PLANET 5 / CH. 4: IMPERIALIST

Extract from post-contact report for Planet 5

The green skin of the people here is also shared by certain apes found in the jungles. The apes rest on tree-tops during the day and hunt beetles, etcetera at night. Hunting alone would not supply sufficient food. In people, it is known that photosynthesis is possible and provides some extra calories, but it is not normally sufficient to do more than delay death without food, unless it is twinned with ideal weather, total rest and summer sun. When the season allows, however, people can go on month-long boat or cart journeys 'log-style', needing only the equivalent of a day or two's food.

Under the Windward Empire, clothes were a status symbol during the summer months.

Slaves were 'more efficient' — needing fewer rest-breaks and less food — if naked, and this was part of the punishment for mis-behaviour. The Dahel empire still uses clothes as a symbol of rank.

The rebellion against the doom-guard would have been much harder without photosynthesis, as agitators could travel 'logstyle' on wagons or boats, between meetings with only the food in their stomachs.

ISTHANA'S ROOMS

“Hey, sleepyhead?” Isthana called, “food?”

“Go 'way,” Esme replied snuggling down into her rather strange pillow.

Her pillow kissed her ear and said, “We know you said to wake you up when dinner was served, but you didn't want to wake up. They're going to take it away soon.”

Esme woke up, and realised that her dream of being hugged by a handsome prince with strong arms wasn't a dream. Could she really think to him?

[Yes, you can, Esme] Hal thought back to her.

[I fell asleep in your arms?]

[Very adorably so, yes, fair maid.]

[But we're not married, or out at sea on a ship?]

[Not yet.]

[And I don't need to play a piccolo in an orchestra on Tesk?]

[Not that I know of.]

[That's a relief.]

“Did you have a good sleep, Esmetherelda?” He asked aloud.

“I think so. I really need to wake up?”

“Yes, or you'll be hungry. And so will I.”

“You've not eaten either?”

“Well, I did think of nibbling your ear off, but not seriously.”

“You're sick.”

“No, but you do be entirely adorable, my fair maid.”

“Not yours yet.”

“Any doubts now you've slept on the idea?”

“I don't think ten minutes sleep counts as sleeping on it.”

“An hour and a half,” Isthana corrected, “Now get up, sister, I'm sure you'll have more opportunities to hug him.”

“I might not. I might think this was much too close for this stage of our relationship.”

“Oh, speaking of our relationship, what do you think of arranged marriages?”

“Pardon?” Esme asked, getting up suddenly to look at him.

“About half an hour ago you dozily asked me what was in Dad's letter, so I read it and thought it to you.”

“I don't remember.”

“I wasn't sure you would. Try not to turn the page with a full mouth, but come and eat.”

----------------------------------------

THE ROYAL BEDCHAMBER.

“Is father awake?” Esme whispered to the doctor.

“Yes I am.” her father replied petulantly, “And you haven't read Val's letter to me.”

“No. But I will now, father.”

“She sounds cross, doesn't she, Doctor?” he said in roughly the same tone.

“His heartbeat is better, but.. one of the side effects can be irritability.” the doctor said.

“I don't have that excuse, I've got another one. I've just read Val's letter, Daddy.”

“That's a bit rude.”

“I assumed it would be mostly about the war I'd like to cancel tomorrow.”

“It wasn't?”

“One paragraph was. The next two were explaining what Hal had already told me about Henk's ship running aground as he ran from customs officers. The rest was about an arranged marriage you seem to have been planning.”

“Oh, and you've come to thank me? What a considerate daughter!”

“On one hand, yes, I am actually quite happy about the idea of marrying Hal. But didn't you think of at least mentioning the idea to me?”

“Thought about it, considered it long and hard and decided that you'd do much better to meet him yourself before you rejected him out of hand. I was right too, wasn't I?”

“I don't know. I'm pretty sure that meeting him as I did really helped kick-start the emotions. I hope you're not going to say you planned that.”

“Not at all. I worried about you a lot, Esme.”

