All Darkness Met (21 page)

“Why?”

“He was crawling toward her grave when he died. If there’d been any of them left, they wouldn’t have let him.”

“I wonder.”

“What?”

“If they’ll run out of assassins before we run out of us.” He paused. “Let him lie where he fell.”

Haaken understood. “It’ll cause talk.”

“I don’t care. And I won’t be buried beside her. I’ll die on a battlefield. She always knew that. She should have some-one.... And he was more truw than I.”

“He was a tough buzzard,” said Haaken. “Lived ten years longer than he had any right. And crippled he takes three of them with him.”

“They’d sing him into the sagas at home. I’ll miss him.”

“You don’t seem very upset.”

“I halfway expected it. He was looking for it. Anyway, there’s been too much. They got Nepanthe and Ethrian this morning.”

“What?”

“Somebody talked her into going off with them. Gundar saw them. I’m going over there from here. Why don’t you come too? We’ve got things to talk about.”

“Okay.”

“Wait down the hill a minute, then.”

Haaken moved off a short distance.

Ragnarson wept then. For his wife and children, and for Rolf. Rolf had been both a true friend and a loyal follower. No one could have asked more of the man than he had given voluntarily. Again Ragnarson affirmed his determination to avenge the dead.

Then he joined Haaken.

“The first thing I need,” he said, “is a plan for partial mobilization. I want to start after Oryon crosses into Altea and there’s nobody left to argue with me.”

Haaken commanded the Vorgreberger Guards, a heavy infantry regiment begat by the force Ragnarson had com-manded during the civil war. He was also Bragi’s chief of staff.

Jarl Ahring commanded the Queen’s Own Horse Guards, consisting of one “battle” of heavy cavalry and two of light. The army Ragnarson was building included another five regular regiments, each numbering six hundred to seven hundred and fifty men organized in three battles. Each regiment regularly drilled twice its number of volunteers, who could be integrated in case of mobilization. The volunteers, in turn, were responsible for training their neighbors. Counting Nordmen and retainers, Marena Dimura scouts and mountain troops, and regular garrisons and border guards. Ravelin could muster a field army of twelve thousand five hundred overnight, and be assured of a steady supply of partially trained replacements.

“How broad a mobilization?” Haaken asked.

“Just alert the ready people at first. But don’t bring them in. Let them finish planting. Step up the training.”

“You’ll scare hell out of our neighbors.”

“If they’ve got guilty consciences.... No. The enemy is Shinsan. Let that leak when you issue the orders. No more leaves. Training in full swing from now on. And reinforce Maisak and Karak Strabger. We’ve got to hold the Gap. I’ll do what I can diplomatically. We’ll have a first class plenipoten-tiary.”

“Who?”

“Varthlokkur. If they don’t listen to him, they won’t listen.”

“You won’t get much backing. I mean, I can take your word that Shinsan is moving again. But you’ll have to produce hard evidence to convince other folks.”

“I’ll work on it. And about two thousand other things. You know, Haroun wanted me to take over as King here. The bastard is crazy. And look what he wants to be king of. Hammad al Nakir is a hundred times bigger than Ravelin.”

“Hammad al Nakir runs itself. It’s got a whole different tradition.”

“Could be.”

They reached Valther’s home. “Any news?” Bragi asked.

“Not much. Nepanthe, Ethrian, Haroun, Rolf.... She couldn’t find a trace. They’re either shielded, or....”

“Or?”

“Dead.”

“Rolf’s dead. Definitely. We found him in the cemetery. He took three of them with him.”

“Three of who?”

“Ones like we had at my house.”

“Harish?”

“No pretense this time. But they were the same breed. What about the jewel?”

“It’s not there.”

“Where’d it go?”

“She doesn’t know.”

“It keeps piling up, and that’s the best we can come up with? Nobody knows anything for sure? But I do. I’ll get them if they don’t get me first.”

“That goes without saying,” Haaken remarked sarcastically.

“Eh?”

“They knew that before they started. That’s why they tried to kill you first.”

“Oh. Where’s Gundar? Let’s see what he’s got to say.”

Gundar didn’t tell them anything new. His description of Nepanthe’s visitor fit the six dead assassins.

“Guess we can kiss her off,” Haaken whispered.

