Sparhawk considered this complex man as he followed him below. Stragens motives were clear, of course. His resentment and that towering hunger for revenge were completely understandable. What was unusual was his total lack of self-pity. Sparhawk found that he liked the man. He didnt trust him, of course. That would have been foolish, but he liked him nonetheless.
So do I, Talen agreed that evening in their cabin when Sparhawk briefly recounted Stragens story and confessed his liking for the man. Thats probably natural, though. Stragen and I have a lot in common.
Are you going to throw that in my teeth again? Kurik asked him.
Im not lobbing stones in your direction, father, Talen said. Things like that happen, and Im a lot less sensitive about it than Stragen is. He grinned then. I was able to use our similar backgrounds to some advantage while I was in Emsat, though. I think he took a liking to me, and he made me some very interesting offers. He wants me to come to work for him.
Youve got a promising future ahead of you, Talen, Kurik said sourly. You could inherit either Platimes position or Stragens assuming you dont get yourself caught and hanged first.
Im starting to think on a larger scale, Talen said grandly. Stragen and I did some speculating about it while I was in Emsat. The thieves council is very close to being a government now. About all it really needs to qualify is some single leader a king maybe, or even an emperor. Wouldnt it make you proud to be the father of the Emperor of the Thieves, Kurik?
Not particularly.
What do you think, Sparhawk? the boy asked, his eyes filled with mischief. Should I go into politics?
I believe we can find something more suitable for you to do, Talen.
Maybe, but would it be as profitable or as much fun?
They reached the Elenian coast a league or so to the north of Cardos a week later and disembarked about midday on a lonely beach bordered on its upper end with dark fir trees.
The Cardos road? Kurik asked Sparhawk as they saddled Faran and Kuriks gelding.
Might I make a suggestion? Stragen asked from nearby.
Certainly.
King Warguns a maudlin man when hes drunk which is most of the time. Your defection probably has him blubbering in his beer every night. He offered a sizeable reward for your capture in Thalesia and Deira, and hes probably circulated the same offer here. Your face is well-known in Elenia, and its about seventy leagues from here to Cimmura a good week of hard travel at least. Do you really want to spend that much time on a well-travelled road under those circumstances? Particularly in view of the fact that somebody wants to shoot you full of arrows rather than just turn you over to Wargun?
Perhaps not. Can you think of an alternative?
Yes, as a matter of fact, I can. It may take us a day or so longer, but Platime once showed me a different route. Its a bit rough, but very few people know about it.
Sparhawk looked at the thin blond man with a certain amount of suspicion. Can I trust you, Stragen? he asked bluntly.
Stragen shook his head in resignation. Talen, he said, havent you ever explained thieves sanctuary to him?
Ive tried, but sometimes Sparhawk has difficulty with moral concepts. It goes like this, Sparhawk. If Stragen lets anything happen to us while were under his protection, hell have to answer to Platime.
Thats more or less why I came along, actually, Stragen admitted. As long as Im with you, youre still under my protection. I like you, Sparhawk, and having a Church Knight to intercede with God for me in case I happen to be accidentally hanged couldnt hurt. His sardonic expression returned then. Not only that, watching out for all of you might expiate some of my grosser sins.
Do you really have that many sins, Stragen? Sephrenia asked him gently.
More than I can remember, dear sister, he replied in Styric, and many of them are too foul to be described in your presence.
Sparhawk looked quickly at Talen, and the boy nodded gravely. Sorry, Stragen, he apologized. I misjudged you.
Perfectly all right, old boy. Stragen grinned. And perfectly understandable. There are days when I dont even trust myself.
Wheres this other road to Cimmura?
Stragen looked around. Why, do you know, I actually believe it starts just up there at the head of this beach. Isnt that an amazing coincidence?
That was your ship we sailed on?
Im a part owner, yes.
And you suggested to the captain that this beach might be a good place to drop us off?
I do seem to recall such a conversation, yes.
An amazing coincidence, all right, Sparhawk said dryly.
Stragen stopped, looking out to sea. Odd, he said, pointing at a passing ship. Theres that same merchantman we saw up in the straits. Shes sailing very light. Otherwise she couldnt have made such good time. He shrugged. Oh well. Lets go to Cimmura, shall we?
