With the second vote, Terentel lost two supporters to Blesserel. The eldest son acquired seven votes, while Ranrel received eight. As before, Lytol burned the papers. Too close, and Jaxom tried to control the nervous jiggling of his leg.
Groghe signaled that he wished to speak, and Lytol consented.
"I'm not the oldest of you, but I have held Fort for longer than any of you others, bar Sangel." Groghe accorded the Boll Holder a bow and a smile. "Tillek was the third Hold to be established-"
"Word of the Abomination?" Sangel asked slyly.
"Aivas has now seen, and restored, the Records of every Hold, which can scarcely be called an abominable duty-boring, probably, if your ancestors inscribed as much trivia as mine did-"
"What's your point, Groghe?" Laudey asked testily.
"My point is that James Tillek, who founded this Hold, was a forward-looking man who charted the coastline and started the first Fishercrafthall. Tillek has always been the safest harbor on the western coast, with the biggest fleet and more Masters sailing 'em; its Lord Holders have always encouraged and assisted our fishermen. Ranrel thought enough of his heritage to take a Master's knot from the Fishercrafthall-"
"He did that because Oterel threw him out of Hold," Sangel retaliated.
"Order!" Lytol's voice boomed out with unaccustomed force, and Sangel subsided.
"Be that as it may," Lord Groghe continued, "he's certainly the only one of Oterel's sons who's ever done a day's hard work. I think he deserves to Hold now. Fort'll support him as Tillek's Holder in every way it can, so we will!"
Murmurs of "well said" caused Groghe to flush with pleasure as he seated himself.
Larad then asked to speak and did so concisely, adding that in his last months Oterel had been too ill to attend to many matters, and that the only one of his sons to take an interest in Hold management had been Ranrel. If Blesserel, however, or Terentel had done anything to take Hold in their father's name, he would like to hear of it.
"Clever point," Jaxom murmured to Asgenar.
Sigomal asked to be recognized.
"Blesserel had the onerous task of caring for his ailing father," he said, "and was scrupulous in all duties to ease Oterel in his last illness. He is a man of integrity..."
"He paid his gambling debts," Asgenar whispered to Jaxom, "when he could squeeze the marks out of Oterel's purse."
"...with four fine strong sons and a fine woman to be his Lady Holder..."
"Ranrel's wife is not only a Masterweaver but considerably easier to get on with than Lady Esrella," Asgenar added quietly.
"Put in your mark's worth, Asgenar," Jaxom said.
"Why don't you speak?"
"And ruin Ranrel's chances altogether?" Jaxom tried to sound as if he didn't mind.
Asgenar inclined his head, accepting what Jaxom had implied: that as the youngest of the Lord Holders, his opinion was not much sought by others.
Meanwhile Sigomal wound up his peroration and sat down, glaring at Jaxom, who turned his head to regard Asgenar as the Lemos lord stood to speak for Ranrel.
"When a man does not wait for honors to be given him but works with his hands and achieves a mastery in a Hall, he has learned many of the skills needed to make a prudent and resourceful Holder under whose guidance Tillek will prosper. We can ask for no better-qualified a man than Ranrel. On all counts."
"I'd heard," Toric began, standing without Lytol's permission, "that Ranrel had quarreled with Oterel and was told never to show himself in Tillek Hold again. Can a father's express wishes be so totally disregarded by this Council?"
Bargen jumped to his feet, glancing belatedly at Lytol for permission.
"In my presence, Oterel retracted that statement two seven-days before he expired," he announced after Lytol nodded to him. "Ranrel is the only one of the legitimate male heirs who has achieved merit on his own cognizance. At the last, Oterel was proud of the boy, which is why Ranrel has my complete support."
"But he did not name him successor?" Toric continued, an enigmatic half smile on his face.
"Do you doubt my word?" Bargen demanded, scowling at the Southern Holder.
"Doubt doesn't enter into it, Bargen. The incident is recorded fact."
"Which is why the succession has been challenged," Lytol said. "And the right of any male descendant to challenge the succession, no matter what bad feeling existed between father and son, has been upheld on numerous occasions."
Groghe leaned across the table toward Toric and spoke in the blandest possible tone. "I'm sure Lord Toric appreciates that fathers and sons may agree to disagree."
Toric stared at the Fort Holder hard enough, Jaxom thought, for his gaze to burn holes through the man. Groghe shrugged. How had Groghe known that Toric had stormed out of his family's fishhold in Ista? That wasn't generally known, nor would Sharra have been so disloyal to her brother as to mention it.
"But it is as Lord Toric has said," Sigomal said, rubbing his hands together nervously, his expression one of specious regret. "Oterel disavowed Ranrel, and that should be noted. His challenge should be nullified."
"Blesserel must owe Sigomal a great deal," Asgenar murmured to Jaxom, his expression bland.
"Does anyone support Terentel's claim?" Lytol asked into the pause. When Begamon did not respond, he added, "Then let us vote between the two remaining candidates: Blesserel and Ranrel."
This ballot raised Ranrel's support to ten, but with Blesserel still polling five, the requisite majority had still not been attained.
"I am calling a brief adjournment, my Lord Holders, for private discussions," Lytol said and, rising, moved away from the table.
The others followed his example.
"We need two more votes," Groghe murmured to Jaxom, Asgenar, and Larad as they made their way to the tables where food was available.
"Toric has to have been the third vote for Terentel. I know Corman and Begamon espouse him," Larad said. "Is Toric hoping that loon Terentel, will give him guards for that armed assault he wants to make on the Big Island?"
"Something like that, but I've a word for his ear alone," Groghe said, winking at Jaxom and grinning broadly.
"C'mon, Asgenar." Larad hauled the Lemos Holder after him. "We'll bear you out, Groghe."
Jaxom made a plateful of the spice cakes he knew Lytol liked and served his old guardian, all the while surreptitiously watching the three in close conversation with Toric. He looked quickly away when Toric suddenly swiveled in his direction, an indecipherable stare on his broad, tanned face. Jaxom wondered if Groghe had identified the source of his information. Toric then asked Larad a sharp question. Groghe responded, and Larad added a few words, while Asgenar nodded, one corner of his mouth slightly upraised.
"I think we just obtained one more vote for Ranrel," Jaxom murmured to Lytol, being careful to keep his face blank.
Larad and Asgenar stayed talking to Toric while Groghe made his way back to the Ruathans.
"That seemed to go down with no trouble, Jaxom. Clever of you. Though I don't think Denol should attempt to have a meeting with Toric when he finds out he can't make any profit for himself. Who else can we approach?"
"I'm not approaching anyone, remember? I'm deeply involved with the Abomination," Jaxom said with a disgusted snort. "I'm not about to ruin Ranrel's chances by speaking up."
"You do yourself a disservice, lad," Groghe said kindly.
"I'd rather not do Ranrel one, Lord Groghe."