The magistrate had nodded and turned back to the sylph. "There is," he explained, "an opportunity to serve the rightful Emperor."
The army needed scouts and, in the magistrate's opinion, Neptarik seemed a suitable candidate for such work. Being hazardous work, warfare always brought personal danger, but there would be adventure too. More importantly, it was an honest profession.
"I suspect that you need excitement in your life," concluded the magistrate.
"And my mother?"
"Your mother will be dealt with as we see fit." Obviously the only answer Neptarik would get.
Given the choice of the sales block and an uncertain future, or the scout school, Neptarik chose the scout school.
***
Sweating, Neptarik sat up in his bed and wiped a hand across his brow. Had he called out? He was not given to shouting during dreams, but he wanted to give nothing away. The other sylphs in the male dormitory were sound asleep, so he must have remained quiet. He lay awake for a few moments in his comfortable blankets.
Part of him wanted to curse Mya for asking about his past. He thought the memories were buried deep, but she had ripped the cover clean away. He recalled the events as if they had happened yesterday and not fifteen years ago.
If Mya persisted, he might talk himself into trouble. If he continued his story, he had reached the time when he must start making it up. Not that it was bad, but the truth would be dangerous to tell here. And he certainly did not know Mya well enough to trust her; for all he knew, she carried tales to Tektu.
He smiled in the darkness as his thoughts turned back.
Although he did not appreciate it at the time, that magistrate had done him a favor. Neptarik had even taken time after his training to seek the man out and thank him.
"Don't dare thank me," said the magistrate. "Everything you have done is down to you and nobody else."
But that came later.
Without knowing his mother's fate and unused to a disciplined environment, he found the training difficult to cope with. Neptarik fretted more about his mother than the scout school. Despite that, he came joint top or nearly top of his class in almost everything. He drank the new knowledge and learned he was more than suited to his new task.
Most of his fellow trainees had never spent a night outdoors before and needed plenty of time to toughen up. Neptarik was already tough. When the trainee scouts were granted a couple of days leave after five hard weeks, Neptarik resigned himself to a stay in barracks. Where could he go?
The Duty Sergeant found him sitting on his blankets, alone in the sylphs' dormitory. "You have a visitor in the guardhouse," he told the surprised sylph.
Neptarik did not recognize the middle-aged man, but was overjoyed to learn that he and his wife now owned Neptarik's mother and, if the boy wanted to visit, he would be very welcome.
From that day on, Neptarik never looked back.
After a rather emotional reunion, Neptarik spent most of his leave with that couple. When in Calcan, he still visited them. He and his mother had not lost contact since.
He reached adulthood while still in training.
While learning, he found a new sense of responsibility and duty. He now belonged to something bigger than himself. If he looked out for his comrades and friends, they would look out for him.
And he made lots of friends. Many sylphs came and went in the early days of the sylph scouting corps, but four from the first class remained – four out of eighty who began the training. They became the first sylph scouts and were still looked up to by the rest of the corps.
Tynrasa and Bascon were younger than Neptarik. Serious and dutiful, Bascon could not differ more from the fun-loving prankster Tynrasa. Yet both had become excellent scouts.
Older than Neptarik, Velisar had always exuded mystery. He rarely took part in discussions and only ever came to life in the field. He had suggested that sylphs could scout for the army and was the best scout of all. Neptarik came close in many areas, equaled in others, but surpassed in none.
What counted to Neptarik was that he belonged. The feeling strengthened when a common soldier visited the barracks, looking to adopt an unowned sylph. Balnus Pilton became his official owner and Neptarik happily bonded.
The only thing missing from his life now was a wife. Oh, and he supposed some children would be good to have as well.
He returned to the present. He had not lied to Mya. He had always been a traveler. He smiled to himself as his thoughts turned to the sylph whose question had triggered all these early memories, many of which he had tried to forget or suppress.