The alternative route they followed was little more than a forest trail that wound up across the range of mountains that lay between the coast and the broad tract of farmland drained by the Cimmura River. Once the track came down out of the mountains, it merged imperceptibly with a series of sunken country lanes meandering through the fields.
Early one morning when they were midway across that farmland, a shabby-looking fellow on a spavined mule cautiously approached their camp. I need to talk with a man named Stragen, he called from just out of bow-shot.
Come ahead, Stragen called back to him.
The man did not bother to dismount. Im from Platime, he identified himself to the Thalesian. He told me to warn you. There were some fellows looking for you on the road from Cardos to Cimmura.
Were?
They couldnt really identify themselves after we encountered them, and they arent looking for anything any more.
Ah.
They were asking questions before we intercepted them, though. They described you and your companions to a number of peasants. I dont think they wanted to catch up with you just to talk about the weather, Milord.
Were they Elenians? Stragen asked intently.
A few of them were. The rest seemed to be Thalesian sailors. Someones after you and your friends, Stragen, and I think theyve got killing on their minds. If I were you, Id get to Cimmura and Platimes cellar just as quickly as I could.
My thanks, friend, Stragen said.
The ruffian shrugged. Im getting paid for this. Thanks dont fatten my purse at all. He turned his mule and rode off.
I knew I should have turned and sunk that ship, Stragen noted. I must be getting soft. Wed better move right along, Sparhawk. Were awfully exposed out here.
Three days later, they reached Cimmura and reined in on the north rim of the valley to look down at the city, smoky and mist-plagued. A distinctly unattractive place, Sparhawk, Stragen said critically.
Its not much, Sparhawk conceded, but we like to call it home.
Ill be leaving you here, Stragen said. You have things to attend to and so do I. Might I suggest that we all forget we ever met each other? Youre involved in politics and I in theft. Ill leave it to God to decide which occupation is the more dishonest. Good luck, Sparhawk, and keep your eyes open. He half-bowed to Sephrenia from his saddle, turned his horse and rode down to the grimy city below.
Its not much, Sparhawk conceded, but we like to call it home.
Ill be leaving you here, Stragen said. You have things to attend to and so do I. Might I suggest that we all forget we ever met each other? Youre involved in politics and I in theft. Ill leave it to God to decide which occupation is the more dishonest. Good luck, Sparhawk, and keep your eyes open. He half-bowed to Sephrenia from his saddle, turned his horse and rode down to the grimy city below.
I could almost grow to like that man, Sephrenia said. Where to, Sparhawk?
The chapterhouse, the big Pandion decided. Weve been away for quite some time, and Id like to know how things stand before I go to the palace. He squinted up at the noonday sun, bleary and wan-looking in the pervading haze that hung over Cimmura. Lets stay out of sight until we find out whos controlling the city.
They kept to the trees and rode on around Cimmura on the north side. Kurik slipped down from his gelding at one point and crept to the edge of the bushes to have a look. His expression was grave when he returned. There are church soldiers manning the battlements, he reported.
Sparhawk swore. Are you sure?
The men up there are wearing red.
Lets move on anyway. Weve got to get inside the chapterhouse.
The dozen or so ostensible workmen outside the fortress of the Pandion Knights were still laying cobblestones.
Theyve been at that for almost a year now, Kurik muttered, and they still havent finished. Do we wait for dark?
I dont think that would do much good. Theyll still be watching, and I dont want it generally known that were back in Cimmura.
Sephrenia, Talen said, can you make a column of smoke come up from just inside the city walls near the gate?
Yes, she replied.
Good. Well make those bricklayers go away then. The boy quickly explained his plan.
That isnt really too bad, Sparhawk, Kurik said rather proudly. What do you think?
Its worth a try. Lets do it and see what happens.
The red uniform Sephrenia created for Kurik did not look all that authentic, but the smudges and smoke-stains she added covered most of the discrepancies. The important things were the gold-embroidered epaulettes which identified him as an officer. The burly squire then led his horse through the bushes to a spot near the city gate.
Then Sephrenia began to murmur in Styric, gesturing with her fingers as she did so.
The column of smoke that rose from inside the walls was very convincing, thick, oily black and boiling dreadfully.
