Princeps: A Novel in the Imager Portfolio (47 page)

“I need to see whether he is merely sleazy, or whether he is worse. What he tells you will tell me.”

“I can do that.”

“Good. But … we do need to know when and where you will meet.”

“I will let you know if he contacts me.”

“Thank you.” Quaeryt smiled. “Now … if you ladies will excuse me.” The form of address to both of them was doubtless improper, because Shenna, as an unmarried daughter of a factor, was not technically a lady, but within the confines of the residence, that scarcely mattered. He hurried out to the stable.

Even so, because of the meeting with Shenna, Quaeryt did not get to the post until close to two quints past seventh glass.

He immediately checked to see if any dispatches from Bhayar—or Solis—had arrived. None had. Nor were there any other missives or messages for him, and he went to check with Skarpa to see how matters were coming with Third Regiment.

Both Skarpa and Zhrensyl were in the post commander’s study.

“Good morning, Commanders.”

“Good morning, sir,” replied both officers, although Zhrensyl was a fraction later in responding.

Quaeryt looked harder at the older commander, who appeared both flushed and pale. “Are you all right, Commander?”

“I must confess that I have had better days and weeks.”

“Commander Zhrensyl and I have been talking, sir.”

“It’s nothing,” said Zhrensyl.

“He has but five months left on his last tour before he can take a full stipend, but he also has almost three months in unused leave.”

Quaeryt understood immediately. If Skarpa had decided to bring up the matter, it meant that Zhrensyl was ill indeed, perhaps failing, and for him to remain in his position would not be best for either him or the post, especially after Skarpa left.

“You’re suggesting a month or so of sick leave, followed by his unused leave?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I can certainly recommend that to Lord Bhayar.”

“You two are treating me like an invalid.”

“No,” replied Quaeryt. “Like an officer who has served long and faithfully, and who should not have to suffer over a month or so of forced duty. You could take the stipend in less than two months anyway.”

“I can still…”

“You can, Commander,” Quaeryt agreed, “but that wouldn’t be right. You’ll still be post commander until your stipend date, but we’ll work out a partial delegation of duties as you see fit. That way, you can decide what you can devote full energy to, and what others should do.”

Zhrensyl offered a wan smile. “You’re most kind, Governor, Commander Skarpa. I have worried.”

“You don’t have to worry any longer.”

“This has not been one of my better days.” The older commander stood up slowly, and Quaeryt could see the effort, and that his hands were trembling. “If you two will excuse me…”

“Of course.”

Neither Quaeryt nor Skarpa said anything until several moments after the study door closed.

“I worry about him, sir.”

“So do I, but what else can we do?” Quaeryt wondered if Zhrensyl would even live to see his stipend date. “Who would you suggest to take over most of his duties?”

“Major Heireg. The position here is really for support of the governor, and he’s diligent and hardworking.”

“And he’s already handling many of those duties, it would appear.”

“From what I’ve seen.” Skarpa nodded.

“Have you seen Dhaeryn this morning?” asked Quaeryt.

“He’s in the post engineer’s workshop. Or he was.”

“I need to talk to him. Then I’ll talk to Heireg. Is there anything you think I should tell him?”

“You might say that Zhrensyl has been ill, and since he will be leaving service, that you’d like Heireg to handle a few more things, as necessary.”

“Thank you. I need to talk to Major Dhaeryn while he’s still at the post.” With that, Quaeryt turned and made his way from the room and then across the courtyard.

As Skarpa had indicated, Dhaeryn was in the small engineering workroom. Both Dhaeryn and Captain Ghaelt, the post engineer, were examining what looked to be two curved lengths of iron, connected at both ends.

“… put weight here, and if the wheels jolt…” Ghaelt broke off and looked up. “Governor, sir.”

“I’d like just a moment with Major Dhaeryn.”

“Of course, sir.” Ghaelt nodded and stepped out of the workroom.

Quaeryt wanted to say that the captain didn’t have to leave, but the junior officer was gone before he could get the words out.

“What do you need, sir?” asked Dhaeryn.

