The Blood-stained Belt

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The Blood-stained Belt Page 24

by Brian H Jones


  One evening, during a drunken carousal, Aebrel accused Jainar of sleeping with one of the royal concubines. This was too much for Jainar who, whatever his faults, wasn't a womaniser. In fact, he had been married for twenty years and held strictly to the old virtues of faithfulness and monogamy. In the presence of the whole court, Jainar turned on Aebrel in fury, saying, 'Remember who I am, my lord! You forget that I have been loyal to your father's house ever since Izebol anointed him even although he treated me worse than a peasant. Now you treat me like a dog, insulting me in public and accusing me of sleeping with one of your whores. Pha! I wouldn't even touch one of your women with the tip of a spear for fear of infection.’

  Aebrel blustered, ‘You forget yourself! Who’s king here, eh? Me, that’s who! I’m king in Upper Keirine!’

  Jainar was in a red-eyed rage. He spat out, ‘King! You can’t even govern yourself! You’re ruled by your whores and by wine!’

  ‘Remember your position, Jainar! I could –‘

  ‘You could what? Look at you, my lord –‘ Jainar ground out the word 'lord' in contempt and then cried, enraged, ‘King of Upper Keirine! King of the Wine Cups, more likely! Pha! You’re so drunk that you can’t even stand on your own two feet.’

  Aebrel shook his head muzzily and growled, ‘Shut up, Jainar. I’m the king. I command it.’

  Jainar pointed at Aebrel and said with knife-sharp scorn, ‘You can be thankful that I haven't handed you and your kingdom over to Sharma -- which is what Izebol promised him, as you might remember.'

  ‘Promised? You speak treachery!?’

  ‘Treachery? I'm only speaking the truth. You know where the proof is. It’s dead in a ditch with the messenger that you had killed.’

  Aebrel was so drunk that he replied, 'Oh, yes, Jainar, why don't you try to hand the kingdom over to Sharma! You think that you can destroy me, huh? You think you’ll be safe then? Huh! Forget about it.’

  Jainar said in quiet fury, ‘I could destroy you as easily as this.’ He snapped his fingers.

  ‘Huh? Destroy me? It won't be so easy, my good general – no, it won't be so easy.’ Blearily, Aebrel waved a wine cup at Jainar. ‘But if you do, then when I’m gone, Sharma will destroy you. I’m all that stands between Sharma and the throne. If Aebrel goes then Jainar goes. Simple, eh? Sink or swim together, huh, Jainar – sink or swim together, that’s what it’s about – huh.' Aebrel burped and subsided into his chair like a sack of sodden fodder.

  Jainar banged a fist on the table and roared, 'By Zabrazal, whatever you might think about him, at least Sharma acts like a king who is worthy of the name.'

  Even although he was deep in his cups, Aebrel could see that he'd pushed Jainar too far. Lolling in his chair, Aebrel muttered and waved a hand in what could have been an apology or could have been a dismissal. Jainar stalked out of the chamber in a rage and didn’t wait for the crisis to develop. Next day, he sent a message to Sharma, saying that he wanted to meet him as soon as possible. Sharma replied in the affirmative but set a condition for the meeting: he demanded that Mecolo should accompany Jainar. I guess that he did that because he saw an opportunity to right the wrong that Vaxili had done to him while humiliating Aebrel at the same time. In addition, perhaps by demanding Mecolo, Sharma was testing the extent of Jainar's power.

  Jainar delivered Mecolo and Sharma met with him privately at a site on the border, half a day's march from Orihedrin. Not even we, Sharma’s commanders, knew exactly what was discussed. Sharma would only tell us that he made it plain to Jainar that Aebrel should not be harmed, whatever happened.

  Later, I asked Sharma, 'If this works out, what's going to happen to Aebrel, when he's no longer king?'

  Sharma gazed at me steadily and replied, ‘If he falls into our hands he will be treated with honour and respect as the son of Vaxili deserves.'

  'Honour and respect! You mean that you'll heap coals of fire on his head, not so? He'll be like a dog at your feet, won't he? What a pity that Vaxili won't be there to see it.'

  'Have a care, Jina!'

  I saw that I had struck Sharma too close to home so I retreated a little by saying, 'By Zabrazal, Sharma, don't you see that you won't be secure as long as Aebrel is alive?'

