"We do what we can. I should have spent more time with Jimbob when he was at Elheld, but I trusted Galen. Now..." Jecks shrugged, then seated himself on the brick window ledge closest to the writing table, ignoring the chairs.

"You suggested we needed to deal with more than a few things." Her nose still wrinkled at the smell as a gust of wind swirled from the windows through the chamber. "There's who gets the holding." To whom could she entrust the custody of Lord Arkad's lands? Arkad had no heir, not according to Jecks. None of her would-be proteges were old enough nor experienced enough. "And what else?"

"You should settle that soon," Jecks said. "I also question whether we should continue to Synope."

"We have a day or two to consider that. First, we have to deal with this mess. We can't just leave Synfal without someone in charge," she mused. "What do you suggest?"

"You could rightfully administer it," Jecks answered. "You could have someone act as saalmeister or seneschal."

His emphasis on "rightfully" did not escape her and confirmed what she had in mind. "No. It has to be someone clearly perceived as being of Defalk. Right now, it has to be a man."

"You were considering a woman?"

"There will be ladies in the future, but I doubt Defalk is ready for such a shock for the first lord I replace.

Besides, I can't even find someone to run my own estate." She lifted her right hand to set it on the table, and managed not to wince. She didn't think any muscles or tendons had been out, but it still hurt. "I was thinking that we'll need both an heir and an administrator."

"Both?" Jecks lifted his white eyebrows.

Anna smiled. "What about Jimbob as the heir?"

"What?"

"Make Herstat the saalmeister and administrator in Jimbob's absence."

"My Herstat?..." Jecks laughed. "You will take every talent I possess.''

"Not every one." She made a gesture that she cut short as the combination of double vision and pain reminded her of her wounds-seen and unseen. "These are rich lands, and they will give him income and a greater impression of independence..."

"He is young...."

"They're his upon his maturity. Have Herstat present a yearly report to me and to any lords interested enough to come to Falcor to hear it. Any changes or improvements Jimbob wants to make will have to be approved by you and Herstat."

"Not you?"

"Definitely not me, and everyone should know that."

"Again, Lady Anna, you surprise me."

"Why? One of Donjim's and Barjim's problems was that they didn't have enough income and were too beholden to the Thirty-three."

"When others discover your intentions..."

"It will only confirm what they want to believe," Anna said wearily. "Besides-tell them that Jimbob benefits, not me." She cleared her throat. Something in the air was affecting her allergies. Brill's youth spell hadn't taken care of that problem. "I dbn't think we should announce it for a time, maybe not until we return to Falcor. I should be considering who will be the heir."

"Some would find that indecisive."

"Let them. If I announce Jimbob right now, everyone will say that it's all a pretext for me to take over lands of the old guard and use Jimbob as a puppet. That's another reason why you'll need to get Herstat here quickly, before I announce the new heir." She rubbed her nose, hoping she wouldn't sneeze. "Did you find out who was Fauren's second in charge, or whatever?"

"His name is Halde," Jecks ventured, his voice thoughtful. "He waits in the corridor."

"You sound puzzled."

"Best you speak to him first."

Anna nodded. Jecks wanted her to form her own view. Halde was dark-haired, with a trimmed beard that concealed his comparative youth. He couldn't have been much past his early twenties. "Lady Anna, Lord Jecks." He bowed, deferentially, but not obsequiously.

"What was your position here in Cheor?" Anna asked.

"I was an a.s.sistant to Fauren, the saalmeister, lady." Halde's light gray eyes met Anna's. "I did as he asked."

"What sort of duties?"

Halde glanced warily from Anna to Jecks. "Whatever Fauren asked. I was in charge of the account books, and the strongbox room. And of all the supplies for Synfal. lrkiik, he was the one who inspected the fields and collected the tariffs. He also could use the scrying gla.s.s a little. Onnbor maintained the armory and trained the guards."

"Did you agree with Lord Arkad's decision not to pay liedgeld to the Regency?"

