Peacemaker (20 page)

“The paidhi asks the right question. What
is
his position?
Nothing
to do with Lord Aseida
or
lordly prerogatives.
We
are his
real
target. He objects to
our trade agreement
with the Taisigin Marid because he sees it as affecting the Senjin rail line which
his grandfather
built. He envisions the southern treaty as replacing his precious railroad—the only privately constructed rail still functioning in the aishidi'tat. Because of an imagined danger to his rail segment and
his
little slice of use-fees on shipments to Senji, he has made
me
his enemy—I believe
tyrant
was the precise wording when he discussed my character. And while a reasonable man might have retreated from his rhetoric of several decades past,
he
views the whole world as an absolute set of numbers. He views negotiation as a fault and a weakness. He calls
me
fickle, and changeable, but will apparently not believe I can back off from an inconvenient feud which never mattered greatly in the first place! That, Grandson of mine, is his
entire
concern with the fate of Lord Aseida, but I will wager you he
will
present a resolution calling for an investigation, and if
he
has his hand on it, it will be a resolution extravagant in its blame of
us
and Lord Tatiseigi for attacking that Kadagidi whelp who was trying to kill us!”

“You are
not
worried about your reputation,” Tabini said.

“Of course not!”

“Well, his resolution will fail, when its own caucus fails to support it. And if the paidhi-aiji will simply supply Lord Tatiseigi with the record Jase-aiji has—you may have the satisfaction of publicly embarrassing Lord Topari.”

“And
creating a firestorm around
our
rail extension!”

God. Railroad politics. Trains were not only vital to the southern mountains, they were the
only
transport in the southern mountains, besides local trucks on roads that would daunt a mecheita. It was all going to start all over again. One saw it coming, everybody south of Shejidan wanting advantage to their own clan in the routing of the rail extension.

And Topari was the man to start it all sliding.

“Perhaps,” Bren said quietly, “perhaps I can get ahead of the situation, before
anyone
proposes an investigation.”

“You are wounded, paidhi!”

From Tabini, it was downright touching. Bren lifted a hand, a gesture to plead for a hearing of his point. “I recall the incident of the name-calling.” The old man had, in a legislative session some years ago, called Tatiseigi ineffectual and Ilisidi an Eastern tyrant. Tatiseigi had, in turn, called him greedy, which, within the Conservative Caucus, had seen charges flying about graft and the siting of rail stations. Tatiseigi had emerged from the squabble with perfectly clean hands, since he had fought to keep rail
out
of his district, not to bring it in. “As I recall, his quarrel with Lord Tatiseigi also dates from the railroad dispute.”

“Absolutely,” Ilisidi said. “Absolutely that is behind his stirring this up.”

“He is not the
only
one stirring this up,” Tabini said.

“He is the one poised to be a cursed inconvenience,” Ilisidi shot back.

“Tatiseigi can deal with him,” Tabini said, “as deftly as he did the last time.”

“Or I can deal with him,” Bren said, and in the breath he had, with the room somewhat swimming in his vision: “Lord Tatiseigi has human guests at the moment. And Lord Tatiseigi's complaint is our justification against the Kadagidi, so he cannot take an impartial stance. I
have
actually exchanged civil words with Lord Topari in the past, unlikely as it may seem.”

“Negotiation with the man?” Tabini asked. “It may only make him a worse problem. He is not accepting of humans.”

“But
I
sit on the Transportation Committee,” Bren said quietly. “I have not been active on it since our return—but in fact, I
will
have influence in the plan for the south, and I
am
the negotiator with the Taisigin Marid, all of which will directly affect his district. My intentions may greatly worry him.”

