happened in Lamorkand and here in Pelosia were any
indication, something was bound to go wrong. Their
quest had been dogged by near-disaster almost from the
moment they had left the chapterhouse at Cimmura, and
Sparhawk saw no reason to hope that this situation
would be any different.
Once again the sun rose in a rusty sky, a coppery disc
hanging low over the brown-stained waters of the lake.
Sparhawk rode wearily back through the grove of trees
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from which they kept watch to where Sephrenia and the
children were waiting. 'How far away is he now!' he
asked flute.
'He's about a mile out in the lake,' she replied. 'He's
stopped again.'
'Why does he keep stopping?' Sparhawk was growing
increasingly irritated by these periodic halts in the Troll's
progress across the lake.
'Would you like to hear a guess?' Talen asked.
'Go ahead.'
"I stole a boat once because I had to get across the
Cimmura River. The boat leaked. I had to stop every five
'minutes or so to bail out the water. Ghwerig's been
stopping about every half-hour. Maybe his boat doesn't
leak as much as mine did.'
Sparhawk stared at the boy for a moment, and then he
suddenly burst out laughing. 'Thanks, Talen,' he said,
feeling suddenly much better.
No charge,' the boy replied impudently. 'You see,
sparhawk, the easiest answer is usually the right one.'
so, I've got a Troll out there in a leaky boat, and I've
got to wait here on shore until he gets all the water out of it. '
'That pretty well sums it up, yes.'
Tynian rode in at a canter. 'Sparhawk,' he said quietly,
"we've got some riders coming from the west.
'How many?'
'Too many to count with ease.'
'Let's take a look.' The two rode back through the trees
to where Kalten, Ulath and Bevier were sitting their
horses looking off to the west. "I've been watching them,
Sparhawk,' Ulath said. "I think they're Thalesians.'
'What are Thalesians doing here in Pelosia?'
'Remember what that innkeeper told you back in
Venne?' Kalten said, ' - about a war going on down in
Arcium? Didn't he say that the western kingdoms are
mobilizing?'
"I'd forgotten about that,' Sparhawk admitted. 'Well,
it's none of our concern - at least not for the moment.'
Kurik and Berit rode up. "I think we've seen him,
Sparhawk,' Kurik reported. 'At least, Berit has.'
Sparhawk looked quickly at the novice.
"I climbed a tree, Sir Sparhawk,' Berit explained.
'There's a small boat some distance off-shore. I couldn't
make out too many details, but it looks as if it's just
drifting, and there seems to be some splashing going on. '
Sparhawk laughed wryly. "I guess Talen was right,' he
said.
"I don't quite follow, Sir Sparhawk.'
'He said that Ghwerig Probably stole a leaky boat, and
that he has to stop every so often to bail out the water.'
'You mean we've been waiting all night while Ghwerig
scoops the water out of his boat?' Kalten asked.
"It looks that way,' Sparhawk said.
'They're getting closer, Sparhawk,' Tynian said, pointing
to the west.
'And they're definitely Thalesians,' Ulath added.
Sparhawk swore and went to the edge of the trees. The
approaching men were formed up in a column and at the
head of the column rode a large man in a mail-shirt and a
purple cape. Sparhawk recognized him. It was King
Wargun of Thalesia, and he appeared to be roaring
drunk. Beside him rode a pale, slender man in a highly
decorated but somewhat delicate suit of armour.
'The one beside Wargun is King Soros of Pelosia,'
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Tynian said quietly. "I don't think he poses much of a
danger. He spends most of his time praying and fasting.'
'We do have a problem, though, Sparhawk, ' Ulath said
gravely. 'Ghwerig's going to be coming ashore very
shortly, and he's got the royal crown of Thalesia with
him. Wargun would give his very soul to get that crown
back. I hate to say it, but we'd better lead him away from
here before Ghwerig reaches the lake-shore.'
Sparhawk began to swear in frustration. His suspicions
of the previous night had turned out to be all too
correct.
'We'll be all right, Sparhawk,' Bevier assured him.
"flute can follow Bhelliom's trail. We'll get King Wargun
some distance away and then take our leave of him. We
can come back later and chase down the Troll.'
"It doesn't look as if we have much choice,' Sparhawk
conceded. 'Let's go and get Sephrenia and the children
and draw Wargun away from here.'
They mounted quickly and rode back to where
Sephrenia, Talen and Flute were waiting. 'We're going to
have to leave,' Sparhawk said tersely. 'There are some
Thalesians coming, and King Wargun's with them. Ulath
says that if Wargun finds out what we're here for, he'll
try to take the crown away from us as soon as we get our
hands on it. Let's ride.'
They left the trees on the margin of the lake at a gallop,
heading north. As they had anticipated, the column of
Thalesian troops moved in pursuit. 'We need a couple of
miles at least,' Sparhawk shouted to the others. 'We've
got to give Ghwerig a chance to get away.'
