A shock of silence swept out as those nearest to him recognized the king. Then, as quickly as the silence rolled in, everyone knelt, like a wave rolling back through the gathering. It rolled forward, too, most people on the stage kneeling as swiftly as the crowd did. Rasim was too surprised to kneel, and Kisia, who was terrible at showing deference, didn't either. Since they didn't, neither did Desimi, so they made a trio of guards just like Taishm had, except they flanked Isidri, the only other person in the courtyard who hadn't knelt.
Taishm's gaze flashed to Rasim and his com-panions. Rasim thought he saw amusement in the king's eyes, but his voice was nothing but solemn. "Rasim. Kisia. Desimi. I see congratulations are in order, Journeyman Kisia, and I'm pleased that you wear the mark of the king's guard, Desimi."
Kisia flushed with pride again. Desimi clutched the necklace's heavy pendant in one hand and tried not to look overwhelmed. Taishm waited another moment, then, dryly, said, "Kneeling might be appropriate."
"Oh!" Rasim wasn't sure which of them had blurted the sound, but they all hastily knelt. That time Rasim was sure he saw humor in Taishm's expression, but he still kept it from his voice as he turned his attention to Isidri.
"Guildmaster."
"That would be Asindo." Isidri's tone was bright, as if masking something, and after a moment she bowed. "Your Majesty."
"Yes," Taishm agreed. "I'll want to speak to that Guildmaster as well. I suppose, Seamaster Isidri, that in deference to your age I won't ask you to kneel. Siliaria forbid you shouldn't be able to get up again."
A tittering gasp ran through the crowd. Isidri's mouth went sour. "You've arrived at my hall in the garb of my guild, Taishm. Here, I outrank you. You might have come at any time in the past weeks," she said much more softly, so the words might reach the king alone. "Why wait until today?"
"So I could gauge the response of those who knew nothing of your plans," Taishm said just as softly.
Rasim realized he was holding his breath so he could hear the conversation. Beside him, Kisia hiccuped a little gasp of air, too, obviously doing the same thing. They caught each other's eyes and for a sudden, desperate moment, they had to fight off body-wracking laughter. It lasted until Desimi caught Rasim in the ribs with a sharp elbow and glared, his own gaze darting to the sparring Guildmaster and king. He clearly didn't want to miss anything either. Tears of laughter burned Rasim's eyes and he bit the insides of his cheeks, trying to calm down. He didn't even know what was going on, but it was definitely important, and they were going to ruin it all by giggling.
Neither Taishm nor Isidri paid any attention to them, though Rasim was sure they were both aware of the hysterical journeymen. Isidri, still almost inaudible, said, "And?"
"And I think a monarch less lenient than I would accuse you of instigating rebellion in Ilyara."
All of Rasim's humor vanished in an instant. Of all the people to accuse of treason, Guildmaster Isidri, who had nearly died for Ilyara and for Taishm—he didn't know his head had snapped up or that he was glaring outrage at the king until Taishm's attention slid from Isidri to the three journeymen again. "I said a monarch less lenient than I. Call off your sharks, Rasim al Ilialio, lest we have words."
Bristling, not understanding, Rasim looked around. On his left, Desimi's jaw was set and his breath held, making his big shoulders and chest look even broader. On his right, Kisia's lip was curled and her fingers were braced against the stage, like she would use it to launch herself at the king. Rasim wasn't the only one prepared to fight for Isidri.
Not the only one by far. Tension filled every line of Hassin's body, too. In fact, of the sea witches on stage, only Captain Asindo—Guildmaster Asindo—was not prepared to fight. Everyone else who had heard any of the conversation was tense, angry, and ready to defend Isidri. The weight of gathering sea witchery was massive, almost as heavy as Rasim had ever felt it. Taishm was king, and gifted in all manners of magic, but Rasim doubted he could stand against the full onslaught of the Seamasters' Guild.
Rasim, very carefully, exhaled his anger away and lifted a hand to spread his fingers wide, signaling to the gathered masters that they should calm themselves. The weight of magic in the air didn't change. Concern twisted Rasim's belly and made sweat stand out on his skin. They had to listen, even if his command was silent. Call off your sharks, Taishm had said, and call them off Rasim would. He stood, drawing everyone's attention, and met every belligerent gaze with his own determined calm.
One by one, face by face and magic by magic, the Seamasters let their power go. The aura of threat lessened, then faded, and finally, as Rasim knelt again, disappeared entirely. Kisia and Desimi were the very last to relinquish their witchery, like they were protecting Rasim as much as Isidri.
Taishm al Ilyara, king of the city-state, pursed his lips and studied Rasim. Rasim shivered, unable to read anything in the king's expression, but feeling like he was being judged, or maybe more than judged. Like he was something new and potentially dangerous, and that the king was deciding whether he should be allowed to live.