  Sharma flushed and retorted, 'We will deal with the situation when it arises.' On the surface, Sharma looked calm and controlled. However, I knew him well enough to see that he was edgy with excitement and anticipation. He sensed that the time when he would become king of united Keirine was near at hand. However, to be fair to Sharma, he wasn't just excited at the thought that he would soon be king. He was also excited because the unity of Keirine was an obsession with him, as it was with me. It went back a long way, at least as far back as the time when, as boys, we sat on the hills and looked towards the coast while reflecting on the weakness and vulnerability of Keirine.

  I said, ‘Aebrel will be a focus for rebellion as long as he lives.’ It was pushing the boundaries of our relationship, but if I didn't say this to Sharma, who would?

  Sharma snorted disdainfully. ‘Aebrel is a spent force. Just about no one supports him now, and even his few supporters will abandon him when he's no longer king.’

  ‘Don't underestimate how much support he has. Some people support him just because he’s the son of Vaxili and others support him because they’d rather have him on the throne than you.’

  Sharma clucked his tongue impatiently and asked sceptically, ‘Aebrel rather than me? Really? And why is that?’

  ‘Because they can manipulate Aebrel but they won’t be able to manipulate you.’

  Sharma poked a finger at my chest and barked, ‘For a soldier, you seem to know a lot about the politics of Upper Keirine.’

  ‘That’s because these things are so obvious that even a plain soldier like me can see them.’

  Sharma stood back and looked at me. He rubbed his nose and said slowly, more in amusement than in irritation, 'Ah! So plain soldier Jina is advising the king on the politics of the throne, is he?'

  'Perhaps that’s because plain soldier Jina can see what the king can't.'

  Sharma grunted and tried to conceal a grin. I made an expansive bow, kneeled, and said, ‘My lord, I am your humble servant.’ That stopped him. I was his boyhood friend and closest confidant, and he didn’t know how to handle me when I was on my knees before him. Sharma stood there stroking his chin, looking at me appraisingly. Then he put out his hand and raised me to a standing position. He muttered, ‘Damnation, Jina, you embarrass me.’

  I said, ‘Sharma, your cause is my cause. I advise you as I would advise myself.’

  'Jina! Will you shame me as well as embarrass me?'

  'I could never do that. Your shame would be my shame.'

  ‘Be careful, Jina. You will be a courtier yet.’

  ‘A courtier! I don’t think so! I would die of suffocation.’

  Sharma grinned broadly and embraced me, saying, 'Jina, Jina! If Zabrazal exists and if he ever gave me a gift, then surely he gave you to me as a pillar to my house.'

  We stood there beaming at each other, our disagreement forgotten. I made a half-mocking bow and said, 'The general is always at the service of the king-to-be.'

  Sharma's face was sombre when he replied, 'Not all kings are so fortunate.' He put up a finger and said, 'Ah! Talking of serving the king-to-be, there’s something that you can do for me right now.' I looked at Sharma enquiringly. He dropped his eyes and looked embarrassed while he muttered, 'Uh – quarters need to be arranged for Mecolo and the child.'

  The child? Didn't he know the name of his own son? I put the thought aside and asked, 'Should we arrange a room for them in your compound?'

  Sharma looked even more embarrassed when he said, 'No, not in my compound. Roda isn't – you know – she’s not fully prepared for this. Nor is Mecolo. Perhaps – uh – you can arrange quarters somewhere else, close by, you know, but not in the compound, not yet, anyway.'

  'You mean that you didn't tell Roda that Mecolo was on her way
?' It was so farcical that I wanted to laugh out loud. Fortunately, I managed to keep a straight face.

  Sharma couldn’t look me in the face when he replied, 'I thought that it would be better if she got used to the idea gradually, but – damn it, Jina, are you going to help me or not?'

  'No problem! I'll get on to it right away. By the way, is Mecolo to be accommodated as your wife, or – ah – in some other capacity?'

  'As my wife, of course! Why do you think it might be otherwise?'

  I paused and thought carefully before I replied. Was my memory at fault when I remembered that when Sharma decided to marry Roda, he was happy to acknowledge that his marriage to Mecolo had been annulled? Whatever the case, this was another thought that I put aside quickly. I took my leave and went to arrange suitable quarters for Mecolo.