"I was not in a position to question the lord, lady. Fauren would caution us that even the saalmeister dared only so much."

"Where is your family?" asked Anna.

"My mother lives with my uncle in Cheor. He is a cooper. I have no consort." Halde offered a quick and wry smile. "Fauren did not leave us much time for dalliance."

"What do you think should happen to Cheor?"

'You must decide that, lady. I would hope that those who served will not be punished severely."

Anna nodded to herself. Whether they knew it or not, all those in Synfal had indeed been punished. Her spell would bold for all but the mad, at least as long as she lived. "I hold Cheor until a new lord is appointed. For now, Halde, you will act as ... saalmeister." Anna struggled for the word. "Someone must ensure Cheor continues to prosper If it does, and you perform well, I will find some suitable reward."

"You are most charitable, lady."

"No. Despite Fauren's faults, it is clear that Cheor was well run. People know their business and seem happy. Generally, that means a good... saalmeister. I will let the hold know."

"Thank you, my lady." Halde turned to Jecks. "Grace to you. Lord Jecks."

"What do you think?" Anna asked after the door closed behind Halde.

"It is the best choice for now."

"Once Herstat takes over, and learns all he needs to know, we'll have to replace Halde, I think."

"You would punish him?"

Anna shook her head. "Find a job for him in Falcor or somewhere. I just think that the top people here should be loyal first to Jimbob, and then to Synfal."

Jecks rubbed his chin. "That will take time."

"Which we don't have," Anha admitted. She hoped things with Halde would work out, but something had to be done, and she just had to trust her instincts . . . again.

"What other thoughts have you?" Jecks smiled. "Besides taking every good servant I have?"

Anna frowned. "If there is a large surplus in Arkad's strongboxes-or his late seneschal's-l think half should go to the liedstadt to fund our efforts . . . this expedition. There's no reason the liedstadt has to pay for rebuilding Defalk."

"Two-thirds," suggested Jecks. "Leaving a third will make you seem generous. By rights, you could claim everything of a rebel lord. You could take up to half personally."

Anna smiled crookedly. "Could I claim a few hundred golds half-personally, to pay my liedgeld? Or would that upset the Thirty-three?"

"I am certain that no one would object to the regent using a small part of the spoils to pay yet more coins to the depleted treasury of the liedstadt. Especially not after rebuilding the major bridge at Falcor."

"All right." Aima hated the maneuvering. "We'll pay me three hundred golds for sorcerous construction, and that comes from Arkad's treasury, and two hundred goes back to the liedstadt for Loiseau's liedgeld."

"Take a thousand," Jecks said. "The servant who handles Arkad' s accounts said there are more than six thousand golds in the chests. Your crops and levies may not be that great this year.''

"A thousand?" Anna sighed. He was probably right about that. If she didn't start building some of her own funds, she'd be in the same position Barjim had been and the one she was trying to get Jimbob out of. But it bothered her, and she wasn't sure why. "Let me think about it.''

Jecks smiled. "You may think as you wish. It is a decision only you can make."

Like everything anymore. Anna wanted to groan, but. regents and sorceresses didn't groan. They smiled, like singers. So she did, still trying to ignore the disconcerting double vision.

26.

MANSUUS, MANSUUR.

Three ships from Sturinn are docked at Narial, and a group of the Sea-Priests traveled to Dumaria to meet with Lord Ehara." Ba.s.sil inclines his head.

"I told you, Ba.s.sil. Doesn't anyone see tomorrow's sunrise?" Konsstin turns toward the windowed door that leads to the study's balcony. "They refuse to treat with me, or with the northern traders, and here they are sneaking into Dumar. They'll establish a regular trade route. Then they'll undercut the shipping tariffs charged by the traders and provide grain cheaper than the b.i.t.c.hes of Ranuak... or than our farmers and the traders of Cealor. That's for now."

