"Fine," says Lisutaris. "Enter the competition. We might even be able to turn it into a heroic achievement" #51 | | |
"I doubt that," says Makri. "Have you seen Thraxas eat?" #52 | | |
Makri is due to fight later on in the day. She's determined not to put up such a poor showing again. "I know someone used a spell against me," she mutters. #53 | | |
Lisutaris didn't detect any sorcery, but admits she wasn't concentrating fully, as Markinos Moonstone was there. If any hostile magic was used, he should have sensed it. #54 | | |
"I'll make sure no sorcery is used against you from now on," promises Lisutaris. #55 | | |
Makri still insists that she won the fight anyway. "I cut his neck. In a real fight he'd have been dead. Useless judges." #56 | | |
She heads out to the gardens, still complaining. Lisutaris has another meeting this evening. She asks me if I want to attend with her. Ambassadors from Nioj have finally arrived. Nioj, Samsarina and Simnia will be providing the bulk of the armies in the upcoming war. Many smaller states will lend support, but the only other really large ally is the Elves. Their ambassadors should be here soon. #57 | | |
"I thought the Barons didn't want me at their meetings?" #58 | | |
"They don't," says Lisutaris. "But I'm taking control. You're my adviser so you should be there. If they don't like it that's their problem. Is there any chance you won't be drunk and unpleasant?" #59 | | |
"There's always a chance." #60 | | |
"If Daringos is there I'll try and arrange for you to speak with him," says Lisutaris. #61 | | |
After breakfasting on a loaf of bread and the last smoked ham in the cellar, I make my way back to the King's Record House to speak to Cetenos, father of the unfortunate Alceten. I'm carrying Baroness Demelzos's letter of introduction. The same two soldiers are on guard, and this time they don't ignore me. They're inquisitive about my business, and not friendly. Obviously someone's been talking about me. I tell them I'm here to talk to Cetenos. #62 | | |
"The King's Record Keeper doesn't talk to visitors." #63 | | |
"He'll talk to me," I reply. "Not that you have any reason to prevent me from entering." #64 | | |
One of the soldiers laughs. "Let him in. Zinlantol will throw him out anyway." #65 | | |
Zinlantol is sitting behind her desk. She starts her hostile glare while I'm still some distance away, and keeps it up. #66 | | |
"I'm here to talk to Cetenos." #67 | | |
| | |
"My letter of introduction from Baroness Demelzos says otherwise." I waste no time brandishing it. Zinlantol takes it as quite a blow. After studying the official seal she reluctantly admits to herself that it's genuine. She rises from her chair, and speaks to a young assistant. #69 | | |
"Tell Cetenos there's someone here to see him. An investigator from Turai, with an introduction from Baroness Demelzos, if you can believe it." #70 | | |
I wait a long time while Zinlantol pointedly ignores me. Behind her are rows and rows of shelving, full of books and scrolls. Next to the shelves are cabinets, wood darkened with age. As I watch, an assistants arrives with a box and starts loading papers into one of the cabinets. #71 | | |
"What are they?" I ask. #72 | | |
"Mining records," mutters Zinlantol. "Please don't interrupt, I'm busy." #73 | | |
Eventually the first assistant arrives back and beckons for me to follow him. He leads me through several dimly-lit rooms full of dusty books and scrolls, up a winding staircase, though more rooms, and finally into something which might pass as a private reception room, were it not also full of boxes of papers, some of them obviously still waiting to be organised. I take a seat, and wait. For something to do I try reading a few of the documents on the table beside me, but they're all about productivity levels at a silver mine, and my eyes glaze over. #74 | | |
Cetenos turns out to be older than I was expecting. He must have married late. He's using a walking stick as he shuffles slowly into the room. His hair is thin and grey, but longer than I'd expect for a Samsarinan government official. His cuffs are frayed, and his boots, once smart, are scuffed and worn. He looks like a man who's not much interested in his appearance any more. As I rise to greet him he stands motionless, staring at me, weighing me up in silence. I take out Demelzos's letter. #75 | | |
"The Baroness requests that you talk to me." #76 | | |
He glances at the letter. "You're asking questions about Alceten?" #77 | | |
| | |
The elderly man's arm starts to tremble, and so does his cane. It's a relief when he makes it to a chair safely. #79 | | |
"Her death was a terrible shock," he says. "The pain of it has almost…" His voice tails off. #80 | | |
"When did you last see her?" #81 | | |
"Minutes before it happened. She was here, in this room. But why are you asking about this?" #82 | | |
"I'm just trying to clear up a few details." #83 | | |
Cetenos, while distressed, hasn't lost his wits. "Is there some suggestion that my daughter's death wasn't an accident?" #84 | | |
"Yes. But if you repeat that to anyone it will make it harder for me to investigate." #85 | | |
"How could it not have been an accident? No one would have wanted to harm Alceten." #86 | | |
"Could you tell me what she was doing that day, just before she left the building?" #87 | | |
"She was in here, sorting out records." #88 | | |
| | |
"I'm not certain. Alceten had taken over a lot of my work." He waves his hand, indicating the jumble of shelves and boxes. "We have so much here…" #90 | | |
"What sort of records do you keep in this building?" #91 | | |
"Everything. Crop yields, taxation, mining rights, import duties, family records, births, amendments to laws - it's the main repository for all official business." #92 | | |
"But you can't say what she was doing?" #93 | | |
Cetenos puts his hand to his forehead, and sighs, as if even thinking of his daughter is too much to bear. #94 | | |
"I'm really not sure. Mining rights, probably. There are always a lot of claims being filed. They have to be checked with existing claims, and double checked with with our records of statutes and inheritances, to make sure the rights don't already belong to someone else." #95 | | |
"Was you daughter the only one working here?" #96 | | |
| | |
"Did she indicate to you that she'd found anything strange? Some financial transaction someone didn't want made public, for instance?" #98 | | |
"No, she never said anything like that. Really, this all sounds unlikely. Didn't Chief Steward Daringos investigate the accident?" #99 | | |
"He did. I'm not sure how thorough he was." #100 | | |
