Chapter 20
When William had first requested to come along on my trip to Plimgus, I was hesitant. He wanted to come and meet a Rabiss. He had heard of them but never met one. In the end, I decided there really wasn't much harm in having him tag along. So Emily, my guests, and I rode with a contingent of the NCDF towards Plimgus on horseback along the mountains.
Benjamin came as well, but due to her pregnancy, Jacklyn was not feeling well and stayed behind. I felt bad; they had ridden all the way up north to help with the negotiations, and then we were turning right back around towards Plimgus.
The air grew cooler the farther we climbed along the switchbacks, carrying the scent of pine. After hitting the road, we made our way past Melnon, and we hit the new construction.
The old trail had once been little more than a scar through the hillside, something desperate men and women used when fleeing serfdom, fleeing north toward the Cove. Now it was wider. Straighter. Cleared enough that a wagon could pass without rolling into a ravine.
A few kilometers on, the main road bent east toward the mountain pass, where Bolster had come from. We didn’t follow it. Instead, we continued south, onto the unfinished stretch that would one day be as wide as the Melnon-North Cove road and connect to Alfer. For now, the path narrowed and the rocky ground slowing our pace.
“Ah,” Bolster said, a note of mild wonder in his voice. “So this is what it looked like before your road crews got a hold of it.”
I smiled faintly.
The ride had been a good place for us to get to know each other, and our roads were something he was most impressed with. Although he considered it wasteful to spend my resources and labor on road infrastructure when I had no people, he admitted the convenience was nice.
"Yes, apparently this trail winds all the way down to the lands of Yarbeth. I told you the history of the cove; this is how the original inhabitants traveled there." I said, while adjusting my position on the horse as it picked its footing.
There was silence for a long moment. So long that I looked back. Bolster had a contemplative look on his face. "What are you thinking, William?"
"If this leads to Yarbeth, then is that how the count found out about the pass?"
I almost fell off my horse at the realization. And now it was my turn to become silent. How long ago had Johnathan said that he and Dwaine had first settled the Cove? Five years?
"Holy Crap!" I shouted. My exclamation silenced the line of riders, and some even stopped. Young Will and Emily, who had been chatting almost nonstop for the last day, went quiet.
"Never mind," I said to calm everyone down. "Let's keep moving."
William lowered his voice. "What is it?"
"I think you may have just figured out the final piece of the puzzle. The Antanes said that five years ago, people crossed through the pass. Five years ago was also when Cove Village was founded. What if Yarbeth had sent people to find out where the serfs were going and found the pass as well? He didn't stop people because he didn't want to alert my father and have him start snooping around."
William thought for a moment. Then nodded. "It fits."
“Not that it matters anymore,” I said, more to myself than to him. “But at least now I see why all of this started.
“So,” I said, nudging my horse forward as the line settled again, “what exactly are you bringing in through your port these days?”
William adjusted the reins. “Salt. Dried fish. A variety of resins. Amber, occasionally. Spices and luxuries from the continent.”
That reminded me of a conversation I had had last year with Count Fenro in Kimton. "Do you trade in the fruit that the Arrock have. The one that has the seeds they turn into a bitter drink?"
Bolster raised a curious eyebrow. "I suppose I should not be surprised you know of that place. It is one of the deadliest lands on the continent."
It was my turn to be surprised. "Do they have many wars?"
"Nothing like that. It is simply that the land itself is bent on your demise. The region is a vast mire where the humidity is so thick it breeds a constant, choking fog. Venomous insects and serpents thrive there, alongside toxic flora at every turn. If the wildlife doesn't claim you, the rot and pestilence surely will. The inhabitants wear little more than loincloths and speak a primitive tongue. The trees you refer to are the Remblic. Most Remblic beans are shipped to the continent, but occasionally, we are fortunate enough to see a surplus reach my port. I would secure some for you if it were legal, but by the King’s decree, the entire yield must be auctioned in Falmore. It is a luxury that even the King himself sometimes fails to claim."
"Well, I am not ready to buy it just yet. But I may attempt it sometime in the future."
If I could get more of the molasses flavor removed from my sugar beet sugar, it might be worth making something like cocoa with the beans. Of course, given how expensive it already is, I don't know if I could add much more to the price without making it impossible to buy. If the continent is pulling the majority of the trade, they must be getting a better price. I may have to make contact down in one of the southern countries, then sell them my sugar.
“So what is past you to the north?” I said. "I know the Barren lands are between you and me but I have never seen any ships come from the east of me.
