“Are there any questions?” asked Quaeryt.
“Do you have any idea where we’ll be assigned once we return to Variana?” asked one of the subcommanders, Ostlyn, Quaeryt thought.
“That will be up to the marshal and Lord Bhayar. It’s likely that several regiments will return to Solis fairly soon, but that had not been decided when I left Variana.” Quaeryt glanced around the mess.
“Will we have to fight in Khel?”
“Lord Bhayar sent envoys to ask the High Council of Khel to consider terms. The Council is considering those terms. Lord Bhayar is hopeful that an invasion will not be necessary, but that depends on the High Council. Any other questions?”
There were no more questions.
“That will be all, then,” Quaeryt finally said, after a long silence.
Quaeryt followed Justanan and Nieron from the mess. Once outside, he looked to the older blond officer. “You handled that well.”
Justanan shook his head. “You handled it well. I picked up the pieces as well as I could.” He paused. “Do you think Lord Bhayar will wish to replace Moravan?”
“I doubt it. He said that he trusted Moravan more than any regimental subcommander in Northern Army. When he goes on his own instincts, and not out of loyalty to those who served his father, his judgment of people is usually accurate.”
“What did his father think of you? Did he know you? Or say anything?”
“He said something, according to Bhayar, along the lines that I’d be a loyal friend and that it would be best were I not an enemy.”
“I can see that,” said Justanan slowly, then looked at Quaeryt directly. “You’ve risked more for Bhayar than any senior officer. Why?”
“Because he is a friend and because he has been fair and because he offers the only hope for imagers in all of Lydar.”
Justanan nodded.
Even Nieron nodded, if reluctantly.
49
By midmorning on Samedi, Quaeryt, Justanan, Nieron, and Quaeryt had completed the general outlines and plans of the withdrawal from Rivages, as well as laid out the parameters of the duties assigned to the remaining regiment. For the most part, Quaeryt had deferred to the other two commanders, partly because he agreed with their proposals and partly because they had more experience than he did in planning such evolutions. Once they were agreed, he and two squads, third squad from first company and fourth squad from the Khellan company, rode out so that he could pay a visit to High Holder Paliast, whose holding was east of Rivages, perhaps even slightly southeast.
Once Quaeryt and the two squads crossed the timber bridge over the River Aluse, and passed the east river road, which continued northward along the water, Quaeryt paid even more attention to the buildings and people. The bridge joined two squares, but the structures on the eastern square were larger and taller, all of them at least two stories, and several were three, including the all-brick River Inn. Not for the first time, Quaeryt wondered how many River Inns there were across all of Lydar. The main streets were paved, and the dwellings were mainly brick and extended a good mille along the east road before giving way to cots and small fields and woodlots. At that point, the paving ended, and the road became packed clay. After another mille, the smallholder plots vanished, and they rode past larger fields with unmortared stone walls.
Ahead, Quaeryt made out a modest hold house on the north side of the road, with only a handful of buildings, none of them excessively large, all of which called to mind Seliadyn’s observation that Paliast’s sire had lost many of his lands to Ryel-or Tyrena. The gates were unguarded, drawn open, and attached to two natural stone pillars, roughly three yards high and mortared, unlike the yard-and-a-half-high walls that flanked them.
Quaeryt rode between the gate pillars and onto the lane, both companies following. The lane itself was unpaved, but graveled. It showed ruts that had only been partly smoothed out, and some of the gravel had been sprayed onto the grassy shoulder by mounts or carriage wheels. The pastures on each side of the lane looked to be clover. Some parts, Quaeryt thought, appeared to have been overgrazed, although he saw no sheep or cattle nearby.
Less than a half mille from the gates was the hold house, set facing south. All the outbuildings were to the west, below a rise. As he rode toward the graveled area around the entry, Quaeryt couldn’t help but wonder why the house had not been set there, as were most hold houses. When he reined up at the foot of the steps down from the modest receiving rotunda, he saw a functionary who stood under the edge of the roof.
The man, in peach and white livery, looked to Quaeryt, studying him, and then asking, “Who might I say is calling, sir?”
“Commander Quaeryt, on direct behalf of Lord Bhayar.”
Quaeryt dismounted, without waiting for an invitation, and walked up the steps toward the man. “You’re the steward?”
“Baankyt, the assistant steward, sir. Maalan is the steward.” He inclined his head. “If you would come this way, sir. High Holder Paliast is in his study.”
Quaeryt followed Baankyt through the square brick archway that led to the brassbound double doors and then through a square foyer and straight back along a corridor floored in pale peach and black tiles.
The assistant steward stopped at the second door. “Commander Quaeryt on behalf of Lord Bhayar, sir.” Baankyt did not wait for an acknowledgment, but gestured for Quaeryt to enter the study.
Quaeryt stepped into the study, some six yards by four, with a brick hearth at the left end of the room and an ancient desk whose oak had darkened to a deep golden brown at the right end. Two leather armchairs were set before the hearth, angled so that whoever sat there could observe the other chair … or the fire, although the hearth was dark, and covered with an ornate brass screen.
Paliast stood and walked from behind the desk toward Quaeryt. He looked to be younger than Quaeryt, mostly likely close to Vaelora’s age. His unlined and round face was boyish, but his eyes were deep-set, with a quizzical expression.
“Are you one of the submarshal’s commanders?”
“No. I’m the one who replaced the late Submarshal Myskyl … and the late Commander Luchan as well.”
Paliast stiffened, just for a moment, then said, “I do suppose these things happen in and after a war. Might I ask why you are here? We have paid all that Lord Bhayar has requested.”
“I’m here to meet with you, of course.” Quaeryt looked toward the chairs.
Paliast ignored the look. “You’re here. What do you want?”
Quaeryt smiled. “Why don’t you take a seat? You’ll likely be more comfortable.”
“I suppose that would be the thing to do.” Paliast took the leather chair farthest from the door.
Quaeryt turned the other one so that it faced the High Holder directly, and then settled into it. “You recently became the High Holder, I understand.”
“In Ianus.”
“Had you met Submarshal Myskyl before then?”
“I can’t say that I had. My sire had little desire to meet him and only did so when required.”
“How many times did you meet with the submarshal?”
“Does it matter?”
“It does if you wish to remain High Holder,” replied Quaeryt mildly. He was already getting weary of young Paliast.
“Isn’t that Lord Bhayar’s decision?”
“He appointed me Minister of Administration for Bovaria and delegated that authority to me. Now … how many times did you meet with Myskyl?”