Ordermaster

LI

As Kharl stepped into the lord-chancellor’s chamber, he saw standing beside Hagen a young man, one who looked like he’d scarcely reached his first score, for all that his shoulders were broad, and he was less than half a head shorter than Kharl. His hair was a rusty red, and his face was lightly freckled. He was clad in gray trousers and a dark green tunic that brought out the paleness of his skin.

Upon seeing Kharl, even before the door had closed behind the mage, the young man bowed. “Lord Kharl.”

“Lord Kharl, this is Erdyl,” Hagen said, with a smile. “He will be your secretary, more properly the secretary to the Austran Envoy to the Western Quadrant of Nordla. He also has been told that he is to say nothing of this until it is proclaimed.”

Kharl had recalled something about a secretary, but seeing the young man brought home the point that he would scarcely be traveling alone, not when he would be accompanied by Undercaptain Demyst, Erdyl, and guards. He also understood that Hagen had told Erdyl about Kharl’s future duties as a form of test. If Erdyl said a word, Kharl suspected he would have a new secretary.

“Lord Hagen had told me I would have a secretary”-Kharl offered a smile-“but little more.”

Erdyl stood respectfully, waiting. His eyes appraised Kharl, but the mage could sense no chaos.

“Erdyl is the youngest son of Lord Askyl of Norbruel,” Hagen went on. “He has five older brothers, and his father had suggested that he might be most suitable.”

Kharl could detect neither untruthfulness nor sarcasm in the older man’s words. “Erdyl, with the lord-chancellor’s word, I am most certain you’ll do well.”

“I would hope to do my best and to support you in all that you require.”

“Except magery,” Hagen added dryly. “And that is something you are to mention not at all. To no one.”

“Oh, yes, ser. I did not mean such,” Erdyl said quickly.

Hagen gestured to the chair before his table desk, then seated himself. Erdyl waited until Kharl was seated before sitting. The lord-chancellor turned back to the young man. “Erdyl, Lord Kharl’s strengths are magery, an understanding of men that few possess, and great strength of will. He is less conversant with the intricacies of etiquette. Your tasks are to write what is needful in a manner that captures what Lord Kharl requires and to provide any insights that will prove useful. You are to obey Lord Kharl in all matters, however. I say this not just as a polite phrase, but as a matter of your survival. There are very few, if any, left alive, who have failed to heed Lord Kharl’s warnings, while most of those who have followed his direction are hale and hearty.”

Erdyl nodded solemnly.

While Kharl could sense the young man’s acquiescence, he also had the feeling that Hagen had already made the same points in private with Erdyl.

“In addition to his duties as envoy, Lord Kharl will also be studying the laws of Nordla while he is in Brysta, as he has been doing with those who serve the lord justicer here.”

That, Kharl sensed, was a definite surprise to the young man.

“The way the laws are administered can tell much to an envoy,” Hagen went on, “and such investigations are far less dangerous, and less costly, than attempting to play at the game of spying. You will, of course, say nothing of what Lord Kharl does beyond the general observation that he is an envoy-unless he orders you to do so.”

“Yes, ser.”

“When we are alone, you may ask why I do something,” Kharl added, thinking that was something he should have handled better with Arthal.

“But only when you are truly alone,” Hagen added. “You will also be tasked with writing the final draft of Lord Kharl’s reports in fair hand, and some of them might be quite long.”

“Yes, ser.”

“You will also be tasked with organizing anything that Lord Kharl wishes done. While he is finishing his work at the Hall of Justice, you will be learning a few matters here at the Great House, from me, and from the commanders, and from the stewards …”

Almost a glass passed before Hagen stood. “I have a few words for Lord Kharl, before you two have a quick midday meal. It will be brief, because Lord Kharl is expected back at the Hall of Justice.”

Kharl repressed a smile. Hanger was stretching the truth there a little.

Once Erdyl had left them, the lord-chancellor turned to Kharl. “Erdyl writes well, and quickly. Despite his age, he sees much, and his mind is also quick.”

“He has enough older brothers that he has no chances of seeing any coins from the family lands,” suggested Kharl.

“His father has been loyal to both Lord Estloch and to Lord Ghrant,” Hagen added.

Kharl smiled. He understood that Hagen wanted someone who could help Kharl, but whom he could also reward, and someone who would be regarded as very traditional by doubting lords. It made great sense. “Is there anything I need to worry about with him?”

“Don’t disappoint him. If you plan to do something to upset his high opinion of you, explain why.”

Kharl also understood that. “I’ll try.”

“Go have your meal with him.” Hagen gestured toward the door.

“Yes, most honored lord-chancellor.” Kharl grinned.

“Out, troublesome lord mage.” Hagen followed his words with a rueful smile.

