The Usurper (54 page)

“The empire intervened,” said Julian.

“Yes,” said Rurik.

“At the invitation of the Farnichi,” said Julian.

“As it happens,” said Rurik.

“It is rumored,” said Julian, “that Farnichi gold was involved.”

“I have heard that rumor,” said Rurik.

“And you know, I assume,” said Julian, “that it is true?”

“Who knows?” said Rurik. “It is difficult to say about rumors.”

“And it seems that more than gold was involved,” said Julian.

“Oh?” said Rurik.

“Your enclave is located near Telnar,” said Julian.

“Consider it an embassy,” said Rurik.

“Abetted by the empire,” said Julian, “you crushed the Calasalii.”

“The contribution of the imperial forces were, of course, welcome,” said Rurik.

“But, later,” said Julian, “there was a surreptitious outlawry of the Calasalii, subsequently, suddenly, made public, complete with pervasive seizures and arrests.”

“It was time their outlawry, practiced for a century, was legally recognized and acted on,” said Rurik.

“There would seem, in the view of many, in such a respect,” said Julian, “little to choose from, amongst the Calasalii and the Farnichi.”

“All are entitled to their opinion,” said Rurik.

“Men to mines and quarries,” said Julian, “women to the slave block, the chain and collar.”

“A condign resolution to the inequities of the Calasalii,” said Rurik.

“You have a well-curved slave at your feet,” said Otto.

Cornhair, her legs drawn up, kept her head down, hoping not to be recognized. She had shaken her hair a bit about her face.

Rurik nudged her with the side of his foot, and she whimpered a little, but kept her head down.

Rurik bent down and brushed the hair away from the back of her neck. In this way the silver overcollar was more clearly seen.

“This is a woman once of the Calasalii,” he said.

“I cannot see her well,” said Julian, “but I assume her features are delicate, feminine, and exquisite, slave-acceptable.”

“I find them so,” said Rurik. “Large, gross, plain, masculine women, if collared at all, which is presumably a mistake, for who would want them, are best put in the fields, the kitchens, and laundries.”

“Surely,” said Julian. “The collar is for the most desirable of women.”

“Yes,” said Rurik, “for true women, fit slaves.”

“They need only acknowledge to themselves that they are slaves, fit slaves,” said Julian, “and they will learn themselves, find themselves, and be happy.”

Cornhair, trying to hide her face, trying to keep her body small, trembled.

“She seems frightened,” said Otto.

“She is a slave,”' said Rurik.

“The outlawry seems to go beyond the simple matter of alliances and the outcomes of battles,” said Julian.

“Perhaps,” said Rurik.

“More gold exchanged hands?” asked Julian.

“Who would know?” asked Rurik.

“I suspect an independent consideration was involved,” said Julian.

“What would lead you to suppose that?” asked Rurik.

“An armed enclave of the Farnichi on Telnaria,” said Julian, “under the command of the Tenth Consul of Larial VII.”

“Proceed, conjecture,” said Rurik, pleasantly.

“I suspect that in exchange for imperial help against the Calasalii, and perhaps, in particular, afterwards, for the outlawry of the Calasalii, more was involved than Farnichi gold.”

“A favor, or favors, perhaps,” suggested Rurik.

“Iaachus, the Arbiter of Protocol, should he be involved in this,” said Julian, “is an extremely clever and, I fear, unscrupulous man.”

“One hears various things,” said Rurik.

“Statecraft is subtle, and occasionally dark,” said Julian, “and sometimes unseen. It is not all broadcast negotiation, open meetings, public bargainings, flags, banners, proclamations, decrees, and such.

Sometimes one acts when there is no appearance of action.”

“And sometimes,” said Otto, regarding Cornhair, “it resides on the point of a knife.”

Cornhair shuddered, her head down. Had she been recognized?

“I am sure,” said Rurik, “my esteemed guests have something in mind.”

