The Taleweaver
Closing a deal

A large partof the fields surrounding the road leading out of Belgera had beenturned into a temporary town with wagons instead of houses, and thattown was soon becoming the major market in the capital.

At firstHarbend had been afraid local merchants would turn sour, but it wasall too evident that resuming trade was something all had longed for.He received almost no complaints at all, and the few reaching himwere mostly about traders celebrating their stay here too lively. Acouple of fights over girls were inevitable, but as the reveling menbrought more money to empty coffers the innkeepers only sighed,cleaned up the broken furniture and happily counted the money Harbendpaid for the damage.

Asfurniture, cloth and instruments found their way into the capital asteady stream of metal bars, sharp blades, horse shoes and amultitude of farming tools, all metal, went in the oppositedirection. The mechanical devices Harbend bought in Verd paid offhandsomely, as did the brandy and the furniture from Erkateren. Withthe wares he bought in exchange he was certain to make enough profitselling it back home to pay one full years rent in advance and stillhave his wagons and horses. One more caravan and he'd be able to payback the money he borrowed from Arthur and keep a modest fortuneenough to buy goods for a third.

The tradersfrom Ri Khi would be better off. Many of them had brought their ownwagons and goods they had produced themselves, as was the case withthose from Erkateren who dared the journey. The thought didn't bringany dismay to Harbend. He still needed each caravan at least ahundred wagons strong to be economically sound, and the best way tokeep numbers up was to have traders returning a lot wealthier thanwhen they departed.

Right now heneeded to make sure they had everything they needed for their safereturn to Erkateren and Keen. And safe meant increasing their escort.He'd already paid Captain Trindai and Nakora several eightdays inadvance. Armed soldiers were better at guarding money than he was.

His mindwandered to a picture of Nakora and laughing children. Wishfulthinking to say the least. It didn't matter. He wanted to show herVerd and Hasselden, and he longed for an opportunity to settle downsomewhere with her at his side. She returned his feelings, and if hedidn't anger her too much, well maybe, some day.

Harbendwalked through Downtown in search for the traders he'd assignedcommand during his hunt for Arthur. They retained some of that roleeven after he returned, and he wanted to plan the journey back withthem. With some luck they'd all be on their way home within aneightday.

He hoped fora short meeting with the traders. Arthur was expecting him for somekind of meeting planned at late afternoon or early evening. Harbendwasn't about to miss that. It probably had something to do withArthur's spending time with Karia, and Harbend was curious what itwas all about. One thing was certain with Arthur. There were fewboring moments when he got an idea and decided to carry it off.

Harbendgrinned and a woman made a surprised face as if he'd addressed her.Harbend twisted his grin into a smile and bowed, but his mind waselsewhere. There were few boring moments whenever Arthur wasinvolved. The man had a way of getting involved in interesting eventseven if he didn't intend to. Outworld must be an exciting place toproduce men like Arthur. Maybe one day Harbend would be able to visitit himself. He smiled at the thought and made himself ready for hismeeting.

Afew others! Damn Karia! It had to be the entire citycouncil in the room. Of course Karia himself wasn't anywhere to beseen. Well, it was too late for second thoughts now.

Arthur tooka deep breath in preparation for a speech to replace the promisedconversation. The cunning bastard! Karia must have known all along.Hell, he probably planned it this way from the beginning. Arthur letout his breath in a long sigh. He almost wished Gring hadn't beenthere. Without her he could have used his speaking no Brakish toforce a smaller meeting with those who understood De Vhatic, butthere would be no such escape now.

He glared athis audience to be. All men, all old. At least they looked old, butin a place as harsh as this he couldn't be certain. A few might evenbe older than himself. All of them though, that much was clear to himfrom reading their expressions, were far more experienced than he inmatters of everyday reality of ruler ship. They led a city, orpossibly an entire nation, dependent on the decisions they madewhereas his experience was that of making dreams, legends and historycome true to listeners wanting to escape that very reality if onlyfor a short while.

Arthursighed again and waited for the noise of conversations to subsideinto a low murmur. He had accepted a responsibility he wasn't certainhe could shoulder, and he'd only get one chance.