Mya had something more about her than that she had defeated him gambling. She had a reticence that equaled his own and he sensed she also had something to hide. Everybody had their secrets. Still, more than simple attraction intrigued him about the female sylph. Neptarik was no stranger to lust, but he had never before discovered a female sylph as besotted as himself by gambling.
He turned over in his blankets, snuggling down. He smiled as he thought of Mya. Perhaps he might get a little fun out of this place after all. Not to mention filling some of the gaps in his life.
Pushing aside Tektu's admonition that he was here to work and not rut, he fell asleep again, dreaming of flying over green meadows with a happy Mya at his side. When he woke, he actually looked forward to another day's work. None of the other males knew why he hummed a happy tune to himself.
Life was sometimes good.
***
Neptarik and Mya were detailed to clean the walkways of the inner bailey. This meant another day of sweeping and putting rubbish beside the catapult in time for the daily throw.
Mya told her companion in a conspiratorial manner that this was one of the easiest tasks in the castle.
"The soldiers tend to keep the inner bailey clean as they patrol," she told him. "After all, this is the part where the Mametain lives."
Neptarik watched a couple of soldiers with red flashes on their uniforms cross the bailey.
"What do those red flashes mean?" he asked
"That they are part of the Mametain's personal guard," explained Mya. "Most are decent to us, a few are not."
Siaba, clutching parchments and a satchel, hurried around a corner and slowed as she saw the other two sylphs.
"Hello," she said, smiling at Neptarik. "How are you getting on?"
The male sylph shrugged. "I am learning," he replied.
"I hope you have got your ink bottles stopped properly this time," said Mya, giving the infertile a cool look. "Took me an hour to clean up your mess last time."
Siaba dragged her gaze away from Neptarik and blushed a brighter blue. "I apologize," she stammered. "I did not know."
Mya nodded, but she still looked disgruntled. "I am sure you do not want to be late," she said.
Siaba took the hint and fled.
"A bit harsh," remarked Neptarik.
"She was looking at you like she wanted you to sweep her off her feet," muttered Mya.
"Jealous?" Neptarik grinned.
Mya sneered. "She is just an infertile," she said, as if that made all the difference in the world.
Neptarik decided it might be safer to change the subject. "When will they test those alarms again?"
"Soon. And you will learn that each one sounds a little different. One for fire, one for attack, one to evacuate the castle."
"Why are we not asked to clean higher here?" asked Neptarik, who had already worked out which tocsin was which.
Mya paused. "Siaba works a lot here. Sometimes other sylphs are told to clean here in the evening," she said. "They get choca and a free day in the city in exchange for their services."
"Choca?" Neptarik's eyes lit. "How do I volunteer?"
Mya laughed. "No volunteers. Tektu chooses."
"Tektu seems to get to choose a lot of things here."
Mya's expression sobered. "Neptarik, you must be careful." She quickly looked around, but the two sylphs were alone. "Be careful
what you say where she might hear."
"What is she?"
"What is what?"
"What is Tektu?" Neptarik held Mya's eyes and refused to look away.
The other sylph shook her head. "Do not ask. I have already said."
"That is not an answer."
Irritation flared in the female sylph and she glared at her companion. "Answer or no, it is the only one you get from me."
Neptarik spread his hands in surrender and his earpoints wilted a little. He did not want to upset his guide. But why would everybody be so terrified of Tektu? He sensed something obviously not quite right about her, but what?
But Neptarik had not come here just as another domestic sylph. He needed to learn the Mametain's plans regarding his homeland. To discover anything of importance, he must find a way to work in this part of the castle.
"How does Tektu choose who works up here?" he pressed, gently.
Mya's eyes narrowed. "Why do you want this? Most of us avoid working under Tektu or the Mametain if we can."
Neptarik grinned. "I like choca. A lot."
"So?" Mya was still suspicious.
Her expression held a hint of fear, something Neptarik easily recognized. He had seen it on many sylphs' faces, usually immediately before a battle. But he also saw revulsion.
