The Ambassador's Mission

CHAPTER 14

UNEXPECTED ALLIES



So who am I meeting tonight?” Dannyl asked Ashaki Achati as the carriage set out from the Guild House.

The Sachakan magician smiled. “Your ploy of not nagging to see the king has worked. He has invited you to the palace.”

Dannyl blinked in surprise, then considered all that Lord Maron had told him about the Sachakan king and protocol. The former Ambassador had said that the king refused an audience as often as he granted one, and that there was no point Dannyl seeking one unless he had something to discuss. “I wasn’t aware that I should have been nagging. Should I apologise for that?”

Achati chuckled. “Only if you feel you must. As I am the liaison between the Guild House and the king, it is up to me to advise you how and when to seek an audience with him. I would have told you to wait until he invites you. Since you weren’t making any mistakes, there was little reason to raise the subject.”

“So it wasn’t a mistake to not ask to see him.”

“No. Though showing no interest might have caused offence eventually.”

Dannyl nodded. “When I was the Second Guild Ambassador in Elyne I was required to present myself to the king once, which was arranged for me by the First Guild Ambassador. After that it was only to be for important matters, most of which the First Ambassador took care of.”

“That is interesting. You have two Ambassadors in Elyne, then?”

“Yes. There is too much work for one person. Somehow we wound up with as much work that didn’t relate to the Guild and magic as work that did.”

“Your work here is even less related to magic and magicians,” Achati pointed out. “You are not assessing new recruits or keeping track of graduated magicians. You’re mostly dealing with issues of trade.”

Dannyl nodded. “It is entirely different, yet so far it has been very pleasant. I expect once I have met all of the important people I will no longer be treated to nightly meals and conversations.”

Achati’s eyebrows rose. “Oh, you may find yourself even more in demand once I am no longer required to escort you. Entertaining another Sachakan can be an exhausting and politically perilous exercise. You are both exotic and not too easily offended, so an easy guest to entertain.” He gestured to the carriage window. “Look outside as we turn the corner.”

The vehicle slowed and the wall beside them ended. A wide road came into sight. Long beds of flowers appeared, sheltered by enormous trees. Where these gardens ended, a large building stood. White walls curved out from a central archway like carefully draped curtains. Shallow domes rose above them, glittering in the sunlight. Dannyl felt his heart lift at the sight.

“That’s the palace? It’s beautiful,” he said, leaning forward to keep the building in view as the carriage turned into the road. But soon he could only see the white walls of the mansions to the side. He turned back to Ashaki Achati to see the man smiling in approval.

“It is over a thousand years old,” the Sachakan said, with pride. “Parts had to be rebuilt over the years, of course. The walls are doubled so that defenders can hide within and strike at invaders through holes and hatches.” He shrugged. “Not that they have ever been used for that purpose. When Kyralia’s army arrived here ours had already been defeated, and the last emperor surrendered without resistance.”

Dannyl nodded. He had learned as much from basic history classes during his University years, and his research had confirmed it.

“The third king had the domes plated with gold,” Achati continued. He shook his head. “A frivolous indulgence in what was a time of starvation, but they are so beautiful that nobody has ever removed them, and from time to time a king will see that they are cleaned and mended.”

The carriage began to slow and turn, and Dannyl watched eagerly as the palace came in sight again. Once he and Achati had alighted, they stopped to gaze up at the building in admiration for a moment before starting toward the central archway.

Guards at either side of the entrance remained frozen, their gaze set on the distance. They weren’t slaves, Dannyl remembered, but were recruited from the lowest ranks of the Sachakan families. I suppose having your palace guarded by slaves wouldn’t be particularly effective. Guards who throw themselves on the ground whenever someone important walks by are hardly going to react quickly to defend anything or anyone.

They passed through two open doors, then followed a wide corridor with no side entrances. At the end of this was a large room filled with columns. The floor and walls were polished stone. Their footsteps echoed as they walked. Toward the back of this room was a large stone chair, and in it sat an old man wearing the most elaborately decorated clothes Dannyl had seen on any Sachakan since he’d arrived.

He doesn’t look comfortable, he noted. And he looks like he’d like to get off that throne at the first opportunity, too.

