Rex Regis (35 page)

“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.”

“What about family quarters? For each of the imagers who has a family?”

“I did a rough sketch and floor plan…”

“Do you have it close?”

Lhandor smiled and lifted the leather folder. “When you mentioned that Horan and Baelthm would be staying here, I went and got all my drawings.”

“Let’s see the rough sketch and floor plan.”

Lhandor opened the folder and leafed through the sheaf of drawings, handing one sheet to Quaeryt and then a second.

Quaeryt studied them, then laid on the desk the drawing that showed the front view of a cottage, with a pair of windows flanking an entry door. “I like this, but I think the door needs to be higher, with two stone steps up to it and with a wider stoop, almost a small porch, with at least an overhang to protect the entry.”

“You’re worried about flooding, sir?”

“More about heavy rains. We’ve largely flattened the isle, although there is a slight slope from the center to the edges. Still…”

In the end, he spent only a quint with the young imager undercaptain before dismissing him with orders to make changes once he returned from the day’s imaging so that if Horan and Baelthm had time, they could start work on a few cottages in the area laid out in the master plan Quaeryt and Lhandor had earlier developed.

Gauswn entered the study when Lhandor left. “You requested my presence.”

“I did. We need to talk over some matters. What do you think about the imaging repairs to the old anomen?” Quaeryt shifted his weight on his boots, suddenly aware that he’d been standing for well over a glass, and that his bad leg was reminding him of that.

“It’s hard to believe how well your imagers are doing. They’ve been most careful, but they’ve also told me that what they’ve done was only possible because the basic structure was sound. There’s only minor rain damage, and the ground there is high enough that whatever floods there might have been in the past didn’t leave any lasting damage.”

“Will it serve you?”

“It’s large enough to serve almost an entire regiment, if all the rankers attended.”

“That won’t ever happen,” replied Quaeryt with a laugh. “Can you teach your students there, once we have quarters ready on the isle?”

“There are several rooms on the main level that would be suitable for instruction. The chorister’s quarters are in the rear and more than suitable. Well … there are no furnishings, of course.”

“Creating them might be a good learning project for the student imagers-under the eye of an older imager-but I wanted to talk to you about another matter. I’m going to have to leave on a mission for Lord Bhayar shortly. Please don’t mention it to anyone. While I’m gone, I’d like you to keep an eye on what happens on Imagisle. If anything seems amiss or strange, I’d appreciate it if you would inform Lady Vaelora. I’ve already told Baelthm to check with you about matters with the anomen.”

Gauswn smiled. “He’s been doing that.”

“Good. That will also give you a reason to watch what’s happening.” Quaeryt paused. “In time, we’ll have more students, and we may need a separate building for schooling, but that shouldn’t happen for a while.”

“It may happen more quickly than you think,” suggested Gauswn.

“If it does, that will show Lord Bhayar the need and value of the Collegium.”

“Collegium?”

“I’m calling it the Collegium Imago. Bhayar hasn’t protested the name.” Quaeryt grinned.

“I still say that the Nameless has a purpose for you, Commander.”

“And I still have to point out that I have no idea whether the Nameless exists or not.”

“Your belief or disbelief doesn’t matter to the Nameless.”

Quaeryt laughed. “If there is a Nameless, you’re right.”

“You have a purpose, and that purpose is too great for the dreams of one man, even one so great as you are.”

“I’m talented, but not great, Gauswn, and I’m doing what needs to be done.”

“Many men have said that in pursuit of self-interest, and they have all failed.”

“I know that. That’s been clear to me from the beginning.” Quaeryt paused. “That’s not quite true. There’s nothing wrong with some self-interest. It’s when self-interest consumes a man or a woman that the trouble begins, and those with great abilities have the most difficulty in distinguishing between necessity and self-interest. I’d submit that failure often comes from that loss of ability to distinguish.”

“Or from the will of the Nameless when self-interest becomes too great.”

“Either way, you and the Eleni and the
Eherelani
-and events-have made it clear that I must try never to seek power for myself and to dream beyond what I would wish personally.”

“Would that more men thought so.”

But … would that be good if all men and women thought to pursue great dreams?
Quaeryt had his doubts.
But then … who should determine who dreams great dreams and who should not?
“Perhaps.” Quaeryt offered a rueful smile. “In any case, I’ve said what I have to say for now, and I need to send off the imagers for the day.
Or, really, the afternoon, since the morning’s largely gone.

“I’ll be here,” replied the chorister, before turning and leaving the study.

After giving final instructions to all the imagers, Quaeryt saw them off with a duty company to Imagisle, then mounted the gelding and rode back to the Chateau Regis, where he found Vaelora in the ministry study they shared, with ledgers piled up around her.

She looked up, an expression between anger and exasperation on her face.

“What is it?” asked Quaeryt.

“There’s no real frigging information on almost any of the High Holders, except their names and the general location of their holdings and, occasionally, the location of a mansion near Variana.”

“We lost a lot as a result of what I did,” Quaeryt said.

