Rare for a merchanter, but not for a Magi’i family without healers, Lorn reflects. Trust his consort and his sister to immediately find a way to work matters out.
… Eileyt is now a senior enumerator, and pleased with that. So am I.
Lorn nods.
If matters progress as well as may be possible, I may be able to return to eastern Cyador to arrangefuture goods and shipments as early as next fall. That would please me no end, and I trust you, as well.
The words, “my love,” are written above her signature.
Lorn smiles, looking at the last words. Finally, he reaches for the second scroll. While he knows Ryalth reads people well, he still frets as he breaks the seal and smooths out the heavy paper.
Your scroll arrived, accompanied by another, and I must say that you surprised us, not so much for your choice or the location, but for the timing. Yet I must admit that this was not totally unexpected, considering the situation in which you find yourself. The lady asked our permission to call, and Jerial escorted her to us, the best arrangement possible. I told her that while her courtesy was charming and her discretion remarkable, that she was welcome at any time. She is indeed remarkable, and I must praise your ability to see far more than either your mother or I would have …
Lorn laughs to himself. Those circumspect words were as close to a compliment of Ryalth and an admission that his father had been wrong as he was ever likely to get.
… Jerial is also pleased, although she has been hard-pressed lately as a result of recent unfortunate incidents, such as occurred the last time you visited.
Recent unfortunate incidents?
Myryan has also been pressed into service, and has had far less time with her new dwelling and her garden than she would have wished, but her skill is undeniable. Vernt may well be considered forelevation to a full second level adept in the year or so ahead, so devoted he is to his work. Your mother and I have introduced him to several young ladies, and, in light of recent events, he might even consider seeing one of them.
Your mother and I are well, if not possessed of quite the vigor of our offspring, and I am most pleased to be where I am at this time in my life …
Lorn frowns. From what he can tell, there has been another chaos-explosion, perhaps on a fireship, and a great deal of stress and pressure has been placed on the highest level of the Magi’i. The very highest level, Lorn knows, for his father is just below the three who lead the Magi’i.
The lancer captain looks at the locked foot locker on the far side of his desk. Tomorrow … tomorrow he will deal with the patrol report and the other administrative duties.
Tonight, he is relieved.
Half-relieved, he corrects himself as he leaves the inner study.
CIX
LORN IS IN his study early the next morning, working on the patrol report. Short as it is, he writes three versions, and it is well after mid-morning before he is satisfied. Then … he must plead for replacement lancers in a scroll to commander Meylyd. Drafting that request is almost as laborious, but finally he finishes a draft.
He glances out the study window at the green-blue sky and the puffy white clouds that drift out of the north, then looks back down at his request, his eyes taking in what he has written.
… as I had noted in a previous meeting with Majer Maran, Second Company was well under strengtheven before the extraordinary demands placed on it by the excursions of the Accursed Forest … have managed to restrict the wild creatures using the most conventional of Mirror Lancer tactics, and without use of additional firelances … toll has been high, and both squads now number less than half their normal strength … should the most recent level of activity by the Accursed Forest continue, it would appear unlikely that even the most esteemed and loyal Mirror Lancer officer could continue to restrict the escape of wild creatures without reinforcements ….Therefore … requesting replacements necessary to bring Second Company up to full strength ….
Lorn reads through the draft. He purses his lips. The wording is still not right, and it nears mid-day.
Thrap.
He looks up at the knock. “Yes?”
Kusyl opens the door. “There be a Majer Weylt here, ser.”
“Have him come in.” Lorn stands.
Weylt enters the inner study, and Kusyl shuts the door.
“Majer, what can I do for you?” asks Lorn.
“I wondered if we could have something to eat before I leave. We were checking the tower,” Weylt explains.
“There’s not much at mid-day,” Lorn says. “Usually just bread and cheese, maybe some dried fruit.” He smiles. “I can offer some wine.”
“I’d appreciate that.”
“I can go now.” Lorn gestures toward the papers on the desk. “Reports, but they can wait until after we eat.”
“Thank you.”
“If you would like, I’ll meet you there. I keep the wine in my quarters,” Lorn points out.
“That would be fine.”
Lorn crosses the courtyard. He notes that the Engineer firewagon is being loaded with several firelances-those expended by Juist?
There is but one bottle of Alafraan left in his room, but Lorn suspects that it will be worth serving for the majer, who has often provided good, if indirect, advice before.
Weylt sits alone at the table, a platter with a large wedge of cheese and a basket with two cold loaves of bread in the middle of the battered but polished golden oak surface of the table.
Lorn uncorks the bottle, then seats himself and uses his belt knife to cut several slices of the hard white cheese. He pours a half goblet of the Alafraan for himself and closer to a full one for the Mirror Engineer majer.
Weylt takes a slow sip. “Thank you, Captain. You have the best wine of all the compounds around the Forest.”
“I was lucky. My trader provided it.”
“You were lucky in more than that.” Weylt breaks off a chunk of bread, eating it with some cheese before speaking again. “You were fortunate we were free when your messenger arrived. When we returned to Eastpoint, there was a messenger from Captain Tysyr.”
“He’s at Eastpoint now?”
“That’s right. He replaced Ivinyt … about half a season ago. He had a trunk down on our side of the southeast midpoint chaos tower. So … a bit later, and you’d have been out there another day, perhaps two.”
“I’m glad we weren’t.” Lorn takes the bread and a large wedge of cheese. “We were there long enough.”
Weylt nods deliberately, slowly. “I did notice the charred remnants of a large paper wasp nest, purely by accident.” Weylt smiles. “I trust you did not bother to put such an insignificant addition into your patrol report.”
“With the giant cats and the stun lizards?” Lorn laughs. “It didn’t seem that important, I must admit, and I never did get an accurate count of the night leopards. So I just mentioned that there seemed to be two packs, and none escaped.”
“Most sagacious, Captain.” Weylt lifts the goblet, but does not drink. “I would say that you are not in the most enviable position. Those two trees were the largest I have seen. Theywere among the most substantial to have fallen, according to the Engineer records. We keep very accurate records, you understand?”
The lancer captain nods.
“Normally, those falls would release large numbers of creatures. Yet you have indicated that you reported success with keeping a modest number from escaping. A … skeptical superior might question the numbers. He would request our report, which would verify the size of the fallen trees. Then he would wait for reports of escaped creatures. If such reports occur, of course, there might be disciplinary action for falsification.” Weylt shrugs. “You do not falsify, and … well … sometimes the truth is even less palatable.” He takes a sip of the Alafraan. “Did I tell you that this is excellent wine?”