"And what do you propose?" Mirigant asked.

"Several things. First, the raising of an army to occupy the borders of Piurifayne, to seal the province off, and to penetrate the jungle in search of Faraataa and his followers, which I grant you will be no easy quest."

"And who will command this army?" said the Duke of Halanx.

"Permit me to return to that in a moment," Hissune said. "To continue: we must have a second army, also to be organized in Zimroel, to occupy Piliplok—peacefully, if possible, otherwise by force—and restore it to its allegiance to the central government. Third, we must call a general conclave of all provincial rulers to discuss a rational allocation of food supplies, with the provinces not yet afflicted sharing what they have with those suffering from famine—making it clear, of course, that we are calling for sacrifice but not an intolerable sacrifice. Those provinces unwilling to share, if there are any, will face military occupation."

"A great many armies," said Manganot, "for a society that has so little in the way of a military tradition."

"When armies have been needed," Hissune replied, "we have been able to raise them somehow. This was true in Lord Stiamot's time, and again during Lord Valentine's war of restoration, and it will be the case again now, since we have no choice. I point out, though, that several informal armies already exist, under the leadership of the various self-proclaimed new Coronals. We can make use of those armies, and of the new Coronals themselves."

"Make use of traitors?" the Duke of Halanx cried.

"Of anyone who can be of use," said Hissune. "We will invite them to join us; we will give them high rank, though not, I trust, the rank to which they have appointed themselves; and we will make it clear to them that if they do not cooperate, we will destroy them."

"Destroy?" Stasilaine said.

"It was the word I meant to use."

"Even Dominin Barjazid was pardoned and sent to his brothers. To take life, even the life of a traitor—"

"Is no trifling matter," said Hissune. "I mean to use these men, not to kill them. But I think we will have to kill them if they will not let themselves be used. I beg you, though, let us consider this point another time."

"You mean to use these men?" Prince Nimian of Dundilmir said. "You speak much like a Coronal!"

"No," Hissune said. "I speak like one of the two from whom the choice, by your own earlier agreement, is to be made. And in the unfortunate absence of my lord Divvis I speak perhaps too forcefully. But I tell you this, that I have given long thought to these plans, and I see no alternative to adopting them, no matter who is to rule."

"Lord Valentine rules," said the Duke of Halanx.

"As Coronal," said Hissune. "But I think we are agreed that in the present crisis we must have a true Pontifex to guide us, as well as a Coronal. Lord Valentine, so you tell me, is sailing to the Isle to meet with the Lady. I propose to make the same journey, and speak with the Coronal, and attempt to convince him of the importance of ascending to the Pontificate. If he sees the wisdom of my arguments, he will then convey his wishes in the matter of a successor. The new Coronal, I think, must take up the task of pacifying Piliplok and Ni-moya, and of winning over the allegiance of the false Coronals. The other of us, I suggest, should have command of the army that will invade the Metamorph lands. For my part it makes no difference to me which it is to wear the crown, Divvis or I, but it is essential that we take the field at once and begin the restoration of order, which is already long overdue."