“I hope you prayed too.”

“I did. What's happening out there? No one tells me anything.”

“Henk is in prison, mercenaries have left or are leaving as far as I know, with the realisation that their employer is in deep trouble but they're not if they go calmly. Grizetha I had mercy on, because basically she's repented of what she did, which was open the door to Henk and make a mess of my stuff. Tumbril is back, Winessa is talking to her Captain, and I hope you've not got plans to marry Isthana to anyone because she's talking to Kev the viola teacher.”

“I thought she hated him.”

“Only after he didn't sweep her into his arms. Since he'd just started keeping someone else company, he wasn't interested. That ended in heart-break when the girl admitted she'd been faking her faith to keep family harmony, and didn't want to trust God. Kev says the people are worried about the war and missing the eel meat on their plates.”

“And your mother?”

“Has been here with you, hasn't she?”

“Yes. But she had soldiers with her.”

“So have I, they're called bodyguards, father. I've talked to Mummy, and listened to her thoughts too. Tumbril is going to investigate and recommend. She thought I hated her, Daddy. I've never hated her, I just disagreed with most of her ideas for my future.”

“But not marrying Hal.”

“That was Mummy's idea?”

“You can thank her for planting the seed, anyway.”

“Really? It puts Tesk in a difficult place.”

“That was part of the seed. She said something like 'Tesk is going to stay poverty-ridden and independent until they're surrounded by one country, and that's not going to happen unless you forcibly marry Esme to prince what's his name, and I know you won't do that.”

“And how do we bring Tew into the happy family?”

“I leave that to you. They might well get nervous of an empire on their doorstep, you realise.”

“So will Tesk. Hal suggested Tesk as the administrative capital if we do manage to bring them in.”

“Any ideas how?”

“They don't have anyone with the gift. I have it, and Hal's sisters have it. Their laws say no visitors from the royal family of the Isles, because they make off with their most treasured gifted women. But they don't say I can't visit.”

“And their constitution still gives the gifted pre-eminence?”

“It does. So if I visit then I can possibly change the law to let his sisters come to visit too.”

“But not Hal?”

“Oh, hopefully I can convince the Tesk ambassador that the phrasing of their law doesn't exclude me going there to talk to the academy and taking my new husband. Oh, about that, Uncle Teng is here. He wants funding to investigate the instability of the sun, Sort of.”

“Sort of?”

“He wants to meet the Tesk condition, and so get the aliens to come back, and ask them if they have any ideas. He thinks it can be done, and he doesn't think we've got much time.”

“The Tesk condition has been the occupation of the scientists for more than a century, Esme.”

“That's what they claim, yes. But really they're doing their own thing, and only getting near it by accident. Unsurprisingly, Uncle's plan is going to be very expensive, unless we do get Tew on-board with their minerals.”

“Don't forget the Tesk condition involves society, too, Esme.”

“I know. And Tesk in its present state has gone backwards, in terms of stable government and social equality. Possibly literacy too. But I need to understand your plans, Daddy. Have you shared them with ministers or generals?”

“Hagard and Vazeth.”

“Who I need to talk to anyway. That's good, Shall I read to you now? You're getting tired.”

“Just the bit about you.”

“Certainly.” Esme agreed. “So, does this war mean get a move on with sending Hal, or it's all over? Hal has been actively interested in meeting Esmetherelda, as an individual, for a while, but always put duty first, so he's very happy about me sending him with this letter and to try to broker a peace deal. He doesn't know we agreed in principle to them marrying. What I want to say is that the sooner the better as far as I'm concerned. He'll probably protest about making very sure they get on well if it's just a personal relationship, and drag things out for a year or more, and want to bring her to see us, that sort of thing. But he's a dutiful son. If you show him this letter and make him understand that it's both fathers' will that our countries end up united by blood as per our discussions, then I'm sure he'll agree to not be so cautious, assuming they don't hate each other. Even if they do, probably, as long as Esmetherelda is willing to give it a go. I still don't understand what the war's about. If it's really about trade, then Hal can negotiate for me. If you're hoping to get a wonderful trade deal by distracting him with Esmetherelda... well he knows the parameters I'll agree to it without it turning into a shooting war, and he knows that Tew have a princess too, for that matter, I'm just saying, don't push him beyond where he says he can't go, because he can't go there. If you just want to push the two kids together to calm down things with your wife, then feel free to send them back here as husband and wife. For decorum's sake he's probably going to want to insist on having at least a month's formal engagement, but tell him his mother says to remind him that his grandfather only had two weeks.

