“Send him a message, sir?”
“Yes, my thoughts exactly.” He picked up one medallion from the pile Tal had deposited on the table before him. “I think returning these to him might get the point across.”
“Will it, Your Grace?”
Kaspar leaned back and regarded Tal. “You have something on your mind, Squire?”
“The smuggling was no more than a nuisance, Your Grace. It harmed some merchants and perhaps diverted some duty money from your treasury, but it was only a small-scale problem. Why detail crack troops to such an undertaking?”
“You have something for me?”
“Only a thought, Your Grace. The soldier we captured knew nothing, but his officer had orders not shared with the men. We got that from the soldier before he died. The other three prisoners were common riffraff, nothing more than thugs and dock rats working for the promise of easy booty.
“But we did find this.” He motioned to a servant, who deposited a bundle before the Duke. Inside was a case, which Kaspar opened, revealing fine writing instruments. The parchments that were folded below the box revealed pages covered in cryptic notes, and other pages with line drawings.
Finally the Duke asked, “A mapping expedition?”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“To what end?”
“A straight route from Micel’s Station to Olasko Gateway. I studied the maps of the area in your collection before leaving. Having just returned from the region, I know they are incomplete and inaccurate. What looks to be a large waterway turns out to be shallow and filled with debris, and there are islands marked where none exist, sandbars that build up and shift, all manner of hazards to any deep-draught vessels.” He pointed to one of the line maps. “If I have understood their codes and these drawings, they were returning from a successful expedition—and not the first.” His finger pointed to another page. “They were almost finished. I know from more reliable sources that there is only one viable route from the point where they stopped to the river itself. They would have found it on their next trip, I am certain.”
He rubbed his chin absently for a moment, then added, “If war were to come to the north, having a direct route that would allow seizing the Gateway without having to confront your forces at Inaska and here in Opardum would give an enemy a strategic advantage: he would hold a fortress city on your western flank and cut off any supplies from the heartlands of Olasko. Another attack on Inaska from inside the island group coupled with a sea assault could take the city in less than a week, in my estimation.”
“Really?” said the Duke, smiling. He turned to Special Captain Havrevulen and said, “What do you think, Captain?”
In neutral tones the Captain said, “I think we should fortify Inaska and send a strong message to Salmater.”
“So do I,” said Kaspar. He looked at Tal. “You’ve done well, young Hawkins.” To the Captain he said, “Draw up plans to fortify Inaska and get them to me by tomorrow.” The Captain bowed and departed.
To Tal, Kaspar said, “I want you to start tomorrow in incorporating this information on our maps. Bring them up-to-date.” He leaned back in his chair and said, “Clean up and rest before dinner. That will be all.”
Tal bowed and departed. He returned to his quarters and found a hot bath, and Amafi, waiting.
“Magnificence, next time you must take me with you; you need eyes watching your back.” Amafi lowered his voice. “The servants hear things. This is not a happy place. Many political rivals and much plotting.”
“Your command of the language is improving, I see,” said Tal as he slipped into the hot tub.
“You command, I obey, Magnificence.” Amafi started soaping a large cloth and motioned for Tal to lean forward so he could scrub his back. “It is to my advantage that most here don’t realize I’m learning fast, and think me ignorant of their tongue. So they gossip and let things slip.”
“So, what have you found out?”
“The entire household is afraid of that man, Leso Varen. Those who serve him are in and out, do not linger. The only people who visit with him are Duke Kaspar and sometimes the Lady Rowena.”
“Hmmm,” Tal said, wondering what Rowena might be up to. He observed the instructions of the Conclave and made no attempt to speak to her outside the normal social contact that resulted from them both serving in Kaspar’s court. When a dinner or some other function brought them together, both observed their roles impeccably, and neither hinted at their prior relationship. Still, Tal had to admit to devoting a lot of time to considering what her mission might be. That she was spending time with Varen piqued his curiosity.
Amafi went on, “No one has said Varen had done bad things, but it is a feeling of those here that he is a wizard and a bad man.”