Princeps

38

With the Civic Patrol under the control of Pharyl and Hrehn, Quaeryt concentrated on various other problems on Lundi and Mardi, the most pressing of which, Jhalyt reminded him politely, was to locate the tariff collectors and either continue them in their past employ or dismiss them, but not before obtaining their ledgers-since all records of who had paid and how much had presumably been charred in the lava.

Given how many records he was realizing were missing and would need to be replaced, Quaeryt requested a company from Skarpa and returned to the governor’s square. After two days of digging through chambers and checking file chests, they were actually able to locate the tariff records for those paid two years previously. There was no sign-no uncharred and unburned indication-of any records more recent. Nor did they find any more golds or silvers, although there were signs that other looters had been there, but it appeared they had found nothing of great value either.

In his riding back and forth from the post to the entombed governor’s square, Quaeryt also traveled different routes through Extela to see how repairs were coming and how many shops and crafters were back at work … and it did appear that the majority were actually open. How well they were doing was another question, but he could hope that their being open was a good sign.

In the end, until Baharyt’s efforts were more urgently needed, Quaeryt assigned the junior clerk and a half squad of troopers to continue looking through the shambles that had been the governor’s building in an effort to find and salvage any records of any possible usefulness. He wondered if he should have tried such reclamation sooner, but it still seemed to him that he’d been right to place restoring order and providing food ahead of finding tariff ledgers and other records. He then had Skarpa assign several rankers to accompany Jhaylt while the chief clerk tried to locate and contact past tariff collectors.

At eighth glass on Meredi morning, Quaeryt rode to Aextyl’s dwelling to see if the old justicer had returned from Tulagne. Only half a squad accompanied him, since Extela had returned to an appearance of order, and since the troopers were better used in patrolling areas where the Civic Patrol did not have enough men to cover-and helping Baharyt and the engineers.

A sad-faced hound, chained to the side of the house, bayed once as Quaeryt dismounted, then watched him as he walked up the steps.

A narrow-faced woman whose blond hair was streaked with gray opened the door. “Yes?”

“I’m Governor Quaeryt, and I’m here to see High Justicer Aextyl.”

The woman’s eyes hardened, then looked past to the ten uniformed troopers, still mounted and waiting, one of whom was holding the reins to Quaeryt’s mare. After a moment she looked reluctantly back to Quaeryt. “He’s no longer a justicer, Governor.”

“I know that, but I would still like to see him.”

Another long moment passed. Then she sighed. “Very well. If you’d come in. He’s in his study.”

Quaeryt followed the woman through an entry hall that was more the size of a small vestibule and down a narrow hallway for only a few yards to an oak door aged to a deep golden brown shade. She stopped at the door, barely ajar. “Father … the new governor is here to see you.”

“Send him in, daughter. Send him in,” replied a hearty voice.

At the woman’s gesture, Quaeryt stepped into the modest study, more like a small library, with bookcases on every wall. The door closed behind him. The man who sat in the worn brown leather-upholstered chair had a lined face with sunken cheeks, wispy white hair, and red-rimmed eyes. Even so, those pale green eyes were intent and imparted a cheerful expression.

“Good morning, Governor. Do sit down. You’ll pardon me if I don’t stand.”

Quaeryt smiled as he seated himself in the straight-backed chair. “I appreciate your taking the time to see me.”

“Time … time … these days I’ve got plenty of that.” The alert green eyes continued to study Quaeryt. “Hmmm … a scholar. That’s what they said, but you never know. How did Bhayar ever have the nerve to appoint a scholar? Or is your father a High Holder to whom he’s beholden?”

“I was orphaned when I was barely more than an infant and raised by the scholars of Solis. I was scholar advisor to Lord Bhayar, and then a scholar to the governor of Tilbor, and then princeps there before Lord Bhayar sent me here. After I became princeps, he insisted I marry his sister.”

Aextyl laughed. “Rather the other way round than the path taken by most ambitious young men. They usually wed the sister or daughter to obtain the position.” He studied Quaeryt again. “You look more like a ship’s officer than a scholar.”

“I spent time at sea, six years before I returned to being a scholar.”

“So … now you’re the governor. I hear that you’ve already changed things. Any change is welcome, and if it took an eruption to get it … then things might have been for the best.”

“With almost a quarter of the city destroyed?”

“Scythn was destroying it already.”

“Was that why you stepped down?”

“I didn’t have a choice.”

“Did he threaten your family … or just suggest that their health might be better if you left the justiciary?”

“You don’t have a high opinion of the late governor, do you?”

