By Heresies Distressed (87 page)

Neither Anvil Rock nor Tartarian said anything, but he thought he saw the memory of their own conversation replaying itself somewhere behind their eyes. And he saw their faces stiffen—especially Anvil Rock's—at his mention of the Group of Four.

That's an implication he doesn't want to think about
, Cayleb told himself.
From Tartarian's expression, though, it's one he's already
been
thinking about
.

“Corisande has been Charis' enemy for the better part of thirty years, My Lords,” he continued. “While I realize you and I are inevitably going to have different perspectives on that enmity, I believe simple honesty would compel you to admit that up until my own current . . . visit to Corisande, virtually all of the aggression in our relationship originated in Manchyr, not in Tellesberg. I have no wish or desire to debate the causes for that, or to allocate blame. What I
do
desire, however, and what I intend to accomplish, is to put an end to the danger to Charis which Corisande represents. And, gentlemen, I intend to put an end to it
forever
.”

His voice was darker, harder, with the final sentence, and he let silence linger for several heartbeats before he resumed.

“I see no need for any of us to recapitulate all that's happened since the Group of Four offered to finance and broker Prince Hektor's attack on Charis. I know, however, and I'm sure both of you recognize, that Clyntahn and Trynair never saw Hektor as anything more than a knife they might use to cut Charis' throat. I assure you, if Corisande had, indeed, been able to take Charis' place as a mercantile power, or build a true Corisandian Empire, as Hektor wished, the Group of Four would eventually have meted out the same fate to Corisande. Corrupt men don't change, and in their eyes, it would have been a simple matter of one threat to their power being replaced by another.

“What never occurred to the Group of Four was that their plan to destroy Charis might not succeed. Unfortunately for them, it didn't, and the nature of the threat we represent to their power changed drastically as a result. If we survive, we prove that someone can defy the greed and demands of venal men who abuse the authority of God, and because that's true, they have no choice but to destroy us utterly. They may cloak that fact in the rhetoric of religion and appeal passionately to the will of the God Whose laws they violate every day, but it remains true. And because it does, I cannot permit Corisande to be used as a weapon against us yet again.

“I tell you this at the outset because I refuse to attempt to deceive you. Corisande, whether willingly or not,
will
become part of the Charisian Empire. I can neither permit nor settle for anything short of that, for reasons which must be obvious to both of you. What remains to be settled are the conditions and circumstances under which that will be accomplished. Obviously, the two of you want to obtain the best possible terms for Prince Hektor's subjects. Equally obviously, I have no desire to find myself embroiled in an unending succession of local rebellions against the imperial authority here in Corisande. From the perspective of self-interest, if nothing else, then, it behooves me to impose the least punitive terms I can while providing sufficient security for Corisande's incorporation into the Empire. That, by the way, is probably the most compelling single reason why I would have avoided assassinating Prince Hektor. To be honest, I had no intention of leaving him on his throne, for several reasons, but his death, especially the circumstances under which he was killed, is inevitably going to provide a natural rallying point for the very rebellions and resistance I most want to avoid.”

His reasonable tone was having an effect, he saw. Neither Anvil Rock nor Tartarian could have liked what they were hearing, but it was obvious that they'd expected a much harsher attitude out of him.

“From both of our perspectives, the perfectly understandable anger Prince Hektor's murder is going to provoke is an unfortunate thing,” he continued. “The fact that I recognize the justification it provides for potential resistance to Charisian authority also means I must insist upon terms which are going to be more severe and restrictive than might otherwise have been the case. Resistance would always have been likely; now, unfortunately, I suspect that it's inevitable, and that it may well be both more severe and more widespread than it would have been otherwise. That being the case, I have no choice but to take steps which will permit me to deal with it when it arises.

“That will have consequences for you, individually, and for Corisande's nobility and commoners, alike. I regret that, but I can't change it. I also recognize the . . . precarious position in which the two of you find yourselves, the potential for factional warfare in the event of a contested succession, and all of the other intensely destabilizing consequences Prince Hektor's murder has created. Undoubtedly, the terms the two of you can accept and, even more importantly, convince or compel the other great nobles of Corisande to accept, are also going to be affected by the assassination. I recognize that, as well, and I will bear it in mind in any discussions between us. Nonetheless, any terms at which we may finally arrive will be
my
terms. I can settle for nothing less, and to be brutally frank, your military position entitles you to demand nothing more.”

