‘Waiting to seize the moment,’ commented Arutha.
‘Don’t be so quick to judge,’ snapped Amos; then he continued in softer tones. ‘He was worried over a civil war and if it came, he was ready to fight. But while he waited to see what would happen, he knew Caldric’s men were out snooping about. He had been dodging them – barely, a couple of times. Guy still had friends in the capital, and some of them smuggled him and Armand aboard the Royal Swallow – gad, what a pretty craft she was – just about the time the Ishapian priests reached the palace to start up the coronation. Anyway, when I … borrowed the ship, we discovered we had passengers.
‘Now, I was ready to toss Guy and Armand over the side, or turn about and deliver them trussed up to you, but Guy can be a convincing enough rogue in his way, so I agreed to take him to Bas-Tyra, in exchange for a healthy price.’
‘So he could plot against Lyam?’ asked Arutha incredulously.
‘Damn it, boy,’ bellowed Amos, ‘I let you out of my sight for a pissing two years and you go and get downright thick-headed on me.’ Looking at Martin, he said, ‘Must be the company you’ve been keeping.’
Martin said to his brother, ‘Let him finish.’
‘No, it wasn’t to plot treason. It was so he could put his affairs in order. He figured Lyam’d ordered his head, so he was going to tidy up some things, then I was going to bring him back to Rillanon, so he could give himself up.’
Arutha looked stunned.
‘About the only thing he really wanted was to get pardon for Armand and his other followers. Anyway, we reached Bas-Tyra and stayed a few days. Then came word of the banishment. Guy and I had become a little more friendly by then, so we talked and made another deal. He wanted to leave the Kingdom, to seek a place. He’s a fine general, and there are many who would have given him service, especially Kesh, but he wanted to go someplace so remote he would never have to face Kingdom soldiers in the field. We figured to head east, then turn south, and make for the Keshian Confederacy. We might have made a name for ourselves down there. He was going to be a general and I thought I’d take a bash at being an admiral. We had a spot of trouble with Armand, for Guy wanted to send him back home to Gyldenholt, but Armand’s a funny one. He’d sworn fealty to Guy, years before, and as he had not sworn to Lyam he’d not quit his liege lord’s service. Damnedest argument I’ve ever heard. Anyway, he’s still with us. So we set sail for the Confederacy.
‘But three days out of Bas-Tyra, a fleet of Ceresian pirates took out after us. I’d be willing to take on two, even three of the bastards, but five? The Swallow was a fast lady, but the pirates stayed right on her heels. For four days it was all clear skies, unlimited visibility, and fair winds. For Kingdom Sea pirates, they were a canny lot. They spread out across each following quarter, so I couldn’t lose them at night. Each night I’d sail around, this way and that, then come morning, there’d be five sails on the horizon. They were like lampreys. I couldn’t shake them. Then we hit weather. A line squall came roaring out of the west, driving us east for a day and a half, then a full gale blew up carrying us north along uncharted coast. The only good thing about that storm is we shook loose of the Ceresians at last. By the time I found safe harbour, we were in waters I’d never heard of, let alone seen.
‘We lay up and took stock. The ship was in need of some repair, not serious enough to sink her, but enough to make sailing damned inconvenient. I took her up a big river, must have been somewhere east of the Kingdom proper.
‘Well, the second night we were at anchor, a damn army of goblins swarmed the ship, killing the sentries and capturing the rest of us. Bastards fired the Swallow and burned her down to the waterline. Then they marched us to a camp in the woods where some Dark Brothers were waiting. They took charge of us and we were all marched north.
‘The lads I’d recruited were a crusty lot, but most of them died on the march. Damn goblins didn’t care spit. We got almost nothing to eat, and if a man took sick and couldn’t walk, they killed him on the spot. I got a touch of the belly flux and Guy and Armand carried me for two days, and believe me that wasn’t pleasant for any of us.
‘We moved northwest, heading up into the mountains, then over them. Lucky for us it was late summer, or we’d all have frozen to death. Still, it was touch and go. Then we met with some other Dark Brothers with more prisoners. Most of the prisoners spoke an odd tongue, a lot like Yabonese, but a few others spoke the King’s Tongue, or languages from the eastern kingdoms.
