The Heavenly Lord’s Ambassador. A Kingdom Like No Other. Book 1. Андрей Кочетков
Читать онлайн книгу.
the success of the mission.”
“It sounds so noble, Enel Sanery!”
“There’s nothing noble about it. It’s survival, my friend. I don’t know how you imagine it, but a delegation is nothing pretty. It’s two dozen men torn from their home country and sent to a far-off land where the people may be hostile. The road there takes months, and you spend each and every day of that time with the same people. Can you imagine it? Everyone’s usually sick of each other by the second week. The smallest conflict can spark trouble and ruin everything. Add in danger, brigands, excessive cold or heat, unfamiliar food, illness – everything conspires to work against the mission. Here at home, in our lovely capital, we bow to men of rank and ignore those without it. But when you’re in a foreign land, your servant may be the one who ends up saving your life! Of course, we retain our ranks, but we leave the ceremonies and the snobbism at home. Actually,” he coughed, “there will be plenty of formality during the negotiations. Once those start, you’ll have to stay on your toes.”
Uni was elated. “Thank you for telling me these things! All I can say is that my friends and coworkers have always found me to be friendly and easy to get along with. I promise I won’t cause any trouble. The success of the mission is my only goal, and I swear by the Heavenly Deity that I’ll do everything I can to help achieve it!”
“Very good, young man. I have no doubt that you will. I have dealt with all sorts of people in my time, and I can tell that you are sincere. Working with you will be a pleasure. We leave in five days, so I suggest you prepare yourself for the trip.
“Five days?” Uni gasped.
“I, too, was surprised,” Sanery admitted. “But they say you were at the council meeting, so I suppose you already know the reasons behind the urgency…”
Uni did his best to look intelligent. “Ah, of course. It’s obviously a matter of government importance!”
“Then let us lose no time. You will be informed of the time and location of our departure ceremony.” The ambassador stood up. “I expect to see you again at the palace, Enel Virando!”
He walked Uni to the gate and saw him off most politely.
“What a delightful person!” Uni reflected. “He talked to me quite as if I were his equal. That’s a true diplomat for you, nothing like the arrogant fools in the chancery!”
Warmed by these thoughts, he raced home to pack for the trip. His first thought was that he should treat his friends to dinner the night before he left. A few painful memories presented themselves, however, and he decided it would be a better idea to host his friends two days prior to his departure to avoid showing up at the palace hung over. “From now on,” he told himself, “wine will only be a sign of good things to come. I’ll throw a party to bury ‘Little Uni’ and show all my friends what I’m capable of in this life!”
As soon as Uni was gone, Sanery’s face fell. He turned from the gate and went back to his study, where he was met by his secretary. Obviously impatient, Zimius Groki had brought in a heavy scroll.
“Well, what do you think?” the ambassador asked without prelude. The polite smile was gone from his face, and even his prominent ears seemed to fold back against his head.
“He’s too sure of himself, Enel Sanery. If you want to know my opinion, he’s too young. He immediately gave himself away!”
Sanery sneered and walked over to a large window with carved casings that looked out into a small courtyard. Colorful fish lazily swayed in the dark water of a decorative pond carved out of Vuravian stone. Tall cypress trees cast long shadows that divided the pond into a grid pattern that was ignored by its phlegmatic inhabitants.
“The boy’s eyes were the size of dinner plates the whole time I was talking. Do you really think he’s Ronko’s spy?”
“I have no doubt of it, Your Honor! It makes sense. Ronko wasn’t able to get one of his own men appointed ambassador, but he is counting on the interpreter to be a key figure. The boy will keep his patron informed, and he will try to influence the outcome. I’m confident he has already received his instructions. I heard that Ronko was dead set against having a second interpreter, even though that goes against all the rules for diplomatic missions.”
“I never expected a boy of that age to try and catch me by the gills.” Sanery thought for a moment. “Is it possible that we are making too much of this? He didn’t strike me as having any experience of intrigue. He’s too young, and he’s never held a post outside the archive…”
Groki made a face. “It pains me to see you wasting your time worrying about it. No matter what he’s up to, he isn’t worth your attention.”
“That’s jealousy talking, Groki.” Sanery chuckled. “The boy will be a key figure in the game, once it starts. I can tell that much. And if Ronko wants to use him, let him try. I may just turn around and use him against Ronko.”
“Do you think it’s possible?”
“Why not? People like Uni are easily influenced. They don’t like being ordered around, but they’ll tell you everything they know if you make nice with them. Ronko will be too far away to control his protégé. He conceived of this delegation as his own personal triumph, but he’ll get the opposite result.” Sanery’s lips curled into a smile. “This will be worth my playing a comedy for a little while.”
“Licisium Dorgoe will be very pleased. He may even make you head of the Diplomatic Chamber!” Groki rejoiced.
“I doubt it. He is keeping Eusenium Hamery for that purpose, even though you couldn’t make the old toad do his job if you threatened to hang him. I heard he skipped the meeting with the Emperor to discuss this delegation. Heart pains, you see. He lets Dorgoe handle all of our foreign affairs without actually having a title or any responsibility. There’s no way Dorgoe will get rid of him. He knows I’d put a stop to his meddling right away.”
Groki had another idea. “Your Honor, what if Ronko has other people on the delegation who will try to interfere with your plans?”
“If it were only Ronko’s people. You can’t imagine how many nobles have approached me about getting their people put on the delegation. I won’t be surprised if someone offers me a bribe equal to that paid for the position of a guild minder just to get some relative or other assigned to the delegation as a baggage carrier! I’ve served the Emperor for many years, but this is the first time I’ve seen such frantic interest in a diplomatic mission.”
“There is too much at stake this time. A trade treaty is a delicate morsel, and many mouths are watering.”
“True. But how am I supposed to captain a ship where every sailor is trying to tip the boat? Impossible!”
“Do you know who the deputy ambassador will be?”
“I’m afraid I don’t,” Sanery sighed. “Time is short, but the mighty and powerful will continue to fight until the Emperor chooses someone they all equally dislike, just to make my life unbearable. Mark my words, that’s exactly what will happen!”
“That is too bad. Still, it would be useful to identify the people who have their own agendas.”
Sanery’s eyes narrowed. “I expect Virando will be useful in that regard. Once we reach Manibortish, I will announce that we are hiring another interpreter. Those who object will out themselves as Ronko’s men. I call it ‘fishing with live bait.’”
“That’s an excellent plan. What about the rest of them?”
“The rest of them? Did you bring the list of candidates? Give it to me and we’ll see what’s going on.”
Chapter 6. Friends
The Sleepy Fish Tavern was an establishment with an unmistakable reputation. It was not the kind of place where a carpenter from the River district or a scribe from one of the city squares could eat and drink his fill after a day