Josiah shook his head. “I’ve never heard of guilds acting that way. Do you know why?”
Dari seemed glad to fill him in; Josiah suspected he welcomed any topic that took his mind off Rovia’s leaving. “Supposedly it goes all the way back to when Jevtaran was founded. The farmers and herders both wanted a certain stretch of land along the river.” A corner of his mouth quirked up. “I’ve been told all my life how the underhanded herders bribed the wizard who made the decision to get the best part. Rovia tells me in their story it was the farmers who cheated. However it really happened, each guild controls about half of the disputed land. Every ten or twenty years the issue of exactly where the boundary runs gets brought up before the Wizards’ Court. Up until recently both guilds accepted the wizards as neutral, although each suspected they favored the other.”
His expression sobered. “But about five years ago some sort of disease hit the cattle herds. I don’t know much about it except that the herders weren’t happy with how the wizards handled it. A lot of people got sick around the same time; I think the wizards let some cattle die because they were too busy treating people. Mostly farmers, because more of us live in town, while most of the herders are in the outlying areas.”
“We have to take care of people before animals. Except our familiars, of course.” Josiah knew he sounded defensive. “It’s in the Law.”
Dari raised his hands. “I’m not complaining. I’m just telling you how the herders felt. Rovia says they lost a lot of revenue, and the herds have only recovered completely in the last year or two.” He sighed. “And then last year was the wheat blight.”
Josiah suddenly understood how that must have seemed to herders who were already upset with the Wizards’ Guild. “All the wizards went out to help the farmers fight it.”
Dari nodded. “A master herder had a difficult labor. When the midwife came into town to fetch a wizard, they were all off in the fields. By the time she found one and brought him back, the baby had died. The herder nearly died, too. Her father is the herder guildmaster for the region. He sent a complaint to the Guildmaster, but she dismissed it.”
Josiah felt queasy. The blight would never have reached Jevtaran if he and Mathir had done what they were supposed to. “We didn’t have a choice. Without the wheat there was going to be a famine. We had to try and stop it.” He looked away. “Not that it did much good.”
Dari nodded earnestly. “I helped the wizards; I saw how hard you worked. The Farmers’ Guild is hugely grateful for everything you accomplished. The harvest was poor, but at least we salvaged enough seed for this year.” He sighed and wrinkled his nose. “Rovia told me the herders hoped to sell their meat and cheese at a big profit because of the scarcity of food. Then the Guildmaster instituted rationing. She required them to slaughter more cattle than usual, but limited the prices they could charge.”
“Which they interpreted as the wizards favoring the farmers over the herders even more. Did they take their complaints to the Council of Guildmasters?”
“The herder guildmaster tried, but she couldn’t win much support from the other guilds, and the new Guildmaster wasn’t very sympathetic. He told her times were hard for everyone.”
Josiah could easily imagine Master Hanion saying that. He lacked Master Dabiel’s skill in diplomacy. But apparently even she hadn’t recognized the trouble brewing in the region. “Ouch.”
“Exactly.” Dari sighed. “Not the best time for a farmer to fall in love with a herder.”
Josiah winced. “How did you two even get together?”
Dari’s expression softened, and his eyes went distant. “We met the year before we became apprentices. Farmers and herders hardly ever apprentice outside their kinguilds, but there were a lot of us that year and we took the opportunity to visit other guilds anyway. Not each other’s, of course, but all the rest. I first noticed her when we were kneading bread together at a baker’s shop. She claims she liked watching me try my hand at the potter’s wheel. We both liked smithing and spent a lot of time working the bellows for the blacksmith. She tried to convince me to break tradition and ask for the Smiths’ Guild, but Mother was so insistent…” He shrugged. “Both of us chose our parents’ guild in the end. Her uncle is her master, my mother is mine. We didn’t see much of each other for a while. But last winter her uncle sent her to buy hay from Mother. I helped her transport it to their ranch.” His grin flashed. “We’ve been sneaking off to see each other as often as we can ever since.”
