But we still had to conquer some of the kingdoms by arms, didnt we?
Of course. The nobility never wants to give up its privileges. But how hard their subjects are willing to fight for their lords privileges is another question entirely. Recall the battle at Mueh, when the combined armies of three kingdoms threw down their weapons and surrendered, even though they outnumbered us. None of those soldiers wanted to die for an old order that gave them nothing but war, hunger, and poverty. They saw no difference between their own rulers and their rulers enemies. Norius swore that all the peoples would be a family united, but that each would retain what the Heavenly Lord had endowed them with. He said that land is the peoples flesh and blood, and that it is a terrible crime to separate people from their land.
Fine words. But can you tell me why two-thirds of the land in Vuravia belongs to the same wealthy noble families that Norius fought? The peasants have to rent their homeland by the acre to keep their families from starving.
Ronko raised his eyebrows. What an interesting conversation for the halls of the palace! The Solar Sentinels have spies in all the taverns, at the play houses, and even in every bath house, but here you are spouting treason in the very heart of our Heavenly Lords palace.
I apologize, Enel Ronko. I wasnt thinking
I dont mind it in the least, but you must be careful around others. He paused, and then went on. And about those peasants of yours, they arent really all that bad off. Yes, they have hard lives, but thats just from our point of view as spoiled residents of the capital. Their ancestors made a living on that land in much more difficult conditions. Dont assume that the men working in this palace are all monsters with frozen hearts. Well, some of us may be a little chilly, but we certainly arent stupid. We understand that the empire must support its poorest subjects, and the Emperor frequently makes them handsome presents. Every five years he even forgives debts and arrears of anyone who can prove themselves unable to pay. We do our best to keep taxes low. Just last year, the fee for the use of imperial granaries was reduced by almost one percent. That is not much, but it is something. What matters is the direction we move in. People feel that change is possible, and that its change for the better. Things might not change as fast as they would like, but still.
Ronko turned to his companion to see if he had made an impression. What? Dont look at me like Im an ogre. I know it doesnt sound inspiring the way I tell it. But you have to understand. The wealthier a man is, the better able he is to protect his assets from imperial tax collectors. That means that the Emperor has to depend for the most part on contributions from simple people.
So after four hundred years, everything has returned to the natural condition?
That would be a long conversation, Uni. It isnt as simple as you think, but well have to discuss it some other time. Weve arrived.
They entered a small room that was set back from the main palace chambers. Sunlight filtered weakly through the decorative bars on the windows, creating a strong contrast with the bright expanses of the halls they had passed through. Uni was distracted by the familiar smell of varnish coming from behind a small door covered by green drapes, and it was only when he turned his head again that he saw an imperial guard wearing a dress uniform and gilded armor. Ronko gave the man a friendly nod.
Wait here for now, he told Uni, looking from side to side as if trying to remember something important. Finally, he straightened his shoulders and slipped between the green drapes, leaving Uni to anxiously await the next turn of events.
He looked around again and noticed a smooth wooden bench along one wall. Feeling insignificant, he asked the guard in a whisper if he might be permitted to sit. The guard said nothing, and Uni was afraid to repeat his question, so he remained standing in the middle of the room, unsure of what to do with his hands, which were now sweaty.
Only the statues on the roof of the archive could be more arrogant than these toy soldiers in fancy dress, Uni thought to himself. The statues, however, remained indifferent to the pigeons that crapped on their heads. Could this brave swashbuckler take the same kind of humiliation just as easily? Vordius said they were trained to withstand anything. Uni allowed himself a tiny smirk. Its too bad Vordius didnt see me on my way here with Ronko. His eyes would have popped out of his head. What would he have said? I bet he would not have dared call me Little Uni.
He was startled when the drapes on the opposite wall began to move. An opening appeared, and two men entered the room. One of them was an agile, faceless palace steward wearing a yellow cape embroidered with what looked like a pattern of tree branches. The other was a giant of a man in a hooded, brown cape. The room began to feel too small. Having bent over to fit through the opening behind the drapes, the man now straightened up, removed his hood and looked around. Uni stopped breathing. He had never seen a real, live Arincil before, but there was nothing else the man could be his copper skin and hooked nose gave him away instantly.