“If you have time, Major, I’d like you to look through Extela and see if there is somewhere suitable for a governor’s building, not a square, but a place where we can either modify an existing building or build one that will hold a justicing hall, and chambers for tariff collectors, clerks, and various functionaries.”

“Sir…”

“I know. You won’t be here long enough even to begin such a project, but I trust your judgment, and that will give me some place to start. If you could include Captain Ghaelt…”

“Yes, sir.” The look on the major’s face suggested that Ghaelt was better for the assignment.

“I want both of you,” Quaeryt went on, “because you have no preconceptions and because he’ll have to carry it out.”

“I’ve noted that the captain has few preconceptions, sir.” Dhaeryn pointed to the iron sections on the workbench. “He comes up with ideas that seem very original.”

“Excellent.” Quaeryt image-projected approval. “That’s all I had.”

From the engineering workroom, Quaeryt walked back into the courtyard and then across to the supply major’s study, opening the door with a cheerful, “Good morning, Heireg.”

“Good morning, sir.”

“I met with Commander Zhrensyl earlier this morning…”

“Yes, sir. He stopped by to tell me that he’ll be taking some sick leave … and that you might be asking me to take over some duties…”

“I suspect you’ve already been dealing with some of them.”

A crooked smile appeared on Heireg’s face. “As I could, sir, without … causing any disruptions.”

Quaeryt nodded. “We’ll make it more official. I’d like to hear your thoughts about how we should handle this…” As he spoke he could see what he thought was relief on the major’s face. He forced himself to concentrate on Heireg, although he couldn’t help but worry about needing to talk to Siemprit’s junior chorister … and to work out a homily for Solayi evening.

Again, after he left Heireg, details and more details piled up through the day, from the handful of women in tattered clothes who appeared outside the post, begging for flour—to which he acquiesced, if with the statement that such disbursement would be the last free flour—to a handful of missives from various advocates touting their credentials to be appointed as high or low justicer. After the hearing over the water business, he’d go over the names with Aextyl.

In the end, he didn’t get back to the villa until close to fourth glass of the afternoon.
And this was on a Samedi,
he reflected, as he dismounted outside the villa’s stable.

Vaelora walked down to meet him.

“What is it?”

“Lysienk did not waste much time.”

“Shenna heard from him?”

“Indirectly. Less than a glass after you left, one of his minions appeared. She is to meet with Lysienk himself on Meredi, most properly, here in the villa,” said Vaelora, “after you leave that morning, around seventh glass.”

Quaeryt nodded. “That will require a little arranging, but I can manage it.”

Vaelora looked puzzled.

“I’ll need to get back here without being seen, and without my escort wanting to come with me.” He offered a crooked smile. “Some of the things that were the easiest when I was a simple scholar have become more difficult now that I’m a governor.”

“You were never a simple scholar.”

“One to whom few paid any attention, then.”

“Some of us did.” Vaelora smiled broadly.

“For which I am most grateful.” And he was, even with all the complications entailed in wedding the sister of the Lord of Telaryn.

48

Thankfully, Samedi evening and Solayi were uneventful. They were not without effort, not once Vaelora decided to try several different arrangements of furniture in the master suite on Solayi, and then, after a brief respite, in the receiving parlor.

Quaeryt also listened, commenting appropriately, as Vaelora talked once more about the lack of social invitations. He had to admit, if only to himself, that she might well be right, although he couldn’t understand why. He’d seen and read about the excesses perpetrated by other governors, and his attempts at rebuilding, reform, and reducing corruption seemed comparatively mild, almost harmless, by comparison … and he couldn’t believe that factors and High Holders would snub the Lord of Telaryn’s sister for marrying a mere scholar … would they?

Yet … if that were the reason, that suggested that he needed to find a way to implement his plans for improving the situation for scholars and imagers. All that would have to wait, of course, until he managed to get Extela back to a better semblance of order.

On Solayi evening, he managed a homily about vanity, and the fact that vanity was not merely about appearance and trappings, but about attitude … and some of the officers and rankers actually nodded in agreement.

He left the villa early on Lundi morning, and the first thing he did upon reaching the post and stabling the mare was to arrange with Heireg to have a wagon pick up Justicer Aextyl early on Mardi with a pair of rankers for an escort to the Civic Patrol station. The second thing he did was to check with the duty desk to see if any dispatches had arrived. None had. That bothered him almost as much as if Bhayar had sent orders for Third Regiment to move out immediately.

