Kaavl Conspiracy (46 page)

“Aah! My fellow Rolbanis. I hope you are ready to discuss t
his rationally.”

“I have read your treaty, Mentàll.”

“So you see it is legal and binding.”

“It appears to be so,” Erl agreed. “But your act of war nullifies the Alliance.”

“
Verdnt’s
act of war does not nullify the Alliance,” the Dehrien Chief returned.

“Semantics. Your citizens attacked…”

“No.
Your
citizen led the attack.” A thin smile curled Mentàll’s lips. “The insurrection was a mutiny, not an act of war.”

Erl flushed. “
Your
delegation held us hostage in the dining r
oom.”

Methusal heard an ominous ringing in her ears. Would her father fight this battle only with words? Clearly he wanted to find a legal reason to break the treaty. Honor demanded it. Panic beat inside her. Surely something could be done. They would not give the Dehrien power in Rolban just on a legal technicality.

On impulse, she tugged the treaty from Kitran’s hand and quickly scanned both pages. Then she read the second page again. A ray of hope hit her. And none too soon, either, if the superior smirk on Mentàll’s face was any indication.

“Papa,” she said urgently. “Listen to this.”

Erl frowned. “What?”

Methusal read, “‘Rolban agrees to accept three weeks of counsel from Mentàll Solboshn, Chief of Dehre. Mentàll has the right to demonstrate all acts of leadership during this three week period. Rolban will accept his decrees as law during this interval, so the benefits of kaavl leadership can be understood by every Rolbani. At the end of three weeks, control of Rolban will return to Rolban’s Chief, under one condition.’” She glanced up at the Dehrien Chief, who stared back with a cold glint in his eyes.

She smiled at him. “Here’s where your ego tripped you up, Mentàll.” His cold look sharpened to flint. “‘A Rolbani must first beat him at the Primary level.’” She eyed Mentàll through the gate. “Your defeat can be arranged. If someone beats you now, would you agree to destroy this treaty?”

Arrogance oozed from Mentàll’s every pore, just as she had hoped it would. He smiled through his teeth. “Of course. I am nothing, if not fair.”

“Good.” Methusal turned to her father. “All we have to do is rematch Kitran and Mentàll. Then we can legally break the agreement.”

Behran spoke up. “Not necessary. It seems clear someone else has already beaten Mentàll at kaavl.”

The Dehrien Chief flicked a condescending glance at him. “Who?”

“Methusal.”

Both Methusal and the Dehrien stared at him in astonishment. Then the Dehrien Chief spluttered into derisive laughter. “We’ve played no game. And Methusal is far from the Primary level.”

Behran smiled. “You’re wrong, Mentàll. The ultimate game just took place, on a regulation playing field. Methusal won her life. She beat you, fair and square.”

“When? If you remember, gentlemen, I caught the fair Methusal and held her
hostage
just a few minutes ago! Hardly a kaavl win.” The Dehrien Chief’s nostrils flared.

“True, but remember she freed herself and captured
you
—a win by any account. And she beat you earlier, when we crossed the plain to Rolban. That was the true test, because it was on a regular playing field, with her wits pitted against yours. She won, remember?”

“That is ridiculous!” Mentàll shouted. Fury outlined the cords of his neck. “She’s not at the Primary level! She’s unfit to compete against me!” Spit flew in all directions.

“Apparently not.” Erl’s mouth glimmered in a small smile. “Either she’s at the Primary level, or you are not. Whatever the case, she beat you, fair and square.”

Mentàll shook with rage. “She wasn’t even close enough to catch! How can that be kaavl? It was only a race!”

“But she
was
close enough to catch.” Old Sims’ voice wavered nearby. “My eyes may be old, but I saw the whole thing from up on the plateau. So did Barak. No question about it. She completely outsmarted and danced kaavl rings around you, Dehrien.”

Mentàll’s cheeks pulsed in fury. “This is an abomination! You haven’t heard the last of this!”

“We have.” Erl said in a low, firm voice. “Your word now binds you. We are all witnesses. The treaty is nullified.” He pulled the papers from Methusal’s hands and thrust them through the gate. “I expect you to abide by your word and leave. Now.”

Mentàll let out a terrible roar and ripped the papers to shreds, and ground them beneath his heel. Shaking, he spun and strode toward the cluster of Dehriens. Only Methusal heard the threat he snarled beneath his breath. “I will make
you pay, Methusal!
”

But with Behran’s strong hand gripping her shoulder, the old fear did not quite touch her. She was safe. Mentàll was on the outside now.

