by Juliet Kemp
“It is nearly Mid-Year. The ships are about to leave,” Urso said. “We wait until the majority have left, then confiscate the remainder in one fell swoop. There will be no one to take the news to Salina; they will know only that some of their ships are missing. We can then fortify the harbour before their return, and allow them in only when they agree to our terms.”
“Well, if we must do it, that is sensible timing, I suppose,” Marcia said, slightly reluctantly, and Madeleine smiled at her for the first time. It took everything Marcia had not to react.
Gavin Leandra was nodding, looking satisfied. “They need our trade,” he said. “And we will not be able to take it all over, not all at once, so we will allow them to continue with some of it.”
They wouldn’t be able to take it all over at all, Marcia thought, fighting hysteria. Marek had no direct trading partnerships elsewhere – and the easiest option for the Salinas would not be to hang around asking for entry to Marek’s harbour. It would be for them to demand that the other cities and nations around the Oval Sea boycott any direct trade with Marek; and they would have the power to do that.
She tried, gently, to say as much.
“Marcia,” Madeleine said. “Marek trade is important to everyone. Why would they choose to spite themselves in this way?”
“Because the alternative…” Marcia started.
“You underestimate our importance,” Urso Leanvit said, kindly.
Or he over-estimated it, especially in comparison to Salina, who traded all the way around the Oval Sea and beyond, with rather more goods and clout than one single city, even if you included the Teren goods that all came through Marek.
“We would need to think also about training,” she said instead, trying for a different angle. “We can hardly confiscate the crews with their ships.”
“The advantage of beginning with the lucrative shorter routes,” Urso said, “is that local fishers already have many of the required skills.”
Smugglers, he meant. If the Salinas didn’t come back and sink every ship, in preference – or in addition – to instituting a boycott.
Madeleine was frowning at her. She hated it when Marcia disagreed with her publicly. Marcia needed to back off now, if she was going to have any impact on this at all. What could Gavin and Madeleine be thinking? Were they wilfully blind to all the ways in which this was a disastrous idea?
“And some of the younger children of the Houses and their offshoots might find the sea a rewarding option,” Urso added.
“It will strengthen Marek to manage more of our own trading,” Madeleine said. “A highly suitable pursuit for the lesser Houses.”
The other two were nodding. Marcia thought of what Daril had been saying at that party, of her fed-up generation. This was another way for the older ones to hold power for longer, wasn’t it? Send more of the younger generation off to sea, to trade directly. No wonder Madeleine thought it would be popular with the Council.
Marcia took a long breath and summoned up a smile. Fighting further at this point clearly wasn’t going to get her anywhere, other than excluded from this plan. She maintained it while further details of the absurdity were discussed, nodding along as though she was convinced, until Gavin and Urso finally left, and she could talk to her mother alone.
“Mother,” she said, the moment the door was safely shut behind the departing visitors. “You cannot seriously think that this is a good idea? We are not a shipping city! We have no ships. Even if you take a handful of Salinas ships, we have no crew for them. If we have ships and train crew – which itself can hardly happen overnight – we will be exposed directly to the risk of shipping rather than outsourcing it to the Salinas.”
“Greater risk, perhaps, but greater profit along with it,” Madeleine said. “And it is simply not suitable that we should be indebted to the Salinas in this way.”
“But we’ve been doing things this way since – since the founding of the city!”
“We had overland routes as well, once,” Madeleine said. “This total dependence is much more recent, and it is time that we removed ourselves from it. As for the rest, well, there is time to work through it. You recall, we do not anticipate ceasing all dealings with the Salinas. At least not immediately. We will find a trade balance which is agreeable to everyone.”
“But if their ships are confiscated then I can promise you that they will cease all dealings with us immediately,” Marcia said. “And then they will come back and attack the stolen ships. Mother, I have a meeting arranged with the Salinas ambassador tomorrow. I am sure I can negotiate improved charges, perhaps even for our House alone…”
“Silence,” Madeleine said.
