Assassin's Price

by L. E. Modesitt Jr.

  “It was only a dream.”

  “Only a dream?”

  “You’re here. You weren’t shot. There are only guards at the bottom of the grand staircase when there’s a ball.” Palenya paused. “In the dream, were you alone?”

  “Yes.”

  “That’s another thing. You’d never be walking down the grand staircase alone at a ball.”

  “Maybe it means I will be … someday.”

  “I can’t imagine you walking down from a ball all alone.”

  “I couldn’t move, even when I saw him aim the pistol at me.”

  Palenya put her arms around him. “It was a dream. How could you not have a dream about what happened? What happened was terrible, and you were right there. You told me that they fired at you as well.”

  “They did.”

  “The guard was faceless because you don’t know who the man who hired the assassin is.”

  “Palenya…” Charyn spoke carefully. “My grandsire was probably killed. My father has just been assassinated. When those things have happened, dreams might be more than just dreams.” What he didn’t say was that he did have some Pharsi blood … and that Aloryana had foreseen some things that had come to pass.

  He tried not to shudder.

  33

  In some fashion that Charyn did not quite understand, the days after his father’s memorial service flew by. In the evenings, he was careful to spend them with Palenya. That way, he wasn’t alone. And he made certain, every morning, that he took the circular staircase down to breakfast, even though he had no more nightmares.

  Still … somehow before he knew it, it was almost noon on Jeudi, the twelfth of Ianus, less than a week before the joint meeting with both the High Council and the Factors’ Council of Solidar … and he still didn’t have the figures he had requested from Alucar. And it didn’t help that both Veritum and Tableta had contained stories in every edition reporting on the latest merchant ships either attacked and escaping or those attacked, plundered, and sunk. One story—only one—had mentioned that a navy frigate had sunk two privateers and saved three Solidaran ships. Charyn had read that in Veritum even before Vaelln’s dispatch arrived with the details of the navy’s success.

  Charyn looked up from the petition before him—this one, as Sanafryt had predicted, another one dealing with the conflict of water rights between a small holder and a High Holder. “Howal, would you ask Sturdyn to have someone summon Minister Sanafryt for me.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  While he waited, his thoughts went back to a thought he’d kept having, ever since he’d ridden in the coach with the two maitres. Shouldn’t you make a formal request that Alastar attend the joint meeting of the two councils next week? Whether anyone liked it or not, the Collegium was a powerful force, and Maitre Alastar might just keep tempers in check, or at least the overt expression of those tempers. You did ask him, and he said yes. But a formal request … He decided to think more on that and returned to the petition.

  By the time Sanafryt entered the study, Charyn had finished reading the petition, and was reading another protesting the levying of tariffs on land flooded and unable to be planted and harvested.

  “You asked for me, sir?”

  “I did. How are you coming on that draft on the language clarifying the seniority of water rights?”

  “I should have it ready before the meeting next week.”

  Charyn sighed. “I’m not bringing it up at the meeting, and I’d like whatever you have now.”

  “Your Grace…”

  “Now, Sanafryt. If it’s not in final form, you can tell me what you don’t like, what you need to change, or anything else that isn’t to your satisfaction, but I need it now.”

  “In a quint, sir?”

  “A quint.”

  As Sanafryt left, Charyn was convinced that Sanafryt had scarcely done anything on the water rights language. That wasn’t surprising, given the increasing number of petitions that had begun to arrive, as various claimants reopened old issues or brought up those that they hadn’t dared to bring up before, all with the hope that the new rex would see matters differently from his predecessor.

  But the whole idea was to preempt some of those petitions, not to react to them.

  “Do you have to read all those petitions, sir?” asked Howal.

  “You mean, could I just have Minister Sanafryt read them, draft a determination of law or fact, and sign whatever he put in front of me? Yes, I could, but I’d have less and less of an idea of what people are upset about, and what should be changed and what shouldn’t.” And you know too little of that already.

  More like two quints later, Sanafryt returned. He handed two sheets of paper to Charyn, who took them and began to read.

  Whereas water and access thereto is a valuable commodity, the following provisions with regard to all forms of surface water shall apply and shall supersede any and all pervious and existing legal determinations, petitions, and findings, and shall constitute the law of the land henceforth:

  1. The term “surface waters” includes all flowing waters of a continuing nature, including those that are intermittent and/or seasonal as well as all lakes, ponds, and other permanent bodies of standing water, whether such bodies be natural or created by artifice …

  Charyn slowly read through the entire two pages of the document, then looked up. “This seems to do what I requested. What will be the problems after I sign and publish such a change?”

  “There will be few problems immediately. Most will not even consider the changes. The next time there is a drought, however, you will be attacked and vilified by every factor or High Holder who finds he cannot use water he thought he could. High Holders will likely do as they please, and the factors will appeal to you to do something.”

  “There’s no provision here to make people obey the law.”

  “How would you suggest that be done, sir?”

  “What would you recommend, Sanafryt? You’re the advocate.”

  “The usual remedy is financial, sir. A significant fine and damages to be paid to the offended party.”

