“No answer or too long of one, it is the only thing you can get from a scholar.” Taren’s frustration with Kallin’s roundabout way of talking made the words sharper than he meant them. “Believe me or don’t, but I have long known everything you just said, Kallin. It’s my family’s history, after all. Garisha’s two eldest sons were both killed in the civil war that ended her reign. Her youngest son, with a few servants and his wife, fled the north and came back to Drogoda, where the second line of House Garrenin had died out thousands of years before. Six thousand years after our return, those of my House dared to take our true name back, believing our history forgotten, and therefore, behind us for good. And now, you are telling me everything I already know because you wish for me to reclaim the position my ancestors once held. You want me to take Eliish Del Anaria for myself, and then change its name back to Eliish Del Lasheed.”
“I think you have to, Taren. As long as there is one surviving heir, the throne will serve no other. You know well how many times the Council has tried to fill it, with sacred fire or sudden age or anything else claiming those who they placed there. But as for changing the name back, I do not think that that really matters. Ellish Del Lasheed has become something obscure, something that no one knows really exists.”
“I will not take the throne. It belongs to one of the Morschen who is willing to sit upon it, one who has the power to tame it, and I do not want that power. I have never wanted it.” Before Kallin could respond, Taren added “and those sudden deaths that have supposedly happened, sacred fire or sudden old age, not one of those records is real. Had you read El Kardi Morschcoda, as I have, you would know the truth behind those acts.”
They paused as Marrdin walked in, and then Kallin spoke again. “The one month wait we imposed for discussion of Eliish Del Anaria is almost over. We will soon have to return to Dishmo Kornara for the council to meet.”
Taren picked up his empty mug, staring at it and wishing for more of the hot drink that was the only reason he enjoyed trips to Armanda, where it came from, or Rista, who bought more than half of the supply that left the desert. “Dishmo Kornara is the proper place, but I would rather not go back there so soon.”
“Why, Taren?”
Taren fought hard to keep his hand away from his boot. “Well, Marrdin, if we go back now, every single person in all of Anaria is going to have their expectations, and because of those expectations, we won’t be able to get anything done.”
“What would have us do, Taren? You said yourself that Dishmo Kornara is the proper place.”
“I know what I said, Kallin.” After a few moments silence, Taren spoke again. “No, the two of you are right. We can’t do this anyplace but Dishmo Kornara.” As Marrdin left, he turned to Kallin and spoke in a low voice. “If you bring up anything of what you just said, Stargazer, while the Council is in session, you might soon be joining your ancestors in their dance throughout the heavens.”
* * * * *
Norrin and Dalasin had both gone north when they heard of the attack on Toredo, and now they, with Erygan, had travelled south to Dishmo Kornara for the Council to meet once more to decide whether or not to fill Eliish Del Anaria. Xari and Ranny were already in Dishmo Kornara when they arrived, and Daken came just two days after. Daliana arrived soon after him.
“And where are Taren, Kallin, and Marrdin?”
“Kallin should be here by now, Daken.”
“Taren is likely in Agrista with Marrdin. He left Toredo for Airachni, and then went to Agrista from there. I assume that he is trying to persuade Marrdin to join him in some mad quest for power.”
“Really, Erygan, there is no call to make that kind of accusation about me” said Taren, pretending to sound hurt by the accusation as he stepped through a portal that suddenly opened from Agrista to Dishmo Kornara. He waited as Marrdin and Kallin followed him through before he spoke again. “Now that we are all here once more, shall we get to the matter at hand?” he said as he turned towards the doors to the Council Chamber.
Mastery Revealed
Taren groaned audibly as Ranny and Erygan continued to shout at each other. He was tired, and comfortable as his chair was, he was sore from sitting for the ten hours the debates had already dragged on for. Kallin took the groan as a sign that someone had to interrupt Ranny before she said something everybody would regret.
“Is something wrong, Morschcoda Taren?”
