Sparhawk considered that. I was thinking of landing on some lonely beach in Deira and going south through the mountains.
Thats a tedious way to travel, Sparhawk, and a very dangerous one for a man on the run. There are lonely beaches on every coast, and Im sure we can find a suitable one for you near Cardos.
We?
I think Ill go along. I like you, Sparhawk, even though weve only just met. Besides, I need to talk some business with Platime anyway. He rose to his feet then. Ill have a ship waiting in the harbour by dawn. Now Ill leave you. Im sure youre tired and hungry after your journey, and Id better return to the ball before our over-enthusiastic countess sets up shop in the middle of the ballroom floor again. He bowed to Sephrenia. I bid you good night, dear sister, he said to her in Styric. Sleep well. He nodded to Sparhawk and quietly left the room.
Kurik rose, went to the door and listened. I dont think that mans entirely sane, Sparhawk, he said in a low voice.
Oh, hes sane enough, Talen disagreed. Hes got some strange ideas, but some of them might even work. The boy came over to Sparhawk. All right, he said, let me see it.
See what?
The Bhelliom. I risked my life several times to help steal it, and then I got disinvited to go along at the last minute. I think Im at least entitled to take a look at it.
Is it safe? Sparhawk asked Sephrenia.
I dont really know, Sparhawk. The rings will control it, though at least partially. Just a brief look, Talen. Its very dangerous.
A jewel is a jewel, Talen shrugged. Theyre all dangerous. Anything one man wants, another is likely to try to steal, and thats the sort of thing that leads to killing. Give me gold every time. It all looks the same, and you can spend it anywhere. Jewels are hard to convert into money, and people usually spend all their time trying to protect them, and thats really inconvenient. Lets see it, Sparhawk.
Sparhawk took out the pouch and picked open the knot. Then he shook the glowing blue rose into the palm of his right hand. Once again a brief flicker darkened the edge of his vision, and a chill passed over him. For some reason the flicker of the shadow brought the memory of the nightmare sharply back, and he could almost feel the hovering presence of those obscurely menacing shapes which had haunted his sleep that night a week ago.
God! Talen exclaimed. Thats incredible. He stared at the jewel for a moment, and then he shuddered. Put it away, Sparhawk. I dont want to look at it any more.
Sparhawk slipped Bhelliom back into its pouch.
It really ought to be blood-red, though, Talen said moodily. Look at all the people whove died over it. He looked at Sephrenia. Was Flute really a Goddess?
Kurik told you about that, I see. Yes, she was and is one of the Younger Gods of Styricum.
I liked her, the boy admitted, when she wasnt teasing me. But if shes a God or Goddess she could be any age she wanted to be, couldnt she?
Of course.
Why a child then?
People are more truthful with children.
Ive never particularly noticed that.
Aphraels more lovable than you are, Talen, she smiled, and that may be the real reason behind her choice of form. She needs love all Gods do, even Azash. People tend to pick little girls up and kiss them. Aphrael enjoys being kissed.
Nobody ever kissed me all that much.
That may come in time, Talen if you behave yourself.
Chapter 2
The weather on the Thalesian Peninsula, like that in every northern kingdom, was never really settled, and it was drizzling rain the following morning as bank after bank of thick, dirty clouds rolled into the straits of Thalesia off the Deiran Sea.
A splendid day for a voyage, Stragen observed dryly as he and Sparhawk looked through a partially boarded-up window at the rain-wet streets below. I hate rain. I wonder if I could find any career opportunities in Rendor.
I dont recommend it, Sparhawk told him, remembering a sun-blasted street in Jiroch.
Our horses are already on board the ship, Stragen said. We can leave as soon as Sephrenia and the others are ready. He paused. Is that roan horse of yours always so restive in the morning? he asked curiously. My men report that he bit three of them on the way to the docks.
I should have warned them. Farans not the best-tempered horse in the world.
Why do you keep him?
Because hes the most dependable horse Ive ever owned. Ill put up with a few of his crotchets in exchange for that. Besides, I like him.
Stragen looked at Sparhawks chain-mail shirt. You really dont have to wear that, you know.
