Warlock and Son by Christopher Stasheff Page B

seeking to foster democracy among us, thou dost impose thy will. The folk of Gramarye should be free to choose what form of government they may."
    "True. Do you honestly think those people back there would really choose anything other than an effective democracy?"
    Magnus turned thoughtful, running over possibilities. "It may be," he said slowly. "The history books Fess gave me to read told of a case or two of folk wishing to be ruled by another."
    "Biblical Israel shifting from judges to monarchy." Rod nodded. "Any of the other cases, though, are just stagedressing for a power grab-like the Roman proletariat offering a crown to Julius Caesar."
    "Naetheless, thou wilt not deny 'tis possible!"
    Rod shrugged. "Anything is possible. That doesn't mean it's good. I'm just naturally wary of any form of government that doesn't guarantee the basic human rights."
    "I could subscribe to that," Magnus said slowly.
    "Then you'll find you're supporting a democracy of some kind, son, though it may work differently from the ones you've studied. Asserting the rights of the individual always leads to self-government of one sort or another."
    "I can think of other forms."
    "Yeah, but will they really be democracies hiding under another name? If they're not, are they really enforcing human rights, or just claiming to? Either way, you also have to ask how they're affecting their neighbors. You may have a local tyranny that's really part of a larger democracy, and it's the bigger government that's really guaranteeing those rights."
    Magnus thought that over, frowning. "Dost thou say no government, no society, can exist in isolation from others?"
    "Well, it's possible," Rod admitted, "though interstellar travel and FTL communication have made sure Page 29
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    that even the separate planets are affecting each other all the time, and very deeply, though that isn't always apparent. If it can happen anywhere, son, it'll be right here in the Forest Gellorn." Magnus looked up in surprise. "Why, how dost thou mean? Even that little village has a lord!"
    "Yes, but it was right near the edge of the wildwood. As we go deeper in, I think we'll find villages set up by escaped peasants, outlaws, malcontents-or even just people who became lost. There'll be some traffic between them, but not a lot--this is a very big, thick forest, with lots of wild animals. . . ."
    "Some of which may be quite strange," Magnus grunted, "due to witch-moss, and the projective esper who knoweth not what she-or he-may be."
    "Or what effects he's having. But isn't that true of all of us? Anyway," Rod rushed on, "if there's any place on Gramarye where a pocket society can exist free of outside government, it'll be here. Shall we take a little detour to see what kinds of government we may find?"
    "This whole excursion is a detour," Magnus pointed out, "and one government that the people welcome, but is not a democracy, will be enough to prove my case."
    "So my holiday from marital obligations and daily routine becomes a quest. Why not? But for now, I'm tired, and we're far enough from that village so that I don't think they'll find us. Let's pitch camp, son. I could use some sleep."
    They slept the clock around, woke at dawn, and broke their fasts. Feeling largely restored, they broke camp, drowned and buried the fire, and rode off into the morning. A few hours later they heard a bell tolling.
    Rod frowned. "Kind of jarring, considering what a bright and peaceful morning it is."
    "And somewhat late for Mass," Magnus agreed. "Of course, 'tis naught of our affair."
    "Exactly. So we're going to go look, right?"
    "Certes." Magnus smiled. "For what else have we come?" They rode down the path that led through the trees, since it seemed to be going in the right direction. Sure enough, the bell's tones became louder-then the forest ended abruptly, and they came out into a large cleared area, a square mile or so of land