From Across the Clouded Range

by H. Nathan Wilcox

  #

  By the time they had walked across the university grounds, out the main gate, and through a half-a-mile of bustling streets to the manor that served as Ipid’s offices in Liandrin, Dasen’s fear had galvanized into resolution. The walk had given him the time to gather his thoughts, form a plan, and prepare his arguments. Though Rynn prattled on for the entire trip, he did not hear a word. He considered what he would say to his father until he was sure he had covered every possibility. He felt his commitment growing with every step, knew exactly what he wanted and what he would sacrifice to have it.

  As they approached the gate to the manor, he finished the last bite of the sausage bun he had quickly purchased from the first vendor outside the university gates. He had barely tasted it. A few minutes later, Elton was leading him to the door of his father’s office. When the door was opened, Dasen strode defiantly to stand between his father and, to his great surprise, Di Valati Alsance. The presence of the university rector stopped Dasen cold. He quickly considered what it could mean. Has he already turned the rector against me? He knew that his father had contributed generously to the university, but could Di Valati Alsance be bought? Either way, the fact that he was here, consulting with his father, did not bode well. He felt his anxiety rising as he tried not to stare, pleading, at the rector.

  Rather than acknowledge his son, Ipid glared at Rynn. “Elton, please take Rynn and wait in the outer corridor,” he ordered.

  Dasen heard Rynn yelp as Elton herded him out the door. He turned quickly, but Elton was already shutting the door behind him. He turned back and saw his father inspecting him. Dasen did the same and was surprised by what he saw. There is worry in his eyes. And he looks so old. When did his hair become so grey? When did all those creases appear around his eyes? Has he really gained that much weight? How could he have changed so much in so little time? Or was it that he had not really seen his father in a much longer time than that. They had been together, certainly, but at uncomfortable dinners separated by a long table, in darkened offices after for one-sided lectures. But there had been other invitations that Dasen had ignored: offers to visit mills, to observe negotiations, to meet business partners. His father had tried to include him in his life, Dasen supposed, it was just not what any sane person would consider a life.

  Finally, Ipid forced a smile. “Thank you for coming, Dasen. I hope we are not inconveniencing you?”

  So this is how it will be, Dasen thought, a fight from the first word. He pushed down his rising anger. He had to stay in control, especially with Di Valati Alsance in the room. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves and plunged in. “Father, I am sorry to be late and in such a state.” He acknowledged his crumpled clothes, lanky unkempt hair, and days of patchy stubble. “Your letter seems to have been lost. I was in the library at my studies when Elton found me. I had spent the night there and did not have time to prepare myself properly. Still, if I had known Di Valati Alsance was joining us, I would have insisted on at least changing my clothes and combing my hair.”

  “Your appearance is of no concern to me, Dasen,” Di Valati Alsance said. He rose from his chair and held Dasen’s hand in a firm grip. “May you find peace in the Order.”

  “And you,” Dasen responded automatically.

  “What is of concern to me is your choice of accommodations. I thought we spoke about sleeping in the library. The university provides you with a perfectly acceptable room and I expect you to use it. The Order holds no secret so urgent that you need avoid sleep to find it. As an old man, I can assure you of this.”

  “Yes, sir, I will try to remember that,” Dasen replied. If I ever see the library again. “I suppose I lost track of the time. I will be more careful in the future.”

  Di Valati Alsance slapped Dasen on the arm and smiled. He returned to his seat and looked to Ipid.

  As if impelled by the old man’s example, Ipid finally rose and embraced his son. “I am happy to see you, Dasen. I am sorry to arrive on such short notice.”

  “Of course, father. I . . . I am glad that you are here and certainly would not have kept you waiting if I had known of your arrival.”

  “It is done,” Ipid brushed the indiscretion away and returned to his seat. “You are probably wondering why I have come. I wish that I saw you often enough that my arrival was not a point of great intrigue, but I suppose that is the path the Order has set us upon.” Dasen was surprised to see his father looking nervous. He shifted in his chair and studied his hands before bringing his eyes back to Dasen’s. “Well I might as well get it out, so we can all start breathing again. Dasen, I have decided that is time for you to be joined.”

  “Father, I believe my place . . .” Dasen cut himself off. What did he say? Joined? Dasen shook his head and reordered his thoughts, but he could not get past the idea. “Joined?” he finally asked.

  “Yes,” Ipid sighed. He folded his hand in his lap and looked at them for a long moment. Dasen was shocked by his father’s demeanor almost as much as the purpose of his visit. He could not ever remember seeing his father unsure or troubled. “I have decided that it is time for you and Tethina to be joined. We will travel to Randor’s Pass and hold the ceremony as soon as it can be arranged.”

