Ordermaster

by L. E. Modesitt Jr.

  “Carelessness can be as dangerous as theft,” Osten countered.

  Kharl smiled politely. “You asked what I saw, Lord Osten.”

  “Overcaptain. My sire is the only Lord.”

  Kharl nodded to Ostcrag. “I beg your pardon.”

  “Granted, Lord Kharl.” Ostcrag looked hard at the envoy. “You are a large man. Few are so large, and you speak as though you have some familiarity with Brysta. Yet you have lands in Austra. How did this happen?”

  “I was fortunate in being in the right place during the revolt against Lord Ghrant. I was an officer on a merchanter of Lord Hagen’s and was part of a force that was called to support Lord Ghrant. I managed to be of some assistance when it was most useful.”

  “A merchanter officer who is now a lord, who has demonstrated prowess in battle, and who has studied the law. Most unusual.”

  “Perhaps, Lord West. Yet envoys must know about trade and battles, and knowing the law cannot hurt.”

  “Such abilities are useful, Lord Kharl,” Ostcrag returned, “but they can be most dangerous when an envoy does not have a large force nearby.”

  “I would not go against your judgment, ser. I would think that the danger would only exist if the West Quadrant were ruled by a Lord without scruples and honor, and all say that you have exhibited both.” Those words Kharl had managed to adapt, if in a scrambled form, from a phrase that he and Erdyl had worked out the night before.

  Osten frowned.

  Ostcrag laughed. “You would entrap me by my own honor, Lord Kharl. Indeed, you are a dangerous man.” He stood. “It has been a most. .. intriguing ... presentation. You may find you need more than words to represent Lord Ghrant in these times. Between Hamor and Reduce, the rest of us must tread with great care, even wizards and ordermages.”

  “I will remember your words,” Kharl replied.

  “Best you do. Good day, Lord Kharl.” Ostcrag nodded.

  Kharl bowed, then stepped back, his senses alert; but neither the hidden wizard nor the armsmen moved or acted as he left the chamber.

  Outside, in the corridor, Mihalen waited.

  “You must have intrigued them. Such presentations are usually shorter.”

  “I’m new to being an envoy,” Kharl replied. “I’m sure that it showed.”

  “All envoys must have a first posting.”

  Kharl smiled politely. He just wanted to leave the Quadrancy Keep. The walls seemed to press in on him, although his order-senses detected nothing except a feeling of age and faint chaos throughout everything.

  Mantar, Demyst, and Alynar were waiting in the courtyard with the carriage, and Demyst offered a smile of relief as Kharl stepped through the archway. Kharl did not bother with a parting greeting to Mihalen, whom he trusted even less than Lord West and his son.

  Not until the carriage rolled out of the gates and onto Lord’s Road downhill toward the residence did Demyst ask, “How did things go, ser?”

  “Mostly as expected. They wanted to know more about me, and I wanted to find out things about them. I didn’t find out much. They didn’t either.” He just hoped that he had not revealed too much, although he had expected more probing questions.

  As he rode back to his own residence, Kharl pondered over the presentation. He still could not tell, not for certain, if Ostcrag and his son had received word about his magely exploits in Austra. From what he had sensed, he was also fairly certain that neither Ostcrag nor Osten fully understood what Egen was doing. But how could they not see what was so obvious? Was it because they did not wish to see it? Or because they liked the orderly streets of Brysta and did not wish to look at how that order had been created? Then, there was Ostcrag’s parting comment about the conflict between Reduce and Hamor. Kharl was unaware of such a conflict, and he was confident he would have felt something when he had been in Nylan. Yet Ostcrag believed what he had said, and the implications of that belief were anything but good for Kharl and Austra.

  LXXV

  Midmorning on threeday found Kharl and Alynar in the carriage, heading through a warm drizzle toward the residence of the Sarronnese envoy. That was assuming that Luryessa would speak to him-if she was even still in Brysta. Kharl wasn’t above begging for information, not after his meeting with Lord West, and not after Erdyl had reported late on twoday afternoon that none of the envoys who had been absent from Brysta had returned and that two others-from Lydiar and Delapra-had also left Brysta.