"How do you know that? All your seers know is that Ehara met with the Sea-Priests." Ba.s.sil's voice is resonant, but neutral, and he continues to stand before the desk even though Konsstin has walked toward the balcony door.

"A sea-tiger doesn't turn into a cow because it says it does. Sea-tigers don't change their stripes just because they're in Liedwahr and not Sturinn." Konsstin purses his lips, puts his hand on the door lever, then lifts it without opening the balcony door, and turns.

"What will we do?"

'What would you suggest, Ba.s.sil?" asks the Liedfuhr. "We cannot match the Sea-Priests upon the ocean."

The raven-haired aide frowns, then scratches behind his left ear. "Yet if you attack Dumar, after sending fiftyscore lancers to support your grandson..."

"No one will even pay any attention to what I say about Sturinn. They might even send a.s.sistance to Ehara and the dissonant sorceress of Defalk." Konsstin offers a sound between a laugh and a snort.

"Do you have any choice? You must attack and take Defalk before the Sea-Priests can turn Dumar into their first conquest in Liedwahr."

"Your words make the task appear so easy, Ba.s.sil." The Liedfuhr snorts. "The Evult squandered five hun- dred-score in armsmen, and Vult is buried under molten rock. I have no desire to follow that example.

Do you?"

"You would rather attack Dumar?"

"It would be much easier.

"But the sorceress...?"

Konsstin fingers the trimmed silver and brown beard. "We appeal to her sense of survival-and her instincts as a woman. For now."

Ba.s.sil shakes his head, his eyes narrowing as a shaft of light from the setting sun momentarily blazes through the western windows.

"The Sturinnese keep their women in chains. Much of that is ceremonial pigswill, but it is clear that this lady Anna dislikes men who try to subdue women."

"How do you know that?" The black-haired aide blinks against the glare.

"It is obvious, for those who have eyes to see. Even without reflecting pools." Konsstin raises his eyebrows, then continues. "We will have Nubara shift the lancers to the south, on the other side of the Sudbergs from Envaryl, and we move some of our own forces to the west. More than a few. We send a message to the Regent of Defalk explaining our concerns with the incursion of the Sea-Priests." Konsstin pauses. "It won't hurt to send scrolls like that to the Council of Wei and the b.i.t.c.hes of the south. In the one to this lady Anna, we also say that our. intention all along was to move the lancers south, but a gesture was needed to affirm Rabyn's reign over Neserea.

"She won't believe that," points out Ba.s.sil.

"No. But she's likely to believe that we're tying not to give offense, and that we feel that the Sea-Priests are a far greater danger to Mansuur and Liedwahr than she is. We also point out that she should be concerned about the possible customs of the Sturinnese being implemented in Dumar."

"What customs? The chains?"

"We don't say what customs. If she has to inquire, then it makes our point stronger."

The room dims as the western clouds again shade the dropping sun.

"You want me to draft these scrolls?" Ba.s.sil adds quickly, "How soon?"

"Draft them immediately, but do not date them. Yet."

"As you command, sire."

"There's no point in hurrying. The sturinnese will strike at the sorceress first. Let us wait until she is under attack. Then any gesture we make will seem more reasonable."

Ba.s.sil waits.

"If. . . if she is successful against Ehara and her own southern lords, then we will see. I'd wager there are others besides Dencer and Gylaron, perhaps Sargol of Suhl, quiet as he is. Some of them will throw in with Ehara, I'd also wager. If she is successful, then Defalk will be further impoverished, and perhaps she will even be wounded or killed. If she is unsuccessful, Ehara and the Sturinnese will be weakened. In either case, we wait. Until the time is ripe." Konsstin pauses. "You can start arranging for supplies and wagons. That way we can move immediately when we must.

"Yes, sire"

''Well ... Ba.s.sil... get on with it."

The dark-haired young officer bows, then turns and leaves the Liedwahr's study.

Konsstin smiles, then turns to look at the rose-colored clouds that frame the blaze of twilight. He nods to himself.