Varna Ch. 06

VARNA Chapter 6

- "The Grand Duke is not well." said Tir Storum.

He was speaking to my brothers, my sisters, and me, summoned to what we thought would be a meeting with our father.

- "He's sick?" asked Nathal.

- "Temporarily unwell." said Storum, brushing his fingers through his luxurious mustache. "Be assured, he is receiving the best care available."

- "Can we see him?" asked Aludar.

- "No." said the Commander of the Guard - and apparently now the Controller of access to my father. "But he has left written instructions. New duties for you, until he is well enough to take them up again. Lord Aludar, you are to substitute for the Duke in his audience chamber. You will hear petitions, answer correspondence, and administer the Palace staff."

Aludar nodded. He was well-suited to carry out those tasks.

"Lord Merik, you are to command the Guard - under my supervision, of course - and lead their training."

Merik didn't seem too unhappy with his lot. I thought that he might resent being 'supervised', but apparently he did not. Training with the soldiers was something that he already did - daily.

"Lord Nathal, there are two visiting Gerdars. You are to receive them, and take them on a tour of the city. You are enjoined to hear their concerns, and then report them to Lord Aludar. You are not to promise any redress or action on the part of the Duke."

- "Understood." said my brother, with a grin. Wining and dining, charming the visitors - these were things he could do in his sleep. Aludar was frowning, though: surely listening to the Gerdars' concerns could have come under the heading of 'hearing petitions'.

- "Lord Tauma." continued Tir Storum. He looked down, and read directly from a parchment in his hand. "You are to undertake an immediate inventory of all Ducal granaries, armouries, cellars and storehouses. The Duke directs you to be as thorough as possible."

Merik was grinning. Nathal laughed out loud. One would be training with the soldiers while the other spent his time eating, drinking and chatting. Meanwhile, I would be stuck counting sacks of grain, bottles of wines, arrows and spears.

Sanatha was not given a task. I'm not sure if she had expected one. Toran was to 'assist' Aludar, or any brother who required his assistance. Since Father had not simply assigned him to help me (the only one who might conceivably have a use for an assistant), I took that to mean that I was not to call on Toran without a very good reason.

- "Dismissed." said Tir Storum.

Aludar instantly bristled. "With all due respect, Tir Storum," he said, "it is not the place of any Tir to dismiss the sons of the Grand Duke."

- "Your pardon, Lord." said Storum. "I was merely reading your father's instructions."

Merik and Nathal left in high spirits. Aludar was still simmering.

- "Don't look so glum, Tauma." laughed Merik. "You're pretty good at counting things, and arithmetic and such. This should be easy for you."

Nathal didn't add his own jest, but the smile on his face strongly suggested that he was thinking of one. He went off with Merik, who was still laughing.

- "I'm sorry." said Sanatha.

- "Not your fault. At least I was given something to do. He could have found a task for you."

Sanatha shrugged. She could pretend that she didn't care, but I knew her better than that; she loved having a full day ahead of her.

"You know - I could use some help." I said.

- "Really?"

- "Do you have any idea how much there is in the storehouses?"

- "No."

- "Want to find out? If you get bored, you can always quit. But I'm serious: I'd be grateful for the help."

- "Alright." She seemed pleased at the prospect.

Only then did we notice that Aludar hadn't left before us. He was, in fact, directly behind us, looking thoughtful.

- "Do you think that Father is really sick?" he asked.

- "Tir Storum said that he was." said Sanatha. "Wait - you don't think he's lying, do you? Is that why he won't let us see him?"

- "I don't think that he would dare so much." said Aludar. "But I wondered why Father would assign us these tasks."

- "You think he's testing us?" I said.

Aludar frowned. "Hardly a test for Merik, is it? Or for Nathal. And your task seems more like a punishment. Sorry, Tauma."

- "No - that's true." I thought of what Glasha said, whenever something involved my father. "It's always a test."

- "But what if he really is sick?" said Sanatha. "Gods - what if he was to die?"

It was a sobering thought. We all went our separate ways, but all thinking the same thing. I asked Glasha for a favour - something I'd never done before. I asked her to time-walk, to find out if my father truly was ill.

If he was seriously ill or, Gods forbid, close to death, why hadn't he called for us? And if he were to die, was there a plan in place for the succession? I'd always just assumed that it would be Aludar.