They reached the road that bore in a north-easterly
direction back towards the city of Venne and galloped
along, rather ostentatiously not looking back at the
pursuing Thalesians.
'They're coming up fast,' Talen, who could look back
over his shoulder without seeming to, called to
Sparhawk.
"I'd like to get them a little farther away from Ghwerig, '
Sparhawk said regretfully, "but I suppose this is as far as
we can go.'
'Ghwerig's a Troll, Sparhawk,' Ulath said. 'He knows
how to'hide.'
'All right,' Sparhawk agreed. He made some show of
looking back over his shoulder and then held up one
hand in the signal for a halt. They reined in and turned
their horses to face the oncoming Thalesians.
The Thalesians also halted, and one of their number
came forward at a walk. 'King Wargun of Thalesia would
have words with you, Sir Knights,' he said respectfully.
"He will join us presently.'
'Very well,' Sparhawk said curtly.
"Wargun's drunk,' Ulath muttered to his friend. 'Try to
be diplomatic, Sparhawk.'
King Wargun and King Soros rode up and reined in
their horses. 'Ho-ho, Soros!' Wargun roared, swaying
dangerously in his saddle. 'We seem to have snared us a
covey of Church Knights.' He blinked and peered at the
knights. "I know that one,' he said. 'Ulath, what are you
doing here in Pelosia?'
'Church business, Your Majesty,' U
lath replied
blandly.
'And that one with the broken nose is the Pandion
Sparhawk,' Wargun added to King Soros. 'Why were
you running so hard, Sparhawk?'
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'Our mission is of a certain urgency, Your Majesty,'
Sparhawk said.
"and what mission is that?'
'We're not at liberty to discuss it, Your Majesty.
Standard Church practice, you understand.'
'Politics then,' Wargun snorted. "I wish the Church
would keep her nose out of politics.'
'Will you ride along with us for a ways, Your Majesty?'
Bevier inquired politely.
'No, I think it's going to be the other way around, Sir
Knight - and it's going to be more than just a ways.'
Wargun looked at them all. 'Do you know what's been
going on in Arcium?'
'We've heard a few garbled rumours, Your Majesty,'
Tynian said, "but nothing very substantial.'
'All right,' Wargun said, 'I'll give you some substance
The Rendors have invaded Arcium.'
'That's impossible!' Sparhawk exclaimed.
'Go and tell the people who used to live in Coombe
about impossible. The Rendors sacked and burned the
town. Now they're marching north towards the capital at
Larium. King Dregos has invoked the mutual defence
treaties. Soros here and I are gathering up every able-bodied
man we can lay our hands on. We're going to ride
south and stamp out the Rendorish infection once and
for all.'
"I wish we could accompany Your Majesty, ' Sparhawk
said, 'but we have another commitment. Perhaps, once
our task is finished, we may be able to join you.'
'You already have, Sparhawk,' Wargun said bluntly.
'We have another urgent commitment, Your Majesty,
Sparhawk repeated.
'The Church is eternal, Sparhawk, and she's very
patient. Your other commitment will have to wait.'
That did it. Sparhawk, whose temper was never really
greatly under control, looked the monarch of Thalesia
full in the face. Unlike the anger of other men, whose
rage was dissipated in shouting and oaths, Sparhawk's
anger took on an ominous icy calmness. 'We are Church
Knights, Your Majesty,' he said in a flat, unemotional
voice. 'We are not subject to earthly kings. Our responsibility
is to God and to our mother, the Church. We will
obey her commands, not yours.'
"I have a thousand picked men at my back,' Wargun
blustered.
'And how many are you prepared to lose?' Sparhawk
asked in his deadly quiet voice. He drew himself up in his
saddle and slowly lowered his visor. 'Let's save some
time, Wargun of Thalesia,' he said formally, removing
his right gauntlet. "I find your attitude unseemly, even
irreligious, and it offends me.' With a negligent toss, he
threw his gauntlet into the dust of the road in front of the
Thalesian king.
'That's his idea of diplomacy?' Ulath murmured to
Kalten in some dismay.
'That's about as close as he can usually get,' Kalten
said, loosening his sword in its sheath. "you may as well
go ahead and draw your axe, Ulath. This promises to be
an interesting morning. Sephrenia, take the children to
the rear.'
'Are you mad, Kalten?' Ulath exploded. "you want me
to draw my axe on my own king?'
'Of course not,' Kalten grinned, 'only on his funeral
cortege. If Wargun goes up against Sparhawk, he'll be
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drinking heavenly mead after the first pass.'
'Then I'll have to fight Sparhawk,' Ulath said regretfully.
'That's up to you, my friend,' Kalten said with equal
regret, "but I don't advise it. Even if you get past
Sparhawk, you'll still have to face me, and I cheat a lot.'
"I wil not permit this!' a booming voice roared. The
man who shouldered his horse through the surrounding
Thalesians was huge, bigger even than Ulath. He wore a
mail-shirt and an ogre-horned 'helmet and carried a
massive axe. A wide black ribbon about his neck
identified him as a churchman. 'Pick up your gauntlet,
Sir Sparhawk, and withdraw your challenge. This is the
command of our mother, the Church!'
