Wolf's Eyes

by Jane Lindskold

  “You think them opportunists then?” King Tedric asked.

  “I don't know what I dunk them,” Sir Dirkin replied, “but I expect that they will not take similar risks again.”

  “I see,” the king said, and once again Firekeeper had the feeling that he was not saying all he thought.

  Doc rose and bowed. “Your Majesty should rest, as should my patients. For all her courage in reporting so clearly, Lady Zorana has been sorely abused. I would like to dose her with an herbal mixture to help her sleep without dreams. I also suggest that she stay here within the fortress so that she will feel secure.”

  Lady Zorana looked as if she wished to reject such coddling but was only too well aware that she needed it. King Tedric saved her dignity by saying:

  “I command that Zorana take your recommendation, Sir Jared. Place yourself on call in the anteroom to my chamber, where you may be available if anyone has need of your serv-ices. The rest of you are dismissed. Remember, speak nothing of tonight's events except to keep mmor from exaggerating them beyond measure. Now, good night and thank you.”

  He gestured for Firekeeper to close with him and whispered in her ear, “And be careful, little wolfling. There is wickedness abroad.”

  She bowed to him and with a thoughtful hand twined in Blind Seer's raff followed Derian and Race back to the Kestrel encampment.

  PERHAPS LADY ZORANA'S KIDNAPPING and the daring rescue would have been ferreted out by the nosy de-spite the best attempts of those involved to keep the secret, but something happened to eclipse her adventure. The next morning shortly before noon, news came across theriverthat Stonehold was withdrawing its troops from where they were bivouacked with those of Bright Bay.

  Lady Zorana, returning from the Watchful Eye, brought additional news to her brother. Despite the fact that others must be spreading the same information, Zorana acted as if what she was reporting were privileged information.

  “Word has come to the Watchful Eye,” Zorana said, her voice low and breathy with excitement, “that Generals Yuci and Grimsel have sent a letter to Queen Gustin—with copies to her representatives here—having to do with their discovery of something about Bright Bay of which the Stonehold government seems to strongly disapprove. They have demanded that Queen Gustin the Fourth come meet with them immediately. They say that if she does not the alliance between Stonehold and Bright Bay otherwise will be forever broken and war declared between their nations.”

  Baron Archer cocked an eyebrow, but for all the steadiness with which he stuffed his pipe neither Elise nor Zorana was fooled. He was as surprised as anyone by the recent change in events. Silence merely provided him with the opportunity to calculate what these changes would mean to Hawk Haven.

  Seeing that her father wasn't going to give his sister the satisfaction of a reply, Elise asked her aunt:

  “How can they make such demands, Aunt Zorana? Certainly foreign generals aren't in a position to order a queen about—especially in her own land!”

  Zorana looked quite serious. “Foreign generals can try, Elise, if their army provides much of the strength of that queen's army. Never forget, Bright Bay is powerful on the sea—a rival for Waterland most say—but for a long time now her army has depended on Stonehold for both troops and officers. The withdrawal of their troops from among hers is a reminder to them of that dependence.”

  “An unwise dependence, I've always thought,” commented Ivon Archer, “but it was an arrangement that enabled Bright Bay to fully exploit her own rich naval resources. Stonehold has seafront, but no ports deep enough for large ships, so her people benefitted, too. Still, I've often wondered how much time would pass before Bright Bay became a vassal state of Stonehold in fact if not in name.”

  “Then,” Elise pressed, “can Stonehold dictate to Queen Gustin?”

  “The question,” her father replied, “is not can they—that's just what they have done. The question is whether or not Queen Gustin will permit herself to be given orders by them and what her decision will mean for the rest of us.”

  Later, arriving at the Kestrel encampment, Elise wasn't surprised to learn that news of this new development had reached the earl's retainers before her. After exhausting speculation on how this new event might affect the negotiations between Hawk Haven and Bright Bay, Derian, Firekeeper, and Elise shifted to their more immediate problem, planning the next step in their private campaign against Lady Melina's sorcery.

