Baron Assassin: Chapter 15

It was a relief to both Varal and Aima’s parents when Jarem came in to announce that dinner was ready to be served. It gave all of them something to do other than reflect on what had just transpired between the father and daughter. By the time everyone was seated, had a drink, and the food was brought out, the moment had largely passed. The only hiccup was that Aima didn’t seem sure what to do with the gold coin. She kept taking it out and fidgeting with it. Fortunately, the food soon distracted her enough that she put it away and, for all Varal knew, forgot about it. Then again, he had underestimated her understanding of the situation before. Maybe she was just thinking about what to do with it.

What seemed more probable was that she hadn’t eaten well in a while and was determined to enjoy this meal. Sir Jareks and Lady Jareks both restrained themselves from eating ravenously, but it was clear that they were enjoying the meal immensely. Aima seemed to put in a real effort to do the same, but hunger won out over manners. Her parents looked a little pained at the sight. However, neither of said anything. Something Varal read as a sign that they could only ask so much from a hungry teenage girl. Rather than broach the subject he’d come there to discuss, he strove to keep what little conversation there was on the light side. That mostly amounted to sharing what tidbits of information he had about friends they hadn’t seem in some time.

The assassin in Varal thought that they were being naïve. It was almost inevitable that those “friends” had heard about the knight’s situation. Yet, none had come to offer their aid. No, he was quite certain they were waiting to see how the situation played out before they decided who’s side they had been on. Should Sir Jareks somehow prevail, he would find that all of those people had really been on his side. Should he lose, however, he would discover that all of those people he thought of as friends had been on his enemy’s side all along. Worse, he would also likely discover that none of them were willing to provide him any assistance or even shelter. This was why Varal never allowed himself the fantasy that he had any true allies in the nobility.

There were a few that he liked on a personal level, but he didn’t trust any of them. Not even the countess, who had done him more than a few good turns. The best that could be hoped for was temporary agreements and pleasant words. Believing they held more strength than a pane of glass, however, was a good way to find yourself alone and outnumbered. It was why he relied solely on his own resources and people for anything that mattered to him. It was also why he hadn’t made any effort to advance to a higher position in the nobility. As a baron, he was granted a shocking amount of latitude. Unlike most of the other nobles, he was only truly answerable to the king. A situation he’d always found odd but advantageous.

Were he ever to take up the position of a viscount, he would suddenly find himself the vassal of a duke. It would invite interference in his affairs not only from the duke, but any counts or marquesses sworn to the duke. In theory, those other nobles had no true authority to order him to do anything. In practice, they could make his life very difficult if they held favor with the duke. Worse, the title came with no land, while it would add responsibilities. It was why he had declined to buy a viscount’s rank on two separate occasions. The problems he would inherit were simply not balanced by the meager benefits he stood to receive.

If the right count were to come calling, though, he might have to think harder about it. That would be a massive addition of land. Of course, it would also mean a massive addition of headaches. No count willing to sell off their title, assuming the king would approve it, would be leaving their county in good condition. It would likely feel quite similar to way it had when he’d first taken over the barony. Endless work with benefits that would only reveal themselves much later. Even so, it might be worth the hassles, maybe, if he could negotiate enough freedom from outside interference. A negotiation he would likely have to take up directly with the king, since no duke would willingly surrender any of their rights to order a vassal around.

“Baron,” said Sir Jareks when the dessert had been served. “This meal has been a welcome diversion from recent events. Yet, your messenger said that this was regarding my son and his future. You have yet to mention him.”

“Remen!” shouted Aima, shooting up from her chair, and leaning over the table in Varal’s direction. “How is he?”

It was a very undignified and completely genuine show of affection and interest on the girl’s part. Her mother swiftly intervened.

“Aima,” she snapped sternly. “Mind your manners.”

The girl wilted a bit at that and returned to her seat, but she kept her eyes locked on Varal. It felt like she was begging him with her eyes to answer the question.

“He is doing well with his studies,” said Varal before amending his statement. “I should say he is doing well with his theory and crafting classes. At least, that’s what my daughter tells me. Remen confirmed that indirectly to me as well.”

Aima simply looked happy to hear that her brother was doing well at something. Sir Jareks and Lady Jareks, on the other hand, exchanged a more complicated look. Varal suspected something was passing unspoken between them, and he even had a fair guess about what. They didn’t press the matter any further until the dessert was finished and Aima was sent off to bed. The girl didn’t protest much. It seemed the full meal had caught up to her, and she’d been stifling yawns behind a hand for several minutes. When they appeared sure she had left the room and earshot, Sir Jareks returned to the subject.

“I take it from the careful way you described the situation that he is not doing well in his combat classes.”