  “To . . . to Tethina?” Dasen’s mind swam. He had enough political and commercial savvy to know the value that any number of powerful families would place on a blood connection to Ipid Ronigan – hadn’t Lily Harbisher just proven it. Yet his father was proposing that he travel to some remote logging outpost to marry the orphaned daughter of a blacksmith?

  “Of course to Tethina, who else could it be? Surely you know that has always been the Order’s plan for you.” Ipid looked aghast. “When you and Tethina were born just weeks apart, a boy and a girl, after Marin and your mother had both had such troubles, we knew it was the Order seeking to solidify the bond between our families. Until the . . . the accident,” Ipid stuttered then paused to cough. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his mouth. “Excuse me. Until the accident, you and Tethina were inseparable. I don’t think you ever spent a day apart. I think that when we left Randor’s Pass you were more upset about leaving Tethina than . . . than anything else.” Ipid tried to smile but could only manage a sick imitation.

  “I’m sorry, father, I barely remember Tethina,” Dasen managed around his still considerable shock. He had expected his father to try to end his time at the University, but he did not think he would do it with a joining ceremony. And even if there had been a promised bride, he’d have expected it to be the daughter of a trading partner, politician, or Liandrian noble. “It has been a lifetime for both of us. How is it that she is not already joined? Don’t girls in villages like Randor’s Pass get joined much earlier?”

  “They do,” Ipid confirmed. “But Tethina has been promised to you since your birth. She has been waiting for you, and I have decided that the wait should go no longer.”

  “Why . . . why didn’t you ever tell me about this? You . . . you can’t do this. It doesn’t make any sense. It . . . it isn’t fair.” Dasen felt his confusion turn to anger. What was his father thinking, promising him to some uneducated village girl, who had probably never even been to a city? What was he supposed to do with such a creature? He barely managed in the aristocratic circles he was forced to occupy. Being joined to some bumpkin would make it impossible. He would be a laughing stock. What’s more, Tethina would never be accepted. In the best case, she would be an outcast. And that was if the Lily Harbishers of the world didn’t hold a grudge. As it was, they would tear her apart like a pack of wolves descending on a rabbit.

  “I didn’t tell you because you should have already known,” Ipid snapped. “My mind has never wavered in this. Burke was like a brother to me. Your mother and Marin were closer than any sisters. You and Tethina were the link to bring us together. The Order has never made a clearer indication o
f its purpose.”

  “I can’t read your mind,” Dasen fired back. He felt himself losing control of his emotions.

  “You don’t need to,” Ipid growled. “I am your father, and this is well within my rights under the interpretation of the Order here and in the Kingdoms.” Ipid gestured to the man sitting behind him.

  The tall, dapper young man cleared his throat and sat forward. “Your father is correct, Dasen,” he assured. His voice was gentle as if trying to soothe Dasen away from the pending confrontation. Dasen had no idea who he was. He could only imagine that he must be an Order advisor, but he seemed too young to be advising his father this closely. “Since the Reinterpretation removed the choice of partners from the Church, it is deemed that parents, in particular fathers, are best placed to see the match that is most consistent with the Order. The recent trend toward men and women finding their own partners is a social rather than Order-based phenomenon, and even so, the matches must be approved by the fathers.”

  “I . . . I understand that,” Dasen stammered. “I have read the full accounting of responsibilities as established by the Reinterpretation, you need not remind me. My dispute is not with my father’s right but rather his choice.”

  “What is wrong with Tethina?” Ipid shouted. His face tightened in anger, flushing past red almost to purple. He sat forward in his chair and extended his finger to drive home the pending tirade. Then something seemed to dawn on him. He relaxed, released a long breath, and lowered his voice. “There’s someone else, isn’t there? I should have known that something would eventually happen, especially with all the women roaming around here looking for matches. And you the best available catch. So who is it?”

  If anything, this new line left Dasen even more rattled. “There isn’t . . . I mean . . . I don’t . . .”

  “It’s alright, Dasen. You can tell me. Even if the relationship has gone too far to be proper, it can be fixed. I expected more of you, but what’s done is done. Just tell me who she is and what expectations she has, and we’ll work out how to fix it.”

  “There isn’t . . . I mean you don’t have to . . .”

  “I know you probably have strong feeling for this girl, but it is the will of the Order that you be joined to Tethina. I have never been so certain of anything in my life. I deeply regret that you were ever separated, but that was the Order’s will as well, and I could not prevent it. Now, you have to give up this other infatuation so that the Order can be fulfilled.”

  “There is no one else,” Dasen finally managed. “There are some girls who have expressed an interest, but my studies have always taken priority. I have not made promises or even courted any girls while I have been here.”

  “That is my understanding as well,” Di Valati Alsance assured Ipid. “I asked after Dasen when I learned of this meeting. I can confirm that he is entirely dedicated to his studies. He has not been seen in the regular company of any of the women studying the matronly side of the Order.”