Why?
he wondered, but he couldn’t answer his own question.

After that, he went from one task to another. He read several letters from young men who wanted to be clerks for the governor, and kept them for future use, because, before long, he was going to need more clerks, except at the moment he had no place for them to work, although that would change when Third Regiment left. He read through the schedule of Mardi’s hearings and the written report Pharyl had left for him. At the end of the report were a few lines about Factor Andryt noting that the factor had possessed a solid reputation for honesty and quality, if a certain stubbornness, and that Pharyl would pursue other inquiries as possible.

Especially in that light, Quaeryt couldn’t help but worry about Shenna’s meeting with Lysienk, but there was nothing he could do about that until Meredi. He also wondered when he’d hear from Dhaeryn on possible locations for a building that would house all the clerks and functions he needed to direct as governor. He pushed those thoughts away and began to reread the recommendation Aextyl had drafted in response to Caesyt’s petition. After a time, he began to write what he would say at the hearing. All in all, he was busy until he reached the villa late that afternoon … when he ended up moving recently delivered furniture in the salon, since Vaelora wanted to try several arrangements.

Mardi morning he left for the post early because he wanted to make sure that the wagon got off to pick up Aextyl, but Heireg had just sent it and two troopers off when Quaeryt rode through the post gates.

With that in hand, Quaeryt went to meet with Skarpa, and then with Dhaeryn, before returning to the courtyard almost two quints later. He mounted and rode out and down the avenue, and then to the Civic Patrol station, where he waited for about a quint until the wagon carrying Aextyl arrived.

He dismounted, handed the mare’s reins to the nearer ranker, and walked to the wagon as it pulled up. “Greetings, Justicer.”

“Good morning, Governor.”

Quaeryt extended a hand to help Aextyl down, then looked to the ranker teamster. “Shastyn, Justicer Aextyl should not be that long. I would judge it will be less than a glass, and I would appreciate your waiting nearby for him.”

“Yes, sir.”

Quaeryt and Aextyl walked from the wagon into the patrol station, past the receiving desk and the duty patroller and into the corridor behind the desk, where Pharyl hurried from his study to meet them.

“Chief Pharyl, this is former high justicer Aextyl. As I mentioned before, he will be assisting me in matters of the law this morning in the first hearing.” While Quaeryt had earlier told Pharyl, he repeated the information so that anyone who might overhear understood, as well as reminding the chief.

“I’m pleased to meet you, Justicer.”

“Thank you.”

“Could we borrow your study until the hearing begins, Chief?” asked Quaeryt.

“Of course, sir.”

Once inside the small study, Quaeryt had Aextyl sit down immediately, then handed him what he had drafted the day before. “Is this the proper way to introduce this?”

The old justicer took the sheet and read through it. “That’s acceptable. I would strike the phrase ‘who must be a High Holder.’ The high justicer always is, for the reasons we discussed earlier, and that wording is unnecessary.”

After that, Aextyl made several other small corrections.

“Is there anything else I should be worried about?”

“There are a number of motions he could make, but we don’t have time to discuss them all. Besides, you’d likely get confused. At times, I got confused.”

While Aextyl’s remark was light and meant to be humorous, Quaeryt still worried. He wasn’t a justicer, and he definitely needed to find one he could trust to be honest and impartial.

After another quint, Pharyl rapped on the door, and Quaeryt and Aextyl walked into the chamber and to the dais. As he and Aextyl seated themselves behind the simple table desk, Quaeryt glanced toward Caesyt, whose face had registered a momentary frown, followed by an impartial expression.

Quaeryt picked up the sheet he had drafted the day before, the one Aextyl had corrected, and began to read. “The justicing hearing in the city of Extela, the province of Montagne, will commence. I am Governor Quaeryt, acting as justicer. The first hearing is the petition of Holders Yepryl, Huslup, and Graustyrk versus High Holder Aramyn in the matter of the use of the waters of Minawa Creek.” He looked up. “Who represents the petitioners?”