The Kingless Land - Ed Greenwood [79]
"Ridiculous!" Baerethos snapped, and a moment later both men were snarling at each other, fingers rising to wag in violent disagreement. The baron rang the bell once more, and then rapped both of his would-be mages on the hands and foreheads with his scepter, giving them cold looks when he had their attention. He added the terse words, "Be still" before the lancemaster reached the table. As calmly as before, the baron dispatched a second force to the barony of Brostos, with identical orders.
"But… but Thanglar Brostos will view your soldiers as an invading force! There'll be war!" Baerethos said in a strangled voice.
The baron smiled thinly. "Yes, no doubt he will. In fact, I'm counting on it."
As Baerethos gaped at him, face slowly going bone white, Baron Cardassa added, his mouth not quite twitching into a smile, "Cardassa is prepared."
Without pause the ruler of Cardassa turned to Ubunter. "I've heard a lot of grand words about 'ancient powers awakening' and these stones saving all Darsar or whelming all the dragons if they're placed just so-but I'd much rather hear some simple, definite, and true promises about what getting my hands on just this one Stone of Renewal can do for me right now."
"Hilimm is the stone that renews," Ubunter said hastily, before his colleague could say anything. "If it is touched to things, it mends breaks, banishes rot and rust no matter how widespread, and banishes barrenness in soil or wombs."
Ithclammert Cardassa shrugged. "Nice enough, but I've smiths to forge new swords when I break old ones, and-"
"Lord," Baerethos burst out, "the Worldstones are mighty things, every one. With Hilimm in his hand, a wizard could cast spells he already knows from now until his dying day without need for study or sacrifices or the finding of fuel-you've seen us building bonfires to root our spells and how casting just one magic turns a man-high blaze to cold ashes in an instant. There'd be no need for that, ever, with a Dwaerindim."
The baron nodded, a half-smile on his face, and murmured, "Ah, that explains-something…"
"He who holds a Dwaer can stand in hot sun, or the heart of a fire, unscathed, and laugh at most spells, too," Ubunter added quickly. "Nor need he drink nor fear taint or poison if he drinks of water the Stone has been immersed in."
"Hilimm can make an aged man young and vigorous for one day in every year," Baerethos added, "and all Dwaer can glow like torches, and if one gains more than one, they can be used together to command even greater powers."
"You describe wizards' toys," said the Baron Cardassa coldly. "Or something that could make the likes of you two into… something approaching a mage. Is this why you're both so hungry to get your hand on a Worldstone?"
The two old men stared at him nervously but did not speak. Baerethos licked his lips.
The baron smiled, and picked up his scepter again. Their silence gave him clear answer. He struck the bell on the table before him, and said, "Have my thanks, both of you. Now arise, and go to the kitchens, and eat. Cardassa needs you healthy. In the days ahead, I may well have need even for bonfire wizards."
As Baerethos and Ubunter stared at him, swallowing the insult together even if they fiercely resisted doing anything else in unison, one of the doorguards hastened to the table in answer to the bell.
"Have them bring me the meal now," the baron said, "and tell Roeglar to have his men ready to ride as soon as he can. We've borders to inspect, and it's high time for an 'incident' with one of our neighbors."
As the armsman bowed, the baron tossed down his scepter and rose from his seat. The two old men bobbed up so swiftly to make their bows that Ubunter's chair went over with a crash. No one noticed the watching eye withdrawing thoughtfully from the gap in the tapestry that the baron had used earlier-and Ubunter's shrilly babbled apologies covered the faint sound of the door to the baron's private bedchamber-to-morn-meal passage opening and then