how that can be the case,' Lokan said airily, the hint of a smile on his lips. 'Of course, she is younger than I, and ten years ago was considered quite a catch – one of the most beautiful women in the entire tribe, don't you know? No doubt it is just that your beauty rivals her legend, nothing more. After all, it's not as if you have beaten her in competition for anything, now, is it?'
Tila couldn't help but glance over to the door where Count Vesna was stationed, now staring determinedly at his feet.
'Oh, well, no, of course not,' she said, rallying, and curtseyed again before filling the cup he held out. 'I thank you for the compliment, though I doubt I could ever rival your wife's beauty, then or now.'
'Four chairs?' said Sempes, taking a seat himself opposite Lokan.
'Someone will be joining us,' Isak said. 'For the moment, perhaps the three of us could share a few words alone?'
Both men looked suspicious, but they nodded all the same and Tila retreated with the bodyguards. When the door banged shut, Isak sat down himself and looked carefully at the dukes.
'I know only a little of how relations were between you and Lord Bahl,' he started, 'but now is a time for a fresh start, whatever the problems of the past.'
Isak could see the dukes knew full well he was entirely up to speed with their previous relationship with Lord Bahl; Lesarl would never have let such a meeting happen without carefully briefing his lord beforehand. But they understood the implication.
'Over the next few years we are going to find ourselves facing unprecedented- well, let's call them difficulties,' Isak continued. 'For that, we will need a united nation, and historically that's something the Farlan have always found difficult.'
'May we speak frankly, my Lord?' Sempes said suddenly. He was sitting bolt-upright in his seat, making Isak wonder if he was wearing some sort of custom-made armour underneath his fine clothes.
'Of course.' Isak ignored the unusual bluntness, taking it as caution rather than hostility.
'You want a show of support, my Lord? I appreciate the courtesy to our positions that you've shown thus far – keeping this meeting deniable if necessary, even asking for our support in the first place. I am well aware that you could force us to publicly support you at your investiture ceremony. However, a white-eye taking great pains to show such consideration? I hope you will forgive an older man's trepidation at this; I find myself wondering what it is you require our support for.'
'I will,' Isak said gladly. 'The situation is simple, but – to speak absolutely plainly -I want you on my side because I believe there'll soon be no space for anyone but my allies.' He raised a placating hand. 'I don't mean that as a threat, just a statement of fact. I'll be requiring much of you over the coming years and for the Farlan to remain strong we must all accept sacrifices.'
'And the support?'
'I intend to issue an edict regarding the vacant duchy, to appoint the next Duke of Lomin rather than confirming the natural line of succession.'
'You intend to deny a successor?' Duke Lokan was hunched forward in his seat, peering intently at Isak, almost as though he could divine the truth by looking hard enough.
'I do. I've brought you here to explain my reasons before publicly asking for your support. If it doesn't come as a surprise at my investiture, your reactions will send a message to the rest. If the dukes are united, every suzerain not already loyal will fall into line.'
'A reasonable assessment,' Sempes nodded, 'but I do not see why there is a need for the denial. I hear there is some argument over succession, but your intervention should not be required once Disten's investigation is complete. Your Chief Steward will surely have told you that relations between us are not friendly; some of our conflicts have been public and because of that I will need a good reason to overlook years of hostility.'
Isak nodded, well aware that the disputes between the cities of Tirah, Perlir and Merlat had seen noble deaths on all sides. 'The denial is necessary because I believe you will not find the rightful duke acceptable.'
'Oh?'
'Lesarl takes an interest in such things. He alerted me and I asked Lady Tila to investigate; she spotted it immediately. If Tila only requires a single glimpse, there are others who'll not take long to follow suit. I asked her to meet with the son of the old duke's cousin, the man whose family has the best combination of claim and power. His name is Sir Arole Pir, knighted after battle by the previous duke and expected to have a great future ahead of him.
'Tila reported him to be 'a charming and extremely handsome man'.'
'Hah,' grunted Lokan, a fat grin spreading across his face, 'and my wife will do the same, no doubt! The whole tribe knows what sort of man Lady Tila finds attractive.'
Isak grinned. 'Exactly. While he might surprise us all and prove a fine duke, I suspect many might find it all a bit too convenient.'
'Accidents have happened for less reason than that,' Sempes added, 'and even with our approval, it wouldn't be accepted by those most likely to already know the truth. The suzerains of Meah have never liked being the lesser cousins to the duke's family, and shared territories always cause a problem.'
Perlir nodded in agreement. The Farlan laws on territory were strict: each duke ruled one of the four cities, but had only limited land, so they were always contained within a suzerainty. With the wealth of a city behind him, the duke often owned as much land in the suzerainty as its lord, and the Farlan were not people to share power happily.
'Suzerain Imis would be even less amused by the situation,' Isak added. 'His border with the Great Forest is longer than any other, so Tirah influences his decisions far more than he'd like anyway. With a puppet wearing the ducal coronet he'd feel gelded.'
'Your solution?'
'Major Belir Ankremer, of the Second Lomin Infantry.'
'Lomin's bastard?'
Like Major Jachen Ansayl, the commander of Isak's personal guard who was a bastard of the Sayl suzerainty, Major Ankremer carried the name of the noble line he was fathered by, even though the old duke, as a gesture of loyalty to Bahl, had taken the name of his territory rather than using his own name, Kremer. It was a gesture his legitimate son, Duke Certinse, had carefully stepped away from too, not once but twice, eschewing both the names Lomin and Kremer in favour of his mother's family.
'You want the Farlan to be stronger, and how is that possible with a bastard soldier handed a duchy?' Lokan pointed out. 'You yourself do not rely on divine mandate; you hold on to your title because of your gifts, and the Palace Guard. What's to stop Major Ankremer being even more of a puppet than Sir Arole?'
'Because he's one of the finest soldiers left in Lomin. The only command a bastard is going to get is in the infantry, because any scion, marshal or knight will go for the cavalry, of course, a far more prestigious posting. But as a result, many of the experienced noble-born officers were wiped out last year when Lomin's cavalry was decimated. Militarily speaking, the game has changed over there, and the eastern suzerains at least respect experienced soldiers because they're usually on the front line. Lesarl tells me that Major Ankremer brings us a number of advantages, the first being that he's a fine officer. Every colonel in the region knows he's worth something; the man has no serious enemies in the army, and he does have the legions of the East behind him.
'Secondly, he is Duke Lomin's bastard, not of bastard stock, and the duke was well-loved. There is apparently no truth to the rumour that Duke Certinse was not Lomin's son, but even if he is true-blooded, he didn't inherit many of his father's better qualities. Major Ankremer is the image of his father in looks and heart, and that buys him political capital, especially when combined with your endorsements. Crucially, he is as strong-willed as his father. Some nobles will flock to him assuming they can manipulate him; Lesarl assures me that will not work.'
Isak paused for breath, and to allow the dukes time to comment.
After a few moments of thought, Sempes cleared his throat. 'Let us suppose,' he said slowly, 'that we agree to endorse your choice, my Lord, and act the devoted subjects while you pursue your wars. All of that will cost us, and not just in reputation… So what are we offered in return?'
Isak tried not to scowl at the phrase 'your wars', as though the two men believed there was nothing more complicated in Isak's mind than a young white-eye's yearning for conquest. 'I'm sure you have a few ideas.'
