Assassin's Price

by L. E. Modesitt Jr.

  “I do, but I did not want to mention their names unless you approved the idea.”

  “They’d get higher pay for that responsibility.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “We’ll need some sort of written description of how the Chateau Guard will be organized, and the responsibilities of each of the officer and subofficer positions.”

  “I’ve been working on that, sir. With your approval, I’ll finish the draft and submit it to you by tomorrow. With a recommended pay scale.”

  “Outstanding!” Charyn didn’t have to counterfeit enthusiasm.

  Dylert looked a little sheepish. “I hope you don’t mind, but I talked over some of the structural and pay matters with Thelia and with Maitre Alastar.”

  “I’m glad you did. They both have more experience with those.” From what Charyn had seen of the young imagers, his father could have learned a great deal more from the Maitre, and Charyn himself wasn’t above or beneath benefiting any way he could from that knowledge and experience. There was a long moment of silence before Charyn spoke again. “There is another matter in which your wife and her contacts and family might be of great assistance. Just for information.”

  “Sir?”

  “It would be of enormous value to me to know if any High Holders on the High Council or the factors on the Solidar Factors’ Council have factorages or lands near Solis or Tuuryl.” That really wasn’t the question, but whether any of them did besides Ryel. “If your wife or others at the Collegium could shed any light on this in the next few weeks, it would be most helpful.” Charyn extended the paper he had written out earlier. “Here are their names and where they’re from.”

  “I don’t know, sir. I mean, whether Thelia and her family might know.”

  “Anything she can discover will be helpful.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Once Dylert had departed, Charyn turned back to Howal and asked with a grin, “I suppose you have a draft written plan for organizing the rest of the chateau?”

  “I do have some thoughts along those lines, sir.” Howal’s expression was even more sheepish than Dylert’s had been.

  “Good. When might I see them?”

  “By Vendrei?”

  “When they’re ready will be fine.” Charyn could say that because he knew none of the imagers procrastinated, apparently with anything.

  A quint or so later, Sturdyn again rapped on the door. “An imager courier for you, sir.”

  “Good!” At least, Charyn hoped it was good.

  The red-faced courier, wearing a thick gray woolen overcoat, hurried into the study, looking at Charyn. “It’s for you, sir.”

  “Thank you.” As he took the envelope, he smiled, recognizing the handwriting, and added, “Very much.”

  “My pleasure, sir.”

  “If you can, stop by the kitchen and get something warm before you ride back.”

  “Thank you, Your Grace.”

  Charyn forced himself to wait until the courier left before slitting open the letter and beginning to read.

  Dear Charyn—

  Thank you so much for writing. I couldn’t write back on Lundi because I had to talk to both Maitre Alyna and Maitre Alastar. They had to talk to some of the other senior maitres, but they all decided that a clavecin would be very welcome. There is a chamber in the administration building that could easily be turned into a music room, and it is large enough to seat perhaps twenty or so if I or others wished to do a chamber recital.

  I do miss playing. I knew I would, but I hadn’t realized how much I would. Thank you so much for thinking about it!

  Usually, new imagers aren’t allowed visitors for the first two months. While I don’t think the maitres would hold you to that, I think it would be best if I abided by that rule. But the first of Maris isn’t all that far away. I can’t wait to tell you all that I’ve learned. I’m almost caught up to where Maitre Alyna says I should be in mathematics. I still have to get stronger before I’ll be able to do shields and concealments the way Malyna and Lystara can do them. I don’t know if I’ll ever be as good as Lystara is, but Maitre Alyna says that there’s no reason I shouldn’t be a junior maitre by the time I’m Malyna’s age …

  Charyn was smiling when he lowered the letter. He could pay for the clavecin out of his own personal golds. That way, no one could possibly object, not legitimately. After a moment, he lifted the letter and reread part of it. Concealments?

  “Howal … you can do shields, obviously. What about concealments?”