One recommendation: if you're thinking of having them casting adoring gazes at each other for three months to brighten up the place before the wedding, understand that that means he won't set sail until spring. He's too familiar with the seas to risk taking his new wife anywhere past Tesk once the storm season gets close. I hope we're still friends, but this declaration of war is really confusing, Val of the Isles.”

“Do you like him, Esme?”

“I demanded a hug that turned into a nap curled up in his lap, Daddy. He makes me feel safe and loved and cherished and protected. King Val has no idea I was named Regent-in-need, or heir, does he?”

“No, that's a surprise you can tell them. Hagard and Vazeth know what the war's about, and that it is my desire that you end it by your engagement. Write to Hagberry, Esme, he doesn't know it actually happened either. And ask Hal if he wants to invite anyone to your wedding. Since I've made it this far, I want to see you happily married before I die. And if I don't make it, then don't you dare put off your wedding.”

“There has to be a time of mourning, father.”

“There has to be a wedding, Esme. Talk to Hagard about Tew. Soon, tonight.”

----------------------------------------

HOME OF GENERAL HAGARD.

“I'm sorry for disturbing you, General. Father said I should talk to you tonight about Tew. Sorry for not making introductions earlier, this is prince Hal of the Three Isles who helped me escape from the barn I was locked in,”

“Esme keeps forgetting to say that she managed to get out of the cell by herself, or that she ran up the wall so I could help her.”

“Well done, highness. May I ask if your father has spoken...” he glanced at Hal.

“Father has said that we must marry, and I gathered that there was a connection between the speed of my marrying Hal, this confusing war with the Isles, and what Tew are doing.”

“Yes, highness, There is,” the general said, looking tired. “I had hoped... but if it is his majesty's command, I obey. A year ago it came to my notice that Tew had a lot of spies in the palace, and in the general staff. I informed his majesty, and we made enquiries of our own. Your installation as Regent-in-need and heir is almost certainly what prompted that, and then your brother's actions, supported by Tew. The king of Tew had formed a plan to marry his daughter to prince Henk and then convince him to launch a surprise joint war on the Isles. Prince Henk probably thought this was a way to obtain mastery over the Isles. But our information is that Tew's ships would join in, but be unaccountably delayed by bad-seamanship or mistaken orders or some such, leaving our navy to bear the brunt of the damage, and then his navy would come in and mop up. Possibly sinking some of our ships 'by accident'.”

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“Leaving Tew as undisputed ruler of the seas, and able to achieve by marriage what they failed to do ten years ago by force, the conquest of Caneth.” Hal concluded.

“I presume that the shipyards of the Isles are busy, highness?” the general asked.

“And the harbour forts fully manned, supplied by the food we're not exporting and the merchants are franticly sending orders to tell their captains to buy — from Tew of course, — all the cannon that the law says they must hold in reserve in case of war. Presumably Tew will supply those cannons, but faulty ones if they can, so as not to show their hand. But none of that would have happened on the basis of second-hand intelligence.”

“That was the hope, yes, to mobilise the Isles. But there is a cost. Our navy is now out on blockade duty.”

“Father has put us at the mercy of Tew to prepare the Isles?” Esme asked.

“It was a high-risk strategy. But we knew the high command was compromised. That left his Majesty vulnerable. You have seen that three of the high command's generals aligned themselves with your brother, just as their Tew paymasters would have liked. Wirt is beyond suspicion, I believe. But our counter-intelligence was not as good as we might have hoped, we could not be sure about all of them, and we didn't expect this move by your brother. Please convey my sincerest apologies to His Majesty, and my resignation if he desires.”