She shook her head. “I’ve been sending out the clerks and talking to people. Kharst didn’t have much more than that-except for tariff payment records.”

“How did he-”

“He didn’t! That’s the problem. And the records for factors are all held by the local factors’ councils.”

“We need copies of those records,” said Quaeryt. “We could start by sending dispatches to Meinyt and Kharllon.”

“You’d have to have Bhayar send the dispatch to Kharllon and request the information be sent back to him. Brother dear wouldn’t have a problem with that if I drafted it.”

“No, he wouldn’t. We also have a problem with the Anomen D’Variana. According to Baelthm, the place is practically collapsing, but the chorister has fine raiments and finer furnishings. I’ll have to draft a letter to Amalyt about the state of the Anomen D’Variana and tell him that my builders have inspected the structure and that it has been so badly neglected for so long that any major imaging to attempt to repair such massive neglect could jeopardize the entire structure, and that it would be best if the congregation and the chorister devoted their efforts to raising golds for trained artisans and masons to rebuild it. I may add something about the contrast between the quality of the furnishings and vestments and that of the structure was rather remarkable.”

“You probably should, if delicately, and send a copy to Bhayar.”

“I will … and there are a few other items I need to take care of before we leave tomorrow.”

“More than a few.” Vaelora frowned. “You’re sure about not taking Baelthm and Horan?”

“There’s no point in it. Baelthm can’t add that much, and Horan still isn’t in any shape to do imaging that will kill people. I’m not sure he ever will be. Just as important, they can continue to build Imagisle.” Quaeryt shook his head. “I don’t want that to stop because there’s another problem. There are going to be problems for months, if not years, and if the building stops anytime there’s a problem, we’ll never get anything built.”

“You also need to get enough of it built soon so that people can see it and understand that the Collegium is an accomplished fact.”

“That’s part of creating the impression that the Collegium is more than an imager fighting force.” Quaeryt shook his head. “And I need to stop talking and start writing dispatches, just to get them out of the way so I can complete planning the departure roads tomorrow … in a way that will leave Deucalon somewhat confused.”

“Until he talks to Bhayar.”

“That will still give us enough time … if your brother keeps his word about not saying anything for a day or two after we leave.”

“You have plans, I take it?”

“I do. Let’s hope they work.” Quaeryt pulled out the chair and seated himself at the conference table.

Mardi morning began far too early for Quaeryt, even though he’d gotten Khaern’s orders from Bhayar late on Lundi afternoon. After that, he and Vaelora had briefed Bhayar on where they stood on all the matters they had been handling, including the business of the Anomen D’Variana, which Bhayar dismissed with a laugh. Then Quaeryt had written out the order of riding and departure directions for each company and put each with maps in a folder, one for first company and one for Calkoran. Finally, he and Vaelora discussed possible ministry problems and what options she might have for dealing with each, should they arise.

A little before sixth glass on Mardi, after checking on the gelding and strapping his kit bag behind the saddle, Quaeryt met with Khaern at the headquarters holding, handing him the document that held his orders. “Please read this right now.”

The red-and-gray-haired subcommander frowned momentarily as he took the single sheet, then said, “Yes, sir.”

Quaeryt watched as Khaern’s eyes widened, but said nothing until Khaern looked up from the orders. “Do you understand that order?”

“Yes, sir. It says that I am to support Lord Bhayar, and to accept and undertake orders only from you or him, or in the absence or unavailability of either of you, of the Minister of Administration and Supply for Bovaria.”

“Do you have any questions?”

“Aren’t you the Minister of Administration, sir?”

“I am, but so is Lady Vaelora.”

“Begging your pardon, sir, but this order suggests Lord Bhayar doesn’t trust the marshal.”

“That’s not quite true. I don’t fully trust the marshal, and if you recall what happened on the advance up the Aluse last year, I have a few reasons to be wary of his decisions.”

“Yes, sir. So do all of us who were in Southern Army.”

“I requested the orders you hold so that you can refuse any order from Marshal Deucalon. Obviously, you should use that ability with discretion, and if you don’t have to use it, it’s probably for the best. But you have it, in order to use your own discretion in protecting the Chateau Regis, Lord Bhayar, and Lady Vaelora-or the two imagers who will be remaining to work on the Collegium buildings on Imagisle.”

“Yes, sir.” Khaern looked at the order sheet again.

“I hope it doesn’t come to that, but I trust your judgment.”

“I’ll do my best to keep that trust, sir.” Khaern paused. “If Marshal Deucalon or one of his officers asks where you’ve gone, what should I say?”

“Tell him that I took first company out to investigate some problems Lord Bhayar had with High Holders and that you know I headed east of Variana to begin with. That is true. If he presses you, tell him that you would feel uncomfortable saying more, since you report to me, and I report to Lord Bhayar, and that saying more would be contrary to the chain of command.”

“That might reveal where you’re headed, sir.”

“It might, but I’d rather you didn’t lie outright.”
And if it does, that’s another indication that Deucalon’s involved with Myskyl.
Quaeryt paused. “It might be helpful if you dispatched two companies for maneuvers heading west fairly early this morning.”