Rex Regis (12 page)

Quaeryt glanced to his left, down at the river, almost pondlike in its calm. It was definitely narrower, although that had occurred so gradually that Quaeryt hadn’t really noticed before. What called his attention to it was that, in places, there were poles planted to show the channel for the flatboats, and there wasn’t that much open water between the poles and the shore.

Ahead, above the trees, he saw the roofs of several buildings, although they looked to be to the west of the river. Then he nodded, recalling that most of Eluthyn actually lay to the west of where the canal and the river crossed, or rather where the river actually ran under the Great Canal through a culvert. The canal locks were just east of there.

“Well … finally,” he said cheerfully. “There’s Eluthyn.”

“Where else would you expect it to be,” replied Vaelora dryly.

Quaeryt thought he heard a smothered guffaw from one of the undercaptains who rode behind them. He grinned and replied, “For all I know, it could have vanished. But it does have a decent inn, I hear, although … there would have been advantages to having Rex Kharst’s canal boat.”

“Advantages for whom, dearest?” murmured Vaelora.

Quaeryt decided to refrain from commenting, at least until they were alone in the inn at Eluthyn.

Almost exactly a week later, on a sunny midafternoon, as Quaeryt and Vaelora rode along the last mille or so of the towpath of the Great Canal, Quaeryt gestured toward the northeast and the hold house of the late High Holder Paitrak. “It’s hard to believe that it was almost two seasons ago since we were there.”

“I don’t find that hard to believe at all. I’m most certain that we’ll find brother dear there.” She pointed to the southeast where, glimmering white in the sun, was Chateau Regis, which had been Rex Kharst’s and which Quaeryt’s imagers had rebuilt and restructured almost two seasons ago.

“By now, Bhayar should have received word that we’re almost in Variana.”
Unless Deucalon delayed them.
Although Quaeryt had sent out dispatch riders when they had set out that morning, he was well aware that did not assure that their messages reached Bhayar in a timely fashion.

“So should Deucalon, and Myskyl, if he’s around.”

“Myskyl might not be.”

Quaeryt wasn’t certain whether it would be better if Myskyl was near Bhayar or distantly removed. In either case, the submarshal was likely to cause difficulties.
You can’t do anything about that now
. “I still say that Kharst’s canal boat would have been welcome here,” Quaeryt suggested, “not that it matters now, this close to Variana.”

“You weren’t thinking about sleep, dearest…”

“But I was,” he half protested, with a grin.

“Just about sleep,” Vaelora amended her words.

Less than a quint later, a squad of riders wearing the green uniforms of Telaryn approached under Bhayar’s personal banner. The officer leading them was a major Quaeryt recognized by face, but not by name.

“Lady Vaelora! Commander! Lord Bhayar is most gratified that you have returned hale and successful. He awaits you at the Chateau Regis.”

“I’ll need billeting for Eleventh Regiment and two companies,” Quaeryt replied.

“Ah … we have made arrangements for two regiments, sir.”

“We didn’t lose Nineteenth Regiment, if that’s the concern. Subcommander Alazyn is supporting Submarshal Skarpa in the submarshal’s capacity as acting governor of Antiago.”

“Sir?”

“I’d appreciate your keeping that to yourself until we have a chance to brief Lord Bhayar personally.” Quaeryt image-projected a sense of just how displeased he would be if the major let that slip.

The major stiffened for an instant, then nodded. “Yes, sir. I understand, sir.”

Almost two quints passed before Vaelora and Quaeryt walked up the grand staircase of the rebuilt Chateau Regis to the upper-level foyer. The staircase, Quaeryt recalled, had needed few repairs, unlike the outer and inner walls and floors. The walls still held no ornamentation, and the main-level furnishings had been comparatively sparse, although part of that was doubtless a reflection of Bhayar’s wishes, since he’d never liked elaboration for the sake of elaboration.

“He is in the northeast study, not in the receiving chamber, Lady, Commander,” said the captain who escorted them when they reached the second level of the chateau. He turned to the left and led them along a wide corridor toward the sole door with a pair of guards stationed outside.

The guards watched as the major rapped on the door. “Lady Vaelora and Commander Quaeryt to see you, sir.”

