Enchanter (Book 7) (70 page)

“I don’t see a mess,” I shrugged.  “I see one of my vassals, recently titled, who took the initiative to defend his domain against an unprovoked act of undeclared war.”

“But that attack was meant as a message for
you!
  Not to involve your vassal!” he insisted.  “I didn’t even know you had a vassal for Amel Wood!”

“So . . . if you admit to making war on my people, to my face, do you not I think I have the right to ask what purpose you had?” I asked, as I got out my pipe.  This was
damn
entertaining.

“To teach you that the Sashtali Confederation is not to be meddled with!” he shouted.  “You cannot just come here from gods alone knows where and
buy out our vassals!”

I smirked as I lit my pipe with magic.  “Well.  I suppose you have certainly taught
me
a lesson, then.”

Lorcus spoke up.  “You, Sir, made war on my domain; very well.  I made war on yours.  I was victorious, because I was the better warrior.  Now I have possession of the entire fief, under the law.”

“But that can’t be legal!” his monk screamed.

“Quite legal,” I countered.  “Lady Arnet approved the Writ, a copy of which I have right here, for your inspection,” I said, handing the scroll to Brother Canard.  He tore it open and read it, then read it again.  “Lord Lorcus was well within his legal right.  If you would like to mount a war of recovery, you are free to do so,” I reminded him.  “Or you may challenge the finding on legal grounds at the Ducal court.  Though the backlog of cases runs to five years, now.”

“In case you have forgotten, I am in the middle of a
war
right now!” Sir Cullien said, angrily.  “Sire Trefalan is angrily demanding the two-thousand peasant levies I promised him!  And my vassals are ready to ride from the war to try to rescue their lost estates!  Sendaria is even now sending raiders across the rivers against us, and I am due back in the battlefield!”

“Perhaps you should not have started another one while so committed, my lord,” said Taren, reasonably. 

“The intended target was Sevendor!  You
must
return my domain to me!  This was an
illegal
conquest!”

“My lord, I regret to tell you that despite his unorthodox means of making war, from what I can see Lord Lorcus of Amel Wood did so with scrupulous legality,” the younger lawbrother stated, authoritatively. 

Brother Irthine looked both professionally and spiritually vindicated as he took a determined step toward his former master, in service to his current.  “He has assumed active rule of Rolone and is in the process of disposing of the captured lands and estates, seeing to the justice of the domain, and taking care of its defense as is the duty of a conquering lord.  He has treated with his prisoners with the utmost courtesy, taken their parole graciously, and acted with benevolence toward the conquered people.  Even now he is discussing the proper disposition of the key estates and fortresses of the domain with his knights.”

“A right choice lot they are, too,” chuckled Lord Lorcus.  “I’m looking forward to giving them away.”

“You can’t
do
that!” insisted Lawbrother Canard.  He was nearly hysterical.  “You are merely a tenant lord!  They cannot make permanent disposition of estates!”

“Indeed he can,” the younger Lawbrother countered, defiantly.  “He may have been a tenant lord of Amel Wood, but upon his recognized conquest of Rolone, he became a
titled
lord-in-fact.  He holds the deed to the domain, which under right of conquest gives him the power to dispose of any and all estates, regardless of their previous owner or tenant’s vassalage status.  If he so chooses, Lord Lorcus can dispossess
all
of Rolone’s landed gentry.”

“That’s outrageous!  You cannot do that in a time of war!”

“I’m not currently
at
war,” Lord Lorcus pointed out.  “In fact, apart from a few small riots the domain has never enjoyed such prosperity and peace.  But it is because you declared war on my domain that we are here.  But my new lawbrother informs me – a highly intelligent counselor,
far
underappreciated by his previous employer – that as of the date of conquest abrogating – is that the right word? – abrogating their vassalage, both you and all of your men currently involved in hostilities against Sendaria are now free of your military obligation and may legally leave the battlefield.”

“They can’t do that!  They are deployed!” he said with a strangled cry.  I was starting to worry for his health.

“They can, legally, request to be released from their service, now that they do not serve a landed lord.  They
may
re-negotiate a higher wage as mercenaries, which I might recommend, as they might want a place to stay if they survive the war.  Conversely,” he said, thumping the Wormwand into his palm, “any landed knight who can get himself released and comes to me to swear fealty and loyalty on bended knee, I will consider returning their estates to them.  With a nominal fee,” he added with a wave of his wand.  That got the attention of both of the knights behind Cullien – and the old monk.  Apparently they all held estates in Rolone.

“And just to sweeten the pot,” Lorcus continued, slyly, “the
first
knights to do so may not get their old estates back.  Indeed, they may get their
choice
of my abundant – and vacant – lands.”  That more than got the knights’ attention.  They looked at each other meaningfully.  I was impressed at Lorcus’ guile.  There were some very nice estates in Rolone.  Whatever loyalty these men had to Cullien was eroding, swiftly.

“May I at least collect some of my personal effects from my chamber?” Sir Cullien pleaded, eyes downcast in defeat.  But something was not quite genuine about his plea.  Desperate, yes – but not genuine.

“Sorry, my lord, but those items, too, are forfeit to the conqueror,” Lawbrother Irthine said, his voice barely suppressing his excitement as he wounded his former lord.  “
Every
item in the castle, the town, and the domain now belongs to Lord Lorcus of Rolone.  While it’s a customary courtesy for the conqueror to return family heirlooms of a personal nature, jewelry, and certain beloved pets, there is no legal requirement in the law books to do so.”

“Including that whopping great pay chest I found upstairs,” Lorcus chuckled.  “
My gods
, was I surprised to see that!  But it gave me the resources I needed to repay the folk of Amel Wood for their losses, as well as pay a new militia to hold my lands until I can arrange for professional soldiers.  That really made this a lovely little war,” he sighed.  “Of course, your master may be a bit vexed at you, since you lost his means to pay his troops . . . but such are the fortunes of war.”