  “Yes, sir. Concealments are easier, sir, especially a blurring concealment.”

  “Blurring?”

  “It’s not really a true concealment, where people can’t see you at all. With a blurring concealment, you sort of blend into whatever you’re standing in front of. Those work better when no one is really looking.”

  “But you can do both?”

  “Ah … yes, sir.”

  “That might explain a few things.” Like why he hadn’t been able to find Malyna that one time. “Thank you.” He paused, then added, “Aloryana mentioned that she was learning the basics of shields and concealments.”

  “If she’s already being taught those, she’s very likely to become a maitre.”

  “Maitre Alastar thinks she has that potential.” Charyn just hoped, for Aloryana’s sake, that she did.

  For the next glass, he worked on his reply. Aloryana deserved it, and with the snow, there wasn’t that much else that was pressing—although he still needed to work out all the details for dealing with his uncle.

  Finally, he read over what he had written.

  Dear Aloryana—

  I greatly enjoyed your letter, and I will try to be a better correspondent, at least until the proper time has passed, and we can come and visit you.

  I do understand your feeling about not being able to play the clavecin. There are times when playing it, or learning to play a new piece—I’m working on a nocturne by Farray—removes me from all the daily duties and worries. Because you are not here, and Bhayrn has never cared that much for the clavecin, Musician Palenya has more free time. Once the Collegium has the clavecin, she can use the small coach to travel there and instruct you and a few others, if they are interested and Maitre Alastar approves. I will mention this to Maitre Alastar myself.

  It may take a little while to locate a proper clavecin, and it may even have to be built, but you and the Collegium will have a good instrument, and, if the Maitre agrees, someone to instruct you and others …

  And that will determine if Palenya might be able to become the Collegium’s music master … Charyn wasn’t about to say a word about any of that to anyone in the chateau, including Palenya, until she was providing instruction at the Collegium, and it was clear to all parties that it would work out.

  Once he had signed and sealed the letter, he turned to Howal. “I’d like this sent to Aloryana, but hold it until I talk to Musician Palenya. After that I’ll need to write a letter to Maitre Alastar as well. So we might as well send both at once.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Charyn left the study and made his way down the grand staircase to the music room, noting how chill the chateau was. He found Palenya busy copying music. “Always working, I see.”

  “You do pay me for what musicians are supposed to do. Are you here to play the clavecin … or for some other reason?”

  “Both, I suppose. I have another musical task for you. I need to purchase or commission the building of a clavecin for the Collegium, and that is something well beyond my knowledge. Among other things,” Charyn added dryly.

  Palenya smiled broadly. “Aloryana misses playing? I’d hoped she would.”

  “Once the roads are clearer, you can use the small coach to go wherever you need to in order to find or commission the clavecin.”

  “If you need one built…”

  “It will take time. So it would be preferable to find one, but if you cannot…”

  “You’re leaving t
his in my hands?”

  “I can’t think of better hands. Oh, it must also be an instrument that you would enjoy playing.”

  That brought a frown.

  “I’m going to ask Maitre Alastar if he would allow you occasionally to travel to Imagisle and continue instructing Aloryana, if you would be willing, and possibly a few other imager students, as well, also if you would be willing.”

  “Oh?”

  “I can’t think of a better teacher, and Bhayrn certainly doesn’t want any more instruction, and there will still be plenty of time for you to teach me a few more pieces. Ones suitable to my level of ability, of course.”

  “I could manage that … for a while. I would like to continue teaching Aloryana.”

  Charyn nodded. “Now … for a quint or two, will you help me with the nocturne?” He tried to inject a mock-plaintive tone into his voice.

  Palenya smiled at that, and followed him to the keyboard.

  Two quints later, Charyn left Palenya and the music room and returned to his study. He immediately seated himself to write the letter to Alastar mentioning the clavecin and the possibility of Palenya instructing Aloryana and others. He also requested formally that the Maitre attend the coming meeting of the two councils on the eighteenth of Fevier.