  “Add a one-part-in-twenty addition to their annual tariffs for failure to pay the fine and to restore access to the water. Forfeiture of the lands to the rex for a second offense.”

  “That will not be popular.”

  “Most likely not, but they all seem to be moved by golds and little else. Besides, all they have to do is obey the law. Those who would be affected are not tenant holders or laborers, but men who should know better.”

  Sanafryt nodded. “I can have another draft in the morning.”

  “Good.” Before Sanafryt could turn away, Charyn spoke again. “I have another question of legality. Can imagers inherit goods and property, or receive gifts of property?”

  “Sir? Are you thinking of the Lady Aloryana?”

  “I was, but it raises a larger question. I understand that factors go to certain lengths to disinherit sons who turn out to be imagers, especially firstborn sons. Is this based on custom, or is there something somewhere in the law?”

  “I don’t recall anything exactly like that, but I’d like to look into it further.”

  “I’d appreciate it. Thank you.”

  Once Sanafryt left the study, Charyn went back to thinking about the problems with tariffs based on lands and buildings and property, especially when they were based on ships that had been sunk or lands that had been flooded. Yet, if he changed tariffs to those based solely on revenues and income, how could he ever know whether they were accurate. Import tariffs were one thing, because the goods came on ships. Except those that are smuggled when the import duties are too high.

  Charyn was still considering whether to read another petition when Sturdyn announced, “Minister Alucar, Your Grace.”

  “Have him come in.”

  Alucar hurried in. “I’m sorry to interrupt you, sir. I just received a dispatch from the regional minister of finance in Solis. He reported that he has b
een unable to determine who was behind the burning of the factors’ exchange. His dispatch was in reply to my inquiry at your father’s behest.”

  More like Father’s orders. “Did he say anything new?”

  “No, sir.”

  “What do you think?”

  “I still believe it could be anyone from a High Holder to a small factor who felt he had been hurt by the exchange.”

  “Have you received any word from other regional finance ministers about difficulties between factors and High Holders?”

  “Nothing like this. At times, in all regions, the factors complain about the high-handedness of the High Holders, and the High Holders complain about the greed of the factors. Each group thinks it pays too much in tariffs and that the other pays too little.”

  “What about petitions against High Holders by factors?” Charyn almost added, “Or the other way around,” but didn’t when he realized that there wouldn’t be any because the High Holders tended to do what they pleased and that forced the factors into bringing petitions against them.

  “I wouldn’t know, sir. You’d have to talk to Sanafryt.”

  “There have been a few. There are some on the desk here. I just wondered if you knew anything about them.”

  “No, sir. Do you want me to convey anything else to Regional Finance Minister Khalyarn?”

  “Not at the moment. Now … what about those figures and cost estimates for building ships and a shipyard?”

  “I’m almost finished. I should have them by tomorrow.”

  Another thought struck Charyn. “How much of what is spent on things like the army, the navy, ships, roads, tariff inspectors, regional governors, all those—how much comes from the estates and how much from tariffs?”

  “Roughly nineteen parts in twenty come from tariffs, one part in twenty from the estates. That’s not exact, but it’s close.”

  “Only one part in twenty?”

  “Most of the revenues from the lands go back into maintaining them and paying for all of the expenses of the regial household here in L’Excelsis.”

  “None of the tariffs have ever been are used for that, I understand.”

  “No, sir.”

  “How much are all the lands and estates worth?”

  “I have no idea, sir. They’re worth what others might pay, but since none have been sold recently…” Alucar shrugged. “There are fewer properties with each rex. Your father gave away the great holding in Montagne to his brother. You have the lands at Chaeryll. Those are not entailed.”

  Meaning that Charyn could give them to anyone he liked without difficulty, not that he had any immediate ideas along those lines.

  “And my late uncle promptly joined in with the rebels.” Charyn had never understood why his father had not reclaimed the lands but let his uncle Ryentar’s young son retain the lands and the title of High Holder, even if the boy had only happened to be four at the time of the revolt. “And another thing … how many golds could I draw without imperiling anything?”

  Alucar frowned.

  “I have an investment for the future in mind. Just let me know.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “That’s all.”

  Alucar inclined his head and left.

  Charyn sat there for several moments. He decided he’d go through the Codex Legis himself … later that night. For the moment …

  He turned to Howal. “I think I need to take a walk. How about you?”

  “I’d like that as well. Are you planning on going far?”

  “Just around the chateau and the courtyard. I don’t want to offer myself as an easy target.”

  “You think that anyone will shoot at you even before you’ve done anything?”

  “No. But I don’t feel like giving them the opportunity.” Especially not after that dream. Charyn stood and stretched. The remaining petitions could wait for a quint or two. And he still had to decide whether to request Maitre Alastar’s presence at the joint meeting of councils, something that wasn’t likely to set well with any of the councilors.

  34

  On Vendrei morning, Charyn was in Norstan’s study almost as soon as the seneschal appeared, a good quint before seventh glass.

  “Are there any more requests for appointments?”

  “Yes, sir. Quite a few.”

