Sara Douglass – The Axis Trilogy 2 – Enchanter

“Then I welcome you to my cause, gentlemen,” Axis said. “Of the lands of the two earls that I have passed through thus far, one of them has been completely dispossessed, and the other I executed. It gives me a pleasant feeling to be able to speak to the lords of the next two provinces and know that I will leave them both their lands and their lives.”

YsgryfF and Greville recognised the underlying threat. Do not think to betray me, for then both your lands and your lives will be forfeit.

Axis watched the impact of his words sink in. Good. They understood him.

“But the negotiations are not yet concluded,” he said, surprising Ysgryff and Greville. “I am willing to cede you some concessions. Exclusive rights to control Achar’s trade with Coroleas, Ysgryff?”

Ysgryff’s face brightened. He and his province would be richer than he could have ever dreamed. “I thank you, Sire,” he said, giving Axis the benefit of the regal title.

Axis’ mouth twitched. Who said that respect could not be purchased? “Greville, I imagine that you would appreciate exclusive fishing rights to Widewall Bay? As well as rights to control the grain trade of eastern Achar?”

It was as rich an offer as that made to Ysgryff, even though Greville had less to offer Axis in terms of arms and men. “It is generous, Sire,” Greville said carefully. “Perhaps overly so. Sire, do not take my words amiss, but I wonder why you are so generous when, as you have made explicitly clear, you could have had Ysgryff’s and my lives without overly troubling yourself.”

Axis nodded. “Perhaps you are right to be suspicious, Greville. Gentlemen, you must know that I aim not only for the throne of Achar, but to unite the three races of Acharite, Icarii and Avar?”

“We have heard as much,” Greville said, even more cautiously. Judith and Ernbeth, who had heard it from Faraday, had told both Barons of the Prophecy and its implications.

Ysgryff simply stared at Axis, his hands now still.

“I aim to recreate the ancient land of Tencendor, a land where the three races can once again live in harmony. The Icarii and the Avar will move back down into parts of what is now Achar, and, gentlemen, I am afraid that both of you stand to lose much of ydur territory.”

Both Barons narrowed their eyes and Axis went on quickly. “I remind you of the trade, fishing and grain concessions I have granted you,” he said. “Those concessions will make both of you, as your people, rich. You can well afford to lose a little territory – and I assure you, I only want to take the barren and troublesome bits that you have little use for.”

“Tell us, Axis,” Greville said, leaning forward, his blue eyes sharp. “What exactly will we lose…and to what?”

“Thus far I have done all the talking,” Axis said. “Now, perhaps, it time for me to introduce my father, StarDrifter SunSoar, Enchanter and Prince of the Icarii people.”

“Prince” was not a title the Icarii normally used, but it was one that the Barons would understand, and it roughly described StarDrifter’s royal connection.

Eyebrows shot up as Axis introduced StarDrifter as his father. So this was the lover whom Rivkah had taken? This is who had cuckolded Searlas into becoming the laughing stock of Achar?

StarDrifter watched the curiosity blossom across the faces before him and inclined his head. These were the ones who had trampled roughshod over the Icarii and Avar sacred lands for so many generations?

“Both the Icarii and the Avar have deep attachments to some parts of the land you now call Achar,” he began, shifting his gaze slowly from one to another. “The Avar forest, the Avarinheim, once stretched as far as the Widewall Sea, and my people lived scattered over most of southern and eastern Achar. But we do not expect that you will give us all the land you have cultivated, nor would we wish to demand it.”

Axis knew that StarDrifter had spent much time consulting carefully with Raum over this matter, and he knew that the pair had come to a workable arrangement which should not alienate too many of the Acharites.

“The Avar would wish to replant the forests in certain areas,” StarDrifter continued. Axis repressed a smile. Despite his heavy-handedness at it, StarDrifter was threading a little of the Song of Harmony into his voice. MorningStar would be proud of you, Axis thought, for using the water music so effectively when you find it so hard.