The newcomers were just as surprised to see Uni and stared at him in horror, as if he were a hunter who had been waiting for them in that little-known room, instead of a miserable young man who had contemplated suicide earlier that day. The steward said something to the Arincil in a voice too low for Uni to hear, and both men exited the room, this time using the regular door.
Wonder of wonders, Uni thought, still shaking. An Arincil in the palace. Secret negotiations? Perhaps. I could ask Ronko about it, but I dont think I will. Id rather not know if the knowledge is dangerous! I have enough problems of my own
He spent quite a while trying to put his thoughts in order, which was difficult business. Why had Ronko brought him here? How could his presence at the Ambassadors Council do anything to help Ronko? And why was the empire suddenly interested in Virilan? He wondered if the rumors were true, and the two countries were edging toward direct contact.
Unis rambling thoughts were interrupted by an unexpected ray of light just beyond the green drapes. An instant later, Ronko reappeared and gestured for Uni to come in.
Everythings ready. Go ahead, he whispered. And dont sweat so hard. The people in there are a group of old friends. They got together today to discuss foreign policy. Go in, bow politely, and act like you belong there. Otherwise theyll laugh at you.
Uni didnt have the slightest inkling of how to behave like he belonged in a place where he most certainly did not belong, but he stepped past the drapes and found himself in a slightly larger room with rounded walls. The floor, beautifully laid with panels of Torgendam oak, made no sound under his feet, and Uni almost floated into the center of the room. All eyes were on him. Feeling lost, he did his best to aim his bow at the maximum number of people. It must have looked odd, for laughter glinted in the eyes of several of the people present.
At least they noticed me, Uni thought. He took a deep breath to calm his racing heart. When he looked up at the people sitting in a circle around him, his composure left him. Sitting right in front of him was Degenium Forsey, the Great Lords former tutor, now the head of his chancery and secretary of the Imperial Council. The cold steel in the mans eyes confirmed the rumors that he was a very difficult man to please.
Unis glance flickered to the corpulent man next to Forsey. He gulped. He had only seen Licisium Dorgoe once, but that was enough. On a rare visit to the archive, Dorgoe had spent most of his time shouting at Enel Margio for taking too long to come up from the basement and meet with his most important (although entirely unexpected) guest. Uni knew that Dorgoe was important enough to shout at anyone he wanted to, but he was much more interested in how a man like that almost entirely uneducated and extremely vulgar had managed to worm his way into the palace bureaucracy and, in a matter of just five years, become one of the most influential figures surrounding the Emperor.
A meeting of old friends? Unis hands were cold, and his mind raced. I should have known. I bet Dorgoe has my scroll somewhere on him right now. I much appreciate the favor, Enel Ronko!
The air in the room was electric. Forsey spoke, his voice crackling with displeasure. Manelius, I fail to see how this boy could have anything of interest to tell us. I believe you promised us a detailed report, and instead of that you bring us a baby bird that hasnt got its feathers yet!
A sharp voice rang out somewhere behind and to the right of Uni. Quite true, Ronko. Do you really mean to say that your source is this nobody who looks afraid of his own shadow? I thought you had gotten your hands on a live Virilan, or at least someone who had visited that country!
Uni was deeply offended, but Ronko just chuckled. Uni turned around to get a glimpse of his second critic. To his surprise, the man was highly unusual in both person and dress: his long hair was swept up and tied with a leather thong on top of his head, then falling back down, over his shoulders, in a luxurious black wave. Instead of a long robe, he wore a yellow and red military tunic with short, wide sleeves the kind that was designed for sword fighting. His nose was aquiline, and his cold, gray eyes radiated enough power to drill through a granite wall.
Dorgoes deep, rough voice rang out, and Uni turned to stare at him. Manelius, my friend, I am surprised you bothered to bring him here. He looked around at the others. You all should know that this young man was fired from the archive this morning in the most shameful fashion. For drunken misbehavior, I think it was. An absolute outrage and affront to His Majesty!
Ronkos eyes sparkled recklessly. My friends, I warned you that my source of information is unusual. Virilan has been closed to the rest of the world for so long that its language has been lost to us. Believe me, I have searched far and wide. There are only two people in the empire who know the Virilan language, and one of them stands before you.