‘Twice more we joined with other bands of Brothers with human prisoners, all marching west. I lost track of the time, but we must have travelled for over two months by then. By the time we were ready to cross the plain – which I now know to be the plain of Isbandia, it was starting to snow. I know where we were headed now, though then I didn’t. Murmandamus was gathering slaves at Sar-Sargoth to pull his siege machines.
‘Then one night our guards were hit by a company of horsemen from here. Of the two hundred or so slaves, only twenty survived, for the goblins and Dark Brothers took to killing us as soon as the horsemen struck the camp. Guy strangled one with his chains as it tried to run me through with a sword. I picked up the sword and killed another just after it clawed the Protector’s eye out. Armand was wounded but not quite enough to kill him. He’s a tough bastard. But we three and two others were the only survivors from the Swallow.
‘From there we were brought here.’
Arutha said, ‘An incredible tale.’ He sat back against the wall. ‘Still, these are incredible times.’
Martin said, ‘How is it an outlander came to rule here?’
Amos took another drink. ‘These are a strange folk, Martin. As honest and fine as you’ll find anywhere, in some ways, but they’re as alien as those Tsurani in other ways. They have no hereditary rank here, instead placing great store in ability. Within a few months it was clear Guy was a first-rate general, so they gave him a company to command. Armand and I served under him. Within a few more months it was clear he was by far the best commander they had. They’ve got nothing like the Congress of Lords here, Arutha. When something needs to be decided, they call everyone into a meeting in the great square, where the market’s held. They call the meeting the volksraad, and they all vote. Otherwise, all decisions are left to those elected by the volksraad. They summoned Guy and told him he was now Protector of Armengar. It’s like being named the King’s Marshal, but also something like being responsible for the safety of the city as well, a chief sheriff, constable, reeve, and bailiff all rolled up in one.’
Arutha said, ‘What did the previous Protector think of this?’
‘She must have thought it was a good idea; she proposed it.’
‘She?’ said Jimmy.
Amos said, ‘That’s another thing around here takes a bit of getting used to. Women. They’re just like men. I mean when it comes to giving and taking orders, voting in the volksraad … other things. You’ll see.’ Amos’s expression got distant. ‘Her name was Gwynnath. She was as fine a woman as I’ve met. I’m not ashamed to admit I was a little in love with her myself, though’ – his tone turned a little lighter – ‘I’ll never settle down. But if I ever did, that’s the sort for me.’ He looked down into his ale mug. ‘But she and Guy … I know some things about him, learned slowly over the last two years, Arutha. I can’t betray a trust. If he tells you himself, fine. But let’s say they were something like man and wife there at the end, deeply in love. She was the one to step aside and turn over her city to him. She would have died for him. And he for her. She rode beside him and fought like a lioness.’ His voice softened. ‘She died yesterday.’
Arutha and Martin exchanged looks with the others. Baru and Roald remained silent. Laurie thought of Carline and shivered. Even the boys could sense something of the loss Amos felt. Arutha remembered what Amos had said to Armand just before they had met Guy. ‘And Guy blames himself.’
‘Yes. One-eye’s much like any good captain: if it happened under his comm
and, it’s his responsibility.’ Amos sat back, his face a thoughtful mask. ‘The goblins and the Armengarians used to keep things pretty simple for a long time. Run out, break a few heads, then retreat. The Armengarians were a lot like the Tsurani, fierce warriors, but no real organization. But when Murmandamus showed up, the Brothers got downright organized, even to the company level. Now they can coordinate two, three thousand warriors under a single commander. The Brotherhood was punishing the Armengarians regularly when we showed up. Guy proved a blessing to the Armengarians, knowing modern warcraft. He’s trained them, and now they’re damn good cavalry and fair mounted infantry, though getting an Armengarian off his horse can be a chore. Still, Guy makes progress. They’re back to holding their own with the Brothers. But yesterday…’ Nobody spoke for a long while.
