The Fireseed Wars

II

Duke Ruffulo was escorted into King Theovacar's private audience room by one of the King's Companions. He tried to quell the nervousness that had his stomach churning. One never knew Theovacar's mind or his moods and the farther away from his King, the safer he felt.

He had done Theovacar's work before, encouraging Prince Varrack to attack the Ros-Zarthani during their march to the north. The loss Varrack had suffered there had done much to damage the Prince's pride, although that debacle was a hill to the mountain of trouble the Prince faced now. Prince Varrack had arrived in Greffa this morning to beseech Theovacar for aid. It appeared that Great King Kalvan had taken his war into Thagnor, displacing Varrack and adding the Princedom of Thagnor to his new domain.

In an attempt to take his mind off his current situation, Ruffulo took a few minutes to study the large shell mosaic of Grefftscharr that covered one complete wall. The mosaic was over a thousand years old; the current borders of Grefftscharr were smaller. Some princedoms were no longer Grefftscharrer territories. The Princedom of Morthron had been lost five hundred years earlier in a war with Thagnor. It was now an independent princedom but it was allied with Grefftscharr.

Morthron differed from all the other city states that bordered the Sea of Aesklos in that it controlled the Erkfryn River. The Erkfryn was navigable for at least barges, making it an easy invasion route to Greffa City. Theovacar's great grandfather had negotiated a treaty of alliance with Morthron. Morthron would defend the Erkfryn corridor and give Grefftscharr unrestricted transit rights; in turn Grefftscharr would send help should Morthron be attacked.

The treaty did not prevent Grefftscharr from attacking Morthron; the King had realized that someday he might want to annex the Princedom. The last two kings of Greffa had talked about reclaiming this lost princedom, but he suspected that Theovacar was the one who would do it. If Theovacar could find a way, he would use the instability caused by the Hostigi migration to his advantage.

There was a noise, as one of the wall panels behind him slid open. Ruffulo turned and found himself face to face with his King, who was looking around warily.

"Your Majesty," he cried, bending down on one knee.

"You may rise, Duke," Theovacar said, moving forward to greet him with open palms. They touched palms and the King directed him toward a chair with his eyes.

He sat down only after Theovacar lowered himself into his own gilt chair, a smaller version of his throne. "I assume you've heard about Prince Varrack's arrival in Greffa after his loss of Thagnor."

"Yes, Your Majesty. The City is awash with the news."

"No doubt. What do the riffraff have to say about Kalvan?"

"They are amused that Kalvan has discomforted the arrogant Prince formerly of Thagnor. Others talk of Kalvan's reforms and innovations."

Theovacar's face shutdown, his fists balled. "Curse this Usurper Kalvan! Why have the gods sent him to bedevil me?"

Ruffulo realized the question was rhetorical and kept silent. He was one of those who secretly wished that some of Kalvan's reforms would wash up upon their shore; under Theovacar's reign the Kingdom's subjects were losing some of their traditional rights and freedoms. He regretted not leaving for his Dorg hideaway when he first learned that Kalvan was headed for the Middle Kingdoms.

Theovacar suddenly turned his suspicious gaze upon Ruffulo. "What do you know of the Usurper's plans?"

"Nothing, Your Majesty. I have had little contact with anyone from Hostigos."

"Well, you did business with Trader Verkan, or so my intelligencers tell me. Or were they lying?"

"No, Your Majesty, but Trader Verkan was no Hostigi but a Citizen of Grefftscharr. I did some business with the Trader, made some investments in his fireseed mill. They brought a very good return until the mill caught fire."

"Yes, I know all about the fire," Theovacar said. "The mill exploded shortly after one of Verkan's agents, the Trader Tortha, left Greffa. We were all set to claim the fireseed mill for the Throne, after Trader Verkan was declared legally dead. We believe the fire was set by Hostigi agents."

