Madness in Solidar (13 page)

Somehow, before Alastar knew it, he was riding north for his appointment with High Holder Haebyn, whose L'Excelsis residence was to the north-northeast and required almost a glass to reach. The two-level residence sprawled across a rise in the middle of a hunting park, at the end of a drive half a mille long. Alastar followed the footman, attired in a green so dark it was almost black, into the entry hall just as a chime struck the glass.

Good thing you allowed extra time.

When Alastar entered a comparatively small study, paneled in dark oak, Haebyn rose from a polished table desk, bare except for the single sheaf of papers that the High Holder laid carefully on the wood. “Greetings, Maitre Alastar.”

“The same to you, Councilor.” Alastar had not realized that Haebyn was young for a councilor, far younger than Alastar.

The High Holder gestured to the small circular table set before the window. “Would you care for something to drink?”

“If it wouldn't be too much trouble, a dark lager.”

Haebyn smiled warmly. “I think we can manage that.” He nodded toward the footman, who had remained standing in the study door. “A dark lager and my usual, Ferrik.”

The footman nodded in return, then departed, closing the study door.

Alastar let Haebyn move toward the chair on the left and moved to the other. They both seated themselves.

“Are you here on behalf of the Collegium … or the rex?” Haebyn's tone was diffident, as if it mattered little to him as to how Alastar replied.

“My first interest is always that of the Collegium.” Alastar smiled politely. “Obviously, the Collegium benefits when there is less conflict between the High Holders and the rex, or the factors and the rex, or the Collegium and the rex … or the High Holders and the Collegium.”

“It does not seem entirely coincidental that you have requested meetings with High Holder Guerdyn and me soon after Rex Ryen indicated he planned to impose additional tariffs.”

“No more coincidental than the fact that I've been Maitre for little more than a month and that this is the first opportunity I've had for such meetings.”

“What is the situation at the Collegium? There have been rumors…”

“There are always rumors. To which of them might you be referring?”

“There are so very many…”

Alastar nodded and waited.

At that moment, the study door opened, and a serving girl entered, with a tray on which were a beaker of dark lager and a goblet of a sparkling white wine. Wordlessly she placed a dark brown porcelain coaster on the table before each man and then set the goblet and then the beaker on the appropriate coaster, leaving as silently as she had come.

“To a better understanding between the Council and the Collegium.” Haebyn lifted his goblet.

Alastar had the feeling that the toast was as much command as toast, but merely lifted his beaker. “To understanding.” He took a sip of the lager, good, but not so good as that offered by Vaun. “Very good.”

“I'll take your word. Lager's never been to my taste.” After setting his goblet on the coaster, Haebyn cleared his throat. “What is the most interesting is that when Maitre Fhaen selected the second-ranking imager at Westisle as his successor, there was quiet objection until you arrived, and then an absence of opposition. That suggests you are more than you appear … although Maitre Zhelan had mentioned that you were gifted. That was some years ago.”

“You're obviously familiar with the Collegium in Westisle.”

Haebyn smiled disarmingly. “Not really. My father knew Maitre Zhelan from before. I met him as a younger man. He would have been the heir to Dueralt.”

“He was the eldest son of Souven D'Alte?”

Haebyn nodded. “Souven the elder, the Nameless bless his passing, had three sons, but I think Zhelan would have made an excellent steward of Dueralt.”

“Maitre Zhelan has been most effective in restoring the effectiveness of the Collegium in Westisle. I learned a great deal from him.”

“It's interesting,” mused Haebyn. “An imager with no background, no education before the Collegium, and no … acquaintances in L'Excelsis appears to have calmed the waters by his mere appearance. The only one who appears not to have been calmed is the rex.”

“I'm under the impression that he is not the type to be easily calmed.”

Haebyn laughed softly. “Such understatement.”

“He is rather firm in his beliefs about what should be done.”

“As is the Council … about what should and should not be done.”

