“Hasn’t. Woulda been nice to hear, though.”
Kharl thought he understood. “I’m sorry. I didn’t understand. I’ve thought about. .. everything.” “Friends . .. right now.” Jeka looked directly at Kharl. “Please?”
“For now,” Kharl agreed. Not that he had any choice, he realized.
To the side, there was a cough. Demyst stood in the doorway. “Ser ... I thought you should meet Sestalt.”
Kharl didn’t know whether to be relieved or displeased as he rose from the table. But then, that seemed to be the way everything was headed.
LXXVI
On fourday, Kharl dressed to appear in the Hall of Justice. He wasn’t sure what else he could do. He hadn’t slept that well, with dreams about Hamo-rian warships bombarding Brysta from the harbor while he staggered through the streets looking for a black staff. He’d awakened from that dream with a start, gotten up, and walked around his chamber before climbing back into his bed. The second nightmare had been worse-Egen had burst into the residence with a squad of his patrollers, looking for Jeka. Kharl had not returned from his presentation to Lord West in time, and found everyone slaughtered. Jeka had been used-horribly.
He lay awake in the warm night for a good glass after that, and slept only fitfully, especially after a steady rain began to patter on the roof of the residence.
As he finished dressing, except for his jacket, he considered the day ahead. The rain continued, steady, but not quite a downpour. Should he still go to the Hall of Justice? He shrugged. What else could he do? Demyst was better at finding guards than Kharl would ever be. Besides, Egen might well be at the Hall for Werwal’s trial, and, if he was, that would mean a few days-one day at least, he corrected himself-before any attacks began. Since Werwal’s case was second on the docket before Reynol, Kharl had time to eat breakfast before heading to the Hall of Justice-if he hurried.
Kharl could sense Jeka and Demyst at the table, and he could hear that they were talking. He paused, then eased the sight shield around himself as he moved toward the archway into the breakfast room.
“Lands and all... why’d he come here?” asked Jeka.
“Lord Ghrant asked him to.”
“Did he have to?”
“I doubt any man could make Lord Kharl do what he felt was wrong.”
Kharl appreciated Demyst’s words, but doubted their accuracy.
“We in trouble here?”
“That we are. There is no help for that, I fear.”
“He’s staying here and going to let it happen?”
Kharl winced at Jeka’s question.
“In Austra, I questioned his actions. I was wrong. When he acts, there is none braver...”
Kharl heard steps above. Where he was standing in the narrow archway, one way or another, he was likely to be discovered. He released the sight shield, then coughed before he made his way into the breakfast room.
“Don’t believe that business about bravery,” Kharl said, with a smile. “He was far braver to accompany someone who rides badly and knew little about fighting.”
“He is also modest,” Demyst said to Jeka, standing as he did. “I fear I talked too long. I need to spend some time with Sestalt, and I am awaiting another man who may do as a guard.” He nodded to Kharl. “Ser?”
“Do what you have to. At the moment, you’re getting more done than I am. How are you doing with finding guards?”
“Not so well as I’d like. Sestalt will do, and so will Sharlak.”
“Take them on, if they’ll start today. Can you talk to Mantar, or Fundal, and see if we can get some more mounts and riding gear?”
A sheepish expression appeared on the undercaptain’s face. “I was going to talk to you about that, ser. Already been scouting. We can pick up four pretty good mounts, but they’d be three to four golds each.”
“Do it. I’ll get you the golds after I eat.” Kharl was glad that he’d thought about the need for golds and gone to the Factors’ Exchange earlier, especially since it appeared that the summer-end rains had arrived. “What about sabres, or crossbows?”
“We have enough in the armory here. Fundal had them stowed out of sight.” Demyst laughed. “He’s most cautious.”
“About everything.”
With a smile, Demyst inclined his head, then slipped out of the breakfast room.
Kharl settled himself at the circular breakfast table. As he did, Khelaya appeared with a platter on which were cheesed eggs, thick ham slices, and a basket of bread. “Erdyl said you’d be leaving soon.”
“I’ll be at the Hall of Justice.”