Marcia blinked in surprise.
“I believe I did not speak clearly.” Madeleine’s voice was crisp. “House Fereno has taken its decision. I require you to pursue it. And you will cancel your meeting with the ambassador.”
Marcia opened her mouth, then closed it again. There was no purpose arguing with Madeleine in this mood. This was stupid, a stupid, foolish decision, and she had no way of arguing against it short of resigning her position altogether. She tasted blood, metallic in her mouth, and realised that she’d bitten straight through the inside of her lip.
“Mother,” she said instead, and bowed her way out of the door, barely holding herself in check.
ELEVEN
Jonas managed to fit in three jobs between running away from Reb’s place, and being due back at the embassy to meet Kia’s Mareker friend. He wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about that, but a promise was a promise; and who knew, maybe it would even be useful with solving his little problem. Since Beckett had been no bloody use, and Cato was still missing, he was reduced now to clutching at any opportunity. At least, with the three jobs, and the free lunch at the embassy – and with luck there would be some kind of food available at this meeting too – he was more or less even financially for the day, which was enough to get by for now.
He presented himself at the embassy in good time to get changed again into Kia’s idea of respectable; which turned out to be a slightly dulled-down version of Salinas formal.
“It’s awkward,” Kia explained as Xera handed him a pile of clothes. “These Marekers have a far more complicated dress code than we do – many more levels. It ought to be possible simply to stick to our own standards, but experience suggests that we get under-rated if we do.” She pursed her lips thoughtfully. “Of course, that can be handy, on occasion.”
“So what is this meeting about, then?” Jonas asked, once he was decently dressed. He might as well have some idea what he was stepping into.
“Trading fees,” Kia said. “Urso is related to House Leandra, but more importantly is directly involved in trade, rather than working through agents like the full Houses do. Mind you, I was surprised by how willing Fereno-Heir was to meet with me; I do wonder whether this is beginning to change.” She tapped a finger thoughtfully against her leg. “Assuming Fereno-Heir does in fact honour her promise, that is. In any case, Urso Leanvit is a very useful contact. We’ve worked with him before – excellent goods, good prices, profit for both sides. But it’s been a bad year, and we do need to renegotiate.”
The start of the meeting went more or less as Jonas had expected. Urso Leanvit was a stocky man, hair and skin both mid-brown. He was maybe ten years older than Jonas, with a narrow face and calculating eyes. Kia greeted him cheerfully, their friendship clear.
“Jonas and I were on the Lion t’Riseri together, Urso,” Kia said, introducing the two of them. “His mother is Captain t’Riseri, and he is spending a little while in Marek.”
“The famous Captain t’Riseri?” Urso asked, giving a Salinas-style double handshake. “Well, it is an honour to meet you. Kia has told me many stories of her days on the Lion. Sadly I have never yet run a cargo on a t’Riseri ship, but I do have hope. What brings you to Marek, then?”
“It’s always interesting to find out about other cultures,” Jonas temporis
ed. “I am likely to return soon, but it has been an interesting six months.” He paused, then decided that he might as well risk the question. If he was going to have to sit through this meeting, he needed to make some use of it. And Kia evidently considered Urso a friend, rather than a diplomatic connection to be kept at arms length. It would be acceptable to be a little more blunt. “In fact, one of the things that has most interested me about Marek is its magical history, but sadly I have been unable to speak to any practitioners.”
“The plague,” Urso said, his face sombre. “Of course.”
Kia’s eyebrows had shot up at Jonas’ apparent desire to speak to a sorcerer, but she didn’t interrupt.
“It must have been very distressing for Marek. But Kia tells me that magic is an interest of yours, as well? Of course, Marek has long been the place to be for those interested in magic.” Unless one wished the risks of blood-magic, of course; but that wasn’t something to mention in polite circles, in Marek or anywhere else.
Urso nodded slowly, his eyes alight with interest. Too much interest, maybe, Jonas wondered with a sudden lurch. He reminded himself that Kia trusted the man. An eye for the main chance was part and parcel of being a trader, not something to be ashamed of.
