudis because there was already a group of taudis-dwellers gathered around the Temple of Puryon. He had already requested that a squad of mounted riot patrollers be dispatched to the area, but only half a squad had arrived. I told him that I had concerns about what the Tiempran priests might be planning because of the reports about what the First Speaker of Tiempre had said earlier. . . .” I went on to explain what had occurred once Harraf and I had arrived to observe, emphasizing that both the captain and I had suggested that the chanting taudis-dwellers did not pose a threat and that the colonel had ignored our warning. Then I just detailed what had happened and what I had done after that, all the way through to the capture, preliminary charging, and transport of the three priests, Saelyhd, and Donmass.
“Thank you, Master Rhennthyl,” the prosecutor said. “Can you explain in more detail how you managed to come into possession, as it were, of the three Tiempran priests and the so-called taudischef Saelyhd?”
“Yes, s
ir. I knew from questions I’d asked of various people in the taudis that Saelyhd’s predecessor-that was Youdh-had been working with the Tiemprans. I thought it was likely that Saelyhd was as well. After the explosion, I went into the taudis to see if I could find them. I was fortunate enough to find one of the other taudischefs. He was deeply concerned that he and his people would be blamed for the explosion. They had nothing to do with it, but he realized that unless some of the priests could be found and brought to justice, the entire taudis would suffer . . .” That and what followed was oversimplified, but essentially true. “. . . because of the justifiable anger of the marines, I managed to sneak the priests and Saelyhd into Third District station.”
“They did not give you any trouble?”
“The men with the taudischef helped tie them up. Saelyhd did object, and it took several men to march him to where the patrollers could bring him in.”
“Master Rhennthyl . . . we understand that you advised Captain Harraf not to aid the marines. Why not?”
“First, I believed that attacking those who were chanting was not justified unless they blocked the marines from doing their duty, or resisted in some way, and at that time, the taudis-dwellers were not. Second, as I mentioned earlier and told the captain, there were rumors that the Tiemprans had placed explosives in the Temple. While I could not verify that, it seemed unwise to attack people who were not an immediate threat, especially that close to the Temple.”
“Master Rhennthyl . . . do you have any experience in conducting conscription?”
“No, sir.”
“Then why did you see fit to recommend what you did?”
“Sir . . . the colonel wanted to make an example of people. I had learned earlier that the First Speaker of Tiempre had vowed to strike at the heart of Solidar. There had already been one riot in the taudis, over a month ago, and it was caused when the Civic Patrol tried to put down another demonstration by force incited by the Tiempran priests. This looked to be uglier than the last one because the taudis-dwellers hate the conscription teams.”
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