  When Howal left the study to arrange for dispatching the two letters, Charyn rose from the desk, stretched, and walked to the window. After pulling back the hangings and clearing away the frost from the glass, he looked down at the courtyard.

  If only dealing with Ryel were as uncomplicated as the imagers have made improving the running of the chateau.

  He let the hangings fall back into place.

  53

  Jeudi was at least as cold as Meredi had been, and the wind picked up as the day went on, then subsided toward dawn on Vendrei morning, leaving a cold hazy sky over L’Excelsis when Charyn entered his study. The lead story in the Jeudi edition of Veritum reported that the River Aluse had iced over all the way south of L’Excelsis to Caluse.

  Although Maitre Alastar had responded that he would attend the council meeting and that Musician Palenya would be more than welcome to instruct at the Collegium, and that the Collegium would be able to pay her a modest stipend for each student taught, Charyn had so far received no response from Maitre Thelia—Dylert’s wife—about the holdings of council members. Although Charyn hadn’t expected an early reply, he had hoped for one. Except you should have thought of that earlier.

  He also fretted, more than a little, about the fact that he had received no more threatening missives, and no more indications of attacks. The lack of such, when there had been four in less than four weeks, was worrisome, even if the weather had been so miserable that even Ryel might have had difficulty mounting another. The foul weather, Charyn supposed, was a blessing of sorts, but whether it came from the Nameless, the Namer, or chance was another question. At least, the cold and wind had put a damper on Bhayrn’s desire to go riding. If only for the moment.

  At ninth glass, Dylert arrived to talk over the timing for implementing the revised plan and structure for the Chateau Guard.

  As the imager settled into the center chair, Charyn asked, “Has Maitre Thelia heard anything?”

  “She said it would likely be next week, probably near Vendrei at the earliest.”

  “I do appreciate her doing this.” Charyn nodded. “Now … for the guards. It seems to me that I ought to announce the plans and the new pay and ranks to all the guards at once. That might remove some of the past stench of secretiveness. What do you think?”

  “We’ll have to get word to everyone. It’s late to let them all know for tomorrow, and Samedi isn’t a good day to announce changes. Lundi might be best, but early in the afternoon.”

  “I also think you should remain, as an advisor, for a week or so after the change is announced.”

  “I think a day or two would be better. I could tell Maertyl and Fhaelln that I’ll be back to see you on the following Vendrei, and that if they have any questions, or want to talk over anything, that would be the time.”

  Charyn thought for a moment, then nodded. “What about Kaylet … or Howal here? Has Maitre Alastar said anything to you? I’d like Howal to stay at least through the next council meeting.”

  “Maitre Alastar has said that what each of us is doing is different. Kaylet thinks he needs three more weeks. It’s mostly training. You should talk to him personally.”

  “What else should I know? About the chateau guards?”

  “Some should be riding or walking posts outside the chateau, and not just outside the courtyard gates…”

  Charyn listened to Dylert’s additional recommendations for almost two quints before the imager finished and departed.

  Once the study door was shut, Charyn turned to Howal. “Has Maitre Alastar said anything to you recently?”

  “No, sir. Not recently. When I came here, he did say that I’d likely be here longer than the others.”

  “Is that a problem for you?”

  Howal shook his head. “Particularly not in the winter.” He grinned. “I like working with the ledgers, especially. Sometimes, I get to help Maitre Thelia, when her daughter’s not feeling well, but she’s so good she doesn’t need much help.”

  Charyn stifled a yawn. There wasn’t any reason for him to be tired. Bored of being a prisoner in his own chateau, that was another question. “Send for Kaylet, but don’t have him interrupt anything.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Kaylet arrived less than a quint later.

  “You asked for me, sir? If it’s about the firewood, I’ve got three men pruning and cutting down damaged trees in the hunting park. Some of that will be seasoned because a few of the trees were mostly dead. Most will be green. It will burn hotter, but smokier. There’s enough there for several weeks, depending on the weather.”

