Rise of a Merchant Prince (25 page)

Nicholas said, “We have one of their dragon ships. The navy of Roldem captured one during a raid two years ago.” Roldem was a small island kingdom to the east of the Kingdom of the Isles that was a longtime ally. “The King of Roldem has agreed to ‘lend' it to us. It was quietly sailed around lower Kesh.” Nicholas smiled. “A couple of times, according to reports, other Brijaner dragon boats sailed within hailing distance. The Roldem captain waved and smiled and kept right on going, no questions asked or answered.”

William laughed. “The arrogant swine couldn't imagine someone sailing in their waters who wasn't one of them.”

Calis said, “I'm hoping we get the same reaction.”

“What?” asked Patrick.

“I'm not sailing west to get to Novindus. I'm sailing east under the Horn of Kesh, then across what is now known as the Green Sea, to a small village near the city of Ispar.” He pointed at the map as he spoke. “We'll be sailing in from their west. I hope if they're looking for our ships, they're looking in the other
direction. We have always sailed out of the City of the Serpent River. If we're intercepted, we're Brijaner traders who were blown off course and are working our way around their landmass.”

Patrick said, “Do you think they will accept that?” Calis shrugged. “It's happened before, I've been told. There's a fast-running current that moves eastward down near the ice floes, and if you catch it south of Kesh you can ride it across the Green Sea to a great mass of ice that points like a finger right at Port Grief. We won't be the first party of Keshian sea raiders to show up there, but they won't have been so common that locals will notice any differences.”

Patrick said, “Then what?”

Calis said, “We buy some horses, change clothing, and sneak out of the city one night, and head north.” He pointed to the south end of the mountain range that ran down to the sea west of Ispar. “I can find the entrance we used to get out of those caverns on our last journey, without too much trouble.”

No one doubted him. His tracking skills were considered legendary. Calis's heritage was unique and in no small measure supernatural.

Patrick said, “Very well. What then?”

Calis shrugged. “The destruction of the Pantathians.”

Patrick's eyes widened. “How many men were you planning on taking?”

“Ten squads. Sixty men.”

“You plan on destroying a nation of these creatures, magic users from every report I've studied, with sixty men?”

Calis said, “I never said it would be easy.”

Patrick looked at Nicholas.
“Uncle?”

Nicholas said, “I learned twenty years ago that if Calis says a thing can be done, it can be done.” Looking at Calis, he asked, “What is your thinking?”

“My thinking,” said Calis, “is that the bulk of their forces will be with the armies of the Emerald Queen.” He made a sweeping motion with his hand on the map between the city of Maharta and the City of the Serpent River. “We've never seen them in numbers. The squad I saw in the caverns was no more than twenty in one place, and that was the single largest concentration we've encountered. We've judged them by their ability to visit evil on us, but never have we questioned their strength of numbers.” He let a distasteful expression cross his face. “When I caught sight of one of their crèches it was poorly guarded. A half-dozen adults, a dozen or more infants, and a score of eggs. I saw nothing of their females.”

Patrick said, “What does all this mean?”

Calis said, “Pug and Nakor both hold that these creatures aren't natural.” He returned to the table and sat. “They claim that these were created by an ancient Dragon Lord, AlmaLodaka.” Calis let his eyes drop a moment, and William and Nicholas both understood that this strange man, half-elf by birth, was revealing lore to non-elves that no full elf would volunteer. His half-human nature felt no such prohibition, and he knew that he served a greater good by being frank in all matters concerning the Serpent Men, but that still didn't make it any easier for his elven half to accept. Those things were not taught; they were inbred. “If this is so, that may explain a low birth rate. Or perhaps they have never had a large population. They may even have some queens, as
insects do, or there may be a special holding area for females. We don't know. But if there is a crèche, the females can't be far away.”

Patrick said, “I'm still unclear on one thing. If the majority of fighting men and magicians are with the army of the Emerald Queen, what do we gain by raiding those birthing caverns . . .?” His words trailed off as his eyes widened. “You're going to slaughter the young?” he asked, almost gasping in shock.