  The outer gates to the Sarronnese residence were open, and Mantar brought the carriage up the drive and to a halt under the receiving portico. Kharl opened the door and stepped out of the carriage. “Just wait here with Mantar,” he told Alynar.

  “Yes, ser.”

  The duty guard stiffened as Kharl approached. A

  “I’m Lord Kharl of Austra. I’d like to see Envoy Luryessa, if she% here.”

  “Ser ... I can’t say. I’ll summon her assistant.”

  “That’s fine.” What else could he say? So he stood under the portico, out of the drizzle. The rain wasn’t strong enough to be a true late-summer rain, but sometimes several days of light rain preceded the downpours that announced the end of summer.

  The door opened, and a dark-haired woman stood there. She wore a short-sleeved, plain, dark blue shirt and matching trousers. A lock of unruly hair crossed her forehead, and, as if she had noted his observation, she brushed it back. “Lord Kharl?” A sense of blackness- order-rather than the white of chaos-flowed around the woman. Somehow, after meeting Luryessa, he hadn’t expected a Sarronnese order-mage.

  “You must be Jemelya.” Kharl offered a pleasant smile.

  “I am. You must be here to see Luryessa. She thought you might come by unannounced at some time. You are fortunate. She is here, in her study. If you would like to come in?”

  “Thank you.”

  Kharl followed her to the library, then to the open door to the private study.

  Luryessa did not rise from the desk, but smiled. “Do come in. You might close the door for me.”

  Kharl did and settled into a straight-backed chair across from her. “Jemelya said you were expecting me.”

  “I thought you might come. You are inexperienced as an envoy, but most perceptive. If you came anywhere, it would likely be here.”

  Kharl found he was neither surprised nor angered by her calm presumption. “I’m sorry to stop unannounced-“

  “Don’t apologize. It’s better that you didn’t. Already, the word is out that you’re a minor mage.” A smile danced on Luryessa’s lips and in her hazel eyes. “You had something to do with that?”

  “Only the ‘minor’ part.” The smile faded. “We will be returning to Sar-ron for consultations with the Tyrant. So we will be closing the residence, tomorrow or the next day, whenever our ships arrive.”

  “Ships? Warships?” Then Kharl shook his head. “That’s to make sure that they arrive.”

  Luryessa nodded.

  “What else should I know? That you can tell me?”

  The mischievous smile returned. “You have just met with Lord West and his eldest. You must know far more than a mere woman.”

  Kharl snorted. “I am most certain that you have noticed that there are no regular armsmen in Brysta and that the patrollers loyal to Captain Egen effectively control the city. Doubtless you already know that their uniforms came from Hamor, and that the road

  leading to Surien has been designed by Hamorian engineers. It is a very good road, by the

  way.”

  “Yes. You have a point?”

  Kharl decided not to make it-not yet. “I am also quite sure that you know that Captain Egen controls-or influences strongly-the lord justic- ers and that they have been instructed to find any way possible to sentence those who commit minor offenses to the quarries or the road- building crew. And that at least some wealthy factors who support Osten have left Brysta.” “I suspected that, but I did not know that. Your point, Lord Kharl?”

  “I don’t think that e
ither Lord West or Osten understands what all that means. You do, if I understood the message about the late-summer rains.” “You discovered this by some sort of magery?”

  Kharl shook his head. “Just by talking and listening to Ostcrag and Osten. They also knew something about me, but I don’t think they understood what that meant, either.”

  “You had best hope that they do not.”

  “No ... I’d best hope that Egen doesn’t. Or the Hamorians.”

  “I am most certain that they do know. All of them. The Hamorians only have two or three wizards here. At the moment.” Luryessa smiled sadly. “A fleet was being provisioned in Swartheld two eightdays ago. It was being readied to head northwest. With at least several more white wizards.”

  Kharl couldn’t say that he was surprised. He would have been astonished if Luryessa had suggested that all was well. “Lord West suggested that he-and Austra-were being caught between Hamor and Reduce and needed to tread carefully. He believes that. So does Osten.”

