threatened the guards who imprisoned him. He had already ordered the eastern companies to obey Lord Kenslan if anything happened to him."
"He wasn't threatening them. He was bargaining for his own safety."
"Kenslan, unfortunately, is a better arms-commander than Vatoran, and his son is one of the subcommanders."
"What if something happens to Kenslan?"
Hagen shook his head. "If it happens in battle, everyone will accept it.
If you kill him with magery, without even an audience, that will just stir things up more."
"He can start a revolt, take over some of Lord Ghrant's armsmen, but if I use magery...?"
"Exactly." Hagen snorted. "I know. It makes no sense, but that's the way people are. Everyone knows Malcor killed Lord Estloch; but there was no proof, and without it, no one wanted to act."
"So we wait?"
"We gather forces, strengthen our position, and see where they plan to attack. There is little doubt that they will attack."
Kharl could tell he would not be headed back to Cantyl anytime soon.
VI
1 hreeday passed, and so did fourday. Kharl found nothing else of use in The Basis of Order. On fiveday, right after breakfast, in the chill of the spring morning, under a gray sky with high clouds, Kharl stood in the front courtyard of the Great House, studying the walls, only about five cubits high and but a double course of stone in width-designed to keep out casual intruders, but certainly not an attacking force. But then, Hagen had already pointed out that it would be foolish-both politically and practically-for the rebels to begin with an open attack within the general confines of Val-murl.
"Good day, ser Kharl."
The mage turned. Undercaptain Charsal stood ten cubits away.
"Good day, undercaptain. What news do you have?"
"No more than you, probably. No one's moving armsmen toward Val-murl yet. Lord Malcor leveled Lord Vertyn's country place because Vertyn voiced support for Lord Ghrant. Folk are worried about fighting. Most in Valmurl support Lord Ghrant." Charsal shrugged. "Then, they might well be telling me that because they know I do."
"What about the factors?"
"My cousin works for Gessryn. He's a small wool factor. He says that
all the factors are upset about what happened to Guillam. Half are mad at Guillam, dead as he may be, because he thought only of himself. The other half are mad because they think Lord Ghrant and the other lords want to tariff them more heavily ... and keep all the power to themselves."
"No one thinks about the people or Austra?"
Charsal laughed. "Have they ever, ser mage?" He nodded. "Need to be reporting to Commander Norgen."
Kharl returned the nod and watched as the young undercaptain hurried toward the main entrance to the Great House. The mage took a last look at the low walls and turned, making his way through the side service entrance and along the back corridors he was beginning to learn until he reached Hagen's chamber.
The two men in yellow and black were new to Kharl, but the shorter inclined his head. "Ser mage, would you be wanting to see Lord Hagen?"
"If he's not with someone."
The guard turned, knocked once, and said, "The mage to see you, lord-chancellor."
"Have him come in."
The guard opened the door, and Kharl entered. The guard closed the door behind Kharl.
Hagen sat behind the table desk, a map spread before him. "Sit down, Kharl. Please." He returned his attention to the map, then dipped the metal pen into the inkpot and wrote something on the long paper set to one side of the map. He continued to make notes for a quarter glass or so. Finally, he looked up.
"Undercaptain Charsal told me that Malcor had destroyed Lord Ver-tyn's estate," Kharl said.
"He did," Hagen replied. "He also killed Vertyn and his eldest son. The middle son is a junior captain under Norgen."
"Charsal said no one was moving toward Valmurl. What is Malcor doing?" asked
"He wasn't threatening them. He was bargaining for his own safety."
"Kenslan, unfortunately, is a better arms-commander than Vatoran, and his son is one of the subcommanders."
"What if something happens to Kenslan?"
Hagen shook his head. "If it happens in battle, everyone will accept it.
If you kill him with magery, without even an audience, that will just stir things up more."
"He can start a revolt, take over some of Lord Ghrant's armsmen, but if I use magery...?"
"Exactly." Hagen snorted. "I know. It makes no sense, but that's the way people are. Everyone knows Malcor killed Lord Estloch; but there was no proof, and without it, no one wanted to act."
"So we wait?"
"We gather forces, strengthen our position, and see where they plan to attack. There is little doubt that they will attack."
Kharl could tell he would not be headed back to Cantyl anytime soon.
VI
1 hreeday passed, and so did fourday. Kharl found nothing else of use in The Basis of Order. On fiveday, right after breakfast, in the chill of the spring morning, under a gray sky with high clouds, Kharl stood in the front courtyard of the Great House, studying the walls, only about five cubits high and but a double course of stone in width-designed to keep out casual intruders, but certainly not an attacking force. But then, Hagen had already pointed out that it would be foolish-both politically and practically-for the rebels to begin with an open attack within the general confines of Val-murl.
"Good day, ser Kharl."
The mage turned. Undercaptain Charsal stood ten cubits away.
"Good day, undercaptain. What news do you have?"
"No more than you, probably. No one's moving armsmen toward Val-murl yet. Lord Malcor leveled Lord Vertyn's country place because Vertyn voiced support for Lord Ghrant. Folk are worried about fighting. Most in Valmurl support Lord Ghrant." Charsal shrugged. "Then, they might well be telling me that because they know I do."
"What about the factors?"
"My cousin works for Gessryn. He's a small wool factor. He says that
all the factors are upset about what happened to Guillam. Half are mad at Guillam, dead as he may be, because he thought only of himself. The other half are mad because they think Lord Ghrant and the other lords want to tariff them more heavily ... and keep all the power to themselves."
"No one thinks about the people or Austra?"
Charsal laughed. "Have they ever, ser mage?" He nodded. "Need to be reporting to Commander Norgen."
Kharl returned the nod and watched as the young undercaptain hurried toward the main entrance to the Great House. The mage took a last look at the low walls and turned, making his way through the side service entrance and along the back corridors he was beginning to learn until he reached Hagen's chamber.
The two men in yellow and black were new to Kharl, but the shorter inclined his head. "Ser mage, would you be wanting to see Lord Hagen?"
"If he's not with someone."
The guard turned, knocked once, and said, "The mage to see you, lord-chancellor."
"Have him come in."
The guard opened the door, and Kharl entered. The guard closed the door behind Kharl.
Hagen sat behind the table desk, a map spread before him. "Sit down, Kharl. Please." He returned his attention to the map, then dipped the metal pen into the inkpot and wrote something on the long paper set to one side of the map. He continued to make notes for a quarter glass or so. Finally, he looked up.
"Undercaptain Charsal told me that Malcor had destroyed Lord Ver-tyn's estate," Kharl said.
"He did," Hagen replied. "He also killed Vertyn and his eldest son. The middle son is a junior captain under Norgen."
"Charsal said no one was moving toward Valmurl. What is Malcor doing?" asked
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