  I found Mecolo and the boy sitting in a small room near the council chamber. They were surrounded by a jumble of baggage and Mecolo looked tired and tense. When I entered, she greeted me with relief, crying, 'Jina! It's so good to see you!'

  Seeing Mecolo again brought back so many memories that I struggled to keep my voice steady. I said, 'My lady, Sharma has asked me to arrange quarters for you and your son.'

  'Sharma!' Her voice was sharp. 'Where is Sharma? We've been here almost five hours and we haven't seen him yet.’ She swept her arm around angrily. ‘We’re being treated like just so many more pieces of baggage. I demand to –'

  'My lady, have patience! Sharma has been busy with matters of state. He sends his compliments and he will see you soon.'

  Mecolo looked as if she was going to give vent to another outburst of frustration, as well she might. However, she bit back the words and shrugged as if she no longer knew what to believe. She sighed, then looked at me appraisingly and said, 'You're looking well, Jina.'

  'So are you, my lady.' I said the words out of courtesy but not with conviction. The truth was that, apart from looking travel-weary, Mecolo looked older than her years. Her face had tightened and her shoulders were more stooped than they should have been for a woman of her age and station. Well, perhaps that was to be expected -- the last few years hadn't been easy for her. She had been the centre of a tug of war between Vaxili and Sharma, she had been forced into a humiliating marriage – if it was a marriage – and then, after surviving her father's erratic reign, she had lived as an appendage of her dissolute brother. What was more, her close association with Sharma must have been a daily irritation to Aebrel and he must have let her know it.

  I changed the subject, saying, 'You have a fine son, my lady.' It was true. The boy was sturdy and had an open, trusting countenance. However, I wasn’t being entirely truthful. To my eyes, as the boy sat there looking at me earnestly, there was more of his mother in him than there was of Sharma. But when he smiled, he looked a lot like Sharma.

  Mecolo stroked her son's hair and said, 'Every day, I thank Zabrazal for him. Since he was born, he has been my only consolation.'

  'What is his name, my lady?'

  'His name is Bedaxili.'

  'Bedaxili' meant 'Beloved of Vaxili'. I wondered how Sharma would feel about the name. I said cautiously, 'It is a striking name.'

  Mecolo's mouth tightened and she replied without enthusiasm, 'It is the name that my father gave him.'

  The air was heavy with suppressed issues and unspoken words. I roused myself to activity and said, 'My lady, you need to rest. Let's move your belongings to your quarters.'

  Mecolo floated the scarf from her neck and arranged it around her head. As she did so, she said, 'So, Jina, I hear that you have become an important man in Lower Keirine.'

  'I am deputy commander of the army, my lady.'

  'Deputy commander? And only a few years ago, you were--' Mecolo stopped suddenly, as if she had caught herself on the point of committing an indiscretion. Then she gathered herself and said, 'I am honoured to be assisted by the deputy commander.'

  I acknowledged her with a slight bow and then began to supervise the move to her quarters.

  After the men had deposited the baggage and left the rooms, I introduced Mecolo to the women who would be attending to her and asked if I could be of further assistance. Mecolo looked around suspiciously and asked, 'Do these rooms adjoin Sharma's quarters?'

  ‘Not exactly, my lady.’

  ‘No?’

  'They're close but they don't actually adjoin them, my lady.'

  'No? Where exactly are Sharma's quarters?'

  I pointed out of the window: 'Over there, across the courtyard.'

  Mecolo's face darkened as she pushed the drape aside and peered out. She asked sharply, 'Is that where Roda lives? Those quarters with the maroon canopies?'

  'My lady?'

  'Oh, come now, Jina! I know all about this creature named Roda!' Mecolo grimaced sourly. 'Do you think that I lived in a total vacuum in Koraina? Don't you think that there were plenty of people who would delight in giving me news like that?' She turned away, looked out of the window again, wiped her eyes, and said, 'Well, Jina? I asked you a question: Is that where Roda lives?'

  'Yes, my lady. That's where Roda lives.'

  'Nearest in place, nearest in heart, as the saying goes – not so?' Mecolo turned towards me. Her eyes were moist and she was biting her lower lip. She asked, 'Is Roda beautiful?'

  'I can't say, my lady.'

  'Oh, come now, Jina -- you're a man. Give me your opinion as a man.'

  'I do not have opinions on women's beauty.'