The smile vanished. “Then a few weeks ago we heard about the ships arriving from Ramunna with food to relieve the famine. Not just wheat and other grains. Dried beef, and salt pork, and cheese as good as anything the Cheesemakers’ Guild can produce. Rovia says the Herders’ Guild is outraged it was given away for free. Prices for meat and milk have plummeted.”
“I can see their point.” Had Master Dabiel and Elkan taken that into account when they’d worked out the agreement with Gevan for what foods to send? Had Hanion when he’d decided how to distribute it?
Dari shrugged. “When the messenger came asking people to go to Korisan, things got even worse. Everyone is angrier than ever. The herders don’t want to leave their herds inadequately tended, while the farmers are terrified that even though the planting is done, if we’re not here to weed and fertilize at the right times we could have another bad crop.” His face set in hard lines. “Rovia and I decided we’d be better off anywhere but Jevtaran. Farmers and herders are free to wed elsewhere. If we try to stand up together here, there might be bloodshed.”
“I don’t blame you,” Josiah said. “You’re right. There wouldn’t be any problem with you getting married in Elathir. Or anywhere else, probably. My master’s Farmerkin; his brother’s a farmer and married to a herder.” As far as Josiah had been able to tell during his brief visit, the rest of Elkan’s family regarded Fibor and Tersira as a bit odd for marrying outside their guilds, but certainly not with the sort of hostility Dari was describing. “They live near Arlith.”
“I hear there’s lots of good farmland in that region. Maybe once we’re journeymen we can go there. We’d have to petition our guilds for new masters. It won’t be easy going over Mother’s head, but I’m willing to do it if necessary.” Dari’s face went bleak. “If Rovia comes back.”
“Yeah.” Josiah twisted his fingers in Sar’s mane. “And if we manage to defeat the Ramunnans. And the Faithful who’re probably going to come after them.”
“Faithful?” Dari gave him a curious look. “Who are they?”
“It’s a long story,” Josiah cautioned.
“We’ve got a couple hours of walking to get to Jevtaran,” Dari said. “I want to hear it.”
Josiah grimaced. “That long, huh? You don’t happen to have some food in that pack, do you? I haven’t eaten since breakfast.”
“Plenty. I won’t need it for the journey.” Dari dug in his pack and produced bread, cheese, apples, and dried beef. “Help yourself.”
Josiah chose an apple and took a big bite. While he chewed he considered where to begin. “Last fall when the ambassador from Ramunna came, my master was the wizard chosen to go back with him, and he took me along. Well, actually it was more complicated than that, but anyway, we ended up on the ship to Ramunna…”
* * *
By the time they reached Jevtaran, Josiah was tired, thirsty, and happier than he’d been since he’d left Ramunna. It was always great to make a new friend, and he really liked Dari. He was quieter than Josiah, but he made a lot of astute comments about Josiah’s experiences in Ramunna, along with an occasional drily witty observation that first surprised Josiah, then set him laughing.
The town spread before them as they crested yet another rise in the rolling countryside, along the far bank of the Jevtaro River upstream of where it joined the Tarath. It looked about the size of Korisan. Josiah had always considered his home a big place, but after Elathir and Ramunna, both Korisan and Jevtaran seemed like quaint little country to
wns. Still, Jevtaran had a substantial population. One of the three Mother’s Halls outside Elathir was located here, home to more than thirty wizards. Josiah was sorry he’d missed most of them. Dari said that a few of the oldest and all the young apprentices had stayed when the others left for Korisan, so maybe he’d stop in and say hello. The big rectangular building in the center of town was unmistakable.
West of where the town buildings stopped, a temporary encampment, with dozens of tents of all sizes and smoke rising from many campfires, spread along the shore of the river. Dari pointed to it. “The herders who’re leaving for Korisan first thing in the morning are staying there. Most of the farmers from the surrounding areas are staying with friends and relatives in town. We’ve got my aunts and uncles and cousins crammed into every corner.”