Men stood about the room, alone or in twos and threes. They watched silently as Dannyl and Ashaki Achati approached. About twenty paces from the king, Achati stopped and glanced at Dannyl.

The glance was a signal. Achati bowed deeply. Dannyl dropped to one knee.

Lord Maron had explained that Sachakans felt that nothing less than the gesture considered most respectful by an individual – especially a foreigner – was what their king deserved. So the traditional Kyralian and Elyne obeisance to a king was the most appropriate, despite the fact that Sachakans did not kneel before their own king.

“Rise, Ambassador Dannyl,” an elderly voice spoke. “Welcome, to you and my good friend Ashaki Achati.”

Dannyl was grateful the contact with the floor had been brief. The stone was cold. He looked up at the king and was surprised to find the man had left the throne and was walking toward them.

“It is an honour to meet you, King Amakira,” he replied.

“And a pleasure for me to meet the new Guild Ambassador at last.” The old man’s eyes were dark and unreadable, but the wrinkles around them deepened with a genuine smile. “Would you like to see more of the palace?”

“I would, your majesty,” Dannyl replied.

“Come with me and I’ll show you around.”

Ashaki Achati waved a hand to indicate that Dannyl should walk beside the king, then followed behind as the ruler led them out of the hall through a side entrance. A wide corridor ran alongside the hall, before curving off in another direction. As the king repeated what Achati had told Dannyl of the age of the palace, he led them through more sinuous corridors and odd-shaped rooms. Soon Dannyl was completely disorientated. I wonder if that is the point of all the curved walls. And if the entrance corridor and greeting hall are the only square rooms in the building.

“You have an interest in history, I have been told,” the king said, looking at Dannyl with one eyebrow raised.

“Yes. I am writing a history of magic, your majesty.”

“A book! I would like to write a book one day. How close are you to finishing?”

Dannyl shrugged. “I don’t know. There are some gaps in Kyralia’s history that I’d like to fill before printing the book.”

“What gaps are they?”

“According to the history taught in the Guild University, Imardin was levelled during the Sachakan War, but I’ve found no evidence of it. In fact, I have found some evidence to the contrary in Ashaki Itoki’s collection.”

“Of course it wasn’t levelled!” the king exclaimed, smiling. “We lost the final battle!”

Dannyl spread his hands. “It might have been destroyed during the battle, however.”

“There’s no mention of it in our records. Though … few Sachakans survived the last battle and even fewer returned home, so most of the information was gleaned from the Kyralians who conquered us. I guess they could have painted a better picture than the reality.” The king shrugged. “So where do you think this idea that the city was levelled came from?”

“Maps and buildings,” Dannyl replied. “There are no buildings older than four hundred years, and the few maps we have from before the Sachakan War show an entirely different street plan.”

“Then you should be looking at events from four hundred years ago,” the king concluded. “Was there any battle fought in the city at that time? Or a disaster such as a flood or fire?”

Dannyl nodded. “There was, but few magicians believe it was drastic enough to level the city. Many records from that time were destroyed.” He paused, hoping the king wouldn’t ask why. The event he referred to was the story of Tagin, the Mad Apprentice, which was the story of why the Guild had banned black magic. He could not help feeling reluctant to remind the Sachakan king that most Guild magicians did not learn black magic.

“If this event was great enough to ruin a city it would have destroyed any records within the city as well.”

Dannyl nodded. “But the Guild wasn’t destroyed. I’ve found many references to the library it contained. By all accounts, it was well stocked.”

“Perhaps those books had been moved.”

Dannyl frowned. I guess it’s possible Tagin had the contents of the Guild library brought to the palace. He was only an apprentice, so there must have been gaps in his learning that he was eager to fill. I’d assumed the books were all destroyed deliberately. But if they were destroyed when Tagin died then most of the work had been done already.

“I am surprised Kyralian history is so muddled. But we have gaps in our history as well. Come in here.” The king ushered Dannyl and Achati into a small, round room. The walls and floor were polished stone, as was the ceiling. There was only one entrance. In the centre stood a column about waist high.

“Something important once lay here,” the king said, running a palm over the flat top of the column. “We don’t know what it was, but we do know two things: it was a thing of power, either political or magical, and the Guild stole it.”