“I don’t know that he’s dead, but no … I don’t.”

“Might I ask why, Governor?”

“I think you know. He paid himself exorbitantly, let the patrol chief reduce the number of patrollers and pocket the wages not paid. So far as I can tell, it appears as though he received more than ten thousand golds a year, and I’m not certain I’ve tracked down all that he took.”

“I’d wager he extorted even more, but what do I know? I’m just a has-been high justicer who tried to keep a certain amount of justice in the application of the law.”

“That’s why I’m here, sir.”

“I appreciate your kindness, Governor. I can’t do it. My mind and spirit are willing, but my body’s not what it used to be. Come to think of it, it wasn’t what it used to be when I stepped down, and that was close to six years ago.”

“When Scythn became governor?”

Aextyl nodded.

“Are there any other justicers or advocates here in Extela who would make acceptable justicers?”

The old justicer barked a laugh. “You might as well ask if you could find an ox here that could wield a pen.”

Quaeryt paused, then asked, “If I have to act as justicer, can I pay you to sit beside me and help with the law and the precedents … at least for a time?”

“I might consider it for a few cases. That’s if you’d read Ekyrd’s treatise on the law. That shouldn’t be a problem for a scholar.”

“Reading it wouldn’t be a problem,” Quaeryt said. “Finding a copy to read would be, since all of the governor’s square is buried in ash and lava.”

“I have a copy you can borrow. Over there, the second shelf down, on the end, the maroon binding.”

Quaeryt rose, walked to the bookcase indicated by the justicer’s bony finger, and extracted the comparatively slim volume. “This one?”

“That’s the one. Read it. If you understand it, you’ll know more law and procedures than most justicers ever do.”

Quaeryt returned to the chair and sat down, still holding the book.

“Do you know why there’s no scholars’ house here? There was one, once, you know?”

“I can’t say that I do.”

Aextyl smiled. “That book you hold is one reason. The scholars had their apprentices copy it. Some of the local merchants and small factors read it. They disputed the findings and the handling of various trials and hearings, especially those dealing with some of the larger factors, particular factors, and one High Holder who, I hear, recently got so angry he suffered a seizure. No great loss there. Governor Scythn imposed a tariff on the scholars, claiming that the copying of books made them merchants. Other harassments followed, and then the scholarium burned in a fire. The surviving scholars dispersed.”

Quaeryt winced.

“You think that is strange, Governor?”

“No. It has happened elsewhere recently. That was what bothered me.”

“Knowledge held by those without power is always regarded as a danger by those with power.”

“That is why we have laws,” suggested Quaeryt.

“Everyone knows that power without law is tyranny, but they fail to recognize that law without power is useless. The laws here had no power. You are trying to change that. I applaud your efforts, but I fear you will fail, even with your ties to Lord Bhayar.”

“We will see.” Quaeryt smiled politely. “Will you consider advising me through a few hearings after I read this treatise?”

“I will consider it. I make no promises.”

“On another subject … what do you know about a factor named Hyleor?”

“Ah … Hyleor Cylonsyn. He was a supporter of Governor Scythn. He also owned and still does, I believe, a share of at least one pleasure house, if not more. I have not had the dubious pleasure of meeting him and suspect I am the better for that.”

“Are there any other factors whose acquaintance might be, as you put it, a dubious pleasure?”

“In recent years, there have been more than a few. Aerambyr, Thaltyn … and, of course, Lysienk and Pulam.”

“Why should I look out for from them?”

“The usual … overcharges, delays in goods or substandard goods, and, occasionally, accidents to retainers or relatives. Your predecessor had a tendency to turn the other way, with his hand out, I suspect.”

Quaeryt managed not to wince a second time. “I see. What do you know about a patroller first by the name of Jaramyr?”

Aextyl shook his head.

“What do you know about a Captain Faastyl?”

“Only that you would be best not to have him in the Civic Patrol, although I have heard he has left Extela.”

“Are there any other factors or High Holders with whom I should be especially cautious?”

“High Holder Cransyr is known to be especially partisan, as is Suletar. For the factors, besides Hyleor, it might be wise to handle several others with care, Assoul and Dyetryn in particular. Factoria Grelyana can be vicious if she believes her interests are infringed, as can Lysienk.”

“Any others?”

“All of them will be your friend to your face and whatever is necessary to advance their interests when your back is turned or your eyes are elsewhere.”

Justicer Aextyl definitely had a skeptical, and probably realistic, view of people, reflected Quaeryt. “I suspect that is true of every governor.”