Calis's expression remained calm. “Yes.”

“You're talking about waging war against innocents!” said Patrick, his voice taking on an angry tone. “Keshian Dog Soldiers may slaughter women and children in their rampages, but the last man caught at that during a Kingdom war was hanged before the assembled rank and file of the army.”

Nicholas glanced at Calis, who returned the look, then nodded.

Duke James said, “Patrick, you're new here, and you don't have all the information—”

“My lord,” interrupted the Prince, “I realize you've held high office since Grandfather's youth and were my father's chief adviser in Rillanon, but I am now the ruler of the Western Realm. If there is something you think I should know, why have I not been informed?”

Duke James looked at Prince Nicholas.

Nicholas sat back, recognizing his nephew's mood. The new Prince of Krondor was revealing himself to be a young man of some temper, touchy disposition, moods, and not terribly secure in his position, so he tended to magnify every slight, real or imagined.

Knight-Marshal William took charge. “Your Highness,” he began, formally emphasizing the young man's title, “what I think Calis means is that we were all here during these events, which are only dry reports on paper before you.” He paused, then went on, “We've seen the damage these creatures can do firsthand.”

It was Calis who said, “Would you not kill a poisonous snake because it was its nature to be a viper?”

Patrick looked at Calis. “Say on.”

Calis said, “You've cities within your borders that were once Keshian. But those who live there are Kingdom by birth, though their ancestors were loyal to the Emperor of Great Kesh. To them it makes no difference. They were raised within the Kingdom, they speak the King's Tongue, and they think, as we all do, that this is their homeland.”

“What has this to do with the matter under discussion?” asked Prince Patrick

“It has everything to do with it,” said Calis. He leaned forward, elbows on the table. “You may somehow think that these creatures are born innocent. That is not the case. Everything we know about them says they are born hating from the moment they hatch from their eggs. They are created to be the way they are. If we killed every adult and child, and took the eggs, and hatched them in this palace, raising those who were born here, they would come to consciousness hating us and seeking to reclaim this ‘lost goddess' they so mistakenly believe in. It is their nature to be this way, as it is the nature of a viper to bite and poison. They cannot help it any more than can the viper.”

Seeing that the Prince's objections were wavering,
Calis pressed on. “You may someday forge a treaty with the Brotherhood of the Dark Path, as you call the moredhel. You may see goblins obeying Kingdom law and visiting our town markets in some dimly imagined future. You may see open borders with Great Kesh and free travel between the two nations. But you will never know a moment's peace in this world so long as a Pantathian draws breath. Because it is in his nature to scheme, kill, and do whatever needs to be done to seize the Lifestone in Sethanon and reclaim the ‘lost goddess' AlmaLodaka, the Dragon Lord who created him.”

Patrick was silent a long moment, then said, “But you're talking of genocide.”

Calis said, “I'm not leaving for at least six months, Highness. If you conceive of a better plan, I will be here to listen.” He let his voice fall, the low tone making his next sentence that much more urgent. “But forbid me this, and I will go anyway. If not in a Kingdom ship, then in one from Queg or Kesh. If not this year, then the next, or the one after. Because if I do not, then sooner or later the serpent priests will gain the Lifestone, and then we shall all perish.”

Patrick sat motionless for a very long time. At last he said, “Very well. There seems no other course. But if any one of you learns anything that changes this matter, I wish to know of it at once.” He stood up and said to William, “See that things stay calm, but begin preparations.”

The Prince departed. James turned to William. “There's something else going on we need to discuss.”

William smiled and looked up at the slightly
taller Duke. “What's going on, Jimmy?”

James looked at Calis and Nicholas, then at William. “Helmut Grindle was killed last night outside the city gates.”

William said, “Grindle? He's Roo Avery's partner.”

Nicholas said, “Exactly, and a potential ally. We are going to need the support of merchants like him.”

