“It’s small for a High Holder.”
“So … you want the exchange membership under Suyrien D’Chaeryll?”
“If you would.” Charyn paused. “This isn’t something I planned for today. I don’t usually carry five hundred golds.”
“Most people don’t.” Elthyrd’s tone was wry. “I’ll set it up, since the sponsor has to submit the papers anyway. Then when you’re ready, I’ll take you over and you can present the golds yourself.”
“Thank you.”
“One other thing. You can also deposit additional golds in your account there. That way you can draw on what you have without touching the bond. Or you can transfer funds to someone elsewhere in Solidar through another exchange. I’d recommend depositing more before you trade … if you intend to.”
“I have no immediate intentions, but I do appreciate the advice.” In short, don’t trade without funds on account. “I’ll have the golds to you within the next few days, along with additional golds.” He smiled. “For security and peace of mind.” Especially his own security, since he could stop worrying about hiding all of his personal golds. And Father would never think about an account with the exchange.
Elthyrd smiled in return.
Charyn thought he detected a slight sense of relief. He doubted he was mistaken.
4
The rattling of rain on the chateau windows woke Charyn, and the dark gray light seeping past the heavy green hangings suggested that it was after dawn, but before sunrise. He rolled onto his back, looking up at the ceiling, then taking in the ornate gilded cornice in the corner of the bedchamber closest to the door to the sitting room. After a moment, he sat up. He wouldn’t have slept that much longer anyway.
Then he glanced at the dark-haired woman lying on the other side of the bed. Her eyes were closed but he knew she wasn’t sleeping. Should you? He shook his head. There were things he wanted to do before his father woke and started the daily round of demands … and he would have time … later. “Time to get up, Palenya…”
She did not budge.
“Possums do a better job,” he said dryly.
She opened her eyes and turned her head. “You knew I was awake.”
Charyn nodded.
“You could have…”
“We both have matters to attend to, and I’m hungry.” At her glance, he added, “For food. Breakfast.”
Palenya offered a pout that was excessive, followed by a smile that was more like a grin, showing that she knew the pout had been excessive.
Charyn had half-expected it, and she had known he expected it. He grinned. “You just don’t want to tune the clavecin before you give Aloryana her lessons.” Charyn knew that Aloryana wasn’t the problem. His sister seldom was. The problem was that Palenya felt that the clavecin always needed tuning, because she wanted the sound to be perfect. Palenya would not have admitted that, but Charyn knew it. His mother did as well, but given that the instrument did sound better when frequently tuned, often necessary because Bhayrn was so ham-fisted with his playing, no one was about to say anything.
Palenya threw off the covers and sat up.
Charyn couldn’t help but admire what he saw, even as he grinned. “You’re doing your best to distract me.”
“Isn’t that what I’m here for?”
“You’re very distracting, but if you don’t put on some clothes, you’re going to be very cold, very quickly.” Charyn stood, moving toward the open armoire. “Especially if I lock away…”
“All right.” Another smile followed.
Charyn enjoyed watching her dress. He still did, more than half a year after his mother had introduced Palenya into his life. He also enjoyed watching and listening as she played the clavecin, although he’d made a point of appearing only politely interested whenever she played for others, especially for regial events.
As Palenya quickly brushed her hair, Charyn asked, “Will you be playing this afternoon?”
“Lady Chelia has requested that I play occasional music while she entertains the wives of some of the senior army officers.”
“Very light music, I presume.”
“Almost all will be popular folk tunes arranged by Shastayl the younger. Some adaptations by Rajhym, perhaps the ‘Pavane in a Minor Key’ by Farray.”
“Except for the Farray…” Charyn offered a theatrical wince.
“You’d prefer the works of Covaelyt?”
“After what you’ve taught me … yes.”
“You are a very naughty young man to expect them to appreciate works four hundred years old.”
“If I can appreciate Covaelyt as a young man—”
Palenya stepped toward him and laid a long and slender finger across his lips. “We can discuss composers later. I must eat … if I’m to tune the clavecin and then work with your sister. I will have to retune it later if your brother appears for his lessons.”
Charyn nodded. He hardly needed a reminder that Bhayrn didn’t have the lightest touch on the keyboard.
Once Palenya had left, heading for her own small room in the lowest full level of the chateau, and breakfast in the staff room off the kitchen, Charyn quickly washed up and dressed, then made his way to the family breakfast chamber.
Aloryana was the only one there.
“Good morning,” offered Charyn as he seated himself.
“I’m glad it’s morning. I had trouble getting to sleep last night.”
“It didn’t start storming until early this morning,” replied Charyn.
“Outside, you mean,” countered his sister snidely.
“Inside, it was quiet. I went to sleep early.”
“To bed, anyway. At least she’s nice.”
“She’s a good musician and a good teacher, you said.”
“She is, and she’s nice. But…” Aloryana shook her head. “There’s no point in talking about it.”
There wasn’t, but Charyn couldn’t even say that, because that would have made him seem callous and uncaring.
“Talking about what?” asked Bhayrn as he entered, yawning.
“Music,” said Aloryana. “People have different tastes in music and musicians.” Her voice was innocent.
