The Empire yielded on one point, the Confederation on two others, and the agreement could proceed.
After Mari and Alain got back to their room and a belated dinner, Mari sighed heavily. “You know what, Alain? At one point in that room I started thinking fondly about the good old days when people were chasing you and me and trying to kill us. That felt like a much happier time than being locked up in a room with a lot of people arguing endlessly over fine points of grammar.”
“We could still be trapped in Marandur,” Alain said.
“Don’t make me choose,” Mari said. She smiled, looking out the window, which faced east. “We kept our promises to the students, Alain, and to Professor Wren. They’ll have a chance at life outside Marandur.”
“And those masters of the university who refused their help to us will be proven wrong,” Alain added.
Mari’s smile took on a wicked cast. “Really? I hadn’t thought of that at all.”
* * * *
Thirty days after the victory at the last wall of Dorcastle, the anniversary was marked by a special ceremony to honor the defenders.
Mari sat in a chair placed on the edge of a field outside of Dorcastle. She could walk again, though weakness still stood at her elbow, and a lingering tightness in one side of her chest reminded her constantly of the sharpshooter’s bullet that had almost ended her life.
Field Marshal Klaus marched up, a healing scar running down one side of his face and neck. With him was Lieutenant Bruno. If the field marshal knew of Bruno’s part in the move to offer Mari control of the west, he gave no sign of it, whether of approval or disapproval. Klaus should have had an additional lieutenant accompanying him, but he had left that position vacant to honor the memory of Lieutenant Kaede, who had died during the battle.
Klaus saluted. “Lady, though I commanded the details of the defense of Dorcastle, you were our leader. It is no exaggeration to say that we all followed you in that fight.” He turned to face the open area where ranks of soldiers were drawn up. The soldiers who had fought to defend Dorcastle and not been too badly injured to stand in ranks this day.
Behind the open area units representing Mari’s own army stood at attention, their banners dipped in respect toward the ranks of the defenders.
Mari gazed at the neat formations, seeing how small most of them were. The gaps that should have been in them, the places so many fallen comrades would have occupied, couldn’t be seen because the ranks had been closed. But that meant that units which should have covered much more area instead showed much smaller numbers. In some places only a single rank of soldiers stood, some of them obviously still recovering from wounds suffered during the battle, their colors waving both proudly and forlornly before the survivors.
Her eyes sought out the Third Regiment. Sergeant Kira’s unit. It was one of those with only two ranks left, a lieutenant the senior-most survivor. The sight forcefully reminded Mari that Colonel Teodor had died at almost the same time as Kira. “I’m going to walk.” Mari used her arms to push herself up from her chair, shaking her head to fend away offers to help. “If they can stand in ranks, I can walk.”
“Of course, Lady,” Klaus said. “If you will follow.” The field marshal led the way, Mari and Alain walking behind him, Lieutenant Bruno following.
Fighting back tears at the losses these soldiers had suffered to defend their homes, Mari forced her legs to carry her along the ranks of those she had fought beside. Her vision got fuzzy at one point, but she leaned on Alain, breathed deeply and kept going, returning the salutes offered her, pausing to speak thanks as she passed each unit, giving a wave or salute to any of the individual officers or soldiers that she recognized.
The new Mechanics jacket she wore still felt stiff and a bit unfamiliar. Mari wondered if she should take it off in deference to these common folk who had won their freedom from the Great Guilds. But she had worn a jacket like it in the battle, and everyone seemed to be pleased to see her wearing one again. Mari kept it on.
She almost broke down when she reached the tiny line of cavalry that represented all the survivors of the soldiers who had escorted her and Alain from Tiae. Sixty-one, counting Major Danel, had ridden north with her. Seven sat their horses this day, all that remained. Danel had indeed died in the charge at the fourth wall.
As Mari paused before the cavalry, striving for words, Colonel Hasna stepped forward. “With the permission of the daughter, I will read a message from Queen Sien.”
Mari nodded.
Hasna unfolded a paper and read, her voice carrying easily across the field. “By command of Queen Sien, by the grace of birth and her people’s choice the ruler of Tiae, those who formed the escort for the daughter and who fought with such bravery and skill at Dorcastle will form the core of a unit henceforth to be known as the Queen’s Own Lancers. It will be a unit whose mission is to defend all who need their aid, and to commemorate the sacrifices of those who gave all they had to help free the world. The memory of those who died will forever be honored, and those who lived will always be among the first in Tiae.”
“Thank you,” Mari said to Hasna, then looked at the seven remaining and said it again. “Thank you.” The words were woefully inadequate, but there were no words strong enough or good enough, so they would have to do.
Major Sten stood with the survivors of a Confederation cavalry unit, his face marked with new cuts but otherwise unharmed. “You’re the lucky one, aren’t you?” Mari told him. “I’m glad.”
When they finally reached the two ranks made up of the Third Regiment’s surviving members, the lieutenant who was the senior surviving officer saluted Mari. She halted, looking down the ranks and seeing not only those here, but all of those who had fallen. Mari turned to Field Marshal Klaus. “I’ll never forget any of those who fought here, but the Third Regiment will always have a special place in my heart.”
