Madness in Solidar (14 page)

 

9

Alastar was at the Chateau D'Rex at a quint before eighth glass, but had to wait in the corridor until two quints past the glass before Ryen summoned him into the study, where he sat, broodingly, behind the wide desk, piled with stacks of papers, stacks that appeared to be the same ones Alastar had seen on his previous two visits.

“Good morning, sir.” Alastar checked his shields, in case Ryen became even more volatile than usual.

“It's not morning, except for those who lie in bed. It's midday. It will likely rain later.” Ryen smiled broadly. “I expect you to begin work on the new boulevard by next Lundi.”

“You have acquired the property or consent for that?”

“I have done everything necessary. Now, you must do what I order.”

“If we are to do it properly, I will need a map of which shops and dwellings we are to remove and a proclamation of your grant of authority to the Collegium.”

“You're questioning my word? How dare—”

“Sir, I'm not questioning your authority. But when we start to remove dwellings and shops, without an official document, we will face great anger, and people may even attack us. Then we will have to defend ourselves, and people will be hurt. That will take time, and you wish the avenue to be completed as soon as possible. Matters will go far more swiftly with a proclamation and a route set on a map … and notices to those along the route.”

Ryen glowered. Then he nodded. “I can see that. I don't like it, but I can see it. You will have the proclamation and map on Vendrei.”

“Thank you, sir. That will allow us time to prepare.”

“No more about the avenue. It will be called the Avenue D'Rex. How far have you gotten with the High Council?”

“I'm working on that. Just how great an increase in tariffs are you going to propose?”

“Are you planning to be my finance minister as well?”

“You want me to change the minds of High Holders. That's hard to do when I don't know what you want from them. None of them will agree in advance to anything you intend to implement without knowing what it is.”
Even knowing, they likely won't.

“There hasn't been a change in tariffs in fifteen years. My father had a Northern Army and a Southern Army. Now there's just one, and it's the size of the old Northern Army. The factors want warships to stop the pirates in the Southern Gulf. There aren't enough extra golds to build one ship, let alone a flotilla. The factors claim not all goods coming into port are tariffed, and cheaper goods from Jariola and even Ferrum are priced lower. I can't hire more port inspectors without golds…”

Alastar listened while Ryen went through a long list of needs, including some, such as refurbishment of the old palace in Solis—or what was left of it—that it would be better not to mention to anyone. When the rex finished, Alastar said, “That's quite a list. How great a tariff increase will that require?”

“Two more coppers for every five collected now. They won't accept that. I've let it be known that I'll accept one.”

“That's an increase of two parts in ten.”

“They can Namer well afford that after all these years of underpaying. Now you know. No more on that. Just get rid of their objections. Otherwise, what use is the Collegium?”

“We can build roads.”

“We'll see about that. Go.”

Alastar nodded politely, stepped back, and turned, making his way from Ryen's study.
At least he didn't ask about the sewers.
Yet.

Once he returned to Imagisle from a shielded position, Alastar observed Obsolym teaching the younger primes the history of Solidar and of the early years of the Collegium. The older Maitre knew both and presented the information well. After the instruction, he waited until the primes left, dropped his shields, and then said, “That was impressive and well-presented.”

Obsolym looked disconcerted for a moment, then smiled, “Thank you, Maitre. I do appreciate your taking the time to observe.”

“I would like to have done so earlier, but there has been a great deal to deal with.”

“I understand the rex has requested your presence often in the past few days. Has he said more about this avenue? You know that will create great anger among the crafters and factors.”

“I know that. I asked him for a regial proclamation declaring his intent and his ownership of the property we will have to raze. I told him that, without those, there would be unrest and possibly violence and that the work would be slowed. He was not happy, but he agreed to provide those.”

“They won't be enough.”

“They may not be,” Alastar agreed. “But we're in no position to refuse.”

“I fear you're right.” The old Maitre D'Structure shook his head. “He may bring down the High Holders, the factors, and the High Command on himself … and us.”

“I'm working on trying to obviate the worst possibilities.”

“The best of fortune in that,” replied Obsolym dryly.

“For all of us,” said Alastar with a smile, before turning and leaving the classroom. He still didn't totally trust Obsolym, but there was no secret about what Ryen wanted.

At a quint before first glass of the afternoon, Dareyn announced, “Factorius Elthyrd,” and then had to step out of the way as the head of the factors' council marched into the study.

Alastar rose. “Greetings, Factorius.”

“I had hoped that we would have been able to meet sooner, Maitre.”

The way Elthyrd offered Alastar's title was the second indication that the head of the factors' council was less than pleased, the first having been the frosty glance he had offered when he strode into the study. Alastar gestured to the chairs before the desk and said, “I would have liked that as well, but as head of the Collegium I do answer to the rex, and he insisted on my presence at the chateau this morning.”

“And what about yesterday?”

“I had already arranged meetings with members of the High Council. Had you requested a meeting first, then I would have given you the same courtesy.” Alastar reseated himself. “You didn't mention the reason why you wanted to meet.”

“That should be obvious, I would think, but since it is not as obvious to you as to all of L'Excelsis, apparently, I will be blunt. Might I ask why you took it upon yourself and the Collegium to disrupt a Solayi morning in order to repair sewers?”

“Because no one else was repairing them, and because the stench was affecting large parts of both L'Excelsis and Imagisle. It seemed the civic thing to do. We chose Solayi morning because there are far fewer wagons, coaches, and others using the East River Road then.”

“Then when might we expect you to repair the sewers along the Boulevard D'Este near Nordroad? Or perhaps those near Fedre and Sudroad?” Elthyrd practically glared.

“When might the Collegium expect reimbursement from the factors' council for undertaking what the council has not while the people of L'Excelsis have suffered?” countered Alastar. “And how much will you pay us to undertake those other repairs?”