“I know I do not, General. Father said that the wedding must happen. That is because we desperately need support from the Isles?”

“Yes, highness.”

“General, I have told a number of people, but not you. As part of my escape I have attuned to Hal, which is almost inevitable if one thinks of what happened, our ancestry and the fact that Hal was hoping to marry me even before we met. But as I attuned to Hal, I also developed the gift of Tesk. It may be useful both in terms of determining loyalty as well as in terms of political dealings with Tesk.”

“I'm not very familiar with what 'attuning is', highness, or what the gift is.”

“It's quite simple, General. Attuning to Hal means that I am aware of Hal's feelings and his thoughts, and he's aware of mine. Having the gift of Tesk means that I also hear your own thoughts trying to dwell on the present conversation and not wandering back to your bed. Please apologise to your wife from me. As far as I understand the constitutional laws of Tesk, anyone with the gift, even a visitor, has a vote on their high council, which can overrule the normal legislature. Their council has been empty for a long time. Hal's sisters also have the gift of Tesk, and I will be suggesting to the present government that unless they want to be run by myself as sole dictator they should remove the restriction on visiting members of the royal family of the Isles.”

“Then maybe if one of them has faith and no wife he could try courting one of my sisters.” Hal added. “But in any case, we are thinking of asking Tesk to consider joining the Isles and Caneth in a confederation with a common external policy that ensures defence, more local autonomy than they used to have rather than trying to make all laws come from a central place, and so on.”

“Asking?” the general said.

“Yes, asking. I've read some of their parliamentary proceedings. You know mother, I'm pretty sure she's a typical case. Proud, arrogant even, certain they're right even when they're wrong, and just like any bunch who consider themselves experts, happy to spend weeks arguing about miniscule points while the major points elude them. Therefore, I'm going to tell them about the challenge: Hal will inherit rule of the Three Isles, I will inherit rule of Caneth. I'm planning to insist that our marriage contract will include a treaty that says that once we inherit, rule will be joint, and united, and will stay united whatever. In other words from the moment of our marriage, Caneth and the Three Isles become.. well, inseparable and trusting while remaining distinct. Separate legal systems, merging as much as possible. Probably some limits on trade and internal tariffs, but less than for outsiders. And I'm going to ask them to come up with a name for that.... system, and I'm going to ask them for advice about avoiding disputes, and I'm going to ask them what their advice is on the constitutional relationships to stop the sort of break-down that happened with the Three Isles, and since, well, geography being what it is, whether they'd like to be part of it, or if they'd like to be a little separate enclave, but unable to play off their two closest neighbours against each other in the way they have been doing.”

“They're not going to like that,” the general said, “That's their entire foreign policy in tatters there.”

“Tough,” Hal said. “Foreign policies need to change to match reality. They can try buying food and cloth from Tew if they like. As long as we're not at war with Tew then we'll let unarmed merchant ships through. I'm not sure I'd want to allow the importing of much weaponry though. Who would they use it against, and what are they selling in exchange? Students don't pay that much. I'd assume I don't need to tell them any of that, though. It sounds obvious to me and they're supposed to be the clever ones.”

“You will need a royal capital. An imperial capital,” the general mused.

“Assuming they call it an empire, yes.” Hal agreed, “Tesk is the obvious location of course, But we'll let them consider things before asking if they've come up with that possibility. I don't really know why we're keeping you up late to tell you all this, sorry General.”

“I do. Because we're basically telling the general that we understand the need for joint military support, we're assuming that we'll marry, even though we only met, what, ten hours ago? And we understand there are going to be negotiations involved, not just holding hands and gazing lovingly into each other's eyes. And by saying it now we're reassuring the General that we appreciate the need for speed above decorum, and we're allowing him to reciprocate. Tonight, General, Prince Hal will be sleeping in the captain's study on board the Albatross, and I will be sleeping in the room that protects, the captain's cabin. In common with what Hal assures me is standard naval practice, both of those rooms and their doors are iron-clad wood, and capable of withstanding several short-range cannonballs, in case of mutiny or attack. I will have Grizetha as chaperone tonight, who has this evening come to faith in God. I'm not sure who I'll have tomorrow, since she will be marrying sergeant Tova.”