“Fortunes of war?” Sir Cullien said, his face bright red.  “Do you have any idea what you have done?”  His hand moved to his sword hilt, but Lance of Bune put his spear haft forcefully on the knight’s mailed shoulder.

“Need I remind you that you are under a flag of truce?” Lanse growled, meaningfully. The hand fell away from the belt.

“You . . . Arathanial put you up to this, didn’t he?” demanded Sir Cullien.  “This is one of
his
plots!”

“Oh, Baron Arathanial is entirely unaware of this.  As I was unaware one of my neighbors attacked one of my domains and had the temerity to send a message cowardly blaming the act on banditry,” I fibbed.  “It’s just
awful
how easy it is to be overtaken by events,isn’t it?” I added sorrowfully.

It was clear that we were not going to move from our position.  Sir Cullien looked from Lorcus to me and back again, and then spoke through gritted teeth.

“If there is nothing more I can say to you . . .
gentlemen
. . . then my men and I will now be leaving . . .
your
domain.”

“Good luck with Sire Trefalan,” called Lord Lorcus as the dispossessed lord turned and headed toward the rest of his men in the outer quarters.  “I hear he’s a forgiving soul.  Oh, and any of you knights who want to linger and swear fealty, just wait in the bailey.  I’ll have someone bring you wine while you wait, but I’ll be out directly to take your oaths and discuss your new duties . . . and properties.”  The old monk scowled on behalf of his stoic master, and even shook his little fist angrily at us before muttering his way out.

“That was
delightful!”
Lorcus sighed.  “A pleasure I did not anticipate having.  It’s one thing to steal a man’s livelihood and property.  It’s quite another to regard him from that property and have the satisfaction of telling him why you did it.  I can see why people want to be nobles.  This is fun!”

“This is one of the better days,” I warned him.  “You had the advantage of having the law on your side.”

“That’s probably the strangest thing of all, to me,” he mused, scratching his chin with his wand thoughtfully.  “I’d always thought I’d make my fortune on the other side of the law.”

“We’re as surprised as you,” assured Taren.

“That does beg the question what you’re going to do with it, now,” I pointed out.  “You will have to defend it.  Perhaps against Baron Arathanial, who will be vexed that you have stolen a jewel from his foe before he could.  Rolone is the second largest domain in Sashtalia, and it nearly bisects the confederation.  Should he prevail against Trefalan, you will have to answer to him.”

“Wouldn’t I appeal to my baron?” he asked, suddenly anxious.  “For arms, troops, and diplomatic intervention?”

“You’re my vassal in Amel Wood,” I reminded him.  “You captured Rolone on your own.  You have no idea how much work is ahead of you.  Cancelled contracts, property disputes, heirs fighting over their patrimony – I’m still sorting out the residue from conquering West Fleria.  It will be years before I get through it all. Now you get to share in the rare joy of countless arse-numbing hours behind the bench, dispensing justice and adjudicating claims,” I smiled.

“I . . .
what?”
Lorcus asked, his jaw dropping.

“How many estates in Rolone, Brother Irthine?”

“Twenty-two agricultural estates, five industrial estates, and two ecclesiastical estates, Excellency,” the young monk said promptly.

“That’s a lot of court cases that you’re looking at, Lord Lorcus.”  He was looking properly anxious.  The idea of hearing case after case in judgement, and then disposing of all of the other estates in his territory, hadn’t really occurred to him.  It
had
occurred to me.

“Oh, Ishi’s hairy mole!” he swore, running his fingers through his curly black hair.  “What sadistic hell have you damned me to, Min?”

“I do have a way for you to back out of this, in a way,” I proposed.  “If you swore fealty to me as the Lord of Rolone as a vassal, then you could turn your estates over to
me
for disposition.  As your baron, I’d take my share, but make sure you were handsomely rewarded for your service.  But that’s going to cost you.”

“What?” he demanded, suddenly looking pale. 

“We’ll get to that.  But I think we can—”

Master!
Dara called into my mind, all of a sudden.  I held up a finger to Lorcus and closed my eyes.

What is it, Dara?

Master, there’s something wrong,
she reported her voice worried. 
Those knights aren’t clearing away.

Don’t worry, Lorcus told them to wait for him.  He sent servants to bring them wine.

I know that, Master, but . . . well, they’re not sounding . . . happy. 

Most of them just lost their estates. Have Faithful keep an eye on them, and let me know if they actually look like they’re going to start trouble.  If they do, you grab Ruderal and get someplace safe, understood?

Yes, Master,
Dara agreed, impatiently
, but that’s not all.  Just how accurate is Ruderal’s Talent?

Pretty accurate, I’ve found.  Why?

Because he told me he saw something in some of the servants.  One in particular.

That got my attention. 
What?
I asked, alarmed.

He says that he’s seen her before.  He says she looks completely different, and is dressed different, but he swears it’s her.

Who?
I demanded.

He says he saw her at the Magical Fair, the day you bought him his hat,
she replied. 
He says she was with the lady you were talking with in the felter’s booth that day.

I thought back – I
had
spoken to Isily, I recalled.  Right before she . . . I tried to move past that. 
Who else had been there?
  She’d had four attendants, I suddenly remembered, but . . .

Ruderal says it was the brown-haired, brown-eyed girl.  She was there, and now she’s here, and he says her pattern is dangerous.  She means to do someone harm.  And she’s not alone.

Lady Mask.  It had to be.

Dara, grab Ruderal and get out of there!
I ordered
.  If you can, get to the roof and take Faithful out of here!