by C. R. Daems
"Well, Qi'advisors. What advice...observations do you have? Surrender to Negozi?" Sandar said, his voice harsh and bitter.
Qi'Senka looked at me, a slight smile on her lips.
"Negozi looks for a path to peace. You look for a path to war. There's no basis for further discussion."
Sandar stood there with his mouth open. Tebos actually nodded agreement.
"I knew it. You're on that damn barbarian's side. What's he offering you?"
"Duke Sandar, I agree with qi'Nisha's observation. You came here believing the only solution's war and have made no effort to consider anything else. You asked qi'Nisha for her observations. Because she gave you one you don't want to hear, you reject it and question her loyalty. Qi'Nisha does not owe you loyalty. She owes you honesty. In that she's the perfect Qi'advisor. She doesn't care what you or Negozi do. I'm not because I feel a sense of loyalty, which makes me biased. Even so, I agree with her observation. You wish for her to propose a solution and relieve you of the responsibility. She cannot. You're responsible for your dukedom and its people—not her. You're the duke with all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities."
Tebos listened to qi'Senka with slumped shoulders and downcast eyes.
"Sandar, unite with Wenrich and fight. I can hold out for a year or two," Tebos said bitterly into the silence.
"You won't last a moon," I said realizing the stupidity of Tebos's statement. I wouldn't have said anything if I thought he didn't believe it and was just offering his friend support for his decision. Tebos straightened up and color returned to his face.
"We'll kill three for every one of us. It will take years for them to rout us out of the forest."
"I could do it myself in less than a week," I said, as turned to go find Windrunner.
"With Qi?" Tebos laughed.
"No, fire. You think Negozi cares about your forest? He's here to stay. The forest will grow back in two or three generations." I found the young boy and Windrunner a short time later and rode back to the dukes' camp.
* * *
When I arrived back at the camp, everyone came running over to me.
"What happened? Where are the dukes and qi'Senka?" Javaid asked, looking up at me with worry evident in his voice.
"They're still at the meeting. I left when I was no longer needed." I dismounted and walked with Windrunner toward my tent with Irmak and Javaid following.
"Why? You're Sandar's Qi'advisor," Irmak said, trying to get a step ahead of me so she could look directly at me.
"No longer. I'm terminating the contract," I said as I entered the tent, leaving Irmak and Javaid speechless. I packed my few belonging and afterward sat in meditation, letting my mind sort through the several moons since leaving the Qi'temple. I had to decide where I would go now that I no longer had a contract. Dawn's light had just begun when I opened my eyes.
Feeling renewed, I rose and exited the tent. Irmak sat just outside, fighting to stay awake.
"Lieutenant," I said, and she jerked awake.
"Qi'Nisha, Duke Sandar asked me to tell you that he wishes to speak with you. I'll go wake him. Don't go anywhere," she said, turning and running toward Sandar's tent. I walked over to Windrunner and began saddling him. I had decided go back to the Qi'temple to see if there was a contract available. Although I doubted it, I felt obligated to check. I had just finished, when Sandar and Irmak appeared.
"Where are you going, Nisha?" Sandar asked, stopping a few spaces away. "I know you're mad at me, but you're still my Qi'advisor."
"Your Grace, I'm not mad at you. As I tried to explain, as a Qi'advisor, my responsibilities are to give you an unbiased observation when you want it. I do not care how you choose to use that observation. I'm no seer and cannot predict the future. In this case, you want to go to war. That may prove to be the right solution for you, your people, and Rhybac. But it does not matter. It's your decision to make."
"Where are you going...to Ne—" He stopped abruptly.
"I'm terminating the contract because you do not trust me and will, therefore, question everything I tell you. And no, I'm not going to Negozi. I'm returning to the Qi'temple for another assignment. I owe them that."
"I trust you. I was just angry. You keep telling me things I don't want to hear. Please stay."
"You and Duke Tebos have qi'Senka to give you her observations. She's an experienced Qi'advisor."
As we talked, Duke Tebos and qi'Senka joined us along with Javaid.