If so, then why hadn't Father called on him, and put him in charge? Instead, he'd sent Tir Storum to assign Aludar a task, just like the rest of us.

Glasha told me what she'd found: Father was sick. Not at death's door, by any means, but ill enough to take to his bed. I chose not to share that information with my brothers, or with Sanatha. It would have eventually occurred to them to wonder how I knew.

Off I went, to count sacks of grain. It was dull, mindless work. The total was interesting, because it told me a great deal about our food reserves, and how they were distributed (or not). But I had other things to occupy my thoughts, during that first day - such as how to help Yazgash, Durgat and the others convert their elven gold into coins that they could use.

I'd already given them all of the money I had on hand, which wasn't much. But then I thought of one Ducal storehouse that I could inventory: the Treasury.

I knew where it was, even if I'd never been allowed inside before.

The clerks there were reluctant to admit me, but I brandished the instructions which Tir Storum had passed to me. The head clerk, Embalan, changed tactics: instead of objecting to my presence, he decided to befuddle me with an avalanche of numbers and accounting jargon (part of which was obviously phony).

- "Follow my lead." I whispered to Sanatha.

I pretended to be impressed. Meanwhile, I steered Embalan into showing me where the different types of coinage were kept. I also asked him how much the silver ingots were worth, and why there were no gold ingots - the type of questions a novice might ask. We let the clerks lead us to what they wanted to show us.

I was a novice, but not a fool. Neither was my sister.

- "Something in there isn't right." she said, after we'd left.

- "That's for certain." I agreed. "Let's quit for the day. Then tomorrow morning, we'll come here first - with support."

I went to the barracks, and let Yazgash know what I was thinking. Her grin was wicked.

- "That sounds good." she said. "Durgat! You have work to do, tonight."

***

Sanatha arrived at the Treasury bright and early, even before Embalan and the other clerks had made an appearance. When they did turn up, they were immediately arrested by Yazgash, Durgat, and the twenty half-orcs with them. Their keys were confiscated.

My sister and I went inside. We found the clerks' records, and set those aside. Then I sent a message to Aludar, asking him to come in person - and to bring Toran. I would have brought Glasha, too, but she was still sleeping, recovering from her time-walk.

While we waited, I added two gold ingots to the pile, right next to the silver.

You see, the night before, Durgat and I had taken the elven coins to a blacksmith who did much of the repair work on the half-orcs' armour and weapons. He was one quarter orcish himself, which is why Durgat was certain that he could be trusted.

The smith melted down the elven coins, and made a pair of ingots. He was even able to appraise an approximate value for them, in silver. He was well paid for his work - and for his silence.

After adding two ingots of gold to my father's treasury, I felt it was only fair to withdraw an equivalent sum in the form of silver and copper coins. These I had placed in leather sacks, and transported to the Lower barracks.

There was no way that I could have concealed what I was doing from my sister. She was too bright, for one thing - and I wouldn't have tried to deceive her. So I told her the truth. Sanatha caught on very quickly.

- "So you aren't actually taking anything from the Treasury."

- "No. If anything, we're adding a few coppers - or even a few silver. We're just changing the shape of the wealth."

- "And removing a group of thieves."

Embalan and his clerks had been skimming. Their records did not match the actual sums that they held. Aludar was there to supervise, as Sanatha, Toran and I counted every coin in the place, and compared them to the clerical accounts.

- "You've done well, brother." said Aludar. "I must say - I wasn't expecting anything like this."

- "It was Sanatha who got suspicious first." I said.

Aludar gave her a smile. "Well done, sister."

Sanatha punched my arm. "Why are you giving me the credit? Father should hear that it was your doing."             

- "He won't thank me, San."

Nor did he. Embalan and the two clerks who assisted him were hanged, then cut down while still alive, and beheaded. But my father never said a word to me about the cleansing of his treasury.

***

I counted the arrows, the spears, the bottles of wine and the jars of oil. When time permitted, Glasha and I snuck away to practice magic, as her father had taught us. But I also tried to meet with Yazgash regularly, for physical training and weapons exercises.

She worked me hard, to the point that I was painfully sore afterwards, and needed a good soak in the baths just to recover a little.

- "Let's be honest." she said. "You're no warrior."

- "I'm trying." I said. "I'm working as hard as I can."

- "I know. You're still not a warrior. And perhaps you shouldn't be."

- "But I want to improve."