“Well now. Kia is correct, I do indeed have an interest in magic. In fact, I have put myself to some effort to gather a number of books on the matter from various parts of the world. You would be very welcome to visit and take a look at them, should that be appealing to you.”
Jonas blinked. A library. Of books on magic. And not just Marek magic. Surely there might be something useful there. He wondered, briefly, whether Urso’s interest included actual practice – but no, there had been the plague. Reb had said there was only herself and Cato left. She would hardly be mistaken.
“I would love to,” he said.
“Then I look forward to seeing you,” Urso said. “Do please come to visit.” He named an address a few streets up and around the Hill from the embassy.
“How delightful,” Kia said. “It is always rewarding to bring two people with a shared interest together.” She smiled. “Even if it is an interest which I myself cannot share, as you are aware, Urso, my friend.” The look with which she regarded Jonas was appraising.
Well. Whatever Kia might think, even if she did disapprove, he wasn’t going to pass up this opportunity. He was no longer a child, being looked after by his adult ship-mates.
“Indeed,” Urso agreed. “And a pleasing way to start our own meeting of shared interest.”
“On which note,” Kia said. “What do you have for our ships this season? It would be good to load up for the final run before the storms blow up.”
Urso and Kia began a detailed conversation about trading goods, which Jonas paid next to no attention to, until his attention was caught again.
“I hesitate a little to mention this,” Urso said, delicately, “but I have heard rumours, from other Marekers, that there may be alternatives to Salinas ships available soon.”
“The Council’s secret exploratory trip to the mountains?” Kia said. She waved a hand. “Not, in fact, as secret as they would have liked. And at any rate, the report back was public within half a day of the expedition’s return. I’m afraid your rumour-mongering friends are wrong; there is no route over the mountains, so no alternative.”
Urso shook his head. “No, indeed, you are correct. What I heard,” he laid heavy emphasis on heard, “from, ahem, reliable sources, was that there are some persons who seek to explore the possibilities of Marek taking up seafaring.” He sat back a little. “Of course, I’m sure there is nothing in such gossip, and I wouldn’t bring it here were it not for our long history of friendship. As we both know, sometimes a small hint can be a surprising amount.”
This was absurd. How could Marek seek to outmatch the Salinas on the sea. The best they had were fisherboats which barely went out of sight of land. The Salinas had been sailing the Oval Sea for hundreds of years before Marek was even established.
Kia’s eyebrows raised. “Building shipyards takes time, and could hardly be done without anyone noticing. It’s not like the local vessels would be up to much. Even the smugglers are land-huggers at best.” Her tone was slightly mocking, as befit someone who had sailed on a ship like the Lion. Or any other Salinas ship.
“There is a whole dockyard full of ships,” Urso said. There was something in his face that Jonas couldn’t quite read.
Kia’s eyes widened. “But you cannot mean…”
Urso shrugged. “I am sure that, as you say, my rumour-mongering friends are wrong. It would be an absurd step to take, after so many years, so many centuries, of successful collaboration. And indeed,” he smiled at Kia, “who could think to outmatch the Salinas on the sea? A rumour, nothing more, for certain. I should not have mentioned it to my honoured friend.”
There was an undercurrent in his voice that Jonas couldn’t quite read. Kia was frowning very slightly, a crease between her brows.
“So,” Urso said, tone brisk again. He wrote down another string of numbers and pushed it across to Kia. “I think this reflects our deliberations to date?”
Kia’s frown smoothed, and she pursed her lips at the paper. Another couple of rounds of haggling, and they were done, both seeming satisfied, though Kia’s frown had returned, and a slightly distant look.
“Do please indeed come to visit my library,” Urso urged Jonas, as they were all bidding one another farewell. “I am always delighted to talk to someone who shares my interest.” He turned to Kia. “Oh, and I gather that you have a meeting planned with Fereno-Heir? I trust you are able to come to equitable terms with her as well; though of course I will also hope that they are not quite as good as those you and I have agreed.” He smiled, and Kia smiled back at him, making a joke about trade secrecy as she did.