“There are rumours that the mercenaries who were holding Esme prisoner were expecting a shipload of associates, if that turns out to be true, the Albatross will not wait around and wait to be boarded as soon as some drunk sailor says he saw Esme boarding, but we'll head out to sea where we can sink them more conveniently.”

“You sound quite sure about that.”

“The Albatross is a customs clipper, general. She's fast, manoeuvrable and well armed. No one made any compromises for cargo.”

“And what does the captain think about giving up his cabin?”

“I think it's entirely appropriate, general.” Hal said.

“And you will be at the palace tomorrow, highness?”

“I will, general. I don't make any promises about when I'll wake up, though. I think I missed a lot of sleep during my captivity. Do you have any questions, General?”

“I won't detain you more, highness.”

----------------------------------------

THE THRONE-ROOM, NOON.

“Thank you for coming, Mr Ambassador. I don't know how much you've heard the last week, but until Hal of the Three Isles here helped me escape I was a kidnapping victim, father was being denied his medicine, and my brother was planning to ignore various provisions of the constitution and inherit the throne regardless. Father's still ill, so in accordance with my investiture as Regent-in-need three years ago, I've now assumed my position as princess-Regent, and I have a question I'd like you to relay to the international affairs and political studies department of the Academy. It won't be a secret for long, so feel free to put it in official dispatches too.”

“Certainly, Princess-Regent. I am most glad to see you restored to freedom. How may Tesk be of assistance?”

“As you know, Caneth declared war on the Three Isles some months ago, as a result of various claims made by prince Henk about official collusion with piracy. It actually appears that my brother was guilty of the crime of smuggling, and the so-called pirate vessel was none other than the customs-clipper Albatross, captained by Hal here, and co-incidentally carrying our trusted ambassador Hagberry. Father and I have read the letters from Hagberry and Val, King of the Isles, and have no doubt of the veracity of their account especially since Henk has of course also proved himself capable of pretty much anything as long as it is vile and illegal. So, it will soon be announced that the war with the Three Isles has been ended.”

“I'm relieved to hear that, highness. Neighbours at war is never good for a small island dependant on trade and visitors as we are.”

“Indeed, so it's going to be announced that in order to assure a lasting peace, and that such... misunderstandings to not crop up again, there's going to be a comprehensive peace treaty between our two countries. Some details remain to be sorted, but in order to ensure the peace is truly lasting, and in recognition of his vital role in my escape from my kidnappers yesterday, I will be getting married to prince Hal here. He came hoping to woo me anyway, once peace had been negotiated, we seem to get on well, and last but not least, it seems our royal fathers have been discussing the idea of arranging our future together for some years, and hoping we wouldn't claw each other's eyes out when we met.”

“Congratulations, highness. I'm sure that a royal marriage in the peace deal will ensure the Isles feel no need to exact further concessions. Erm, crown Prince Hal?” the ambassador asked.

“None other.” Hal agreed, with a smile.

“Oh, your own position as regent excludes you from being heir, I presume, Highness.”