Klaus nodded. “Soldiers of the Third Regiment, by request of Lady Mari your unit is to henceforth provide her honor guard whenever she visits the Bakre Confederation.”
When she had walked down the last line of soldiers, her steps increasingly weak, Mari finally allowed herself to be fully supported by Alain, leaning heavily on him. “Thank you,” she called across the field. “No one will ever be more honored than I am to have fought beside you all. May your deeds, and those of the many who do not stand here now, never be forgotten. From this day, outside of formal settings I am only Mari to you all, because we will always be equal as comrades who stood side by side on the walls of Dorcastle. The new day has just begun! Thanks to you, our world will see new wonders and our children will see freedom!” She was going to cry. She knew it.
As Mari was being supported from the field by Alain a lone voice called out from the ranks. “Freedom and the daughter!” Others picked it up, chanting the phrase, until the field rang with it so loudly it was if the voices of the fallen had joined in.
Mari did cry, not trying to hide the tears, as Alain helped her off the field.
* * * *
Her mother Eirene and little sister Kath had arrived in time to witness the ceremony, joining Mari afterwards when she had regained her composure. Kath, having witnessed the bloody aftermath of the battle at Pacta, had lost her earlier enthusiasm for joining Mari’s army. She ran to Mari, hugging her and crying. “Please don’t die again,” Kath begged.
“I didn’t die,” Mari reassured her, but neither her mother nor Kath seemed to believe her. They both looked at the white streak in Mari’s hair and then at Alain, who also got a hug and a tearful thank-you from Kath.
“Is it all over?” Eirene asked. “Can you just be Mari again as you wanted?”
“I may never be just Mari again,” Mari admitted. “I’ve got some long-term commitments. Short term, there is one very important thing left to do. It shouldn’t be dangerous. We’ve sent for someone to see if we can get that done.”
Coleen, the head of the Librarians of Altis, arrived the next day on the back of Mage Al
era’s Roc. After dismounting from the giant bird and following them into their private rooms, Coleen inclined her head respectfully towards Mari and Alain. “You could have made this decision yourself, you know. We couldn’t have denied you.”
“You librarians have spent centuries protecting that information,” Mari told her. “Only you have the right to decide if it is time for the world to know about it, and about you.”
Coleen smiled. “We have decided. The librarians agree that it is time to let the world know about us, and to open the valley to those who wish to see what we have protected all this time.”
“Good. I’m going to arrange a high-ranking delegation to go there. We have a piece of equipment to test.” Mari gave Coleen a level look. “I do have another important question. What’s at Pacta Servanda?”
“Pacta Servanda?” Coleen spoke as if unfamiliar with the name.
“You are seeking not to say something,” Alain said.
“I am baffled by the question, Sir Mage. Why are you asking me about Pacta Servanda?” Coleen said.
Mari studied Coleen before answering. “I’m asking because the royal family of Tiae was secretly tasked with protecting that town, a tasking that seems to have taken place centuries ago. It doesn't appear to be in any way a special town. So why does that obligation rest with the kings and queens of Tiae?"
The librarian gazed back at her for a few moments without answering, then shook her head. "There are things we do not know. Why did Queen Sien say her family was required to protect that town?"
"She doesn't know. That knowledge vanished somewhere along the way, maybe when Tiae fell apart a couple of decades ago. The librarians don't know what's special about Pacta Servanda?" Mari pressed.
"I cannot tell you anything about Pacta Servanda that you don't already know," Coleen replied.
Alain, watching the librarian closely, gave Mari a nod. Apparently, she was telling the truth.
This was one mystery that wasn't going to be resolved right away.
* * * *
Reaching agreement on all the details, getting approval from everyone who needed to approve, and setting up the trip to Altis took another month. Fortunately, many of the world leaders Mari wanted to see the things at Altis had gathered at Dorcastle, making it easier to rope them into the expedition.
Mari and Alain rode the Gray Lady north, retracing their flight from Altis over a year ago. This time the Pride sailed along as escort, carrying some of those Mari had wanted along for the trip.
The captain of the Gray Lady was not the piratical old sailor who had gotten them safely to the Umbari Ocean. He had died helping to repel the attack on Pacta. His former first mate commanded the Lady now with the same air of outward legitimacy and barely hidden opportunism. “Don’t feel sad for him, Lady,” she told Mari. “He wanted to die on the water, under sail, not in some waterfront tavern living away his last years with nothing but memories of the sea. What more can an old sailor hope for?”
Mari and Alain arrived once more on the island of Altis, not sneaking ashore using false papers this time but escorted into the harbor as part of a small fleet of warships that carried a large group of Mechanics, a smaller group of Mages, and those dignitaries representing most places in the world.
“Why didn’t Syndar send anybody?” Alli asked Mari as they stood on a pier watching equipment being offloaded.
“They apparently thought it was some kind of trick to lure people here for some nefarious purpose, but I think they really were afraid they’d run into you again,” Mari said. “The she-demon Mechanic who blows up entire armies with a glance.”
Alli grinned. “There are worse reputations for a girl to have. Is it true that Ringhmon wouldn’t send anyone unless they were rewarded with a big payment just for showing up?”