“He isn’t, by his own admission. He has the basic skills with a sword to achieve competence, although I doubt that he’ll ever be a true master of the blade. We didn’t discuss magic. Not if he has it, and not how he’s faring in magical combat. Although, I assume that the situation is much the same.”

“I knew we should never have let him go,” said Lady Jareks.

“Lia,” chiding Sir Jareks. “He wanted to go.”

“He wanted to find a way to help us!” she snapped, before she seemed to remember that Varal was sitting there. “Forgive me, baron. These are not your problems.”

Varal waved a hand to indicate he wasn’t bothered. He doubted that this was the first time the pair had argued about the matter. Sir Jareks seemed eager to move on from that spat and focused on Varal.

“So, tell me, baron, what about our son has brought you here? It can’t be a trivial matter, as the journey is long.”

“It’s not a large matter, although I suppose it might be somewhat pressing. I believe I am in a position to help your son now, and, in exchange, I would like to secure his services after he graduates. I’m thinking for a period of five years,” answered Varal before lifting a hand to beg the knight’s patience. “My daughter is convinced that your son is either a genius or the next best thing to one when it comes magical engineering. You may not be aware, but I have wide-ranging business interests. Some of those interests would benefit from the services of someone with a solid grasp of magical engineering. That is why I have come all this way to speak with you.”

Sir Jareks and his wife simply stared at him with expressions of bewilderment. Uncertain how to interpret that reaction, Varal continued.

“My offer is to pay his way through the academy until graduation, assuming he continues to perform well. I’ll also provide him with a stipend to cover the essentials. Lodging, food, uniforms, and the like.”

This was met with more silence from the knight and his wife. Varal was beginning to wonder if this had all been a fool’s errand. He pressed forward, mostly because of his daughter.

“I obviously won’t expect him to work for me for free after graduation. He’d be paid a fair wage. I’ll be happy to negotiate the details of that with a person of your choice. Although, part of that negotiation will have to include the understanding that he’s repaying his debt to me. After five years, he can part ways with me or, if we’re both satisfied, take up a more permanent position at a higher salary.”

Neither of Remen’s parents so much as blinked for a full five seconds. When they did finally react, it was not at all what Varal had been expecting.

“Genius?” asked Lady Jareks.

“Magical engineering?” asked Sir Jareks.

There bafflement seemed genuine, even to Varal’s jaundiced eye. That could only mean that Remen had been stingy regarding his own performance at the academy. After a moment of consideration, it was obvious enough why. Still, it was better to be certain.

“You didn’t know?” asked Varal.

“Remen sends letters from time to time, but he just says that he’s doing well enough,” complained Sir Jareks. “There was no talk about magical engineering. Let alone anything about him being some kind of genius.”

“It’s so like that boy,” said Lady Jareks. “It’d never occur to him to brag. Are you certain about all of this, baron?”

“My daughter is,” answered Varal.

“And you trust her judgment?” asked the knight.

Varal felt a brief flash of something hot and violent in his chest before he stamped it out. The knight obviously wasn’t trying to be offensive. He didn’t know Marida. Or, if he did know anything about her, it was likely from brief mentions in letters from a young man. Not a source of especially reliable information at the best of time. It was a reasonable question when looked at from Sir Jareks’s position, even if it did aggravate Varal.

“I trust that she wouldn’t knowingly mislead me about something like this. I also met Remen, which I believe gave me adequate insight into his intelligence and character. I don’t know if he’s a genius, but he is obviously quite bright and deeply interested in magical engineering.”

“That is a very generous offer, baron,” said Lady Jareks.

He could see hope and suspicion warring in her eyes. She wanted to believe that this was all genuine. She feared that it was some manner of particularly cruel or devious trap.

“It is generous,” said a far less suspicious Sir Jareks, “but it does beg the question. Why would you help our son?”

Varal gave the pair a small smile and said, “Because my daughter asked me to, and because I believe Remen will be a good investment.”

Sir Jareks seemed to take that comment at face value. Lady Jareks, on the other hand, focused on Varal like a hunting falcon preparing to dive.

“Are Remen and your daughter close?” she asked with a casual calm her intense gaze refuted.

“Just classmates and friends. Nothing romantic.”

Lady Jareks did her best to hide her disappointment. Varal decided to move the conversation back onto the topic at hand.

“Obviously, there will be details to discuss, but what do you think of my offer?”

“Have you spoken to Remen about this?” asked Sir Jareks.

“No. I didn’t want to set false expectations. He’s not an adult yet, so any agreement had to go through you first.”

The knight traded a look with his wife before he nodded.

“I think the offer sounds more than fair, assuming Remen is actually interested.”

“He will be,” interjected Lady Jereks.

Varal nodded before he moved on to the topic that needed to be addressed.

“That just leaves two questions. What kind of trouble have the two of you found yourselves in? Second, how likely is it that your problems will become my problems if I help Remen?”