  “Thank you. That’s very good to know, and I’m glad you’ve been able to take care of that.” Charyn paused, then added, “I’d asked for you because I wanted to know how you are coming with the training and retraining.”

  “Well, I believe. The ostlers and stable boys are good people. They just needed more training. More than they should have, but they’re all working hard. Except the one who left. He was the nephew of the former assistant stablemaster.”

  “And didn’t do much work?”

  “He didn’t do anything. He didn’t like it when he learned he had to.”

  Charyn smiled briefly. “Is there anyone who could be a good stablemaster?”

  “I believe Aedryt could handle the job, if I could work with him for another few weeks.”

  “You can have all the time you need, provided Maitre Alastar agrees. Aedryt, you think?” Until he’d looked at the ledgers, Charyn hadn’t the faintest idea who Aedryt even was, but he’d since learned that he had been the head ostler.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “What about his assistant?”

  “I’d recommend two assistants, one for the barns and all the wagons and coaches, and one for the horses and feed. Naelbarr would do well with the wagons, and Jorynt is already working with the feed and other supplies…”

  Kaylet was more than willing to talk, with only a few questions from Charyn, and Charyn was also more than willing to listen, so much so that almost a glass passed before the imager who was clearly a very competent stablemaster left the study.

  Howal grinned at Charyn. “Kaylet’s very enthusiastic.”

  “I imagine the ostlers and stable boys could use some enthusiasm after Keithell.” Charyn still worried about the fact that he hadn’t noticed almost any of what had been going on. You’re going to have to pay much better attention. “There hasn’t been any of that in the kitchen, I trust?”

  Howal shook his head. “Hassala’s not only a good cook, but she’s a good and fair person. Also, your mother keeps a close watch on what goes on inside the chateau proper.”

  That didn’t surprise Charyn. “Speaking of which, I need
to go talk to her. I won’t be that long, but go do anything you want for a while.”

  “I may just read,” replied Howal. “I borrowed one of the histories.”

  With a smile, Charyn slipped out of the study and made his way to the center foyer and then back toward what had been the guest quarters, where he opened the door, slightly ajar, and stepped inside.

  Chelia was sitting at her desk, writing, but immediately set aside the pen and turned with a questioning expression.

  “I didn’t mean to interrupt you…” ventured Charyn.

  “I’m writing Aloryana. It’s likely more for my benefit than hers. I imagine she’s doing quite nicely. By the way, it was thoughtful of you to think of sending a clavecin to the Collegium. Aloryana said it was sweet.” Chelia smiled. “Prudent as well, if the instructionals work out.”

  “Palenya thinks she might have located a clavecin that I can purchase. She’s looking at it this morning. Or she was, but she’s not back yet.” Although he could not have said why, Charyn decided not to mention that Maitre Alastar had agreed to pay Palenya for instructing students other than Aloryana. Charyn took one of the side chairs and set it so that he was facing his mother, then sat down. “She’s very accomplished.”

  “She’s done a great deal for you as well.”

  “I know.” Before his mother could pursue that, he asked, “Do you know anything about the other members of the High Council besides Uncle Ryel?”

  “Not much. I have heard that Fhaedyrk does have a large brewery and supplies lager to most of old Tilbor.”

  “Not anywhere else?”

  “He’s only able to do that because Tilbor is much colder and, in the colder months, he can cart the lager longer distances than brewers can here.”

  “What about Basalyt?”

  “I’ve heard nothing, except that he is very traditional. His great-grandsire was apparently successful in getting possession of many of the lands of former nearby High Holders.”

  “And Khunthan?”

  “He has a very large holding, but it’s very isolated, your father said.”

  “Eshtora is a seaport, though.”

  Chelia shrugged. “I imagine his holding is away from the city. I don’t know that, though. Your father didn’t ever say much about any of the councilors.”