“Which doubtless you suspect,” said Julian.

“Surely you do not expect me to respond to what has not been spoken,” said Rurik.

“As the empire abetted the Farnichi, so, too, might the Farnichi be expected to abet the empire,” said Julian.

“Speak,” said Rurik.

“Why are you here?” said Julian. “The motivation is clear. Events precipitate specifics. Iaachus has brought you here to have a tool at readiness, a weapon which might be used in various ways at various times, to have at his disposal a private army, one outside of official channels, one unrelated to familiar resources.”

“Perhaps,” said Rurik.

“The princesses must be recovered,” said Julian.

“I understand,” said Rurik.

Chapter Forty-Nine

“Which one do you want?” asked Ingeld.

“Neither,” said Hrothgar.

“Release us!” said Viviana. She spun about, robes whirling, on the rush-strewn, dirt floor of Ingeld's hall. “Return us to Telnaria!”

Ingeld's hall, on this world, incidentally, had once been the hall of Ortog, a secessionist Drisriak prince.

“Be patient, Princess,” said Ingeld.

“We are of the royal blood,” said Viviana. “We will never espouse commoners, let alone barbarians. It is unthinkable. Release us!”

“Shall I have their clothing removed?” inquired Farrix, he of the Teragar Borkons, the Long-River Borkons.

“Stay away!” cried Viviana.

“It might make it easier to decide,” said Farrix.

“Neither would bring much on a block,” said Hrothgar.

“We are beautiful, I, in particular,” cried Viviana.

“Sister!” protested Alacida.

“I am going to the stables,” said Hrothgar. “I must tend my horses.”

“Clear your mind, dear brother,” said Ingeld, “of horses, hot
bror
, falcons, and slaves. We talk here of important things, of power, of worlds.”

“Have your power, and your worlds,” said Hrothgar. “I want a blue sky, a fine morning, fields of green grass, a good horse beneath me, a falcon on my wrist, and game afoot. Then, at the end of the day, give me
bror
in my cup and a slave in my arms.”

“Barbarian!” said Viviana.

“You know the will of our father, the king,” said Ingeld. “For my part, I would be pleased to give you a hundred horses and a hundred falcons, a barrel of
bror
, and a hundred slaves. I cannot, in Telnarian law, marry both princesses.”

“You shall marry neither!” said Viviana. “Even now imperial ships rush to rescue us!”

“Our information,” said Ingeld, “is that ships remain in their housings, why should they not, they do not know where to go, and your disappearance is denied. They can do nothing. They are helpless. They must wait for us to contact them.”

“They seek us! They search! They speed to our rescue,” insisted Viviana.

“Your head must be as empty as one of your brother's rattles,” said Ingeld. “Resources are limited, few, and precious. Surely you are aware of the rationing of resources. In places, a town might be exchanged for a pistol, a city for a rifle and ten charges. Do you think this is a hundred thousand years in the past? Finding you would be more difficult than locating a single grain of sand on a beach a thousand miles in length.”

“Liar! Liar!” said Viviana.

“As far as I am concerned, dear brother,” said Ingeld, “you need not marry a princess. I am perfectly ready to marry one of the princesses, either one. I cannot marry both. If you marry neither I need only marry one, and make certain the other never returns to Telnaria, where she might marry a Telnarian and bear a son, indeed, better, that she remain unmated.”

“That is easily enough arranged, Lord,” said Farrix, “a simple motion of the knife.”

“I do not want either of them,” said Hrothgar.

“And you are not wanted!” said Viviana, angrily.

“Hrothgar is a strong, handsome fellow,” said Farrix. “I am sure he could make you kick, and buck.”

“Do not be vulgar,” said Viviana.

Alacida began to weep.

“Stop blubbering, female,” said Ingeld.

“‘Female'?” said Alacida.

“Yes,” said Ingeld, “even a princess, even a queen, is a female.”

