The Wizard (43 page)

expected turquoise, amber, and that sort of thing; but there were fine rubies, and the blue stones were sapphires. "Soft wood, Lord, with thin gold over it." I nodded and added, "And a white gold throat. Gold and silver mixed, I suppose. It's the only part that comes near to matching the sword." I sheathed it. "Though it fits well enough." "The scabbard is your human work, I feel sure. You have better taste than we do." I looked around at her. "I've never thought so." "Neither have I, Lord, but you are above us." "I no longer have a sword belt," I said, largely to myself, "the king took it." "You can push it through that belt you are wearing now. It is not a heavy blade." "I suppose so." "Besides, I thought you would hide it in our bed. I mean, when you and Her Highness were not using it." "You've been spying on me." Uri grinned. "Only the tiniest bit. She is not bad looking for such a big woman, is she? A powerful sorceress, too. There could be a dozen pleasant surprises." I went into my cell, shutting the door before Uri could follow; she slipped between the bars in her proper shape. "Unpleasant ones, too. Some sorceresses have teeth down here. You stick it in and they bite it off. Mani told me." I hid the sword under my straw next to the wall. "You wouldn't know anything about that." "About sorceresses? Why no, Lord. Or very little, though I talked with Mani about them once." I sat and motioned for her to sit. "Morcaine and her brothers were reared in Aelfrice when their mother abandoned them. I'd think you'd know a lot." "I do not. Shall I tell you what I know, Lord? I will not lie or make fun of you unless you interrupt." I nodded. "Whoever told you that deceived you. I was a Khimaira, but I have heard things, and know what makes sense. Their mother did not abandon all three. Setr was a dragon, so why should she? She kept him by her in Muspel, in Aelfrice, and here in Mythgarthr. He was her firstborn, and so the right king of this part of Mythgarthr, though I do not believe he tried to claim it." I said, "I suppose Morcaine must be the youngest." Uri shook her head. "Arnthor is, but males claim the throne first in this Celidon. Now stop interrupting;" She took a deep breath. "Second, Morcaine and Arnthor must have spent most of their childhood here. Otherwise they would still be children. And third, the Sea Aelf raised them, not my clan. We were Setr's slaves, remember? Loyal slaves, because we were terribly afraid. They were allies, or at least more nearly allies than we ever were." "I understand. Is there anything else?" "Yes. You will distrust it, but I will say it just the same. Is King Arnthor afraid of his sister?" I shrugged. "He doesn't confide in me. Were you watching when I fought Morcaine's dead knights?" "No. But I would like to have seen it, Lord." "Nearly everybody fled. The spectators, I mean. But King Arnthor remained, and the queen, I think because Arnthor had her arm. And Morcaine herself, of course." "Did he look frightened?" I cast my mind back. "No. Resolute, if anything." "Uh huh. You probably will not know this, either, Lord, but I must try. Is she afraid of him?" "Yes, she is. Very much so." I paused, remembering. "It may be why she drinks. She loves him, but she's terribly frightened of him." "In that case he is a sorcerer, Lord, a most dangerous one. You may trust me, though you will not. An older sister with magic at her command? She would jerk him about like a puppet if he were not. Setr had magic, a great deal of it." I nodded agreement. "So does Morcaine, from what I have heard, and you confirm it. Why should you think the youngest has none?" "I shouldn't, I suppose. Here's another question. You stole that sword for me. A good one, made by Aelf long ago. Could you have gotten my own sword, Eterne, as easily?" Uri shook her head. "I could not find it, Lord." "The king took it." "I know. Gylf told me. The king must have hidden it somewhere." She sifted straw between her fingers. "You couldn't find it." "No, Lord." I reached out and touched her knee, I cannot say why. "That is a lie, Uri. You found it, but dared not take it. I'm glad you didn't. Arnthor's wrong, but Arnthor's my king. You've talked to Gylf. Where is he?" "I do not know, Lord, though I can probably find him without much trouble. They had chained him up. I freed him, as you ordered." I nodded. "He's gone into the wild, I suppose. What about Cloud?" "She is in the stable, Lord, and well seen to. I told her you might soon be free, and she will wait for you." "Have they tried to ride her?" "Yes, Lord. Several of the grooms, without success." "She may be in danger." "There is a fat old nobleman who is interested in her, Lord. The grooms fear him. They dare not mistreat her." "Have you seen Baki?" "Lately? No, Lord." I questioned her at length, but learned nothing more. If Cloud or Gylf had seen Baki, they had not mentioned it.