"Gentlemen,"he began. "I've been asked to describe for you how roads andother means of transport could make your lives easier and maybe evena little less dangerous."

Arthurwatched for signs of interest or scorn in the men facing him. It wasmore difficult than he thought. Most of them preferred full beardshiding their expressions. Maybe deliberately, he thought.

"KariaGraig, a scout of yours," Arthur searched for the face until heremembered that Karia wasn't present. "came to me earlier withthis request."

"Trulyhis father's son," one bearded face spat. At least one whodidn't hide his scorn, beard or not.

"Whatdo you mean?" Arthur asked.

"LordGraig has tried to convince us for decades. That he would stoop aslow as to involve a foreigner I didn't expect."

Another facereddened visibly. Arthur could see enough of Karia in it to recognizethe father.

"Idon't understand," Arthur said, hoping to defuse the situationbefore it got too tense.

"Graigestate begins two days on horseback north from here. Of course he'dwant a road to further his business."

Arthurgroaned silently. So there were personal politics involved as well.

"Allwould gain," Arthur tried.

"Saysyou. How much have you been paid to deliver this message, errandboy?"

Arthurdidn't pay any heed to the insult. As such went it didn't carry muchweight to one used to the far more skillful barbs thrown by richtourists deciding that offending their guide was part of what theyhad paid for. He did need to counter it of course, but how? Arthurthought frantically while the smile grew wider on the man who'dproposed he'd been bribed. The answer came, and with it anopportunity to pay back the insult in a way that would benefit themall.

"I'mnot aware I'd need your money. In fact I'm certain that with themoney I brought for this trip I could buy the Graig estate andyours." He had them listening now.

"That'sridiculous. I'm a city count of Belgera. Half the rural duchies arepoorer than my fiefdom," the man shot back.

"Ah, ofcourse," Arthur said smiling evilly. "Belgera is adifferent matter. To buy Belgera I would need to dig a little deeperin my pockets."

"Do youtake us for idiots?"

"Whenit comes to money I never take anyone for an idiot, especially notmyself." Arthur deliberately added steel to his voice. "Makeno mistake. With the money I have at my disposal I could buy thistown you call a capital and probably the rest of Braka as well."He stared the man down. "But then, of course, I come from aworld where good transportation is taken for granted," Arthurfinished.

He wasrewarded with nervous laughters. Spreading his arms he took voiceagain. "I promise you. You can do this. All your mines producestone that has to be disposed of anyway. That stone can be thefoundation for a network of roads, and with the amount of iron youhave available here a proper railroad is another possibility."He paused to catch his breath. "With an effective connectionbetween Belgera and the harbor you could cut transport times betweenthe ships and your capital to less than a day." Gasps told himhe had their full attention. "You could even start buildingroads on the Sea of Grass, if the people there would allow you ofcourse." Arthur stared at the faces around him. They had to seethe benefits. "With a good road all the way to the mountain passyou'd never be dependent on one single route for trading again."

There wassilence for a while, but eventually one of them grasped that hewasn't set on continuing his speech. "The cost of hiringMagecrafters on the scale you suggest would ruin us," he said.

They werelistening, but they were still not convinced. He could see it intheir faces, and why should they be. He was a foreigner, even lessknown here than he had been in Verd.

Ah,Verd of course. Capital of their most important ally.Keen, who's power was defined by an enterprise in magic on amagnitude that must have been worthy of an empire. How would he makethem understand it wasn't needed? He took good communications forgranted, but that was another world. Here most roads were nothingmore than a well used track, a muddy hell when it rained and a dustyone when it did not. No wonder people avoided traveling.

Arthurinhaled deeply. How? How could he possibly make them understand. Howto make them believe there was no need of magic to build good roads?He searched their faces. Stern all of them, all but Harbend's andGring's. Arthur smiled despite himself. If he could identify Gring'sdifferent expressions he must have grown used to her presence indeed.

"I tellyou that you stand to gain immensely from this." He was on theverge of giving up. "Ah hell, dammit, if you could only see..."He looked at Gring and she nodded approvingly. "I'll make yousee!"

The facesshowed a bit more interest now.

"I'mArthur Wallman, taleweaver, and I'll make you see what I have seen,how it's been done, why it's been done and what benefits a goodnetwork of communications can bring."

