the boats takes a lot of men.”
“And a lot of time,” Endi said, “but we’ll get there. We must.”
It would show the world what Ishjemme could be. It would show his family just how much tradition had held them back. With a project like this to his name, probably all of his brothers and sisters would acknowledge that he always should have been his father’s heir.
“We’ve had to reroute several sections already,” Oli said. “There are farmsteads in the way, and people are reluctant to leave their homes.”
“You have offered them money?” Endi asked.
Oli nodded. “As you said to, and some left, but there are people who have lived there for generations.”
“Progress is necessary,” Endi said, as the crack of the hammers continued. “But don’t worry, the problem will be solved soon.”
They walked around to where more men were working on ships. Endi made a point of knowing about every ship that came into the port now. He’d spent long enough dealing with spies and killers to know how easily those could slip in. He watched the progress of the men as they worked to replace some of the vessels that were still stuck across the water. Ishjemme had to be defended.
“Endi, can I ask you a question?” Oli said.
“Of course you can, brother,” Endi said. “Although you’re the clever one. I suspect there’s not many things you could ask me you haven’t already read in one of your books.”
In truth, Endi suspected that there were plenty of things he knew that his brother didn’t, mostly about the secrets people kept, or the things people did to plot against one another. That was his world.
“It’s about Rika,” Oli said.
“Ah,” Endi replied, cocking his head to the side.
“When will you let her out of her rooms, Endi?” Oli asked. “She’s been cooped up there for weeks now.”
Endi nodded sadly. His youngest sibling was proving surprisingly intransigent. “What would you have me do? I can’t let her out when she’s in this rebellious mood of hers. The best I can do is keep her comfortable with the best food, and her harp. If people see her disagreeing at every step, it makes us look weak, Oli.”
“Even so,” Oli said, “hasn’t it been long enough?”
“It’s not like sending her to bed with no supper because she stole one of Frig’s dolls,” Endi said, with a grin at the thought of Frig ever playing with dolls rather than blades. “I can’t let her out until she’s shown that she can be trusted. Until she swears fealty to me, she stays there.”
“That could be a long time,” Oli said.
“I know,” Endi replied, with a sad sigh. He didn’t like locking his sister up like that, but what else could he do?
A soldier came up, offering a bow. “The prisoners you ordered have been brought, my lord.”
“Good,” Endi said. He looked over to his brother. “It looks as though we’re going to have a solution to the canal problem. Come on, Oli.”
He led the way back to where the statues had been broken up, the rubble lying in fragments on the ground. Perhaps a dozen men and women stood there, their hands bound.
“I’m told you are the ones who own farmsteads on the route of our new canal,” Endi said. “That you refused to sell your properties, even though I tried to be generous.”
“They’re our farms!” a man piped up.
“And this is about the prosperity of the whole of Ishjemme,” Endi shot back. “Every family will benefit, including yours. I want to offer you the money again. Can’t you see that you have no choice?”
“A man is always free to choose his path in Ishjemme,” another of the farmers shot back.
“Yes, but that path has consequences,” Endi said. “I’ll give you one last chance. As your duke, I command you to yield your claims.”
“It’s our land!” the first man shouted.
Endi sighed. “Just remember that I gave you the choice. Refusing to heed your duke’s command is treason. Men, execute the traitors.”
His men moved forward, the same axes and hammers in their hands that they’d used to smash the statues. They smashed flesh just as easily. Statues might not shriek, or beg, or make wet, gurgling sounds, but the crack of bone was near enough to the crack of stone. Endi looked around at his brother, not surprised to see Oli ashen-faced. His brother wasn’t as strong as he was.
“I know it’s hard, Oli,” he said, as more cries came in the background, “but we must do what is necessary if we are to make Ishjemme strong. If I do not do the cruel things that must be done, then others will come in and do worse.”
“As… as you say, brother.”
Endi took his brother by the shoulders. “At least this means that the way will be clear for the building projects now. I’m right in thinking that a traitor’s lands are forfeit, aren’t I?”
“I… I think that there are precedents,” Oli said. Endi could hear the quaver in his voice.
“Find them for me,” Endi said.
“What about these people’s families?” Oli said. “Some will have children, or old folk.”
“Do whatever you think is best to care for them,” Endi said. “Just so long as you get them out of the way before the work must be done.”
“I will,” Oli said. He looked thoughtful for a moment. “I… I’ll send out messages to the work crews at once.”
“See that you do,” Endi said.
He watched his brother hurrying off, knowing that Oli didn’t really understand the need for all of this. That was the luxury that came with knowing he would never have power. Rika had the same luxury. The two had probably been the only ones of his siblings who had never been warriors, never had to deal with the harsh realities of the world. Part of the reason that Endi had done all this in front of Oli was to make sure his brother learned what was sometimes needed.
It was for his own good. It was for everyone’s good. They would see it in time, and when they did, they would thank him for it. Even soft-hearted Rika would curtsey and admit that everything Endi had done was for the best. As for everyone else, they could go along with what needed to be done or…
Endi stood and listened to the sound of the hammers falling some more. They would thank him for it in the end.
CHAPTER SIX
Jan Skyddar must have been the only person in the whole of Ashton who found himself unhappy on Sophia’s wedding day, having to force a smile just so he wouldn’t ruin things for her and Sebastian, having to pretend that he was happy for her even though the ache in his heart threatened to tear him into pieces.
Now that they’d rushed her away to give birth to her child, to her and Sebastian’s child, it was even worse.
“Would