They crossed the bridge. Dari led him through the town to a big, comfortable-looking house near the western edge. As they approached, the door flew open and a woman rushed out. “Dari!” she shrieked. “Where have you been?” She flung her arms around Dari in a fierce hug, then grabbed him by the shoulders and thrust him to arm’s length. “We’ve been searching everywhere for you! Are you all right?”
“I’m fine, Mother.” Dari wore a long-suffering expression.
The woman’s voice drew a great deal of attention. People poured out of the house behind her. Up and down the street doors popped open and curious faces looked out. On seeing Dari, most of them hurried out to greet him. Soon they were surrounded by a ring of onlookers that grew rapidly as word of Dari’s return spread.
Dari’s mother kept berating him. “I was worried sick! Your father, too. He just got back from your grandfather’s farm. We thought you might have run off to help with the planting, even though this is the worst time of year for your attacks. And with all the wizards gone—” Her voice broke. “But there was no sign of you! Nobody had any idea where you were. I was going to have them drag the river next!” She shook him. “Don’t you ever do anything like this to me again!”
A burly man shoved through the crowd. He glared at Dari and his mother. “You’re not the only one with a missing apprentice, Kireh. Where’s Rovia, boy?”
“How should he know where some herder girl’s gone?” Dari’s mother demanded. “He knows better—”
“Mother,” Dari said.
But she kept right on talking. “—than to associate with any of your kind. Maybe you should—”
“Mother!”
“—look out behind your barn with—”
“Mother!”
Kireh finally broke off. “What, Dari?”
Dari squared his shoulders and faced the man, whose face had gotten redder and redder through Kireh’s rant. “Master Tian, Rovia’s on her way to Korisan. She wants to help defend Tevenar and fight the Ramunnans, even if the town council doesn’t think she’s old enough.”
The crowd broke into startled murmurs that stilled as the man took a threatening step toward Dari. “How do you know that, boy?”
Dari swallowed hard and lifted his chin. “Because I was going with her.”
Shocked gasps answered his declaration. Tian raised a hand. “How dare you—”
Kireh grabbed Dari and dragged him behind her. “Don’t you dare touch my son. It’s not his fault if your good-for-nothing niece lured him off. I should bring you before the Wizard’s Court for negligence. If you’d kept proper control of your apprentice the way a master should, none of this would have happened!”
Tian glowered at her. “You keep your calf-eyed farmer brat away from my apprentice. Control? You’re the one who’s negligent!”
Dari tried to push past his mother, but Josiah could hear his breath starting to wheeze. Despite the farmer apprentice’s best efforts his voice came out weak and strangled-sounding. “Rovia and I decided to go together. We love… each…” His voice trailed away as he fought for breath.
Kireh and Tian spoke over each other. “That’s the most ridiculous—” “Don’t you dare—”
Josiah pushed to Dari’s side, Sar right beside him. “Be quiet! Can’t you see you’re giving him another attack?” He put out his hand and gold light poured out to envelope Dari. The crowd fell silent.
This attack was easier to clear up than the first one, since they’d caught it early. In only a few minutes Sar had Dari breathing easily again. Josiah glared around at the crowd and both Kireh and Tian. “He needs to rest, not be shouted at.”
Kireh’s voice was icy. “Another attack?”
Dari said tiredly, his shoulders drooping, “I started wheezing while we were on the road. Josiah and Sar saved my life.”
Kireh turned back to Tian, her voice going low and dangerous. “It wasn’t enough for your apprentice to drag Dari off to fight in a war. She almost got him killed when they’d barely left home. The Herders’ Guild will answer for this!”
Tian looked her up and down. A number of people had emerged from the camp and gathered around him. They all seemed to have the same muscular build as Tian and Rovia. “The Farmers’ Guild may have the Wizards’ Guild in its pocket, but that doesn’t mean you can get away with theft and slander.”
“Wait a minute!” Josiah exclaimed. “The Wizards’ Guild is neutral. We don’t favor any guild over another.”
Tian turned to fix his stare on Josiah. “Why have you come here, boy? Hasn’t the Wizards’ Guild caused enough trouble already?”