Habit, Sparhawk shrugged, and there are a fair number of unfriendly people looking for me at the moment.
It smells awful, you know.
You get used to it.
You seem moody this morning, Sparhawk. Is something wrong?
Ive been on the road for a long time, and Ive run into some things I wasnt really prepared to accept. Im trying to sort things out in my mind.
Maybe someday when we get to know each other better, you can tell me about it. Stragen seemed to think of something. Oh, incidentally, Tel mentioned those three ruffians who were looking for you last night. They arent looking any more.
Thank you.
It was a sort of internal matter really, Sparhawk. They violated one of the primary rules when they didnt check with me before they went looking for you. I cant really afford to have people setting that kind of precedent. We couldnt get much out of them, Im afraid. They were acting on the orders of someone outside Thalesia, though. We were able to get that much from the one who was still breathing. Why dont we go and see if Sephrenias ready?
There was an elegant coach awaiting them outside the rear door of the warehouse about fifteen minutes later. They entered it, and the driver manoeuvred his matched team around in the narrow alley and out into the street.
When they reached the harbour, the coach rolled out onto a wharf and stopped beside a ship that appeared to be one of the kind normally used for coastal trade. Her half-furled sails were patched and her heavy railings showed signs of having been broken and repaired many times. Her sides were tarred, and she bore no name on her bow.
Shes a pirate, isnt she? Kurik asked Stragen as they stepped down from the coach.
Yes, as a matter of fact, she is, Stragen replied. I own a fair number of vessels in that business, but how did you recognize her?
Shes built for speed, Milord, Kurik said. Shes too narrow in the beam for cargo capacity, and the reinforcing around her masts says that she was built to carry a lot of sail. She was designed to run other ships down.
Or to run away from them, Kurik. Pirates live nervous lives. There are all sorts of people in the world who yearn to hang pirates just on general principles. Stragen looked around at the drizzly harbour. Lets go on board, he suggested. Theres not much point in standing out here in the rain discussing the finer points of life at sea.
Or to run away from them, Kurik. Pirates live nervous lives. There are all sorts of people in the world who yearn to hang pirates just on general principles. Stragen looked around at the drizzly harbour. Lets go on board, he suggested. Theres not much point in standing out here in the rain discussing the finer points of life at sea.
They went up the gangway, and Stragen led them to their cabins below deck. The sailors slipped their hawsers, and the ship moved out of the rainy harbour at a stately pace. Once they were past the headland and in deep water, however, the crew crowded on more sail, and the questionable vessel heeled over and raced across the straits of Thalesia towards the Deiran coast.
Sparhawk went up on deck about noon and found Stragen leaning on the rail near the bow looking moodily out over the grey, rain-dappled sea. He wore a heavy brown cloak, and his hat-brim dripped water down his back.
I thought you didnt like rain, Sparhawk said.
Its humid down in that cabin, the brigand replied. I needed some air. Im glad you came up though, Sparhawk. Pirates arent very interesting conversationalists.
They stood for a time listening to the creaking of rigging and ships timbers and to the melancholy sound of rain hissing into the sea.
How is it that Kurik knows so much about ships? Stragen asked finally.
He went to sea for a while when he was young.
That explains it, I guess. I dont suppose youd care to talk about what you were doing in Thalesia?
Not really. Church business, you understand.
Stragen smiled. Ah, yes. Our taciturn holy mother Church, he said. Sometimes I think she keeps secrets just for the fun of it.
We sort of have to take it on faith that she knows what shes doing.
You have to, Sparhawk, because youre a Church Knight. I havent taken any of those vows, so Im perfectly free to view her with a certain scepticism. I did give some thought to entering the Priesthood when I was younger, though.
You might have done very well. The Priesthood or the army are always interested in the talented younger sons of noblemen.
