Treachery's Tools

by L. E. Modesitt Jr.

  “We should,” agreed Alyna, standing.

  “Where’s Malyna?” asked Lystara.

  “Maitre Tiranya walked home with her,” replied Alyna. “We didn’t know if your uncle Zaeryl would be back, and Jienna has her hands full fixing dinner.”

  “Malyna wouldn’t be any trouble.”

  “That’s true,” said Alyna, “but it gave Maitre Tiranya some time to get acquainted with Malyna and tell her some of the things she needs to know.”

  “Third things.”

  “And some other things that you already know so well that you wouldn’t even think she wouldn’t know them … like all the rules for student imagers.”

  Lystara nodded. “What are we having for dinner?”

  “Pork cutlets, with fried apples, and lace potatoes.”

  “With the stinky cheese.”

  “With the stinky cheese,” affirmed Alyna, giving Alastar a fond smile as Lystara stood and headed for the study door.

  Outside the administration building, a brisk but warm wind was blowing from the southwest, and Alastar could make out clouds to the south.

  “We might see some more rain tonight or tomorrow,” he observed.

  “We don’t need any more.”

  “No,” declared Lystara. “I’m tired of imaging mold off the stone steps.”

  “It’s good practice,” said Alastar cheerfully.

  Lystara grimaced, but did not look at either of her parents.

  When they reached the front porch of the Maitre’s house, Malyna hurried out to meet them. “I’ve been here less than a quint.” She paused, then swallowed. “Aunt Alyna … where might I be sleeping?”

  “In the same room where you have been, we’d thought.”

  A pleased smile appeared. “Could Lystara help me unpack the rest of my things and help me put away my grays?”

  “Could I?”

  “You could,” replied Alyna. “Dinner won’t be for a while. We’ll be in the parlor.”

  Alastar raised his eyebrows.

  “I think you need a lager. I certainly do.”

  “Can we have some with dinner?” asked Lystara.

  “A little or watered wine. You can choose.”

  “Thank you.”

  The two girls were upstairs well before Alastar and Alyna settled into the comfortable armchairs in the parlor, each with a beaker of dark lager.

  “That wasn’t as painful as it could have been,” offered Alastar in a low voice.

  “It was painful enough.”

  “I’m sorry. I know…”

  “I know you know, and I thought I was ready, but when she asked if she could choose…”

  “I could see how you felt.” Alastar paused. “She seems well behaved.”

  “She sees too much, about people. More than Lystara. Lystara sees more about the physical side of the world.”

  “Lystara’s younger.”

  Alyna just looked at her husband.

  “She’s more like you than Lystara is in that regard. Is that what you’re saying? Why do you think that?”

  “Mairina’s also part Pharsi.”

  “You never mentioned that.”

  “It never came up, and there wasn’t any reason to say anything until I realized Malyna was coming. Mairina’s the sister of Zaeryl’s friend Calkoran. Actually, they became friends after Mairina and Zaeryl married.”

  “That makes Arion and Malyna cousins.”

  “I know. I told her that the other day.”

  Alastar managed to look hurt. “And you didn’t tell me?”

  Alyna laughed. “You don’t do the hurt look well. You do much better with the impassive expression.”

  “Calkoran…” mused Alastar, “that does explain some of the imaging ability.”

  “Some thought Zaeryl was marrying below his stature.”

  “And you?”

  “I’ve never met her, but from what Zaeryl wrote, and writes, they both seem happy. So many aren’t.”

  “Like the late High Holder Ryel?”

  “And a few others.” Alyna took another swallow of the lager. “Do you want to tell me what happened today?”

  “If you don’t mind, I’ll save it until after dinner. Zaeryl should hear some of it, and I’d just like to hear about your day.”

  “I can do that, if you’re ready for a few expressions of exasperation concerning a certain mathematics instructional…”

  Almost a glass later, the girls came down the stairs.

  “It’s sixth glass,” announced Lystara.

  Meaning that it’s late for dinner during the middle of the week. “We were waiting for Malyna’s father.”

