find us a good hiding Place, maybe we can slip away to it
and stay there until the army moves out. Then we can
make a run for Thalesia.'
"just be very careful.'
'naturally. '
A few streets farther on, Sephrenia reined in sharply and
pulled her white palfrey off to the side of the street. She and
Flute quiclly dismounted and went to the entrance of a
narrow alley to greet an aged Styric with a long, snowy
Page 194
Eddings, David - Elenium 2 - The Ruby Knight.txt
beard who wore an intensely white robe. Some sort of
ritual ceremony seemed to take place between the three of
them, but Sparhawk could not quite make out the details.
Sephrenia and Flute spoke earnestly to the old man at some
length, and then he bowed in acknowledgement and went
back on up the alley.
'What was that all about?' Wargun asked suspiciously
when Sephrenia and the little girl rejoined them.
'He's an old friend, Your Majesty,' Sephrenia replied,
'and the most revered and wise man in all of western
Styricum.'
'A king, you mean?'
'That's a word that has no meaning in Styricum, Your
Majesty,' she told him.
'How can you have a government if you don't have a
king?'
'There are other ways, Your Majesty, and besides,
Styrics have outgrown the need for government.'
'That's absurd.'
'Many things seem that way - at first. It may come to
you Elenes in time.'
'That's a very infuriating woman sometimes,
Sparhawk,' Wargun growled, pushing his horse back to
the front of the column.
'Sparhawk,' Flute said very lightly.
'Yes?'
'The task here in Acie is complete. We can leave for
Thalesia at any time now.'
'How do you propose to manage that?'
"I'll tell you later. Go and keep Wargun company. He
gets lonely without you.'
The palace was not a particularly imposing building. It
looked to be more like a complex of administrative offices
than something buillt for ostentation and display. "I don't
know how Obler can live in this hovel,' Wargun said
disdainfully, swaying in his saddle. 'You there,' he
bellowed at one of the guards posted at the main door,
'go and tell Obler that Wargun of Thalesia has arrived.
We need to confer about a few things.'
'At once, Your Majesty.' The guard saluted and went
inside.
Wargun dismounted and unhooked the wineskin from
the skirt of his saddle. He uncorked it' and took a long
drink. "I hope Obler's got some chilled ale,' he said. 'This
wine's beginning to sour my stomach.'
The guard returned. 'King Obler will receive you, Your
Majesty,' he said. 'Please follow me.'
"I know the way,' Wargun replied. "I've been here
before. Have somebody see to our horses.' He blinked
his bloodshot eyes at Sparhawk. 'Come along then,' he
commanded. He did not appear to have missed Talen.
They trooped through the unadorned hallways of King
Oblers palace and found the aged king of Deira sitting
behind a large table littered with maps and papers.
'Sorry to be so late, Obler,' Wargun said, untying his
purple cloak and dropping it on the floor. "I made a swing
through Pelosia to pick up Soros and an army of sorts.'
He sprawled out in a chair. "I'm afraid I'm rather out of
touch. What's been going on?'
The Rendors have laid siege to Larium,' the white-haired
king of Deira replied. 'The Alciones, Genidians
and Cyrinics are holding the city, and the Pandions are
out in the countryside dealing with Rendorish raiding
parties.'
Page 195
Eddings, David - Elenium 2 - The Ruby Knight.txt
That's more or less what I'd expected,' Wargun
grunted. 'Can you send for some ale, Obler? My stomach's been bothering
me for the past few days. You
remember Sparhawk, don't you?'
'Of course. He's the man who saved Count Radun
down in Arcium.'
'And this one is Kalten. The big one there is Ulath. The
one with the dark skin is Bevier, and I'm sure you know
Tynian. The Styric woman is called Sephrenia - I'm not
really sure about her real name. I'm sure neither one of us
could even pronounce it. She teaches the Pandions
magic, and that adorable child there is her little girl. The
other two work for Sparhawk. I wouldn't aggravate
either one of them.' He looked around, his eyes bleary.
'What happened to that boy you had with you?' he asked
Sparhawk.
'Probably exploring,' Sparhawk replied blandly.
'Political discussions bore him.'
"Sometimes they bore me as well,' Wargun said. He
looked back at King Obler. 'Have the Elenes mobilized
yet?'
'My agents have found no evidence of it.'
Wargun started to swear. "I think I'll stop in Cimmura
on my way south and hang that young bastard Lycheas.'
"I'll lend you a rope, Your Majesty,' Kalten offered.
Wargun laughed. 'What's happening in Chyrellos,
Obler?'