"Even choca is not worth the risk of having Tek –" Mya bent her head and made shushing motions at the other sylph. "Talk of evil," she muttered.
Moments later, Neptarik was busy cleaning as Tektu stalked out of a room, sweeping a couple of soldiers before her. She glowered at everything, eyes only softening briefly as she saw the two busy sylphs. She paused.
"Make sure he knows where to put all the refuse," Tektu said to Mya.
"I will." Mya swallowed and nodded, barely able to contain her fear.
Neptarik gave the infertile a level look, refusing to be cowed by her. Tektu held his gaze for a moment, before looking away.
"You missed a bit," she said, before striding off.
Mya gritted her teeth and clenched her fists as she looked her companion directly in the eye. "Do not stare at her!" she hissed. "We want no more attention from her than we can get away with."
"Tell me why." Neptarik shook his head. "Why do you all come near to terror whenever she is about?"
"You would not understand."
"Looks like I get no chance to understand."
Mya's mouth worked soundlessly. "She is dangerous. Be very careful around her."
"How does she choose sylphs to work for her?"
"No idea. I do not want to know. You do not want to know. Few sylphs who work for her stay long. They will not say why they leave."
"Siaba seems happy with her."
"Then Siaba is strange. You do not want to work with Tektu."
"The offer of choca is tempting."
Mya did not laugh. As Neptarik bent back to his work, she wondered why this sylph was so eager to work here. Talnan had been the last she had known to act this way, and that eagerness eventually cost his life.
She began to wonder if Neptarik, in his own way, might not be as troubling as Tektu.
***
Chapter 10
Plans and Plots
Steppan da Kanpura lit his pipe and wreathed the room in smoke. He finally settled back in his chair and blew a long streamer of bacca smoke towards the ceiling. Alone with Verdin Vintner, this was their second private meeting at The Green Knight and the younger man hoped to learn more today.
"First pipe of the day," Steppan murmured in tones of deep satisfaction. "Herrena has forced me to cut back; she says it's bad for me."
"I expect she is right," replied Verdin, who did not smoke. He looked around the paneled room. The age-dark wood exuded an ambience of comfort and relaxation, yet he knew the risks just being here. Almost all the chairs were unoccupied, for Steppan's fellow conspirators were about their daily business.
Steppan looked at the other man, gaze intent. "I am interested to learn where your two companions are."
Verdin smiled. "Balnus has got his eye on that large army outside Taura and the other one is working. Gainfully, I trust."
"The other one is in Castle Beren?" Light reflected from the silver in Steppan's otherwise dark hair as he leaned forward and jabbed his pipestem at Verdin. "He is in great danger. Trenvera has lost spy after spy. I'm not sure if it is Nijen himself or his sylph who hates spies, but all are found and all end up dead. Last one was called Talnan. An excellent man by all accounts. A very experienced man."
Verdin decided to ignore the insinuation that Marka's men were inexperienced. "Nijen's sylph hates spies?"
Steppan smiled around his pipestem even as he drew heavily on it. More smoke spiraled towards the ceiling. "Her name is Tektu. Or so my people tell me. Yes, I have spies in the castle as well; many served me well before I was ousted."
Verdin listened.
"There is a large turnover of sylphs in the castle. Those few I have talked with are reluctant to speak of it, but they fear an infertile named Tektu."
Verdin shook his head in disbelief. "They fear an infertile?"
"Hear me out. There are many strange things in the world. Especially this world. When you reach my age, you are prepared to take a few things as read. The sylphs refuse to say anything about Tektu, except that she serves the usurper."
"Why are they frightened of an infertile?" Verdin struggled with the mental image.
"I ask why, but most refuse to answer. Others claim that she's not a sylph. Talks, looks and even smells like a sylph. But isn't."
"Sounds like nonsense to me." Verdin smiled.
"Perhaps so, but sylphs are not given to such fancies that I ever heard." Steppan paused to relight his pipe. "Whatever the truth, I'll be surprised if you ever see your man in Beren again."