“No good comes from there,” replied the cook.
“Not often,” Kharl agreed. “Has to be a first time, though.”
“When the hot springs of Kayol freeze, maybe.”
Kharl laughed.
Khelaya shook her head, then glanced at Jeka. “You want more?”
“No.” After a moment, Jeka added. “Thank you.”
Because he wasn’t sure what he could say to Jeka, Kharl took several mouthfuls of the eggs, then a swallow of the cider, tart, as early summer cider always seemed to be.
“Why are you going to the Hall of Justice? Thought you’d seen enough of that.”
“Werwal.. . he’s before Reynol today.”
“You going to bust in there with horses, too?”
“No. I’ll do what I can-if I can do anything. While I’m gone, you can use the library. Practice reading.” Kharl kept eating. He didn’t want to be late to the Hall.
“That’s harder than weaving.”
“Or you can talk to Enelya. I’d wager that she’s still upset about Selda. I won’t be back for a while.”
“Like last time . ..” muttered Jeka.
Kharl winced. “I didn’t have much choice, did I?”
“Suppose not.”
“I did come back.”
“For your boy.”
“And for you.”
Jeka looked down. “Your boy? Undercaptain said you went south... graves there.”
“Egen and his men. They killed Merayni and Dowsyl, all the children and Warrl.” He looked at Jeka, waiting until she met his eyes. “I couldn’t let that happen to you.”
Jeka looked back across the table at Kharl. “Wouldn’t. You didn’t have-“
“I was supposed to leave you?” asked Kharl. “Let Egen find you?”
“I could have hid.”
“For how long?”
“I was a good weaver.”
“You are a good weaver. You stayed with Gharan, and you might have been a dead one.”
“What about Gharan and Amyla?” demanded Jeka.
“I told him that if he ran into any trouble to get out of there and come here. If he can’t find me, to get a ship to Austra and go to Cantyl. I gave him some golds.”
“You only gave me silvers.” Her face was deadpan.
It took Kharl a moment to catch the hidden humor. “That was all I had then. I gave you half of all I had.” He forced a grin. “Do you think you were worth it?”
Surprisingly, to Kharl, Jeka looked down at the table for a moment. Kharl didn’t know what to say. Finally, he stammered. “I’m sorry.”
“No need for that. You’re a lord.”
He felt like pounding the table. The last thing he wanted was to hurt Jeka. “Being a lord-it doesn’t mean you hurt people. I don’t want to be like Egen.”
“Never be like that pissprick.” Jeka looked up. “You’re going to the Hall. What if Egen sees you?”
“He won’t know I’m the same person. I don’t think he’ll believe a cooper could come back as a lord.”
“Mean bastard. Doesn’t forget much.”
“Even if he does, he’s not going to do anything in the Hall of Justice.”
“Better be real careful when you leave.”
“He might not be there.”
“Why you’re going, isn’t it? See if he’s there?”
“That, and Werwal.”
“You really got lands in Austra?”
Kharl nodded. “I didn’t expect it, but that was how it turned out. You’ll like them.” He tried to keep his expression pleasant as he realized just what he’d said.
“You think I’m going? Didn’t ask me.”
“You’re coming to Austra. You’ll be safe there. You can’t stay here.”
“Says who?”
Kharl took a deep breath. “I do.”
“You been right about stuff.” Jeka didn’t quite meet his eyes. “Still doesn’t change things.”
“It might be a while,” Kharl added. “Things could be dangerous here.”
“No worse than hidin’ from Egen between walls.”
“No,” Kharl agreed, although he wasn’t so sure about that. He finished the last bit of ham and took a swallow of the cider. Then he stood. “I need to get to the Hall.”
“Guess I’ll talk to Enelya first.”
“She can come with us to Cantyl, if she wants.”
“You givin’ her a choice, but not me?”
Kharl did catch the attempt at humor this time. “That’s right.” He grinned.
After a moment, Jeka returned the grin, although hers was shaky. “You be careful.”
