Warlock and Son by Christopher Stasheff Page A
Authors: Christopher Stasheff
Tags: Fiction, General, Science-Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction - General, Fiction - Science Fiction, Fantasy Fiction; American, Fantasy - General, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Wizards, Fantastic fiction, Gallowglass; Magnus (Fictitious character), Gallowglass; Rod (Fictitious character)
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and waved. Magnus glanced at him, then at the peasants, back to Rod, then back at the peasants again. He forced a smile and waved, too, then rode after Rod.
As the leaves closed about them, he demanded, "Wherefore didst thou not stay? I am a-hungered, and bone weary. Art thou not, also?"
"I am," Rod agreed, "but we can camp in the forest."
"Wherefore, when we could have soft hay upon which to spread our cloaks, and hot food for the asking?"
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"Because it would come with a price tag," Rod said. "'Tis a price we have already paid!"
"Yes, but I saw the looks on some of their facescalculating looks. I wouldn't put it past them to ask us to get rid of the local lord."
"Well ... mayhap we should!" Magnus said stoutly. "These folk do but exchange one tyrant for another!"
"How do you know their baron is a tyrant?"
Magnus tossed his head in impatience. "What matter? He could be-and if he could, their form of government is wrong! Thou didst teach me-thou, and Fess in the classroom-that folk should be free to choose their own ruler, and the manner of his ruling!"
"Self-determination. Did you teach him that, Fess?"
"Yes, Rod, as per your instructions."
"Which I learned from your curriculum in the first place." Rod managed a sardonic smile. "Kind of ironic, when you think about it-a bunch of aristocrats, all diehard liberals, and all totally convinced the people should rule themselves. Maybe that's because there weren't any `people.' "
"Aye-thou hast said thy home, Maxima, had naught but aristocrats."
"Well, that's what they called themselves. After five hundred years, I suppose they had the right to-but when there's nobody there to rule, the term kind of loses meaning."
"They were, at least, noble."
"I'd have to agree," Rod said judiciously, "or that their ancestors were. Of course, they chose their own form of government-and it was, at least functionally, a democracy."
"The House of Lords, ruling none but lords?" Magnus smiled, without mirth. "Yet an thy folk could choose their own form of government, wherefore ought not these peasants?"
"They do have that right. Enforcing it is another matter. And remember-their right of self-determination is limited by their interaction with their neighbors. If the next village chooses a different form of government, and the two systems clash and disrupt one another, both have to remember the other's rights."
"They would have to agree together." Magnus frowned. "And where we must think of one village, we must think of a dozen."
Rod nodded. "Or a hundred, or a thousand-or the whole Isle of Gramarye."
"Why not say `the whole of the Terran Sphere'?"
"Because they don't have much contact with the other planets yet-and what little they do have, they're not aware of."
"But when the day comes that they do, what then?"
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"By then, if all goes as I'm planning, they should have a functioning democracy, in place and well oiled by at least a hundred years of experience. They'll be ready to become part of the larger democracy that governs the Terran Sphere."
"The Decentralized Democratic Tribunal." Magnus frowned. "Thy life's work-preparing them for their place in it. For my countrymen could wreak havoc untold on the rest of the human worlds, could they not?"
"Oh, yes," Rod said softly. "The only collection of espers in the known galaxy? You bet they could."
"And who art thou to tell us we must not gain dominion where we may?" Rod turned to stare at his son. How had Magnus worked it around so he and his father were on opposite sides? "I'm the one who seems to remember the concept of individual rights. Or do you think Gramarye's right to rule should wipe out the rest of humanity's right to self-determination?"
"Nay." Magnus frowned, wondering in his turn how his father had turned the argument back on him.
"Yet by
As the leaves closed about them, he demanded, "Wherefore didst thou not stay? I am a-hungered, and bone weary. Art thou not, also?"
"I am," Rod agreed, "but we can camp in the forest."
"Wherefore, when we could have soft hay upon which to spread our cloaks, and hot food for the asking?"
Page 27
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"Because it would come with a price tag," Rod said. "'Tis a price we have already paid!"
"Yes, but I saw the looks on some of their facescalculating looks. I wouldn't put it past them to ask us to get rid of the local lord."
"Well ... mayhap we should!" Magnus said stoutly. "These folk do but exchange one tyrant for another!"
"How do you know their baron is a tyrant?"
Magnus tossed his head in impatience. "What matter? He could be-and if he could, their form of government is wrong! Thou didst teach me-thou, and Fess in the classroom-that folk should be free to choose their own ruler, and the manner of his ruling!"
"Self-determination. Did you teach him that, Fess?"
"Yes, Rod, as per your instructions."
"Which I learned from your curriculum in the first place." Rod managed a sardonic smile. "Kind of ironic, when you think about it-a bunch of aristocrats, all diehard liberals, and all totally convinced the people should rule themselves. Maybe that's because there weren't any `people.' "
"Aye-thou hast said thy home, Maxima, had naught but aristocrats."
"Well, that's what they called themselves. After five hundred years, I suppose they had the right to-but when there's nobody there to rule, the term kind of loses meaning."
"They were, at least, noble."
"I'd have to agree," Rod said judiciously, "or that their ancestors were. Of course, they chose their own form of government-and it was, at least functionally, a democracy."
"The House of Lords, ruling none but lords?" Magnus smiled, without mirth. "Yet an thy folk could choose their own form of government, wherefore ought not these peasants?"
"They do have that right. Enforcing it is another matter. And remember-their right of self-determination is limited by their interaction with their neighbors. If the next village chooses a different form of government, and the two systems clash and disrupt one another, both have to remember the other's rights."
"They would have to agree together." Magnus frowned. "And where we must think of one village, we must think of a dozen."
Rod nodded. "Or a hundred, or a thousand-or the whole Isle of Gramarye."
"Why not say `the whole of the Terran Sphere'?"
"Because they don't have much contact with the other planets yet-and what little they do have, they're not aware of."
"But when the day comes that they do, what then?"
Page 28
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"By then, if all goes as I'm planning, they should have a functioning democracy, in place and well oiled by at least a hundred years of experience. They'll be ready to become part of the larger democracy that governs the Terran Sphere."
"The Decentralized Democratic Tribunal." Magnus frowned. "Thy life's work-preparing them for their place in it. For my countrymen could wreak havoc untold on the rest of the human worlds, could they not?"
"Oh, yes," Rod said softly. "The only collection of espers in the known galaxy? You bet they could."
"And who art thou to tell us we must not gain dominion where we may?" Rod turned to stare at his son. How had Magnus worked it around so he and his father were on opposite sides? "I'm the one who seems to remember the concept of individual rights. Or do you think Gramarye's right to rule should wipe out the rest of humanity's right to self-determination?"
"Nay." Magnus frowned, wondering in his turn how his father had turned the argument back on him.
"Yet by
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