Now thefaces showed more than just interest. Only a few of them knew of hisclaim to be a taleweaver, and as such he had to be a rare novelty byhimself. Now he'd promised them a tale, even though a very strangeone.

"You dohave a Taleweaver's inn here where we could go?" A redundantquestion if any. Arthur already knew the answer.

"Yes."It was a thin voice, already breaking with old age. "It's onlyopen for those of the craft though."

"I'mnot too familiar with the procedures. May I, as a taleweaver, inviteguests for whom the Weave is meant?"

"Idon't know. You're the taleweaver. You ask."

That was tothe point if anything. Arthur smiled. Perpetually depressed or not,he liked one aspect of the people here. They were deceptively simple,but most of it was just the dispensing of everything not necessary.Uncouth some would call them. Honest and blunt was his impression,and he didn't mind at all. They reminded him somewhat of people hemet in northern Europe.

"Then Ithink we'd better get going, don't you?"

There was amurmur and some loud protests, but in the end they all filed out andentered the streets.

Arthur tookthe lead. He knew the general direction to the Taleweaver's inn, andhe hoped he'd recognize its exact location when they were closer.Besides, he had promised he'd bring them in as guests, and the leasthe could do was to replace his way there. He would. He'd been able tomake them listen to him now, and he'd make them see as well.

Arthurwalked along the silent streets of stony Belgera, always keeping inthe general direction where he knew the Taleweaver's inn to be. Itwasn't long before he saw the telltale sign over a door.

He didhesitate then, but with so many following his steps he didn't dare toshow his misgivings. With an air of resolution he didn't feel hestrode to the archway. He knocked quickly so as not to allow anysecond thoughts to stay his hand.

The dooropened, and a man who could have been the twin to the one at theRoadhouse peered out. "Your errand?"

"Ah,"Arthur hesitated, "to Weave." he answered smiling as theobvious thing to say came to his mind.

"Thenenter."

Arthur didas bid, but when he saw the man starting to close the door behindthem he halted his steps. "They enter as well."

"Theyhave no errand here."

"Theydo. They are to experience the Weave."

"Theydo not share the profession. They may not enter."

"I am ataleweaver. I define the profession, and I say they may enter. Nowhold that door open! I command it!"

Arthurreceived a disapproving stare, but the door stayed open, and one byone the city elders of Belgera filed in behind him.

He took tothe stage and waited for his audience to replace seats for themselvesbefore he spoke. "I've gathered you here to see for yourselveshow transportation and communications made it possible for my ownhome to evolve far beyond what you would believe possible."

Arthurstared at their faces. They looked as if they wouldn't even believehe could show then anything to begin with, but he was confidentenough in his own ability to know that would change.

"First,though, you shall eat and drink while we wait for other guests toarrive."

Arthurdidn't intend to break more with tradition than he'd already done. Hewaited for his meal and the pitcher of watered wine he suspectedwould arrive in preparation for his Weave. Thirsty work lay ahead,but first he would gather strength from his food.

He idlywondered what kind of people would show up this evening. Some werecertain to catch his interest, but he doubted anyone would make quitesuch a colorful entrance as Escha and Trai had done all those monthsearlier.

RememberingTrai soured his elation, but he shook the thought away. It was aviolent world, and the mage had chosen his way of life, and in doingso his way of death. That had never been the case with Kyoko, his ownwonderful wife, or with his children. They'd done nothing to warranttheir ends. That thought soured him even further, and unable to lifthis mood this time he simply gulped down some wine and hoped hewouldn't replace any more reasons to sulk. The death of his family wasin the past. It would never cease to hurt entirely, but they deservedmore from him than his self pity.

He ate,alone among his audience, and when he had almost finished his mealthe first invited guests started to arrive. A man and a woman withthe same yellow eyes as Neritan sat down right in front of him,staring at him disapprovingly as he swallowed the last pieces offood. He wondered what he'd done to aggravate them. Maybe the doorman had said something to spite him. He returned their glares with anarrogant smile. They'd learn, as had all done who'd doubted hisability on the stage. Well, Kharg excepted, of course, but this washis world nonetheless, and it was a world he mastered fully.

