But Finnvid wouldn’t be scaling the peaks. He’d suspected it when he’d traveled with the Torians before, but now he was certain. The Torians didn’t know about the lower route between their valleys. Which made sense, he supposed. The Torians were new to the area; they’d conquered Windthorn only decades ago. Obviously they hadn’t yet discovered all the secrets of their mountainous home, and if the natives had known, they must have kept it to themselves. The Torians hadn’t found the twisting, tortuous route that had nothing to recommend it to summer travelers. But the trail stayed low, running from one narrow valley to another, and while it wasn’t aneasytrip in the winter, it would certainly be easier than taking the straighter route through the mountain passes. This was a valuable secret for the Elkati to keep, and just as valuable to know that itwasstill secret.
“If we’re truly free, then we’re free to make our own decisions,” Finnvid said firmly. “I’ll consult with my men. We’ll either camp out or leave; either way, I’m afraid I’ll have to impose on you for some basic equipment and supplies, but I’m sure I can arrange to have the value of whatever you can spare sent to you in the spring.”
“While I’m concerned for your safety, I certainly support your right to follow your wishes,” the warlord said. “I’ll have your men released and you can meet them . . . Well, do you feel safe traveling to the barracks? I can arrange a guard for you, of course.”
“Haven’t you already?”
“A larger contingent.”
Finnvid decided to push, just a little. It was because of this man’s machinations that Finnvid had been kept as a slave. If Theos had decided to actually use Finnvid as a bedwarmer, the warlord wouldn’t have stopped him. “I must say I’m somewhat concerned about this lack of safety. My understanding was that we were dealing with the man in charge of the Windthorn military. Since arriving here I’ve found that there is, in fact, a significant body of the Windthorn armynotunder your direct command,andI’ve learned you have so little control of the men that it was necessary to resort to subterfuge to secure my freedom. When we first met out in the wilderness, you suggested it was the Sacrati captain who might be hostile to me, but he’s on our side and still I need guards? Who is the enemy now, Warlord?”
The captain seemed just as interested in the answer as Finnvid was, but the warlord’s smile was tight and angry. “I’m afraid you’ve misunderstood a few things. First, the Sacratiareunder my command. I have delegated some of my authority to the captain and he handles them day-to-day; still, I command the Windthorn army. Theentirearmy.” He stared at the captain as if daring him to disagree. The man stayed silent so the warlord continued. “Further . . . these are delicate times. You are safe from organized attacks because I control the organization. But someone apart from that?” Again, he glared at the captain. “Someone operating outside of the chain of command? It could be termed sedition, and anyone guilty of it would be caught and executed. Of course, that wouldn’t doyoumuch good, young prince, not if you already had a sword in your gut.”
“And who do you suspect of this sedition?” the captain asked, his voice full of overstated concern. “Do you have evidence to suggest such a problem? How can we support you if you don’t share your worries with us?”
“Enough.” Finnvid was probably speaking out of turn, but he was tired of being the scrap of meat these lions fought over. “I will consult with my men and let you know whether we require supplies for camping or for traveling.”
Neither man seemed pleased with the dismissal, but it was the reeve who spoke up. “Perhaps you and I could speak together, Prince Finnvid? The men are so busy with war they sometimes forget there are other aspects of life that must be considered.” She smiled sweetly. “Sometimes they charge straight ahead, no matter the obstacles and danger, and fail to notice other paths.”
He kept himself from staring at her. Maybe the words had been a coincidence. Maybe. But he couldn’t take that chance. “Of course,” he said with a smile of his own. “I’d be pleased to discuss anything that concerns you.”
So the two of them waited impatiently for the warlord and captain to depart. After a moment, the menshuffled off, and the reeve crossed to the door and watched them leave the outer office before turning to him. “My shepherds spend a lot of time in the mountains in the summer,” she said simply. “They sometimes find interesting things, and report back to me.”
He nodded, and she smiled again, though without a trace of friendship or joy. “I’d like to see you and your men safely out of Windthorn before you can stir up any more trouble,” she said. “But I’m not inclined to let you leave if you’re going to go back with news of an alliance that doesn’t suit my purpose.” She crossed the room and sat in one of the large leather chairs by the desk, and then patted the seat next to her. “Come,” she invited. “We’ll talk. We’ll decide what’s best for everyone involved. And when we’re done, we’ll make the captain and the warlord think it was all their idea.” Another smile, this time more genuine, before she added, “That’s the Torian way.”
Chapter Fifteen
“So, what doyouthink is best for everyone?” Finnvid asked cautiously. There was something about this woman that put him on guard. He had a sudden, reckless urge to introduce her to his mother; he suspected they would either be good friends or instantly set about trying to have the other assassinated.