Dannyl looked at the king, then back at the column. The storestone that Lorkin found references to? The king’s expression was serious and he watched Dannyl closely.

“I’ve encountered a reference to an artefact taken from this palace,” Dannyl told him. “But I’d not heard about it before coming to Sachaka. That reference also stated that the object had been stolen from the Guild magicians here.”

The king shrugged. “Well, that is what palace folklore says. Our records say nothing more than that something called a “storestone” was stolen by a Guild magician.” He drummed on the column top with both hands. “Not long after it was taken, the wastes appeared. Some believe that the removal of the talisman lifted some sort of magical protection over the land that had kept it fertile and productive.”

“Now that’s a new and interesting idea,” Dannyl said. Lorkin will be intrigued to hear this. “I have been told that attempts have been made to return the wastes to their former state, but they were unsuccessful.”

The king’s eyebrows rose. “Oh, yes. Plenty have tried; all have failed. Even if we knew how to replace the protection that was removed, I suspect it is too big a task for a few magicians. It would take thousands.” He smiled wryly. “And Sachaka no longer has thousands of magicians to call upon. Even if we had, trying to unite magicians is like trying to prevent the sun rising or the tide’s ebb.”

Dannyl nodded. “But there was only one talisman, wasn’t there? Sometimes all it takes is one man and a little knowledge to do great things.”

The king smiled crookedly. “Yes. And sometimes it only takes one man and a little knowledge to do a great deal of harm.” He stepped away from the column and gestured toward the door. “You don’t seem that kind of man, Ambassador Dannyl.”

“I’m glad you feel that way,” Dannyl replied.

The king chuckled. “As am I. Come. It’s time I showed you the library.”


From her seat high at the front of the Guildhall, Sonea watched the room filling up with magicians. A few patches of purple, red and green had formed, which was a recent phenomenon. Magicians from the Houses tended to sit with family members and allies rather than those of their own discipline, and that led to a mix of robe colours. But magicians from outside the Houses tended to form friendships with those of the same discipline, and the collective effect was a patch of the same robe colour in the audience.

As the last stragglers took their seats, she drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. How will they vote today? Will they act out of fear that “lowies” may rebel against the Guild if rules are too restrictive? Will they act out of fear of criminal groups gaining too much influence on magicians and novices? Or will they want to abolish the rule so that they can indulge in pleasure houses and other entertainments run by Thieves without restriction? Or in order to continue to benefit from their own illegal enterprises with less danger of discovery?

A gong rang out. Sonea looked down to see Osen striding across the front of the hall. The buzz of voices immediately began to diminish, and when all had quietened the Administrator’s voice rang out.

“Today we have gathered to decide whether or not to grant the request, made by Lord Pendel and others, that we abolish the rule that states: ‘No magician or novice may associate with criminals and people of unsavoury character.’ I have decided that this is a decision that should be made by all magicians, by vote. I now request that the side for abolition of the rule sum up their position and reasoning, beginning with Lord Pendel.”

Lord Pendel had been standing at the side of the room, and now stepped forward. He turned to face the majority of magicians and began to speak.

Sonea listened closely. It had not been easy persuading him to offer a compromise to the Guild, and even now she was not completely sure if he would. He began by pointing out where the rule had failed, or had been applied unfairly. Then he tackled the reasoning of those opposed to the rule’s abolition. Then he began to paint a picture of a more unified Guild in conclusion. Sonea frowned. He is going to wind this up without even a suggestion that a compromise may be possible.

“If there is to be a rule to prevent magicians and novices from involving themselves with criminal enterprises – and I do think there should be one – then it should be designed to achieve that. What is clear from the cases I have described is that this is not a rule suited for that purpose. It is ineffective and should be abolished.”

I suppose the message is in there, though it’s very subtle, Sonea thought. Now let’s see if Regin keeps his side of our agreement.

As Lord Pendel bowed to the audience and stepped aside, Administrator Osen returned to the front.

“I now call upon Lord Regin to speak for the opposition to the abolition of the rule.”

Regin strode forward. If he was disappointed with Pendel’s effort at suggesting a compromise, he didn’t show it. He turned to face the hall and began to speak.

