Scholar

75

On Lundi, Quaeryt completed the statement of policies and the document of succession and dispatched a copy to Straesyr with a letter noting that it clearly fell within the princeps’s authority since it was a nonmilitary matter. Then, early on Mardi morning, a student rushed into the dining hall and halted at the table where Quaeryt sat with Yullyd and Nalakyn.

“Sir, there are soldiers riding up the lane.” The youth’s voice cracked with the last words.

Quaeryt stood immediately. “How many?”

“Not all that many. About as many as are here now. Twenty or twenty-five?”

“Then … it’s not bad news for the scholarium. It might just be a message for me.” Quaeryt offered a smile he didn’t feel to the other two. “If you’ll excuse me…”

“You’ll let us know?” asked Nalakyn nervously.

“As soon as I can.” Quaeryt walked swiftly out of the dining hall and then to the front porch. He arrived just as a squad leader, followed by his men, reined up short of the steps.

“Scholar, sir … You’re Scholar Quaeryt, are you not?”

“The very same, Squad Leader.”

“Yes, sir.” The squad leader paused, then said, “The governor requests that you accompany us to join him in the campaign against the hill holders.”

“What’s happened?” Quaeryt had several thoughts on the possibilities. With Zarxes’s and Alkiabys’s disappearance through the secret tunnel, neither the hill holder revolt nor Rescalyn’s summons surprised him greatly. He’d half-anticipated that something would happen sooner, but the delay suggested that the hill holders had spent some time organizing and that Rescalyn faced a combined force. Then, that was only his surmise.

“The hill holders have gathered an army. They killed most of one company on a patrol and have besieged Boralieu.”

To Quaeryt, that made little sense unless they’d also declared that their quarrel was with the governor or Lord Bhayar and they were urging others to rise against Telaryn. But he doubted that the squad leader would know those details. “What about Rheusyd and second squad? Are they to remain or to join us?”

“They are also to accompany us.”

“Are we going back to the palace or are we to meet the governor on the road?”

“He was leaving the Telaryn Palace when we did. We’re to rejoin the force on the road.”

“I need to tell Rheusyd and his men and gather some gear. I won’t be long.”

By the time Quaeryt reentered the building, both Yullyd and Nalakyn were standing in the foyer. They both looked at him inquisitively. He gestured toward the Master Scholar’s study, and they followed him.

Once inside, with the door shut, he turned. “The hill holders have revolted…” He went on to explain, then added, “You’re Master Scholar in my absence, Nalakyn. Yullyd, you’re the scholar princeps. While nothing is certain, I think it likely that, whatever happens, the scholarium will continue. If the rebels prevail-which is most unlikely-they will wish it. If the governor wins, he certainly won’t shut it down.”

“What … about you … sir?” asked Nalakyn.

“I’ve always served Lord Bhayar and the governor. What happens in the next month or so will determine how I serve them in the future. In the meantime, you two have to carry on.” Quaeryt grinned. “And make sure you charge new students the new fees.”

“Yes, sir,” agreed Yullyd.

“I need to gather my gear and talk to Rheusyd. I’m going to leave some clothing here.” Such as dress and undress jackets and a set of good browns.

Since Rheusyd wasn’t in the dining hall, Quaeryt hurried upstairs, gathered a second set of browns and other items together, including the worn green uniform shirt, and put them in the circular kit bag they had arrived in, then hurried back to the main floor. As he left the building for the stable, Quaeryt saw Lankyt waiting on the rear porch, a worried expression on his face. Recalling what he had told the young man on Samedi, he couldn’t help but suspect that Lankyt would be even more worried about the future of the scholarium. Lankyt’s fears were justified, despite what Quaeryt had told Nalakyn and Yullyd, because, if anything happened to Quaeryt, while the scholarium would likely remain, who would be left to stand up for the scholars and students against the past not-so-benign neglect of the governor?

“Sir?”

“I’ve been recalled to duty with the governor’s forces. The hill holders have attacked the post at Boralieu.”

“They’ve rebelled?” Lankyt’s voice held incredulity.

“They wouldn’t call it such,” replied Quaeryt dryly. “I don’t think that they’ve ever believed they owed allegiance to any ruler. They always bargained with the Khanar or ignored him, and the governor has shown that Lord Bhayar won’t be bargained with or ignored.” Even if it has been a while coming.

“They couldn’t have done this because the governor sent you here. They couldn’t.”

“That was just the excuse they were looking for. They’ve been attacking the patrols out of Boralieu for years.” But they think that Rescalyn double-crossed them over the Ecoliae when his “agreement” with Phaeryn was just designed to set matters up the way Rescalyn wanted it. It was more than clear to Quaeryt that Rescalyn had promised not to dismantle the Ecoliae so long as the scholars refrained from overt action against the Telaryn Palace-effectively setting up the hill holders as the prime source of opposition, suiting Rescalyn’s long-term plans perfectly.

“Will you be back?”

“I don’t know.”

Lankyt looked down, then raised his eyes. “Best of fortune, sir.”

“Thank you.” Quaeryt smiled warmly, then hurried toward the stables to find Rheusyd.