“Yes, Morschcoda Kallin, something is wrong. We’ve been sitting here for ten hours and we have nothing to show for it. We don’t have a single name of a single person who any of us would be willing to call our king or queen. We don’t even have a country that we can agree a strong ruler might come from. I suggest that the Council adjourns and considers each of these questions privately. We can’t afford to waste the time that we already have wasted, and much less the little time we still have left.”
“I concur with Morschcoda Taren.”
“Thank you, Morschcoda Marrdin. Council is adjourned until the day after tomorrow.”
Taren stood and turned to walk out, but Ranny did not let him go right then. “If we cannot afford to waste time, Morschcoda Taren, why are we not meeting tomorrow?”
Taren did not turn around, nor even look over his shoulder. “Because, Morschcoda Ranny, I want to be able to think of reasonable people to take the throne. I do not wish to present the first name that comes to mind. And I want to sleep.”
* * * * *
Despite Taren’s desire to sleep after over two weeks of battle and travel throughout the north, he and Kallin met that night.
“So, Kallin, we know that maybe a handful of people actually have the strength or will to take Eliish Del Anaria. Do we know who any of those few people are?”
“You mean besides yourself.”
“I told you that I will not take the throne.”
Kallin sighed. “Well, then as I see it, there are three, maybe four, Morschledu who have strength enough to take the throne, but I would doubt that any of those have the strength to hold it.”
“The strength to hold the throne is not currently important. If the Morschcoda are divided in their choice, then no strength will suffice.”
“So, what do we do?”
“For now, we sit, we think, we eat, we talk, and we drink, though not in that order. Drinking comes first.” Taren ordered a servant to bring him Gafve. He found the strong drink more calming than any tobacco Dothoro’s famous plantations could grow. He had even begun to consider its lack of alcohol refreshing, allowing him to save his whiskey for occasions when he really needed it.
* * * * *
“Who could hold the throne, Daliana?”
“Well …”
“It depends on the Deshika, really.”
“What makes you say that, Xari?”
“Honestly, Ranny? The Deshika invaded, which means that they thought they had the strength to conquer what they attacked and to hold what they conquered. Because the Deshika will likely be back, and sooner rather than later, whoever takes the throne is almost guaranteed to be a southern warlord.”
“A warlord, yes. Not necessarily a southern one.”
“The north barely has armies. It barely has warriors. It doesn’t have warlords, Daliana.”
“I don’t think many people would bow to a warlord, and I don’t think many would willingly follow one.”
“People follow their leaders into battle.”
“If those leaders are actually used to being there, and wanted there in the first place.”
“Seeing their king or queen on the front lines against the Deshika might make our soldiers fight harder.”
“Seeing their king or queen cut down by Deshik swords won’t do anything for our people. The bloodline of the ancient kings is spent. The warrior queens of the first era are all dead. And it’s because they were all killed on the battlefield. The only Great Families with notable military lineages anymore are the Garrenins and the Eshtarins. Taren, Anyana, and Elich are
the only living Garrenins, the Morschcoda, the Princess of Morieden by right, and the Morschcoda’s heir. None of them can take the throne. Gelinia Eshtarin though …”
“Gelinia Eshtarin has an overly high opinion of herself.” The way Ranny said it made Xari snort with laughter, which trailed off into a cough. Ranny ignored her. “But, I take it that you, Daliana, oppose a warlord taking the throne.”
“The term bothers me. Warlord. El Darnen is the only warlord that I know of. At least, he’s the only person I’ve ever heard the term applied to. But, if that is what a warlord is, I can’t stand for one.”
“It’s a poor fit in El Darnen’s case. It’s better when you apply it to Taren, or Makret Druoth.” Xari thought for a minute. “I wonder if anyone else thought what I just did.”
“Makret Druoth as King of Anaria!” Ranny sounded scandalized.
“It has merit, but not Makret. He’s Taren’s right hand. We would be putting Taren on the throne. But, he’s a general. Not a warlord. I wouldn’t disapprove.”