Knowing what she did about the corruption among the higher-class novices, Sonea could not help admiring how Regin managed to avoid saying anything that would directly reveal who the culprits and victims were. Yet he didn’t shy from claiming such corruption existed, and Sonea heard no more than a few protests from the watching audience of magicians.

I wish I could have given him proof of the permanent effects of roet for magicians. It might have helped us persuade everyone that the rule should be changed, instead of abolished.

As Regin concluded his speech, Sonea felt her heart skip a beat. He hadn’t suggested a compromise. But as he summed up, she realised there was a hint of admission in his words that the rule was ineffective as it stood. A subtle shift in position, but no stronger or weaker than Pendel’s.

Had he anticipated that or did he change tack in response? Or did he have different approaches planned in case of different eventualities? She shook her head. I’m glad it’s not me down there, speaking in his place.

“I now call for ten minutes of discussion,” Osen said. The gong rang out a second time and immediately the hall filled with voices. Sonea turned to watch and listen to the Higher Magicians.

At first none spoke. All seemed hesitant and indecisive. Then High Lord Balkan sighed.

“There is merit in both arguments,” he stated. “Do any of you favour one or the other?”

“I favour keeping the rule,” Lady Vinara said. “These are bad times for relaxing control over magicians. The city is more corrupt than it has ever been, and keeping ourselves immune is more complicated now that we no longer all have similar strengths and weaknesses.”

Sonea resisted a smile. “Strengths and weaknesses.” A clever way of pointing out we have different backgrounds without making one sound better than the other.

“But it is clear the rule is unfair, and we do risk rebellion at the worst, or the loss of much-needed talent at the best,” Lord Peakin argued.

“It is only the application of the rule that is at fault,” Vinara replied.

“I don’t think the lowies will accept a promise we’ll be fairer,” Lord Erayk pointed out. “They need something stronger. A real change.”

“Change sounds like the solution to me,” Lord Peakin said. “Or a clarification. What is an ‘unsavoury character’, after all?” His eyebrows rose and he looked around. “I’d find someone who smells bad unsavoury. That’s hardly justification for punishing a magician.”

There were a few chuckles.

“Black Magician Sonea.”

Sonea felt her heart sink as she recognised Kallen’s voice. She looked past High Lord Balkan at the man.

“Yes, Black Magician Kallen?” she replied.

“You have been meeting with the representatives of both sides. What have you concluded?”

The others were looking at her expectantly now. She paused to consider how to answer.

“I am in favour of the rule being changed. Of removing the reference to ‘unsavoury characters’, which not only eases the restrictions and perceived prejudice against novices and magicians from poorer backgrounds, it strengthens the emphasis on ‘criminals’ as those we don’t want Guild members associating with.”

To her consternation, none of the Higher Magicians looked surprised. Not even Rothen. Clearly they expected me to take this position. I hope that is because it is fairer, not because I grew up in the old slums.

“Even with this change, the weakness of the rule is the ambiguity in what a criminal is, or whether an activity is a crime,” Lord Erayk said.

“The king might not appreciate you calling his laws ‘ambiguous’,” Lord Peakin pointed out, chuckling. “His laws clearly state what is a crime.”

“I agree that certain activities need to be defined,” Lady Vinara said. “As the laws stand, it is difficult for us to prevent criminals taking advantage of magicians when those magicians are in their pleasure houses – whether by luring them into debt through gambling, addling their minds with drink, rewarding them with free whores or poisoning them with roet. If I had my way, roet selling would be a crime.”

“Why roet?” Lord Telano asked. “It is little different to drink, and I’m sure none of us would like wine to be declared illegal.” He glanced around, smiling and getting many nods in reply.

“Roet does far more harm,” Vinara told him.

“How so?”

She opened her mouth, then shook her head as a gong rang out. “Come to the Healer’s Quarters – or Black Magician Sonea’s hospices – and you will see the truth of it.”

Sonea’s heart skipped. Had Vinara investigated the effects of roet since Sonea told her of them? She looked at Vinara, but the woman’s attention was on Telano. He had turned away, scowling. I wonder why he is so bothered by Vinara’s position. And surely, as a Healer, he’s seen the effect of roet on its victims – even if he hasn’t realised it could be permanent. I must have a closer look at our Head of Healing Studies and talk to Lady Vinara again.