“Parts of eastern Skarabost, eastern Arcness and,” StarDrifter paused a little, “the larger part of Tarantaise.”

Ah, Greville nodded, no wonder Axis is willing to grant me so many concessions. Well, Axis was also right when he said that he only wanted the barren and troublesome bits. And what was the majority of Tarantaise, if not broad and useless grass plains? Perhaps the fishing and grain rights would be worth the loss of so much territory.

“We would also want the Bracken Ranges, but that is neither here nor there as far as you two are concerned.”

StarDrifter looked about him and smiled, and both Embeth and Judith gaped at the sudden beauty and virility of his face. No wonder Rivkah, may she rest in peace, had succumbed to him.

StarDrifter s smile widened until even the two Ban. affected by it. “And here we sit among some of the tomt- ^i our most revered Enchanter-Talons, or Kings. This is also a deeply holy site for us, and we would want to regain control of the Ancient Barrows and the swathe of territory that stretches down to and surrounds the Silent Woman Woods. Greville, will you agree to the loss of some two-thirds of your territories for the concessions that my son is willing to grant you?” StarDrifter did not mention Star Gate. There was no need for the Baron to know what lay beneath their feet.

Greville thought about it. The fishing and grain rights would more than adequately compensate for the land that this StarDrifter requested on behalf of his people and the Avar. And so few people lived in the northern and eastern parts of Tarantaise that hardly any would be displaced. Most of his people lived closer to Tare and to the south-western border of Tarantaise and Nor. He took a deep breath. Besides, Axis did not have to offer him anything at all. He could simply have taken it.

“I agree and I accept,” he said firmly, and leaned forward and offered StarDrifter his hand. “You are welcome to the areas you have requested.”

StarDrifter shook Greville’s hand, relieved. Like Axis, he wanted the Acharites to cede their land willingly rather than have it forced from. them.

“And for control of trade with the Corolean Empire,” Ysgryff said dryly and with evident concern, “I suppose you want the majority of Nor?” Nor was a much richer and more densely peopled province than Tarantaise, and Ysgryff was not sure that he wanted to hard over the larger part of his province to these Icarii or Avar.

StarDrifter’s smile faded a little. “I would ask for only one thing from Nor, YsgryfF.”

Ysgryff raised his eyebrows inquiringly.

“Pirates’ Nest.”

Ysgryff only managed to keep his mouth shut with a supreme effort. Axis was prepared to allow Ysgryff rich trading concessions for that sea-lapped rock infested with pirates? What secret treasures did Axis think the island hid? What did he know of the island?

“No hidden treasures, Ysgryff,” Axis said softly, and Ysgryff allowed an expression of excitement to filter across his face at this further exhibition of power and ability. By the sacred gods themselves! The time was here!

“No hidden treasures, but simply one of the most sacred sites of the Icarii People. StarDrifter?”

“We know the island as the Island of Mist and Memory, Ysgryff. We had our Temple of the Stars on the island, and we believe that, beneath the pirates’ filth, its ruins must still be there. We would like to reclaim the island and rebuild the temple.”

YsgryfTs face had gone white and he was having obvious difficulty breathing. Both StarDrifter and Axis wondered if it was the sudden revelation that Pirate’s Nest held an ancient Icarii temple.

They were both wrong.

Ysgryff took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. Courage, Ysgryff, he thought to himself, it is time to step forth from the shadows. It is time for a thousand years of deception and secrecy to end. This is the time, and this is the man.

“The Temple still stands,” he said, and now it was both StarDrifter and his son’s turn to look stunned.

“The Temple still stands. The pirates have left it alone.” Until StarDrifter had mentioned it himself, Ysgryff had been determined not to break the code of silence that protected the Temple of the Stars. He had first heard of it when a baby, and first visited it when a young boy. This was the first time in his life he had spoken of it to an outsider.