Arthurpushed away the plate and leaned back in his chair. Half an hour orless before broadcast. That was far more time than he'd ever neededfor a holo show.

This time hehad a topic he knew by heart rather than some of the more riskyattempts at teaching he'd sometimes embarked upon. Often in front ofan audience knowing more about his subject than he did himself. Thosetimes he relied on his ability to spellbind any listener with hisperformance. This time he only had to confer something he trulybelieved in. It would be a good evening, and he knew that once againhe would give a show he could be proud of afterwards.

Arthursettled down more comfortably in his chair and waited for the last ofthe guests to arrive. They did. He rose.

"Honoredguests. The tale I have for you tonight is one of wonders andheroism. It's about the bravery to change minds and by doing so tochange a world. You'll learn how with simple tools and hard work myancestors created the foundation my world rests on today."

Then ArthurWove. He made them watch railroads laid out on barren ground eighthundred years earlier, and he allowed them to sit in a train passinghorsemen and horse drawn wagons. He showed them the network of roadsconnecting cities to each other but carefully edited away thedisastrous consumption of fossil fuels that had followed. Earth couldsell them cleaner vehicles until the day Otherworld knew how tomanufacture them without foreign help.

He knew he'dcaught their undivided attention when he saw awe mixed with greed intheir faces, and he even found time to smile as he Wove.

Arthur wokewith a sense of satisfaction. The previous night proved he still hadevery bit of his capacity well in hand. Today he'd speak with Karia.He hadn't been invited to join the council or the Taleweaver's innand would want to know how Arthur's performance had gone.

Damnthat cunning man!

Yet Arthurrealized Karia had what was needed to become part of Belgera's rulingbody one day or another.

Arthurdressed quickly and even had time to get some breakfast before heheard the expected knock on his door. He rose and let Karia in.

"Goodmorning, Lord Wallman," Karia said.

Arthursmiled back. Thank God the man knew De Vhatic. It would have been ashort conversation otherwise, at least until they managed to replaceGring.

"And agood morning to you, Lord Graig."

"Ibelieve we can dispense with formality now. You know why I'm here."

"I do,and I'll try to tell you everything that..."

The harshscreech of a detonation hit their ears just as the shock wave punchedthem backwards.

"Whatthe bloody hell was that?" Arthur stammered.

They staredat each other, but no one answered the question.

Arthur ranfor the window. He didn't want to believe it. Kharg's reach must belonger than he'd thought possible. The Khraga must be mad to launchan attack in the middle of a city populated by people who took pridein fighting Khraga in the wilderness. Here, with all thefortifications such an attack must be suicidal.

"Damn!That Khraga has got some guts," Arthur admitted loudly.

"Khraga?No Khraga would dare to attack Belgera. They'd die before theyreached the walls, and as for jumping into the city itself theattempt would kill anyone not born human. Magecrafters of old madesure of that."

It had to beKharg, or could the city have become besieged by the plainsmen?Suddenly uncertain Arthur searched Karia's eyes for support.

Kariashrugged in response. "You know, it could be some accident.You've seen too much fighting lately. Besides I don't know any kindof weapon making a sound like that, but I've seen the results of acareless magecrafter."

Two muteddetonations followed by yet another close by answered the questionfor Arthur, and the unexpected chain of smaller explosions gave himan impossible solution to who the attacker was.

"Damn,that's people from home."

"Keen?"

"No, myhome. That's the sound of modern weaponry, or rather the sound ofmissiles impacting. We have to replace the others."

"Whatare you talking about?" Karia yelled over the sound of gunfire,but he followed Arthur all the same, and together they sprinted downthe stairs, Arthur leading the way.

Bloodyhell! Arthur thought. Theymust be really angrywith my stunt to put on a show like this. Damn! I'd never believe thepolice to go this farwhen they found out where I went.

He shook hishead as he ran. He should have known better. They'd beentrigger-happy when they first found Otherworld. Why shouldn't they benow? Still, this was insane, even by military standards.

Arthur sworeas he ran. He swore at himself. How could he have doubted themilitary would refrain from an opportunity to behave like the idiotsthey were. They were, after all, equipped with weapons to substitutetheir ineptitude at social skills.