“Yeah.” Mari shook her head. “No one cared enough to pay them to come, but they probably could have gotten some money by demanding ransom not to show up.”
“Lady.” A large delegation from Altis stood beaming at Mari. “We regret not being able to greet you properly the last time you visited our island.”
“To be honest,” Mari said, “I didn’t think you’d be thrilled to have me and Alain back after what happened to Altis last time.”
The grand mayor of Altis smiled. “Once the fires were put out and the smoke cleared, the damage wasn’t as bad as feared. And the aid you arranged to be sent us over the last six months was most appreciated. Our finest hotel awaits you and your party.”
Alain pointed toward the mountains. “We will be staying inland.”
“Inland? There is nothing inland but rocks.”
“We’ll take the road,” Mari said.
“The road?” The leaders of Altis exchanged baffled looks. “There’s a road inland?”
Mage Alera had been at work, her huge Roc appearing on the waterfront. “We’ll see you there!” Mari called. “Tell Coleen we’re on our way!” Swift spread his wings and the mighty bird leaped skyward.
“Too bad she couldn’t haul this on her Roc,” Master Mechanic Lukas grumbled as he supervised the loading of equipment on mules.
“What is it?” the First President of the Bakre Confederation asked.
“A disassembled hydro-electric generator,” Mari said. “The tower of the librarians has been losing power slowly, so we’re going to install some new capacity for them.”
“The librarians. I’m still trying to understand exactly what librarians are and why they would need power?”
“Librarians,” Mari said, “are one of the greatest things on Altis.” She turned to the leaders of the island. “You have hosted and protected them without ever knowing they were there. But now the world will know, and many will come to Altis to see them and the knowledge they have kept safe at great sacrifice.”
One of the librarians who had come to Pacta to copy the tech manuals Mari and Alain had rescued from Marandur helped point out the hidden entrance to the road inland, astounding the people who had lived on Altis and never known such a thing existed.
The procession headed inland along the concealed road through tortuous mountain terrain. After a few days traveling through the harsh, often barren landscape, it was obvious that if not for the undeniable fact that the road existed, most of those traveling with Mari and Alain wouldn’t have believed there was anything of significance at the end of it. But then the view opened out onto the mountain valley where the great tower stood.
Coleen and many others waited at the small bridge spanning a stream, this time smiling in welcome rather than trying to bar entry to the valley. While Master Mechanic Lukas led a team to the waterfall to install the generator, Coleen guided the others into the tower.
Mari pulled Alain to the side as they entered the large underground room where numerous pieces of equipment from the ship that had come from Urth had been kept safe. “We need to give them time to absorb this,” she told him.
The Mechanics, the Mages, the leaders of the world, looked around in amazement at devices far beyond the technology they knew, at the map of the far-distant world known as Urth and the diagram of the great ship named Demeter that had brought people to this world.
“I would not have believed it,” Camber eventually told Mari. “Can these items now be freed? Be put to use?”
“They no longer work,” Coleen told him.
“None of them?” S’san asked, looking closely at the equipment in the cases.
“No,” Coleen said. “Our records say they all ceased working soon after being left here for safekeeping by those who founded the Mechanics Guild.”
“According to the tech manuals, devices such as this should have kept working for a long time. They should have been very reliable.” S’san gave Mari a sharp look. “The manuals say that these pieces of equipment all contain tiny versions of our Calculating and Analysis Devices, and all use something like our thinking ciphers to operate. Do you remember what you encountered at Ringhmon?”
Mari nodde
d in understanding. “A contagion that kept the CAD there from working. Do you think these devices were all infected with contagions?”
“Very likely. The tech manuals call such things viruses.” S’san tapped the protective cover over the instruments. “The founders of the Mechanics Guild wanted these things available if they ever needed them, but wouldn’t have wanted anyone else using them. How better to ensure that than by sabotaging the devices?”
“And if they did need them, they could cure the contagions, since they knew what they were.” Mari shook her head. “How long ago do you think the Mechanics Guild’s leaders lost knowledge of the contagions?”
“Hard to say, since eventually they forgot this place even existed.” Professor S’san looked at Coleen. “The librarians had no Mechanics among their numbers?”
“No,” Coleen said. “None of the crew with such knowledge was allowed to join us. Those who stayed here could operate these devices, but not repair them if something went wrong.”
“Do you think we can get them working again?” Mari asked Professor S’san.
“After so long? It’s hard to say if they can still be repaired. Even if it is physically possible, it is almost certainly practically impossible. You’re one of our finest minds on contagions, Mari, and whatever was done to these must be far beyond your skills.” S’san looked around the room. “Perhaps it is better that way. Unleashing all of this on our world could be incredibly disrupting. And we can’t replace any of it, not until we’ve worked for generations. Imagine becoming dependent on devices such as this, only to have them fail.”
“I must agree,” Camber said. “Can study of them yield anything of importance?”
“I’m sure it would,” S’san said. “But will that study be permitted?” she asked Coleen.
“Yes,” Coleen said. “That’s why they were kept safe, so that someday they could benefit the world again. We will be happy to host those who want to try to learn some of their secrets.”