Less than a half glass later, Quaeryt rode near the head of the two squads beside Lharym, the leader of the squad sent to fetch Quaeryt. The scholar’s gear fit easily behind his saddle.

“They’ll be taking the river road for a good twenty milles,” offered Lharym.

Quaeryt nodded, forbearing to note that he’d traveled that route twice before. “Do you know if the rebel holders sent any word or declaration to the governor?”

“No, sir. I don’t. Captain Theyn didn’t, either.”

“Has anyone said how many rebels there are under arms?”

“Thousands … that’s the word.”

If there were thousands, a lot of them weren’t likely to be all that well trained, unlike Rescalyn’s “regiment.” But then, Quaeryt reflected, he could be wrong in that assessment.

Almost a glass went by before Quaeryt rode up to the command group, not quite at the front of the long column riding northwest on the river road.

“Scholar! Over here!” Rescalyn’s voice boomed over the sounds of men and mounts.

As Quaeryt rode toward the governor, he had to admit that, especially on horseback, Rescalyn was a commanding figure, erect in the saddle and radiating confidence.

“Governor, I’m reporting as you requested.”

“You made haste.” Rescalyn smiled. “Even with that leg of yours, you’d make a good cavalry officer.” He gestured. “Ride with me.”

Quaeryt guided the mare alongside the larger black gelding ridden by the governor, noting that the rankers and officers before and behind them moved away, giving Rescalyn space.

“It appears that your efforts to convince the local scholars to abandon their opposition to Lord Bhayar are about to bear fruit-the bitter kind.”

“Sir?” Quaeryt was fairly certain he knew what was coming.

“Young Waerfyl, Saentaryn, Demotyl, and Huisfyl have declared their independence from Telaryn. They claim that the imposition of a foreign scholar over the true scholars of Tilbor is an absolute confirmation of the fact that Telaryn intends to destroy all independence of belief and thought in Tilbor. They are the ones who sent the message with a wounded ranker, but they claim other holders have also joined them. Since you precipitated this fracture, I thought you should participate in the aftermath.” Rescalyn smiled warmly.

Quaeryt debated for a moment, then spoke. “I’m glad I was able to bring about what you’ve been seeking, sir.”

Rescalyn’s momentary frown vanished almost immediately. Then he laughed. “You’re far more than a scholar, Master Quaeryt. How did you deduce that?”

“The size of the regiment, the extra companies in each battalion, the rotation so that every company saw action against the hill holders, the building of outposts that also held more troops, the recruiting and training of Tilborans … things like that.”

“Why do you think I did all that?”

Quaeryt knew full well, but he offered half the answer. “A standard regiment wouldn’t suffice against the hill holders. You and the princeps and some of the officers have all indicated, as did the documents I studied, that good as the Khanar’s Guard was, it wasn’t sufficient to take on the hill holders. Until they’re broken, Tilbor won’t ever be a secure province.”

“You deduced this in less than two months with no experience in Tilbor before?”

“I think I knew after about a month-certainly after getting wounded.”

“What did Bhayar really send you for?”

Quaeryt laughed, if ruefully. “To get me out of his hair, sir. He said I asked too many questions, and that I needed to spend time seeing what good governors do. He did say that, if I could find a way to effectively reduce the number of troops in Tilbor to free them for other uses, such a solution would be welcome. From what I can see, the only way to do that is to defeat and destroy the hill holders-or at least all the leaders and their holds.”

“We do agree on that.”

“Have I misunderstood anything?” asked Quaeryt.

The governor shook his head. “Once we near battle, you will accompany one of Major Skarpa’s captains so that you can see matters close at hand and testify as to the results of what good governors do. You do not have to fight, nor to act against the hill rebels, but you must be close enough to see what happens and be able to report to Lord Bhayar.”

Close enough to be killed without being ordered to fight. “I had thought that might be the case, sir.”

“Tell me. Why does Lord Bhayar’s sister write you?”

“That, I cannot honestly say. I met her once, and we talked for less than a half a quint. I never saw her again. Given my position, of course, I cannot afford not to reply with as much length and wit as I can muster.”

“I can see that.” Rescalyn laughed again. “We have a long ride ahead and time. Tell me. What do you think you have accomplished with the scholars?”

“I’ve put a true scholar in charge, and a no-nonsense scholar who was also the bursar in place as the scholar princeps. I put forth a set of principles, and I’ve talked to factors who are now interested in having their children be schooled there. I found that a few of your junior officers were taught there, and, if the scholarium continues, more may be as well. The education will be improved, with more Bovarian being taught and more history. For some reason,” Quaeryt said sardonically, “not much history was being taught. Those steps are being taken already. I’ve also thought about teaching more mathematics and practical science…”

“That would be good. Officers need to know that. What else?”

“I abolished the teaching of Sansang. I didn’t have a chance to replace that with something less … subversive.”

“Just teach them half-staff work. It’s useful, and the training develops coordination.…”

Quaeryt listened, knowing that he had a long, long ride ahead of him, and one on which he would need to watch every word as he tried to convince Rescalyn that he was bright … but not too bright.