“So Marshal-General thinks,” Arcolin said. “But some Girdish think all magery evil. Those turn against Marshal-General.”
“Marshal-General is prince of Girdish,” the prince said. “Turn against prince is not Law. Is make kteknik.”
“These kteknik—” Arcolin chose to use the gnomish word. “—they have killed children and adults who they think have magery. Without reason. Against Marshal-General’s commands. Those accused flee to save children.”
“So … it is that the quarrel is those in Law against those kteknik?”
“It is.”
The prince said nothing; Arcolin waited. And waited. Finally, the Gnarrinfulk prince nodded again. “It is not known before. Law is that only some Girdish break contract by intent. Other Girdish wrong—boundary is boundary—but save children is not wrong.” He tilted his head to the side. “Lord Prince Aldonfulk wrote, said you saved kapristinya and children. After Dragon said all kteknik.”
Arcolin nodded rather than argue what Dragon had actually said. “Law to save children.”
“No kapristin would have known if all died.”
“It is not for being known,” Arcolin said. “Law required.”
“Ah. Lord Prince Aldonfulk wrote you have hesktak who was once kteknik.”
“Yes.” Where was this leading?
“Hesktak teach you well. You speak Law. Your tribe prosper. You have scent of Dragon. You met Dragon?”
“Yes,” Arcolin said. “More than once.”
The faintest hint of a smile on the prince’s face. “Dragon ask are you wise?”
“Yes. No man wise compared to Dragon.”
The prince nodded. “What help needs Marshal-General and king?”
Arcolin had not expected that offer; he had hoped merely to keep the gnomes from attacking humans in retaliation for border violations. He suggested that the prince let those fleeing mage-hunters across the border long enough to escape but stop the mage-hunters.
“Is not enough,” the prince said. “Is need help Marshal-General restore order. Order is Law. No order is kteknik. Kteknik humans is trouble.”
From that moment, things moved rapidly. The gnomish Warmaster appeared at the prince’s call, bringing maps. The gnomes’ information on the situation in southern Fintha was more recent than Arcolin’s. They knew a force from Fin Panir had come south … they had assumed it was to attack the Gnarrinfulk.
“I believe they are after the mage-hunters,” Arcolin said. “Do you know of a force of them?”
The Warmaster knew of other gatherings of humans but had not distinguished among them. “Only that some chase some.”
The Gnarrinfulk prince, in rapid gnomish, explained to the Warmaster what Arcolin had explained to him. Then he turned back to Arcolin. “It is that Lord Prince Arcolin prevented Gnarrinfulk error of Law. It is Gnarrinfulk say Law is those hunt magefolk kteknik. Gnarrinfulk for Law and contract with true Girdfulk. Warmaster go with you. Law is Law.” He stood and bowed.
“Law is Law,” Arcolin said, bowing in return.
The Aldonfulk gnomes did not reappear; Gnarrinfulk gnomes took Arcolin and his horse “by the stone,” as they put it. He emerged in morning sunlight from the side of a hill that closed behind him, and there below, on the South Trade Road, was his cohort and the Royal Guard troop.
“Well?” Cracolnya asked.
“Allies,” Arcolin said. “They are mustering in support of the Marshal-General; the gnome prince has decided that only the mage-hunters, not those fleeing them, have breached the old contract between Gird and gnomes.”
The Royal Guard captain stared. “How did you convince a gnome? We tried; gnomes don’t listen. Just said law, law, law all the time.”
Arcolin looked around. He could not see any gnomes. That did not mean no gnomes were there, listening. Whatever he said must work for both peoples. “Gnomes live by Law. They value Law. They value contracts, which are the word of Law and set the equality, the balance, between parties to the contract. Trespass breached Gird’s contract, the basis of peace between gnomes and humans.”
“Yes, but—”
Arcolin held up his hand. “In Law, few things—many fewer than for us—allow one party to a contract to break its terms without freeing the other completely. In this case, breaking a contract of peace would have meant war. The prince did not know that one of the very few conditions that alter contracts existed.”
“And what is that? Some gnomish silliness?” The captain was clearly still annoyed, and worse than that, loud, and worse than both, showing contempt.