  “That is because Egen and the Hamorians have prepared the ground well.”

  “How soon?” asked Kharl.

  Luryessa shrugged. “Soon, but I cannot name a date. It is not likely this eightday, but not impossible. You have changed everything.” “Me?”

  “Oh . .. they do not know that. None of them do except Whetorak and his assistants, and Whetorak will say nothing until additional white wizards arrive. He has heard of your exploits in Austra, and he is most cautious. Otherwise, Egen would now be poised to take Brysta at the first true rains.”

  Kharl had surmised as much, but it was still a double shock to hear Luryessa’s words-first, her casual revelation that she understood just who he was and, second, her confirmation that Egen and the Hamorians were indeed planning to topple Lord West.

  “Egen feels his father is weak and that his brothers are little better . ..” Luryessa noted.

  “Whetorak is encouraging that, I would wager.”

  “I won’t take that wager.” The Sarrortnese smiled. “So what do you plan to do?”

  Kharl really hadn’t thought that through.

  “Will you just watch? Or throw your abilities behind Osten and Lord West, incompetent as they are?”

  “What would you do?” he countered. “You’re a sorceress.”

  “I’m not in your class, Lord Kharl. Few are. That’s why we’re leaving. We could assassinate Egen, but the Hamorians would know we had. They’d make certain that all the world knew. That’s why our departure will be soon and very public. I just hope that it’s soon enough.”

  Kharl sat there for a time, silent. Once again, it seemed that he had created a bigger problem just by showing up and trying to find out what was happening. “A good envoy would have discovered all this without.. .” He broke off. He wasn’t certain what he really meant.

  “You’re acting like too many men,” Luryessa said dryly. “I expect better of you.”

  “You might explain that,” Kharl replied, tartly.

  “Oh. .. that’s simple enough. You’re here something like two eight- days, and you discover what it’s taken the best envoys seasons to figure out, and because you don’t have a ready solution, you’re acting like it’s all your fault. Men ... you can’t stand it if you don’t have an answer.”

  Kharl winced.

  “Of course, you don’t have an answer. You can’t. No one could. You still don’t know everything. I don’t either.” She smiled sardonically. “I don’t have to have an answer. I just have to get my people out of here safely.”

  “And I don’t?”

  “Were you sent here to leave at the first sign of trouble?”

  Kharl smiled wryly. “I wasn’t given any instructions at all in that way.”

  “Exactly. Lord Hagen is counting on your sense of responsibility.”

  “How large a fleet?”

  “Not large. More like a flotilla. Six or seven vessels. Only one troop transport.”

  “Is Lord Justicer Lurtedd still close to Osten?”

  Luryessa frowned. “He will not cross Egen or Reynol.”

  “Would he warn Osten?”

  “I would doubt that. He understands that Egen holds more power.”

  Kharl nodded slowly.

  “I do not envy you, Lord Kharl. Anything you do will have adverse consequences.”

  “Some acts less than others, I would hope.”

  “That is always true. Do you have other questions that I can answer?”

  Kharl knew he should have had scores, but he could think of few, although he knew he would come up with the most important ones only after Luryessa departed. “Where does Egen store his golds-the ones he uses to pay the patrollers?”

  “I do not know that for certain, but a storehouse with barred windows and stone walls was erected in the post that serves the south road and the quarries. There is also an underground chamber in the main new barracks on the south side of the city.” “Is Whetorak truly in command of the Hamorian forces here? Will he remain so?”

  “No. Submarshal Teorak-he is the assistant envoy in name-controls all armsmen and lancers and probably will command any additional forces landed in Nordla.” “Will this Hamorian flotilla try to conquer Surien as well?”

  “They will not attempt anything unless there is no one with a claim to rule.”

  Kharl wasn’t sure he liked that. The implication was that Osten or Vielam-or even Lord West-needed to survive, for any plan to block Hamorian control to be successful.

  “I said that none of the choices would be good,” Luryessa said. “And you think I should do something?”