“Quiet!” Bragi muttered. “This’l! give Valther a bigger stake. Maybe get some action out of him.” He felt that Valther was dragging his heels. Why? His brother-in-law kidnapped, his brother murdered.... That should have been motivation enough. If Nepanthe didn’t move him, Ragnarson reflected, he would have to find a new chief spy.

His paranoia had reached the point where he suspected everyone. Anyone he didn’t see working as hard as he-irregardless of how hard they hit it when out of his sight-was somehow betraying him.

That, too, may have been part of the enemy plan. A cunning adversary operated on many levels.

SEVENTEEN: Michael’s Adventure

Michael Trebilcock lay as still and patient as a cat. His ga/e never left the house across Lieneke Lane.

He had stumbled onto the foreigners while visiting his friend Aral, whose father had known his own in their younger days. Aral’s father was a caravan outfitter fallen on hard times. He survived on military supply contracts given because the family had remained loyal during the rebellion.

The three had left an inn down the block, looking so much like the men Michael had seen at Ragnarson’s that he had felt compelled to follow them.

His investigation had been luckless till then. Even with Aral’s help he hadn’t discovered anything of interest.

Everybody in Vorgreberg believed something was afoot. But anyone who knew anything was keeping quiet. There was an undercurrent of fear. Knives had flashed by moonlight; bodies had turned up in rain-damp morning gutters. Few people were interested in risking a premature visit from the Dark Lady. “Aral!” he had yelled, and they had followed the three here. One was inside. The others were out of sight, hiding. Aral Dantice was a short, wide, tough little thug, tempered in the streets during his father’s hardship. He didn’t look bright. Scars complimented his aura of thuggishness. His problem, his weakness, was a lack of patience. He wouldn’t have taken half his scars if he had had enough self-control.

“Let’s grab them,” Dantice whispered. “If they’re the same gang....”

“Easy. Let’s find out what they’re up to first.” “What they’re up to is no good. Let’s just cut them up.” “Suppose they’re all right? You want to hang?” Aral was straightforward, Trebilcock thought. You always knew where he stood.

Michael didn’t understand their friendship. They had little in common but curiosity and itchy feet, and the past friendship of their fathers. They were opposites in virtually everything.

But Trebilcock didn’t understand himself. He was a man without direction. He didn’t know why he had come to Ravelin. Friendship for Gjerdrum? Plain wanderlust? Or just his intense-need for an excuse not to take over his father’s business? He had turned that over to the family accountants to manage and followed Gjerdrum to this incredibly complex little kingdom, never knowing what he was seeking.

There had been few of the adventures he had anticipated. Life had been pretty dull. But now.... It had begun to move. His blood, finally, was stirring.

Aral started to rise.

Trebilcock pulled him down. “Hey! Come on!”

“One of them just left.”

Michael peered at the house. The man who had gone inside was on the porch, watching the lane. One of his henchmen was running toward town.

“Okay. Follow him. But don’t bother him. Let him do whatever he wants. I’ll stick to this one.”

“Where should we meet?”

“They’ll get together again. When they do, so will we. If they don’t, I guess we’ll meet at your place.”

“Right.” Dantice scampered along the backside of the hedge where they had hidden. He was built so low that keeping down wasn’t difficult.

A woman and boy joined the man on the porch.

The fat man’s wife, Michael thought. The boy must be his son.

The woman said something. She seemed nervous. The man nodded. She ducked inside, returned with a bundle. All three hastened along the lane.

Trebilcock crept along behind the hedge, waiting for the third man to act. Nepanthe seemed extremely upset, though she was accompanying the man by choice. She was sneaking away, and was afraid someone would notice.

“That dark guy must’ve done some fancy talking,” Trebilcock muttered.

The third man then followed Nepanthe and her escort once they rounded a bend. When he had made the same turn, Michael went back to the road. He kept his head down. He was passingthe Marshall’s home. A half-do/en soldiers were there, and might....

“Hey! Michael!”

“Damnit!” It was one of the Horse Guards he bummed with. For once in his life he wished he didn’t have so many friends. “‘Lo, Tie. How goes it?”

“Fine. Except I think they’re getting carried away trying to find things for us to do. Squaring away the Marshall’s house, you know what I mean? He’s got a wife, he’s got a maid and butler and all. Don’t seem right....”

So. The word wasn’t out. “That’s a shame. But you could be out riding around the Gudbrandsdal in the rain.”