“Atalin Danalath?”
“He wouldn’t take it. He belongs to the forest, not to Anaria.”
“Well, you know him best, Daliana.”
“Yes, but it still leaves us with the problem of who to support.”
* * * * *
“Taren is going to try to take the throne, Dalasin.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Why did he push the Deshika back from Anaria’s north if not to try to claim the world?”
“I disagree. Taren obviously went north for a reason, but I do not think that that reason was anything to do with Eliish Del Anaria.”
“Really, Norrin? So you also do not believe that he forced the extension of the Garuthen trade route just so the El Darnen Greshida could raid it? How can you be so stupid about Taren?”
“We don’t know that that was his reason.”
“It does not matter. Taren himself is the only king that could come out of Drogoda, and the Morschcodal Houses cannot stand for the throne.”
“I wouldn’t say the only king.”
“Yes, I know. That one insufferable merchant, Enschiva. I already have to fight to not have to lick their boots. I’m not giving them any more power.”
“I was thinking Makret Druoth.” Erygan went silent. So did Norrin. They both just stared at Dalasin. “What? We’ll need someone who inspires confidence in the army, who makes the people believe that they can be protected. Aside from Taren, who can’t legally take the throne, the best we have is Makret Druoth. The man hasn’t lost truly lost a battle in centuries. He’s one of the best Drogoda has ever had.”
“Norrin?”
“I agree, it’s not impossible. But I don’t think that Taren would give up his High General, not even to let him become King of Anaria. And Makret has bowed to Taren for about seven centuries. He’s not going to stop any time soon, whether he becomes king or not.”
“Well, there isn’t really anyone better. One, maybe two Armandans, possibly a Caladean, and maybe two people from the rest of Anaria combined. We don’t have many options. Who do you think it should be, Erygan?”
“That’s exactly the question, isn’t it?”
* * * * *
“So, Kallin, we need someone who can claim the world and its throne. We have talked about the various countries, their Great Houses, the people who rule them, warlords, generals, and even, unfortunately, Merchant Princes. And we are still no closer to naming the next ruler of Anaria.”
“Taren, you know as well as I do, and should know better than me, that the Treaty of Anaria is at best already cracking. Something like Eliish Del Anaria is likely to shatter it and leave Anaria as little more than a stain on old maps, torn into a thousand bloody shreds by warring countries, too powerful to be restrained and too stupid and proud to yield. Even in spite of the Deshika having returned to Anaria, that may yet happen.”
“All that this means is that the only nations that could produce our next king or queen have to be strong enough that no one will move against them merely to seize the throne. Which means one of the southern empires will have to produce our ruler.”
“Well, that does not really have an effect on the few names I think I have been able to come up with and convince myself that I could bow to.”
“Well, I had better hear these names to see if I agree with you, that I could bow to one of them.”
“Somehow, the thought of you bowing to someone is one that I do not find plausible. But, the first person I thought of is Aleishi Mandrath of Caladea. The second I could bow to is Galeth Tendornin, of Meclarya.”
“I must say I am surprised that a stargazer would bow to a Caladean, much less one of the Rayed Sun. I think that I have to disagree with you about her. While the Rayed Sun does not lack for numbers, it lacks in almost everything else. Strength, power, influence, talent, and experience most of all. And Mandrath is small, especially for a Great House. Erygan may be weakened, but he will not stand for her either, if only on principle, and if you had not noticed, almost nothing happens here that neither Erygan nor I cause to happen or stand for if the time comes. As for Galeth, he is … weak. His only power, and House Tendornin’s with it, comes from his lordship of the Dragon Riders. His influence comes from that alone, but even if he had the strength to take the throne, few of the Morschcoda would stand for a Meclaryan. Meclarya is a largely ignored country. It doesn’t have the ability to fight a war to keep the throne. I will probably speak with Daken though at some point tonight. His thoughts, at least, are worth knowing.”
“My third choice is Guinira Estaleth, of Armanda. The fourth I thought of is Ren Enschiva of Drogoda.”