  'No? You used to have.'

  'That was long ago, my lady. Now I choose not to have opinions on such matters.'

  'Oh, Jina, you can't forget Dana, can you?' When I didn't reply, Mecolo took my hands and said, 'I can't forget her either.'

  'Please, my lady, I prefer not to speak about it.' I pushed her hands away, saying, 'I must go now.'

  Mecolo asked, almost pleadingly, 'And Sharma --?'

  'My lady, Sharma will come to see you soon.'

  As I left the room, Mecolo called after me, 'Believe me, Jina, I wish that I could follow your example. There are things that I should put behind me as well.'

  I walked over to Sharma to tell him that Mecolo was settling into her quarters. He was with Roda and it was clear that they were quarrelling. Instead of greeting me, Roda tossed her head and turned away, standing with her back rigidly against us. Sharma looked at her angrily, took my arm, and walked me outside. I made my report, Sharma thanked me tersely and I left him.

  About one month later, I was away leading the pursuit of an Usserdite raiding party when Sharma and Jainar met again. This time, Jainar came to Orihedrin where Sharma entertained him lavishly. I returned to Orihedrin only a few hours after Jainar departed. I was furious when I heard what had happened and demanded to see Sharma immediately. Going straight to the point without ceremony, I said, 'So, once again, you timed your meeting with Jainar well!’

  ‘Calm down, Jina! It was only arranged a few days ago. You were out of contact and I couldn’t call you back in time.’

  ‘Oh, yes? Or was it just very convenient?’

  ‘Don’t you believe me, Jina?’

  ‘What should I believe? This is the second time that it’s happened.’

  Sharma waved my objections away as if they were the buzzing of an annoying insect, saying, ‘You can believe it or not, just as you choose.’

  ‘And I can go to hell if I have any objections, eh?’

  ‘I said you may believe it or not, just as you choose.’

  ‘What's more, you had Jainar in your grasp and you let him go!'

  Sharma face tightened. He said stiffly, 'He came to negotiate. I gave him my word that he would be safe.'

  'Negotiate! He came to buy time or to spy! You know that he can't be trusted.'

  Sharma's eyes narrowed. 'Up until now, he's delivered what he's promised. Why shouldn't we trust him?'

  I thought, what has he delivered so far? Mecolo? Is that all? Well, Sharma, you should know that there's a big difference be
tween delivering a woman, even if she is a princess, and delivering a kingdom. I suppressed the words and replied, 'How do you know that he's not playing a double game?'

  Sharma thrust his chin forward and wagged a finger at me, saying tersely, 'Have a care, Jina. I am the king. You command the army and I decide on policy.’

  'By Zabrazal, now I see it clearly! I am the king's loyal dog, to be sent here, there, and everywhere, while the king entertains his favoured guests at his table! And for me – '

  'Have a care, Jina! I tell you, man – have a care!'

  I bit back my reply, knowing that I had already pushed further than Sharma would have tolerated from anyone else. I took a placatory course and said, 'Sharma, it wounds me that you sent me away while you met with Jainar. Is my advice so unreliable? Why do you exclude me when matters of state are discussed?'

  Sharma fingered the neck of his cloak and looked away as if he didn’t have a ready answer. After a pause, he said, 'I told you the truth when I said that when you left, I didn't know that I was going to meet with Jainar. The arrangements were made later.'

  'But, damn it, couldn't you have waited until I got back?'

  'There's no time to be lost, Jina. Matters are moving too quickly.' Sharma put a hand on my shoulder. 'Jina, if you had been there, you would have advised me to do exactly what I did.'

  'Which is --?'

  'We decided that Jainar would deliver Upper Keirine into our hands. Soon there will be one Kingdom of Keirine again.'

  'How soon?'

  Sharma looked me in the eye and said firmly, 'Very soon.'

  ‘And there will be one king, by name of Sharma?’

  ‘Yes. That is so.’

  I said, 'Not before time.'

  'Good! We agree.'

  I said, 'But, without Jainar, Upper Keirine would fall anyway.'

  Sharma looked at me thoughtfully. He scratched his chin and asked cautiously, 'Ah! And what of it?'

  'If Upper Keirine is ready to be delivered, then it's likely that Jainar is superfluous.'

  Still looking at me thoughtfully, Sharma responded, 'Yes, that is possible.'

 

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