Martin said, ‘We have some serious matters to discuss, Amos. You know we wouldn’t be here unless something of the gravest consequence was happening in the Kingdom.’
‘Well, I’ll let you alone for a while. You were good companions, and I know you to be honourable men.’ He got to his feet. ‘But one thing more. The Protector is the most powerful man in the city, but even his power is limited to matters of safety for Armengar. If he said he’d an old debt with you, no one would interfere while you fought a duel, man to man. If you won, you’d be cut loose to make your own way and no one in the city’d raise a hand against you. But all he has to do is to call you spies and you’d be dead before you turned around. Arutha, Martin, I know there’s bad blood between you and Guy, because of your father, and because of Erland. And I now know some of what lay behind that. I’ll leave that for Guy to sort out with you in time. But you must know something of how the weather turns up here. You are free to come and go as long as you don’t break a law, or as long as Guy doesn’t order you tossed out, or hung, or whatever. But he takes the responsibility. He guarantees your good behaviour, all of you. If you betray the city, his life is forfeit along with your own. As I said, these folk can be fairly strange in their way, and their ways can be harsh. So understand what I say when I tell you this: betray Guy’s trust, even if you think it’s for the good of the Kingdom, and these people will kill you. And I’m not sure I’d even try to stop them.’
‘You know we’d not break trust, Amos,’ answered Martin.
‘I know, but I wanted you to understand how strongly I feel. I’m fond of both you lads, and would dislike seeing your throats cut almost as much as you would.’ Saying nothing more, Amos left.
Arutha settled back, considering all that Amos had told him, and suddenly realized he was bone-tired. He looked to Martin and his brother nodded. No further discussion was required. Arutha knew he would tell the complete story to Guy in the morning.
Arutha and his companions waited as the lift rose, then halted at the floor of the Protector’s council room. It had been late morning, almost noon, before the call to Guy’s council had arrived. They walked a short way down the hall, then stopped. The guard who had come for them waited while they stared out the window in wonder at the vista below. Armengar spread out beyond the moat about the citadel and across the open market, to the huge city wall. But beyond the wall they could see a vast plain stretching northeast into the distant mist. On either side of the city the mountains rose high into the heavens. From the west white billowing clouds blew through a deep blue sky, as amber-highlighted green grasses stretched away to the limit of their view. It was an incredible view. Jimmy glanced over and saw a strange expression on Locklear’s face. ‘What?’
‘I was just thinking about all that land,’ he said, pointing toward the plain.
‘What about it?’ asked Arutha.
‘You could grow a lot on such land.’
Martin let his gaze wander the horizon. ‘Enough wheat to feed the Western Realm,’ he commented.
Jimmy said, ‘You, a farmer?’
Locklear grinned. ‘What do you think a baron does in a small place like Land’s End? Mostly he settles squabbles between farmers, or sets fair taxes on crops. You have to know about such things.’
The guard said, ‘Come, the Protector waits.’
As Arutha and his companions entered, Guy looked up. With him were Amos, Dwyne, Armand de Sevigny, and a woman. Arutha looked at his brother and saw that Martin had halted in his tracks. The Duke of Crydee was staring at the woman in unabashed appreciation. Arutha touched Martin’s arm and he moved to follow his brother. Arutha glanced at the woman again, and could appreciate his brother’s distraction. At first blush, she seemed a plain-looking woman, but as soon as she moved, her bearing added another dimension to her appearance. She was striking. She wore leather armour, brown tunic and trousers, like most of the others in the city. But the bulky covering couldn’t disguise the fact she was trimly built, and her carriage was erect, even regal. Her hair was deep brown, with a startling streak of grey at the left temple, and was tied back with a rolled green scarf, and her eyes were blue. And from the red-rimmed state of those eyes, it was clear she had been crying.
Guy indicated that Arutha and his companions should sit. Arutha introduced everyone, and Guy in turn said, ‘You know Amos and Armand. This is Briana’ – he indicated the woman – ‘one of my commanders.’ Arutha nodded, but saw the woman had recovered from whatever had caused her to cry and was returning Martin’s appraising look.
