“Eleventh Regiment is required for duties here in the area of Variana. Lord Bhayar will be providing written orders for the regiment, which you will receive tomorrow. I do approve of those orders, however.” Unlike some.
“Begging your pardon, sir,” offered Zhelan quietly, “but this stinks like month-old fish in midsummer.”
“It does, one way or another,” replied Quaeryt. “It could be as simple-and nefarious-as a small group of Bovarians waylaying dispatch riders going in both directions in order to create confusion and distrust among our forces. Or it could be something else entirely. Our task is to discover what the problem is and resolve it, if we can, and to send word back to Lord Bhayar if we cannot. We can guess or speculate on the reason for the lack of dispatches, but since we do not know, please keep all that among the four of us until we do. You’re to tell the men that the two companies are being dispatched on scouting missions and that you will be receiving complete orders tomorrow. I cannot see this taking less than a month, and possibly two. You may convey that as well.”
“You don’t want to say much, sir,” observed Khaern.
“No, I don’t. And I’d prefer that you say nothing at all. Tell your men the same, and tell them that since we will be likely traveling in areas where we’re less than welcome, and where others might be very happy to attack, letting anyone outside the companies and the regiment know that we’ll be setting out can do no good and could cause casualties.”
All three nodded.
“It still stinks, sir,” added Khaern.
“True, but since when didn’t we get orders that had a certain stench about them?” asked Quaeryt sardonically.
That brought reluctant nods from the three.
“Any questions?”
“What about extra mounts?” asked Zhelan.
Calkoran nodded in agreement.
“Work out what you think is a reasonable number, and we’ll find a way to get them.” Even if it means borrowing them from Eleventh Regiment.
“Supplies?”
For the next quint the three officers offered questions, and Quaeryt did his best to address them.
When they left, Quaeryt summoned the imagers into the study. He looked over the small group, consisting of Baelthm, Horan, Lhandor, Khalis, and Elsior. Then he spoke. “Lord Bhayar has a problem, and that means we have one. In fact, there are several. So … I’d like to go over the smaller problems first. Elsior, you’re acting as a provisional undercaptain. You should be uniformed as one. Ask Major Zhelan what you need to get two sets of uniforms today, even if they don’t fit well.”
“He can have one of mine,” said Khalis.
“Thank you. Work it out as you can. Second-Baelthm, you looked over the Anomen D’Variana. What did you discover?”
“I wouldn’t call what needs to be done there a small problem, sir. We’re not talking about repairs. The walls have huge cracks. It’s been neglected for years, maybe a whole lot longer, and, begging your pardon, sir, the robes and vestments the chorister wears are of the finest quality. So are the furnishings in his private quarters. They consist of a good five rooms for him and his wife and children.”
“You’re saying that the building has been greatly neglected while the chorister has not neglected his own comforts.”
“Yes, sir,”
“How long would it take, say, for you and Horan to put it back in shape?”
“A good week, maybe two … if we could do it at all. Have to replace each section of each wall. Nameless knows if we could even do that without bringing down the roof. Timbers there don’t seem as solid as they should be. If we try to replace the timbers without strengthening the walls, the walls could give way.” The oldest imager shook his head.
Quaeryt nodded. “For now, I’m going to recommend to Lord Bhayar that the reconstruction of the Anomen D’Variana would require too much work and might even result in the destruction of the anomen. I might say that we will consider it once the imagers have greater experience in constructing buildings from scratch.”
“Yes, sir.”
“There’s one other matter. I’d like you to check with Chorister Gauswn on a daily basis while you finish repairing the Imagisle anomen. I’d appreciate it if you’d accommodate him as much as you can.”
“We can do that, sir.”
“I’d appreciate that.”
“Now … there’s the major problem, and that is the fact that first company and Subcommander Calkoran’s company, and those imagers that I feel necessary have been ordered to investigate the lack of recent communications from Northern Army…” Quaeryt went on to explain the situation, then said, “I’ve decided that Lhandor, Khalis, and Elsior will accompany me and this force, while Baelthm and Horan will remain to continue the work in repairing and building the Collegium structures on Imagisle. In one sense, I’m reluctant to split up the imagers but I feel that Baelthm and Horan can do more good for both Lord Bhayar and the rest of the imagers by remaining here in Variana.
“That’s all I have for all of you for now. Horan, Baelthm … if you’d remain a moment. Undercaptain Lhandor, please stay nearby. I’ll need to talk to you about some plans, possibly the ones you already have or some variation on those … or new ones.”
“Yes, sir.”
Once the imagers who would be accompanying Quaeryt had left the study, he looked at the narrow-faced and graying Horan. “Outside of the fighting, how do you like being an imager?”
“Have to say I like the building and making good roads a lot better than the fighting. Pay’s good, too.”
“This mission to Rivages is likely to take longer than a month, and if you and Baelthm accompanied us, there’d be no work done on Imagisle. There’s also another aspect to this. You know I’ve mentioned building a place for imagers, with quarters for wives and families as well. That’s part of what you’ll be doing. When we return, I’m hopeful that it won’t be too long before we can have those of you with wives and children send for them. We’ll be able to send some coin so that they can make the journey.”
“Sir?” asked Baelthm. “Would we still be paid?”
“Lord Bhayar has agreed to building and supporting the Collegium. You will be paid, but I can’t speak as to future pay scales, only that you’ll get what you’re getting now, but you’ll also get quarters as well.”
Both imagers grinned.
“Because I don’t know how long we’ll be gone, I will have Lhandor provide plans for what you can image beyond the two barracks and stables. As you can, Horan, I’d like you to add to the granite river walls…” After finishing his instructions of what buildings he wanted imaged and in what general order, Quaeryt added, “I’d also like you two to start instructing the new student imagers as you can. If you have any disagreements about imaging, Horan, you’re to defer to Baelthm. Is that understood?”
“I can do that.”
“You’re also not to leave the holding here without ranker escorts. Part of that is not because I don’t think you can protect yourselves, but because I don’t want you to have to use imaging to do so.”
“That makes sense,” offered Horan.
“Do you have any questions?”
“I’d be hating to ask this, sir…” ventured Horan.
“But what are you to do if something happens to me?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Keep building the Collegium and gather and teach young imagers. The Lady Vaelora will be able to help you with that. If that does happen, and I hope it doesn’t, have her have Lord Bhayar summon Major Voltyr from Westisle.”
“Yes, sir.” Horan nodded. “That’d be all I wished to know.”
“Once I finish with Lhandor, you can all head out to Imagisle for the day. Pass the word to the others and the duty company … and would you send word that I’ll need to talk to Chorister Gauswn after I’m through with Lhandor?”
“Yes, sir.”
When the two left, Lhandor slipped into the study.
“I’d asked you to draw up some plans for Imagisle a while ago. How far did you get in that?”
“You saw the drawings for the fountain and for the central green … I also did one for a sort of headquarters building … and the ones to adapt the two barracks buildings.”