Hold my horse, Talen said to Sparhawk, slipping down from his saddle. He ran out to the edge of the bushes and began to shriek, Fire! at the top of his lungs.
The so-called workmen gaped at him stupidly for a moment, then turned to stare in consternation at the city.
You always have to yell fire, Talen explained when he returned. It gets people to thinking in the right direction.
Then Kurik galloped up to the spies outside the gate of the chapterhouse. You men, he barked, theres a house on fire in Goat Lane. Get in there and help put the fire out before the whole city starts to burn.
But sir, one of the workmen objected, we were ordered to stay here and keep an eye on the Pandions.
Do you have anything you value inside the city walls? Kurik asked him bluntly. If that fire gets away from us, you can stand here and keep an eye on it while it burns. Now move, all of you! Im going up to that fortress to see if I can persuade the Pandions to lend a hand.
The workmen looked at him, then dropped their tools and ran towards the illusory conflagration as Kurik rode on towards the drawbridge of the chapterhouse.
Slick, Sparhawk complimented Talen.
Thieves do it all the time, the boy shrugged. We have to use real fire, though. People run outside to gawk at fires. That provides an excellent opportunity to look around inside their houses for things of value. He looked towards the city gate. Our friends seem to be out of sight. Why dont we ride on before they come back?
Two Pandion Knights in black armour rode gravely out to meet them as they reached the drawbridge. Is that a fire in the city, Sparhawk? one of them asked in some alarm.
Not really, Sparhawk replied. Sephrenias entertaining the church soldiers.
The other knight grinned at Sephrenia. Then he straightened. Who art thou who entreateth entry into the house of the Soldiers of God? he began the ritual.
We dont have time for that, brother, Sparhawk told him. Well go through it twice next time. Whos in charge here now?
Lord Vanion.
That was surprising. Preceptor Vanion had been much involved in the campaign in Arcium when last Sparhawk had heard of him. Do you have any idea of where I might locate him?
Hes in his tower, Sparhawk, the second knight advised.
Sparhawk grunted. How many knights are here right now, brother?
About a hundred.
Good. I may need them. Sparhawk nudged Faran with his heels. The big roan turned his head to look at his master with some surprise. Were busy now, Faran, Sparhawk explained to his horse. Well go through the ritual some other time.
Farans expression was disapproving as he started across the drawbridge.
Sir Sparhawk! a ringing voice came from the stable door. It was the novice, Berit, a rangy, raw-boned young man whose face was split with a broad grin.
Shout a little louder, Berit, Kurik said reprovingly. Maybe theyll be able to hear you in Chyrellos.
Sorry, Kurik, Berit apologized, looking abashed.
Get some other novices to look after our horses and come with us, Sparhawk told the young man. We have things to do, and we have to talk with Vanion.
Yes, Sir Sparhawk. Berit ran back into the stable.
Hes such a nice boy, Sephrenia smiled.
He might work out, Kurik said grudgingly.
Sparhawk, a hooded Pandion said with some surprise as they entered the arched door leading into the chapterhouse. The knight pushed back his hood. It was Sir Perraine, the Pandion who had posed as a cattle-buyer in Dabour. Perraine spoke with a slight accent.
What are you doing back in Cimmura, Perraine? Sparhawk asked, clasping his brother knights hand. We all thought youd taken root in Dabour.
Perraine seemed to recover from his surprise. Ah he began, once Arasham died, there wasnt much reason for me to remain in Dabour. Wed all heard that King Wargun was pursuing you all over western Eosia.
Pursuing isnt catching, Perraine, Sparhawk grinned. We can talk later. But now my friends and I have to go and talk with Vanion.
Of course. Perraine bowed slightly to Sephrenia and walked on out into the courtyard.
They went up the stairs to the south tower where Vanions study was located. The Preceptor of the Pandion Order wore that white Styric robe, and his face had aged even more in the short time since Sparhawk had last seen him. The others were also there, Ulath, Tynian, Bevier and Kalten. Their presence seemed somehow to make the room shrink. These were very large men, not only in sheer physical size, but also in terms of their towering reputations. The room seemed somehow full of bulky shoulders. As was customary among Church Knights when inside their chapterhouses, they all wore monks robes over their mail-shirts.