“It neither excludes it nor confirms it. However, Father is certain that it is his will that I inherit his crown. It seems that piece of news is going to be as much of a surprise to King Val, as it was to Hal and you, but never mind. I'm sure we can sort out the details. But that's the question for the Academy. When we have both inherited our respective fathers' kingdoms, what do we call that political entity? Is it an empire or a confederation or a union? We plan to rule jointly, and we don't want either populous to feel that they are being taken over, that one partner is junior. We'll have a common external policy, of course, but we're not sure about internal trade and will need some form of taxation, but we also want our people to be happy about the reduced prices in the shops as a result of the union. Could the academy give some thought to what the best political and economic model might be? Is something like the old model of Tesk's semi-autonomy within the Isles a good model, and if so, how can it be adjusted to avoid the issues of there being the sense of a 'greater power' like Tesk struggled against? Would it be better to have a distinct capital for the combined central authority, leaving the current capitals to administer what we might call their devolved powers? If so, where should we put that? Clearly there's a prestige element there, and things like fashion industries tend to thrive where there's high authority, don't they? But which of the two nations should get that prestige? Of course, we don't want to be exclusive, so if the academy manage to come up with a model that the government of Tesk would find preferable to being a small enclave in between two halves of a united kingdom, then Tesk could also join. Oh, I forgot to tell you! Sorry, this isn't some attempt at bullying a small island, and forcing you to do our will, we've no desire to do that. It's just a result of what's happened, but as I understand the constitution of Tesk, I do have a say in what happens there, since as Hal and I attuned to each other with all the danger and fear involved in yesterday's escape, I also developed the gift of Tesk.”

“You have the gift of Tesk.” the ambassador repeated, nervously.

“Yes, I believe that gives me a voice on the high council whenever I visit, doesn't it? Of course I can prove that claim any way you like.”

“If the legislature don't like the idea of Esmetherelda being able to be sole dictator whenever she chooses to visit, they're welcome to rescind the law banning my sisters from visiting, they also have the gift, and unless things have changed, no one has managed to convince either of them that they are genuinely interested in them.”

“You still possess the catalyst, you mean.”

“Posess, ambassador? Do you posess your left arm?” Hal exclaimed, “You should re-read the Teskania, along with a history of the Four Isles. I can lend both to you if you promise to look after them, they're the property of the royal library. The man who became the first king of the Isles and his wife braved the constant demands of the young women of Tesk that he spend time with them until it became unsupportable. It became madness, some girls even climbing into their bedroom during their most intimate moments. His wife was unable to complete her theoretical work on the role of attunement on public policy because she had to spend all her time escorting stupid girls out of her home. Eventually they fled from their home to escape the girls. She put her theory into practice and her husband was voted king of all four isles separately, incidentally with Tesk holding the vote second. I don't know where the idea of conquest comes from, but you might as well say that Tesk conquered the other Isles.”

“Time seems to be the most important factor in developing the gift, ambassador.” Esme said, “Nothing else, and I shall be most insulted if you continue that line of thinking. We spent about two hours yesterday evening chatting with Isthana and a young man she's quite attached to, and she has begun to become about as aware of other's thoughts as I had after spending the same amount of time avoiding re-capture with Hal. The gift of Tesk cannot be forced, but developing it can be blocked, for instance the way you refuse to let Hal and his family visit. I believe I could easily force that law to be repealed, since it has never been agreed to by the high council. I believe I could even decide on behalf of Tesk that it will join our Confederation or whatever it will be. But I have no desire to do the first of those. Nor to allow hundreds of girls to throw themselves at Hal all screaming 'spend time with me!' both because he's mine and secondly because it would reduce the power the constitution of Tesk has given me to stop you doing something stupid like allying yourself with Tew. The latter I have no desire to do because I know roughly what the results of me forcing you to do anything would be.”

“We will leave Tesk free choice.” Hal said, “This is our vow, through you, to the people of Tesk. There would be benefits of course, both to us and to you, if you joined this new thing we are creating, far more independent than an empire, far closer than a trading partnership. There will be laws that apply everywhere: consistency of laws on child labour, rape, murder, fraud, theft and so on. There will have to be taxes, but whether that's on all trade in luxuries, or non-local produce or something like that is one of the things we're hoping the academy can recommend to us. But there'll be local laws too.”

“Giving ridiculous examples is easy. In the Three Isles, if you can't swim you can't graduate. I can't imagine that working in the deserts of inner Caneth. Inner Caneth has often complained about some of the laws that have been passed. Fine; I don't really mind the idea of Inner Caneth and Outer Caneth having separate parliaments, as long as the laws they pass are sensible, appropriate, and don't interfere with the running of the country as a whole, and as long as I, as we get to approve them.”

