The Invisible Hand

by Chris Northern

  Flanked by Sapphire and my guards, Balaran reined in his mount close enough to reach out and touch if I but stepped one pace closer. Balaran had wrapped indifference around himself like a cloak. I held back a swagger and an insouciant smile with difficulty. I'd won a contest neither of us could acknowledge, and we both knew it.

  "Balaran," I greeted him.

  "Sumto." He idly brushed dust from his trouser-leg. "I thought you might be in need of some assistance," he said as he let his gaze wander over the scene behind me.

  "Your concern does you credit," I told him, weighing my words with care, "but the situation is in hand. I have agreed that we will withdraw. No cost to us, as we have been ordered to return to the city in any case."

  He returned his attention to shifting dust. "I see," he drawled. "You... conceded the field?"

  "It seemed best. I judge that there is no benefit to further conflict here." I rolled my shoulders and stretched my muscles. I was beginning to feel a little physical discomfort. I craned my neck and looked back at the dead mount so recently gifted me by Resh Ephannan. "I'm going to need another horse."

  Balaran shot me a glance from under hooded eyes but refrained from comment. Both soldiers moved to dismount but one was faster. He led the horse to me but I barely noticed. Colored lights flashed at the corners of my eyes and I felt dizzy. The effects of the drug were fading. I wondered how long it would take, and how bad it would be. I wondered at Silgar's motives in providing it. I would have to think about that later. I deliberately pushed the matter to the back of my mind, and knew as I did so that I might forget. Right now there were other matters that must be dealt with. I hoped I had time to get everything in train before I collapsed, as I now knew I inevitably would.

  "Patron?" The solder held out the reins to me.

  "Thank you." I realized he had been standing there for some moments, waiting for me to act.

  He eyed the passive army that had been arrayed against us. "You’re welcome, Patron."

  I took hold of the saddle-horn and placed a foot in the stirrup, then hauled myself into the saddle. "The soldiers of the city are the best in the world," I commented. "And the two centuries here are the best of them."

  The soldier who'd given up his horse moved to double up with his companion, who looked me up and down with considered deliberation. "Going to need to borrow another tunic, Patron?"

  Cheeky sod. "Not right now, soldier." I glanced around me and took in the scene. Meran's century marched to join with Parast, who now had his force arrayed as I'd ordered. That would not do. I needed to be seen to be acting on our agreement at once, not look like we were preparing for battle. "I need you to ride to Commander Meran and Centurion Trethant. Meran is to join with Parast and withdraw to the south at once."

  "As you say, Patron.”

  As I watched them go I remembered the coin that Caliran's men had carried. It lay discarded at the shore of the lake. Well, that would just have to wait, though I doubted I’d be the only one to remember it.

  "At once?" Balaran sounded surprised.

  "At once," I told him.

  He turned in the saddle to survey the town. "And Darklake?"

  "Darklake is in the hands of my client, Elendas," I told him, absently. My attention had been drawn to Dannat. Duprane and the Lords of the Keeps had retreated, but he remained. He walked our way. I decided to wait for him. "You know, I was thinking about something you said..."

  Balaran turned to face me with an expression of polite inquiry. "Oh?"

  I shook my head. "My memory sometimes isn't the best," I made a self-depreciating gesture and tried to look a little embarrassed. "You asked if I'd read the Speculative Histories and I'm sure I said I hadn't." I had his full attention but nothing showed on his face as he waited for me to continue. "It was a long time ago, but I did read them. My tutor used them to teach composition," I gave an offhand shrug. "The work struck me as the most fantastic nonsense," I told him, meeting his steady gaze, "which is why I made no effort to remember them, I suppose."

  He looked away, feigning disinterest. "Yes, that's what I thought of them. Hardly worth the shelf space. Still, I'd like a copy for the archives, if you think your father would be willing to part with them."

  "Not possible, unfortunately. The copy my tutor used was on vellum and we sanded each page smooth after I'd read it. As I said, he used it to teach composition." I shrugged apologetically.

  "I see," he didn't sound as though he believed me, but could hardly say so. "Who's this?"

  Dannat had almost closed the distance between us. "I'm hoping it's someone with some corpses for you to examine."

  Balaran shot me a glance. "Oh, joy," he drawled. "Might I ask why?"

  "No sense you examining them if you don't know why." I told him who Dannat was, and everything I suspected. By the time I had finished he had turned in the saddle to glare angrily back at the trading post and Dannat stood before us. I didn't need to ask him if he had moved the bodies. That he was covered in mud made that clear enough. "Do you think you can gather some hard evidence for the trial?"

  Balaran's expression was set in a cold fury when he turned back to face me. "I'll get you what you need, if the evidence is there." He urged his mount forward a few steps, cleared one foot from a stirrup and reached down a hand to Dannat. "Show me where the bodies are, Dannat."