Kharl laughed and made his way out of the lord-chancellor’s chamber.

Erdyl was standing outside in the corridor. “Ser?”

“We’ll just go to the smaller dining hall,” Kharl said, turning down the corridor. “I only have a glass or so before I need to get back to the Hall of Justice.”

Erdyl looked quizzically at Kharl. “Ser … might I ask …?”

“I’m trying to learn how to write an advocate’s brief.” Kharl stopped at the archway into the dining chamber, then saw that the smaller table was empty and headed toward it.

Erdyl followed, but did not speak until they were seated. “Is that part of being a mage, ser?”

“In a fashion, I guess.” Kharl motioned to one of the servers.

“A lager, Lord Kharl?”

“Yes, please, and whatever you think is best for the meal.” Kharl looked to Erdyl.

“Ah … red wine, please, and whatever Lord Kharl is having.”

“I’ll have your lager and wine in a moment, sers.” The woman smiled pleasantly and headed for the back staircase down to the kitchen.

“You’re from somewhere near Bruel?” asked Kharl.

Erdyl smiled, seeming almost embarrassed. “It’s not so close that I’d call it near. Father’s lands lie nearly a hundred and fifty kays north of Bruel along the coast. It takes an eightday by the roads to get to Bruel. That’s in good weather in the summertime.”

Kharl laughed at his own misunderstanding. “And in the winter?”

“You can’t use the roads. The Sudpass is snowed in within a few days after harvest is over, an eightday or two at most. There’s a fair harbor in the town. That’s Norbruel. The holding house is on the hill to the north of town. We can see the harbor and Seal Island from the terrace.”

“Did you want to come to Valmurl? Or was it your father’s idea?”

“I asked, ser. He had no objections.” Erdyl’s voice was even, almost flat.

“He really didn’t think it was a good idea,” suggested Kharl.

Erdyl looked at Kharl, then shrugged, smiling sheepishly. “No, ser. He said that, if I wanted to make my way among strangers, I might as well try. He sent a letter to Lord Hagen, even before he became lord-chancellor, asking if Lord Hagen might find me a position.”

Kharl nodded. “How long have you been in Valmurl?”

“Just three eightdays, ser. Once Commander Casolan sent word that it was safe, Father put me on the Seafox. He’s known Lord Hagen since they were young, and the lord-chancellor had sent back a letter asking Father if I’d be willing to serve Lord Ghrant.”

“I’m scarcely Lord Ghrant,” Kharl pointed out.

“You are one of the most loyal lords serving him, it is said.”

Kharl still found it jarring to be called a lord, and he wasn’t quite certainwhat to say to Erdyl’s statement. He pondered for a moment before answering. “I came to serve Lord Ghrant because Ha-Lord Hagen served him, and Lord Hagen is the most worthy man I have met.” He stopped as the server set a pale lager before him and a goblet before Erdyl.

“Did you really turn a mountain into glass?” Erdyl asked.

“Not exactly,” Kharl replied. “Order doesn’t work like that. A white wizard tried to use chaos to burn up all our forces, and I turned the chaos back on the wizard. Part of a hill behind the wizards turned into glass.”

The young man nodded slowly. “I didn’t see how a black mage would do that, but everyone kept saying that you had.”

Kharl took a sip of his ale before saying more. “I’ve been told that I’m not exactly like other order-mages. I seem to be a little better with shields, but I don’t seem to have much talent for healing or things like that.” He felt that he was being truthful in what he said.

“Shields? Like an old-style lancer?”

“No. A way of stopping chaos-fire and, sometimes, things like crossbow bolts. That’s if I know they’re coming.” Kharl took another sip of lager. “Have you ever been in Nordla, or anyplace else besides Norbruel or Bruel or Valmurl?”

“I went to Vizyn once with Clandal.” Erdyl shrugged. “It was even colder than Norbruel, and that was in the summer.”

“Nordla can be a dangerous place,” Kharl said. “Lord West and his sons have killed many who made the mistake of talking about them in public. The less we speak about ourselves and about them, the better.”

“The lord-chancellor said that I was only to say that you were the lord of Cantyl and that you had once been a merchant officer.”

“That’s right.” Kharl nodded. “You should say only that your sire is the lord of Norbruel.” He could sense a quiet solidness about the young man, and he had the feeling that Hagen had picked well. “We should let others talk.”

Erdyl laughed. “Father is always saying that. He said you couldn’t hook the smallest gilly in the brook if it kept its mouth shut.”

Kharl found that he was enjoying talking to young Erdyl, and regretted that, after he ate, he would have to go back to the Hall of Justice to work on the brief suggested by Jusof. He supposed he would learn from that, but he was not looking forward to that learning. Writing anything was a chore, and a laborious one at that.