"Your Majesty, I would know nothing about that." Nor did he know whether Trader Verkan was dead, as Theovacar claimed. Verkan wouldn't be the first absent merchant to be declared dead and find his estate confiscated for Theovacar's enrichment. One of them even had the temerity to turn up later in Greffa alive; whereupon, he was arrested on trumped-up charges, put into the palace dungeon and never heard from again.

Ruffulo wouldn't wish that fate on his worst enemy, and certainly not on Trader Verkan, a man he admired. If Verkan was still alive, he hoped he was smart enough not to return to Greffa.

"It is My will that Prince Varrack stay here in Greffa as a symbol to my other Princes of what happens when one is too lax and allows his land to be stolen. However, when We do re-conquer Thagnor, Varrack will not be returned to his throne. We will put in his place one who has been of value to the Iron Throne and continues to prove his usefulness."

If this was a bribe for his cooperation or loyalty, Ruffulo wasn't interested. He was a Greffan, born into the nobility, with roots planted deep in the City. He wasn't interested in being sent into exile, even if he wore the crown of a prince. Otherwise, he would have left for Dorg two winters ago. Only upon fear of death would he leave-or send his family away. However, he knew better than letting the King know his true feelings.

"Your Majesty, I recommend you appoint one of your best captain-generals as Prince of Thagnor, since it's most likely there's going to be a lot of fighting there."

Theovacar rubbed his chin beard. "A good suggestion, Duke. I fear that King Kalvan will not blow away with the first north wind."

Ruffulo nodded. "It will be a joyous day, Your Majesty, when Kalvan is defeated and sent from our land in disgrace."

"It will be an even more joyous day if this Usurper Kalvan is hanged from the City battlements as an example to other outlanders."

Yes, and how are we to do that, when he commands an army several times the size of our own, and one far better armed'? Ruffulo wondered. "Yes, Your Majesty, it will be a day of personal triumph."

"It will, unfortunately, take a few winters. At the present time, the Usurper's army is far larger than Our own. I am thinking of raising fees on all imports and increasing estate taxes to raise the funds to increase Our Navy and Army. How do you foresee the Assembly of Lords reacting to my requests?"

He didn't need to ponder this question. "Badly, Your Majesty. The Lords chafe now under all the Throne's tariffs, surcharges and estate taxes. They will balk at any further demands."

Theovacar's face turned beet red. "Yet, how these same witlings will beseech their King when Kalvan and his armies knock on Our walls! Do they not realize that Grefftscharr's weakness in allowing the Usurper to take his defeated army into Our territory and displace one of Our vassals will show the other Great Kings how vulnerable to attack we are? Soon every Zarthani younger son and captain will be trespassing upon Our lands."

You could spend some of that fortune in gold in the Treasury that the Kings of Greffa have been hoarding for the last thousand years, Ruffulo thought to himself. He knew saying it out loud might cost him his head.

Instead Ruffulo dissembled: "I will do my best, Your Majesty, to convince my fellow members of the Assembly how urgent it is that we build up our military forces. Still, they will argue that the Royal Treasury is filled to the rafters with gold and silver and ask why His Majesty does not use his own funds."

Theovacar snorted. "I can see that We have been too lax. That gold has been assembled century by century by my forbearers for the good of Our subjects. No one will profit if we squander the Treasury."

"Of course, Your Majesty. I will pass your words to the Assembly and urge them to support your proposed taxes in this hour of need."

"Good, Ruffulo. I knew I could count upon your support."Then the King turned away, staring at the mosaic map, a reminder of a time when Greffa ruled a far larger kingdom with an iron hand.

Ruffulo slipped out of the audience chamber in relief. He would only have to deliver the bad news, not eat it-this time. He remembered those halcyon days when he was unrecognized by the King and did not have to parse his every word, nor pass on the King's demands to his fellow lords in the Assembly. He was making no new friends and losing old ones now that he was acting in the King's service. Fortunately, those friends who knew him best understood he was playing this deep game for survival; one where losing the King's favor would mean either banishment or death. Nor was he the only noble acting as the King's cat's-paw.