  Elise was showing them the sketches she had made of the necklace when Valet came out toward their makeshift conference center.

  “Derian,” he called from a polite distance, “a messenger has just arrived from King Tedric. You are requested to meet with His Majesty and other of his counselors at the Watchful Eye at your soonest convenience.”

  “Ladies,” Derian said, looking both proud and nervous, “will you excuse me?”

  “Of course,” Elise replied, as Firekeeper nodded. “Enjoy yourself. We'll take these sketches into Hope. If there is to be trouble, then all the more reason for having Sapphire freed of her mother's control.”

  And you, as well, Derian thought, but he said nothing.

  AFTER HURRIEDLY CHANGING into clean shirt and breeches, Derian strode toward the Watchful Eye. He noticed the occasional puzzled glance flicked his way and heard one man say to another:

  “I know he's the newest counselor, but where's the heir?”

  Derian smiled quietly to himself. Let them stay a bit con-fused. He was beginning to understand that governing was not unlike horse trading—you held the advantage best when even your friends were a bit off balance.

  Earl Kestrel, already present at the fort, greeted Derian with the courtesy, but not the condescension, of patron to dependent. He gestured to a seat beside him.

  “Is all well in our camp?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  At that moment, the king's secretary rapped for silence and they all stood as King Tedric entered the room.

  He can't have had much sleep since last night, Derian thought. Doc and the other medicos must be furious.

  King Tedric, however, didn't look as if he needed anyone's coddling. Standing before his chair, leaning slightly against the table in an attitude that seemed belUgerent rather than weak, he began the meeting.

  “You are all,” he said without formality, “aware of the changed situation between Stonehold and Bright Bay. In the interests of forestalling rumors, I have summoned you here. My secretary is going to read you several documents, the contents of which I expressly wish to be shared with the men and women in your various households and commands. At a time such as this, ramor and misinformation are our greatest enemies. Farand, please begin.”

  He sank into his chair and Lady Farand Briarcott, a pinch-nosed woman with snowy hair piled high on her head and a voice that could command troops—and had indeed done so—rose, paper in hand:

  “This first missive,” Lady Farand announced, “comes from the First Equal of Stonehold. It is also signed by the Second Equal and the members of the advisory cabinet.

  “‘To King Tedric I, Monarch of Hawk Haven, Knight of the Eight-Rayed Star…’”

  “Skip that unzoranic nonsense and read the text,” the king snapped.

  Lady Farand gave a curt nod, ran herfingerdown the outer margin, and recommenced:

  “Through our loyal generals, Yuci and Grimsel, information has come to our ears that gives us to realize that the support we have granted to the nation of Bright Bay was done while that nation deliberately maintained a foul and most unreasonable deception.

  “We have written to Queen Gustin the Fourth requesting a meeting with herself Until she grants this meeting and the results of said meeting are satisfactory to our needs, we will withdraw the military support which to this time we have granted Bright Bay.

  “If subsequent to our meeting with Queen Gustin the Fourth, Bright Bay persists in her foolish and dangerous practices, we will have no choice but to declare war upon her. Moreover, in light of
these discoveries, we hereby warn you as ruler of Hawk Haven that any efforts to support, succor, or in anyway ally with Bright Bay will cause us to view you in an unfriendly light.

  “We have confided some measure of our concern on these matters to the countries of New Kelvin and Waterland, noting that we believe that the government of Hawk Haven is well aware of the deception practiced by Bright Bay and that its refusal to share that information constitutes an unfriendly act uncomely between allies.

  “Note that if you remain neutral toward Bright Bay so we will remain toward you and your people.”

  Derian hardly heard as the secretary read off a long list of the titles and names belonging to the distinguished signatories. As soon as Lady Farand finished, voices were raised, some nearly shouting frantic questions. King Tedric banged for silence.

  “Listen to the rest of the correspondence,” he demanded. “You may find some of your questions answered therein.”