“Have them come in.”

The major eased open the door and nodded. Quaeryt followed Vaelora, and the major closed the door behind them.

Quaeryt did a quick survey. The northeast study was the kind of chamber Bhayar preferred, a corner chamber with windows on the north and east sides, which provided early light and a flow of air on all but the stillest of days.

Bhayar stood beside the wide writing desk. On one side was a stack of papers, and on the other a map. For a long moment he studied the two, then frowned. “I would not have thought you would leave your child.”

“I lost her,” said Vaelora simply. “Sometimes … it happens.”

Bhayar’s eyes went to Quaeryt, hardening from dark blue to stone.

“It was not Quaeryt’s doing. There was nothing he could have done. He has done more than either you or I could ever have asked.”

“Are you protecting him?”

“If I must. You should have seen him when he came to my sickbed to comfort me after I … lost her.”

“Where was this?”

“In Kephria,” replied Vaelora. “You should let us tell you how and why you now are the ruler of Antiago.”

“What of Aliaro? Did you not bring him in chains … after all he has done?”

“That would be difficult, sir,” said Quaeryt mildly. “We were forced to destroy his palace fortress with all his remaining armsmen and imagers in it. He was also there.”

Bhayar sighed, the long and dramatic expression of exasperation, rather than the short and explosive sound of anger. Then he gestured to the conference table and the chairs around it. “You have had a long journey. I’ve ordered refreshments.”

Once the three were seated, the Lord of Telaryn, Bovaria, and Antiago said, “If you would, tell me the sum of what you have accomplished, or not, before we dwell on the details.”

Vaelora looked to Quaeryt.

Quaeryt cleared his throat quietly. “As you ordered, we accompanied Submarshal Skarpa along the Great Canal to Laaryn. We made major repairs to the canal this side of Eluthyn and put down a factor conspiracy in Laaryn. That required leaving Subcommander Meinyt, two imagers, and Fifth Regiment to assure compliance and receipt and payment of damages, and tariffs. You should have received a dispatch describing those events. We proceeded down the Laar to Geusyn and Ephra. Because Captain Nykaal had been unable to obtain enough ships to carry two regiments, we embarked with first company and Eleventh Regiment and sailed to Kherseilles. On the way we were attacked, and the imagers had to destroy two Antiagon warships. Since the High Council of Khel restricted the sale and use of mounts, only first company accompanied us to meet with the High Council at the ancient capital of Saendeol. The Council agreed to consider your terms, but only when you held all of Lydar.” Quaeryt could see Bhayar open his mouth, but he continued to speak. “So we returned to Geusyn. Once there, we discovered that the southern Bovarian High Holders refused to pledge to you or to meet with either Skarpa or Vaelora. Then they fled into Antiago. We leveled all their hold houses and fortifications, breached the wall around Kephria and took it, and then rode to Suemyron and took it. After that, we took Barna and rode on Liantiago. Along the way, we fought four battles. We defeated and largely destroyed all who faced us. Aliaro holed up in his palace with his imagers. We destroyed the palace and almost all remaining Antiagon troopers and imagers. Skarpa remains as acting governor. In our absence from Kephria, Aliaro’s troopers and imagers leveled Ephra, Kephria, and Geusyn. We commandeered a schooner and returned to Kephria. On the way we destroyed the four warships, and the troopers and imagers that had burned the three cities. The imagers rebuilt the main pier and constructed a trooper compound at Kephria, the best harbor of the three. We left two companies of the Khellan troopers to keep order during the rebuilding of Kephria and set out to return to Variana. Here we are.”

Bhayar was silent for a time. “I sent you out to obtain the allegiance of Khel. You seem to have accomplished everything except that.” His voice was cool.

“I would respectfully disagree, sir. I believe you will be able to reach terms with Khel before long. Without taking Antiago, we had no chance of reaching such terms-except by fighting in Khel, and that would have meant fighting two lands to unite Lydar. Since Aliaro had already offered sanctuary to rebellious High Holders and attacked your warships three times without provocation, there were certainly grounds for the Antiagon campaign. Also, Antiago would have remained a threat and a temptation to the southern High Holders. Khel offers no such threat.”