For the moment, it appeared he passed muster. Taishm's attention snapped away from him as if it had never been there, returning to Isidri. "You certainly have the hearts of your people," he said, soft once more, and then so quietly Rasim thought it wasn't meant to be heard at all, "Would that I had such loyalty." More clearly—much more clearly, permitting the assembly at large to hear him—he said, "The Great Fire made hundreds of orphans, swelling the guild ranks to greater numbers than have ever been known in Ilyara's history. I have watched Guildmaster Isidri these past weeks as she has worked to begin building a legacy unlike any other, and I see now that she has the support of her guild and," he nodded to the array of masters represented on the stage, "at least some backing within the other guilds."
A rumble of agreement went up, no one quite willing to break into cheers and interrupt the king's speech. Taishm smiled faintly and climbed the steps to the stage so he could face the larger audience. "I would take Guildmaster Isidri's vision one step farther. It is no secret that the royal family is smaller and weaker in magic than it once was—"
That got a response whether Taishm intended it to or not. It was one thing for the city to gossip about its weakening monarchs. It was something else to have the king himself admit it. The whispers and murmurs reached a peak and faded quickly as Taishm continued to speak over them, not dwelling on the topic and therefore not allowing the crowd to. "—nor that my cousin's decision to marry a Northerner was unpopular. But he was not wrong in that the al Ilyara needs new blood.
"It's commonly believed that only those of al Ilyara blood can master all four forms of witchery. But then, it was common knowledge that only young children could learn witchery at all, and Kisia al Ilialio has proven that wrong. Perhaps we all have the talent for more than one kind of magic. I would like to find out. I propose a new guild, called the King's Guild, which will take apprentices and young journeymen from each of the others, and ask them to study all forms of witchery."
Excitement burst in Rasim's chest. Kisia bumped her shoulder against his, her expression bright and enthusiastic. The youngest apprentices in the crowd looked equally thrilled, their high young voices suddenly rising in squeals. Several journeymen looked sour, perhaps fearing themselves too old to take part in Taishm's new guild, and many masters were clearly uncomfortable. Taishm's proposal went too much against the way things had always been. Rasim shook his head impatiently. If they'd been willing to support Isidri, it was silly for them to not embrace Taishm's interpretation of the same idea.
Taishm, though, seemed pleased at the response, as if understanding that it was the youngest guildmembers whose support he most needed. "It may not work," he admitted, "but even if it doesn't, I believe it will accomplish what Seamaster Isidri wishes: a greater understanding between each of our guilds, and perhaps with the palace as well. This, I hope, will be my legacy as well as Isidri's, but I have a final question to ask before it can go forward."
He turned to Isidri. "Will you, Seamaster Isidri, agree to become Guildmaster to the new guild, and select teachers from each of the guilds to train our new students?"
Isidri gave him a good hard look. "That's not much like retirement, young man."
Taishm laughed. "I was thinking of it more as keeping your meddling fingers out of Asindo's new Guildmastery, if you must know. It's a rare Guild-master who retires rather than dies in office, and I think that's to save their successors from all the scolding glances and clucking tongues."
Isidri looked affronted. "I would never!"
Anything else she might have said was lost beneath a howl of disbelieving laughter shared by apprentices and masters alike. Isidri chuckled, then did as she'd refused to before: knelt before King Taishm. "I'd be honored, lad."
"I'm thirty-eight," Taishm said dryly. "I'm nobody's lad, Isidri."
"At my age, everybody's a child. Do you want me to do the job or not?"
Taishm laughed too. "Yes. Yes, I do. Rise up, Kingmaster Isidri, and come with me to discuss your new guild." He took her hands and drew her up to a wall-shaking bellow of approval. Isidri's brown cheeks actually darkened a little with a blush, leaving her looking rather young and very pleased. Asindo caught her in a hug when Taishm finally released her hands. That was enough for all the other guild members on the stage, and they converged on her, hugging and offering congratulations. Rasim hung back, watching with a smile, until the shifting crowd brought him up beside Taishm.
The king arched a curious eyebrow. "Not in the thick of it?"
"I'll get my chance. I like to see everyone happy. Seamaster blue looks good on you, sire."
Taishm grinned down at himself. "It does. Better than Sunmaster red, to be sure. I've always thought it was too harsh for me. I'm surprised you're not wearing it."
Rasim shook his head. "I'm a Seamaster, whether you've got me studying with the Sunmasters or not."
"Perhaps I'll put you in coats of many colors," the king offered. "All of you, in the Kingmasters' Guild."
Rasim stumbled over his own feet, for all that he wasn't even moving. "What? Me? In the Kingmasters' guild?"