“That was certainly the impression I received from High Holder Guerdyn.” Alastar thought he detected a slight reaction from Haebyn, but what exactly that meant he had no idea.

“He would know better than I.”

“He's been head of the High Council for two years?”

“Two and a half.”

“He was raised close to L'Excelsis, I assume, since his holding is near. Do you think that provides an advantage to the High Council?”

Haebyn considered the question before replying. “The advantage is that he has been exposed to more of what occurs here. That could also be seen as a disadvantage.”

“He doesn't seem exactly enthralled with the rex.”

“Is anyone with a modicum of intelligence? As short a time as you have been here … what do you think?”

“I worry that he is perhaps too precipitate in deciding.”
And that is a great understatement.

“Pleasantly and politically said. I suppose that is necessary, given that the Collegium is, shall we say, beholden to the rex.”

“Financially, that is so, especially since the factors and the guilds tend to frown on imagers attempting to create anything that might infringe on their perquisites.”

“You must have considered that, to say so that openly.”

“It is what is. We are looking into ways to reduce that dependency in a fashion designed not to create difficulties.”

“You do not think that might create other difficulties?”

“There are always difficulties. If there is no rain, crops die in the fields. If there is too much, they rot before harvest. If the weather is perfect, the harvests are so plentiful that the growers make less. If tariffs are too low, Solidar becomes weak. If they are too high, people suffer. If the rex is strong, everyone complains. If he is weak, the land suffers, and people still complain.”

“How do higher tariffs do anything but weaken Solidar?” demanded Haebyn.

“If the tariffs are spent wisely, on better roads or harbors, or on port inspectors to make sure foreign shippers pay their tariffs, or on ships to stop smugglers, Solidar benefits. Even if some are spent on wines or fine furniture for the rex, vintners and cabinetmakers benefit.”

“Those who pay the tariffs might feel otherwise, Maitre.”

“That is true. It's the nature of ruling that those who pay tariffs do not believe they receive value for their golds. That is because they do not reckon what additional expenses they would incur.”

“The Collegium receives golds from those tariffs. What benefits does it provide?”

“It saves the lives of people who would otherwise die or live miserably. In turn, they create roads. They balance the power of those who would abuse it. The Collegium has often served as a check on the power of the rex, and such a restraint is far less costly than a revolt against him. The Collegium has built walls against rivers to reduce floods, and most recently, we have repaired a rather grievous break in the sewers in L'Excelsis. We also buy goods from factors and High Holders and crafters.”

Haebyn nodded. “It might be said the benefits are sparse, given the costs.”

“In this year, perhaps, but what about three years ago, when the river walls kept the worst of the flooding from L'Excelsis. Or when five imagers put down the Solian revolt and spared the lives of tens of thousands. Only a man excessively concerned about today's coins reckons his losses and benefits in single year … or even a few.”

“But a man may lose all in a year.”

“Only a fool or an imprudent man loses all in a year, and if he does, it is the result of years of foolishness come due.”

“The same could be said of a rex.”

“It could,” admitted Alastar, “but it might be better to guide such foolish rulers than undertake acts that result in deaths and devastation.”

“And who might take responsibility for such guidance, so that it might be heeded?” Haebyn's tone held an edge of skepticism, and possibly scorn.

Alastar smiled pleasantly. “Who indeed?”

“Is that a veiled promise, Maitre?”

“I can only promise that the Collegium will not stand by idly if Solidar is threatened, or if the order that has protected generations of imagers is threatened.”

“What has that to do with tariffs?”

“Everything has to do with tariffs,” replied Alastar, “as we both know.”

“The rex has let it be known that he wishes to increase tariffs by a copper on a half silver. That would be ruinous.”

Alastar managed to keep his mouth shut.
An increase of one part in five? That would be ruinous … and insanely stupid.
“What increase would not be ruinous?”

“A copper on a gold would be the most any would consider reasonable in these times, and many would find that excessive.”

