The other lands

"You think tradesmen and blacksmiths and farmers are no threat to me? Singly they aren't, of course, but Barad makes the many into one. That's dangerous. We rule because the people allow us to rule. They believe we have power, but their belief is the delusion that grants it to us. Don't ever forget that. Nothing you can do with your sword, or with your army, is nearly as important as what you must do with your mind, with your words-"

There was motion in the chamber below them. Four Marah guards entered the room, each with their hands crossed and holding the hilt of both short and long swords, ready to draw. They squared off around the empty chair, facing it. A moment later a giant of a man entered. Hands secured behind his back, he had to dip his head beneath the door frame. He paused just inside the room and stood for a moment taking measure of the space. His clothes hung ragged about him, soiled. One sleeve had torn at the shoulder. After looking around the room for a moment, he raised his head and glanced straight up at the glass through which the mother and son watched.

Cori

The boy said, "He looks like a peasant. A big one, but still a peasant."

Another guard blocked the doorway behind the prisoner. He shoved him forward with a free hand, the other on the hilt of his short sword. The guard directed him to sit in the chair, and then walked around before him and said something the watchers could not hear.

"So, if we assume that this man is a danger to us, what do we do with him?"

Aaden sat silently thinking for a long time. Cori

"Doesn't that depend on how he is a danger? What he is threatening to do and how?" Aaden finally said.

"Yes, those are things to consider. He is a danger because he has a gift for oratory. He is one of the people; and when he speaks to them, he makes them believe that all their grievances are caused by us. They're not, of course. We expect much from our subjects. In return we give them the stability of a prosperous nation. Commoners rarely understand that, and they forget it when a man like this comes into their midst. So his danger is that he blends together a host of grievances and directs it at one target-the Akaran line. At you, Aaden. What is he threatening to do? Destroy us. He believes his peasants could do better at governing the world than we. Or he believes that he will be empowered by our downfall. I'm not sure which. Either way, he would see me deposed. Likely killed after some mockery of a trial. So what do we do with him?"

"We stop him from talking?"

"Perhaps, but that would not undo the things he has said and the emotions he has stirred. What is better than silencing him?"

"If he must talk… we should have him say what we want him to, instead of what we don't."

A smile slowly bloomed on Cori

Aaden accepted the praise with a shrug.

"You may go now," Cori

But Aaden had more on his mind. "Grae said he would go riding with me tomorrow, all the way out to Haven's Rock. He claims he has a fishing line long enough to reach the water from the top. There's no way that's possible. He must be joking! I can go, can't I?"

"You like Grae, don't you?" Cori

"He fenced with me. Not like the others but steel to steel. I could've gotten cut." The prospect of this seemed to delight the boy.

"Is that so?" Cori

"No. Not really. He said I was quicker than him. Quicker than he ever was, he said." Almost as an afterthought, he added, "He wouldn't hurt me, anyway. He likes me."

"Of course he wouldn't," Cori

Aaden's delay in leaving meant that he was still in the hallway when Rhre

Cori

"You knew Hanish Mein?" Cori

"To look at, yes. Only to look at. He didn't know me, but he was hard to miss when he had the reins of power. I liked his style." As an afterthought, he added, "Then, I guess you did, too."

Or perhaps it had not mellowed him, Cori

"How did you do that?"

Delivegu shrugged and looked the closest he could to sheepish. "I'm not proud when it comes to such matters. I came up behind him when he was fumbling with the keys to unlock his rented room. I hit his head with a club."

"Without warning?"

"Of course. How better to do it? And lucky I did, for he didn't go down from that one blow. He turned and reached for me. I needed to hit him twice more before he dropped to his knees. Then he was easier to deal with. A bit, at least."

"How did you know it was Barad?"

"Before I approached him, I questioned an acquaintance of his. A young man with, I daresay, insufficient resilience to resist me."

"This initial information you gained-that which took you to the message service-how was that come by?"

Delivegu cleared his throat. "I have something to report that you may find disturbing." He paused, brow furrowed in an expression of consternation that looked odd. "I wished you to know the other details first, but this part ca

Cori