Hendra followed her fellow Dehriens westward. Methusal realized that by helping her, Hendra had betrayed her cousin. What would become of her? How would Mentàll treat her?

The Dehrien girl did not look back. Apparently she did not want to plea for amnesty to the Rolbanis. She wanted to return home and face whatever punishment might face her.
Methusal sent a prayer heavenward that The One would protect
her, because she had been very brave.

Behran watched Hendra go, too. A pensive expression tightened his features.

“I’m sure there’s more to the story.” Erl sounded weary. “Let’s go to the dining hall and sort out the rest, if we can.”

So while most Rolbanis cleaned up, and others helped D’Wit tend to the wounded, the Maahrs, Amils, Storsts, Kitran, and most of the Council elders congregated at the longest dining table.

“First order of business,” Ben Amil said. “Petr’s break in faith with Rolban’s citizens. I move that we schedule a trial. Facts will be judged by a group of your peers, Petr. I think it’s safe to say that you’ll lose your power as Chief. And you will lose your bid for reelection.”

Petr’s face crumpled, but he said nothing.

“In fact,” Ben turned to Erl, “since every man running for Chief has been disqualified or is dead…Erl, be prepared to take office on Firstday. We’ll hold a vote, but I’m sure you’ll win.”

Hanuh and Methusal smiled at Erl.

Another member of the Council spoke up. “I’m confused. So much as happened. Would someone tell the whole story, from beginning to end?”

Erl looked at Methusal. “I think Methusal, Deccia, and Aali can do that.”

Methusal and Deccia started the tale with their suspicions about the robberies and murders, while Aalicaa threw in pertinent bits, and then Methusal repeated the story of her trip home from Tarst.

“…and Aali got us in through her secret passage,” Behran interjected. “If it hadn’t been for her, I don’t know how we would have made it inside without being caught. And she and Sims distracted the Dehriens in the dining hall, too, when they threw rocks down onto them.”

Petr looked at his daughter with pride and with humility.
“It seems I’ve made many mistakes, Aalicaa. It’s a hard lesso
n for a man to learn, to realize he’s been prideful and close-minded to his peers,” he glanced at Erl and Ben Amil, “and inflexible in raising his daughters. Aalicaa, you have my blessing to pursue kaavl. Make me proud.”

“Father!” Aali burst into tears and flung her arms around his neck. “Thank you, Father. But I don’t deserve it, I don’t! It’s because of me sneaking that they took over Rolban so soon. I should have listened to you.”

Gently, Petr said, “Then we’ve both learned that we need to follow the rules. I hope it’s a lesson neither of us forget.”

Aali shook her head, face still buried in her father’s shoulder, but when she pulled away she was smiling, and happily clutched Methusal’s arm. “You’ll help me learn kaavl, won’t you, Thusa?”

“Of course.”

Kitran spoke up. “I feel like most of what happened is my fault.” His voice was heavy, as if he had a lot to get off of his chest. “I’m sorry. Mentàll fooled me, and I’ll admit he played on my pride to get what he wanted. He’s cunning, and I’m beginning to see how he planned the whole takeover. With Verdnt as his eyes and ears here, he knew exactly how to play on my weakness—and Petr’s—to achieve his own ends. My weakness is a passion for kaavl, at the expense of common sense, and Petr’s was a desperation to be reelected, and to stay Chief for as long as possible.”

Petr’s eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. Kitran went on, “Mentàll claimed to be great in kaavl—and he is. I could see that for myself. When he told me it was because he’d found the way to the Ultimate level, I was ready to believe him. Then, when he told me how to
reach
the Ultimate level…I was overwhelmed. And I started to believe everything he said.”

“Anyway,” Kitran drew a harsh breath, “Mentàll told me that only kaavl can produce the best, most honorable leaders. He thought it was really important, and I began to agree. Kaavl does make the mind sharper. Maybe wiser, too. And both Dehre and Tarst have strong kaavl leaders. I began to think Rolban was wrong to ignore how vital kaavl could be to leadership. It wasn’t long before I convinced Petr of it, too.”

