“I will, but I would prefer that you keep the complete explanation between you and Aelina … and Clayar, when he is older. I trust you will see why when I finish.”
“So do I,” replied Bhayar dryly.
“The imagers who serve you now-except for the student imagers-are the survivors. They’ve survived being distrusted and attempts on their lives before they became undercaptains. A number survived by living away from others, and some of the undercaptains didn’t survive the battles. Akoryt died because he couldn’t learn new skills quickly enough. Shaelyt died because he was required to do more than his body could take. I suspect two or three times the number of imagers we have gathered likely died all across Lydar just during the time these wars have gone on. Baelthm is an accomplished and precise imager of smaller things, and he might be able to protect himself against single assailants, but not against many or for long. As I told you weeks ago, even I would have trouble protecting myself day in and day out against the threat of attacks. None of the student imagers could come close, and if young imagers are killed year after year before they can protect themselves, where will the imagers come from to support and protect Clayar? The Collegium can protect its own, especially with guards from the regiments for the first years, until the Collegium is established, but there will never be enough imagers born, even across all of Lydar, to pose a threat to the land. The land is what poses the threat to the imagers.”
Bhayar nodded slowly. “I must confess, after seeing the destruction you created, I had not considered that side of matters.”
“It’s like Clayar. You protect him while he is young so that he can grow to be strong. The same is true of the imagers. Why do you think so many parents have given up their children when they learned there might be a place for them? Even in Antiago, parents felt that having a child serve the Autarch as an imager was a better life for them-and he kept them under lock and key much of the time.” Quaeryt cleared his throat before going on. “Part of the problem is exactly what you observed. People see what the strongest of imagers can do, but they don’t think about how unprotected the weaker imagers are. By necessity, those remaining undercaptains are the strongest-and there are just nine of us left.” Ten, if we count Elsior. “Nine in all of Lydar. Without keeping them together and training the young ones, in less than a decade there would be few left, and you would again have to be especially concerned about ambitious commanders or marshals like Rescalyn … even more so, given the size of Lydar.”
“You give me few choices, Quaeryt.”
“A fool has many choices, a wise man far fewer.”
“Sometimes … talking to you can depress and discourage a man. There are times when I wish you were in places like Antiago or Khel.”
Quaeryt nodded. “That’s another reason why you need me as maître of the Collegium, busy on Imagisle and not too close to you, but close enough that you can call upon me and the Collegium as necessary.”
“Enough of that. What am I to do with Telaryn … and Aelina?”
“You could send Commander Pulaskyr to Solis as a submarshal and as regional governor … That will free Aelina to join you here.”
“Why Pulaskyr?”
“Who else could you trust?”
“Do you trust him?”
“Far more than any other commander you have, except my two, and Meinyt, and my two aren’t experienced enough for anything like that. Meinyt’s better as a regional governor where he is.”
“There are others I trust besides Pulaskyr.”
“Such as?”
“Am I ruling … or are you?”
“You are, but I’d like to know. I don’t know all the commanders.”
“Justanan and Moravan are both trustworthy.”
“Is either here?”
“They’re both with Myskyl.”
Quaeryt noted that Bhayar hadn’t mentioned Luchan. “Then my recommendation of Pulaskyr stands, sir. But you asked. I suggested. The choice is yours, sir.”
Bhayar shook his head. “At times, you remind me of my father, and you’re younger than I am.”
Not by that much. But Quaeryt wasn’t about to say that.
“You might have something there. I’ll think about it. Now … you said you’d have recommendations for setting up dispatch stations…?”
“On Lundi, sir. Some of the locations are obvious. Others…”
Bhayar nodded, but his question reminded Quaeryt that he would have to ride back to headquarters to see what his officers had come up with in recommending dispatch rider posts.
After a moment Bhayar grinned. “That’s enough for now. I’m looking forward to reading that code of laws. No one will be pleased, you know, if you and Vaelora do a good job on it.”
“We’ve considered that.”
“We’ll have a family dinner tonight.”
“No High Holders?”
“There aren’t any left near here that I haven’t seen enough of, not that matter. I’ll see you two later.” Bhayar turned toward the window.
Quaeryt slipped out of the study, heading back to Vaelora … and the issues of high crimes and treason.
24
On Lundi, Quaeryt had ended up working longer than he had anticipated with the imagers to repave the west river road from the Nord Bridge to the Sud Bridge after Gauswn had pointed out that getting goods, furnishings, and supplies would be difficult, given the sad state of the road serving the bridge to the isle. That had delayed some of the earthworks on the isle, but by fourth glass on Meredi afternoon, Quaeryt was satisfied with the basic earthwork on Imagisle, although it would likely be weeks, if not months, before he and the imagers would be able to complete the granite bulwark entirely around the isle.
In the meantime he and Vaelora delivered the first draft of the proposed Solidaran code of laws to Bhayar on Mardi. Bhayar read and reviewed it, and then went over it with Vaelora and Quaeryt in great detail after dinner on Meredi. Neither Quaeryt nor Vaelora could dispute his observations and corrections, but making the revisions clear and consistent was likely to take several days, Quaeryt suspected, especially given that more “administrative” problems were finding their way to their small ministerial study.
On Jeudi morning, Quaeryt showed the imagers where he wanted the first roads on Imagisle-the ones connecting the bridge with the two warehouses being converted and the anomen-but he had insisted on a less direct route to leave a central green along the middle of the isle. Then he hurried back to the Chateau Regis.
He’d barely stepped inside the ministry study he shared with Vaelora when he stopped dead in his boots after seeing the expression on her face. “What is it?”
“Chamion D’Council will be here shortly.” Vaelora looked up from the desk where she had been perusing a ledger. Short as it was, her wavy brown hair still looked disarrayed.
“What does the Council want now?”
“I have no idea, but one of the squad leaders said Chamion would be here shortly.”
“Something Bhayar doesn’t want to deal with, no doubt.” But what? Quaeryt shook his head. There were all too many things about which the Council might be upset … or wanting favors or something done.
“No doubt,” said Vaelora sardonically. “There will be more of that.”
Much more.
At the knock on the study door, Quaeryt said, “Yes?”
“Councilor Chamion is here to see you.”
“Have him come in.”
Vaelora closed the ledger and stood. The two said nothing as the councilor stepped into the study.
“Commander … Lady,” offered Chamion in the deep and raspy voice that Quaeryt found particularly annoying.
“Councilor,” returned Quaeryt.
“I understand that you … and Lady Vaelora, of course,” added Chamion quickly, “are acting for Lord Bhayar in … administrative matters.” Chamion’s voice was polite, although Quaeryt thought he detected a hint of exasperation.