The lord of three lands nodded slowly. “It is always dangerous to send you to solve a problem, Quaeryt. You solve the problem, but in ways unforeseen. And those ways further your ends as well as mine.”

“Would you rather have the problems unresolved, sir?”

Bhayar paused, as if to consider an appropriate response, when there was a knock on the small side door on the west side of the study.

“Bring in the refreshments,” ordered Bhayar.

A Telaryn ranker appeared with a tray, followed by another ranker. In moments, each of the three at the table had a goblet, a small plate, and in the middle of the table were several platters, one of fruit, one of cheeses, one of sliced meats, and one of assorted pastries. There were also two carafes of wine, one of white, and one of red.

Once the rankers had departed and closed the door, Bhayar looked to his sister. “Red or white.”

“The white, please.”

Bhayar poured her white and himself red. Quaeryt poured himself the white.

“To your safe return.” Bhayar lifted his goblet.

“To your forbearance, brother dear,” replied Vaelora with a smile, “for our exceeding your expectations.”

Bhayar’s smile was half sour and half amused. “I knew there was great danger in having you two wed.”

“It was your idea,” Vaelora pointed out sweetly.

“Enough…”

Quaeryt noticed the tiredness in Bhayar’s voice, but waited. So did Vaelora.

“Now tell me everything you left out, and the reasons why you did what you did.”

Vaelora looked to Quaeryt.

“I’ll start,” he said, “but I trust Vaelora will add what I don’t include.”

Bhayar’s lips quirked, almost as if to suggest that he would have been greatly surprised if his sister did not. Then he nodded.

“The first thing we noticed, after just a few days on the Great Canal,” began Quaeryt, “was that it had not been that well maintained…” From there he described in great detail the harsh conditions of peasants on the lands of many landholders, the factors’ deception and the problems in Laaryn, the conditions of the roads on the way to Geusyn, and what followed on their voyage to Kherseilles and the ride to Saendeol. Quaeryt deferred to Vaelora to let her describe the trial requested of them by the High Council and the subsequent meeting with the High Council of Khel.

When she finished, Quaeryt added, “Without the image that Vaelora made them see, there would have been no possibility of future terms.”

Bhayar sighed again, a long expression of resignation, then said, “I begin to see the reasons for your actions. Go on.”

Quaeryt took up the tale again.

When he got to the part where he and Skarpa, and the massed regiments, were about to leave Kephria on the ride to Suemyron, Vaelora interrupted. “I insisted that I remain with Eleventh Regiment and the troopers that would be returning from Khel. I
knew
that without all the remaining imagers, they could not prevail against the Autarch’s forces. I also knew that I could not accompany them. I was too close to term. As you will hear, and he will not tell you, Quaeryt almost did not survive the final battle. Had there been even one less imager, he would not have.” She looked to Quaeryt to continue.

Quaeryt went on to explain what happened in Antiago. He did not skip over his dread at discovering that Aliaro had sent warships to Kephria, and his efforts to reach there.

“He was close to being carried onto the schooner,” interjected Vaelora. “That is what Major Zhelan told me. The captain was worried that he might not live.”

“It wasn’t that bad-” Quaeryt began to protest.

“It was a week later when I saw you, and half your body was yellow and purple,” snapped Vaelora.

A faint smile crossed Bhayar’s lips.

Quaeryt finished up with what happened on the way to Kephria, then turned to Vaelora. “You should finish this part. I wasn’t there.”

Vaelora did, speaking firmly about the Antiagon attack and what she had done, and her accident, adding quickly, “I was not trying to be a hero. I left Kephria as soon as I could. I was just unlucky.”

“You were fortunate that it was not worse,” replied Bhayar. “Still-”

“We have not finished,” said Vaelora firmly.

From there the two recounted what had happened in repairing the harbor and building the trooper compound and on their journey to Variana.

When the two had finished, Bhayar looked to Vaelora. “At times, I wish you were not so headstrong as your grandmere. I cannot fault you, for the same blood runs in all our veins, but the price for these conquests you have laid before me has been high.”

“Not so high as failing to succeed,” replied Vaelora.

“I would talk to Quaeryt-”