“The bill on which you and my grandmother have staked an enormous risk—is still not voted on. The whole linked chain of the tribal peoples, Machigi's agreement, the whole southwest coast, gods less fortunate! is postponed, and may be postponed further, awaiting a resolution of this mess of the succession in
two clans.
If you make Lord Topari in any wise part of the Aseida stew, it may well spill into the west coast matter, and if those two become linked,
every
lord and village will take a personal invitation to argue their own modifications to the west coast compromise. We cannot rescue you from that situation, if it goes awry. If you do lend this mountain lord
any
importance on these grounds or start negotiating with him before the west coast matter is voted on and untouchable, the Aseida matter can blow up into a storm that will take the west coast and the southern agreement with it.”

“One absolutely concurs in your estimate, aiji-ma, and I take your warning. I shall not negotiate with him. But one can advise Lord Topari—privately, politely—with no audience at all—that he is about to step into political quicksand. The Cismontane poses a nuisance to the southern agreement if he becomes a problem, but I may be able to do him a favor.”

“By warning him off this.”

“Warning him, exactly, aiji-ma. If he will talk to me—if he is not a fool, and I have not had the impression that he is. He is a devout 'counter, yes, a traditionalist, yes. But if I warn him away from a political cliff edge, and he avoids a second embarrassing loss to Lord Tatiseigi, then he may even deign to talk to me on the railroad matter, when it comes at issue . . . so long as I am entirely discreet about the contact. He needs publicly to deplore human influence, true. But if I can prevent him taking Aseida's part in this, and if he warns certain other people off the idea—that will help us. One does recall that he lacks a Guild bodyguard. Several of his neighbors are in the same situation. They will not be getting the information that other lords have already gotten, quietly, from the changed leadership in the Guild. So he is in a position to make a public fuss and then to be embarrassed again, very painfully. But
I
propose to inform him—in a kindly way. Am I reasoning sanely in this, aijiin-ma? I think so, but a headache hardly improves my reasoning.”

“Will he even speak to you?” Tabini asked. “You are in no condition to go to him. Nor should you!”

“My major domo is a remarkable and traditional gentleman. It would be the crassest rudeness to turn Narani away unheard. I can at least try such an approach and plead my injury to necessitate Lord Topari coming to me.”

A deep breath. A sigh. “Well, well, do your best, paidhi. If you fail, then he may have to
have
his falling-out with Tatiseigi in public, and it
will
be untidy, and it
may
spill over into other debates, but I shall leave it in your hands, if you believe you can work with him. I have
two
vacant lordships to deal with, neither easy to fill, and I shall
not
be asking Topari for his opinion.”

“Will you ask
Damiri?
”
Ilisidi asked archly, lips pursed, and Tabini scowled in her direction.

“We are certain
you
will have advice.”

“Who
is
her recommendation?”

“I have not asked her. Nor shall until she offers an opinion. Gods less fortunate, woman! She has a father to mourn!”

“Ah. We had hardly expected mourning on that score. But
she
will not take the lordship.
Nor will my great-grandson.
Let us agree on that, at least.”

Tabini frowned. “To my certain recollection,
I
have that decision, alone, and I find no reason to forecast who it will be.” He placed his hands on his thighs, preparatory to rising. “And we have kept the paidhi-aiji, who is distressingly pale, overlong, and made him work much too hard. Paidhi, you and your aishid will pursue the matter you wish to attempt. Cenedi will pursue business of his own. I have a meeting this afternoon with the Assassins' Guild, regarding . . . business. And the aiji-consort will meanwhile make plans for the Festivity . . . which we are now hopeful will come off without hindrance or extraordinary commotion. Paidhi-ji.”

“Aiji-ma?”

“Rest. Care for your own household. And do
not
be talked into visiting Topari on his terms. We forbid it.”

“One hears, aiji-ma.”

Tabini rose, and offered his hand to his grandmother. She used his help, and her cane, and Bren rose and bowed as Jago moved close by him, in case the paidhi-aiji should unceremoniously fall on his face. Cenedi was now attending the dowager. Everything was back where it ought to be.

And he—he had to talk to Jase and send Narani on an errand into the city.