“I will.” He turned and hurried up to his chamber, where he washed quickly, donned his black jacket, then hastened down to the strong room to get more golds for Demyst. Then he locked up the chests and the strong room, and made his way up to the front portico and the waiting carriage beyond. Demyst stepped out into the rain and opened the door. He slipped inside after Kharl.
On the way to the Hall, Kharl gave Demyst the golds for the mounts. Then he studied the streets, and, when he could see it through the rain, the harbor. There were two iron-hulled warships moored at the outermost piers, and several wagons on the piers themselves. Kharl could barely make out the ensign on one-mostly blue. Although he did not recognize the design, he had no doubts that the vessels were Sarronnese, and that Luryessa, Jemelya, and the rest of the Sarronnese at the envoy’s residence would be boarding those ships-if they had not already.
“Sarronnese ships’ suggested Demyst, looking past Kharl.
“They’ve closed their residence. If Erdyl’s right, the Hamorian envoy is the only one left here in Brysta, except for us.”
“How soon before the fighting starts, you think, ser?”
“I don’t know. Another eightday. Could be sooner. Could be later.”
“Even with guards, we can’t really protect the residence.”
“I know. We ought to have some supplies laid by so we could ride out in a hurry.”
“Yes, ser. Already been working on that. Khelaya’s been helping. Says she won’t go with us, but she’ll make sure we’re ready to go. Any chance of catching a ship back to Austra?”
“No. Not that I know of.” Besides, although Kharl wasn’t about to say so, leaving now didn’t feel right. Was that because he’d fled once before, and Ward and Arthal had died? Was he being stubborn and foolish? What could he do?
Offer his services to Lord West? When the lord had sentenced and executed Charee, knowing she was innocent? “Ser?”
“Just thinking.”
It was just half past the second glass of the morning when Mantar brought the carriage to a halt outside the Hall of Justice. After getting out, Kharl turned and looked at the driver. “This time, I’d like you to come back in a glass, Mantar, if you don’t mind. I’m sorry about the rain, but I’ll need you. If anything changes, Undercaptain Demyst will let you know.”
“Yes, ser. Thought that might be the way it was.”
Kharl readied himself, extending his order-senses, but he could detect nothing more than the usual minute trace of chaos that existed anywhere frequented by people. Once the two men stepped into the front foyer of the Hall of Justice, Undercaptain Demyst halted, stationing himself just inside the doors. Kharl walked on toward the two patroller guards.
“Just finishing the first one, ser.”
“That didn’t take long.”
“No, ser. Never does.”
Kharl slipped into the chamber, past the bailiff, who gave him a quick glance. Outside of those involved in the trial, the chamber was almost empty, except for a handful of men and a single woman in the front row on the left.
A sturdy man was being marched to face the justicer seated behind the lower podium desk in his blue velvet gown-Lord Justicer Reynol, round- faced, gray-haired, and blocky. Behind him, on the upper dais, the single carved high-backed seat was vacant.
“... you have been accused of disturbing the peace and assaulting a patroller of the Watch. The first offense is a minority. The second is a majority against the Lord West.
For the first, you are sentenced to five lashes. For the second you are sentenced to two
years’ hard labor in the quarries.”
“No...”
“Any further outbursts will add another five lashes. Justice be done.”
“All stand!” ordered the bailiff.
As the patrollers led the prisoner out, followed by two other patrollers who might have been witnesses, Kharl eased up the side of the chamber. He stood waiting at the end of the first row on the right side.
Fasyn, sitting at the side table, glanced toward Kharl. Beside him was Dasult.
The young scrivener murmured to Fasyn. “That the advocate for the next one?”
“... advocate . .. also lord and envoy from Austra ... sometimes watches cases ...”
The bailiff’s staff thudded three times. “Is there one who would take the Justicer’s Challenge? There being none, the Tenderer Werwal is here, accused of disturbing the peace, and a majority against the Lord, to be brought before justice!”
“Bailiff, bring forward Werwal, the Tenderer.”
The doors at the back opened, and two patrollers stepped into the chamber, with Werwal between them.