He paused once again, allowing his words to settle fully, then leaned back in his own chair, still regarding them across the table.

“There's a reason I'm speaking with you directly, without bevies of advisers and without screens of ambassadors. I want there to be no misunderstandings, no gray areas. And I want you to know, and to be able to tell anyone who asks, that you spoke directly to me. That whatever terms are ultimately offered to Corisande
are
my terms. That if I will accept nothing less, I also will demand nothing more after the fact.”

“I appreciate your candor, Your Majesty,” Anvil Rock said after a moment. “I won't pretend I've enjoyed hearing everything you had to say, because I haven't. Nor, while I can understand and appreciate your position, do I feel any great temptation to sacrifice Corisande's interests, or those of Prince Daivyn, to those of Charis. Nonetheless, I can't dispute your analysis of the current military situation, either. And whether or not you were involved in Prince Hektor and Crown Prince Hektor's murders, your analysis of the internal consequences to the Princedom closely parallels Earl Tartarian's and my own view of them. Neither of us wants a situation in which armed resistance to Charisian rule, or even conflict between our own internal factions, results in punitive Charisian measures against Prince Daivyn's subjects.”

He'd watched Cayleb's expression carefully while he spoke, and now the emperor smiled slightly.

“I notice that you just referred to ‘Prince Daivyn,' My Lord,” he observed.

“He is Prince Hektor's legitimate heir,” Anvil Rock pointed out.

“True,” Cayleb agreed. “Unfortunately, he isn't in the Princedom at the moment, is he?”

Both Corisandian earls stiffened, and Cayleb shrugged.

“I realize that isn't common knowledge, even in the Palace, gentlemen. Nonetheless, my agents and I have become aware of his absence, and of the absence of Princess Irys. In fact, I rather think one of my cruisers came very close to snapping the two of them up. Tell me, am I correct in suspecting that the Harchongese galleon
Wing
, which, for some peculiar reason, was carrying a cargo of Charisian farm equipment from Charis to Shwei right through the middle of our blockade of Corisande, was actually carrying a rather more valuable cargo at the same time?”

This time, the Corisandians' alarm was obvious, and Cayleb shook his head.

“My Lords, while it pains me to admit that my Navy isn't actually infallible, this time, your efforts succeeded quite nicely, and we sent
Wing
on her way with our blessing.” He grimaced, but there was a slight twinkle in his eyes, as well. “Certain of my other sources have confirmed Princess Irys' and Prince Daivyn's absence from Corisande, however, and an examination of the report from
Dawn Star
's captain indicates the presence of three passengers aboard the mysterious
Wing
. I also note Earl Coris' absence from our meeting today, and I rather doubt the two of you would have simply absent-mindedly left him behind. And, finally, if I'd been Prince Hektor and I'd decided to send my daughter and my younger son to safety, I can think of very few of my councilors to whom I would have felt comfortable entrusting them. In fact, I can think of only three or four, and two of them are sitting on your side of the table this morning. That suggests to my powerful intellect that the ‘merchant factor' and his two children shown on
Wing
's manifest were, in fact, Earl Coris, Princess Irys, and Prince Daivyn.”

Tartarian and Anvil Rock looked at one another. Then Tartarian turned back to Cayleb.

“Since there's no point in pretending otherwise, in the long run, I suppose we may as well admit that you're correct, Your Majesty.”

“I thought as much.” Cayleb nodded. “And, in answer to the question you haven't asked, My Lord, I would assume all three of them reached their destination safely. Obviously, no one can guarantee the vagaries of wind or weather—you, as an admiral, will know that as well as I do—but your little ruse completely fooled the only one of my cruisers to actually intercept
Wing
, for which I compliment you. Although it does rather complicate both of our problems at the moment, doesn't it?”

