Casmir, as he offered his arm to Queen Sollace at the foot of the gangplank, gave Madouc a cold glance of admonition, then turned to greet King Aillas.
A half dozen other notables of Lyonesse, in careful order of precedence, descended the gangplank with their ladies, to be announced with appropriate gusto by Miraldra’s Chief Herald.
Last to leave the ship were a pair of the queen’s personal attendants and, finally, the Christian priest Father Umphred, a portly figure in a plum-colored cassock.
After the formal welcomes, Casmir and Sollace were escorted to their chambers, where they might rest and refresh themselves after the inconveniences of their voyage.
Later in the evening King Aillas sat as host at a casual supper, the full state banquet would be served on the following day. Both Aillas and Casmir dealt austerely with plate and goblet, and both rose sober from the table. They repaired to a private parlour, and, sitting before the fire, sipped a heavy golden Olorosa and discussed those matters which interested them. Neither, however, saw fit to mention the ship being built to Casmir’s order in Caduz.
Casmir somewhat quizzically spoke of the fortifications at Kaul Bocach, the gorge which contained the road between Lyonesse and South Ulfland. “Even without fortifications, twenty determined men can guard the way against an army. But I am told that now fortress frowns over fortress, that every approach is protected by traps, walls and barbicans, so that impregnability is reinforced a dozen times over. Similarly with Tintzin Fyral, where now the mountain Tac Tor is crowned with a fort as harsh as Tintzin Fyral itself. I cannot understand these feverish preparations, since we have ratified between us treaties which make such works redundant.”
“Your information is correct,” said Aillas. “The fortifications have been augmented, and certainly they guard against invasion from Lyonesse. But is not the rationale clear? You are not immortal; imagine, if you will, that a monarch cruel, treacherous and warlike came to rule Lyonesse! Let us suppose that this monarch, for reasons beyond conjecture, decided to attack Ulfland… well then! We are prepared for him and if he is sane he will be dissuaded.”
Casmir showed a wintry smile. “I grant a theoretical basis for this line of thought, but is it not, in practice, somewhat farfetched?”
“I certainly hope so,” said Aillas. “May I pour you more of this wine? It is produced on my own estate.”
“Thank you; it is very fine indeed. The wines of Troicinet are not as well known at Haidion as they should be.”
“That, of course, is a lack easy to overcome, and I shall see to it.”
Casmir thoughtfully lifted the goblet, swirled the wine and watched the golden ripples. “It is hard to recall the harsh old times when bad blood existed between our peoples.”
“All things change,” said Aillas.
“Exactly! Our treaty, signed in the heat of ruffled feelings, stipulated that Lyonesse should build no warships, on an outmoded presumption. Now that amity has returned… ”
“Just so!” declared Aillas. “The present equilibrium has served us well! It is a balance which encourages peace across all the Elder Isles. This balance and this peace are vital to us and form the basis of our foreign policy.”
“Oh?” King Casmir frowned. “And how can you implement so broad a policy?”
“The principle is simple enough. We can allow neither Lyonesse nor Dahaut to gain ascendancy over the other, because then our own security would disappear. Should King Audry attack Lyonesse and by some miracle gain advantage, then we must join the war on the side of Lyonesse until the stasis returns; and vice versa.”
Casmir managed an easy laugh and, draining his goblet, set down the empty vessel with a thump. “I wish that my own goals could be so easily defined. Alas! They depend on such ineffable considerations as justice, the redressment of old wrongs, and the thrust
A half dozen other notables of Lyonesse, in careful order of precedence, descended the gangplank with their ladies, to be announced with appropriate gusto by Miraldra’s Chief Herald.
Last to leave the ship were a pair of the queen’s personal attendants and, finally, the Christian priest Father Umphred, a portly figure in a plum-colored cassock.
After the formal welcomes, Casmir and Sollace were escorted to their chambers, where they might rest and refresh themselves after the inconveniences of their voyage.
Later in the evening King Aillas sat as host at a casual supper, the full state banquet would be served on the following day. Both Aillas and Casmir dealt austerely with plate and goblet, and both rose sober from the table. They repaired to a private parlour, and, sitting before the fire, sipped a heavy golden Olorosa and discussed those matters which interested them. Neither, however, saw fit to mention the ship being built to Casmir’s order in Caduz.
Casmir somewhat quizzically spoke of the fortifications at Kaul Bocach, the gorge which contained the road between Lyonesse and South Ulfland. “Even without fortifications, twenty determined men can guard the way against an army. But I am told that now fortress frowns over fortress, that every approach is protected by traps, walls and barbicans, so that impregnability is reinforced a dozen times over. Similarly with Tintzin Fyral, where now the mountain Tac Tor is crowned with a fort as harsh as Tintzin Fyral itself. I cannot understand these feverish preparations, since we have ratified between us treaties which make such works redundant.”
“Your information is correct,” said Aillas. “The fortifications have been augmented, and certainly they guard against invasion from Lyonesse. But is not the rationale clear? You are not immortal; imagine, if you will, that a monarch cruel, treacherous and warlike came to rule Lyonesse! Let us suppose that this monarch, for reasons beyond conjecture, decided to attack Ulfland… well then! We are prepared for him and if he is sane he will be dissuaded.”
Casmir showed a wintry smile. “I grant a theoretical basis for this line of thought, but is it not, in practice, somewhat farfetched?”
“I certainly hope so,” said Aillas. “May I pour you more of this wine? It is produced on my own estate.”
“Thank you; it is very fine indeed. The wines of Troicinet are not as well known at Haidion as they should be.”
“That, of course, is a lack easy to overcome, and I shall see to it.”
Casmir thoughtfully lifted the goblet, swirled the wine and watched the golden ripples. “It is hard to recall the harsh old times when bad blood existed between our peoples.”
“All things change,” said Aillas.
“Exactly! Our treaty, signed in the heat of ruffled feelings, stipulated that Lyonesse should build no warships, on an outmoded presumption. Now that amity has returned… ”
“Just so!” declared Aillas. “The present equilibrium has served us well! It is a balance which encourages peace across all the Elder Isles. This balance and this peace are vital to us and form the basis of our foreign policy.”
“Oh?” King Casmir frowned. “And how can you implement so broad a policy?”
“The principle is simple enough. We can allow neither Lyonesse nor Dahaut to gain ascendancy over the other, because then our own security would disappear. Should King Audry attack Lyonesse and by some miracle gain advantage, then we must join the war on the side of Lyonesse until the stasis returns; and vice versa.”
Casmir managed an easy laugh and, draining his goblet, set down the empty vessel with a thump. “I wish that my own goals could be so easily defined. Alas! They depend on such ineffable considerations as justice, the redressment of old wrongs, and the thrust
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