“Well, as in all cases, I start by deciding what’s best for the women. They are the people I serve. The men?” She waved a dismissive hand. “They’ll do as they’re told.”
“The captain and the warlord will do as they’re told?”
She shrugged. “Eventually. I can be patient.” She frowned at him. “But you, apparently, cannot. I don’t care what route you take, it’s still dangerous to travel in the wintertime. And as far as I’m concerned, you’d be going home with a job unfinished. You were sent here to establish an alliance with the leader of Windthorn, were you not? You thought that person would be the warlord.” She leaned back in her chair and her eyes glinted. “You were wrong.”
Finnvid had seen enough interactions between the reeve and the others to know she had a point. “But he’s themilitaryleader. Correct? At this point, our primary concern is preventing an invasion, which would be a military issue. We’d certainly be interested in establishing trade later on; I saw some lovely crafts at the market the other day that I’m sure could find a home in Elkat. However—”
“You think that’s what I’m in charge of?Crafts?” She caught herself. “Of course, I’m very proud of my sisters’ work in that area. But I’m in charge ofeverythingthat doesn’t directly involve men marching around and killing each other. The food they eat whether they’re in the barracks or off fighting? My farmers and hunters provide it. The weapons they carry? My miners find and refine the ore and then my blacksmiths forge the weapons and armor. And just as important? The young soldiers, the boys who will replace those who die in the campaigns? My women providethose, as well.”
Finnvid nodded. Phrased that way, she did have more power than he’d been giving her credit for. But still . . . “They couldtakeall those things, if they decided to. Right? I mean, the Torian army? Nobody stands up to the Torian army.”
She snorted. “Nobody stands up to a Torian mother, either.” She seemed amused by his surprise. “There have been, to my knowledge, three attempts by Torian warlords to seize control of the cities they were sworn to protect. In all three situations, there was an immediate mutiny as soon as the orders were given. No planning, no negotiations or power brokering. The men simply refused to raise their swords to the women who’d given them life. The women whostillgave them life, through food and clothing and medicine.” She shook her head. “The men will never attack the city. That is a guarantee.”
Finnvid thought of Theos, surely one of the more aggressive Torian males, and tried to remember any word of his that had been less than respectful toward the women of the valley. Any suggestion that he might resent them or feel they were too powerful. There had been none, Finnvid was quite sure. As inexplicable as it all was to his Elkati mind, he had to believe what the woman was saying. And that meant he needed to take a different approach. “So . . . yes. Ididmisjudge the power structure. My jobisunfinished. Tell me, please, Reeve: what are your interests in the matter? What will be best for your women?”
She smiled. “We like it the way it is,” she said firmly. “I’ve traveled. I’ve seen how women are treated elsewhere—includingin the Elkat valley. Treatedonlyas mothers? Tied to one man, often one chosen by a parent rather than the woman herself? Isolated in their homes, given no voice or power of their own? No. My women don’t want that. There’s no amount of luxury that would make up for a lack of freedom.”
“Is that—is that something you think might happen?”
“No, because I won’tallowit to happen. Not here. Which means I need to be on my guard. I’ve traveled to the east too, and seen the way things are starting to go back there. I might wish our Windthorn men were less obsessed with war, but I have to admit it keeps them busy. In the central valleys, those with no battles to distract them, the men have turned to domestic affairs, and are trying to take over women’s concerns. Now that they’ve seen the potential for accumulating wealth, they’re spending all their time worrying aboutthat. I’ve heard some of them are already agitating for one man per woman, just so they can keep better track of whose children are theirs. They want to train the next wave ofbusinessmen, and they want to be sure the fortunes they’ve hoarded stay together, in the hands of one of their own children.”
Finnvid wasn’t sure he agreed with all the conclusions she’d drawn, but he couldn’t argue with what she’d seen. “So you want your men to go to war with Elkat to distract them from what you’re doing?”
She frowned. “I’m not quite that hard-hearted. And I don’t care about them going to war, with Elkat or anyone else.” She leaned forward as if telling him a secret. “One of the reasons the men give for protecting the women as they do is that we are needed for reproduction. They say that the Torian war machine needs fuel, in the shape of young recruits.”
He nodded cautiously. Theos had explained things the same way.
She leaned back with a satisfied smirk. “We actually havefewerbabies per woman than most nations, because the women control reproduction. I have five children, and that’s actually a bit higher than average. Our women are strong and healthy and not exhausted from constant pregnancies, so we have a good survival rate for our young, but in terms of actual numbers, we don’t have that many. And we could have even fewer, if our men stopped getting themselves killed in wars.”