“I’m just passing through on my way to Shalinthan. My master sent me on an important errand.” He was uncomfortably aware of the scrutiny of everyone in the crowd and the way the closely packed mob was divided into two hostile factions. “When Rovia asked me to help Dari, of course I stopped. It was my duty.”
“And we thank you for it,” Kireh declared. She put an arm around Josiah’s shoulders. “I can’t express how deep my gratitude is to you for bringing my Dari home safe.”
Josiah squirmed in embarrassment. “Any wizard—”
Tian moved closer. His voice was low and threatening. “So you returned the farmer apprentice to his family. But not the herder apprentice? Where is she?”
Josiah shrank away. “I—I told her to go on to Korisan.”
Tian loomed over him. “You sent her into danger.”
“She wanted to go! Elkan needs all the help he can get. He won’t care that she’s only a fifth-year; that was your council’s rule.”
“Because we choose to protect our children, not put them at risk in a futile war against a far stronger enemy!” He turned to the herders gathered behind him. “I’m going to bring Rovia home. But I advise the rest of you to turn back. The wizards have shown us over and over again how little concern they have for our guild. Why should we throw away our lives in a cause that will gain us nothing? If we send messengers to the Ramunnans offering peace and cooperation, they’ll have no reason to harm us. They’ll be a better market for our goods than the wizards ever were.”
A rumble of agreement met his words. Josiah gaped at him. “You can’t do that! The Ramunnans want to destroy the Wizards’ Guild. Then nobody will have the Mother’s power. The Herders’ Guild needs us as much as anybody!”
“And yet it’s become blatantly obvious that we’re never going to get the same service other guilds enjoy.” Tian glared at Kireh. “We’ll take care of our own. That’s what we’ve been forced to do often enough already. The other guilds can learn what it’s like!”
“You don’t know what you’re saying!” Josiah clutched Sar’s mane and tried to make them understand. “I’ve seen how people suffer when they don’t have wizards. You can’t want—”
“My cousin lost her child because the wizards valued a farmer’s wheat more than a herder’s life. We want fair treatment. Since you won’t give it to us, we’ll settle for being left alone.” Before Josiah could formulate an answer, Tian turned his back and strode toward the tents. The other herders followed him.
Kireh sniffed, turning to the rest of the crowd, who Josiah supposed were mostly farmers. �
��Let them do what they want. Little good they would have done against the Ramunnans, anyway!” She gathered Dari even closer. “The farmers will continue to support you, wizard.”
Josiah shook his head, his mind reeling with horror at Tian’s actions. Somehow he’d managed to lose Elkan several hundred strong fighters. “I appreciate that, but—”
Another farmer, an older man, frowned at Kireh. “We can’t leave the way we’d planned, not if they stay. How often do their cattle ‘accidentally’ break down a fence and get into our crops? We’d come back to find nothing but bare fields grazed down to the dirt! And you know they’d seize every acre of disputed land and refuse to relinquish it.”
Other voices joined his protests, shouting distrust of the herders and reasons to stay. Kireh waved a dismissive hand. “Take it up with Master Ilman. I suppose he might think you have a point. But what does that matter next to Dari’s safe return?” She tugged Dari’s arm to lead him back into the house.
Dari resisted, looking almost as horrified as Josiah. “Mother, you can’t let them do this. Please, they’ll listen to you. We have to send our people to join the defense. I never meant to interfere—”
“You should have thought about that before running off with that herder girl!” Kireh yanked him harder toward their door.
Dari wrenched away. “I’ll go talk to the wizards that stayed. Maybe there’s something they can do.”
“Yes, please. Let him come with me, Master Kireh? I’ve got to get this straightened out.” Josiah swallowed. Urging Rovia to go on to Korisan had seemed like the right thing to do at the time. Or at least harmless. But now that he thought about it, Elkan would probably have insisted she go back. He might have argued with the town council and tried to persuade them to change their ruling, but he wouldn’t have encouraged her to ignore it, or to leave without telling her family where she’d gone.
The Wizards' War Page 8