He looked at his partner in crime. Petr stared at the table,
his mouth twisted in clear humiliation. The great man had been humbled. He had been fooled, yes, but it had been his decision to go along with Mentàll’s self-serving plan, and to write the letter of authorization, and to steal Rolban’s seed grain and give it to Dehre. Fooled or not, he was responsible for his actions.

Kitran doggedly continued. “Mentàll must have planned out every detail. He gained my confidence first, and then used my influence to get to Petr. He tricked both of us into thinking the second agreement would be a good thing.”

He gave a short, bitter laugh. “All the secrecy around the second treaty made me feel uncomfortable, but I tried to ignore it. Facing up to the true fact—that I’d been taken for a fool—was too hard to face. But on that long trip home this morning, I realized I’d made a huge error in judgment. And I’d convinced Petr to make the same mistake. I’m terribly sorry.”

Hanuh touched his arm. “Mentàll is a cunning man, Kitran. He would have found another way to trick us. Count it as a lesson. I think we’ve
all
learned from this.”

Kitran clenched his fist. He did not look comforted. In fact, fury blazed in his eyes. He clearly hated the Dehrien Chief for tricking him.

“I’m sorry, too.” The words sounded wrenched from Petr’s throat. He would soon face trial. As punishment, he’d be stripped of power, and probably disqualified from ever running for Chief again. Maybe even worse was facing unpleasant truths about himself. Such as how his lust for power had almost destroyed Rolban.

It seemed clear to Methusal that kaavl alone couldn’t make a truly great leader. Only wisdom, fairness, honor, and integrity could. Kaavl couldn’t produce strong character, because character came from a pure heart, which was made evident by the honorable decisions of a man. Mentàll, the Kaavl Master, portrayed none of those qualities.

Timaeus stepped up during the reflective silence and put a hand on Deccia’s shoulder. “Are you ready to look over your classroom,
instructor?
We’ve just finished clearing out Verdnt’s things.”

With the chief teacher gone, Methusal realized Deccia would have to start teaching full-time next year. It was a lot of responsibility, but she had no doubt her sister, in all of her quiet strength, would do a wonderful job.

No one had mentioned Verdnt. Maybe because the hurt of his betrayal ran deep. He’d been the first Dehrien to immigrate to Rolban, and had lived there for over seven years. They had trusted him.

How long had he betrayed them? Always? Or starting four years ago, when Mentàll had come to power?

Maybe answers could be found in his compartment. Methusal decided to speak to her father about that a little later.

Deccia glanced up at Timaeus, and a soft smile lit her face. “I’m ready.” A final, serene smile for Aalicaa, Methusal, and her father, and she departed with the man she loved. Unmistakable joy leant a spring to her step.

“We’ve all learned a lot,” Erl said after a little silence. “One thing is clear. The Dehriens—or rather, Mentàll—can’t be trusted. They’re back to the same tricks that started the Great War. We’d better warn Tarst.”

“Later.” Ben stood. “Today, we’ll celebrate the heroes of Rolban.”

“Many of whom are our children.” A relaxed Hanuh Maahr looked proudly at her daughter, and Methusal smiled.

Two weeks ago, so many things had been different. Renn had been murdered, and her necklace on his body had implicated her in the crime. Now she finally understood why Verdnt had framed her. Her necklace was the key. Verdnt had stolen it because both he and the Dehrien Chief had wanted the
Second Book of Kaavl
. Verdnt had thought her necklace was a clue to its location. It appeared he’d been mistaken. Maybe she’d never know how Renn had ended up with the necklace in his pocket. But she guessed Verdnt had planted it on Renn’s body, in order to point suspicion toward her.

And now Mentàll possessed her family heirloom. She wondered if she’d ever get it back.

So many things had changed since the night Renn had died. She had changed the most. Two weeks ago, all she’d cared about was becoming Tri-level kaavl champ. Since then, she had accomplished that, and so much more.

But best of all, she had discovered there was more to life than kaavl—family, community solidarity, and more. She glanced at Behran out of the corner of her eye. Rolban would never be the same after this, and neither would she. For the first time in her life, she realized just how lucky she was to live in Rolban.

Slowly, the party broke up and Methusal wandered down the hall to her compartment to change for lunch. Pain twinged in her shoulder, which reminded her of capturing the Dehrien in the supply room. But after moving it a little more, she decided it wasn’t that bad. A small price to pay for victory over the Dehriens. She’d also need to put coltac juice on the cut on her arm.