- "Listen, Tauma. You're more valuable using your brain, and your magic. You won't change the outcome of a battle by fighting in the front line - and getting yourself killed won't help at all. I'm not suggesting that you stop training; Durgat still wants to toughen you up, and I'm all for improving your overall fitness. Just don't expect to become a champion."

It was good advice, even if I found it difficult to accept, at the time. Sometimes, hard work alone isn't enough. Glasha wisely refrained from supporting Yazgash, even though I knew that she agreed with her.

Father recovered from his illness. We were all called in together, to see that he was on his feet again. He commended us for our work during his 'indisposition'. But he didn't say anything to us individually, and not a word about the discovery of corruption in the treasury.

- "Were you expecting him to say something?" Glasha asked me, afterwards.

- "No. I'd have been shocked if he had."

- "But you're disappointed, nonetheless."

She was right. It was odd. I should have been used to the disappointment by now.

***

It was perhaps a month later, when I returned to our chamber in the evening, that I found Glasha sitting on our bed, with her arm around Seyamka, our favourite among the servants. Poor Seyamka was in tears, her little body racked by sobs, while Glasha attempted to comfort her.

I closed the door behind me. Glasha shifted her eyes to the other end of the bed, so I sat down beside Seyamka.

- "What's wrong, Seyamka?" I asked. "What happened?"

- "She had a bad experience." said Glasha.

- "Did someone hurt you?" I thought immediately of my brother Merik.

- "N-no." sniffed Seyamka. "But it was...it was awful."

- "Tell him what you told me, Seyamka. He won't be angry."

Seyamka sniffed again, and then wiped her eyes and her nose on her sleeve. "I'm sorry, Lord." she said. "I was sent to wait on the Duke, your Father, and Tir Storum. They were drinking wine, and they wanted a fresh bottle."

- "Wait - doesn't Nestria usually serve my father, in his quarters? Why were you there?"

- "Nestria's been sick, Lord. I was asked to take her place, last night and tonight."

- "Let her tell her story." said Glasha. "Go on Seyamka. Please."

- "I was coming back with the wine, when I heard raised voices. I stopped at the door. I... I was afraid to go in. The Duke... your father was shouting. He said 'Who? After me? Who?' I'm sorry, Lord - I should have walked away, or... I don't know."

- "What else did he say, Seyamka? Tell Tauma." encouraged Glasha.

- "Tir Storum said something. I couldn't quite hear it - he wasn't speaking loud enough. But then your father... the Duke - he said: 'Who? The Scholar?' I... forgive me, Lord, but the way he said it..."

- "The way he said it?"

- "It sounded like an insult." Seyamka hung her head, unwilling to meet my eyes.

- "Did he say anything else?"

- "Yes, Lord. It got worse. Tir Storum said 'What of the others?' Your father shouted again - he sounded very angry. He said: 'The Brute? Prince Charming?' And then he said... 'The Sullen One?'"

Seyamka knew exactly who my father had been speaking of. So did I. It is one thing to suspect, or even to know that you are held in contempt. It is quite another to hear it said. It was like a physical blow to the chest. I sat still, trying to breathe normally.

- "Did he say anything else?"

- "Tir Storum asked about Lord Toran. Your father said 'The Babe?'"

- "Was there any mention of my sister?" I asked.

Seyamka thought for a moment. "No, Lord. That was all I heard. And that was when Lady Renna came up behind me."

- "Renna? You must have been startled."

- "I was terrified. But she... she just took the bottle from me, and said 'I've got this. You can go now.'"

Glasha patted Seyamka's hand. "You'll be alright. I'll speak to Renna."

- "I'm sorry, Lord." said Seyamka. "I didn't mean to hear all that. But once I had, I thought you should know."

- "Thank you. I appreciate you coming to tell us."

- "Will you be alright, tonight?" Glasha asked her.

Seyamka nodded, but just to be on the safe side, Glasha and I walked her back to the servants' quarters. We returned to our chamber without saying a word. Only once the door was closed behind us did Glasha put her hand on my arm.

- "Are you alright?"

I put my arms around her, and held her close.

- "I'm fine. Thank you."

- "Are you? Really?"

- "The surprise isn't in what he said - it's that he said it out loud."

- "Why would he do that?"

That was the mystery at hand. Was my father losing control of himself? He had just been ill. Or had he always been like this - maintaining a stoic front in public, but blowing off steam in private? There was always the possibility, too, that this was yet another test - that he had deliberately shouted, so that Seyamka could hear. Even if she hadn't told Glasha and me directly, Palace gossip would have spread it all over Elmina in a matter of days.