“I loathe men,” said Viviana. “I will have no feelings toward them. They are either brutes or fops. I cultivate frigidity. I pride myself on my inertness. I know nothing of sex, and will know nothing of sex. I am of the royal blood. I am a princess. I am superior to sex.”

“Let us get her clothes off, put her in a collar, and give her a taste of the whip,” said Farrix.

“Beat him, cast him out!” demanded Viviana.

“It is my understanding,” said Ingeld, “that many free women of civilization, of the empire, think themselves superior to sex.”

“They are different, once they are sold off the block,” said Farrix.

“And you, pretty Alacida,” said Ingeld, “are you superior to sex?”

“I fear not,” whispered Alacida.

“Good,” said Farrix, “strip her and get her in wrist-to-ankle shackles. It is easy to learn womanhood in chains.”

“It is easy to make a woman moan, and beg,” said Hrothgar.

“Please, let us desist in such vulgarity,” said Ingeld. “Consider the feelings of our guests.”

“Females,” said Hrothgar.

“Women of station, of refinement and sensibility, of education and breeding,” said Ingeld, “indeed, even princesses, not half naked, collared slaves.”

“I want neither,” said Hrothgar.

“And you will have neither!” exclaimed Viviana.

“I trust, dear brother,” said Ingeld, “you will reconsider your position on this issue.”

“No,” said Hrothgar.

“It is the wish of the king, our father,” said Ingeld.

“It is not my wish,” said Hrothgar.

“Then,” said Ingeld, “explain your reluctance to our father. Proceed, displease him! And remember Ortog!”

“Very well,” growled Hrothgar. “I will marry one or the other. What do such things matter?”

“Viviana is the eldest, and doubtless the most prestigious to wed, but Alacida, I speculate, would most likely be the first to bear a son.”

“You gentlemen, in making your plans,” said Viviana, coldly, “forget one thing. Neither my sister nor myself will consent to such an infamy. We are adamant. We would as soon espouse
filchen
as such as you, rude, gross barbarian lords.”

At that moment, the door of the hall swung open.

“The king,” was heard, from the door herald.

In the portal stood Abrogastes, looking about himself, then regarding the princesses, and his sons, near the high seat.

“It is raining outside,” he said, shaking his cloak, from which water fled, handing it then to an armsman. “It storms. The wind rages. It is cold. The night is dark.”

Ingeld and Hrothgar slipped to one knee, heads bowed. Viviana and Alacida remained standing, to the right of the high seat, as one would face it.

Abrogastes strode forward, and seated himself on the high seat of Ingeld's hall. As soon as Abrogastes had passed them, his sons rose up, and turned to face the high seat.

“Ah,” said Abrogastes, straightening his small shoulder cape, with the large, dully glistening golden clasp, “here we have two princes, and two princesses. I trust matters have now been resolved.”

“Hrothgar and I, noble king and father,” said Ingeld, “as dutiful sons, loyal to the throne, stand ready to obey. As yet, the princesses prove reluctant to abide by your will.”

“You have not yet agreed on your brides, nor set a date for joyful nuptials?”

“No, father,” said Ingeld.

“By now,” said Abrogastes, “arrangements were to have been made.”

“I am sorry, father,” said Ingeld.

“Princesses?” asked Abrogastes.

“Release us!” said Viviana. “Return us immediately to Telnar!”

“I do not understand,” said Abrogastes. “You are princesses. My sons are princes. What, fine ladies, do you wish? I am prepared, against my better judgment, in unprecedented generosity, to permit my sons, of Drisriak blood, of the blood of kings, to mate with you, pale, flawed weaklings of the empire. Are you ignorant of the honor that is paid to you? Why do you not kneel thankfully to me? Why do you not rejoice? Why are your lips not pressed in gratitude to my boots?”

“Let us go!” said Viviana.

“Is that your wish, as well, slight, gentle Alacida?” inquired Abrogastes.