  “Thank you, Petr,” Ipid said and relaxed noticeably. “I am sorry that I jumped to conclusions. But what then could be your opposition to Tethina? I know that you have not seen her in a long time, but I have kept a regular correspondence with her and can assure you that she is an extraordinary girl.”

  “That may be, but how can you think we are still a good match? The Order has given us entirely separate paths. I mean, has she ever been to a city? Has she been trained in proper etiquette? Can she socialize with the aristocracy? With the wives of your business partners? Can she manage a house? Can she even read? Taking her from the village and throwing her into this world would be like throwing a pig from a tree and expecting it to fly. You are only setting her up to fail in the most dramatic possible way.”

  Each question seemed to strike Ipid. By the time Dasen tapered off, his father looked truly troubled. “She can definitely read,” Ipid mumbled to himself, “and she is an adequate writer with a clear hand. Some of the other things you mention will . . . undoubtedly be a challenge.”

  Ipid thought for a moment. When Dasen drew a breath to continue, he held up a hand to stop him. “Dasen, you make a valid argument. Yet I think you underestimate Tethina. Believe me, she is definitely not the typical village girl. She is the strongest, smartest girl I have ever known, with the possible exception of your mother. I must admit she is not likely to fit into society but neither will she be cowed by the challenges of this new life. Nonetheless, you are correct that it would be cruel to throw her into it without some preparation.” Ipid sighed deeply then mumbled to himself.

  There was another pause. Ipid’s lips moved as if calculating in his head. When his attention returned, Dasen tried to speak, but Ipid held up a hand to stop him. A small smile crept onto his mouth. “As I’m sure Di Valati Alsance would agree, the Order provides a solution to every problem, and I think I have found one here.” After another moment of contemplation, he turned to Dasen. “Dasen, you were right to think that I came here to take you from the university. It was my plan that you be joined to Tethina and then return here to represent our growing interests in Liandria. I knew that you would oppose me on this, which is why Petr is here. I feared that your commitment to study was such that you might choose the Church over your duty to your family. However, Di Valati Alsance agrees that your place in the Order is not with the Church.”

  Heart pounding, Dasen spared a look at the di valati. He met Dasen’s eyes and nodded solemnly. Dasen felt his hopes crash. He struggled to keep himself from shaking. That had been his exact plan, and he had been certain that the Church would accept him. He was the perfect candidate for the Hall of Understanding, had proven himself in every way. But, apparently, his father’s money could even buy the Church. There was no escape from his ambitions.

  “However,” Ipid continued, “you have also shown me my mistake. It would have been cruel to pull Tethina from the only life she has known and force her into this new one without any support. Like a flying pig indeed. So here is my proposal. It is six months until the winter term begins. You and Tethina will be joined as we discussed. We will leave immediately. The ceremony will be held as soon as possible, but you will take your time returning to Liandrin. You will make several stops along the way back, including extended stays in Thoren and Wildern. Your only duty during this time will be to reacquaint yourself with Tethina and help prepare her for this life. I am sure you will be the best possible tutor.

  “Then when you arrive in Liandrin, you and Tethina will enroll in the university. This will give Tethina the opportunity to formalize her education and ease into this world. As a fellow student, you will be here to help her. You will live in this manor. I will give you two years. After that, we will see. I think that will serve everyone’s needs.”

  Before Dasen could answer, Ipid seemed to remember himself. He turned his attention to Di Valati Alsance. “I am sorry, your Excellency. I have just promised a great number of things on your behalf at least a few of which are in clear violation of your policies. Could I seek admittance to the women’s school on behalf of my to-be daughter, Tethina? Further, could you provide a dispensation from your policies excluding those who have been joined and requiring all students to live within the university grounds? I am very confident that this proposal is consistent with the Order. However, if more study is needed to determine the nature of the Order in this area, I would be happy to provide any resources necessary to complete it.”

  Di Valati Alsance smiled. “Ipid, I think that the Order itself has guided you today. I think this serves the best interests of Dasen, Tethina, their community, and the world. That is the very definition of alignment with the Order. I would be a poor rector if I did not accept your generous offer to fund our continuing studies, but that will not sway me. Here is what I will tell you: Tethina must write a letter to me in her own hand to express her reasons for seeking further understanding of the matronly side
of Order at Liandrin University. I will read it and consider whether to admit her. If what you tell me of her shows through in that letter, I can see no issue with her acceptance. Given the reason for the exception, I can see no reason to keep Dasen and Tethina from studying here though they are joined. Normally, I would suggest that they complete their studies prior to the distraction of partnership, but in this case, I think it is important that they are bound formally together before Tethina enters this world.