Thats a lie, Ronko! Forsey interrupted him rudely. The only Herandian subject who knows Virilan is Limentius Barko at the archive. Hes over seventy, his eyesight isnt what it used to be, and he can barely walk. This boy
Is his only student. Ronkos voice was low. He is the author of the manuscript we were just speaking of.
Was he drunk when he wrote it? Dorgoe countered.
Where is the manuscript, anyway? Forsey bubbled over. Stop wasting our time, Ronko. Just tell the truth: there is nothing of interest about Virilan in the archive. And since that is the case, I cannot agree to send a delegation to a country about which we know nothing. Its too dangerous and could lead to unforeseen consequences, even war!
The dark-haired man behind Uni stood up. What do you mean you have no information? My men risked their lives forging their way three hundred henos into the dead lands and found a band of Virilans in the very heart of the Great Expanse. His voice rumbled with anger. What is your plan? To keep sending us on rash missions while you sit here and pretend that none of it means anything?
Ronko spoke again. Honorable Tameto! Everyone in this room has the utmost respect and gratitude for your hard work, but you must not forget that we are speaking of peace, both inside our empire and on its borders. I am more than aware that you would like nothing better than to start a new war, but Im not sure the rest of our empires subjects would agree with you. And I think the rest of the room will agree with me.
Tametos face hardened even further if that was possible but, to Unis surprise, he folded his arms and said nothing more.
You have certainly intrigued us, Manelius, but enough of that. I have heard dozens of arguments for and against the delegation, but I have yet to see any concrete facts on the subject. Are we even in a position where we could make an informed decision?
The man seated to the left of Dorgoe spoke in the calm voice of a man who always takes his time and sees himself as the rector of something like an imperial academy, a man whose job it is to keep learned discussions from getting out of hand. He looked to be about thirty and thus much younger than everyone else on the room (except Uni), and there was something kind and fatherly about the smile he now turned on the patriarchs of imperial politics, weighed down as they were by age and importance. He was the only one who had nodded in response to Unis timid bow earlier, and the young man instantly took a liking to him.
I couldnt introduce such an important document for discussion without Enel Dorgoes approval. Ronkos voice dripped with honey. As soon as the document was ready, I asked Margio from the archive to take a copy to my dear friend Licisium. I hope, and here Ronko looked deeply into his adversarys eyes, that you have already formed an opinion about Virilan? Perhaps it will help turn our dearest Forsey around.
Uni stared at his protector in awe, but all the others turned their eyes to Dorgoe. Caught off guard either by Ronkos nerve or by the breadth of his knowledge Dorgoe froze for a second, mouth half open, unable to make a sound.
Is this true, Licisium? asked the young man to whom Uni had taken a liking. He had his fist over his mouth, but his eyes were laughing. He had a handsome face that was spoiled only by deep wrinkles on his forehead and the sides of his nose. Why have you kept quiet? Is the drunken manifesto really that bad?
Dorgoe recovered quickly. Of course, I read through the document. The information it contains is certainly worth attention, but there are gaps in the report, and some of it is hard to make heads or tails of. I asked Forsey to comment on some parts of it. I expect he can give more detailed answers to your questions.
This is a plot! Tameto leaped up, furious. Merciful Lord, they think we are fools! Forsey, everyone knows you are against the delegation, but that does not excuse your dirty intrigues or your violation of the Emperors direct order!
Forsey looked ready to spit, so great was his impotent rage, but there was a mix of humor and pity on the face of the young man to the left of Dorgoe.
My friends, I see that nothing changes with you. But no matter. The Heavenly Light sees all and puts all in its place. Thank you, Ronko, for looking into the matter with detail, as always. I see that only Tameto and I have yet to read this wise opus. Since the young man is here He turned, By the way, what is your name?
Uni. I mean, Unizel. Unizel Virando.
The man smiled. Unizel is not a Herandian name.
I was named for my maternal grandfather, who was born in Seregad.
Is that so? That means the blood of warriors flows in your veins. We have that in common. My mother was from that land. Well, since you are here, perhaps you could simply answer our questions?
Of course, Uni answered softly, spreading his arms and then folding them on his chest. I am ready. His voice sounded stronger.