“Indeed.” Aextyl coughed, then lifted a large handkerchief to stifle the paroxysm that followed.

Quaeryt waited until the coughing spasms ceased before standing. “I will not take more of your time, but I do appreciate your advice and the loan of the law treatise.”

“My pleasure, Governor. I trust it will do more good in your hands than on the bookshelf here.”

Quaeryt inclined his head. “Thank you.”

Then he turned and walked to the door, opening it, and started toward the entry hall.

The narrow-faced daughter met him there. “Governor … I hope you didn’t press him. He’s not well. Being a justicer took years off his life.”

“I asked if he would sit beside me for the first few hearings and advise me. He said he would think about it-and only if I read this treatise.”

Her eyes went from the thin book Quaeryt carried to the scholar’s browns. “You’re going to read it, aren’t you?” Her tone was almost despairing.

“He made it rather clear that whether or not he decided to advise me, I needed to read it to have any chance of following the proper procedures. I’m taking his advice.”

“Would that others had, sir.” Gently as the words were spoken, bitterness suffused them.

“Sometimes, good men are treated ill by the times and their peers, but I do greatly appreciate his counsel and advice … and your courtesy in allowing me to see him.” Quaeryt inclined his head, then left.

As he rode away, he considered what Aextyl had said about Grelyana … and that concerned him, especially given how they had pressed the factoria in dealings over the villa.

Upon his return to the post, Quaeryt checked to see if he had received any dispatches, but there were none, and he made his way to his study. There he wrote down the names of the factors mentioned as difficult by Aextyl. Once Pharyl was a bit more settled in as chief, Quaeryt wanted to have the chief make a few inquiries about each of them.

Almost a glass later, as he finished reviewing the master ledger showing expenditures, the duty ranker knocked on the door of the small study. “There’s a fellow here to see you, sir. He claims he was a justicer, gave his name as Tharyn Ashsyn.”

“I’ll see him.”

A few moments later the door opened, and a slender man stepped inside, wearing a tailored gray tunic and matching trousers. His polished boots were gray, and he wore a large gold ring on his right hand. He inclined his head. “Governor.”

“What can I do for you?” asked Quaeryt, gesturing to the pair of chairs before the desk.

The man sat down and smiled, revealing slightly yellow teeth. “I heard that you’re looking for justicers, Governor. I might be able to help you out.”

“In what way?” asked Quaeryt politely.

“Being that I was low justicer for Extela under Governor Scythn, I bring some experience that might be helpful to you.”

“I’ve heard your name, but not much more.” Quaeryt smiled. “Why don’t you tell me about yourself?”

“I grew up west of here in a little place called Wesron. My da was a smallholder, and I was the youngest. So when I was old enough I came to Extela and became a patroller. Worked my way up to patroller first.” Tharyn shrugged. “That’s just the way it happened.”

“What have you been doing lately … since the eruption?”

“Waiting to see what happened. I was thinking about moving to Solis, but I heard you might need a justicer or two.” Tharyn smiled broadly. “If you know what I mean.”

“When did you become a justicer?”

“I was a patroller first for Chief Besant. That was under Governor Thailwyt. I told Governor Scythn that he needed someone who understood patrolling for the low justicer position. He thought about what I said, and then he appointed me.”

Quaeryt doubted it had been anywhere that direct or simple. “From a justicer’s point of view, how do you think the Civic Patrol was doing under the last chief?”

“The chief really kept ’em in line. Have to say that.”

“I’d heard that the size of the patrol decreased some.”

“No … it was always the same size, like around six patrols … leastwise while I was a patroller.”

That was interesting, if true, thought Quaeryt, and it suggested that the previous chief hadn’t changed matters so much as continued past practices. “Where did most offenses happen? In what part of Extela?”

“Oh … the southeast … all those Pharsis … always a problem…”

Quaeryt continued to ask questions for another quint before he finally said, “Thank you for coming in. I haven’t made any decisions yet, and it was good to have the benefit of your experience.”

“You’re kind to see me, Governor. I would make a good head justicer. Knowing what I know, if you know what I mean.”

“I do indeed.” Quaeryt stood. “I do.” And I don’t like at all what I know.

Once the door closed, he sat down with a long deep breath.

Tharyn hadn’t exactly impressed Quaeryt. And he wants to be the head justicer?

The encounter reminded Quaeryt that he still had to do something about the case involving Hyleor, and that meant he had to talk to the factor. Another thing to take care of on Jeudi.

After a moment he looked down at the thin maroon-bound volume on the desk. Among other things, you have some reading to do.