William looked at James. “Any suspects?”

“Our agents are almost certain Frederick Jacoby or one of his sons is behind the death of Grindle, and the Jacobys are presently allied with Jacob Estherbrook. Estherbrook is a very influential man, both here and down in Kesh.” James was silent for a second, then said, “For the time being, let's hope Mr. Avery doesn't discover too much about who killed his partner.”

“What if he already knows or has suspicions?” asked Calis. “I know Roo Avery. He's clever, and Grindle may have regained consciousness long enough to identify his killer.”

“Perhaps, but as long as Mr. Avery doesn't cause any problems with Jacob Esterbook and his friends, it won't matter.” He smiled. “We need merchants hard at work making profits for us to tax, not killing one another.”

William said, “With that in mind, will they cooperate when it comes time to put that wealth at risk for our benefit?”

James looked at his old friend. “You take care of the war, Willy, and I'll see it's paid for. The merchants of the Kingdom will come to heel once we make it clear they're going to lose everything if they don't help us.” He glanced around the room. “I now
have the Mockers where I want them; I have the throne where I want it; and soon I'll have the wealth of the Kingdom to use as I need. And if I must bleed our people white to finance this war, I will. Remember, I am the only one in this room who was at Sethanon.”

No one else needed to hear any further explanation. Nicholas's, William's, and Calis's fathers had been at Sethanon, and they had heard in detail over the years what had happened when the Pantathians had tried to seize the Lifestone for the first time, but James had been there.

William said, “I'm due in court soon, too. If you'll excuse me, I'd like to see to some other matters before that James?”

The Duke nodded. After William had left, James said to Calis, “Who are you taking with you on this suicide mission?”

Calis knew whom he spoke of. “Bobby, Greylock, and Erik. Of the two junior sergeants, he's the smarter one.”

“Then leave him here,” said James. “If you're going to kill off one of them, leave the smarter one alive to serve me here if you fail. Take Jadow with you instead.”

Calis nodded. “Done.”

“And leave Bobby here.”

Calis said, “He'll never stand for it”

“Order him.”

“He'll disobey.”

James said, “You serve a unique function here, my friend, but as much as I need the Eagle to return unharmed, I need your vicious Dog of Krondor.” He glanced out the window. “I need a sergeant now more
than I need a General”—he glanced at Calis—“or a Captain.”

Calis smiled slightly. “He's going to make your life living hell.”

James returned the smile. “What else is new? It's not as if I have any choice.”

“Very well,” said Calis. “I'll leave Bobby and Erik here and take Jadow and Greylock.”

The three were starting toward the door when James said, “What about Nakor?”

Calis said, “He'd go back if I asked, I'm almost certain, but I think he'll serve us better down in Stardock. Those magicians are far too full of themselves, and he's just the man to sort them out and remind them they're living on a Kingdom island in the middle of that lake of theirs.”

“Very well, but you're going to face some powerful magic, by everything you've said. What do you plan?”

Calis seemed almost embarrassed when he answered, “Miranda has agreed to come along.”

James studied Calis, then laughed. “For all your years, you do at times remind me of my son.”

Calis had the good grace to smile. “Speaking of whom, when is Arutha due?”

“Any time now,” answered James. “I think I may send him down to Stardock to run things a while.” His smile turned rueful. “And my grandsons are coming with him.”

Calis nodded. “Jimmy and Dash must be men now.”

“So they think,” said James. Turning to Nicholas, he said, “You have no idea what you've missed by never getting married.”

Nicholas said, “I'm not too old now. Amos married my grandmother when he was nearly seventy.”

“Well, you'll miss the joy of children if you wait that long,” answered James as he moved toward the door. Then he made a sour face. “As I think of Jimmy and Dash, you might not.”

As they left the conference hall, James turned to Calis and said, “Like others before me, I'm not all that pleased that this magical lady friend of yours has so many secrets, but as she's proven a worthy ally over the years, I'll say nothing more than ‘Be careful.'”