“That is because we are the last safe harbor,” he corrected. “North of my harbor, the coast heads east, but no one sane sails it. The land turns barren, and the waters turn worse.”
I frowned. “Worse how?”
“Currents that don’t behave,” he said. “Deadly shoals. Storms that roll in without warning. I'm not really sure. Many ships claim that the coast must be infested with monsters. Ships go north of Bolster and don’t come back. I know that the Barren Lands are not too large. The distances have been explained to me by the Khulari, but something is in those waters at the edge of the land where it turns north that swallows ships.”
“So trade just… stops.”
“Exactly,” William said.
I nodded slowly. “And since you are a smaller port, most of what the continent has to offer doesn't come that far north.”
“No,” he agreed. “Falmoren sits at the fringe. The continent's true mass lies south and east. Larger cities. Huge populations. Larger wars. Why travel north when the demand is high closer to home?”
“I am trying to imagine it, and I am not sure I can. If we are small, then our war with Hitub feels pretty insignificant,” I said.
William was quiet for a moment. Then, “There’s something you may not have heard yet.”
I looked at him. “Go on.”
“Turabe has taken Sherik.”
My hand tightened on the reins. “Hitub's capital?”
He nodded. “And they’re pushing north.”
I exhaled. “What’s the king doing?”
“Our forces pulled back,” William said. “Consolidated into a defensible line.”
That answer bothered me. “Where does that put my men?”
“Most likely,” he said carefully, “along the border between Githum and one of the vassal kingdoms.”
“Why the vassel kingdoms?” I said.
“Rebellions. Unrest. Opportunists. It appears that Turabe has decided to relieve us of everything the Asput's have gained since the beginning of their rule."
"Will they take the peninsula?"
"Who knows, maybe they just wanted to flex and tell us we need to stop trying to expand. But if the Empire thinks it can conquer us quickly, I doubt it will stop at the smaller kingdoms."
I shook my head. This was not the type of news I needed. But it was a possible answer to what the message from Tanya the Priestess meant.
"I want to hear your honest opinion?" I asked.
“They’ll push as far as they can this season,” William said. “Then they’ll stop and judge what they’ve taken. If the cost is acceptable, they’ll press again next season.”
I listened, watching the line of riders ahead of us. “So they are not rushing.”
“No,” William said. “They don't want to lose more men. They have their southern border to worry about as well.
"Father says the reports from the king’s men show the new crossbows are proving effective in defensive fighting. Turabe is taking losses when they try to take our positions.”
That surprised me. I kept my face calm.
“I had heard of those weapons,” I said. “We attempted something similar in North Cove. The iron would not keep its shape. I assumed they would fail once put to real use.”
The crossbows had barely held together against the Rabiss, and even then, only for a short time. I had been forced to abandon the design once it became clear that iron could not survive repeated stress. At least until we managed to get some spring steel. The problem there was the bottleneck. We just couldn't produce enough spring steel for all our projects
“They aren’t using iron,” Bolster said.
I turned slightly toward him. “They aren’t?”
“No. Wood.”
“Wood?” I said. “I wouldn't have thought it strong enough.”
“It would not be, if shaped as a single piece,” he agreed. “But many craftsmen build the arms in layers, glued together. I am not sure how it works.”
I considered that in silence. It makes sense. I had heard from Frederick that many of the leaf springs nobles were now using were made of wood rather than the flex bronze I had made mine from, so why not crossbows? I should have made the connection earlier.
I guess it makes more sense why the king was trying to reward me. My question now is, was it worth helping save the kingdom if the cost was having to marry some woman I didn't even know?
“I would love to see one,” I said aloud.
“I have not seen one myself,” William replied. “But I own bows made in the same manner. The technique is not common. The cost of such bows is not worth it for most situations.”
“I may need to invite one of these craftsmen to North Cove,” I said.
William gave a dry laugh. “You may find that difficult. Even those without mastery are being taken into the king’s service. What was once a luxury is now a necessity.”
Outwardly, I nodded. Inwardly, I felt a strange mix of relief and unease. The changes to the world I was making. Where would they lead us? They were the same worries I had since I first came here.
“I am still surprised,” I said, keeping my tone even, “at how quickly the war turned defensive.”
William shrugged. “Falmoren was never in a position to press south. Defense was inevitable. I admire the King's family for all they have done, but like fields, people need to rest. And we haven't had it in three generations.”
“I suppose,” I said quietly. “I am no soldier.”
He glanced at me. “Even so, you are going to reclaim your people after beating back the Rabiss, you seem to understand the value of holding ground. I wish you would tell me what you were willing to give to them in exchange for your people.”
