Magi'i of Cyador

CXVII

LORN WALKS ACROSS the Plaza to the wide steps leading up to the topmost level. For the first time, he wears his lancer uniform in the Plaza, and more than a handful of merchanters in blue glance in his direction. He cannot help smiling, half in apprehension, half in anticipation as he nears the steps.

“ … overcaptain … don’t know him …”

… don’t see many here …”

“Someone’s heir … guess …”

With his smile still broad, he climbs the wide steps in the middle of the two wings of the structure, wondering whether to turn right or left at the top, since he only knows that Ryalor House now holds the entire upper level. He turns left, and discovers that all the doors are closed. Retracing his steps to the stairs and past them, he comes to a set of open double doors.

After noting the painted emblem above the open double doors-the intertwined R and L within the inverted triangle-Lorn nods and steps through the doors. Amid the tables and the handful of merchanters in blue, he does not see Ryalth immediately, although there is a closed door that looks to lead to a private study.

“Ser?” asks a thin-faced junior enumerator, standing from a table on which are piled stacks of wrinkled papers. He steps forward as if to question Lorn’s very presence. “Might I help you in some way?”

A thin-faced, slender and gray-eyed senior enumerator rises from a table desk in the corner and slips forwardquickly. “Sygul … this is Overcaptain Lorn-the Overcaptain Lorn,” Eileyt says quickly.

“Oh, ser … I’m so sorry.” Sygul bows deeply. “I’m so sorry. It’s … well … no one ever described you ….”

Lorn laughs gently. “I’m not five cubits tall with shoulders that touch both sides of the door? I’m afraid not.” He looks at Eileyt. “Is she here?”

“She is, and I think that all of us will feel better if we escort you there before she sees you being detained here.” Eileyt turns toward the closed door at the left side of the trading tables.

“ … didn’t know …”

“ … don’t let her know that …. You think she be tough on an improper invoice …”

Lorn smiles sympathetically as he follows the senior enumerator.

Eileyt knocks on the closed door. “Lady … there is a most important personage here to see you. Most important.” He grins.

“Show him in, Eileyt.”

Lorn opens the door and steps inside.

Ryalth and an older balding trader in the orange of Hamor are seated on opposite sides of a desk table. The study is almost stark, with but the desk table and a handful of chairs, several chests lined up against the side wall. There are two high rear windows, both barred.

The gray and balding trader turns, and Lorn can see the annoyance in his eyes. Ryalth’s eyes widen and she stands.

Lorn smiles. “I can wait, but Eileyt suggested I should make my presence known.”

Ryalth gestures to the sitting trader. “This is Duhabrah. He is the representative of his house in Cyad.”

Lorn bows. “I apologize for the interruption, and I am most pleased to meet you.”

“The overcaptain and his house were the first backers of Ryalor.” Ryalth smiles. “He is the one who made the trade of the amber gold spirits possible … and a number of other unusual goods. Some of the goods we were talking about.”

The trader surveys Lorn more closely. “You are not a trader born, I would say.”

“No. My family is elthage.” At the trader’s blank look, Lorn adds, “Of the Magi’i.”

“A Lancer officer of Magi’i blood who is involved in trade!” Duhabrah laughs, a full rumbling laugh. “Lady trader … I see more from this than from all else, and I am pleased I am here.”

Lorn bows. “I will leave you two to your trading. Eileyt will show me around,” he adds. “I have not seen all that is here.”

Ryalth returns his bow with a smile.

Lorn steps back, closing the door gently, and turns to Eileyt. “She told you to bring me in, even if she were with someone?”

“Yes, ser.”

Lorn nods. He gestures around the large room. “Tell me a bit about each person and what he does.”

Eileyt clears his throat. “Sygul-the one near the door-is a junior enumerators. He checks the commodities boards in the Plaza below, and lets me know if anything changes by more than a twentieth-or if he thinks something is happening to the prices of grains, fruits, the more widely traded metals. We don’t trade them, except for dried fruits and at times iron and cuprite, but the Lady Ryalth can tell from knowing that prices are changing what else may be affected. He also checks the bills of lading against the invoices to make sure the quantities are the same, and …”

Lorn follows the enumerator’s restrained gestures, listening.

“Kutyr-the one in the blond beard in the corner-he is a trader, mostly in fruits and spirits …. He will travel to Hydlen in several eightdays to purchase the advance contracts on dried fruit ….”

Lorn nods as Eileyt goes around the large room, although the overcaptain doubts he totally understands about half of what the enumerator says-or rather the meaning beyond the words themselves.

“And you,” Lorn says, when Eileyt has finished his summary, “you’re the one that makes sure everyone does what they must, and the one who keeps the ledgers?”