CHAPTER THIRTY?FIVE DOWN

Time passed, until there came a day of excitement outside my little window, of men shouting and cursing, and horses and mules blowing and stamping. Then silence. I spoke to my gaolers, and the one called Ged told me Arnthor was to lead an army against the Osterlings. He was taking the other gaolers with him to look after prisoners, and Ged alone would be in charge of the dungeon. "I wouldn't expect you to help, My Lord, but it's going to be a lot of work." "You're right," I told him, "I won't help you with that. But perhaps we can find help for you just the same." We began with the two barons whose cells were in the same corridor as my own. I introduced myself, which I had not done previously, explained that no menial work would be required of them, and offered to free them from their cells to supervise other prisoners if they would pledge themselves not to escape. Both agreed. After that, we enlisted ten commoners, choosing the healthiest and strongest. We promised them clean straw, blankets, and better food; but when I got better acquainted with the misery the rest suffered, I gave them all those things. Their old straw, crawling with lice, we burned in the courtyard one night. One had been a barber; I stole a razor for him, scissors, and other things. He cut and shaved their heads and beards, and we burned the hair, too. Wistan came, bringing my helmet and mail. "I'm sorry, Sir Able. They wouldn't let me in before, only Lord Colle did today. Is he really a lord?" I said he was, and explained. "Pouk and Uns are working or they would have come, too. They're terribly concerned about you. So was I. Iwe don't really have to work. We've got some money." I asked what they were doing, and Wistan said he was helping the Earl Marshal's clerks, while Pouk and Uns were working on a wall being built around the city. Two men-at-arms were my next visitors, if they can be called that. They had come, they said, "To take me to the queens," from which I assumed that Gaynor and Morcaine were jointly charged with governing Kingsdoom. I was corrected, and told that there were Frost Giants in the city, huge women who frightened the good burghers. Gaynor and Idnn received me in the throne room. I knelt and was allowed by both to rise. Gaynor spoke. "You were my champion, Sir Able. Are you my champion still?" I said I would be if I could. "You must think I abandoned you. So I did, because my husband ordered it. He ordered me not to free you while he was away as well." "I understand, Your Majesty." "Do you also understand why he gave that order?" "I think so, Your Majesty." "That is why I am seeing you like this." She waved at her courtiers: women and old men. "These are my witnesses. I believe you know Lord Escan?" "I have that honor." "He will speak on my behalf, my royal sister on her own behalf. You will be under guard the entire time, and will die if you try to escape." She made a small, futile gesture and cooed, "I hope it won't be necessary. I really do." "If my escape would displease Your Majesty, I shall not escape," I said. Idnn rose. "Come with me, in that case. Lord Escan?" We spoke in the Red Room, a room of business that held a writing desk and a worktable, with a dozen or more bureaus for documents. An armchair with a footrest, prettily made, was carried in for Idnn; the Earl Marshal sat in the big oak chair that had been before the writing desk, and I on one of the clerk's stools. "You should be free this moment," Idnn declared. "The way things are, it was all I could do to get my sister queen to order you brought up here. It's ait's the worst sort of luck that you're a prisoner." "For him it is," the Earl Marshal agreed, "for us it is good fortune. I thank Skai for it." "I've seen him fight, My Lord, as you have not." "I fled the sight, Your Majesty. Harrumph! He may help us now because he's not free. If he'd never been imprisoned, he'd be with the king and we wouldn't have him." "I'll free you," Idnn promised me. "I'll contrive some slight. My sister queen is not unwilling." "But fearful," the Earl Marshal added. "At the moment, however, we require your brains, not your sword. Her Present Majesty has persuaded Queen Gaynor and methat we ought to consult you. She was much impressed by you in Jotunland." I said that I was honored, and meant it. "Are you hungry? Lord Escan will order food for you if you wish it, I'm sure." Thanking her, I declared that I was not. "He's well fed, Your Majesty. He's the monarch of the dungeon, and gets whatever he wants. I've had to forgo my usual inspections, so I may say I saw nothing amiss. Perhaps Your Majesty would enjoy dainty fare while we confer?" He rang, told Payn what he wanted, and turned to me. "I don't know how much you know of our situation, Sir Able. His Majesty is in the east with the army. Were you aware of it?" I said I knew he had marched away, but no more. "We raided them this fall, slew their Caans and gained much plunder. Now the Black Caan