  “Start out with the ones you think I should see.”

  “There’s a local factor, Cuipryn. He wants to talk to you.”

  “Did he say why?”

  “Something about problems with tin or the right kind of copper.”

  “Is this because of another relative of yours, Norstan?” Charyn tried to keep his tone jesting.

  “No, sir. He said it was something you ought to know as rex. I can’t say why, sir, but I think you should see him, if only for a moment.”

  “Who else?”

  “Factor Paersyt. He said you’d been talking to him … and Yarselt said you’d been to his factorage. I asked Yarselt to see if it was true because he was the one who always accompanied you when you left the chateau.”

  “I do need to see Paersyt. I should have done so earlier. A quint past eighth glass on Lundi for Cuipryn, and a quint before ninth glass for Paersyt. Who else?”

  “Chorister Saerlet … he said you had indicated you were agreeable to a meeting.”

  Charyn shook his head. “No. I said I’d let him know. Tell him that I’m swamped in getting ready to meet with both councils and that it will be several weeks before I can discuss matters.” The last thing he wanted was to hear Saerlet weaseling for more golds. “Who else?”

  “Factor Weezyr.”

  Charyn managed not to hide a frown. “Did he say why?”

  “No, sir. He just said it might be mutually beneficial.”

  “First glass on Lundi afternoon.”

  “Then there’s Refaal D’Anomen.”

  “He’s the new chorister for the Anomen D’Excelsis. I don’t want to meet with him until after I meet with Saerlet.” Charyn didn’t want to deal with either chorister, not until he had a better idea of the regial finances.

  “He was most insistent … something about the state of his anomen.”

  “Tell him I’m quite busy, but if he wants me to address something, he can write me immediately or see me later.”

  By the time Charyn finished with Norstan, and received the latest edition of Veritum, which he had accepted without looking at, it was after seventh glass when he made his way to the duty alcove to find Churwyl.

  The guard captain looked surprised to see Charyn. “Sir? Is anything amiss?”

  “Not that I know of. How are you coming with the training of the new guards?”

  “It’s coming, sir. It’s always slow at first, and we’ve adjusted duty schedules so that the new guards are always paired with experienced partners. When do you think we could begin using them for chateau duties?”

  “Not for a while yet. What about Murranyt? Have you discovered any more about what happened to him?”

  “No one seems to know, sir.”

  “What about Factor Goerdyl? Did you find out any more from him?”

  “He didn’t seem to know much of anything at all about the … more shady side of his father’s life.”

  “Or he took it over and doesn’t want to admit it. Try again. See what you can find out. See if others in the family know anything.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Charyn had the feeling that the guard captain’s voice might have carried a trace of resignation, as if it he knew he wouldn’t find out any more. Charyn didn’t care. Surely, someone had to know something. “Thank you.” He managed a pleasant smile before heading for the grand staircase.

  As he made his way up to the study, thinking about his brief meeting with Churwyl reminded Charyn of something he’d meant to do, but had let slip. As soon as he entered the study, he walked over to the conference table, where Howal was working on yet another reply to a letter of condolence, most likely from a High Holder l
ocated well away from L’Excelsis who, in the future, just might want a favor or a meeting with the new rex.

  He kept his voice low as he spoke. “Can you get a message to the Maitre, perhaps through the two imager guards?”

  Howal nodded, glancing toward the door.

  “I’d like to know anything he can tell me about the former Civic Patrol commander—Murranyt. There was something about him, but my father never told me exactly what.” Charyn knew his father had said something, but he really didn’t want to admit he hadn’t paid enough attention, at least not enough that he remembered. “Also, does he know if a deceased factor named Goerynd had anything to do with assassins?”

  “I can do that. It might take a day or two.” Howal wrote the two names on a small sheet of paper.

  “Thank you. Now, I’d like you to take down an official request to Maitre Alastar, one that will be sent by chateau courier.” Charyn smiled at Howal’s momentary expression of surprise and continued. “Draft a polite request for him to attend the joint meeting of the High Council and the Factors’ Council of Solidar next Meredi, the eighteenth of Ianus, here at the chateau at the first glass of the afternoon. Write that while we talked about this and he agreed, the request is a formal confirmation, since decisions made or announced as a result of the meeting will affect all of Solidar, including the Collegium, and that it would appear beneficial to the Collegium if he attended all such meetings from here on.”

  Howal was silent for several moments before replying, “Is that all, sir?”

  “For the request, yes.”

  Howal returned to the conference table, where he seated himself to begin drafting the request.

  As soon as Charyn sat down, he immediately began to read Veritum, hoping that there were no more stories or articles about him or the various shipping problems. That was a vain hope, because there was a short story about the fact that the new rex would be meeting with both councils on the forthcoming Meredi, and it was likely that a bitter discussion would occur over building warships and the tariffs to pay them. The writer suggested that, surely, the wealthy regial family didn’t need to impose higher tariffs, particularly on hardworking factors, when it appeared that the rex didn’t do that much anyway … and that the factors had also suffered other reverses, such as the burning of the exchange in Solis the previous month.