I smiled, said nothing, and looked back to the road.
I heard Emily laugh from farther back down the line, light and unguarded, cutting through the steady sounds of hooves. When I turned in the saddle, I saw Will riding beside her, his shoulders a little straighter than before, a broad grin on his face as he spoke.
It made me smile despite myself.
I was glad Emily was seeing a good example of a young nobleman first. The Bicmans had never been the best measure of what nobility could be. I had met my share of arrogant pricks, to be sure, but I had met just as many decent nobles in Kimton and Vaspar as I had bad. Seeing Will relaxed, laughing easily, felt like a small victory.
Her growing friendship with him would make things easier when we went to the cities where she would attend functions. Perhaps I could inform the Bolsters when we were to go to various places. It would be good to have the grandson of a count at her side, even if he was younger than her.
At the same time, the sight carried a heavy weight with it. It was a reminder that Emily would not always be at my side. In a few years, she would marry. Heck, even though I couldn't wrap my head around it, she could marry now. Will wouldn't be an option due to her status and her age, so fortunately, I wasn't going to have to give her but anytime soon.
Still, the thought of it twisted my stomach into knots.
Bolster’s voice cut in, drawing my attention back. “I am glad they are getting along.” He glanced over his shoulder briefly before facing forward again. “Will sometimes struggle in the company of others. If he were older, had come into his inheritance, and if she were not so far beneath his station, I might even consider them a good match. He was meant for greater things, though.”
The words made my jaw tighten before I could stop it.
It was not meant as an insult. I knew that. Still, hearing anyone speak of my best friend as though she were not good enough made me mad. I wanted to snap back, to say something cutting. Only the knowledge that Bolster meant it as a compliment rather than an insult kept me silent.
Will was destined to become a count. The whole coming into his inheritance was when a man received his first land as a noble. Which would not happen to the boy for a few years.
“That is kind of you to say,” I replied at last, keeping my tone measured. “And I agree. It is good to see that she will have a friend in court. That may be just as important to her as the right husband.”
Bolster nodded once, satisfied, and the tension eased from my posture.
The conversation drifted then, settling into easier ground as we spoke of Melk, an item I was truly interested in, while the road carried us steadily onward.
Melkor vine, or Melk as they called it, was a plant that grew in the low-lying troughs between hills where the morning mists gathered, near the southern mountains.
The plant flourished there and at one point was considered little more than a weed. A few generations ago, a cushion merchant discovered a way to turn the plant fibers into a soft thread. Its natural color was an iridescent pearl white when the process was done, and it was as light as silk with a faint velvety texture. The only thing made from them was cushions. After holding one of these beautiful cushions, I started imagining what the thread would be like if it were spun on a spinning wheel and crafted on the new Jacquard loom. The word priceless popped into my mind.
Unfortunately, there was a problem. Asking for just the raw material might make Bolster suspicious. I had not revealed the cloth yet as a trade good, and he had not mentioned it. Besides, I was going to have a hard enough time supplying my two other trade partners with enough things. I would have to put it on the back burner until I had more labor. A few paintings and a small amount of other goods was all I could offer now.
The cushions would be nice all on their own, though. I could sell them along the coast as a luxury good.
When we headed down the new trail that had been cut to Alfer, the rain started, and by the time we reached Kerisi, it really began to pour. It was dusk before the rains stopped, so we spent the night in Kerisi, and we rode hard the next day all the way to Plimgus.
We arrived caked in mud and with tired horses. Upon hearing that the Rabiss were here, the Defense Force was sent a message to gather at Plimgus. When I arrived, one hundred of the NCDF were awaiting us.
We were immediately brought to chambers where we could bathe and prepare ourselves to meet with the Rabiss representatives. I just wanted to relax and take a nap, but this diplomatic relationship could not be ignored, especially if I were to pull off the plan I had come up with. The first meeting was to be held in private. It was between me and the leader of the Rabiss who had brought my people back.
Shortly after, I sat in the chair of judgment, the doors opened, and a man with the dark tanned skin of a native american and the build of a man who was accustomed to working on a ship entered, flanked by NCDF. He crossed half the room and knelt like he was about to pray. He inclined his head slightly and placed two fingers of his right hand on his forehead. It was a gesture I was not familiar with, but I imagine it was one of honor.
"Count Bicman, I present Valik of the Rabiss and representative of the five great chiefs," Benjamin said.
"Rise, Valik, and speak," I said firmly.
The man stood straight back and with the bearing of a man used to confronting people of station.
