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the terrible winter when we lost so many of our cabos."
The lady regarded him skeptically. "Surely you cannot have children of such an
age!"
"My lady flatters me."
"Not at all, I but speak the truth. I had thought you a man of no more than
thirty years."
"My people are not in the habit of counting birthdays, but I must be over
forty by now," Hael said.
"How wonderful it must be to hold one's age so well," she said wistfully. "Is
it true of all your people?"
"Of some," he said evasively. In fact, the Shasinn were noted for this
quality, but he wanted her to think that the plains was his native land. It
could prove difficult just keeping his persona straight.
"You will find that we are forced to employ artificial means to achieve the
same thing, with mixed results."
This was an obvious ploy, to which Hael rose gamely.
82 John Maddox Roberts
"I am sure that it will be a long time before you are forced to employ any
such subterfuge."
She smiled her gold-flashing smile. "It is good to hear such words, however
insincere."
The servants cleared away the plates and serving platters and brought in a
long-necked bottle and two tiny conical glasses. Evidently, the succession of
courses and beverages was rigidly formalized. Lady Morning Bird raised her
glass.
"To your great success." Hael was not sure how to respond, but he raised his
own glass and she clinked the two rims together, making a musical sound. The
drink was highly aromatic, and so rich that it could only be taken in tiny
sips.
"This is a thrice-distilled brandy, more than a hundred years old," she
informed him. "It is a traditional way to cap a pleasant evening."
"You do me honor," Hael said. "I wish I could repay your hospitality as it
deserves."
"You have, by relieving my boredom. Now, we have spoken a great deal of
pleasant inconsequentialities. I suspect that you are bursting with questions
you have been too polite to ask."
Once again, she surprised him with her perception. Was this urbanity or a
calculated means of setting him at ease before grilling him?
"I did not wish to bore you, for I fear my questions are of the most tedious
sort. You people are a great mystery to me, as to the rest of the world, but
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those things that intrigue me are no doubt the dullest mundanities to you."
Another lurid gold smile. "Please feel free. I am skilled at changing the
subject when it bores me."
"Well, then. I've traveled more than widely, and I've seen a number of
political systems. Generally, they fall into two categories. Primitive people
usually favor a loose rule by a council of elders, although there may be a
putative monarch. Civilized lands usually have a powerful monarch who rules
from a central capital, although he may be strongly influenced or even
dominated by a council of advisers. One encounters the occasional republic,
but those are mostly very
THE STEEL KINGS
83
small states, under the thumb of some great kingdom. But I confess that your
system here in Mezpa defeats me. Power seems to emanate from Crag, but who is
in charge and how he or they hold power escapes me."
"I can see that one who travels in many lands must become adept at learning
where lies power and how it is wielded."
"Safety and prosperity both depend upon it," he affirmed.
"Then here is what I can tell you: The Assembly of Great Men is made up of the
major landholders. Membership is largely hereditary, but every ten years an
assessment is held of each one's property, and if a man has somehow lost too
much of either land or wealth, he is expelled. Likewise, if someone has
acquired enough property a very difficult task, I might add then he may apply
for enrollment on the Assembly. From among their number, by secret vote, the
members elect a Speaker. As you might imagine, there is a great deal of
intriguing and infighting to win the post, and many power blocs form within
the Assembly. When none can muster sufficient votes to force an issue, there
can be long periods when there is no Speaker."
"Does that not make for a certain instability?"
"Not really. Most of the landholders would rather have no Speaker at all. Then
they can be little kings on their own property. The common people are scarcely
aware that the Speaker exists. The only authority that matters to them is the
local authority and the local military commander. These are the officials with
the power to affect their lives directly. I daresay that there are many who
are unaware that we have had a Speaker for the last year, after a lengthy
period of rule by the consensus of the Assembly."
This was something new. "And who is the current Speaker?"
Her look grew evasive. "Why ... a Lord Deathmoon."
"That's an ominous name."
"Isn't it? He is one of those I mentioned, the ones who gained a seat on the
Assembly through property assessment."
84 John Maddox Roberts
"And how many Assembly members are there?" Hael asked.
"Usually about three hundred, I think. But these are largely dominated by a
core of twenty to thirty really great landowners."
"And among so many jealous rivals this Lord Deathmoon not only gained a place,
but got himself elected Speaker? How could he do that?"
She was distinctly uneasy. "I really know very little about him. These are
men's things and Mezpan men are not in the custom of speaking of political
matters to women."
He knew she was lying. Hael had been in many lands and moved among the
highest, and he knew for a fact that men of power told everything to women. It
was as much a law of nature as the way things fell to the ground when they
were unsupported. Something told him this was not the time to press.
"Well, I doubt that I will be having any dealings with the man, but it's
always good to know how these things work."
She seemed to be relieved. "I hope I've been of some aid. And now," she rose
from her seat, "I see that the hour has grown late." She nodded toward a
timepiece he had not noticed previously. It had a circular dial and its
pointer touched what appeared to be a numeral in the Mezpan writing system.
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"It is near midnight," she said, "and I know you have had a tiring journey
from which to recover. I want you well rested for my banquet tomorrow. My
motives are not solely hospitable, you see. I intend to show you off as a
major catch."
He rose likewise and bowed. "I shall strive not to disappoint you, my lady." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]