will have vengeance, if he can." The Earl Marshal smiled. "Every knight fit to ride has gone off with the king, and most of the nobility. His Majesty left Her Majesty in titular charge of his realm. I am her chief advisor. I am to supply remounts to his army, and fresh troops as they can be raised, and do a dozen other things. Among them, I'm to fortify this city." Idnn said, "For centuries, Kingsdoom has boasted that the shields of its knights were its walls. Now the east is stronger than ever, and hungrier. The king sent my father to pacify the Angrborn so he might march into Osterland with his full strength. Surprise and a crushing defeat would leave the old Caan's plans in ruins or so it was hoped." The Earl Marshal nodded. "The surprise was achieved as planned," Idnn continued, "the crushing defeat inflicted, and the old Caan killed. But Celidon's triumph seems to have united the Osterlings around his last son, the Black Caan, and hastened their attack." I said, "A hasty attack may fail." "We hope so. They've taken the passes, and that's bad. My father's gone to join the king. So has Duke Marder." "Yet we're reinforced with a hundred Daughters of Angr," the Earl Marshal added, "Her Majesty Queen Idnn's bodyguard." I said, "As long as the weather's cold, that's no small reinforcement." "Lord Escan engaged men learned in such matters to plan fortifications." Idnn sighed. "They've presented the plan to my dear sister queen. It's an excellent plan, I'm sure, but will take years. You're no builder. I realize that. Do you know anything about siegecraft?" I shrugged. "I was at the siege of Nastrond." The Earl Marshal leaned forward, his eyes narrowed. "Where's that? I never heard of it." Idnn overrode him. "We must have something that can be done in a month or less. If the king triumphs, we can make merry. But battle will be joined before the next new moon, and if he returns with a beaten army, the Osterlings will be at their heels. What can you suggest?" "Nothing," I said, " 'til I've seen the ground." The Earl Marshal shook his head. "I have maps." "They'd mean zip to me. Most likely they'd lead me wrong. I need to ride around the city. A day at least, and two'd be better." The Earl Marshal wiped his face and his bald head with his hand, but said nothing. Silence filled the room, a silence none of us seemed willing to break. I rose and examined its crimson hangings, and the bureaus of waxed wood the color of wild roses, and their enameled fittings. At last Idnn said, "I want to tell you about Lady Linnet and her daughter. May I? We may not get another chance." I said of course that she might. Payn returned while she was speaking, carrying a tray loaded with dainties, a bottle of wine, and glasses. He filled them, and we ate and drank while we talked. "She has reclaimed Goldenlawn," Idnn said. "This was on our way south, of course, and we stayed there with her for a few days to help, all of us. She and Vil intend to rebuild it, and are wed. They I'm sorry. You will win her." I agreed and asked Idnn to continue. "He's no nobleman, but what nobleman would have her now? He's Etela's father, tooor they say he isand he loves her." When I said nothing, Idnn added, "Lynnet's still mad, though not so mad as she was. She talks more at least." "That's good." "She thinks there's another woman with her, a woman she calls Mag." I cannot say how well I controlled my face, though I strove to remain impassive. "A woman no one else can see." With a smile full of pity, Idnn spoke to the Earl Marshal. "Her husband's blind, so he says that there is, too." I asked, "Are Berthold and his wife still with you, Your Majesty? I didn't see them in the throne room." "No, I gave them leave to revisit their village." "It's been destroyed." Idnn shrugged. "I didn't know that. Doubtless they'll return quickly in that case." "Perhaps it's been rebuilt. I wish I could go there and see. Did Bold Berthold believe in Lady Lynnet's friend?" "Ah, I see." Idnn spoke to the Earl Marshal again. "Berthold is a servingman of mine. He's blind, too." I said, "But did he say the woman was there?" "I don't know, I never asked. Perhaps my sister queen couldcould accept your parole. I'll urge it." The Earl Marshal shook his head. "She will not dare." ___ I escaped that night, although I did not think of it as escaping. Cloud's thought guided me to her, and told me long before I reached her stall that Uns was with her; I woke him, and we soon found him a sturdy cob, saddled, and rode out. After circling the city by moonlightit took a good three hourswe went to the inn, got Pouk, and ate breakfast. They went to their work after that, and I went with them. A big ditch was being dug on the land side of the city for the foundation of the wall. Pouk and Uns were diggers, and it was already ten paces wide and so deep that ladders had to be used to carry the hard red clay out. We tied Uns' cob so he could return it to the stable after work, and I began the circuit of the