  “We’ll wait a bit longer,” said Alyna.

  “Uncle Alastar…?”

  “Yes?”

  “Could I talk to you … alone?”

  Lystara tried to conceal a puzzled expression.

  “Of course.” Alastar glanced to Alyna. “We won’t be long.”

  Alyna offered a knowing smile. “We’ll be here.”

  Alastar stood and walked out to the hall, where he gestured toward the study door, then followed his niece inside and closed the door. He did not sit. “What is it, Malyna?”

  “Lystara’s as good an imager as I am, isn’t she? Perhaps better, even?”

  “Maitre Akoryt has tested you both. He thinks so. Some of that is because Lystara didn’t have to hide her imaging ability.”

  “Lystara is only a second…”

  “Did Lystara talk to you about it?”

  “No, sir. When I told her that Maitre Akoryt had made me a third, she just said, ‘I’m only a second.’ I could tell she was upset.”

  Alastar wanted to shake his head. With two of them … “Being a second or a third or a maitre isn’t just about imaging abilities. That’s the most important part, but it’s not the only part. There are other parts. Lystara needs to learn those other parts. As soon as she does, she’ll be a third.”

  “She’ll always be better.”

  Alastar managed not to stiffen. “You don’t know that. You’re both young.”

  “I know.” Malyna paused. “Just like Aunt Alyna knows things. I knew Father would bring me here. I saw it years ago. It wasn’t a dream, either; I saw it, but I didn’t realize that was what it was until we rode up to your house, the Maitre’s house. I didn’t tell Father that. He worries too much.”

  She has the family farsight? “You’ve seen other things like that, haven’t you?”

  Malyna nodded.

  “It might be a good idea if you talked about them with Alyna, you know.”

  “I thought I would, but I wanted you to know. I also wanted you to know about Lystara.”

  What have you gotten yourself into, Alastar? “Thank you. That was most thoughtful, although Alyna and I don’t keep secrets from each other. We decided against that…” Alastar laughed softly, “She decided against that when we first met and liked each other. It was a very good decision. For both of us.”

  “That’s good. Father and Mother don’t keep secrets, either.”

  “We should join the others. I thought I heard someone come in. Your father might have gotten back in time for dinner.”

  In fact, Zaerlyn was standing in the parlor talking to Alyna and Lystara when Alastar and Malyna returned.

  “Might we please eat now?” asked Lystara.

  “I think that might be managed,” agreed Alastar, “provided you two student imagers agree to tell us about your day, especially the good parts.”

  Malyna smiled. Lystara shot a plaintive glance at her mother.

  “We could add a few bits about the good part of our days,” added Alyna.

  “That we could,” agreed Zaerlyn.

  The dinner conversation was light and cheerful, and Lystara even ate the cheese that coated the lace potatoes without comment or commentary.

  Immediately after dinner, the three parents saw their daughters to bed, but Alastar and Alyna were the first to come back downsta
irs.

  He glanced up the stairs, then said in a low voice, “You know what Malyna wanted to talk about?”

  “That she’s a third, and Lystara’s not?”

  “How did you know?”

  “Malyna wants things to be fair, too.”

  “That’s definitely a family trait.”

  “And you don’t worry about it, dearest?”

  Alastar winced.

  “I thought as much.”

  At that moment, Zaeryl came down the stairs. “Malyna had to tell me about her day. She’s very excited that she’s an imager third. She also said she got to choose to stay with you. I think that made her feel more like a grown-up.” He looked at his sister. “I imagine that was hard for you.”

  “A little.”

  “More than that, I think.”

  “We should go into the study,” said Alastar. “There are some things you need to know and others we’d like to know.”

  “The way you say that, Alastar, worries me.”

  “We all should be worried.”

  Once the three were seated in the study, with the door firmly closed, Alastar looked to Zaerlyn. “What did Cransyr have to say? If anything?”

