Part 29 (1/2)
”The Umbrian-Isphardi border is a long way away, even further for Talisman and Arundel. Ostensibly, we have no vital interests to protect there. If the Empire has designs on Isphardi wealth or Songean resources, it may well be counting on a lack of will in the west to come to their aid.”
”Let's hope it never comes to that,” Jarrod said as cheerfully as he could.
”Selah to that. However, Ragnor thinks as I do and he has an uncanny way of being right when it comes to Umbria.”
Jarrod smiled politely. Two old men trapped in the past, he thought, unable to understand that the world has changed.
”Be that as it may,” Greylock said, ”d'you think that the Oligarchs will live up to their end of our bargain?”
”I took the precaution of putting the agreement in writing and getting Olivderval's signature on it,” Jarrod said with a touch of pride.
”Did you indeed. Well done. They'll pay t.i.the in re- turn for Weatherwarding. Excellent. It means that we'll have to emphasize it at the Collegium. We'll need a lot more Weatherwards in the future. Eventually we shall have to stretch the net to cover almost all of the Out- land.” He looked across at Jarrod and smiled. ”It looks as if we shall have to encourage members of the Disci- pline to have children. We're going to need them.” He stopped and thought for a moment,
”Speaking of the Outland, I presume that your Con- cordat includes Isphardel's new territory and that will mean that Songuard will be getting its weather con- trolled for free. Perhaps we should negotiate a treaty with them as well. We shall need Weatherwards in the
154 mountains come what may.” The smile reappeared and he stretched languidly. ”Most of this won't be my prob- lem anyway. We're looking twenty years into the future and I'll be dead by then.”
”I wouldn't count on that,” Jarrod said loyally.
”Ragnor's at least twenty years older than you are,”
”True, lad, but Ragnor's either Errathuel come back or a freak of nature. Either way, I doubt he'll be with us much longer.”
”He seemed fine to me,” Jarrod objected.
”He's very frail,” Greylock said gently, ”and the Sea- son of the Moons is not too far off. He's never had much tolerance for the cold.”
Jarrod wasn't comfortable with the turn the conver- sation had taken. ”What do you suppose will happen next?” he asked.
”On the international front? Very little. There will be a proclamation of the Commission's decision. The ad- venturous and the desperate will move into the Outland and stake claims.” He hesitated. ”That reminds me,” he said, ”when are we going to resume the clearing of the Giants' Causeway?”
”As soon as Nastrus gets back. He's decided to take a holiday. I've got a bunglebird ready to send to Dean Handrom the moment that he reappears. With luck we'll get to our eastern border before he disappears again for the rutting season. After that, it's anybody's guess.”
”You'd better ask him to recruit some of his kin while he's there,” Greylock observed, ”The broadsheets paid gratifying attention to our exploit at Celador, but if the effort peters out, opinion may turn against us.”
”We could probably manage without the unicorn if we could persuade our Magicians to venture into the Outland. We don't have to move the stuff all that far.
I imagine the new settlers would be grateful for some 155.
building material and Nastrus isn't very good at send- ing things to locations that he doesn't know first- hand.” He felt a strong twinge of guilt at hiding his intentions from Greylock, and he made a mental note to pick a new site when Nastrus came back. There must be more than enough stone for the new building by now.
”Well, now that you're up to Talisman, you'll prob- ably get some help from the Chief Warlock.”
”From Sumner?” Jarrod feigned mild surprise. ”Isn't that rather out of character?”
Greylock gave a phlegmy little chuckle. ”On the con- trary. It would be an opportunity to make himself bet- ter known, give him a chance to profit from the work that we've already done.” He looked at Jarrod side- ways, eyes glittering. ”Let us not forget that Sumner wants to be the next Archmage.”
”That's not possible,” Jarrod said flatly.
”I for one hope not, but he's a very ambitious man.”
”He's never performed a significant piece of Magic,”
Jarrod objected.