"You began all this. Shouldn't you reap the benefit of that?"
"I—I..." Rasim's breath wheezed out of him, hope crushed by reason. "I...really? But I'm a terrible witch, your majesty. Everybody knows that. You should be asking, well, Desimi. Maybe Kisia. But me? I want to," he said wistfully. "I really want to. But...me?"
Taishm's manner went dry. "I am the king. I could insist."
"Insist on what?" Captain Asindo appeared beside the two of them, clapping Rasim on the shoulder. He was already wearing the arm-bar decorations that marked the Guildmaster, and Rasim, looking at the length of Asindo's greying hair, thought maybe he should adopt the colorful braid as well. It had made Isidri stand out, and it would be a nice nod to the witch who had been Guildmaster longer than any other.
"Insist that Rasim be part of the Kingmasters' Guild. He seems to feel he lacks the talent."
Asindo shrugged his big shoulders. He wasn't a tall man, but he was wide and burly, not the sort to trouble with. He ran the Waifia with thoughtful silence, making his crew think twice about their duties, and Rasim expected him to run the guild the same way. "I'd think a small talent in many magics would be as worthy as a great skill in one."
"It's done me well enough," Taishm said dryly.
Asindo beetled his thick eyebrows, then chuckled. "I meant no offense, majesty. I was thinking in terms of the ordinary populace, not the royal family. But at the moment you can't have Rasim."
"What?" Taishm and Rasim both said the word, though Rasim snapped his mouth shut so a wail of protest wouldn't break free. The king, however, suddenly made the most of his height and his rank, staring incredulously at Asindo, who wasn't bothered at all.
"I said you can't have him. Nor Desimi nor Kisia, for that matter. The Waifia sails on the afternoon tide, and my journeymen will be aboard."
Rasim said, "What?" again in a much smaller voice. Ships' schedules were set weeks ahead of time, but he'd heard nothing about the Waifia setting sail. Of course, with as busy as he'd been, running between guilds, maybe that wasn't a surprise. He wondered if Kisia and Desimi would have bodily hauled him onto the ship the same way they'd gotten him out of bed that morning.
Taishm rolled his jaw and scowled at Asindo. The Guildmaster lifted his eyebrows and waited patiently, a tactic Rasim had seen him use ship-board dozens of times. Just like the freshest apprentice, Taishm slowly lost his edge, irritation sliding into exasperation. "Well, Siliaria's—hair," he said with a little too much emphasis, obviously substituting a milder curse for whatever he'd had in mind. Rasim eyed him in amusement. If the king thought he hadn't heard—and said—worse in his time, then Taishm was much more sheltered than any Guild orphan could hope to be.
Asindo smiled in a self-satisfied way that re-minded Rasim of Isidri. It wasn't a smile he was used to seeing from Asindo, and he wondered if it came with being Guildmaster. "That's what I thought," Asindo said, then said, "Well?" to Rasim.
"Nothing. I just didn't know we were sailing this afternoon. And how can you take the Waifia when you've just been made Guildmaster? Isidri never had time to sail her ship."
"First, it's a poor sea witch who doesn't know when his ship's due to sail, Rasim. I don't care if you're studying with the Sunmasters. I expect you to keep up on your duties here." Asindo flicked a finger up as he spoke, then a second one as he continued. "Two, Isidri officially retired the Waifia into my hands when she turned seventy-five, so for twice your lifespan and more she's had no ship of her own to sail."
Rasim's eyes popped, though he kept his lips pressed shut as he did the quick calculation. He was thirteen, so twice his lifetime was twenty-six, which meant Isidri was at least a hundred and one years old. And she'd just taken on a new position as King's Guildmaster. It seemed likely she intended to live forever. Rasim couldn't quite imagine anyone stopping her.
"You're not paying attention," Asindo said drolly.
"I am! The Waifia—I didn't know she'd been Guildmaster Isidri's. I thought Guildmasters gave up their ships."
"They do, but there's no sense in having a good ship put to shore for years on end, which brings us to three." Asindo lifted a third finger. "I'm sorry to say it, but I won't be the Waifia's captain for this journey. And that's why you and the rest of the crew are going, no questions asked. I'll not have a new captain on board with a crew who doesn't know the ship."
No journeyman would argue with a captain on that, much less the Guildmaster. The king, though, drew breath to protest and was silenced by a look from Asindo. "My guild, my crew, my laws, your majesty. You can have Rasim when they return."
Taishm's eyes glittered. "It's your guild, but even the guildmasters are mine to command. If the Waifia must sail today, then sail she shall, but to the destination I desire. I didn't come here today only to hear Isidri's plans made public. I have also come to send Rasim to the Northlands."