I rather like that, Stragen smiled. Younger son has a much nicer sound to it than bastard, doesnt it? It doesnt really matter to me, though. I dont need rank or legitimacy to make my way in the world. The Church and I wouldnt have got along too well, Im afraid. I dont have the humility she seems to require, and a congregation reeking of unwashed armpits would have driven me to renounce my vows fairly early on. He looked back out at the rainy sea. When you get right down to it, life didnt leave me too many options. Im not humble enough for the Church, Im not obedient enough for the army and I dont have the bourgeois temperament necessary for trade. I did dabble for a time at court, though, since the government always needs good administrators, legitimate or not, but after Id beaten out the dull-witted son of a duke for a position we both wanted, he became abusive. I challenged him, of course, and he was foolish enough to show up for our appointment wearing chain-mail and carrying a broadsword. No offence intended, Sparhawk, but chain-mail has a few too many small holes in it to be a good defence against a well-sharpened rapier. My opponent discovered that fairly early on in the discussion. After Id run him through a few times, he sort of lost interest in the whole business. I left him for dead which proved to be a pretty good guess and quietly removed myself from government service. The dullard Id just skewered turned out to be distantly related to King Wargun, and our drunken monarch has very little in the way of a sense of humour.
Ive noticed.
How did you manage to get on the wrong side of him?
Sparhawk shrugged. He wanted me to participate in that war going on down in Arcium, but I had pressing business in Thalesia. Hows that war going, by the way? Ive been a little out of touch.
About all weve had in the way of information are rumours. Some say that the Rendors have been exterminated; others say that Wargun has, and that the Rendors are marching north burning everything thats the least bit flammable. Whichever rumour you choose to believe depends on your view of the world, I suppose. Stragen looked sharply aft.
Something wrong? Sparhawk asked him.
That ship back there. Stragen pointed. She looks like a merchantman, but shes moving a little too fast.
Another pirate?
I dont recognize her and believe me, Id recognize her if she were in my line of business. He peered aft, his face tight. Then he relaxed. Shes veering off now. He laughed briefly. Sorry if I seem a little over-suspicious, Sparhawk, but unsuspicious pirates usually end up decorating some wharf-side gallows. Where were we?
Stragen was asking a few too many questions. It was probably a good time to divert him. You were about to tell me about how you left Warguns court and set up one of your own, Sparhawk suggested.
It took a little while, Stragen admitted, but Im rather uniquely suited for a life of crime. I havent been the least bit squeamish since the day I killed my father and my two half-brothers.
Sparhawk was a bit surprised at that.
Killing my father might have been a mistake, Stragen admitted. He wasnt really a bad sort, and he did pay for my education, but I took offence at the way he treated my mother. She was an amiable young woman from a well-placed family whod been put in my fathers household as the companion of his ailing wife. The usual sort of thing happened, and I was the result. After my disgrace at court, my father decided to distance himself from me, so he sent my mother home to her family. She died not long afterwards. I suppose I could justify my patricide by claiming that she died of a broken heart, but as a matter of fact, she choked to death on a fish bone. Anyway, I paid a short visit to my fathers house, and his title is now vacant. My two half-brothers were stupid enough to join in, and now all three of them share the same tomb. I rather imagine that my father regretted all the money hed spent on my fencing lessons. The expression on his face while he was dying seemed to indicate that he was regretting something. The blond man shrugged. I was younger then. Id probably do it differently now. Theres not much profit involved in randomly rendering relatives down to dog-meat, is there?
That depends on how you define profit.
Stragen gave him a quick grin. Anyway, I realized almost as soon as I took to the streets that theres not that much difference between a baron and a cutpurse or a duchess and a whore. I tried to explain that to my predecessor, but the fool wouldnt listen to me. He drew his sword on me, and I removed him from office. Then I began training the thieves and whores of Emsat. Ive adorned them with imaginary titles, purloined finery and a thin crust of good manners to give them a semblance of gentility. Then I turned them loose on the aristocracy. Business is very, very good, and Im able to repay my former class for a thousand slights and insults. He paused. Have you had about enough of this malcontented diatribe yet, Sparhawk? I must say that your courtesy and forbearance are virtually superhuman. Im tired of being rained on anyway. Why dont we go below? Ive got a dozen flagons of Arcian red in my cabin. We can both get a little tipsy and engage in some civilized conversation.