“The Lady keeps the ledgers, but she requires that I check them to ensure aught is well, and accurate.”

“You find mistakes … but not many, I’d guess.”

“Few,” Eileyt says, “but it is best that way, for the Emperor’s tariff enumerators require double any discrepancies as penalties. And Bluoyal-the Emperor’s Merchanter Advisor-is hardly loath to suggest that those houses that are caught cheating steal from the others because the rest of us must pay more in tariffs while they pay less.”

Lorn has never heard of the tariff enumerators, but he nods, wondering what else there is that his education and experience have overlooked. He also notes the vaguely distasteful manner in which Eileyt refers to Bluoyal, and reminds himself to ask Ryalth about the man.

The study door opens, and Ryalth escorts Duhabrah to the main doors of Ryalor House, where the foreign trader bows twice and departs, smiling effusively.

Eileyt slides away as Ryalth returns to where Lorn stands. Without speaking, he follows her into her study where she is the one to close the door.

They embrace.

After a long time, they separate, and Ryalth looks at Lorn, eye to eye. “You came here first, didn’t you?”

“Almost … I dropped my gear inside the door at my parents, said hello and left. I did kiss my mother. I wasn’t sure about trying to enter your quarters, if you even have the same ones, my wealthy merchanter lady …”

“I’m not that wealthy.”

“Everyone thinks you are.” Lorn grins. “And most beautiful.”

Ryalth shakes her head. “You are impossible. Still.”

“Very impossible … and wondering if we can depart before too long.”

She smiles. “I am almost through for the day, and we can leave shortly.”

“Ah … mother did ask if we could join them for dinner.” Lorn shrugs apologetically. “I would not … with so little time … yet …”

“I know. Jerial has already conveyed an invitation for whatever night you arrived, and I agreed.” She grins back. “I told her we would not stay late, and she said that she would make sure of that, as well.”

“You have everything arranged.” Lorn shakes his head. “You two.”

“Not everything, but your family has been far warmer than ever I would have imagined.” Her smile fades. “They are most cautious, though.” The redhead shivers. “I would not live like that, knowing every word be measured, every action watched.”

“It may come to that,” Lorn says.“You have seen that … or felt it … with me.”

“For you, that I will accept, but not merely because of birth and station.”

Lorn kisses her again.

“We will not soon leave here, and we will be late for dinner … if you do not permit me to finish.”

“Finish what?”

“The report that goes with the seasonal import tariffs for the Emperor.”

“I would ask,” Lorn says, letting go of her hands.

“I will hasten. Then we will take a carriage and pick up your things. From now on, you are staying with your consort in Cyad.” She smiles.

“I would hope so.”

“You have lecherous thoughts, my dearest of lancers. Were this not for the Emperor’s enumerators, we would already have departed.”

Lorn reaches out and squeezes her hand once more. “Then, do what you must.” He pulls out the seat on the side of the desk table and seats himself, wondering how to tell her what else he must, yet knowing that he must, for all that he doesaffects her, and she is in Cyad, where all are watched, both for power and weakness.

Ryalth continues to page through the sheets before her, occasionally lifting her pen. Finally, she signs the last page and looks at Lorn once more. “I am done, but you are not.”

He nods, then stands and moves toward her, embracing her gently, and murmuring in her ear as he does, “I am here … and I am most glad to be so. Yet … it is because Maran vanished … the Lancer officer of whom I told you, the one who was a magus. Commander Meylyd and perhaps the Majer-Commander of Lancers suspect I managed to remove him-but he was never found. He … Maran … kept putting more and more restrictions on my patrols ….”

“He wanted the Forest to kill you ….”

Lorn nods, his head against Ryalth’s warm cheek. “Yet … all I do … it may come to bear upon you ….”

“Long have I known that.” She returns his embrace-gently, but more tightly. “You stood by me … when none did … you have risked your ties with your family for me … and always have you kept your word to me. That you could not do, were you to die.”

“You know … for what I hope … and strive … and the dangers …” he murmurs, his arms still around her.

“Had you not risked yourself one night, long ago … I might be dead-or a fearful woman at any trader’s beck. Had you not stood for me to your family …” Her lips brush his cheek, and she lays her cheek against his. “Now … for what you have done, they see me as I am, not as they thought I was.”

“I worried … about Maran … yet I could see no other course.”

“Many worry … few act. You act, and I will be with you.” Her fingers tighten around his. “I will, and never doubt it. Never.” Her last word is whispered fiercely.

Whatever will come, whatever will be … they will face it together.

“ … even if we are thousands of kays apart,” Ryalth murmurs.

He holds her tightly, without barriers, without reservations … and her arms are as firmly around him as his are around her.