Kharl.
"Word is that he and Lord Kenslan look to be marching northward toward Lord Lahoryn's lands."
"If they attack Lord Lahoryn, is that a battle?" asked Kharl. "Will Lord
Ghrant see it so?" y
Hagen looked sharply at Kharl. "You have something in mind?"
"I do. I don't like it, but what is ... is."
"Go ahead, ser mage."
"It's simple, honored lord-chancellor. As a mage, that is, with what I know now, I can do very little against companies and armies. I can sometimes do a great deal against individuals. In most battles, lots and lots of armsmen get killed and wounded. Most of the time the commanders and lords don't, not from the little I've seen and what the armsmen say."
"That's true, but once you leave the Great House, you're going to be the target of every crossbow that Malcor and his allies can find."
"That's if they know I'm leaving."
Hagen looked at Kharl. "That could still be very dangerous. Why are you volunteering for something like this?"
Kharl laughed, a sound holding amusement and irony. "If Lord Ghrant is overthrown, after all that I've already done, how long before I'm dead or skulking down alleys looking over my shoulder-or back at sea on a vessel far worse than the Seastag?"
"Not long, I'd judge." Hagen's smile was sympathetic. "So you want to increase the stakes for Lord Malcor and the discontents? Is that it?"
"They're the ones causing the troubles, aren't they?"
"Depends on who's talking."
"From what I've seen, Lord Ghrant's biggest problem is that he doesn't look or talk like a leader. He's not out making free with every girl, and he's not lining his pockets with everyone else's coins. Or have I missed something?"
"No. Ghrant doesn't want to hurt anyone. He just wants his comfortable life to go on, and he doesn't want to be betrayed or removed."
"That's more reasonable than most lords," Kharl said dryly.
"You have a high opinion of rulers," Hagen replied dryly. "So high that I'm surprised that you suggested this ... expedition."
"Will things get better for what I need to do if I wait?"
"No." Hagen took a deep breath.
"Do you know if they have any wizards or mages?"
"No one has said anything about wizardry. If Malcor was supporting Ilteron, there might be another white wizard from Hamor around. Supposedly, there were two left, but there's been no sign of either yet."
Kharl had hoped there weren't any, but he'd have to deal with whatever was, wizards or not. He still didn't like the thought of running up against a powerful white wizard. There was so much he still didn't know.
"Charsal knows the area. What about sending you with him and a squad on what look to be road patrols? You'd have to wear Ghrant's personal livery, the yellow and black."
Kharl fingered his beard. He'd considered going alone, dressed as a carpenter, but carpenters couldn't afford mounts, and it took a long time to walk anywhere. "That might be best."
"You don't have to do this, you know?"
"I know. But what I might have to do later, if I don't, could be worse."
"I'll see if Charsal is willing, and then the three of us can talk about where you should go and which roads and lanes to take."
Kharl nodded. He didn't like the idea much. He just liked far less what he feared would happen if he didn't act soon.
VII
Dixday morning found Kharl wearing the yellow-and-black uniform of Ghrant's personal guard as he rode northwest beside Charsal along a rutted clay road barely wider than a lane. Kharl was doing his best not to bounce in the saddle, but his riding experience had been most limited. Instead of a sabre, there was a cudgel in the lance holder, since Kharl had never learned either lances or blades. Behind him rode ten other lancers, a half squad.
A fine cold spring mist drifted down from low-lying clouds, leaving a thin sheen of water on the lower and more level sections of the
"Word is that he and Lord Kenslan look to be marching northward toward Lord Lahoryn's lands."
"If they attack Lord Lahoryn, is that a battle?" asked Kharl. "Will Lord
Ghrant see it so?" y
Hagen looked sharply at Kharl. "You have something in mind?"
"I do. I don't like it, but what is ... is."
"Go ahead, ser mage."
"It's simple, honored lord-chancellor. As a mage, that is, with what I know now, I can do very little against companies and armies. I can sometimes do a great deal against individuals. In most battles, lots and lots of armsmen get killed and wounded. Most of the time the commanders and lords don't, not from the little I've seen and what the armsmen say."
"That's true, but once you leave the Great House, you're going to be the target of every crossbow that Malcor and his allies can find."
"That's if they know I'm leaving."
Hagen looked at Kharl. "That could still be very dangerous. Why are you volunteering for something like this?"
Kharl laughed, a sound holding amusement and irony. "If Lord Ghrant is overthrown, after all that I've already done, how long before I'm dead or skulking down alleys looking over my shoulder-or back at sea on a vessel far worse than the Seastag?"
"Not long, I'd judge." Hagen's smile was sympathetic. "So you want to increase the stakes for Lord Malcor and the discontents? Is that it?"
"They're the ones causing the troubles, aren't they?"
"Depends on who's talking."
"From what I've seen, Lord Ghrant's biggest problem is that he doesn't look or talk like a leader. He's not out making free with every girl, and he's not lining his pockets with everyone else's coins. Or have I missed something?"
"No. Ghrant doesn't want to hurt anyone. He just wants his comfortable life to go on, and he doesn't want to be betrayed or removed."
"That's more reasonable than most lords," Kharl said dryly.
"You have a high opinion of rulers," Hagen replied dryly. "So high that I'm surprised that you suggested this ... expedition."
"Will things get better for what I need to do if I wait?"
"No." Hagen took a deep breath.
"Do you know if they have any wizards or mages?"
"No one has said anything about wizardry. If Malcor was supporting Ilteron, there might be another white wizard from Hamor around. Supposedly, there were two left, but there's been no sign of either yet."
Kharl had hoped there weren't any, but he'd have to deal with whatever was, wizards or not. He still didn't like the thought of running up against a powerful white wizard. There was so much he still didn't know.
"Charsal knows the area. What about sending you with him and a squad on what look to be road patrols? You'd have to wear Ghrant's personal livery, the yellow and black."
Kharl fingered his beard. He'd considered going alone, dressed as a carpenter, but carpenters couldn't afford mounts, and it took a long time to walk anywhere. "That might be best."
"You don't have to do this, you know?"
"I know. But what I might have to do later, if I don't, could be worse."
"I'll see if Charsal is willing, and then the three of us can talk about where you should go and which roads and lanes to take."
Kharl nodded. He didn't like the idea much. He just liked far less what he feared would happen if he didn't act soon.
VII
Dixday morning found Kharl wearing the yellow-and-black uniform of Ghrant's personal guard as he rode northwest beside Charsal along a rutted clay road barely wider than a lane. Kharl was doing his best not to bounce in the saddle, but his riding experience had been most limited. Instead of a sabre, there was a cudgel in the lance holder, since Kharl had never learned either lances or blades. Behind him rode ten other lancers, a half squad.
A fine cold spring mist drifted down from low-lying clouds, leaving a thin sheen of water on the lower and more level sections of the
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