Quickly, with economy, Arutha told Guy his story, starting with the return from the long trip with Lyam to the East, then of the first attack by the Nighthawks, through the revelations at the Abbey at Sarth and the quest for Silverthorn, to the false death of the Prince of Krondor. He ended by saying, ‘To end it, we’ve come to kill Murmandamus.’
At that, Guy shook his head in disbelief. ‘Cousin, it’s a bold plan, but…’ He turned to Armand. ‘How many infiltrators have we tried to get into his camp?’
‘Six?’
‘Seven,’ said Briana.
‘But they weren’t Kingdom men, were they?’ asked Jimmy, taking out an ebon hawk on a chain. ‘And they didn’t carry the Nighthawks’ talisman, did they.’
Guy looked at Jimmy in near-exasperation. ‘Armand?’
The former Baron of Gyldenholt opened a drawer in a cabinet and took out a pouch. He untied the pouch and poured a half dozen of the talismans on the table. ‘We’ve tried it, Squire. And yes, some were Kingdom men, for there are always a few among those saved by the Armengarians when they raided the Brothers’ slave coffles. No, there’s something missing. They know who the true brigands are and who are spies.’
Arutha said, ‘Magic, most likely.’
Guy said, ‘That’s a problem we’ve faced before. We number no spellcasters, whether magicians or priests, in this city. It seems constant warfare, with everyone expected to fight, does not permit the sort of placidity such study requires – or it kills off all the teachers. But whatever the reason, on those few occasions when Murmandamus or his snake has taken a hand, we’ve paid a dear price.’ He added thoughtfully, ‘Though for some reason he seems reluctant to use his powers against us, thank the gods.’
Guy sat back. ‘You and I share an interest, cousin. To give you some sense of it, let me tell you about this place. You know that the ancestors of the Armengarians came over the mountains when the Kingdom annexed Yabon. They discovered a rich land, but one already inhabited, and those who were here first tended to look upon the incursion of the Armengarians with disfavour. Briana, who built this city?’
The woman spoke, her voice a soft contralto. ‘The legend is that the gods ordered a race of giants to build this city, then left it abandoned. We took it as we found it.’
‘No one knows who lived here,’ said Guy. ‘There is another city, far to the north, Sar-Sargoth. It is a city twin to this one, and Murmandamus’s capital.’
Arutha said, ‘So if we are to seek him out, there is where we’ll find him.’
‘Seek him out and he’ll see your heads on pikes,’ snorted Amos.
Guy indicated agreement. ‘We hav
e other needs, Arutha. Last year he marshalled an army in excess of twenty thousand. As much might as the Armies of the East at full muster during peaceful times. We braced ourselves for a full-scale onslaught, but nothing materialized. Now, I expect your friend here’ – he pointed to Baru – ‘killing off Murmandamus’s favourite general might have aborted the campaign. But this year he’s back and he’s even stronger. We estimate he may have more than twenty-five thousand goblins and Dark Brothers under his banner, with more arriving every day. I expect upward of thirty thousand when he marches.’
Arutha looked at Guy. ‘Why hasn’t he marched yet?’
Guy spread his hands, inviting comment from anyone. ‘He’s waiting for your death, remember?’ instructed Jimmy. ‘It’s a religious thing.’
Arutha said, ‘He has word by now. That’s what he told that renegade Morgan Crowe.’
Guy’s one good eye narrowed. ‘What’s this?’
Arutha told of the renegade at the inn on the road to Tyr-Sog, and of the plan to hire Segersen’s engineers.
‘That’s what he was waiting for,’ said Guy, slapping the table. ‘He has his magic, but for some reason won’t use it against us. Without Segersen’s engineers he can’t bring down our walls.’ When Arutha looked uncertain of Guy’s meaning, Guy said, ‘If he could bring down Armengar’s walls he wouldn’t be trying to hire Segersen. No one knows who built those walls, Arutha, but whoever it was had some skills beyond any other I’ve knowledge of. I’ve seen fortification of all manner, but none like Armengar. Segersen’s engineers might not be able to breach the walls, but they are the only ones I know of with half a chance to do it.’
The Riftwar Saga Page 151