'Who's that?' Kalten asked Ulath.
'Bergsten, the Patriarch of Emsat,' Ulath replied.
'A Patriarch? Dressed like that?'
'Bergsten's not your average churchman.'
'Your Grace,' King Wargun faltered. "I - '
'Put up your sword, WarGun,' Bergsten thundered, 'or
would you face me in single combat?'
"I wouldn't,' Wargun said almost conversationally to
Sparhawk. 'Would you?'
Sparhawk looked appraisingly at the Patriarch of
Emsat. 'Not if I could help it,' he admitted. 'How did he
get that big?'
'He was an only child,' Wargun said. 'He didn't have
to fight with nine brothers and sisters for his supper
every night. What's your feeling about a truce at this
point, Sparhawk?'
"It sounds like the course of prudence to me, Your
Majesty. We really have something important to do,
though.'
'We'll talk about it later - when Bergsten's at prayers.'
'This is the command of the Church!' the Patriarch of
Emsat roared. 'The Church Knights will join us in this
holy mission. The Eshandist heresy is an offence against
God. It will die on the rocky plains of Arcium. As God
gives us strength, my children, let us proceed with this
great work that we are about.' He wheeled his horse to
face south. 'Don't forget your gauntlet, Sir Sparhawk,' he
said over his shoulder. 'You might need it when we get to
Arcium.'
'Yes, Your Grace,' Sparhawk replied through clenched
teeth.
*Chapter21
Promptly at noon, King Soros of Pelosia called a
halt and instructed his servants to erect his pavilion, and he and
his private chaplain retired inside for noon prayers.
'Choir-boy,' King Wargun muttered under his breath.
"bergsten!' he bellowed.
'Right here, Your Majesty,' the militaristic Patri'arch
said mildly from behind his king.
'Have you recovered from your spate of bad temper
yet?'
"I wasn't really bad tempered, Your Majesty. I was
merely trying to save lives - yours included.'
'What's that supposed to mean?'
Had you been foolish enough to accept Sir Sparhawk's
challenge, you'd be dining in Heaven tonight - or
supping in Hell, depending on Divine Judgement.'
That's direct enough.'
"Sir Sparhawk's reputation precedes him, Your
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Majesty, and you would be no match for him. Now, what
was it you had on your mind?'
'How far is Lamorkand from here?'
The south end of the lake, My Lord - about two days.'
"and the closest Lamork city?'
That w
ould be Agnak, Your Majesty. It's just across
the border and a bit to the east.'
All right. We'll go there then. I want to get Soros out of
his own country and away from all these religious
ceremonies. If he stops to pray one more time, I'm going to
strangle him. We'll pick up the bulk of the army later
today. They're already marching south. I'm going to
send Soros on down to mobilize the Lamork barons. You
go with him, and if he tries to pray more than once a day,
you have my permission to brain him.'
'That could have some interesting political ramifications,
Your Majesty,' Bergsten noted.
'Lie about it,' WarGun growled. 'Say it was an
accident.'
'How can you brain somebody by accident?'
'Think something up. Now, listen to me, Bergsten. I
need those Lamorks. Don't let Soros get side-tracked on
some religious pilgrimage. Keep him moving. Quote
sacred texts to him if you have to. Pick up every Lamork
you can lay your hands on and then swing into Elenia. I'll
meet you on the Arcian border. I've got to go to Acie in
Deira. Oblers called a council of war.' He looked around.
'Sparhawk,' he said disgustedly, 'go someplace and
pray. A Church Knight should be above eavesdropping.'
'Yes, Your Majesty,' Sparhawk replied.
That's a very ugly horse you've got there, you know?'
WarGun said, looking critically at Faran.
"we're a matched set, Your Majesty.'
"I'd be careful, King Wargun,' Kalten advised over his
shoulder as he and Sparhawk started back to where their
friends had dismounted. 'He bites.'
'Which one? SParhawk or the horse?'
'Take your pick, Your Majesty.'
The two swung down from their horses and joined their
friends. "what's Ghwerig doing?' Sparhawk asked flute.
'He's still hiding,' the little girl replied. 'At least I think
he is. Bhelliom's not moving. He's probably going to wait
until dark before he starts out again.'
Sparhawk grunted.
Kalten looked at Ulath. "what's the story behind
Bergsten?' he asked. "I've never seen a churchman
in armour before.'
'He used to be a Genidian Knight,' Ulath replied. 'He'd
be Preceptor by now if he hadn't entered the priesthood.'
Kalten nodded. 'He did seem to be carrying that axe as
if he knew how to use it. Isn't it a bit unusual for a
member of one of the militant orders to take the cloth?'
'Not that unusual, Kalten,' Bevier disagreed from
nearby. 'A fair number of the high churchmen in Arcium
used to be Cyrinics. Someday I myself may leave our
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