"If you'd like company, qi'Nisha, I would join you. I believe you would be helpful as a Qi'advisor during wartime, but I would not."
"You're an excellent Qi'advisor, qi'Senka," I said in her defense.
"In peacetime, I believe so. However, when you said—fire—you convinced me I'm not in wartime. You see with a clarity that is beyond me."
"I would welcome your company, qi'Senka," I said swinging up onto Windrunner.
"Lieutenant Irmak, arrest Nisha and Senka," Sandar said and walked away muttering. Irmak stood there with her mouth open.
"Qi'Nisha, I'm sorry," Irmak said, looking worried—with good reason. She had seen me in action.
"We'll come peacefully, Lieutenant."
* * *
Qi'Senka and I sat just outside our tent eating. Duke Sandar and Duke Tebos went off to the meeting alone but returned shortly afterward. A glass later, Tebos came walking over. "You have put us in an awkward position. Negozi said this was the last meeting unless we agree to his proposal or come up with one of our own. If not, we have three days to clear the area before the war resumes." His face twisted in anger as he talked. I smiled up at him.
"You would like qi'Senka and I to come up with a solution to make Negozi and his thousands of warriors go back into the Sands?"
He stood there stunned as Sandar strode to join him.
"Of course not."
"You want the privileges, the respect, the power...but not the responsibility for a solution." I held up my hand before either man could respond. "Did you think the threat of war would scare him and his warriors back into the Sands? There will be war. The only question is how many years it will last and how many will die. The tribes are here to stay, and a united Rhybac doesn't have the strength of arms to make them leave. War will mean Rhybac will unite behind Wenrich. He will be made king and Hala will be destroyed within a year. That's reality. The decision whether to seek a solution or not is yours to make." I had nothing more to say and closed my eyes to meditate. They left.
* * *
"Qi'Nisha," Tebos said as he approached the tent qi'Senka and I shared. She had gone off earlier. "I know Duke Sandar has said things in anger that he regrets. He does trust you, but these are extraordinary times and none of us are thinking straight. We need Qi'advisors more than at any time in our history. Would you consider taking a contract with me?"
"What about qi'Senka?"
"If you agree, she would take a contract with Duke Sandar."
He and she had obviously talked, and I would wager this was her idea. "If you believe you can trust me."
"I agree with Sandar—" He quickly held up his hand, although I had not intended to interrupt him. "Qi'Senka said your observations are without bias and exceptionally insightful. Please. Hala needs...sorry, that's not your responsibility. I need a Qi'advisor."
"You have to admit qi'Senka is quite good herself," I said, knowing this was qi'Senka's suggestion. "I'll agree to a contract with you."
"Do you think we can start the discussions again with Negozi? Sandar is willing."
"Yes, if you trust me and are willing to risk all for a solution that may limit the war. It cannot be totally avoided."
"What do you want us to do?"
"Saddle up and follow me," I said. When everyone was ready, I led the way toward Negozi's camp. Halfway there, we were met by twenty warriors led by Bolaha.
"I have captured two pack leaders and their bitches. With you dead, the war will be shorter." She laughed.
"Are you a seer,
Bolaha? I would predict it would unite all of Rhybac against you and the war would last longer, whereas Dukes Tebos and Sandar may help Negozi end the war sooner. But it will be a shame that you will not lead the Tendal to victory."
"Are you going to kill me? Ayria saved you last time. She's not here to save you this time."
"We're under the protection of Negozi. When he finds you have acted against his orders, he'll call you to answer."
"He'll punish me, but he'll forgive me."
"But will Ayria? She'll deal out his punishment, and you'll have killed a fellow witch and friend. Will Negozi stop her from destroying your mind? After she's finished, you'll be fit only to stay with the old women and children when the tribes go to war." I knew Bolaha feared Ayria and no friendship existed between them. Ayria would want revenge for my death, and although Negozi ruled, he would not stop his trusted advisor from deciding the punishment.
"We'll meet again, bitch. When we do, you'll beg the gods to die but you will not." She waved as she turned her horse and thundered off with her warriors.
