Chapter 8 : Councillors

Location Southern Healing Clinic, Waterless Shore, Blue Wave Territory

Time Warming (Morning) 1700 hours (48 hours before dusk)

When Maiho exited Bardre’s room with a sullen Nargre in tow, her mother was talking with her Father and Pelfra at the greeter’s desk.

“Mum, you look so tired. Why don’t you take dad to dinner and I will take your place at the council meeting?” suggested Maiho.

Telvra looked startled then smiled. “That is so thoughtful, dear. It’s good to take a rest from that Orock-judged bureaucracy.” she said, just as if she hadn’t palmed off the last five council meetings in a row onto Maiho.

Maiho turned around and almost ran into Laivo. “Your messages are all on their way. I am going to get something to eat and spend some time with my husband before our shift. This is the last time I help out off shift,” she stated.

“We’ll talk more in an hour and a half,” said Maiho.

“There is no way you will be finished with the council that soon,” argued Laivo.

“We’ll see.” Maiho picked up one of her bags and both her swords from an empty consulting room.

“Why are you kitted out like you’re headed to battle?” asked Nargre as they exited the clinic.

“Because I am about to piss off some very powerful people. People who are used to getting their own way,” answered Maiho. “You should start wearing a sword.”

“In the village?”

“Especially in the village. Appoint an aide or two to help you with the paperwork. Big burly aides who know how to use a sword.”

The council chambers were in the center of the village. They headed north through a residential area.

“I’m an archer, I am useless with a sword and I’m not going to hide behind bodyguards,” stated Nargre.

“As an archer you position yourself behind melee fighters, this is no different.”

“This is the village! We are safe.”

“I used to believe that, before I was kidnapped so that my soul could be destroyed and my body used as a finger puppet for a 500 hundred-day old ghost,” argued Maiho as she led Nargre through a maze of small corridors. Thankfully she knew the area around the clinics like the pattern on the back of her hand.

“That was outside. No-one is going attack us in the nest.”

“Shortly after I started acting as my mother’s proxy in the village council I was waylaid by two large toughs.”

“What did you do?” asked Nargre.

“I broke into a nearby furniture store and took a small wardrobe and trolley which I used to transport the bodies to the nearest traveling room.”

“Aren’t you skipping a few details?”

“It’s simple for me to force any door that’s been locked with a flute,” explained Maiho.

“No, I meant the fight,”

“I wouldn’t call it a fight. They threatened me, I killed them. I am not sure if they even realized I had drawn my blade before they bled out.”

“And no one saw you? “asked Nargre.

“There was a lookout, I let him get away.”

“And you’re not worried about confessing this to a guard?”

“I left money for the trolley and wardrobe,” protested Maiho.

“I meant killing two people.”

“Seven. The next day five bruisers wanted to talk to me about their two friends. I was very glad I had kept the trolley and the wardrobe,” said Maiho. The one with the crossbow had given her a scare and she had been full of crystal energy at the time. At the moment her vitality wasn’t very high, if she had to face off five opponents at the moment there might be a different outcome.

“Why do I get the feeling there is more than one point to this story?” sighed Nargre.

“Just have a look at the councilors’ bodyguards when we get to the council rooms. There is a reason they are there. Though since we will be there first you’ll probably have to check them out as we leave.” said Maiho. “Just think about getting protection. If not for you, then for Bardre when she is on her feet again.”

For a while Maiho concentrated on getting them out of the back corridors and onto the main passageway.

“Are you still angry about Bardre and me?” Maiho asked.

“You nearly killed her.”

“You once shot her with an arrow.”

“She deserved it,” Nargre stated.

“She deserved it this time too.”

Nargre burst out laughing, doubling over. Stopping to catch her breath, she wiped a tear from her eye and straightened. “So maybe I’ll forgive what you did to Bardre, as long as you fix her colour, but that doesn’t mean I don’t think you’re a confidence trickster who promises the impossible to the desperate.”

“What we are planning -”

“What you are planning - I’m just along for the ride.”

“The plan is ambitious, but doable and you have your part,” argued Maiho.

“You tell us you can give us back the mythical Gardens of Plenty.”

“That part is easy. Keeping the Gardens and making good use of them is slightly harder, but achievable. And remember the plants are all dead. They all died of the plague 800 hundred-days ago.”

“It will still be better than living in the Shambles,” said Nargre.

The way opened up into a larger passage and soon they arrived at the council chambers. “Hi Lanfrud, How’s Yeoni?” Maiho asked a large swordsman standing out the front.

“The mistress is fine, and quite intrigued by your message.”

“This is Nargre, she is acting as Bardre’s proxy, and is Acting Captain until Bardre has recovered.”

“Bardre is ill?” asked Lanfrud.

“Training accident.”

“Why don’t you just tell him that you almost cut her in half?” muttered Nargre.

“That wouldn’t help anyone,” Maiho muttered quietly back. “You both got here very quickly,” she said more loudly.

“We don’t live far away, and whatever you sent in your message got Yeoni very excited,” replied Lanfrud.

“Send my love to Gwaiva.” instructed Maiho as she lead Nargre though the entrance.

“How much has Bardre explained about how the village council works?” asked Maiho.

“I have avoided politics like the plague,” replied Nargre.

“So nothing. Okay. The council has nine members, three of which are Singers, three are senior family and three are common folk. You are one of common folk representatives and you represent the guard. Yeoni is another of the common folk representatives and she represents the farmers.”

After a few sharp turns they entered a large room dominated by a rectangular table. At the table sat a small thirty-ish woman. “Yeoni! How are you?” asked Maiho.