  Lady Farand unfolded a shorter missive stating, “This one is from the Plutarchs of Waterland:

  “To King Tedric …

  “Recent discoveries offoul secrets held by the Crown of Bright Bay lead us to encourage you to stay away from entanglements, whether civil or military, with that nation:

  “Waterland has always found it profitable to support your kingdom's continued freedom from Bright Bay's encroachment, especially upon the seas where our vessels could offer our aid and protection. However, if you continue to treat with Bright Bay without insisting on the destruction of their foul hoard, we shall view you as one with them, no matter how separate your boundaries. Your ships shall be to us as their ships: our rightful prey.

  “We trust that a man of your great years and well-respected wisdom thinks as we do in this matter. Signed …”>

  The missive from New Kelvin, Hawk Haven's other aUy, was much the same, though in this case the threat was to withdraw the economic support and favored nation trading status which Hawk Haven had hereto enjoyed.

  Derian was already quite confused and anxious when Farand Briarcott unrolled the final missive, a personal letter to King Tedric from AlUster Seagleam.

  “Uncle Tedric,

  “By now you must have heard the accusations of deception and foul play being heaped upon Bright Bay by Stonehold. I hardly know what to say. If there is any deep secret, I know nothing of it. I came here as I told you, in sincere hopes of building a bridge between our nations — in hopes of fulfilling the charge laid upon me at my birth.

  “Now I must wait until Queen Gustin the Fourth decides how to answer these demands. In the meantime, my family is held not quite prisoner in our residence by guards supplied by our own people and supported-by those members of Queen Gustin's court who do not wish to risk that any small action of mine might be interpreted by Stonehold's spies as an excuse for war. As we are no longer free to come and go, I fear I can no longer attend our planned conferences. I deeply regret this.

  “In hopes of resolution of this strange situation, I am, your nephew, Allister Seagleam.”

  Lady Farand's reseating herself seemed a signal for the hubbub to erupt once again. King Tedric let the confused babble go on for a few moments, then recognized a senior army commander:

  “Your Majesty,” the man said, “what is this? Do you know of any dark secret?”

  “In answer to your first question,” King Tedric said, “‘this’ is a warning to us from our three neighboring coun-tries that if we meddle in any way, peaceful or not, in the affairs of Bright Bay, we will find ourselves viewed as enemies as well.

  “As to your second question: How couldl know what dark secrets Bright Bay conceals? I have never been there.”

  While Derian was admiring the fashion in which the king had avoided a direct answer to the latter question, Ivon Archer was recognized:

  “Your Majesty, I recommend that we prepare to attack Bright Bay as soon as Queen Gustin arrives to negotiate with Stonehold. If we take her, we have her kingdom. War between our peoples would be ended. If there is something in Bright Bay's treasury—this ‘foul secret’ alluded to—we will then be in a position to turn it over to Stonehold. All wars will be ended.”

  “I agree with that,” said Rolfston Redbriar, not to be out-done. “Everyone knows that Bright Bay's power is on the seas, not on the land. Since Stonehold has withdrawn her troops, we could defeat Bright Bay's remaining force handily. We already have a base of operations set up here at the Watchful Eye. Stonehold does not. Moreover, we have the Barren River between ourselves and Bright Bay. Stonehold, even if it brings in reinforcements, will share ground with those it seeks to conquer. The very countryside will rise against them. We are secure in our own lands. Our supply Unes need cross no enemy territory.”

  There was more clamor along similar Unes. Derian could practically feel the blood-lust rising and wondered if Stone-hold had anticipated this reaction on the part of Hawk Haven. Gripping the edge of the table hard, he listened and said nothing, feeling more than ever a mere carter's son. At last King Tedric banged his gavel on the table and said, his tones dry and ironic:

  “So I am to understand that most of you are in favor of taking advantage of this situation to invade Bright Bay, never mind that our own navy would be forfeit to Waterland, never mind that New Kelvin has promised economic repercussions and could quite possibly offer more than that if it felt threatened.”