Preferably after a ten minute rest, with his eyes shut.

He was aware of his heartbeat in the wound on the back of his skull and tried to decide whether it matched the pounding in his temples. He just wanted to go home, lie down, preferably not on his back, and then maybe have another slice of buttered toast, to settle his stomach.

But he had to launch a campaign before he had that luxury . . . and see if he could move a man who ruled mountains.

He was laying plans even as he walked home with Jago and Algini.

Tell Lord Topari,
he would say to Narani,
that the paidhi-aiji wishes to forewarn him of evidence in the case of Lord Aseida, and that the paidhi-aiji wishes to meet with him discreetly and in confidence, preferring the honor of his company for tea in his residence— if he will be so accommodating. Say to him that the paidhi-aiji has been injured and is unable to walk any distance, but that the paidhi has heard of his concern and will not rest until he has spoken to him personally.

If there was one thing he had noted in the old lord, it was a sense of eternally frustrated entitlement, a sense that his mountainous district, though Ragi and part of the central lands, received everything last and least. Tea with a human might not be high on the list of honors Lord Topari craved—but Narani, country-bred himself, though coastal, might cajole the man into understanding at least
one
reason the conference was not taking place in an office.

Lord Topari, like other minor lords, lodged in town during the legislative session. The Cismontane, like many other small associations, seasonally held rooms for their representatives in the tashrid and hasdrawad in a moderately-priced hotel a few rows back from the esplanade at the foot of the Bujavid—off among the restaurants and office supply shops. Narani would take the tram down the lofty steps as far as the esplanade, and walk—it would not be far enough to necessitate local transport.

For the paidhi-aiji and his bodyguards to make the trek—the route would have involved the train station and a conspicuous Guild-supplied bus. He didn't think he had it in him. He knew he didn't. And he would, he thought, think better of Lord Topari forever, if Lord Topari would just come up the hill to disagree with him.

 • • • 

 • • • 

Son of mine,
the letter went, that Madam Saidin had brought into the guest quarters,
be advised that the official celebration of your birthday will be on the day itself. Jase-aiji will come to your door to escort your guests to the paidhi-aiji's apartment, and to escort you and your aishid to our apartment for a private breakfast, at the usual time. There will be a small luncheon, late, attended by family and by your personal guests. Appropriate wardrobe will be transferred by staff during breakfast. Kindly advise your young associates of that arrangement. The paidhi-aiji's staff will assist your guests.

Lord Tatiseigi has been requested, by separate letter, to escort your great-grandmother. He will, starting in late afternoon, lead a private museum tour for all official guests, ending at the supper hour in a buffet reception and formal Festivity for a larger number of guests, in the Audience Hall, to last about three hours.

Understand and explain to your guests that these arrangements in no wise reflect precedence, rank, or favor. The prime consideration is the capacity of the residency lift system and the need for the three of us to arrive at the appropriate time and together, as hosts of the event.

Understand too that for most of the day, your guests will be attached to the paidhi-aiji and Jase-aiji, not to you, nor should you signal or converse with them in public except for passing courtesy. You should direct your full attention to the various guests and officials.

My major domo has provided a list of ranks, titles, colors, and a brief history of the guests—a document which should by no means be carried to the hall. Kindly surrender the list to Madam Saidin once you have committed the necessary information to memory. She will destroy it.

It is also incumbent on you to make a brief speech to the reception guests stating the accomplishments since your last felicitous birthday and complimenting and thanking your guests for their attendance. I shall write it for you, and trust you will have no difficulty learning it. I shall send you that on the day.

Son of mine, your mother and I have every confidence you will carry off this felicitous event, the first state event in which you will stand beside us, with dignity and grace. We are confident you will conduct yourself in a manner that will solidly establish your good reputation before the court.

Bear in mind that your conduct in this event will follow you into adulthood, and that, while your eventual inheritance of the aijinate is presumed, it is an elective office, subject to the approval of the legislature.