Anaxthenes and his party were met at the door of Great King Cleitharses' private audience chamber by the Chancellor and a distinguished gray-haired Highpriest in yellow robes whom he had never seen before. The Highpriest pulled the door open, bowed and stepped out of the way.
All four walls of the chamber, except for the window slits, were covered with shelves of scrolls in golden cases. The Great King rose out of his chair unevenly, using a cane to gain his feet. Although the Great King's back was bowed by age, his hands were still steady. Out of his cloth-of-gold robes, Great King Cleitharses, with his wild hair and untrimmed beard, could have passed for one of Balph's beggars or vagabonds. Both Cleitharses' eyes were the color of milk, and he was all but blind.
"Your Majesty." Anaxthenes said, "I'm not familiar with your advisor."
"This is Highpriest Danthor who hails from Iylos Town in Hos-Bletha. He was driven from the Temple when the nomads sacked the town. When I asked Archivist Vyros for a new reader, he recommended Highpriest Danthor. He's done a wonderful job; his voice is magnificent."
Highpriest Danthor made a slight bow, but otherwise appeared attentive. Anaxthenes made a mental note to interview him later. Since the Investigator's purge of the Temple's upper ranks, there was a growing need for highpriests who were not Roxthar's minions. His agents had informed him that Roxthar's tentacles had not stretched as far as Hos-Bletha-for now.
"What can I do for you Speaker? I don't have a lot of time. Danthor has been reading me Plymestros' Chronicles regarding the Second Nomad Invasion."
Everyone looked at Anaxthenes, so he began. "Styphon's House has come to ask for your support for the final war against the Usurper Kalvan."
"Yes, of course, you have my support." He looked back at Highpriest Danthor as if he expected them to suddenly disappear.
"We need more than your moral support, Your Majesty. We need the Sacred Squares and the princely armies of Hos-Ktemnos for the coming battles."
"No, Speaker. You and your generals," Cleitharses paused to look straight at Grand Master Soton. "You used the armies of Hos-Ktemnos badly last time. Now, We have two new barbarian provinces, which dare to call themselves kingdoms, to protect Ourselves against. Use the Armies of Hos-Harphax and Hos-Agrys."
"They are not large enough to win this war, Your Majesty. We must have the Sacred Squares to defeat the Usurper Kalvan in his own lair."
"Kalvan, what has he ever done against Us? Kalvan, in his letters to Us, asks for peace and tells Us he has no animus against Our subjects. He does not attack unless provoked. No, I will not make the same mistake a second time against Our neighbor. Let this ruthless King Lysandros, who steals his nephews' inheritance, spend his men to regain his lost princedoms. It is not Our fight and We will not countenance it!"
Anaxthenes was taken aback. "It's not a request from me, but from Styphon, your God."
"Styphon is no longer my god, or that of my people. We have many gods and goddesses, and none are as ruthless and heartless as Styphon and his so-called Investigators. Your priests have badly used Our subjects. We will not aid you or Styphon's House any farther in your endless wars."
Anaxthenes cursed Roxthar and his bloody ways under his breath; this was a side of Cleitharses he had never seen before. Since Cleitharses was not moved by this wind, he would have to take another tack. He leaned forward and began to whisper to the Great King, who had slumped back down in his chair. He noted that Highpriest Danthor had moved back out of listening range. "How would your people act if they learned that their Great King dallied with Royal Pages?"
Cleitharses leaned back in his chair and laughed, his toothless mouth and sightless eyes wide open. "Priest, you dare threaten me? Our subjects would be amused at such a trifle in these days of discord. Almtros, bring me the letters."
The Chancellor, who had been lurking in the corner, left the chamber to return a few moments later with a servant carrying a large basket overflowing with parchments. "These are all complaints about your Archpriest Roxthar and his Investigation. This is only one often baskets, containing more letters than I have received in the past two winters. Rein your beast in, or there will be blood in the streets!"
Anaxthenes leaned in closer. "We are in agreement, Your Majesty. It is Roxthar's plan to join the Grand Host in Hos-Harphax and to take his Investigators with him to rid the false kingdom of Hos-Hostigos of unbelievers."
The Great King slumped down as if his unexpected burst of anger had drained him of all his strength. He was a frail man and naive about the ways of the world since he had spent most of his reign in the Royal Library. "But why should I spend my soldiers do the Temple's work and thereby aid this madman's desire to ravage Hostigos?"
Anaxthenes leaned in again to make his point. "Because, Your Majesty, it will remove Archpriest Roxthar and his Investigators from Hos-Ktemnos. With the Ktemnoi troops, the Grand Host will be able to defeat the Usurper Kalvan and Roxthar will spend the next few winters Investigating the Hostigi. When he returns, I will be Styphon's Own Voice and there will be no more Investigation in this kingdom-ever. You have my oath."
Cleitharses looked as if he were about to laugh then thought better of it. "Despite all your ruthlessness and scheming, Speaker, I have never heard you called oath-breaker. Still, I hesitate to send my armies to the north against Hos-Hostigos when I now have two new enemies to the west, the Warlord Sargos, who now calls himself the Var-Wannax, and King Nestros, who falsely claims the title of Great King."
"My castellans will guard the borders of Hos-Ktemnos," Soton said, speaking up for the first time.
"With what, Grand Master, after you strip the border tarrs of their Lances to fight Kalvan in Hostigos?"
A brilliant scheme blossomed in Anaxthenes' mind. "What if I could promise you the neutrality of King Nestros, Your Majesty? Would you commit your Army and the princely levy against the Usurper?"
The old king was so quiet that for a few moments Anaxthenes thought he'd fallen asleep.
"That would ease my fears of invasion. Yes, but only if Roxthar and his Investigators also depart."
"There is nothing on this earth, nor in Hadron's realm, that could keep Investigator Roxthar from joining the Grand Host of Styphon. The Investigator is so anxious to Investigate Kalvan and his Queen that he is already sharpening his favorite knives and chisels."
"Then I will agree to join the war against Hos-Hostigos, but only after you bring me proof that King Nestros will not attack or commit any aggression upon Hos-Ktemnos."
"It will be done, Your Majesty. I will conduct the negotiations myself." The situation in Balph was tenuous, with Sesklos at death's gate, but without Cleitharses' support the war against Kalvan would be doomed. It would be up to him to convince Nestros to make an alliance with Hos-Ktemnos-for now!
"Very good, Speaker. But, I'm not finished. I also want Highpriest Danthor to represent Us both on the mission to Rathon and in the Inner Circle."
Anaxthenes looked over at Highpriest Danthor who appeared as surprised at the Great King's request as he was. Cleitharses' expression was grim and fixed; Anaxthenes could tell this was not a negotiable point. He knew when to retreat as well as when to advance. "It shall be done. There are two openings in the Inner Circle."
Great King Cleitharses' eyes closed as if the last of his energy had departed with their agreement.
Anaxthenes turned to Danthor and said, "Highpriest, we will meet tonight to discuss the details of both your mission and your new responsibilities as a member-elect of the Inner Circle of Styphon's House."
Danthor nodded, his eyes carefully guarded.
Almost petulantly, the Great King stirred, adding, "I also want Danthor to continue to read my scrolls. He's my favorite reader."
"Of course, as duty permits, Your Majesty," Anaxthenes responded, almost without thought. To be allowed his own ear in Great King Cleitharses' private chambers was too good an offer to refuse. This Highpriest could be a valuable tool, or even possibly an ally. In these troubled times there were only two factions: you were either for Roxthar or against him. And in Balph, if you were against him, you were for Anaxthenes.