  No one moved for a moment; then Prince Newell asked to be recognized.

  “As one who has recently served with our navy,” said the prince, “I would like to offer my opinion on Waterland's threat.”

  “Speak,” King Tedric said.

  “Our navy,” the prince said, a feverish light in his eyes, “could be warned of what we intend to do. Our ships could temporarily withdraw into secure waters, leaving Water-land's fleet to futilely sweep a vacant sea. When the reunification of Bright Bay with Hawk Haven is completed, our newly augmented navy will be large enough to deal fairly with Waterland's.”

  Derian saw many of the soldiers nod and smile in approval of Prince Newell's vision. Hawk Haven's weakness upon the seas had long been a sore point among the miUtary, but a nation with only one major harbor and no offshore holdings could not expect to compete with nations like Bright Bay and Waterland, overblessed as they were with ports.

  “Thank you, Prince Newell,” King Tedric said. “If we do move against Bright Bay, certainly we will take your advice and warn the navy in advance.”

  Derian thought that the prince looked a bit deflated, even a bit miffed, to hear his dream of naval domination reduced to such a simple point. King Tedric didn't allow the prince time to retort. Instead he asked his assembled counselors:

  “You all seem to believe that we could easily conquer Bright Bay. Tell me, though, is creating three enemies where before we had none—for we are at peace with Bright Bay never you forget—is that a fair trade?”

  “Peace,” spat an old soldier, his exposed skin fairly seamed with scars, “peace that erupts in border raids and banditry, not to mention privateering upon the seas! Call that peace if you wish. I call it war.”

  “Peace,” said young Purcel Archer, his voice light in contrast. “I wish I thought we were at peace. However, if we truly believed what we had with Bright Bay was peace why did Your Majesty need such a large and heavily armed escort just to meet with your foreign-born nephew? Doesn't that speak of a tension greater than that of peace?”

  “What both of you say,” King Tedric sighed, “holds an element of tmth, but peace—even peace with border raids and armed tension—kills far fewer men and women than even one pitched battle. Think carefully before you advise this course.”

  A slim woman not much older than Derian himself but wearing a uniform decorated with honors up and down the sleeves, said into the silence following the king's statement:

  “Your Majesty is correct. My fellows should remember that Waterland and New Kelvin have long supported us—as Stonehold has Bright Bay—not from love of us or
of our way of life but from fear of what we might become if we were one nation with Bright Bay. Think you. You see a touch of that fear now directed toward Bright Bay. Do you think it would fade to nothing if we conquered our old rival and so became the great country that they have long feared? Neutrality is the answer to this difficulty. Let Bright Bay pay for her sins—whatever they are—herself. Perhaps then she will have the humility to leave us to our lives and the border raids will cease.”

  There were a good number of muttered agreements at this, mostiy from the very grizzled veterans—those who knew what a pitched battle could be—or the very young officers who were beginning to dread the learning.

  “Yet that neutraUty means,” said Prince NeweU, his voice as clear as a bell, “that we will resign ourselves to forever being at war. We can do this—we have for over a hundred years since the end of the Civil War. Yet I find myself thinking of my aunt's son, this AlUster Seagleam who came to us with such touching hopes for peace. Are we to leave him and his children—two of them just small girls—to the mercies of Stonehold's army because we fear the future? I say then that we are not worthy of that future! I say war now for those Utde girls. War now for a future of peace! What good are alUes who support us merely to keep us weak? I say defy them and show our strength!”

  An unguarded cheer greeted the conclusion of this stirring speech. King Tedric, however, only smiled dryly:

  “So, Prince NeweU, you beUeve we should conquer Bright Bay in order to preserve her against an army that has not yet declared war. That is an interesting poUcy. However, it is good to see how many of you would go to war to protect my nephew's little girls.”

  After this evaluation, King Tedric fell silent and all the room fell silent with him in respect of the burden that was his alone to bear. They might counsel, but the king alone must decide.