I nudged Windrunner, and we continued toward the main camp. No one spoke as we rode. The camp was a sea of tents that stretched for as far as the eyes could see. I hoped the sight of the camp would convince them that Negozi led an army—not a small number of raiding tribes.
When we reached Negozi's tent, he and Ayria stood waiting. They had obviously been alerted to our arrival.
"It's good to see you, qi'Nisha. I thought you mad at us," Negozi said to me before turning toward the others. "Welcome, Duke Sandar, Duke Tebos. I'm glad you decided to come."
"Qi'Nisha has pointed out that our only thoughts were of war. I realize she is right. It stopped us from looking for a reasonable solution."
"Yes, qi'Nisha has a way of seeing what we can't or don't want to." He nodded in my direction. For the next two hours, Negozi, Sandar, and Tebos talked about Wenrich and possible solutions, which included Sandar and Tebos allying with him if war couldn't be avoided. In the end, they decided that Sandar and Tebos would make an attempt to convince the province leaders to negotiate a treaty. Negozi had food and drinks served and the conversation turned to questions about the tribes and the Sands.
Ayria sat down next to me. "I hear you had trouble with Bolaha."
"She hates me with good reason. I'm delaying her war."
Ayria laughed, which caused everyone to turn toward us. "Bolaha does crave war and holds you responsible for stopping Wenrich and for delaying our war with Rhybac. I see you sit next to Tebos and not Sandar."
"You cannot offer advice to one who doesn't trust you."
"Negozi would welcome you into the tribes, as would I."
Duke Tebos interrupted before I could reply.
"Qi'Nisha, may I talk to you for a moment?"
"Of course, Duke Tebos." I nodded to Ayria and joined Tebos as he walked away from the group.
"I cannot think, worrying about Hala. What do you think of the proposal Negozi and Sandar are negotiating? Will it save Hala?" He was no longer the confident ruler of Hala I had met two moons ago. He had lost weight, his eyes sunken with dark shadows and his skin ashen. He hoped for a miracle but feared the worst—with good reason.
"No. It will fail and Hala will be seen as an enemy no matter what you agree to do."
"Why? We're cooperating with Negozi. What else can we do?" He shifted from foot to foot like he wanted to run but couldn't decide which direction.
"First, the tribes will not wait inactive for a year while you and Sandar visit each province. Next, you and Sandar cannot afford to take more than six to seven hundred soldiers, since Duke Sandar cannot afford to take more than a couple of hundred without leaving Xihu vulnerable against Wenrich. With that small a force, you would be vulnerable to capture within any dukedom. Third, Wenrich could destroy your small army when he found what you were doing, because it would undermine his rule. Last, you're giving the tribes nothing to prevent a war that could give them all or most of Rhybac."
"But they want peace. Negozi said so. You said so!"
"No, Negozi said he wanted to avoid years of war. But his war chiefs want war even if it lasts generations. There will be war. The question is how long with it last and who will be the winners and losers."
"What can I do to save Hala?"
"You must address each of the observations I've made," I said. He and Sandar must work out the solution with Negozi—not me. He stood for a moment staring at me, then turned and walked away for the meeting. When I returned, Negozi seemed to understand and said nothing.
"Where's Tebos?" Sandar asked when he didn't return.
"I believe he's taking a walk, so that he can think."
After a long wait, Tebos returned. He leaned over and whispered something to Sandar. He rose and the two walked off.
"I hope your observations helped," Negozi said.
"That's for them to decide. I'm merely an observer." I didn't think I had said anything amusing, but Negozi laughed loudly. Ayria and qi'Senka both came and sat next to me as Negozi rose and walked off.
"You told him it won't work," qi'Senka said.
Ayria nodded agreement. "I'm glad you're advising Tebos and not Sandar, since I believe Tebos will be far more receptive. Sandar does trust you, Nisha, but he's torn in too many directions not to fight you. He misses you in his more rational moments."
"Qi'Senka is right. You tell people what they don't want to hear and don't care if they see the truth or not. Negozi likes you. Says you have eyes like an eagle. You look down on us from the sky and see all, while we see only what is around us. Thinks we should kidnap you." Ayria laughed, her bracelets and necklace clicking as her body shook.