  “However, your final request I must deny. Study of the Order, as Dasen can attest, requires great focus and concentration. It requires emersion. That is why I require all students to live within the grounds, in simple rooms without access to servants – excepting, of course, the maids that ensure the honor of our female students – or their accustomed luxuries. Luxury and materialism have no place in study, and I am afraid if I allow two students to skirt these rules, I shall never be able to enforce them. As such, I will provide Dasen and Tethina with a small apartment within the university where they can live as is proper for a couple joined in the Holy Order but without the luxury or escape of this manor.

  “Finally, I must insist that as long as they study here, they delay the creation of a child. Though the creation of children is as integral a part of the Order as the rising of the sun, it would be too great a distraction for them and their fellow students. If Tethina should become pregnant while she is studying here, I shall bless and honor the child, but I will also insist that she and Dasen leave the university.”

  Ipid nodded to each of the requirements then smiled, reached across to the rector, and shook his hand to seal the deal. “Petr, you reputation is well deserved. I believe you have seen the Order’s will and can find no fault with your requirements. Dasen will need to miss the remainder of the term and return with Tethina for the beginning of the winter session. Is this agreeable?”

  Dasen’s mouth opened and closed several times as his father and Di Valati Alsance spoke. He could only stand and watch as two old men planned his life. They did not even acknowledge that he was in the room, much less ask his opinion. “Doesn’t anyone want to know what I think of this plan?” he finally yelled. “It is my life you are discussing.”

  Ipid glanced up as if he had forgotten that his son was in the room. When he saw Dasen’s defiance, his face hardened. He drew himself up. Dasen squared his shoulders for a stand-off, but it was Di Valati Alsance’s soft voice that cut the silence. “You are quite right, Dasen. Though it is consistent with the Order for your father to make these decisions, I will not accept a student, especially in these circumstances, who does not agree to our rules. Do you find fault in how your father and I have read the Order in this matter?”

  Dasen had not expected such a measured response, and it threw him, but only for a moment. Di Valati Alsance made it sound like he had a choice, but it was no choice at all. Either way, his father would see him joined to Tethina. He had come into this willing to pledge his life to the Church, but without the di valati’s support, the Hall of Understanding was a fantasy. He could still give himself to the Order, become a counselor in some village, but what would that gain him? So he was trapped as surely as a firefly in a jar. The only path that allowed him to continue his studies was to be joined to a girl he had not seen in twelve years, a provincial girl who would weigh on him like a millstone. And even that only bought him two more years. How much of that would be spent tutoring Tethina, coddling her, dealing with her inadequacies, preparing her for a life that she should never have? How much would this hurt his relationships with his fellow students, who would be out for her blood and his for that matter? And if she caught a baby? Well, he’d make sure that didn’t happen.

  Thinking through it all, Dasen felt himself wanting to scream. All I want to do is study, to understand the Order. Why is that so hard? Isn’t that the purpose of every life? The highest possible calling? It’s all a lie! He ground his teeth. He would do what he must. A lot could happen in two years. He’d deal with Tethina but not let her cost him this last opportunity. She could stay locked in their rooms for all he cared. This was his father’s idea, he could deal with the damage it would cause.

  Ipid cleared his throat. “So what will it be, Dasen? Can you deny the Order’s will in this?”

  Of course I can, Dasen thought. How can ruining two people’s lives possibly be the Order’s will? But he said, “I don’t know why you bothered to ask. You haven’t left me with any real choice. Might as well ask a mouse if he wants to be eaten by a cat or an owl. When do we leave for Randor’s Pass?”

  To Dasen’s surprise, Ipid sighed. Was that sadness in his eyes? “I am sorry, Dasen,” he finally said. Dasen could not believe or accept it. “I had hoped that this accommodation would please you. We will leave in the morning and travel directly to Randor’s Pass. I am sure that by the time we arrive you will have seen the Order working in this.”

  “Tomorrow?” Dasen replied in shock. “How am I supposed to be ready by then? I am in the middle of a significant project. I have had records brought in from all over Liandria. I can’t just leave them. What is so urgent that we cannot wait a week?”

  “It will be tomorrow,” Ipid stated plainly. “I will send Elton to help you prepare your things. You will sleep here tonight so that we do not have any confusion in the morning. Now you should be on your way. I hope to see you for dinner tonight.”

  Ipid turned to Di Valati Alsance, began thanking him for his assistance and apologizing for his son. Dismissed, Dasen turned toward the door, then a thought struck him. He turned back to his father. “Rynn will accompany us as my witness. You can pick my partner, but the Order gives me the right to a witness of my choosing. The Church accepted that even before the Reinterpretation. It will be Rynn. I assume you can make the proper arrangements.”

  Dasen turned and strode toward the door with his father still sputtering behind him. It was a small revenge – Ipid hated Rynn – but more than that, Dasen felt a small flicker of hope. If anyone could make the most of a bad situation, it was Rynn.

  Chapter 3