"He is perhaps the best we have." Verdin hoped his sudden doubt did not show. Sylph scouts – even Neptarik – had limitations.
"Not for much longer. Sooner or later he must try to learn Nijen's plans and that is when they are usually caught. The usurper's guards are loyal to him personally and not the Throne. They are impossible to infiltrate and believe me, I have tried." Those brown eyes were cold now.
Verdin sipped at his alovak. "How did you lose your Throne?" From Steppan's cold reaction, he thought he might not get an answer.
"I made the mistake of taking a holiday. I left one of my brothers in charge and he mysteriously found his way into the bucket of the catapult we use for waste disposal. Hitting the sea from that height is very similar to landing on rock." Steppan's face was expressionless. "Nobody ever found his body: it probably disintegrated on impact. That followed the news of the deaths of myself and my entire family in a boating accident. Nijen claimed Lorend committed suicide in grief." Steppan shook his head.
"And when you returned?"
"Nijen sat on the Throne and his hands held the government's reins. A well executed move that he must have planned for years. He certainly picked his moment well. Anything I say or do now would be construed as an imposter claiming something he has no right to."
"Your family?"
"Safe, but not here. I'm sometimes impetuous, but not stupid."
"The people?"
"Very likely would not know me if I punched them in the face." A wry smile. "My own fault for being too wrapped up in my work. Perhaps my inventions failed to set the world on fire, but they made life in Castle Beren and the cities considerably easier. I believed that if the people were content, I had no chance of losing power."
"And the people remain content, despite higher taxes and a large army just outside the gates?"
"People are content with high taxes as long as they see what they get in exchange."
Verdin raised an eyebrow. "And as long as they can feed and clothe themselves and their families."
Steppan shrugged. "Of course. The people enjoy plenty of allegedly free entertainment and there is a large army to protect the city and island from invaders
. Such as Hingast. Or Marka."
"Marka?"
Steppan gave another wry smile. "You are better educated than this. Re Taurans are islanders and fiercely independent. Always were and probably always will be. The sea is our main line of defense."
"So landlocked Marka is a threat?"
Steppan laughed. "If it was just Marka, then no threat at all. But it is no longer just Marka is it? The Trading Council and Calcan have thrown in their lot with Marka. Sandester, too. All three of those powers have coastlines and two face Re Taura."
Verdin shrugged. "Marka has got a long way to go before she's a threat to the neighbors, never mind anybody else."
It was Steppan's turn to look disbelieving. "Nijen has warned for years against outside intervention, against a resurgent Markan Empire and I'm afraid your sylph-Emperor has given his words the appearance of truth."
"How?" Verdin was surprised.
"Zenepha has sent emissaries to independent lands, asking them to recognize his legitimacy and in exchange these, ah, diplomats offer security, monetary union and customs union. You are aware of this?"
Verdin nodded. He was the instigator of those emissaries.
"That has been interpreted here as the Markan Empire trying to reassert itself, to regain dominance."
"As far as I know, nobody has been sent to Re Taura," protested Verdin. "Only to former prefectures."
Steppan nodded. "True. But Re Taura trades with many of the coastal prefectures and kingdoms on the mainland. A new customs union with them would threaten our trade. Unless, that is, we enter that customs union, which many see as an attempt to bring us under Marka's rule."
"I see." Verdin did see. In a headlong rush to reunite the Empire, to stand against evil claimants and dissuade others, lands who had never been part of that Empire must fear a new age of expansion had begun. "Marka has a long way to go to regain lost lands before looking for new ones. And trade between Marka and Re Taura would remain unchanged. You have import duties against our goods, I'm sure."
"Just so." Steppan nodded. "For now at least, possibly for centuries to come, nothing need change. But people fear today what might happen tomorrow." He raised a hand and clenched it. "And Nijen has all the power in his fist."
"What have you done to regain your Throne?"
"What can I do? Nijen has the army and the people in his hand; he holds Beren." Steppan shrugged. "All I can do is wait for an opportunity."