Chelia, entering just behind Bhayrn, let her eyes fix on Aloryana for just an instant, suggesting displeasure.
Aloryana smiled. “Good morning, Mother.”
“Good morning, Aloryana. I’m been thinking. Given how well you are playing, I think the chateau clavecinist should embark on teaching you some more advanced pieces. I’ll talk to her after breakfast.”
Aloryana stiffened, and Charyn concealed a smile.
Bhayrn failed to hide a smile, and Chelia turned. “Your playing has not been adequate. You think volume is technique. Perhaps a four-hand duet with Aloryana would inspire you.”
Charyn concentrated on taking a sip of tea from the large mug.
“I’d like that, I think,” said Aloryana.
Bhayrn stiffened.
“Then I’ll talk to Palenya about arranging it.” Chelia lifted her mug of tea, as if to signify that the matter had been decided, before turning to Charyn. “What are your plans for the day?”
“I’d thought to look into some matters in L’Excelsis, but they can wait, at least until the rain lets up.” He’d planned to visit Factor Walltyl to talk over what it would take to build the racing cart he had in mind, but that could wait, at least until the downpour outside ended—or even a week or so. It wasn’t as though he needed a cart, but it would be fun to take Palenya, or Aloryana, through the hunting park at a good clip. He also needed to make some quiet arrangements to get himself and his golds to Elthyrd, but he thought that might better be accomplished on Mardi. He didn’t want to convey impatience. “I need some more arms practice also. The sabre I can do inside with Guard Captain Churwyl or one of the senior guards. The pistol, not until the weather lets up. Even the covered courtyard gets wet in this weather.”
“Why can’t I learn to handle a sabre?” aske
d Aloryana.
“We’ve been through this before,” said Chelia. “You know what your father thinks of that.”
“I know,” sighed Aloryana. “Weapons are for men. I still don’t see why. The Pharsi women of Khel carried weapons and fought.”
“And Khel fell to the first Rex Regis,” declared Bhayrn.
“Your father has made his decision,” replied Chelia, turning back to Charyn. “And after arms practice? That won’t take all that long.”
“I also thought I’d spend some time, when he’s free, with Minister Sanafryt. I’ve been working with him on getting a better understanding of the legal implications of the Codex Legis.”
“How have you been doing that?” asked Bhayrn.
“He shows me the petitions Father receives. I give him my impression. Sometimes I even write a draft response, and then he tells me what’s wrong with it.” Charyn looked to his mother. “I asked Father first if I could study with Alucar and Sanafryt. I thought it wouldn’t hurt to understand the finances and the law.” Charyn had not told his father how he was studying, and didn’t intend to.
“That’s not a bad idea.” Chelia nodded, then turned to Bhayrn. “If you don’t like clavecin lessons…”
“I’ll practice clavecin, whatever the piece is,” Bhayrn said quickly.
Again, Charyn concealed a smile. Bhayrn had never been fond of scholastic studies, especially those that required writing and calculating.
Once he finished eating, Charyn made his way to the duty room for the chateau guards, where he asked Churwyl if one of his men was free to spar with him.
“How much of a workout do you want, Lord Charyn?”
“A good workout that will test my modest skills, but not result in too many bruises.” Those bruises would have been wounds had they been using blades, even blunted ones. In any event, none of the guards would have dared to spar with him except with wooden wands, nor would Churwyl have allowed it, given that Charyn was, at best, adequate with a sabre.
“I’ll have Murdynt meet you in the stable, then. I presume that’s satisfactory.”
“That will be fine.”
Murdynt was a shade taller than Charyn, a touch faster, and two quints of trying to keep the guard from bruising him up too much was more than enough for Charyn, enough so that he had to return to his quarters to wash up and change clothes before making his way down to the main floor south corridor to Minister Sanafryt’s study. Sanafryt was seated at the wide table desk with a stack of documents, likely petitions, on one side, the Codex Legis on the other. The minister’s study wasn’t all that large, no more than five yards by four, with several bookcases against the wall and a small table desk that Charyn had arranged to be added for his studies—set in the corner farthest from Sanafryt. The study was dim, with only the oil lamp on the minister’s desk lit.
“Good morning, Minister,” offered Charyn politely.
“Read this petition and tell me what you think,” said Sanafryt mildly, lifting several sheets from the corner of the desk.
Charyn took the petition and withdrew to the table desk in the corner, where a second copy of the Codex Legis rested. He used a striker to light the oil lamp and began to read.
… aggrieved party being Elmyranda D’Alte, Lady of Aishford, by violation of the Codex Legis revisions of 403 A.L. wherein the provisions of locus dominatus were revised …
Boring as the language was, Charyn forced himself to read through the two long pages of the petition. Then he leafed through the Codex Legis to the sections referred and read them before standing and returning to where the Minister sat at his large table desk.
“What is the petition about?”
“Locus dominatus.”
“What about it?” Sanafryt’s voice remained even.
“It’s the old Tellan term referring to the legal right of High Holders to all justicing on their lands. The Codex Legis invalidated that. This petition by High Holder Aishford’s wife is claiming that Aishford is violating the revised Codex by imprisoning her in her rooms for just less than the one-month maximum under low justice and then reimprisoning her for another thirty-four days?”