“Estaleth is a young House, and I often wonder if its head is not actually Guinira Gundara, Xari’s long-missing daughter and heir. Still, Guinira is strong, especially for an Armandan. Actually, I have been keeping my eye on her for years now, actually, since before she left the Flame Weavers. Still, I fear that Guinira has two points against her. Both are merely principles, but they will cost her here. Estaleth is far too small of a House, recently established, and though it is already prolific in Armanda, and rich, it has neither the numbers nor influence outside of Armanda to really be considered a Great House. If Estaleth was more established, then I could see her as queen, but not before. And as for the second point, though I have nothing against either Xari or Guinira, surprisingly, I can’t support an Armandan. Erygan won’t support her either, as Armanda stands for the things that he stands most against; heat and light, instead of cold and dark.” He took a long, deep draught of the Gafve that the servant had brought. Kallin had ignored his own mug, except to frown at the steam coming from it, which was fogging his glasses. “And as for Ren, he will get no support from me, nor would he from the rest of Drogoda, if he were king. He’s a Merchant Prince, and many Drogs feel that such persons have far too much power within Drogoda as it is. No,” said Taren firmly, shaking his head. “Ren will not sit upon Eliish Del Anaria. And, I can’t imagine that Erygan would be too pleased at having another Merchant Prince to scrape in front of.”
“Ren is strong” Kallin argued, wiping his glasses on his wide sleeve.
“Ren is rich. There’s a difference. He can buy people to be strong.”
“So you will bow to no one.”
“I didn’t say that. The person I am thinking of, you were not.”
“And that person is?”
“Atalin Danalath.”
“The Lord of the Dothrin Half-Elvin? I hadn’t thought of him. I assumed Dothoro was too weak to stand on its own without the approval of the southern empires.”
“I’m not saying Dothoro can stand on its own. I am saying Atalin can. Frankly, House Danalath should have gotten the Morschcodaship of Dothoro instead of House Marcarry. They are strong, independent, fierce fighters. I suspect it is their partial Elvin blood, supposing Elves really do exist as they claim, that makes them so different from others of the Morschen, even and especially their own coun
trymen. And Atalin himself is strong without being overbearing. He’s a warrior, not a warlord.”
“So you want Atalin to become king?”
“Actually, I would much prefer him as a Morschcoda. Then he would have the ability to exercise his strength. Whoever takes the throne will be at the mercy of the Council. So it has to be someone from a neutral country. Dothoro is really the only country that stands on its own.”
“Is Drogoda not neutral?”
“I am a Garrenin, Kallin. My House has ruled Drogoda for fourteen thousand years. Nobody has ever accused my House of being neutral.”
Kallin leaned back, distancing himself in case Taren got angry, and changed the subject. “I thought, and I am sure others of the Morschcoda did as well, that Dothoro existed at the mercy of the southern empires.” He picked up his Gafve, no longer steaming, and looked pointedly at Taren as he took a sip. “Especially Drogoda.”
“When it suits my purpose, yes, I put the fear of destruction into Daliana, the same as I do to everyone, though I do it less to her. It does no harm, and in some cases, is helpful to the rest of Anaria, like the extension of the Garuthen trade route.”
The two Morschcoda were interrupted by a messenger from Ranny, bidding the two of them come to her quarters.
“Tell Ranny that I have gone to sleep, as I said I would during our session. You go, though, Kallin.”
When Kallin left, Taren stayed where he was for another hour, completely still, hardly breathing. It was a technique developed by Dothrin hunters for trapping animals, especially Lurnax, which were sensitive to vibrations in the air caused by movement or breathing. With modification, a Storinean had discovered that it could be used to fully refresh the body and mind when there was no time for sleep. Taren often used it during The Councils so that he would be fully rested, even if he had been awake in private meetings all night. When he finished, he silently left his room.
Rising Vengeance (The Anarian Chronicles Book 1) Page 8