Chapter 47 #2
“The flood damage in ‘47. Which, granted, is involved in rather a lot of that tapestry, for people who have the maps in their heads.” Which Orion did, because he’d taken the rising floodwaters as something of personal affront.
“The bits that look rather washed out, colour-wise, though I admit it’s a subtle effect if you don’t know what to look for. ”
“The question is, Orion, whether the flood damage needs particular attention at the moment. It was horrendous at the time. I don’t think any of us are denying that.
You needn’t argue for it, Paul.” Claudio said that quickly, and Paul snorted, leaning back slightly.
He at least had Claudio’s measure, more or less, thanks to Ursula’s various plots over the past few years related to the land. “But the question is the priority now.”
“By that argument,” Orion said, “the bombing damage is five years old or more at this point, most all of it.”
That got a short argument on the topic, and Claudio let them go at it for a minute or two before clearing his throat. “Make your lists of what you consider a priority.”
“Claudio.” Orion’s voice cut over the rest of the rumble of conversation. “Havering and Willis, that article on soil deposits and the weakening of topsoil.”
“I’m not making your argument for you.” Claudio parried back.
Though he knew the article, of course he did.
“Write it up for next week. Or whenever Silvia wants to put it on the agenda again...” He let his voice trail off.
It did, however, make a tidy demonstration that he and Orion were not lock-step on everything.
He didn’t think Orion was wrong, mind, just that it was a question of balancing focus or finding people to head different pieces of it without stretching anything too thin.
She flicked two fingers. “Likely next week. Prepare your arguments, all of you. Go on, Claudio, this wasn’t your only point, I’m certain.”
“I have a question about London.” That was Mary Sprite’s voice behind him.
He had not known her particularly well until this summer.
She’d taken Cyrus’s seat, what they thought of as the Magician.
In the couple of conversations he’d had in the past month she’d shown herself to be as sharp an analyst as anyone he’d met.
Which had, naturally, stiff competition.
She’d worked in London for most of her career as a secretary at MI6.
That particular detail was not widely known, even among the Council. She kept information close.
Now he turned, gesturing. “Of course, Mary.”
“Why do you care about London particularly?” That, now, was a blatant challenge, but a reasonable question. “And how informed is your opinion?”
“Let me take those in reverse order. London, of course, has always been complex, both in terms of magic and in terms of the Council. The general approach has historically been, ‘We’re not sure how the Keeper of London manages, but we’re not going to get in the way’.
” That got a decided laugh from two-thirds of the room. “Orion, what’s the citation I want?”
“Griggs and Hornsby, Cities and the Passage of Magic. Looks at London, Paris, Vienna, Rome, Budapest. Appendix on Vatican City, via a Catholic with more access, a brother who was a priest posted there. Written in the early 1910s, published in 1921, so taking the Great War into account, but not the long-term implications.” Of course Orion had that one to hand; Claudio had been sure he did.
Orion added, “I’ve a copy, I know Gabe does, and I believe there’s one in the library here. ”
Silvia said, “There is. Mabyn was sorting that section last week. It’s downstairs now.
” Mabyn and Cyrus had been steadily working through the library and moving the items that didn’t need to be kept to Council only downstairs.
They would be accessible for other research and could also be tended by people not on the Council.
It was an extensive project. Four years in, they were only about half done.
Claudio nodded. “We’re all generally familiar, I believe, with the theory that denser population tends to disperse magical flow.
Trellech’s about the largest size before there are noticeable impacts, at twenty thousand, give or take the season.
And Trellech, of course, was also designed for it when it was rebuilt, where London wasn’t.
The rebuilding after the Great Fire, as well as now, has affected a number of points from the earlier city.
” Then he took a quick breath and added, “I have had reason to consider the problem of London more directly, thanks to ongoing conversations with someone who grew up there, who loves the city, but who finds it painful now, returning after years away after the war. Matthew Lawson, my partner, of course.”