  A moment later Dannat was behind Balaran. As they rode away, Dannat turned back and raised his voice a little so that I could here. "Duprane sends her thanks," he called out. "And I add mine, for what it's worth."

  He turned back to face front before I had a chance to think of any response above a casual wave. Probably it was just as well. The man had nearly been the death of me once. I might have forgiven it, to some degree, but I doubted I would ever forget. I watched them go, memories of being corralled with other prisoners back in Learneth. Crawling through the mud, my mind destroyed by concussion. They were not happy memories.

  After a while I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. My body tingled with fatigue and my eyes stung with it. A subtle craving had begun to gnaw on the edge of my awareness. I set it aside. Hoped it wouldn't get too bad.

  "Are we done here?"

  I guided my horse in a slow turn and headed for the trading post at a walk. "Not quite yet," I told him. "I have to give Lendrin Treleth the good news first."

  I was looking forward to it.

  #

  As the two centuries came together and marched south, Meran and the imperial messenger moved to join us. I noted their approach with a mental shrug and kept to my course. Whatever arrangements Meran had made in the north would either stand or not, and were no longer my concern. It was only as I considered this that I noted the absence of Kathan and the warriors of Darklake. A thoughtful frown settled over my face as I considered the implications of that. I didn't doubt that Kathan would support his nephew as soon as he became aware of the situation, but I had assumed Kathan and the warriors who looked to him would be here to perform that role at once. For the moment, Elendas was on his own and any opposition might prove to be too much for him to handle. I wanted to give him some support, but every man at my command was a citizen.

  Except one.

  "I want you to stay and protect Elendas until Kathan gets here," I spilled the idea as soon as it occurred to me, then watched Sapphire think it through and nod.

  "There are possessions of yours in Darklake that need to be recovered."

  Of course there were. The white rod of my imperial authority, to name just one. "That's what I was thinking."

  His lips twitched. "Of course it was," he said blandly. "Shall I give your farewells to Anista while I am there?"

  I winced, sighed and shrugged in quick succession. "Think of something nice to say." I was damned if I could. Goodbye? Thanks for the sex? Whatever Sapphire thought of, it had to be better than that.

  He angled his mount away from mine without another word and a space began to open between us. I turned things ove
r in my mind, looked to see if there were any other loose ends he could tie up. Was there anything else I wanted him to do? Anything else I wanted to know? Only one thing came to mind and I raised my voice a little to bridge the gap between us. "Don't kill anyone unless you have to," he nodded but didn't otherwise respond. "Unless you find that Caliran survives." I doubted it but there was no way to check.

  He turned in the saddle to look at me then patted his chest where the glass sphere would be, wrapped in the small pouch that protected it. "It's just glass," he told me.

  I nodded and looked away, suddenly embarrassed by my concern. If the spirit held within had fled, it could only mean one thing. Caliran was dead. It felt better to be sure. One less thing to worry about. As the gap between us grew, I kept half an eye on him. Sapphire didn't look back. I tried to remember if he had ever given me a greeting or a farewell. Or I him, for that matter. Maybe we were two of a kind.

  The thought depressed me and I was feeling pretty glum when Meran and the imperial messenger came close and steered their mounts to fall in alongside me. Meran opened his mouth to speak but I held up a hand to forestall him. "Do you have anything to report that I need to hear right now?"

  He screwed up his ugly face, his one eye squinting as he assessed my condition. Then he shook his head and looked forward. The messenger took his cue from Meran and similarly held his peace.

  #

  No one was working on the short length of road that led south from the trading post. It stretched about a quarter of a mile, clean and straight and empty. It was such a short stretch that my maniple hadn't bothered to use it. I wondered if anyone would; wondered if it would one day be finished and used to bring trade and prosperity here. Maybe I had persuaded Elendas of its value; if not, then maybe I still could. Not that I expected to speak with him again face to face, but I could write to him. In fact, I would have to. As my client I had a responsibility to keep the lines of communication open, just as he had a responsibility to me. I briefly turned my mind to the money I was leaving in his care; wondered if he would see it as mine or his, or if he had learned yet that money belonged only to the hand that held it, and that hand should hold it only briefly. A twisted half-smile twitched my lips as I realised how briefly I had held on to it. I'd set a good example.

  As we moved onto the road I saw that the nearby gates of the trading post were thrown open now that all was resolved and it was safe to do so. A group of men were clustered there, foremost among them was Lendrin Treleth, come to see how he was affected by events. He waited at the gate, surrounded by his men. He was mounted but made no move to close the distance between us. That he made me go to him just made me even more glad that I bore no good news for him.

  He walked his horse forward a few paces as we came close, then stopped, attention fixed on the retreating soldiers of the city, his face a mask of confusion and concern. His gaze flicked to me when I drew rein in front of him. He looked me up and down once with evident distaste at my condition before offering a hesitant greeting.