  “He wanted to know why I was in L’Excelsis, since it was well known that seldom, if ever, did the holders of the house of Zaerlyn leave Rivages. I told him the truth, that I’d brought my youngest daughter to the Collegium. He offered condolences and sympathy for my loss, then asked me if I really believed that the Collegium was the best place for the children of High Holders who were imagers. I was curious to hear what he might have to say. So I asked him what might be a better alternative, since, especially in the case of daughters, it was unlikely that any heir to a High Holding would be terribly pleased to marry an imager, and that in the case of sons, a son who would be the heir might find it difficult to engage with other High Holders.”

  “And?”

  “He agreed. He did say that it was a pity that no consideration was given to those of higher birth in their ranking at the Collegium. Then we talked of trade and the difficulties of establishing factorages of any size or significance at High Holdings located far from cities, high roads, or rivers. I pointed out that there was no barrier to a High Holder purchasing land in other areas and establishing a manufacturing or trade factorage there. Again, he agreed, but pointed out that such tended to lower the High Holder in the eyes of factors and merchants, and that, in turn, might lead to greater erosion of the historic rights of High Holders, which had already been eroded more than enough.”

  “Did he mention the issue of debts to factors, merchanters, and banques?” Alastar asked.

  “Only indirectly. He made a comment that the Codex Legis needed to be amended to deal with the financial obligations and tariffs of High Holders differently from others, since High Holders did not have the same latitude in buying or selling lands as did others. I don’t, as I’m certain Alyna has told you, see matters that way. That may be because we are too close, a mere handful of generations, to our less than distinguished elevation from factoring … and we have retained and expanded all those facilities so that we would not fall into the trap that led to our obtaining the holding in the first place.”

  Alastar managed not to smile at the gentle irony in Zaerlyn’s voice. “Did he say anything about factors?”

  Zaerlyn shrugged. “What you would expect … that they think only of making golds, that they have little respect for tradition, heritage, and, of course, good breeding, which, all too often translates into inbreeding.”

  “Did he mention anything about the Collegium?” asked Alyna.

  “He did ask if I’d met you. I said I had, and that you seemed competent enough and very to the point. He declared that competence without vision would fail Solidar, but did not offer specifics. He also added, rather offhandedly, that it would be unwise for the Collegium to ally itself with the various Factors’ Councils across Solidar, but that he was certain that the Collegium Maitre would eventually come to that conclusion. We did talk at great length about the difficulties of managing lands properly. He was most firm on the subject of the tendency of tenants to milk everything they could from any High Holder who was less than vigilant.”

  “It sounds most delightful.” Alyna’s voice was false-honey-sweet.

  “He saw me off, offering again his condolences for my having to surrender a daughter to the Collegium. I could be mistaken, but I don’t think he knows that my sister is a senior imager and married to the Collegium Maitre.”

  “How could he not know?” asked Alastar.

  “Easily,” replied Alyna. “I’ve never mentioned exactly from what High Holding I came, and Maitre Fhaen never wanted it known. Everyone thought it was proper that the widowed Maitre should marry a talented spinster imager … and that was it. Given how you feel about Cransyr, you likely haven’t mentioned your wife to him, or to any of the High Holders. It’s been almost thirty years since I came here. People forget.”

  “That might be to our advantage,” pointed out Zaerlyn. “What did you want to tell me?”

  “First, your daughter is, as we all suspected, a very talented imager.…” From there, Alastar and Alyna filled Zaerlyn in on the day’s events.

  Alastar finished briefing Zaerlyn with the information about both the missing student imager and the second kidnapped factor’s son. “… and Hulet was clearly enraged, as he had a right to be, given that the second young man, if I heard him correctly, was his nephew, but he stormed off before I could draw him out.”

  “However right he may be,” said Zaerlyn, “the Factors’ Council of L’Excelsis shouldn’t have a chief who is a hothead.”

  “Some of the younger factors thought that Elthyrd was too accommodating.”

  “Did you think so?”

  “No, especially not at first. Even so. I doubt that Elthyrd would find the current situation any more to his liking than Hulet has. I can’t see either accepting what Cransyr has in mind, but I do need to talk to Elthyrd.” Alastar stifled a yawn. It had been a long day.

