Arms-Commander

XCIX

Saryn and Hryessa walked into the tower council chamber half a glass before the lord-holders were to assemble. Five chairs around a round table filled the center of the dark-paneled room, with the only light from the high windows in the back wall of the chamber, since the wall lamps were unlit.

“Let’s put the table against the wall, and line the chairs up along the wall by the door. That will leave the floor space open.” Saryn glanced down at the heavy, worn, dark green carpet, which was bordered in purple, with gold intertwined vines and leaves. Ugly and then some.

When they had rearranged the room, Hryessa looked to Saryn. “How many guards do you want?”

“Ten. I want the most experienced, and five should be on one side of where I’ll stand, and five on the other side. They should be here, waiting. I won’t enter until everyone is inside. After I do, and the doors are closed, bring the rest of the squad into the corridor outside.”

“The lord-holders…they will not like it.”

“No. They won’t. And they won’t like the fact that I’m wearing a battle harness, but they’ll each have a single blade at their belt.” And my having two blades at hand will subtly reinforce the impression of power. “They’re going to have to get used to having women with power and weapons around, and now is as good a time as any to start.”

Saryn decided to wait on the staircase landing around the corner from the corridor in front of the council chamber, half a flight up. From there, she could sense the lord-holders entering, and Zeldyan had agreed, with a smile, to summon Saryn after Maeldyn had explained the general situation to the others.

When Saryn left the chamber, because she did not want to be anywhere close while the lord-holders arrived and gathered, Zeldyan was outside.

“We rearranged the chamber,” Saryn said, nodding for Hryessa to get on with her preparations.

“You could have had the staff do it,” Zeldyan pointed out.

“I’d rather not ask anything of them yet, other than what any guest would expect. Have you heard anything I should know?”

“Maeldyn says that most are resigned to your becoming overlord, but he hasn’t mentioned anything about succession.”

Saryn could understand that. For a historically patrilineal and patriarchal society, what she planned to impose would certainly not sit well, but, for better or worse, she wanted everything out in the open from the beginning. It would make the initial transition less popular, but easier because it was clear who held power, and that would make matters easier as time went by. That’s what you hope. At the very least, she would know who was so vehemently opposed that she would have to deal with them immediately. “That’s something I’ll deal with after the issue of being overlord is raised.”

“Some may change their minds.”

“That’s their decision…and their consequences.”

Zeldyan winced.

“You think I’m cruel? You have lost everyone you loved. I don’t want to see the same things happen again and again, and they will, if things aren’t changed.”

“Saryn…women are not any better than men.”

“No, we’re not, but I can train and educate the women. Right now, I can only kill the men, because they’ll fight to the death rather than accept change. I’d prefer not to, but I’ll end up having to unless I change matters. And there are a few lords who love and trust their daughters.”

“In the end, will the women be any better?”

“I don’t know. I hope so, but…don’t you think we ought to have a chance to see if we can do better?”

Zeldyan only smiled sadly.

Saryn could sense the former regent’s feelings-that Saryn was going to pay a very high price for her changes…and that, in the end, little would change. We’ll see.

“You’ll enter the chamber with Maeldyn and Spalkyn?” Saryn asked, as much to change the subject as anything.

“Both Lyndel and I will enter with Maeldyn. Spalkyn is going to stick close to Chaspal.”

Saryn heard horses outside. “I think it’s time for me to disappear for a while.”

“And I, also.”

Saryn retreated to the staircase landing, and Hryessa ushered the ten guards into position in the council chamber.

Since Saryn could only sense general shapes and some few feelings from where she was, she could not identify most of those who entered the chamber, but she thought she sensed the gruff Barcauyn, and Jharyk, and, of course, Maeldyn, near the end, because he was escorting Zeldyan and Lyndel. She could only sense that the lord-holders talked and moved below, some in apparent agitation.

Almost half a glass passed before Zeldyan appeared at the bottom of the staircase. “You should come.”

“How are they taking it?” Saryn came down the stairs and joined Zeldyan.

“Not well…but no one has left.”

As she entered the council chamber with Zeldyan, Saryn could sense the conflicting emotions-veiled hope, anger, resentment, resignation, worry.

“…wearing blades…”

“…so are we…”

“…doesn’t seem right…woman…”

Once she reached the point midway between the guards, Saryn turned and surveyed the lord-holders present: Spalkyn, and beside him a holder she did not know, presumably Chaspal, Jharyk, Barcauyn, Shartyr, Maeldyn, Zeldyan, Lyndel, and a rotund figure with deep-set eyes, who, by process of elimination, had to be Whethryn. Eight out of what had once been eighteen, if she counted the vacant holding of Rohrn, and who knew how many others might have been present if the holdings taken by Suthya were also included.

Maeldyn cleared his throat, but did not speak.

