The Tritonian Ring and Other Pasudian Tales (27 page)

             
In a flash of insight Vakar realized why Awoqqas sat upon a throne six feet up, and why he was beheading the entire commonality of his kingdom. He could not bear to be smaller than his subjects, and therefore was employing this drastic method of reducing their stature so that they should no longer look down upon him in any sense of the phrase.

             
Not wishing to give Awoqqas any unwholesome ideas, Vakar deliberately slouched to subtract a couple of inches from his own stature.

             
Awoqqas was staring at a cleared space on the stone floor in front of his throne. On the edges of this space two small oil-lamps with copper reflectors burned and, as Vakar watched, an izzuni came in and extinguished the
torchère
s
, leaving the chamber illuminated only by the two little lamps on the floor.

             
The space fit by the lamps, Vakar saw, was marked with a large and complex pentacle. Awoqqas extended his arms towards it, fingers pointing, and muttered a spell in a language that the Lorskan did not know. Gradually the pentacle faded from sight as a phantasm appeared on the
il
luminated space. The phantasm was a reproduction in miniature of a stretch of sandy desert, across which flowed a mass of riders. These riders bestrode tall humped animals that Vakar recognized from descriptions as camels, but like the rest of the scene they were in miniature, man and camel together standing no more than a span in height. The men wore shroud-like black cloths that were fastened to their heads by head-bands and fell away in folds to cover most of their bodies, and the lower parts of their faces were concealed by veils. They carried long spears. Their number seemed endless; as some passed out of sight on one side of the phantasm, others came into view on the other.

             
King Awoqqas spoke a word and the phantasm van
i
shed. As the izzuni came in again and relit the
torchères
, the king said:

             
"You have seen the army of the Gwedulians marching westward along the southerly borders of my land. I thought they might turn north to attack us; but they are continuing west. I suspect they mean to cross the Tamenruft to assail Gamphasantia."

             
Vakar said: "Do you mean to warn the Gamphasantians, King?"

             
"Nay.
I have nothing to do with them; I do not wish to antagonize the Gwedulians; and it would do no good, for the Gamphasants pay no heed to outside advice."

             
"Are they a civilized people?"

             
"One might say so; they have a capital city and raise their food by farming. In other respects they are very odd. But tell me what you are doing here, Master Fiegos?"

             
"I am travelling for pleasure, to see places far and strange before settling down. For instance, I have heard of the—ah—unusual customs of Belem, and of your talisman, the Tahakh, and should like to see these marvels with my own eyes."

             
Awoqqas nodded. "It is proper that the barbarous and disorderly outer lands should send men to learn our superior ways. Perhaps some day they will all be as orderly as we. You have seen the izzuneg, and tomorrow I will have you shown the fallen star. There is a fascinating story of how it got into my possession after it originally fell in Tartaros. But—you are something of a magician yourself, are you not?"

             
Vakar made a modest gesture. "Not compared to you, my lord King."

             
Awoqqas nodded with the ghost of a smile. "That is the spirit I like. Most travellers are insufferable braggarts and disorderly to boot. But I cannot.
continue
this audience because I must be about my great work."

             
"Making more izzuneg?"

             
"Precisely.
It is the greatest feat of thaumaturgy in the history of magic. By it I not only reduce my subjects to
j
order; I please Immut, the god of death and the greatest of all the gods. Now, you may watch me eat as a mark of
special favor." The king clapped his hands.

             
"Is this the usual time of dining in Belem?" asked Vakar.

             
"
My
usual time is whenever I hunger. As I remain underground nearly all the time, the revolutions of the heavenly bodies mean little to me save as their astrological aspects affect my magical operations." As an izzuni came in with a tray of food and drink, the king added: "Shall I have you served also?"

             
"Pray excuse me. My stomach has been upset, and I am fasting to let it settle." Vakar's real reason for declining the offer was fear of poison.

             
The king ate for a few minutes, then said: "Perhaps you would like livelier entertainment," and to the izzuneg: "Send in
Rezzâra
and a musician."

             
As the headless servant went out, Vakar asked: "How do you control those beings? How can they hear you without ears?"

             
"They do not hear with material ears.
When you speak to one your thoughts are perceived directly by the sylph animating it.
The sylph will, however, obey only me or one whom I have expressly delegated to command it; otherwise a fearful disorder would ensue. Ah, here is our most accomplished dancer. Dance for the visitor,
Rezzâra
!"