Alacida glanced to her sister, and then turned to face Abrogastes. “Yes!” she said, defiantly.

“Our guests wish to be released,” said Abrogastes to Ingeld, Hrothgar, and Farrix.

“It seems so,” said Ingeld.

“Well, then,” said Abrogastes, “let us release them.”

Chapter Fifty

“Where am I?” asked Brother Benjamin. “Surely this is not the table of Karch.”

“No,” said Hunlaki. “This is the wagon of Hunlaki. You are in a Herul camp, the camp of the Herd of Chuluun, east of the Lothar.”

“How came I here?” asked the salamanderine, weakly. His small body took up scarcely a third of the rude couch.

“You were found near the edge of the herd,” said Hunlaki, “by my friend, Mujiin, unconscious in the grass. He nearly did not see you. The brown robe might have been cast-aside cloth. You might have been trampled.”

“He should have left me,” said Brother Benjamin. “I failed the brothers, I failed others.”

“You were nearly dead of exposure,” said Hunlaki. “For days I was afraid you would die.”

“Better I had,” said Brother Benjamin.

“You were alone,” said Hunlaki. “Mujiin found no others.”

“I wandered in the fields, for weeks, perhaps half mad,” said Brother Benjamin. “I failed the brothers, I failed others, as well.”

“How did you live?” asked Hunlaki.

“I drank from pools of water, I fed on roots, when I could find them,” said Brother Benjamin.

“How is it,” asked Hunlaki, “that you were found in the Flats of Tung, alone?”

“I failed the brothers,” said Brother Benjamin. “I failed others, as well.”

“I do not understand,” said Hunlaki.

“I am Brother Benjamin, of the
festung
of Sim Giadini,” said Brother Benjamin.

“The
festung
is no more,” said Hunlaki. “It was attacked and destroyed by imperial cruisers. There remains only ash and rubble, and the black, scarred, burned skin of a mountaintop.”

“No!” said Brother Benjamin. “The brothers!”

“They are all dead,” said Hunlaki. “You, alone, remain.”

“Woe,” said Brother Benjamin, weakly, in misery.

“How is it you were not in the
festung
when it was destroyed?” asked Hunlaki.

“There was a recreant novice, an Otung, named Urta, supposedly eager to join the brothers,” said Brother Benjamin. “He claimed to have received the calling of Floon, the emanation of Karch, on a windy, starlit night in the Otung forest. He made his way to the
festung
. Barefoot, and ill clothed, he besought admittance for days, outside the gate, waiting in the snow. The gate was opened. How could he be refused? He was accepted. He seemed a model of propriety; he ingratiated himself with everyone; he strove to serve the brothers, all, selflessly and tirelessly; he was zealous in his prayers and dutiful in his devotions; he was popular; all were pleased with him. He honored me, by seeking me out, to be his special guide and mentor. I was flattered. How could he be refused? He was accepted. He learned, as was no secret in the
festung
, that I was the guardian of a Vandal artifact, a medallion and chain. It had been found with a newborn infant in the Month of Igon, on the plains of Barrionuevo, in the year of the Claiming Stone, 1103, and entrusted to me by a Herul warrior.”

“He was I,” said Hunlaki.

“The Otung, Urta,” said Brother Benjamin, “as it turned out, had not come to the
festung
to seek the holiness of Floon, but to steal the artifact.”

“I know this Urta,” said Hunlaki. “He is a renegade Otung. He served us well. For years he was the Otung King Namer, the reign of a king, as we would have it, limited to a single year. In this office, he did much to thwart Otung unity, inciting competition amongst the clans, dividing them, keeping them at one another's throat.”

“As he expressed interest in the artifact,” said Brother Benjamin, “I saw no harm in showing it to him. Doubtless, he marked well its housing in my cell. I returned to my cell one morning to find it gone, and Urta vanished from the
festung
. I suspect he knew more of its significance than I. Muchly distraught, for the artifact had been entrusted to me, to be held for another, I set out immediately, in pursuit of the thief, hoping to recover the artifact.”

