“The world is going mad, or so it is said. Perhaps it is nothing more than a rumor.”
Hunnar glanced at Ethan. “Something we should be looking into?”
Ethan shrugged. “Too soon to say. We’ve business of our own to take care of. One crisis at a time.” He returned his attention to Blad-Kagenn. “Tell us of your new Landgrave. We met him only briefly when last we passed through your territory, and at that time he was only a soldier, not a ruler.”
Blad-Kagenn told them of how Rakossa’s line had been formally deposed and how the nobles, to make peace quickly, had settled on the young soldier to lead them. None were sorry to learn of Tonx Ghin Rakossa’s death. His madness and not-so-private depravities had been both an embarrassment and threat to the population for many years. Rakossa’s spies had been everywhere, but when T’hosjer removed the head of the monster, the body dissipated quickly.
The Slanderscree was in among the seven main islands now. Ta-hoding slowed the ship lest they run over one of the smaller vessels plying the iceways. At the main island more cheers awaited them, though Ethan thought the shouts and roars oddly subdued.
Blad-Kagenn proudly escorted them around the harbor and up the steep slope that led to Poyolavomaar’s castle. T’hosjer T’hos was still the tall and, by Tran standards, slim soldier Ethan barely remembered from their previous visit. He greeted Ethan and Skua as friends and embraced Elfa and Hunnar, his recently acquired allies in the Union of Ice. Court retainers looked on approvingly. It was a good thing, this alliance. There was none of the nervous whispering or sidelong suspicious glances that normally attended such a meeting. The sycophants and fawning bodyguards who had surrounded Rakossa were gone.
Chairs were brought forward. They were wide enough to accommodate folding winglike dan—or a loose-fitting survival suit. Drinks arrived in the company of a court recorder who would write down whatever was said between Landgrave and visitor.
“I did not expect to see any of you so soon again,” the young Landgrave told them.
“Nor we you,” replied Elfa.
T’hos adjusted his dan and leaned forward. “I think I preferred soldiering to administration, but I could not refuse the honor to my family. Tell me now: What changes in the north? What have you seen, where have you been, and how does the Union progress?”
“The Union is solid as the rocks and grows larger and stronger every day,” Elfa told him. “As for what changes there have been”—she nodded demurely toward Hunnar—“I have taken a mate.”
T’hos smiled broadly at the Sofoldian knight. “This means that I will not be able to strengthen the Union by a marriage between our two states.”
Hunnar nodded and kept a straight face. “There are many young females of marriageable age and noble birth in Sofold.” His tone turned serious. “Much have we seen and learned since last we made landfall in Poyolavomaar. Enough to last a curious soldier several lifetimes.” He nodded toward Ethan and Skua. “Our new friends have ships that fly through the sky and devices that enable them to talk across more satch than separate Sofold and Poyolavomaar. As soon as the Union becomes strong enough and we are able to join in this greater union they call their Commonwealth, we too may be permitted to make use of such wonders.”
T’hos’s whiskers rose. “This is a time I must live to see! I have sent emissaries to Warreck and Vem-Hobar asking them to join in our Union. They have reacted with suspicion and evasion, which is to say, normally. I have hopes of winning them over together with several smaller outlying city-states. We could compel them to participate by force of arms but”—he glanced sideways at Ethan—“you say this is not how your government prefers a union to be formed.”
“Not really.” It wasn’t much of a prevarication, he reflected. Actually the Commonwealth didn’t care how primitives created their planetary governments. Conquest was as acceptable as argument. But the Tran were warlike enough. By giving soldiers like T’hos no option Ethan hoped to preserve lives and property. A union that came into being with as little bloodshed as possible would be the stronger for it.
“Continue your discussions.”
“Such is what we are doing,” T’hos assured him. “In the end I am confident reason will prevail. It is merely a matter of time. It is only that I am personally impatient to qualify for these benefits you spoke of when last you paused among us.” A puzzled expression crossed his face. “Was I then wrong in believing that you would not return here?”
Elfa dipped her head slightly and cut her eyes sharply toward her human companions. The double gesture was rich with suggestion, not all of which Ethan comprehended despite the months he’d spent living among the Tran.
“It seems that Sir Ethan and Sir Skua found our company so pleasing they decided to remain awhile longer among us.”
“Not on your whiskers,” September growled, not caring if he insulted half the organized government of Tran-ky-ky.
“I came along to keep him out of trouble and that’s the only reason I came along.” He nodded toward Ethan.
“We know well what a rugged and unfeeling person you are,” Hunnar said sardonically.
T’hos was staring past them, toward a high window which overlooked the harbor below. “Do you wish to know what I have thought of every day and night since you left? To ride one of your sky boats and see my world from above, as the long-winged urlus do. I have climbed all the major peaks of Poyolavomaar but it seems to me not the same.” He extended both arms to display his veinous dan. “These flaps of skin make chivaning a delight, but they will not allow us even to glide.”
“I promise,” Ethan told him, in defiance of any relevant regulations, “that as soon as the Union is accepted by my government, as representative of the Tran I’ll get you up in a skimmer or a shuttle somehow. I’ll have to have an aircar to carry out my new work here and I’ll bring it to Poyolavomaar just so you can have a ride.”
“Wonderful, wonderful!” The young Landgrave clapped his paws like a cub. “If only the world does not end before this happens. Some say it is going mad.”
“We heard the rumor,” September commented. “Maybe you could tell us a little more about exactly what—”
“Your pardon for interrupting.” Ta-hoding had been waiting patiently off to the side until he could stand it no longer. “We have a problem that is based on fact and not rumor, good Landgrave. As many of our crew were desirous of returning to their homes, we have sailed here with a minimal crew. My people are exhausted and in need of relief. The humans who are our passengers have been as helpful as they can be, but experienced ice sailors they are not.” He indicated Williams, Cheela Hwang, and the rest of the research group who were studying the wall hangings and stone carvings that decorated the Landgrave’s hall.
“They are willing, but sometimes they cause more trouble than their well-meaning efforts are worth.”
September nodded ready agreement. “I saw Jacalan trying to raise a sail in a seventy kph gale. We’re lucky we didn’t lose her.”
“Tell me what you require,” said T’hos unhesitatingly.
“We know that Poyolavomaar is home to many fine sailors of the ice. We would take some temporarily into our company to aid us in our journey. It would make much smoother our expedition to the southern continent.”
“The southern continent? Why would you wish to go there? Are you returning so soon to our friends in Moulokin?”
“No. We go another direction entirely; not south by southwest but by southeast.”