In fact, Cayleb knew that Irys and Daivyn had reached Shwei Bay without further incident.

“I believe you could say it does represent at least a
slight
complication,” Tartarian replied wryly.

“It could hardly be otherwise,” Cayleb agreed. “And from your choice of words, My Lord,” he looked at Anvil Rock, “it seems evident you and Earl Tartarian—and, I would assume, the Council—have agreed to acknowledge Daivyn as Prince of Corisande, despite his absence. And despite any other potential contenders for the crown.”

“We have,” Anvil Rock said shortly.

“I think that was probably your wisest choice, under the circumstances,” Cayleb said. “On the other hand, it will undoubtedly create several difficulties. I'll be frank, My Lords—given Charis' relations with Corisande over the years, the notion of leaving any member of Prince Hektor's house on the Corisandian throne, even as a vassal of the Charisian Empire, scarcely appeals to me. The notion of having the heir to the throne outside the Princedom and—forgive me, but we all know this is true—in a position to be used as a tool against Charis by our enemies is even less attractive.”

“However attractive or unattractive it may be, Your Majesty, Earl Tartarian and I have neither the right nor the desire to depose our legitimate prince.”

“And I see you intend to be stubborn about that.” Cayleb's brief smile deprived his words of most of their sting.

“We do, Your Majesty,” Anvil Rock replied unflinchingly.

“This may surprise you, My Lord, but I not only respect your integrity, but in many ways, I agree with your decision, as well.”

Despite himself, Anvil Rock's eyebrows rose slightly, and Cayleb chuckled harshly.

“Don't mistake me, My Lord. Agreeing with you isn't the same thing as liking the situation. Nonetheless, creating a succession dispute would serve neither of us at this time. Which means I'm prepared to recognize young Daivyn as Corisande's legitimate prince, and as Duke of Manchyr.”

Both Corisandians' body language seemed to relax slightly, but Cayleb wasn't quite finished yet.

“Precisely what will ultimately become of Daivyn's claim to the crown remains to be seen. If he wishes to retain it—or, for that matter, his duchy—he will be required to swear fealty to me and to Empress Sharleyan, which will also hold true for every other member of the Corisandian nobility. And I will not confirm him in any of his dignities so long as he stands upon any other realm's soil. I won't
deprive
him of them, but neither will I confirm them until I can be certain he's his own man and not under the control of anyone else. Until such time as I can be certain of that, his duchy will be administered for him by someone of my own choice. I would prefer for that someone to be a Corisandian, rather than a foreigner imposed upon Manchyr, and I would appreciate your suggestions for an appropriate steward.”

Anvil Rock and Tartarian looked at one another again. Neither of them spoke, however, and they turned back to Cayleb.

“What, precisely, do you require of Corisande, Your Majesty?” Anvil Rock asked bluntly.

“I think I've already laid out my essential points, My Lord. Specifically, I will require that Corisande acknowledge Charisian sovereignty, and that all members of the Corisandian nobility swear fealty, individually, to the Charisian Crown. I will require the cooperation of your own Parliament and your own law masters in integrating Corisandian and Charisian law. I will require formal Corisandian recognition of the dissolution of the League of Corisande, and recognition of Zebediah's already-accomplished permanent integration into the Empire as a separate province. I will appoint a governor for Corisande, acting in the names of myself and Empress Sharleyan and supported by a Charisian garrison. All Corisandian warships will be surrendered and integrated into the Imperial Charisian Navy, and all Corisandian army units will be disbanded. And I will insist, for reasons I'm sure you'll both understand, upon severely limiting the number of armed retainers any Corisandian noble is permitted to retain.”

The Corisandians' faces had tightened again while he spoke, but he continued in that same calm, measured tone.

“In return, I will guarantee the protection of the persons and property of Corisandian subjects. There will be no general seizure of private property, and the property of the Crown will be respected, although it will also be integrated into the imperial structure. All of the rights of Charisian subjects will be extended to any Corisandian who swears fealty and faith to the Empire, and Corisandians will be permitted to serve in the Charisian military, if they so desire.”