Administrator Osen announced the end of discussion time, and all returned to their seats. “Does anybody have anything they wish to say on this subject that has not been raised yet?” he asked.

A few magicians raised their hands. They were called to the floor. The first suggested that magicians should be subject to the same laws as ordinary Kyralians and there be no Guild rules at all. His proposal was met with a rumble of disagreement from all sides. The second magician declared that the rule should be changed, but his suggestion was that the rule should forbid magicians from involvement in or benefiting from criminal activity. This roused a thoughtful murmur. The last magician said only that the decision should be the king’s.

“The king knows and has acknowledged that Guild rules, as opposed to laws, are for the Guild to make,” Osen assured them all. He turned to the front. “Do any of the Higher Magicians have anything further to add?”

Nobody had suggested the simple change of removing “unsavoury characters” from the rule yet. Sonea drew in a deep breath and braced her feet, ready to rise.

“I do,” High Lord Balkan said. Sonea glanced at him, then relaxed. He stood up. “A small change can make a great difference. I propose that we change the wording of the rule, leaving out the reference to unsavoury characters, since it is ambiguous and open to unfair interpretation.”

Osen nodded. “Thank you.” He turned back to the hall. “Unless there is majority disagreement, we have four viable choices: abolish the rule in its entirety, leave it as it is, change it to remove reference to unsavoury characters, or change ‘associating with criminals and unsavoury characters’ to ‘involvement in and benefiting from criminal activity’. If we have a vote for change we will all vote again for our preference of the two choices. Form your globe lights now and move them into position.”

Concentrating a little power, Sonea created a globe of light and sent it up, with the small cloud of globe lights belonging to the Higher Magicians, to float near the Guildhall ceiling. Hundreds of other lights joined it. The effect was dazzling.

“Those in favour of abolition change your light to blue,” Osen ordered. “Those in favour of changing the rule make your light go green. Those favouring no change at all change to red.”

The dazzling whiteness shifted to a brilliant mix of colours. Sonea squinted at the globe lights. There aren’t many red ones. A few more blue than red. But there are clearly more green than any other colour. She felt her heart lift with hope.

“Now, those in favour of removing ‘unsavoury characters’ from the rule move your light to the front end of the hall, those in favour of changing it to forbid magicians from involvement in or benefiting from criminal activity move to the back.”

Balls of light surged in different directions. There was a long pause while Osen stared upward, his lips moving as he counted. Then he turned to the Higher Magicians.

“How many of each do you count?”

“Seventy-five to the back, sixty-nine to the front,” Lord Telano replied.

Sonea felt her breath catch in her throat. But that means …

Osen nodded. “My count agrees with Lord Telano’s.” He turned to face the hall. “The vote is cast. We will change the rule so that it forbids magicians to ‘be involved in or benefit from criminal activity’.”

Staring up at the globe lights, Sonea watched them flicker out of existence until one was left. Hers. She extinguished it, then looked down at Regin. His expression matched what she felt. Surprise. Perplexity. They chose an option introduced at the last moment, which changed the rule completely. Which both weakened and yet narrowed the focus of it. Magicians and novices can no longer be punished for indulging themselves in pleasure houses, because they’re no longer forbidden to associate with criminals. But at least they can’t be lured into criminal activity, which is what the rule was meant to prevent in the first place.

Regin looked up at her and raised his eyebrows slightly. She lifted her shoulders a little and let them drop. He looked away and she followed the direction of his gaze to Pendel. The young man was smiling and waving at his supporters.

It’s all the same to him, Sonea thought. He’s gained a better result than he was hoping for. But Regin looks worried now. Oh dear. I can’t believe I’m actually eager to meet with him again and find out what he thinks about this.

But she’d also never thought she’d ever consult and plot with him. I guess it’s the price you pay for getting involved in Guild politics. Suddenly you have to be civil to old enemies. Well, thankfully it’s all decided now. I don’t have to talk to Regin again if I don’t want to.

She looked down at him a second time. He definitely looked worried. She sighed.

I guess one more chat wouldn’t hurt.