After Urso had gone, Kia stood, tapping her fingers on the table, and staring at nothing. “The ships in the docks… No. I cannot believe that is more than rumour-mongering. And certainly, Fereno-Heir, your Marcia, Jonas…”
“What about her?” Jonas asked, when Kia tailed off.
“Well, Fereno and Leandra were the funders of that mountain expedition, although both tried to hide it. Urso Leanvit is not exactly Leandra, but close, and we have a deal with him. I would not expect him to do that if he truly thought that… Well. And if we come to a deal also with House Fereno, it would seem clear that all is well.” She nodded decisively. “At any rate. Jonas, do you wish to stay for dinner?”
Reluctantly – free food! – Jonas shook his head. He’d had about enough of Salinas-politicking as he could take for now. Still. This meeting had been more useful than he’d expected, though he wasn’t sure what Kia had got out of having him there. Not his problem.
He left Kia still staring thoughtfully at the walls.
k k
“So, where’ve you been today?” Asa asked, sliding onto the bench next to him in the Dog’s Tail. It was warm again, even late in the evening, the doors and windows flung open. “I haven’t seen you around much.”
Messengers tended to pass one another, throughout the day, so it was notable if one didn’t see someone for the duration.
Jonas grimaced. “It’s been a bit hit and miss today. Had some other stuff to do.”
He’d done a couple more jobs after leaving the embassy, but he was fed up and his skin felt like there was something itching underneath it. He’d stopped sooner than he’d meant to. He shouldn’t really have come here and bought the beer, but the last thing he wanted was to sit in his room and have time to think.
It hadn’t been his most lucrative evening, even before he’d stopped. Just as he’d been about to cut his losses, he’d been signalled by someone who wanted him to run a small unidentified package all the way across to halfway up Marekhill. Jonas had been pretty sure that the package wasn’t strictly legal, but he wasn’t really that bothered either way; and he was confident that he wouldn’t get caught. He didn’t; and t
he receiver had doubled the agreed payment, which had been a very pleasant surprise.
“I’ll stand you the next one then,” Asa said cheerfully. “I had a pretty good day today.” They waved aside his attempt to protest. “That’s how it goes, right? We help each other out. You’ll have a good day sometime when I don’t. It all balances out.”
There was a sudden hot feeling in Jonas’ chest. The way they said it made him feel that he was part of something, just like when he’d been on board a ship. And just like he hadn’t felt at all at the embassy, when he’d had instead the feeling that whyever it was that Kia had wanted him along, it wasn’t wholly why she’d said it was. And that the conversation Kia and Urso were having had undercurrents that he didn’t understand.
“Where were you, then?” Asa asked. “If you weren’t working.” They grinned. “Do tell me to sod off if I’m being too nosy.”
Jonas was surprised into a smile. “No, it’s fine. I was – seeing someone from home.”
“Seeing someone?” Asa asked, raising an eyebrow. “A sweetheart, you mean?”
“Angels, no,” Jonas said, horrified at the idea. “A friend of my mother’s; someone I was shipmates with, when I travelled with my mother when I was younger.”
“Ah, checking up on you to report back home, huh?” Asa said. “Sympathies. I hope at least they fed you while they were interrogating you.”
“Yes,” Jonas admitted. “Plenty of food. Plenty of checking up, too, you’re right.” He tilted his head slightly, looking at Asa. “Do your family live here, then?”
“Down in the fishing village, out by the marsh,” Asa said. “I moved into the city when I was twelve, picking up around the market. Sweeping and that. Started doing a bit of messenger work when I got fed up with that, and it worked out a lot better.” They shrugged. “But my parents don’t exactly check up on me. I go back to visit once in a while, but mostly they were glad to have me out of the house and feeding myself. Plenty of us and not so much money or food, you know?”