“Or if they are within a set of pre-determined limits we've already determined, like, I don't know, the exact loading limits on an individual bridge isn't a role that central government should be involved in at all. But we won't allow government officials to act corruptly.”

“Not even in Central Caneth?” the ambassador asked.

“No. Not even there.” Esme said, “But if they want to publish a scale of official fees, with discounts for age, standing in the community, politeness, ability at haggling, and so on, then as long as it is open and honest and clear to all, then that might become acceptable to me, as long as those official fees are the only things changing hands, and all get properly accounted for.”

“Highness, you propose a revolution.”

“Ambassador, I propose to prevent a multitude of potential revolutions. I propose to rule a people who will rejoice at the kindness and generosity of their joint-monarchs, who understand their place in society, who understand how they have the power to change their place in society through effort and education or through idleness or ignorance, and who strive to better the world they live in. I propose to promote the loyal and hard-working, demote those who find they cannot cope with their positions of authority, and punish those who abuse their authority or seek to rise above their proper place by crime.”

“You are quoting, I believe, highness?”

“You know that I am, Mr Ambassador. Your father has written a great many wise words, and I've read quite a lot of them. I won't claim to have read all; I know my limits and his technical works are beyond me. Oh, that reminds me, I don't know if I've got the latest editions, but here is a list of what I assume are printer's errors in some of books I've read recently. You'll see a few of your father's works on the list.”

“On behalf of the academy, highness, I thank you. I'm sure the print-shop, however, await your lists with trepidation.”

“Do you have any questions or issues of your own, Mr Ambassador?” Hal asked.

“I know it is early days, your highnesses, but do you have any idea when your marriage will take place?”

“There will need to be at least one message sent to my father in Captita, letting him approve the text of the final peace treaty.” Hal said. “Some elements of it are certainly beyond my authority to negotiate. Our marriage will, we expect, take place at the same time as the signing of the final treaty. A provisional or initial peace treaty will be signed in the next day or two.”

“You're speaking then, of your marriage within a matter of weeks?”

“Yes,” Esme agreed. “If the legislature of Tesk was prepared to allow Hal and I to visit for a day or two on our journey to see his family, and we could discuss the ideas we've outlined to you with the academy in more detail, that would be very pleasant. I've always wanted to visit my mother's old home.”

“I imagine holding that sort of conversation by flashing or drumming it back and forward from outside the harbour would not be so pleasant or efficient,” Hal said. “But Esme has told me the only reason she'd land on Tesk without me would be to repeal the law that says I can't land, and she'll only do that surrounded by quite a big body-guard, for what I assume are obvious reasons.”

“Would you like to ask any of your other questions, Mr Ambassador, or are you just playing with them?” Esme asked. “I'll tell you without you asking that Hal's sisters are younger than him and his mother is from Captita.”

“Thank you highness. You've given me a lot to think about.”

“A little bit more for you to think about: Other embassies are not aware of what we've told you. We would prefer it stayed that way until the announcement. If I find out that you have talked to anyone from another embassy, yes, that includes her, about what we've told you for the ears of the academy and your government, I will be displeased. Probably so displeased that you find yourself being escorted to a ship.”

“I understand, highness.”

“But if you do happen to meet the representative of Dahel, tell her I'd be happy to meet her.”

“I'll pass your invitation on if I meet her, highness. I have no questions.”

[Dahel?] Hal asked, [Really? That's a long way away.]

[Yes. She's not technically an ambassador, yet. It takes a long time for messages to get there and back.]

[And she's here on her own?] Hal asked.

[Her husband died soon after they got here from Tew. Something bit him on the way and it got infected.]

[Sad. And the Tesk ambassador is being helpful?]

[The Tesk ambassador is single and overly enjoying being the only person she was introduced to, I think.]

[Do you need to wait for him to remember your invitation?]

[Hmmm. No, I don't. Shall we go visiting?]