             
Two people had come in: a small Belemian with a tootle-pipe and a woman. The latter was young and voluptuously formed—a fact that was patent at once, for she wore nothing but an assortment of rings, bracelets, anklets, and pendants of jewels and amber beads suspended from ears, neck, and waist. This gaudery clattered and clicked as she moved.

             
The little man sat cross-legged on the floor and began playing a wailing tune that reminded Vakar of the music that Qasigan had played in Sederado when he had brought the serpent to life. Vakar braced himself for some such marvel, but all that happened was that
Rezzâra
went into a sensuous dance. She sank to her knees before him, leaning back and looking up through half-closed lids,
her
arms writhing like serpents. Had he been alone with
her
...

             
As it was he had to sit with the blood pounding in his
ears while
Rezzâra
strove by all the arts known to the dancing-girl to stimulate him to madness. She had a trick of making her breasts jiggle while all the rest of her remained immobile. He could feel his face flushing and was not displeased when
Rezzâra
finished her act with a prostration in front of Awoqqas and ran out, her ornaments jingling. Her accompanist followed. "A splendid performance," said Vakar sincerely. "Yes, she too is among the wonders of Belem. Now I must return to my labors. You shall hear when it is convenient for you to be shown the Tahakh."

             
"Thank you, sir," said Vakar, making his belly-flop. An izzuni at the door handed Vakar back his sword and guided him through the maze of tunnels to a chamber lined with gay-colored cloths that concealed the cold rough rock behind them. There was a substantial bed with a kind of canopy over it, a couple of stools, and a niche in the wall in which stood an ivory carving of an ugly Belemian god. Fual, who had been sitting on one of the stools, rose and indicated a tray of food and a jug of wine.

             
"Now where," said Vakar, "did you get those?
"

             
"
I stole them from the king's kitchen while the chief cook's back was turned. As the under-cooks are all headless they presented no problem. Let me pour you some of this wine.
Sour stuff, but better than water."

             
Vakar sat down upon the edge of the bed saying: "I could use a little, after my interview with the wizard-king."

             
"How did it go, sir?" said Fual, handing his master a brimming silver cup.

             
"I thought I'd seen everything, but—" A knock interrupted. Vakar called: "Come in!" The golden rivets of the door glittered as it swung inward to reveal
Rezzâra
the dancer, who said: "Send your servant away, my lord Thiegos. I would speak to you alone."

-

             
Fual looked alarmed, but Vakar hitched his sword around and said: "Go on, Fual. What is it,
Rezzâra
?"

             
Fual went out. Vakar tensed himself, but reflected that at least he need not worry about her whisking a dagger from her clothing. Any weapon that could be concealed in her costume would be too small for anything but cleaning finger-nails.

             
She waited until the door closed, then said: "Lord, when do you plan to go?"

             
"I had not planned. Why?"

             
"Take me with you! I can stay here no longer."

             
"Huh? What is this?" Vakar's suspicions were at once alert.

             
"I hate King Awoqqas and I love you."

             
"What?
By Tandyla's third eye, this is sudden!"

             
She blinked her large dark eyes at him. "I cannot endure that fiend, with his fanatical notions of order, and I burned with passion for you from the moment I saw you. Oh, take me! You shall never regret it!"

             
"An interesting idea," said Vakar dryly, sipping his wine, "but how should I carry it out?"

             
"You are a man. You can overcome obstacles. What are you really here for?"

             
"To see the sights."

             
"I do not believe that. You wish to steal the Tahakh.
"

             
"
The Tahakh is certainly valuable. Would you like some wine?"

             
"No! All I wish is for you to crush me in your strong arms and cover my eager body with your burning kisses." She writhed at him.

             
"You are nothing if not explicit,
Rezzâra
. But—
"

             
"
Do you seek the Tahakh? Do you?" She grasped his wrist in both her hands and shook him.

             
"I have come a long way to see it.
"

             
"
If I show it to you, to do with as you wish, will you take me?"

             
"If I can," he said, stroking his mustache.

             
She stepped over to the niche in the wall and lifted out the ugly ivory image. Behind it Vakar glimpsed something dark.

             
"There," she said. "Take it yourself, but be careful not to get it near me. Its touch is said to make women barren."

             
"Hm."
Vakar advanced cautiously and looked into the niche. There lay what looked like a stone: about the size of two fists, a dark brown that was almost
black,
and rough and pitted on its irregular surface.

             
He extended a finger. When nothing happened he continued to advance his finger until it touched the stone. It felt colder than he would have expected. He grasped it and lifted it out with a grunt of surprise. It must weigh well over ten pounds.