There. He’d said it, in this space. There was a silence for ten seconds, then he got a nod from Mary. “Thank you. I agree London needs some particular thought, and perhaps different handling. I’d be glad to head a small committee to focus on it, perhaps a tour of key places?”
“I’d be interested.” Claudio said promptly, echoed by Gabe, predictably, but a couple of others as well.
“My current understanding, based on the tapestry there and conversations so far, is that the Council has done a fine job with maintaining the agreements with the Fatae, a solid job dealing with specific problems with the land itself, but has a rather spotty record with considering the people of the land. Especially those places with the most bombing damage. I draw attention to Southampton, Coventry, and the other relevant points, of course.” There.
He’d said it. Out loud, and not as diplomatically as they were used to hearing about their failures.
Now it was time to see what they did with it.
Before he could go on, he heard Ulric Monkton clear his throat to his left as he was facing Mary, so he shifted again.
The feeling rolling at him, aided by the carpet’s charms, was far less cordial than anything else so far.
He’d been one of the three gossiping, originally, along with Nonus Powell and Desmond Belling.
Figuring out the strategy with the three of them was complex.
Now, he tucked away the fact that what he was getting from Silvia was what her words had suggested— interest, openness to what he was saying, and giving him a fair chance to make his case.
And, he thought, though this might dissolve as a fancy, that she was honestly supportive beyond that.
Ulric said, “Silvia, are you really going to let our newest and least seasoned member speak to us like that?”
Claudio almost thought for a moment that she was going to say something sharp.
She didn’t, but what she said was even better, in terms of the debate and in terms of support for him and what he was doing.
“Oh, I’m interested in listening. Holding up a mirror to my own past limitations seems useful. Go on, please, Claudio.”
It made him consider what to say next. He had a number of points about the tapestry that could go on.
But after a second’s tactical consideration, he let the image drop, bringing his hands together to smooth out his vitality.
He could feel what it had taken out of him, and he was grateful again for Gabe’s easy offer of help.
“I was thinking that— correct me if I’m wrong— it’s been some time since the Council as a whole had a chance to see the range of skills held by its members.
Gabe told me of a couple of his particular demonstrations, but such things have not been common in at least two generations. ”
It got Malcolm, who’d had a long history of collaborating with the Guard and Penelopes, to start laughing. “You’ve been talking to Cyrus as well.”
“Given the opportunity, it seemed sensible. Now, then. I propose something I know I’ll have takers for, as a first step while we think of other opportunities for other kinds of skills.
A round robin of duels, for those of us who duel.
” He heard immediate agreement from his left.
He’d known Orion and Gabe would be on that, but he held up a finger.
“Round robin, and then a match, all in, charmed colours. Person who makes it through with the least damaging hits, and the person who makes the most, both get bragging rights.”
“Where did you have in mind? I’d volunteer the Veritas duelling salle, but that gives me an edge. And Fairlight, the same for Orion.” Gabe definitely sounded amused, but also clear Claudio had a plan. “And Schola doesn’t have a good viewing area, even if we weren’t going into the school year.”
“Oh, I thought we might do some warding, let people watch from the curtain wall, and do it here. Out in the courtyard. Spaces to use for cover, a proper ground. Well protected already, of course, but not one any of us are used to using for that. None of us have any particular advantage. And it’s closer to a real fighting environment than any salle.
” He knew enough about the warding and protections to be confident.
“Agreements about the classes of charms, of course, as always, but that’s easy enough to manage. ”
“Huh.” He’d actually pushed Gabe to near silence. He would be crowing about that point later.
“As a bit of an expansion, I’m certain Alexander would want in, and I suspect we could get Cyrus to referee for us. Anyone else?” Claudio laid that out, but he didn’t push at it. “And as I said, a chance for other forms of demonstration of skill and knowledge. Apple tasting, perhaps, Paul?”
It got a laugh out of Paul. “Oh, I was thinking more about identifying seeds, perhaps. Much trickier than apples. Though I suspect you and Gabe know more about that sort of thing than you usually show. Or have tricks to help.”