Read Online The Seeress of Kell by David Eddings - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: David Eddings
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Urgit whispered back. "Although anyone who takes the word of a Murgo—and a member of the Urga Dynasty as well—shows very poor judgment. Murgos are notoriously untrustworthy, and all Urgas are quite mad, you know."
Javelin chewed on a fingernail, strongly suspecting that he was being outmaneuvered.
"We've received some disquieting information from Tol Honeth."
"Oh?"
"You know how the Tolnedrans are—always alert for the main chance."
"Oh, my goodness, yes." Urgit laughed. "Some of the fondest memories of my childhood come from the times when Taur Urgas, my late, unlamented father, fell to chewing on the furniture when he received the latest proposal from Ran Borune."
"Now mind you, your Majesty," Javelin went on, "I'm not 'Suggesting that Emperor Varana himself is in any way involved m this, but there are some fairly high-ranking Tolnedran nobles who’ve been in contact with Mal Zeth."
"That's disturbing, isn't it? But Varana controls the legions. As long as he's opposed to Zakath, we're safe."
"That's true—as long as Varana's alive."
"Are you suggesting the possibility of a coup?"
"It's not unheard of, your Majesty. Your own kingdom gives evidence of that. The great families in northern Tolnedra are still infuriated about the way the Borunes and Anadiles pulled a march on them and put Varana on the imperial throne. If something happens to Varana and he's succeeded by a Vordue or a Honeth or a Horbite, all assurances go out the window. An alliance between Mal Zeth and Tol Honeth could be an absolute disaster for Murgo and Alorn alike. More than that, though, if such an alliance were kept a secret and you had Tolnedran legions in force here in Cthol Murgos and they received sudden instructions to change sides, you'd be caught between an army of Tolnedrans and an army of Malloreans. That isn't my idea of a pleasant way to spend a summer."
Urgit shuddered.
"Under the circumstances, your Majesty," Javelin went on smoothly, "I'd advise the following course." He began ticking items off on his fingers. "One: There's a vastly diminished Mallorean presence here in Cthol Murgos. Two: An Alom force inside your borders would be neither necessary nor advisable. You have enough troops of your own to drive the Malloreans out, and we'd be ill-advised to risk any accidental confrontations between your people and ours. Three: The rather murky political situation in Tolnedra makes it extremely risky to contemplate bringing the legions down here."
"Wait a minute, Khendon," Urgit objected. "You came here to Rak Urga with all sorts of glowing talk about alliances and commonality of interests, but now when it's time to put troops into the field, you back down. Why have you been wasting my time?"
"The situation has changed since we began our negotiations, your Majesty," Javelin told him. "We did not anticipate a Mallorean withdrawal of such magnitude, and we certainly didn't expect instability in Tolnedra."
"What am I going to get out of this then?''
"What is Kal Zakath likely to do the minute he gets word that you're marching on his strongholds?"
"He'll turn around and send his whole stinking army back to Cthol Murgos."
"Through a Cherek fleet?" Javelin suggested. "He tried that after Thull Mardu, remember? King Anheg and his berserkers sank most of his ships and drowned his troops by the regiment.''
"That's true, isn't it?" Urgit mused. "Do you think Anheg might be willing to blockade the east coast to keep Zakath's army from returning?"
"I think he'd be delighted. Chereks take such childlike pleasure in sinking other people's boats."
"He'd need charts in order to make his way around the southern tip of Cthol Murgos, though,'' Urgit said thoughtfully.
Javelin coughed. "Ah—we already have those, your Majesty," he said deprecatingly.
Urgit slammed his fist down on the arm of his throne. "Hang it all, Khendon! You're here as an ambassador, not as a spy."
"Just keeping in practice, your Majesty," Javelin replied
Javelin chewed on a fingernail, strongly suspecting that he was being outmaneuvered.
"We've received some disquieting information from Tol Honeth."
"Oh?"
"You know how the Tolnedrans are—always alert for the main chance."
"Oh, my goodness, yes." Urgit laughed. "Some of the fondest memories of my childhood come from the times when Taur Urgas, my late, unlamented father, fell to chewing on the furniture when he received the latest proposal from Ran Borune."
"Now mind you, your Majesty," Javelin went on, "I'm not 'Suggesting that Emperor Varana himself is in any way involved m this, but there are some fairly high-ranking Tolnedran nobles who’ve been in contact with Mal Zeth."
"That's disturbing, isn't it? But Varana controls the legions. As long as he's opposed to Zakath, we're safe."
"That's true—as long as Varana's alive."
"Are you suggesting the possibility of a coup?"
"It's not unheard of, your Majesty. Your own kingdom gives evidence of that. The great families in northern Tolnedra are still infuriated about the way the Borunes and Anadiles pulled a march on them and put Varana on the imperial throne. If something happens to Varana and he's succeeded by a Vordue or a Honeth or a Horbite, all assurances go out the window. An alliance between Mal Zeth and Tol Honeth could be an absolute disaster for Murgo and Alorn alike. More than that, though, if such an alliance were kept a secret and you had Tolnedran legions in force here in Cthol Murgos and they received sudden instructions to change sides, you'd be caught between an army of Tolnedrans and an army of Malloreans. That isn't my idea of a pleasant way to spend a summer."
Urgit shuddered.
"Under the circumstances, your Majesty," Javelin went on smoothly, "I'd advise the following course." He began ticking items off on his fingers. "One: There's a vastly diminished Mallorean presence here in Cthol Murgos. Two: An Alom force inside your borders would be neither necessary nor advisable. You have enough troops of your own to drive the Malloreans out, and we'd be ill-advised to risk any accidental confrontations between your people and ours. Three: The rather murky political situation in Tolnedra makes it extremely risky to contemplate bringing the legions down here."
"Wait a minute, Khendon," Urgit objected. "You came here to Rak Urga with all sorts of glowing talk about alliances and commonality of interests, but now when it's time to put troops into the field, you back down. Why have you been wasting my time?"
"The situation has changed since we began our negotiations, your Majesty," Javelin told him. "We did not anticipate a Mallorean withdrawal of such magnitude, and we certainly didn't expect instability in Tolnedra."
"What am I going to get out of this then?''
"What is Kal Zakath likely to do the minute he gets word that you're marching on his strongholds?"
"He'll turn around and send his whole stinking army back to Cthol Murgos."
"Through a Cherek fleet?" Javelin suggested. "He tried that after Thull Mardu, remember? King Anheg and his berserkers sank most of his ships and drowned his troops by the regiment.''
"That's true, isn't it?" Urgit mused. "Do you think Anheg might be willing to blockade the east coast to keep Zakath's army from returning?"
"I think he'd be delighted. Chereks take such childlike pleasure in sinking other people's boats."
"He'd need charts in order to make his way around the southern tip of Cthol Murgos, though,'' Urgit said thoughtfully.
Javelin coughed. "Ah—we already have those, your Majesty," he said deprecatingly.
Urgit slammed his fist down on the arm of his throne. "Hang it all, Khendon! You're here as an ambassador, not as a spy."
"Just keeping in practice, your Majesty," Javelin replied
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