As they marched Werwal in, Kharl noted that the eyes of the woman on the other end of the first row followed the Tenderer. Behind Werwal and the patrollers came Fyngel, the tariff farmer, and behind him, the slender figure of a captain that Kharl recognized too well-Egen. Ostcrag’s son was surrounded by a mist of chaos, some of the chaos of having been exposed to magery and some the sullen reddish white chaos of evil. Kharl could also sense the chaos of a beating permeating Werwal.
Egen and Fyngel stood before the benches next to the aisle on the left side, less than ten cubits from Kharl. “Does anyone represent the accused . .. Seeing no one-“
Kharl rose. “I would ask leave to represent the accused, your lordship.”
The lord justicer stopped and looked to Fasyn, seated at the black table to the side. “Fasyn? Is he a registered advocate?”
Kharl could sense Egen’s eyes upon him, but he did not turn.
“Ah.. . Lord Kharl is the envoy from Austra, your lordship,” Fasyn said nervously. “You have seen his credentials. There is no bar in the law to his representing the accused. That is, if the accused chooses to accept him as an advocate.”
Reynol looked directly at the Tenderer. “Werwal, the Austran envoy and advocate has asked leave to represent you. You may accept his offer or decline it.”
“It can’t be worse than it is,” mumbled the battered Tenderer.
“Yes or no? And be civil.”
“Yes, your mightiness. I will take aid from any quarter.”
“Be it noted that the advocate from Austra represents the renderer.”
Kharl stepped forward. He did not wish to get too close to Werwal. The renderer had been very perceptive. He might not be that observant in his current condition, but Kharl did not wish to offer him that choice.
“You, the renderer Werwal,” Reynol announced, “have been charged with obstructing the tariff farmer in the performance of his duties and in using violence against the Watch. Both are majority offenses against the Lord West. What you say or believe is not a question. We are here to do justice, and that justice is
to determine whether you did so
act.” Reynol seated himself.
From behind Kharl and Werwal came the rap of the bailiff’s staff. “All may sit.”
The patrollers sat Werwal in the armless chair of the accused. Kharl reseated himself on the bench.
The first witness called was Fyngel, the tariff farmer who had once tripled Kharl’s tariffs on Egen’s orders. Fyngel avoided looking at Kharl as he described his efforts to inspect Werwal’s property.
“... told him he had to let me see everything. He said that I’d already inspected his place, and I needed a warrant from the lord justicer for a second inspection. He barred the door. Wouldn’t let me in. Told him I didn’t need no warrant thing.”
Kharl watched Reynol with his order-senses. From the lord justicer’s reactions, Kharl got the impression that such a warrant was needed-or that Reynol thought it was.
“What did you do then?” asked the lord justicer.
“I went and told Captain Egen. Stopping a tariff farmer in his duties, that’s for the Watch.” “What did you do after that?”
“I didn’t do anything, your lordship. Heard that the Watch had taken Werwal, and I figured that was something for your lordship.” Reynol nodded, then turned to Kharl. “Do you have any questions?”
Kharl stood. “Just a few, your lordship.” He faced the tariff farmer. “Has anyone ever asked you for a warrant before?”
“No, ser. Never needed one.”
“Have you ever asked the justicers about the need for a warrant?”
“No.” Fyngel looked puzzled.
“I would like to note, your lordship, that the Tenderer was acting within the precedents and the Code when he requested a warrant.”
“So noted, advocate.” Reynol looked to the patroller seated beside Egen. “Serjeant Feryt, please step forward.”
The narrow-faced patroller with the two stripes on his shoulder stepped forward. “Please explain what happened when you and your men went to the Tenderer’s?”
“Not all that much to say, your lordship. We went there, like the captain said, and we knocked on the gate. There weren’t no answer. We knocked again, and there weren’t no answer then, either. So we broke out the hinges and went into the front courtyard. The Tenderer there, he had a staff, and he laid out Hionot and Jospak cold. Busted Calsot’s arm so bad he’ll be mustered out. Took the rest of us to lay him out.” The serjeant shrugged.
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