  Less than half a glass later, when it became clear that they were merely restating what they had initially discussed, all three left the study.

  When Alastar closed the door from the hall to their sitting room, he turned to Alyna. “What do you think?”

  “Zaeryl’s worried. His sympathies are with the factors, and he won’t side with the council, but he’ll try not to get openly involved.”

  “What would you suggest?”

  “Wait. Let everyone else act. If the Collegium starts anything…”

  “We’ll be where we would have been the last time if we had acted first.”

  “Perhaps not that bad, but not good, and doing anything now will just make matters worse.”

  Their eyes met, and both smiled … expressions between sardonic and cynical. Then they laughed, and Alastar wrapped his arms around Alyna.

  11

  After breakfast on Jeudi morning, Lystara and Malyna set out through a light mist that might either turn to rain or vanish by later in the day. Alastar and Alyna followed shortly.

  “Has Zaeryl said anything to you about when he intends to depart?” asked Alastar.

  “No. I don’t think he’ll stay much longer. He already mentioned that he dislikes leaving Mairina for long. He might not even have come with Malyna if Mairina hadn’t insisted.”

  “He would have come. He’s more worried about the coal supplies than he’s saying.”

  “I thought…”

  “You thought what, dear?”

  “That he has plenty of golds in reserve.”

  “For this year, and for ten years to come. Then what?”

  “And that’s why your family has done so well. What do you think he’s worried about? That a factor has the coal lands or that Staendyn and Cransyr want to change the rules of land sales?”

  “Neither one is good. Factors like to sell short-term. Father always negotiated contracts on a guaranteed deliver
y basis. With some flexibility in price, of course. There aren’t any other working coal mines upstream of the porcelain factorage on the River Glace. The cartage for bringing in coal by wagon…” Alyna shook her head.

  “What about Staendyn and Cransyr? Why does that worry him?”

  “Staendyn’s ancestors wanted our holding because it’s close to the River Aluse, and the lands are better.”

  “And one way or another, in the long run, he’ll still try to get it?”

  “Zaeryl worries about that. He wondered why Staendyn married Rhennalt’s daughter, with all the debts Rhennalt had run up, at least until he discovered that Rhennalt’s only son was sickly, and that Juyna’s sister was not quite right in the head.”

  “When you mention all that, I can see why he worries.”

  We’re a worrying family.”

  “I have noticed that.” What Alastar hadn’t considered was the extent to which at least some High Holders used every possible tool. “I assume Staendyn has a mistress or two … or the equivalent?”

  “Zaeryl says several of the housemaids are quite attractive.”

  “I’m gaining an even greater appreciation of why you and Malyna are not displeased that you’re imagers.”

  “I’m glad you said ‘greater.’”

  “So am I.”

  Alyna smiled.

  When the two approached the table desk where Maercyl presided, the older second stood. “Good morning, Maitre … Maitre Alyna. I stopped by Dareyn’s cottage.” Maercyl smiled. “He and Elmya both agree that he can come in for a while tomorrow morning.”

  “That’s good to hear. I’d like you to send a messenger to Factor Elthyrd to see if I could meet with him this afternoon, preferably at first glass.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Alastar and Alyna entered his study, since it would be another half quint before the senior imagers’ meeting began.

  When Alastar and Alyna entered the conference room at just before seventh glass, the other nine senior imagers were all seated and waiting.

  Alastar looked at Akoryt. “Any word on Frydrek?”

  Akoryt shook his head.

  Alastar then seated himself at the head of the table between Cyran and Alyna, cleared his throat and began. “As I think most of you know, Secondus Frydrek disappeared on Mardi morning after crossing the east bridge in the mist to get a fried pastry. No one, including the Civic Patrol, has seen a trace of him since. Last week, Oestyl and Harl found themselves being followed by a horseman. They gave him the slip. Those two incidents are why we’ve asked all student imagers not to leave Imagisle alone for the present.”