Elthyrd's mouth opened, gaping like that of a fish out of water, and for several moments, no sound issued from his lips. “You … you think you should be paid for such … such an affront to the day of the Nameless and a disruption of a peaceful Solayi?”

“You would have been more greatly offended if we had closed off part of the East River Road during a time when factors and shopkeepers were actually using the avenue, and since one needs to see to make repairs, doing so at night was not practical. As for the Nameless, why would there be any objection to work that made L'Excelsis a better place?”

“You have answers for everything, but those answers are not acceptable to the council.”

“Why not?” asked Alastar, trying not to overreact, but wondering why the factor was so agitated. “We removed a source of stench and odor, and we did not disrupt business.”

“You disrespected the Nameless, and his chorister.”

“No disrespect was intended, Factorius Elthyrd. We were trying to remedy something that was making it hard for people to breathe.”

“You should have consulted the council first.”

Alastar forbore mentioning that Ryen had been “consulting” with the council for weeks, and that nothing had happened. “I likely should have, although I had not realized that resolving a problem would create such consternation. In my newness to L'Excelsis and my ignorance, I had actually thought people would be pleased to have a problem resolved.”

“Do not mock me or the council.”

Alastar sighed. “Master Factorius, I have not mocked anyone. I attempted to solve a problem no one else has addressed. I had no idea that repairing a stinking sewer ditch would upset anyone.”

“I can see that,” snorted Elthyrd. “The sewers are the province of the council, but the rex is supposed to provide stipends for the work. He did not do that. By repairing the most odious of the sewers, you have deprived the council of the leverage necessary to obtain not only the golds for repairing those sewers, but those for the others which require repairs.”

Alastar saw the conflict. Ryen was trying to use the sewers as another way to force the factors to support increased tariffs, and the factors were using public unrest to put pressure on Ryen for more golds. “I beg your pardon, Master Factor, but I would hope you would recall that I am new to L'Excelsis. While what you have just said makes a great deal clearer, it is not something that Rex Ryen would reveal to me. Yet you are angry at me for not knowing something I would have no way to know in such a short time, and something that I doubt my predecessor knew either.”

“That does not speak highly of either of you.”

Alastar forced himself not to lash out at the idiot factor. “Had this occurred a year from now, such a judgment would be deserved. It is premature under the current circumstances.”

“So what are you going to do, Maitre?”

“To consider what the Collegium can do to rectify the situation, after thinking it over and then consulting with you.”

“I hope it gets farther than consideration and thought. That was all Maitre Fhaen ever said.”

The time is past for that, unhappily.
“I will be in touch with you shortly.”

“I do hope so.” Elthyrd nodded brusquely. “Until later.” With that, he turned and left.

For a moment, Alastar stood there, somewhere between stunned and bemused at the thought that Elthyrd had no concept of what an imager maitre could do.
It's been far too long since the Collegium showed its power.

“Sir…?” Dareyn peered in through the study door that the factor had left open.

“Yes?”

“Factor Elthyrd left here looking … not very happy,” said Dareyn warily.

“‘Furious' might be a better word. He came in and attacked me and the Collegium for not consulting with the council, and for destroying the sanctity of Solayi. Do you have any idea why he emphasized the sanctity of Solayi?”

“It might be because his brother is Chorister Lytaarl.”

Alastar looked hard at Dareyn.

“Ah … I thought you knew, sir,” offered Dareyn.

“Exactly how would I know?” asked Alastar coolly. “I've never met Chorister Lytaarl, and I'd never heard his name before Iskhar mentioned his concerns on Lundi.” His voice softened. “Please remember that I did not grow up here in L'Excelsis. Names and acts that all of you know may be unknown to me. I'd rather be reminded of something I already know than blindsided by something I don't. Please keep that in mind, if you would.”

“Yes, sir. I'm sorry.”

“You don't have to be sorry. I shouldn't have been short with you, but please volunteer anything you think I should know.” After a moment, he asked, “Do you know anything about why the factors and the rex are squabbling over the sewers?”

Dareyn appeared puzzled by the question. “No, sir. Maitre Fhaen never mentioned it.”

“Thank you. I'll have to go meet with the factor again, but I don't know when yet.”

After he returned to his study, Alastar walked back and forth, thinking.
No one tells anyone anything, as if the withholding of knowledge conveyed power.
He paused.
And it does, if one considers that lack of knowledge will cause difficulties on the part of others. The problem is that one's enemies already have that knowledge, and those who suffer are the bystanders.

That wasn't the only problem he faced. Another problem was that the Collegium had done nothing of note for years to gain the respect or support of anyone. All that previous Maitres had done was to receive golds from the rex, occasionally support him, but mostly take young imagers and train them, but only to maintain the Collegium. That meant few either respected the Collegium or needed anything from it.

He took a deep breath.

Like it or not, he was going to have to meet with Elthyrd again, and not lose his temper, and offer to repair other sewers, suggesting that the reason for the lack of golds was the low level of tariffs.
And that will infuriate Ryen, especially if it slows building his avenue to the chateau.

There was also the potential problem of the army command and Marshal Demykalon, one that Alastar hadn't even begun to consider, let alone address, with the likelihood that there were more hidden pitfalls there as well.

 

10

On Jeudi morning, before Alastar left the Collegium to meet with Nacryon, he made his way to the northwest corner of the administration building where Obsolym presided over the archives. The older maitre looked up. “Good morning, Maitre. What brings you here?”

“You. You've been with the Collegium longer than any maitre. While we do not always see eye-to-eye on some matters, your knowledge and experience are most valuable. So I've come once more to ask you about something. What do you know about chief factor Elthyrd?”