“You would not do so,” said Hunlaki. “We conjecture it was soon conveyed to Venitzia, to the Exarch of Venitzia, to be transmitted thence, for some reason, to Telnar. Much seems to have transpired swiftly.”

“You said the
festung
is no more,” said Brother Benjamin.

“It is no more,” said Hunlaki.

“Why?” asked Brother Benjamin. “It is a quiet, holy place, innocent, untroubled, and remote, devoted to peace, prayer, spiritual exercises, the emulation of Floon, the contemplation of Karch. It stood for a thousand years.”

“No more,” said Hunlaki.

“But why would it be attacked, and why by imperial cruisers?”

“We speculate for two reasons,” said Hunlaki, “one political, one religious, both apparently weightier to humans than to Heruls. We think the medallion and chain has great importance to the Vandals and its possessor would have great power amongst them. To be sure we understand very little of this. Politically, the destruction of the
festung
would be designed to cover the theft and remove those who would know of it. Religiously, there are many versions of, and interpretations of, the teachings and traditions pertaining to Floon and Karch, their natures, their relationship to one another, and so on.”

“Of course,” said Brother Benjamin, “but what difference do such things make? The important thing is to respect one another, to care for one another, and love one another.”

“That seems to be less important to some than to others,” said Hunlaki.

“I do not understand,” said Brother Benjamin.

“It has to do with competitions for power, prestige, importance, and gold,” said Hunlaki.

“What have such things to do with Floon?” asked Brother Benjamin.

“Nothing, one supposes,” said Hunlaki, “but apparently it has much to do with power, prestige, importance, and gold.”

“That is to betray Floon,” whispered Brother Benjamin, frightened.

“Yes,” said Hunlaki, “profitably.”

“But in such competitions,” said Brother Benjamin, “would not the most ruthless, the most unscrupulous, the most determined, the least self-critical, the least humble, the farthest from Floon, the most arrogant, the strongest rise to the top?”

“Yes,” said Hunlaki, “and, to the extent possible, destroy all others.”

Brother Benjamin closed his eyes.

“It is not only the
arn
bear and the vi-cat which are territorial,” said Hunlaki.

“But imperial cruisers,” said Brother Benjamin. “I do not understand. Why would the empire be involved? The empire does not meddle in such matters. It is tolerant. It has always been. It does not stand between rational creatures and their gods. It does not choose one rational creature's gods and force them, like laws and taxes, on other rational creatures.”

“Perhaps,” said Hunlaki, “until now.”

“Gods exist or not,” said Brother Benjamin. “They do not require the state's attention or licensing in either case.”

“The existence or nonexistence of gods is not relevant,” said Hunlaki. “What is important is power, prestige, importance, and gold.”

“Woe,” whispered Brother Benjamin.

“Had the medallion and chain not been stolen, and had you not left the
festung
, hoping to recover them,” said Hunlaki, “you would have perished, as the others, in the destruction of the
festung
.”

“Better I had,” said Brother Benjamin.

“No,” said Hunlaki.

“Sir?” asked Brother Benjamin.

“I saw, and handled, the medallion and chain briefly, long ago,” said Hunlaki. “Yet I remember it clearly. You received it. You cared for it for years. Doubtless you could recognize it, as well.”

“Yes,” said Brother Benjamin. “Each tiny flaw and blemish, each link in its order, the proportion of each link to another, wider or narrower, the cuts of blades on links and on the medallion itself, apparently sustained in combat.”

“So,” said Hunlaki, “it is better you did not perish in the destruction of the
festung
.”

“How so?” said Brother Benjamin.

“We know the story of the medallion and chain,” said Hunlaki. “We can recognize it.”

“So?” said Brother Benjamin.

“I delivered the artifact to you long ago,” said Hunlaki. “I am not pleased that it was stolen. I am determined to recover it.”