“Exactly.”
“How did she even manage to write the petition?”
“It was sent under the seal of her brother, High Holder Fauxyn. She must have escaped to his lands. How would you address this, Lord Charyn?”
“Aishford is within the scope of the law as it’s written, isn’t he?”
“Is he?”
Charyn thought so, but the way Sanafryt had asked gave him pause.
“Read that section again, all of it … and then the general provisions at the end. Then come back and tell me what you think.”
Charyn bridled at Sanafryt’s condescending tone, but he held his tongue and didn’t speak for a moment.
“You asked for me to teach you,” Sanafryt said. “If you intend to get angry every time I suggest you do something, then perhaps we should not proceed. You look for a quick answer. Quick answers in law can get one in difficulty, even a rex.”
Charyn inclined his head. “I apologize, Minister Sanafryt. I will go back over that section.” He could feel Sanafryt’s eyes on his back as he retreated to the table desk in the corner, where a second copy of the Codex Legis rested. Why is he so Namer-damned prickly with me? I am the heir, after all.
He had to force himself to read through all the clauses and conditions dealing with “Justicia Seconda,” word by word, trying to discover what he had missed. He could find nothing that would change his initial opinion. With an almost inaudible sigh, he turned to the general provisions, some ten pages of them, and began to read.
Almost a quint passed before he located what had to be what Sanafryt had alluded to … and he realized that he should have listened more carefully to the minister’s last words about the general provisions. He looked over the “evasion” section carefully, concentrating on the key phrases …
… notwithstanding the specific language of any provision set forth in this Codex, any attempt to exercise rights and privileges herein revoked or limited by any means, including non-continuous exercise of such, using other terms of law or language to evade the limitations imposed on High Holders … shall be deemed a breach of the Codex and shall subject the violator to the same punishments as would befall him …
Charyn nodded. That had to be it. He stood and walked back to Sanafryt. “Minister … would it be the evasion section of the general provisions?”
Sanafryt smiled. “It would be. Do you understand why that section was necessary?”
“I do.”
“Good.” Sanafryt reached for another petition. “See what you can make of this one.”
Charyn took the second petition, much longer than the first. He wasn’t so sure that he didn’t envy Bhayrn. At that moment, sitting at a clavecin with Palenya instructing him would have been far more pleasant, not that he could ever be the musician she was, although he did pride himself on being somewhat better than Aloryana.
He had just finished reading through the convoluted language of the petition for the second time when there was a rap on the study door, opened by a guard. “Ah … Lord Charyn … the rex…”
“I’m on my way.” Charyn stood. “Another sort of duty calls, Minister Sanafryt.”
“Before you go, what was the purpose of that petition?”
“To have the rex affirm some water rights, but I couldn’t tell from the way it was written whether the rights had lapsed or had never been exercised and were preempted by the neighboring landholder.”
“They were preempted, but there’s a specific wording that indicates that. Most junior advocates wouldn’t know that wording, either. If you remind me whenever you next appear, I’ll show you.”
“I would appreciate that.” Charyn inclined his head, then stepped out of the study.
He went up the grand staircase quickly, but without exerting himself, and then made his way to his father’s private study.
The duty guard—Sturdyn—opened the door as he approached and announced, “Lord Charyn.”
The door closed before Charyn was more than two steps inside the dimly lit study.
Lorien waited behind the desk while Charyn seated himself. The entire time the fingers of his slightly gnarled right hand were tapping impatiently on the top of the goldenwood desk.
“You requested my presence, sir?”
“Where were you?”
“Studying with Minister Sanafryt, as you agreed I should do from time to time.”
“Hmmph.”
Charyn took that to mean that while his father would have liked to have found fault, he couldn’t, not on that count, at least.
“I understand that you’ve been frequenting the factors’ exchange.” Lorien looked hard at Charyn. “Why?”
“Only a few times.” Charyn wasn’t about to admit it had only been once. So far. “I wanted to find out for myself how and why they work.”
“I doubt that is necessary. Norstan knows more about the exchanges than you’ll ever have time to learn.”
“That’s very likely true,” replied Charyn. For the moment. “Because trade and commerce are becoming more and more important in Solidar, I’d like to know enough so that I understand what you and your ministers are talking about … whenever you do let me listen to such matters.”
“You’ll have plenty of time. I’m not dead yet, Charyn. I’m not even close to it,” snapped Lorien.
“No, sir, but you have told me how complicated the matters you must consider happen to be, and that I shouldn’t expect to learn them easily or in a short time. That is why I am trying to learn as much as I can now.”
“You like to use my own words to your own ends, don’t you?”
Charyn managed to smile pleasantly. “I’ve tried to follow your advice, sir.”
“When it suits your purpose.”
“I’ve never gone against you.” Around you, but never against you.
“You’ve got traits from your mother’s family.” Lorien shook his head. “What did you learn at the exchange?”
“The thing that struck me the most was how many golds change hands daily.”
Assassin's Price Page 4