“You got it. I don’t complain to the sergeant. He’d come up with something like that.”

“I’d like to hang around and see what’s happening, Tie, but I’ve got a job.”

“You?”

“Sure. Not much. Running messages for the Marshall’s secretary. But he expects me to get them moved.”

“Yeah. All right. Catch you later. Why don’t you plop in at the Kit ‘N Kettle tonight? Got some girls from Arsen Street coming down.... But don’t bring that chunky guy. What’s his name? Dantice. He busted the place up last time.”

“Okay. I’ll see. If Prataxis don’t keep me running.”

“What’s with that guy anyway, Mike?”

Trebilcock glanced up the lane. How far ahead were they? “Aral? Don’t mind him, Tie. He isn’t so bad when you get to know him. Hey. I’ve got to go.”

“Sure. See you later.”

Trebilcock walked briskly till his soldier-friend could no longer see him. Then he jogged, glancing down the cross lanes to make sure they hadn’t turned aside.

Fie hoped they were headed back to their inn. In Aral’s part of town they would be easier to trail.

Luck was with him. That was their destination, and he picked up the rear guard in West Market Street, which was packed with shoppers.

He found Dantice lounging around outside his father’s place. That, for Aral, was a near career. “What happened?”

“Not a damned thing. The guy came back to the inn. The others just showed up.”

“What’re they up to?”

“Mike, I don’t know. You’re the one playing spy. Ho! Hang on. Here’s the first one again.”

A dusky man had come to the inn door leading a half-dozen horses.

“Oh-oh,” Trebilcock muttered. “What do we do now?”

“How should I know? You’re the brains.”

“Aral, they’re leaving town. I never thought of that. I just thought.... Never mind. Here.” He slapped a gold piece into Dantice’s hand. “Get us a couple horses. Some food and stuff. I’m going to talk to your father.”

“Are you crazy?”

“Come on. Why not?”

“You’re nuts. All right. You straighten it with the old man.”

“Right. Yes. Come on. Hurry. We’ll lose them.”

“I’m going.”

Trebilcock slammed through the door of the Dantice establishment, knocking the bell off its mounting. “Mr. Dantice! Mr. Dantice!”

The older Dantice came from the little office where he kept his accounts. “Hello, Michael. How are you?”

“Mr. Dantice, I need some money. All the money you can give me. Here.” He seized pen and paper. “I’ll write you a letter of credit. You can take it to Pleskau Brothers. They handle my finances in Vorgreberg.”

“Michael, boy, calm down. What’s this all about?”

“Mr. Dantice! Hurry!” Trebilcock raced to the door, peeped out. Nepanthe, Ethrian, and the dark men were mounting up. “There’s no time. They’re leaving. I’m doing a job for the Marshall. I’ve got to have money. I’m going out of town.”

“But....”

“Isn’t my credit good?”

“The best.” The old man scratched the back of his head. “I just don’t understand....”

“I’ll explain when we get back. Just give me what you can.” He wrote hastily, leaving a blank for the amount.

Puzzled, but wanting to help his son’s friend-whom he thought a bit strange, but felt to be a good influence-Dantice retrieved his cash box from hiding.

“Michael, I don’t have much here today.’Bout fifteen nobles, and change.”

“That’s good. Whatever. We’ll only be gone a couple days. It’s just so we can eat on the way.” He flung himself to the dooragain. “Hurry. They’re almost gone. Come on, Aral. Where are you?”

“Twelve and seven. That’s all I can spare, Michael. I have to keep some just in case....”

“Fine. Fine. Ten is plenty, really. If I can’t get by.....” He signed the credit for ten nobles, scooped coins as fast as the older man could count them out. “Thanks, Mr. Dantice. You’re a gem.” He kissed the old man.

“Michael!”

“Hey, we’ll see you in a few days.”

He whipped out the door. Aral was just coming with the horses. “They’re all Trego had left.”

“We’ll switch later. You see where they headed?”

“Up the street. If they leave town, they’ll have to use a gate. Different than the west one, right? From here that means the east or south.”

“But which? Never mind. Let’s see if we can catch up.”

They made no friends that day, pushing through the streets the way they did, as if they were the Nordmen of old. They caught Nepanthe’s party as it turned into the Palace Road, which ran straight to the east gate.

“Got them now,” Trebilcock enthused. “We can swing around and get ahead.”