- "Or," said Glasha, "it could be the obvious - his illness frightened him, and has him thinking about the succession."

- "Or any combination of those."

- "Yes."

The succession. And now that the idea was planted in my head, I couldn't stop thinking about it. I had trouble sleeping, and I was grumpy and irritable for three days.

Glasha had enough of my mood, and took me down to the river.

- "Tell me about it." she said. "Get it off your chest."

I had to pace a bit, first, to get my thoughts aligned.

- "I'm not sure exactly how old we were." I said. "I might have been 10. Merik would have been 15. He was bragging about something... or everything. But I clearly remember him saying 'I want to make Varna great'."              

- "That sounds familiar."

- "Even at the time, I thought it sounded stupid. Or maybe I just thought that Merik was stupid, so that anything he said would be, too. But I remember thinking 'I would make Varna better.' Not quite the same thing. And then I went on my tour, saw Portoa and Galtin's Port, and it came back to me. Varna can't be great - not in the sense that Merik probably intended. But we could be better."

- "Even at 10, you were analytical." said Glasha, with a smile.

- "Mmm. I remember Aludar, too, saying he wanted to build a university in Elmina."

- "You've been thinking of the succession." she said.

- "Yes."

- "Tell me, then."

- "It should be Aludar. First-born. He has a legitimate daughter, where Merik and Nathal have only bastards. He's intelligent, and has a good heart. He would also think before he acted. He could be a good ruler."

- "What about Merik?"

Glasha knew what I thought of Merik. Her opinion had to be just about the same as mine, considering that he'd tried to rape her.

- "You needn't have asked. Merik would destroy everything of value. He'd tear the Duchy apart."

- "Nathal?"

- "He's very good at getting people to like him. He seems very good on the outside, but there's a rottenness at the core. I have no idea what he stands for."

- "And Toran?"

- "I hate to say it, but he's too young. And Toran seems to agree with those who say he's too young. He lacks confidence. He's kind by nature, but he would be led and dominated by others."

- "Aludar, then?" said Glasha.

- "I don't know." I said. "What about Sanatha?"

- "What about you?" asked Glasha. She was quite serious.

- "Me? I don't want to rule."

- "You still may have to take a stand, and decide who will."

***

Aidar Cunedda, Grand Duke of Varna, sat unmoving, hardly even blinking. He seemed to be staring off into the distance, but his eyes were unfocused. None of his guards and attendants would disturb him; when the mood was upon him, the Duke could remain this way for long periods of time. He was, effectively, alone with his thoughts.

Finally, he reached up a hand to stroke his short white beard. Then he spoke.

- "Send for my sons."

- "At once, my Lord." said Tir Storum, the Captain of his Guard. Five soldiers were immediately dispatched to carry out the Duke's command.

The Duke returned to his silent communion with his own thoughts.

***

- "It's time you were married." he said.

My father was looking at Aludar when he spoke. But then he shifted his gaze to Merik, and looked at his second son for a good, long moment. He repeated this process with Nathal. Then his eyes were upon me. There was no particular expression on his face; this was just his way of leaving me in no doubt that his statement was meant for me as much as it was for my brothers. Finally, he turned his gaze to Toran.

- "Me? Me as well, Father?" asked my youngest brother.

- "All of us, Father?" asked Aludar.

The Grand Duke was not one to waste words - not even single ones. He simply nodded his head once.

- "I have invited a dozen suitable young ladies to Elmina for the harvest festival." That was six weeks away. "You may choose your own bride," he said, "so long as she is one of the twelve."

I felt as if I'd been punched in the stomach - I had trouble catching my breath. I shouldn't have been surprised. We were all of marriageable age - Toran just barely. Aludar had been married. And this was something that I knew was coming - it had been coming for a long time.

Aludar cleared his throat. "What if I already have a possible candidate in mind, Father?"

That caught all of us by surprise. Merik and Nathal turned their heads to look at Aludar. I myself had no idea that he'd been contemplating marriage again. Of all of us, he was the only one to have taken a wife. The unfortunate girl, from a wealthy house in Portoa, had only been with us for a year before she died giving birth to a baby girl. Aludar's daughter, a delightful little toddler named Sirma, was now 4 years old.