  “I think nothing. I suggest nothing. I will say that a powerful black mage who is not from Reduce is the only hope for the West Quadrant not to fall under the iron fist of Hamor. And that is but a hope.”

  “Most of kind of you.”

  “You wanted my judgment, not my flattery.”

  Kharl sat there silently for a moment.

  Luryessa stood. “If you have no more questions ...”

  Kharl rose. “I should, but I can’t think of any more.”

  “Do what you feel is right. Trust Egen to be himself, and the Hamori-ans to weigh and be patient, and you may have a chance to change what others think is inevitable.” Luryessa smiled, faintly. “Good day, Lord Kharl. Our best wishes are with you.”

  Kharl turned and walked down the corridor to the portico, followed by Jemelya. At the archway, he nodded to her, then walked toward the waiting carriage.

  Once he was settled into the carriage, Kharl looked blankly at the faded green fabric above the seat across from him. What could he do? He had no ships. He had no lancers or armsmen. He didn’t even know what Egen would do first-or when.

  He paused. There was one thing he could do-and should have thought of earlier. He eased the carriage door open and leaned forward, calling to the driver. “Mantar!”

  “Ser?”

  “Take me to the Factors’ Exchange!”

  “The Factors’ Exchange it is, ser.”

  Alynar looked at Kharl, but didn’t speak.

  “We might need a few more golds on hand,” Kharl said. He wasn’t certain the guard fully appreciated what he was saying, but Kharl didn’t feel like explaining in more detail.

  At the Factors’ Exchange, Kharl managed to draw two hundred golds, claiming that the terms of his arrangement allowed two eightdays’ draw at any one time. He doubted he’d get away with that again, but he hoped he wouldn’t have to.

  After the carriage left the Factors’ Exchange, he tried to think about what was most likely to happen. While Egen would not need the Hamorian warships immediately, Kharl couldn’t see the captain starting his revolt without them. At the very least, their long guns could reduce the Quad-rancy Keep, if necessary. Luryessa was right about the timing. If the rains came, then Osten and Lord West could not move their loyal troops against Brysta and Hagen’s patrollers that easily.

  A quick campaign would also end before harve
st, and that would leave Egen with the full amount of the year’s tariffs in his coffers. Then, mused Kharl, while Egen planned for a quick campaign, that did not mean it would be so-or that Whetorak and the Hamorians would want a quick resolution.

  When Mantar brought the carriage to a halt at the residence, Kharl headed for the strong room inside. He’d no more than locked the door, after putting most of the golds in the chest, and gotten halfway up the rear steps to the back hall when he saw Khelaya standing there.

  “Lord Kharl. ..” “What is it?”

  “Best you talk to Enelya, ser. Some other tavern girl just left. The poor thing’s sobbing her heart out, talking about leaving ...”

  “Where is she?”

  “In the back pantry. You need to see to her afore she goes off wild- like.”

  Kharl took a deep breath. “I’ll do that.” Even if dealing with a sobbing Enelya was the last thing he felt like doing.

  Enelya looked up as he stepped into the pantry. Tears coursed down her cheeks. She swallowed.

  “What is it?” asked Kharl.

  Enelya just shuddered. She said nothing.

  Kharl forced himself to be calm. Then he reached out with his order- senses, trying to create a sense of reassurance. “You can tell me now.”

  “Selda .. .” Enelya’s eyes widened, but she said nothing more.

  “What about Selda?”

  “Nalona ... Marya ... they found her with her throat cut... all her fingers broken...”

  Kharl had a feeling he knew who the woman was, but decided he should ask. “Selda? Who is Selda?”

  “She was another server .. . White Pony ...” “Long-faced, with blond hair?”

  Enelya nodded, trying to stop sobbing. “... only friend . .. really ... except...” She closed her mouth abruptly.

  “Except Jeka, you mean?”

  Enelya gaped at Kharl.

  “Did Selda know about Jeka?”

  “Don’t know what you’re sayin’, ser.”

  “I know about Jeka, and I know where she is-and where she was. If Selda knew . .. how safe will Jeka be? Did Selda know?” Kharl’s voice was hard, demanding. “What did she know?”