I had found Negozi not only willing to listen but to think before he reacted. Of course, to be fair, he wasn't under the same stress as Tebos and Sandar, who were caught between a rock and a hard place. But he had no reason to consider a compromise, especially since his war chiefs were against one. Negozi appeared just as Sandar and Tebos returned.
"Our Qi'advisors have told us the same thing your advisor has probably told you: the solution we've proposed won't work. Duke Sandar and I are willing to address each…observation qi'Nisha has made and hopefully produce a solution that will work to our mutual advantage. Let me start with…" Tebos took control of the meeting and they worked well into the evening before they had sketched out a proposal.
The tribes would be given the land—they already occupied—west of the Kiwaq River to the Filat and Karp mountains, to include one-half of Iovis Province.
Negozi would deliver the Royal Scepter to Sobek to choose the next king. Those eligible to be tested would include all of Rhybac's nobility from baron and above, and the tribes' war chiefs. The tribes would be part of Rhybac and subject to the king.
Those not present for the Royal Testing would be at war with those who were.
Tebos and Sandar agreed to send six hundred soldiers to talk to the province leaders.
Negozi agreed to send two thousand warriors with Tebos and Sandar.
* * *
"Qi'Nisha, that was a clever...observation about eligibility for testing by the Royal Scepter. It not only puts pressure on the province leaders from the barons, it also gives the tribes an incentive. Of course, the scepter will only choose a province leader," Sandar said.
"Are you sure?" qi'Senka asked, watching me with an amused expression.
"Yes. As far back as anyone can remember, it has always picked one of the province leaders."
"Has anyone else been allowed to be tested?" I asked. Yes, including the barons and the war chiefs did give more people an incentive to participate, but I doubted the scepter knew the position of the people being tested.
"No. The next king could only come from the province leaders." Sandar frowned at me, while Tebos stared. Qi'Senka's smile had grown bigger.
"Because the dukes limited the selection. Could it be that the Royal Scepter selects the best individual of those tested?"
"Only if you don't care about having the best king for Rhybac. It was your decision, not mine. Like Wenrich, you thought to rig the outcome?"
"No... Yes... You suggested it."
"I observed that it would give the tribes and Rhybac an incentive to come to an agreement. Without a powerful incentive, no compromise is possible. And if the Royal Scepter is real, which you seem to believe, then you have to assume that it selects the best person present—since it cannot go looking for the best person in Rhybac."
Neither Sandar nor Tebos spoke.
"If you look at it without bias, qi'Nisha's observation makes sense. And although people like Wenrich wouldn't agree, the king of Rhybac should be the best man or woman available."
"Do you plan to test?" Sandar asked, glaring at me.
"No. I'm content to be what I am—Qi. I wish to neither lead nor follow. You have a tendency to judge my observations based on how they affect you. You feel I'm a traitor when my observation suggests a compromise with the tribes. You judge me devious when my observation has ramifications you hadn't considered. And you consider me planning against you if I don't make decisions for you, although that's not a Qi'advisor's function." I paused for comments. Hearing none, I continued.
"At present, I'm contracted to Duke Tebos, not you or Negozi. My observations have been with that in mind. If a workable solution isn't reached, Hala will be destroyed. Workable means that the war chiefs must see an advantage partnering with Rhybac and be kept active while negotiations are ongoing. If I had been employed by you, Duke Sandar, my observation may have been different, since the threat to Ferox is less immediate than to Hala."
"Qi'Nisha's correct. A Qi'advisor's observations may benefit others, but they are made to help her contract make an informed decision. The fate of Hala depends on a workable solution. That may also be the best solution for Rhybac, but it's not qi'Nisha's concern, nor should it be. As dukes, you have a tendency to consider the impact on Rhybac and believe there's an ideal solution to everything. But neither you nor we are seers." She stopped and looked directly at Sandar. "As your Qi'advisor, I believe the agreement you've reached is good for Ferox, if for no other reason than it gives you time. There's no reason you couldn't decide with others not to attend the Royal Testing at Sobek."