  I did not return it. "You have to leave," I told him. "You and every citizen. You can leave a proxy but not a citizen; from here and north through the region around Battling Plain and the plain itself; not one citizen may reside.

  His eyes widened and his face paled before he abruptly flushed crimson. "I know you have been recalled to the city, Sumto Cerulian, but there was no letter from the Assembly of Patrons for me! I can't possibly leave here, I have too much to protect. I..."

  "Do it," I snapped, cutting him short. "I'm the Commander of this region and have full imperium until I lay down that authority on my return to the city; until then my word is law. You can leave a proxy, you can still make money here," as could I if my client Elendas would cooperate, "but you cannot stay, not you nor any citizen. If you do I will prosecute," I would anyway, but on another matter, "and I will win and you will lose a fortune and face exile. Understand?"

  He got control of himself. His expression turned neutral but I could see the defiance in his eyes and knew I had to quash it before I was free to leave. I pointed to the army that still stood on the edge of the woodland to the east. "If you remain then you break the treaty I have negotiated with these people. You will have forfeited any claim to my protection. I would expect them to kill you and take your goods in compensation for breaking the treaty. And if that isn't enough, then understand this; if you remain against my orders, spoken here before witnesses, even if you are killed, it's your family that I will prosecute."

  I watched him cave and once I was sure he would do it I started to turn my mount away.

  "Why?"

  I checked my horse and looked him up and down, not bothering to keep the contempt from my expression. "I made a deal that was to my advantage. Did you think I would put your advantage above my own?"

  His shoulders slumped. "No."

  "No," I said and completed the turn so my back was to him. "You can leave a proxy."

  "And be robbed blind," he called after me, obviously mistaking me for someone who cared.

  "Then choose wisely," I called back.

  "Everyone is trustworthy until they are tested!"

  I smiled to myself, knowing he couldn't see me and that what he said was probably true, at least for him. "Then choose someone you have already tested."

  "Everyone has their price!"

  I didn't bother to respond to that. I was done with him, at least for now.

  We followed the road. I used it almost deliberately. Leaving Darklake and the north at last. I put the past behind me and looked forward. It was over six hundred miles between here and the city. A long journey and at the end of it, a trial that would include a charge of treason. If found guilty of that I would be hauled to the top of cliff and thrown to my death.

  All of a sudden, looking forward didn't seem like such a great idea.

  #

  The End

  Author's Notes

  Early on in this book, Sumto offers the choice between Protectorate or Client Kingdom, totally neglecting to mention that there are other possibilities. He doesn't want to muddy the waters, and of the available degrees of relationship between the city (meaning just the city itself) and the territory, he mentions only these two. These are the others. A Province is ruled by a governor directly appointed by the Assembly, a Client State is ruled a patron, either directly or by proxy, a Vassal State is ruled by a client of the Patron, and usually only that individual or the ruling class are clients, Friend and Ally describes a state with its own laws and government but one with trade and other agreements, a Tributary merely pays tribute to be left alone, and the Protectorate, which is permitted no military and is protected by the patron in return for tribute to pay for the protection. There is variance in each status, but that kind of detail isn't relevant at the moment. It is often the case that Sumto will fail to explain things that he understands so fully that he doesn't even think about them. It is also common enough that he is so familiar with a subject that he doesn't really understand it as well as he thinks he does.

  Taxation is another example; he completely fails to mention that there are differences between taxation systems in the different forms of province listed above. Nor does he explain that for citizens of the city, only the six classes pay direct tax, or the differences between direct and indirect taxation, or that within the city there is no representation without taxation – meaning that only those who pay direct tax get to vote. He doesn't mention or much explain these things because he assumes everyone knows them already.

  The six classes, for anyone who is interested, were originally based on land ownership but now are represented by money. A Patron must have one million in cash (gold lodged with a temple – even though there are no temples in active use the buildings still exist), an Equestes must have 100,000, the third class 50,000, and so on to the sixth class who must have five thousand. Direct tax is six percent per annum of the gold lodged to secure the class and the benefits of being that class. If unpaid,
it is taken from the stored gold and the class of the individual drops. The majority, who don't have spare money to store, don't pay direct tax, but don't have a vote or the benefits associated with the class.

  As usual with city politics, it's quite complicated. My best advice, as ever, is not to worry about it. Sumto certainly doesn't.

  The Price of Freedom Sequence

  The Last King’s Amulet (Book One of The Price of Freedom)

  The Key To The Grave (Book Two of The Price of Freedom)

  The Invisible Hand (Book Three of The Price of Freedom)

  Endgame: Aftermath – a revolutionary post-apocalyptic fantasy role-playing game

  Prison of Power - A stand alone fantasy novel

  Chris Northern's random ramblings can sometimes be found at forwardviewmirror.blogspot.com

  I gladly answer questions to the best of my ability, if you have any, email me here: shasqa@yahoo.com