Saryn gathered the order and chaos flows, a process almost instinctive after all her experiences, and projected both authority and ability even before she began to speak. “I understand that Lord Maeldyn has explained how I came to be in Lornth and all the details of what has occurred since last spring. Although all of you know some, if not all, of those events, not all of you knew what lay behind many of them.” Saryn smiled pleasantly. “You are gathered here because Lornth needs an overlord who is strong enough to protect it from other lands, and forceful and able enough to protect you from each other. I did not come to Lornth seeking anything but to support the regency and to keep Suthya from creating conflict between Lornth and Westwind. I was asked to consider becoming overlord. That is why I am here.”

“Do we have any choice?” That question came from the lord-holder she thought was Chaspal.

Saryn smiled. “You have had many choices. You could have accepted peace with Westwind. You could have united behind the regency and supported the regents with more than equivocal words and insufficient tariffs, tariffs paid late if at all. You could have rejected the dissension created by the late Lord Kelthyn and others. Most of the lord-holders of Lornth chose not to do any of those, and few indeed protested the acts and words of the rebel lords. That is why your choices now are few. It is also why my choices are few. If I choose to leave you to your devices, within a year or so, if not within seasons, most of you will be dead, and Suthya will rule Lornth. And then I will have to fight another year over these lands and others to stop Suthya. You will pardon me if I tell you that I am less than enthusiastic about that, and I would think you would not find that prospect particularly to your liking.”

“Some have said that as soon as you are overlord,” offered Jharyk, “that you will turn on each of us in turn and take our holdings and turn them over to daughters or consorts.”

“I will not take your holdings from you. I could. That you should know. But upon your death, each of your holdings will go to your eldest daughter. If you have no daughter, you may choose between the consort of your eldest son or the eldest daughter of your oldest sister…”

“You will destroy the bloodlines…” That was from Chaspal again.

Saryn laughed. “On the contrary, what I do will preserve them. Any child of your daughter has to carry her blood. A man’s consort does not always bear that man’s offspring…as all of you should know. A daughter always bears her own offspring. If you are worried about your blood inheriting, having your daughters inherit is the only absolute way to assure that.”

“How can a woman keep a holding?” asked Shartyr. “You might, but women in Lornth are different.”

“Do you doubt that women can bear arms?”

“You can bear arms, Commander,” offered Spalkyn, “but none of us have trained our daughters in arms…”

Saryn smiled. “That is scarcely a problem. Every single one of the guards who defeated those who came against them was born in Candar, and not a one received arms training from their fathers. Every lord-holder’s daughter will be trained in arms, and I will supervise that training. They will also be schooled in numbers and other skills needed to run a holding. This should not pose a problem since you will all remain lord-holders and can, if you choose, also add to their knowledge.”

Chaspal edged forward until he stood at the front of the group, his hand on the hilt of his sword. “You mock everything Lornth has stood for.”

“Not everything,” Saryn replied, gathering order and chaos as she sensed the anger and antagonism. “Just the ideas that more fighting among lord-holders will preserve Lornth and that women have no worth at all.”

“I will show you worth!” Chaspal’s sword was just out of the scabbard, and he had taken but a single step, when Saryn’s blade slammed into his chest with such force that chaos-flames erupted, momentarily, before he toppled backward.

Naked blades appeared in the hands of the ten guards flanking Saryn.

In moments, all that remained of Chaspal was a pile of ashes, fragments of leather and metal, and two blades, all resting on a charred patch on the heavy ugly carpet.

None of the remaining lord-holders made a sound, and Saryn again let the silence fill the room before she spoke.

“You can call me a tyrant…but that is the way it will be. Any lord-holder who brings arms against another, I will deal with-just as I dealt with Lord Chaspal. In addition, each lord-holder will be limited to two squads worth of personal guards. That should be enough to keep peace on your lands…and few enough that neighboring holders will not be tempted into territorial incursions. It will also allow you to keep more of your golds since you will not have to spend them on arms and armsmen…although I will increase your annual tariffs slightly to support the guards and armsmen necessary to deal with Suthya and the Jeranyi…”

“What of our sons?” inquired Whethryn.

“What of them?” asked Saryn in return. “They can help their sisters run their holdings. They can consort with the daughters of other lords. They can do all manner of things-but they cannot inherit or rule a holding.”

“That will bring chaos…” muttered someone.

Barcauyn, Saryn thought, but decided against singling him out directly. “Chaos, you say?” Her laugh was mocking and cold, and she added order and chaos flows to the sound that chilled every ear. “Chaos, you say? For a score of years, if not longer, Lornth has been nothing but chaos, with holder against holder, falling prey to the schemes of the Suthyans and the lusts and bloodlust of all too many lord-holders. There will be none of that, not now, nor in the future. I will protect our borders with the same skills that have brought you all to bay, and I will not suffer any outside meddling in the land, not from Jerans, nor from Suthya or Westwind.