One part in a hundred? Equally ruinous from Ryen's point … and likely the Collegium's.
“Until this moment, I was not aware of either the scope of the rex's proposal or of the likely feeling of the High Council.”

“That should surprise me. It does not, unhappily.” Haebyn shrugged. “You might see why the Council is skeptical of what the rex wants.”

“I can see both sides on this matter. I have heard that there has not been an increase in tariffs for a good ten years. Did I hear that correctly?” Alastar suspected it had been longer than that, but didn't know.

“Why should there be an increase?”

“With more people and more repairs needed for both the roads and the army, with more ships needed against pirates, more tariffs are required.”

“The factors are the ones who demand more ships.”

“High Holder Guerdyn seems to think that the same tariff levels need to apply to both factors and High Holders.” Alastar was stretching things, but wanted a reaction.

The hint of a frown appeared on Haebyn's face and then vanished. “I thought imagers could create coins.”

For a moment, Alastar wondered from where that statement had come, before realizing it was Haebyn's way of avoiding more talk on the issue of tariffs. “Only a limited number, and only if an imager is near a place where the proper ores are in the ground.” That wasn't precisely true, but Alastar didn't want to get into details. “Otherwise, no rex or Maitre would ever have had need of tariffs.”

“That is a pity.”

“It is what it is, alas,” agreed Alastar with a slight laugh. “As are so many things.” He took another swallow of the dark lager.

Haebyn smiled. “I will not keep you longer. I do appreciate your seeking to meet all the members of the Council.” He shifted his weight in the chair as if to indicate he was about to rise.

“I appreciate your seeing me. Your words have given me food for thought.”

“I trust that this will not be the last time we meet.” Haebyn stood.

“I would hope not.” Alastar smiled pleasantly and also rose from the table.

Once he had left Haebyn's L'Excelsis dwelling and was riding back toward the Collegium, Alastar went over the conversation. What he found most interesting was that Ryen had proposed such a massive increase in tariff levels as if it were the most reasonable idea, and that Haebyn had clearly been startled by Guerdyn's insistence on the same tariff level for both factors and High Holders. Alastar thought Guerdyn was right, and he wondered if Haebyn had considered the unrest that would follow if Ryen proposed a higher tariff for factors.

You'll have to see what Nacryon says … or doesn't.

Dareyn was waiting when Alastar returned to Imagisle and entered the anteroom to his study, but did not speak immediately.

“What's happened in my absence?” asked Alastar. “You have that worried look.”

“The rex wishes to see you tomorrow at eighth glass. I already sent a message to Factor Elthyrd. He was amenable to coming at the first glass of the afternoon.”

Likely not happy, but amenable.
“Anything else?”

“You have an appointment with High Holder Nacryon on Jeudi morning at ninth glass and with High Holder Moeryn that same afternoon, at third glass. I've rescheduled some of your meetings with students.”

Which are going to take longer than you thought with everything else that's happening.
“Just work them in as you can.”

“That paper you gave me … It's better than what we've been using.”

“Keep using it, and let me know. It's less expensive, and if it works out, we could save more than a few golds.”

“I will, sir.”

What else could we image of a common nature…?
wondered Alastar as he entered his study, not quite groaning as he saw the master ledger.

Later, after eating his evening meal in the dining hall—mutton cutlets and boiled sliced potatoes drowned in brown gravy—he returned to his dwelling and the private study there, where he just sat behind the desk, thinking.
How on Terahnar did you end up here, the only person in a mansion that could easily house a score or more?
Even with his comparatively few needs, the dwelling still required a full-time maid and a gardener, not to mention occasional repairs.
And you feel guilty …

Thealia would have laughed, but even then her laugh would have had an edge, something he had realized in the years since her untimely death. Alastar was still pondering over that—and everything else—when he finally fell asleep in the stillness of the spacious bedroom in the Maitre's dwelling.