“It is gone,” said Brother Benjamin.

“I am old,” said Hunlaki. “But I am a Herul. I am a rider, a hunter. I am tenacious.”

“Where would you look?” asked Brother Benjamin.

“Given the destruction of the
festung
, putatively a holy place, and what I can gather of the lethal absurdities of religious strifes, pretending the authorizations and endorsements of one god or another, this excusing murder, and such, I suspect the medallion and chain were conveyed to Venitzia, to the Exarch of Venitzia. If this is so, as the Exarch of Venitzia, a provincial capital, is subordinate, as I understand it, to the Exarch of Telnar, the imperial capital, I am supposing that, for whatever reason, it was carried to Telnar, and, presumably, to the Exarch of Telnar.

I am unclear as to what the purpose of all this would be.”

“You would venture to Telnar?” said Brother Benjamin.

“We will venture to Telnar,” said Hunlaki. “I shall pose as your servant. The salamanderine is recognized as a rational species. Indeed, your Floon, as I understand it, was of a kindred species. They need not know that the Heruls are a superior species.”

“There are no superior species,” said Brother Benjamin.

“The
arn
bear is superior to the
filch
,” said Hunlaki.

“The arrow which slays the
arn
bear ignores the
filch
,” said Brother Benjamin. “The
filch
passes easily through the meshes of the net which snares the
arn
bear. The
arn
bear needs much on which to feed, the
filch
little. Indeed, the
arn
bear starves where the
filch
thrives. The
arn
bear is little nourished by the
filch
, but a hundred
filchen
may feed for three days on the carcass of a single
arn
bear.”

“The fleet ones,” said Hunlaki, “the pine deer, the antelope, the
tiernik
, the gazelle, the spotted forest ram, and such, are swifter than the steers of Tung.”

“But one stroke of the horns of a steer of Tung can disembowel a fleet one,” said Brother Benjamin.

“Doubtless you frequented the library of the
festung
,” said Hunlaki.

“Yes,” said Brother Benjamin, “but some things are generally known.”

“I will speak for you,” said Hunlaki.

“I will speak for myself,” said Brother Benjamin.

“That is my fear,” said Hunlaki.

“Perhaps I may be able to instruct the Exarch of Venitzia, who, as I understand it, suffers from theological confusions, in the error of his ways,” said Brother Benjamin.

“Allow him to persist in his ignorance,” said Hunlaki.

“I would enlighten him, of course, in a kindly, gentle, loving way,” said Brother Benjamin.

“And pave the way to the burning rack, for both of us,” said Hunlaki.

“Is it not a beautiful thing to die for Floon?” inquired Brother Benjamin.

“Not, really,” said Hunlaki. “You will take a vow of silence.”

“A vow of silence?” said Brother Benjamin.

“You are not permitted to lie, are you?” asked Hunlaki.

“No,” said Brother Benjamin.

“I do not suffer from a similar impediment,” said Hunlaki, “except where those of the camp are concerned.”

“So I am to take a vow of silence?” said Brother Benjamin.

“Yes, but I will set its terms, conditions, limits, and such,” said Hunlaki.

“Would Floon approve of this?” asked Brother Benjamin.

“Wholly,” said Hunlaki.

“I see I am not of the camp,” said Brother Benjamin.

“Do not concern yourself,” said Hunlaki. “A great many are not. Few are so fortunate. I will now fetch you some broth, and you may rest. You must regain your strength.”

“What you propose is exceedingly dangerous, is it not?” asked Brother Benjamin.

“Yes,” said Hunlaki.

“Then I may yet die for Floon,” said Brother Benjamin.

“It is quite possible,” said Hunlaki.

“Good,” said Brother Benjamin.

“For myself, I would prefer to occupy myself otherwise,” said Hunlaki.

“Broth?” asked Brother Benjamin.

“I will fetch it,” said Hunlaki.