"Count Amos Bicman, Hand of Wrath, I greet you. I have returned your people to you as requested in exchange for your Rabiss prisoners. And the ship you have offered."
"I have received the report, and you have indeed brought my people back," I said. Then, with a frosty edge in my voice. "Those who survived."
The man did not even flinch.
"I have sent word North that the council has honored the deal. Your people are gathering there and will sail your ship to you at Oceanside." I said.
He bowed and then surprised me. "Lord, I have learned from the people here that my brother, the leader of the raid, died while assaulting your fort. I ask to bargain for his body."
I bristled, barely keeping my anger in check. "It is bold of your Chiefs to send the brother of the man who was the cause of so much suffering to speak with me."
"It was my request and my duty. Name your blood price, and it will be paid."
I took a deep breath. This was not the time to let my anger control me. What had been done was done.
"There will be no price for your brother's body. The body is sacred, and no matter how I feel, your willingness to come before me deserves respect. Your people have preserved his body. It is not, however, in one piece." If I remember correctly, he was hit by the blast of the cannon that acted more like a bomb.
"I have been made aware of this and your great power of destruction. The council has declared that no Rabiss will ever come against you again. Not that any would be foolish enough now that all of Rabiss know you are a Hand of Malitouma."
I did not like being called that, but if it would keep my people safe, I would not correct him.
"Very well, I understand there is another reason you were sent," I said.
"Yes, the council wishes to open up trade with you for the drink we found in the fort."
This had also been explained to me in one of the messages I had received. And it was a great place to dump the alcohol. I had a sneaky suspicion that selling it directly to the nobles would be the death of me.
"The cost will be high, but if the price is right, I will consider giving your people exclusive rights to sell it."
I got a look of surprise for the first time.
"I do not understand, Lord Bicman. Do you not sell it to your own people? Is it due to the danger?"
Now it was my turn to be confused. "Danger?"
"Many have gone temporarily blind or lost control of their bodies. Their face goes slack, and some convulse. One of the sons of a council member overindulged and died."
I tried to keep the surprise off my face as I nodded. Alchohol poisining? I only knew the basics of alcohol making, and I think the first part you were supposed to remove. Harder to do with freeze distillation. Something I would have to experiment with if I wanted to make it safe. Then again, it seems the Rabiss didn't mind. "The power of this drink is great, but it is not the reason for my reluctance to sell it to my people. I wish to sell it to you so that the nobles don't harass me about it. It is difficult to make and limited in quantity. What I want is for you to take credit for its production. It will keep the annoying nobles away, and Falmoren is not foolish enough to make enemies of the greatest seafarers in the world."
There was a long pause. Valik was careful in his answers. "I believe I understand what you seek. It will not be easy. If we travel here to pick up the alcohol, people will wonder."
"Indeed, that is why you will be picking it up from my cousin in Carok. I will trade other goods with him, and he will keep the alcohol off the records. Then he will trade that with you under the guise of something else."
"You would be willing to rob your king of his taxes?" The man said in surprise.
"To keep my people safe, yes." I said firmly, "But I am not planning on doing so. My cousin will raise the value of the other goods I ship to him, which will cover the taxes."
Valik gave a faint smile. "I see. I will bring the proposal to the council. What price would you set on the alcohol?"
"These are preliminary negotiations. You will need to discuss the price you pay with the Mitt Trading House in Carok. The alcohol will not be ready until next year. We have time. I will tell you I am more interested in obtaining knowledge than coin."
"Knowledge?"
"Yes, the Rabiss have access to the continent south of Turabe. I want North Cove to be a center of learning. The greatest collection of knowledge in the world. For that, I need experts in their craft and any writings on technique. Diagrams of inventions and materials to experiment with."
"I do not understand what you are seeking to do, but I understand what you want. We have time to make sure we can come to an official agreement. I have one other request of you. I seek to know what you are planning to do with the man, Kevin."
That was odd. One of the last places I expected our conversation to go. "Why does it matter to you what the son of a traitor's fate is?"
"He has made a name for himself. He has worked as a scribe for me lately and as a member of my crew. He is one of the hardest workers I have known. I do not believe he deserves death."
These Rabiss were much different people than I first expected them to be. "And do you believe that exonerates him from the crimes of his family?" I asked, keeping my face passive.
"He has no love for the enemies of your crown. He has been wronged by both his family and the enemies of the crown."
"I agree, and that is what I told the king. Not only will his life be spared, but he will retain his title and be under my protection as my vassal."
The look of surprise on Valik's face brought a smile to my lips. He could only guess at what the true value of the heir of Plimgus had to me. The board would shift again, hopefully in my favor.