Helliconia Summer - Brian W. Aldiss [187]
‘I don’t think—’ Laintal Ay began, but Dathka, suddenly in command of his tongue, cut him short.
‘Who has the best claim to rule if Aoz Roon is dead? You, Laintal Ay. And you, Oyre. Loilanun’s son and Aoz Roon’s daughter. This infant of Dol’s is a dangerous counterargument that the council could seize on. Laintal Ay, you and Oyre must become united at once. Enough shilly-shallying. We’ll command a dozen priests from Borlien for the ceremony, and you will make the announcement that the old Lord is dead, so the two of you will rule in his stead. You’ll be accepted.’
‘And Faralin Ferd and Tanth Ein?’
‘We can look after Faralin Ferd and Tanth Ein,’ said Dathka, grimly. ‘And Raynil Layan. They have no general support, as you do.’
They all regarded each other soberly. Finally, Laintal Ay spoke.
‘I am not going to usurp Aoz Roon’s title while he is still alive. I appreciate your cunning, Dathka, but I will not carry out your plan.’
Dathka put his hands on his hips and sneered. ‘I see. So you don’t care if the lieutenants do take over? They’ll kill you if they do – and me.’
‘I don’t believe that.’
‘Believe what you wish, they’ll certainly kill you. And Oyre, and Dol and this kid. Probably Vry too. Come out of your dreams. They are tough men, and they have to act soon. The blindnesses, rumours of bone fever – they’ll act while you sit and mope.’
‘It would be better to get my father back,’ Oyre said, deliberately looking not at Laintal Ay but Dathka. ‘Things are in flux – we need a really strong ruler.’
Dathka laughed sourly at her remark and watched its effect on Laintal Ay without replying.
A heavy silence fell in the room. Laintal Ay broke it by saying awkwardly, ‘Whatever the lieutenants may or may not do, I am not going to bid for power. It would only be divisive.’
‘Divisive?’ Dathka said. ‘The place is divided, it’s sliding into chaos with all the foreigners here. You’re a fool if you ever believed Aoz Roon’s nonsense about unity.’
During this argument Vry had remained unobtrusively by the trapdoor, and was leaning with arms folded against the wall. She came forward now and said, ‘You make a mistake by thinking only of earthly things.’
Pointing towards the baby, she said, ‘When Rastil Roon was born, his father had just disappeared. That is three quarters ago. The time of double sunset is past. So it is three quarters since the last eclipse, I will remind you. Or the last blindness, if you prefer the old term.
‘I must warn you that another eclipse is approaching. Oyre and I have done our calculations—’
Dol’s aged mother set up a wail. ‘We never had these afflictions in the old days – what have we done to deserve them now? One more will finish everybody off.’
‘I can’t explain the why; I’m only just learning to explain the how,’ Vry said, casting a sympathetic glance at the old woman. ‘And if I’m correct, the next eclipse will be of much greater duration than the last, with Freyr totally concealed for over five and a half hours, and most of the day filled with the event, which will have begun when the suns rise. You can imagine the kind of panic that may ensue.’
Rol Sakil and Dol started to howl. Dathka ordered them abruptly to be quiet, and said, ‘A day-long eclipse? In a few years, we’ll have nothing but eclipse and no Freyr at all, if you’re right. Why do you make such claims, Vry?’
She faced him, looking seekingly at his dark countenance. Fearing what she saw, she answered deliberately in terms she knew he could not accept. ‘Because the universe is not random. It is a machine. Therefore one can know its movements.’
Such a deeply revolutionary statement had not been heard in Oldorando for centuries. It went entirely over Dathka’s head.
‘If you are sure, we must try to protect ourselves with sacrifices.’
Without bothering to argue, Vry turned to the others,