Ascending stands rose on the right and left of him holding the
elected assemblymen. King Trigonan sat impatiently on his throne
before Linvin and was the first to speak.
“Good day to you, Lord Grithinshield. Or should I say, ‘good
evening’? I am told you kept me and this entire body waiting while
you counted your money. Is this so?”
Linvin chuckled with no sign of intimidation and responded,
“As with all lies and hearsay, there is a morsel of truth to your
statement. I was managing a conflict within my company, and the
parties took longer to settle their differences than I had expected.
My tardiness in no way reflects my respect for you or this body. If
I have offended anyone in this great room, I am truly sorry. Should
you wish it, I will take leave of you and set another appointment
whenever I happen into town again.”
The king’s expression changed from mild anger to frightened
alarm. “There is no need to reschedule, Lord Grithinshield. We
were merely eager to seek your council on some matters.”
“Then, by all means,” Linvin said as he moved closer to
Trigonan. “Let us talk. I see that you have decided to increase the
size of the army as I had suggested. Have you settled on a troop
level?”
The king looked to his advisors and then answered, “There is
not a set number in mind, but we want to be prepared in case we
need to summon our militia if war arises.”
“Militia,” Linvin repeated with repulsion. “Do you mean to tell
me you have purchased arms for an army you have not and do not
intend to raise?”
An anonymous voice from one of the stands cried out, “Armies
cost money and are of little use unless there is war. They simply
drain the treasury. What is your complaint, Grithinshield? You are
being well paid. Isn’t that what this was all about?”
Linvin glared angrily at the boisterous mob. “Once again it
seems my words are misunderstood. The Mandreans are a
significant threat to our national security. Militias carrying even
the finest weapons are no match for trained legions. Did you not
heed my warning two years ago?”
Trigonan raised his hand to silence the assembly. “Lord
Grithinshield, this room took your words most seriously when you
were last here. In the time since, we have taken measures to assure
our continued safety from the Mandrean threat.”
Linvin produced the staff holding the Red Sapphire and stood at
attention. “Exactly what steps have you taken?”
The king looked nervously at his cabinet and then spoke.
“Aside from the afore-mentioned arms buildup, we have begun
paring down Thornhaven Forest.”
Linvin’s eyes widened at the utterance. “Exactly how much
have you ‘paired down’ the forest?”
King Trigonan stood tall with his hands behind his back and
spoke as he paced before his throne. “We have created a highway
wide enough to march two-hundred men abreast straight into the
Unclaimed Territory. The forest is no longer a barrier for us.”
“Or them,” fumed Linvin. “The very fact that Thornhaven was
virtually impenetrable to an army was what saved our nation the
last time we tangled with the Mandreans. Now you clear a road
they could easily use to invade Sartan. And rather than train an
army of sufficient size to protect us, you plan to rely on militia?”
The king did not take kindly to being spoken to in such a
manner. Even Linvin’s credibility could not avert his anger. “Need
I remind you that we won the last war at the Battle of the Tree
Line because of the militia? This body knows what we are doing.”
“Indeed?” Linvin retorted. “Did this body forget that the battle
to which you refer could not have happened if there were no trees
to form the line? You have stripped us of our greatest defense
against invasion.”