city again, seeing by daylight what I had ridden over a few hours before. I had completed about a third of it when I met a patrol. We fled, Cloud and me. An arrow struck her neck, and she turned on them, terrible as Gylf. Two died. I was trying to control her when I was knocked from her saddle. I was taken to a guardroom in Thortower, kept tied up there for three days, robbed, and kicked when I objected. After that I was brought before Gaynor. She was in mortal fear of Arnthor, and ordered that I be chained in a cell on the lowest level of the dungeon. Strictly speaking, her orders were not obeyed. Neither Ged nor the men-at-arms would go below the twelfth level; nor did they know how many might lie below it, for Thortower had been built upon the ruins of an older structure, and that twelfth level was as wide as Forcetti. A smith was brought, a silent, hardbitten man who did me no intended hurt but would not speak to me. He puffed his charcoal, put gyves on my wrists and ankles, and welded them shut. Then began my true imprisonment, because I swore that I would make no effort to free myself until Thortower fell or Arnthor triumphed, if triumph was the Valfather's will. As for him, not one hour passed in which I did not hope he would appear and free me from my oath. At first I felt sure he would, and I planned everything we would do before we returned to Skaihow we would set the whole world right. Days passed in which I shivered, hour after hour, in the cold, and burrowed in Colle's straw, and at last had Org sit with me, savage and silent in my cell, so I could warm myself from his heat; he hungered, and I gave him leave to kill any man whose name he did not know. From time to time he went out; and from time to time he returned with bloodied jaws to crouch and warm me as before. Until at length a day came when no one brought me food. I waited, telling myself that at the next meal they would come again, and that if they did not come, I would call Baki and have her free me. They did not. I called her, and called again until I had called a score of times, and she did not come. And at last I realized that chained as I was she no longer feared me. The service she had entered on the stair of the Tower of Glas was done, and she whose love I had so often refused was free at last. She would live the life of a Fire Aelf now, and give no thought to me, dead in the dungeon of Thortower. What I would have done then, I cannot say. I might have broken my oath and saved myself. I would like to think I would have come to that in the end. I might have died, as I resolved to; I was not much tormented by thirst in that cold, and hunger had ceased to trouble me. I might also have asked Org to bring me whatever meat he could find and united myself with the Osterlings, who eat the flesh of their foes, and howled in my madness. ___ Lights in that utter darkness, and the clank of weapons. I told Org to hide himself, but it was already too late. My cell door opened, and the glare of torches blinded me. A remembered voice: "By the Lady's crotch . . ." The king's: "What's that by him?" I laid my hand on Org's arm. "Something it were better you had not seen, Your Majesty." I choked, for my mouth was dry. "Go back up the steps. Return, and you won't see it." There was excited talk, to which I paid scant attention. They left, and I told Org I had, to have water. He brought a little, warmed in his cupped hand; I drank and sent him out. The torches and the knights who bore them returned. I stood, fell, and stood again with Beel helping me. The king looked me in the face, for we were of a height. "I love my queen," he said. Perhaps I smiled. "And I don't. Your Majesty, I ask no leave to speak freely. Those who ask leave of you do it out of fear of your displeasure or worse. Your displeasure means nothing to me, and any torture you might inflict would be a relief. I speak for Aelfrice and myself. You are a tyrant." "I love her," Arnthor repeated. "I love Celidon more." "You treat them the same. You abandoned Aelfrice and taught your folk to. No doubt Queen Gaynor wishes you had abandoned her as well, and Celidon is blessed every moment you neglect her. You're of royal birth. Queen Gaynor is of noble birth, and your knights boast their gentle birth. I'm a plain American, and I'll say this if I die. Your villages are ravaged by outlaws, by Angrborn, and by Osterlings, because they've been abandoned too. The Most High God set men here as models for Aelfrice. We teach it violence, treachery, and little else; and you have been our leader." He nodded, which astounded me. "You say you're of low birth. Are you not a knight? I let you keep your spurs." I nodded. "I am." The knights who had come with him stood silent, though I knew that if the chance came they would kill me. I smelled their torches, and saw in the hard, flat planes of Arnthor's face, the cold and filthy cell where I had shivered so long and in which I shivered still. Beel said, "I had hoped to