“Think about this. I have not raised arms against anyone who did not first raise arms against the regency that was or against me. How many of those lord-holders who perished at my hand could have said that? Not a single one. Also, think about this. I am not taking the lands of any lord-holder except those of Lord Henstrenn and possibly Lord Kelthyn, who brought near ruin on the land. I am allowing the heirs of even the rebel lord-holders to keep their lands, and I am allowing you to remain lord-holders for the rest of your lives, and those of your blood will continue to hold those lands. If you rebel, then you will suffer Lord Chaspal’s fate, and your daughters will become lady-holders that much sooner.” After a moment, Saryn added. “I will tariff you, as did the regency, and you will pay those tariffs. In return, I will protect you, and I will keep order so that no lord-holder need fear another.”

“How will we know you will keep that word?” asked Maeldyn mildly.

“Some of you have seen that I have thus far kept my words about all that I have done. That will not change. Also, think about this. How many of those who rebelled and wished to be overlord could say the same? Lord Orsynn paid the Jeranyi to raid Lord Jharyk’s lands because Jharyk was loyal to the regency. Lord Mortryd begged for help from the regency, then joined with Lord Rhehrn to ambush the regency forces. Lord Henstrenn persuaded three other lords to join him in attacking Lord Gethen, then left two of them behind to face me while accepting golds from Suthya to attack the regency. Lord Jaffrayt incited the southern lords to rebel. Lord-holders…if you are at all honest, you should see that the record of honesty and loyalty among you leaves something to be desired, especially when the greatest butchery was accomplished by rebel Lornian lord-holders against the most loyal lord-holders-Lord Gethen and Lord Deolyn.”

With her words, Saryn did her best to project guilt and shame…if only briefly.

“That is past,” she went on. “Either the Suthyans or the Jeranyi or both would kill you and take your lands. I will not. Were I so inclined, I certainly could have done so. Could any of you have stopped me? Yet you question me far more than you ever questioned yourselves. My question to you is simple. And before you answer, I will tell you that I can tell if any man or woman lies to me. My question to you is simple: Will you be loyal and not force me to take up arms against you?”

“A moment, Commander.” Spalkyn stepped forward and cleared his throat. His hand went briefly to his beard. “I’m not one who speaks much. Some of you know that I near-on lost everything years back. Some of you also know that a company or so of Suthyans attacked my lands this summer. The only help I got was from the commander. She and little more than a squad of her women guards wiped out every last Suthyan and one white mage. I’d not be here without that. She was the one to take on Henstrenn and three Suthyan companies and three more mages. Not one of the mages and few of the Suthyans survived. Now…it seems to me that we’ve been complaining for years about not having an overlord strong enough to protect us…and when we get one, we’re going to complain that she happens to be a woman?”

Saryn kept from smiling, knowing that Spalkyn’s earlier comments, as well as his remarks, had been Maeldyn’s idea.

“Now maybe I’m seeing things different-like,” Spalkyn went on, “because I have two daughters who already do well at helping run my holding and a son who won’t ever do well at it. It seems to me that the commander is still letting our blood hold our lands. It also seems to me that the Suthyans-or the Jeranyi-don’t much care about that. With the commander as overlord or overlady, we might even get Westwind to worry about Suthya, and we sure as the demons won’t have to worry about Gallos.” He fingered his beard. “I don’t know as I can say more.”

Surprisingly, Barcauyn stepped forward. “Matters don’t always go the way we like. We all know that. I thought I had sons with some sense. They tried…I’m embarrassed to say…to attack the commander with dirks in a hallway. They’re most fortunate that she was kind to them because she could have killed them with her bare hands. They will have scars to remind them. We haven’t had much fortune with the last few overlords. It might have been their fault. It might not have been. It might have been the times. But there’s a saying about needing fire to fight fire.” He nodded to Saryn and stepped back.

Maeldyn moved forward. “The commander asked a fair question. She didn’t ask us to like her. She didn’t ask us to hand over our lands. She asked us to be good lords and loyal. Is there anyone here who doesn’t think that’s a fair question in these times?”

“It’s a fair question,” answered Jharyk. “I can say I will be. But…I want the heirs of all the rebel lord-holders to make the same pledge to the commander overlord in person and look into her eyes when they do.”

“That’s fair,” said Barcauyn. “More than fair.”

Saryn waited until the chamber quieted. “In return, you have my pledge to support each of you as I already promised, and to support your heirs as well in the years ahead.”

After another round of murmurs, a voice came from the group.

“There is one other matter…”

It took Saryn a moment to determine the speaker-Whethryn. “Yes, Lord Whethryn.”

“Ahem…one reason we’ve had trouble, and you’re here, is that there was some question about…heirs…”

Saryn managed to keep from flushing. “Lord Maeldyn raised that question. The simple answer is that I can and will have children, and that I am young enough to raise them to maturity.” She paused. “I haven’t exactly had much time to devote to such considerations in the past years, but now that matters are more settled…there is someone.”

Several chuckles filled the room.

Nothing like backing yourself into a corner…with no real way out.

Still…she smiled.