“Anxious to hear how you are going to deliver on your promises. If you have lured one of the senior families away from Logwan’s camp, I shall die of shock. Is this your bodyguard dear? She will have to wait outside,” replied Yeoni.

“This is Acting Captain Nargre, she has Bardre’s proxy. She has one of the votes we are going to need, so be nice.” Maiho wondered if Yeoni would have made that assumption if Nargre hadn’t so obliviously been from the Shamble. She quickly glanced at Nargre but she didn’t seem to be offended.

“I am always nice. How exactly are we going to get the needed votes? Have you broken Belshat’s leg?”

“He would only send a proxy, so that would be a waste of time,” responded Maiho.

“There might a certain satisfaction to it. Didn’t Belshat try to lean on you a few weeks ago?”

“Belshat came off far worse than I did in that transaction. I consider any debt from that incident fully paid already.”

“That’s right you killed twenty of his men didn’t you?” commented Yeoni.

“Only seven.”

“Oh, only seven. Only seven she says. I wouldn’t trust Gwaiva and Lanfrud to take care of more than one between them.”

“Are you in favour of my suggestion?” asked Maiho.

“As long as you can do as you promised.”

“I sent three messages. Whether I can deliver the desired result depends on the answer from the other two recipients to my messages.”

“If their message was as persuasive as the one you sent me then you will get your votes,” said Yeoni.

A distinguished gentleman in his fifties entered the room.

“Kevlin this is Acting Captain Nargre, she will be Bardre’s proxy for the next 5 day. Nargre this is Kevlin, he is the final common folk representative and he represents the craftsmen and craftswomen of the village.” said Maiho. “Kevlin, are you in favour of my proposal?”

“I need something extra.”

“What?”

“Three merchant licenses for the west corridors,” requested Kevlin.

“If he gets something extra then so do I.” insisted Yeoni.

“What do you want?” asked Maiho.

“A favour, to be redeemed later.”

“Fine, as long as it is reasonable.”

“Where are you going to get the fifth vote?” asked Kevlin.

“From me.” said Huglek as he strode into the room.

“Who are you?” asked Yeoni.

“He is Song Master Huglek,” Maiho informed them.

“It can’t be. The Song Master is 80 if he is a day,” protested Kevlin.

“Singers live long and age slowly,” responded Huglek.

“How can we know he is the Song Master?” asked Yeoni.

“You could ask one of my students or I could sing for you.” responded Huglek.

“Logwan will recognize him,” said Maiho.

“Yes, he was my junior priest for many years and a lazier more untrustworthy student I have yet to teach,” said Huglek

“They have a history,” explained Maiho.

“Do you have my payment?” asked Huglek.

In answer she laid out a fully charged needle flinger and a shock wand on the table. Huglek gave her his old depleted needle flinger. “If you want this you must have access to a pool of regeneration.”

“Is that what you call it? I just call it the recharge pool.”

“Would have done this just for the satisfaction of seeing Logwan’s face.”

“No, you wouldn’t have,” argued Maiho

“Ha ha, No, maybe I wouldn’t have.”

A haughty man in his fifties stalked into the room. “Who the hell are these two?” asked Belshat.

“Acting Captain Nargre and Song Master Huglek.” Maiho was starting to get tired of repeating herself.

“The fuck he is,” retorted Belshat.

“Logwan will vouch for him,” insisted Maiho. “Nargre and Huglek this is Belshat. He represents the 1st senior family. The 1st family regard themselves as in charge of Harvesting, although not all harvesting crews are run by them.”

An old woman in her sixties wandered into the room. “Huglek is that you?”

“Huifa, you are as ravishing as ever.”

“As honey tongued as ever I see. So you have gone down Viune’s road.”

“It eventually happens to all of us who Sing for a living,” stated Huglek.

“Then why doesn’t it happen to all Singers?” asked Huifa.

“Some of us work harder than others.”

“Huifa is 4th senior family. They consider themselves in charge of caravans, although as with the other senior families their aspirations don’t completely match reality,” Maiho whispered to Nargre.

“That is not what you said before,” said Huifa replying to Huglek with a frown.

“We say a great many foolish things when we are young,” observed Huglek.

“If I recall correctly, and I do, you weren’t that young.”

“If no-one asks you to grow up and you are very foolish sometimes it does not occur to you to grow up on your own.”

“You swore that you would never set foot in these chambers again,” reminded Huifa.

“Never is a long time. And as I said before one says a great many foolish things when one is young.”

“H’mm!” she exclaimed in disapproval.

A rather plain thirty-something woman marched into the room. “What did I miss?”

“Our long lost ninth council member has decided to grace us with his presence after an absence of 20 hundred-days,” Huifa announced.

“Song Master Huglek? You look younger than I expected,” observed Thiona.

“That is sweet of you to say my dear,” replied Huglek.

“Now that we have a quorum let’s start,” insisted Yeoni.

“We should wait for Logwan,” protested Belshat.

“Logwan is not our level lord, and this is not his court. We are all equals here. If Logwan can’t respect us enough to turn up on time, then fuck him. This council has operated with only 8 members for 20 hundred-days, it can do so this morning,” argued Yeoni.

“I move that we start on time,” said Kevlin.

“I second it,” said Yeoni.

“All in favour,” asked Kevlin. Five hands shot up. Maiho kicked Nargre under the table and she raised her hand making it six.

“Shouldn’t we debate the issue?” asked Belshat.

“The charter says we should start on time as long as six or more members are present,” stated Kevlin. “All those against starting on time and instead letting Logwan waste our time.”