"No doubt it would. Madam, but the Empire of Um- bria is abstaining," the Elector said dryly. "Now, if there is no further business, I thank you all for your patience

148 and hard work over the years. My last action as Presi- dent of this Commission is to call for a vote of disso- lution." He was entirety gracious.

"Before you do that," Otorin interposed, "I should like to propose a vote of thanks to the Elector of Es- tragoth for the exemplary way in which he has handled these meetings. He has been an inspiration to us all."

There was a chorus of "Hear, hear" and then every- body applauded. The scribes joined in and there were tears in Malum's eyes as his master nodded his thanks with a tight little smile on his face.

Estragoth held up his hand. "I thank you all. It has been an honor to serve with you. And, on that note, I declare the Commission for the Outland dissolved." He pushed his chair back and stood.

chAptep 15

m

*alum took his time returning to the suit of apartments in which the Umbrian delegation had lived for so many years. He wanted time to think and he was in no rush to confront the Elector. He looked around the quadrangles as he walked through them. There was a slightly hazy quality to the light engendered by the still air and the smoke from cooking fires inside and outside the walls. It left a pleasant tang in the nostrils.

He realized that he was going to miss the place. He had spent more time at Stronta in recent years than in either Angom or Quem. In fact he had only spent a fortnight in Quern in the past two years and had found it depressingly provincial. Still, if old Estragotb retired, he would be dependent on its revenues unless he could find another place at Court. With the failure of the mis- sion here at Stronta, that now looked a lot less likely.

He climbed the stairs to the Elector's apartment feeling decidedly down in the mouth.

Phalastra of Estragoth, to Malum's surprise, was sit- ting quietly in his oversized, overstaffed chair, sipping at a gla.s.s of wine.

"Come in, young man," he said in this thin, creaking voice. "Join me in a gla.s.s."

Malum put his papers and his writing utensils down on the sideboard and did as he was bidden.

"I think we can congratulate ourselves," the Elector

150 t JOHN LEE

said as Malum came over to his chair. He raised his gla.s.s. Malum, startled, followed suit.

"You are pleased with the outcome, sir?" he asked, surprise evident.

"Well, it wasn't the total triumph that the Emperor demanded," the old man conceded. "In fact, I shall probably have some difficulty convincing Hiy Imperial Majesty of the wisdom of my point of view. The truth is that we achieved the territorial advantages that we sought." He looked up at Malum. "Get yourself a chair, young man, and sit you down."

"Yes," he continued after Malum had complied, "I think that we can be proud of our effort."

"But the Isphardis got their right of pa.s.sage through Songuard," Malum objected gently.

"Yes, they did and just think what problems that's going to cause them," Estragoth said with satisfaction.

"Add to that the fact that their lands are divided, their supply lines impossibly long, and our eventual annexa- tion of their new territory will be simple."

"But they will have international support and guar- antees."

"Bah." Estragoth was dismissive. "It is easy for the Kingdoms to pay lip service to that sort of thing, but can you really see them committing troops to the de- fense of the Isphardis?" His voice was rich in disdain.

"No, no, they'll let that bunch of peddlers fend for themselves. As for the Isphardis, they are incapable of forming an army for themselves. They're afraid to fight.

They may be able to pay the Songeans to fight for them, but the Songeans have no military tradition either."

"The Isphardis have a great many ships," Malum pointed out. "They could attack our south coast." He was thinking of Quern.

"Wouldn't do them any good," Estragoth returned 151.

i with satisfaction. "Ships are only good for landing sol- diers and they have no soldiers. It might be different if they had the secret of the cannon, but that is ours." He smiled briefly. "Besides, they will be too preoccupied in building roads through Songuard to have much time for anything else. With a little bit of encouragement, some of the clans may prove less than helpful to them." The smile flickered again. "There is a long tradition of brig- andage in the mountains."

"So you planned it this way all along," Mahim said.

"Not entirely. The basic disposition of the various territories, yes, but for the rest I had considerable as- sistance from Olivderval. I helped it along, of course.

Little things mostly; subtle touches. Like giving that armclock to the Mage." There was a small, dry chuckle.

"Magicians can't abide machines,"

What a wily old bird Phalastra is, Malum thought. He wanted the Isphardis to have their roads all along. At a deeper level there was resentment- that the old man had not trusted him enough to confide in him. Nevertheless, the future suddenly seemed a good deal brighter. A place in the Imperial Household no longer seemed so unlikely.

"Well?" Greylock demanded.

"Olivderval did her work well," Jarrod replied.

Greylock put his book aside and took off his spec- tacles. He looked up at Jarrod and smiled slowly. "Go- ing to be mysterious, are you? Going to make an old man wait. Very well; you've earned the right. Come and sit down and tell me in your own time."

"I'm sorry, sir," Jarrod said, taking the armchair opposite the Mage. "I didn't mean to be dramatic. I just feel drained and a little bit let down somehow. It was over so fast. It was all cut and dried and 'Com- mission dissolved.' There should have been more to it

152 after fifteen years of maneuvering and impa.s.sioned

speeches."

"Life has a habit of not living up to our expecta- tions," Greylock commented softly. "But suppose you tell me what did happen."

Jarrod shrugged. "Estragoth reintroduced the Um- brian part.i.tion without any alterations, exactly as Rag- nor said he would, and it was voted down. Then Olivderval introduced the compromise that she had dis- cussed with us and it pa.s.sed easily. The Elector was the only one who didn't vote for it. He abstained."

"Didn't put up a fight, try delaying tactics?"

"Nothing. I expected him to call for an adjournment and then follow up with a final attempt to twist arms, but he just opened things up for discussion and moved to a vote. He was quite gracious about it. He was en- tirely cordial with us, even the Oligarch, after the meet- ing. I just don't understand."

"Phalastra of Estragoth is a gentleman of the old school," Greylock said. "Grace in defeat is to be ex- pected. Still, if the Empire is looking for an excuse to attack its neighbors, as the Archmage seems to think, the abstention makes some sense. Estragoth has put the Empire on record as being against the settlement with- out seeming to be unreasonable or obstructionist."

"Or as acquiescing without appearing to back down,"

Jarrod added.

"Either way," Greylock acknowledged. "It won't make a bit of difference if it comes to war."

Jarrod weighed his words before speaking. "I hesitate to say this, sir. I know that both you and the Archmage have the feeling that another war is in the cards, but I don't think that people of my generation feel that way.

We feel that the world is tired of war, even the Umbri- ans."

"Well, I can only hope that you're right," Greylock

THE UNICORN PEACE t 153

said without enthusiasm. "Mind you, Varodias might be counting on just such a reaction."

"How so?" Jarrod asked.