'Cluvonus is in delirium,' Obler replied. 'He can't last
much longer, I'm afraid. Most of the major churchmen
are already there preparing for the election of his
successor. '
'The Primate of Cimmura, most likely,' Wargun
growled sourly. He took a tankard of ale from a servant.
'That's all right, boy,' he said. 'Just leave the keg.' His
voice was slurred. This is the way I see it, Obler. We'd
better get to Larium as quickly as we can. We'll push the
Rendors back into the sea so that the militant orders can
go to Chyrellos and keep Annias frogo to Chyrellos and keep Annias from becoming
Archprelate.
If that happens, we may have to declare war.'
'On the Church?' Obler sounded startled.
'ArchpreLates have been deposed before, Obler. Annias
won't have any use for a mitter if he doesn't have a head.
Sparhawk has already volunteered to use his knife.'
'You'll start a general civil war, Wargun. No one has
directly confronted the Church for centuries.'
'Then maybe it's about time. Anything else
happening?'
'The Earl of Lenda and Preceptor Vanion of the
Pandion order arrived no more than an hour ago,' Obler
said. 'They wanted to get cleaned up. I sent for them just
as soon as I'd heard that you'd arrived. They'll join us in a
bit.'
'Good. We'll be able to settle a lot of things here then.
What's the date?'
King Obler told him.
'Your calendar must be wrong, Obler,' Wargun said
after counting days off on his fingers.
'What did you do with Soros?' Obler asked.
"I came close to killing him,' Wargun growled. "I've
never seen anybody pray that much when there ' was
work to be done. I sent him down into Lamorkand to pick
up the barons down there. He's riding at the head of the
army, but Bergsten's actually
the one in charge. Bergsten
Page 196
Eddings, David - Elenium 2 - The Ruby Knight.txt
would make a good Archprelate, if we could ever get him
out of that armour.' He laughed. 'Can you imagine the
reaction of the Hierocracy to an Archprelate in a mailshirt
and a horned helmet and with a battle'-axe in his
hands?'
"It might enliven the Church a bit, Wargun,' Obler
conceded with a faint smile.
'God knows she needs it,' Wargun said. "She's been
acting like a frigid old maid since Cluvonus fell ill.'
'Would Your Majesties excuse me?' Sparhawk asked
deferentially. "I'd like to look in on Vanion. We haven't
seen each other for a while, and there are things I need to
report to him.'
'More of this everlasting Church business?' Wargun
asked.
'You know how it is, Your Majesty.
'No, thank God, I don't. Go ahead, Knight of the
Church. Talk with your father superior, but don't keep
him too long. We've got important business here.'
'Yes, Your Majesty.' Sparhawk bowed to the two kings
and quietly left the room.
Vanion was trying to struggle into his armour when
Sparhawk entered the room. He stared at his subordinate
in some' astonishment. 'What are you doing here,
Sparhawk?' he demanded. "I thought you were in
Lamorkand. '
"just passing through, Vanion,' Sparhawk replied.
"Some things have changed. I'll give you the gist of it
now, and we can fill you in on more detail after King
Wargun goes to bed.' He looked critically at his
Preceptor. 'You're looking tired, my friend.'
'Old age,' Vanion said ruefully, 'and all of those
swords I made Sephrenia give me are getting heavier
every day. You know that Olven died?'
'Yes. His ghost brought his sword to Sephrenia.'
"I was afraid of that. I'll take it away from her.'
Sparhawk tapped Vanion's breast-plate with one
knuckle. 'You don't have to wear this, you know. Oblers
fairly informal, and Wargun doesn't even know what the
word formal means.'
'Appearances, my friend,' Vanion said, 'and the
honour of the Church. Sometimes it's boring, I'll admit,
but - ' He shrugged. 'Help me into this contraption,
Sparhawk. You can talk while you're tightening straps
and buckling buckles.'
'Yes, My Lord Vanion.' Sparhawk began to assist his
friend into the suit of armour, briefly summarizing the
events which had taken place in Lamorkand and Pelosia.
'Why didn't you chase down the Troll?' Vanion asked
him. "Some things came up,' Sparhawk said, fastening
Vanion's black cape to his shoulder-plates, ' - Wargun
for one thing. I even offered to fight him, but Patriarch
Bergsten interfered.'
'You challenged a king?' Vanion looked stunned.
"It seemed appropriate at the time, Vanion.'
'Oh, my friend,' Vanion sighed.
'We'd better get going,' Sparhawk said. 'There's a lot
more to tell you but Wargun's getting impatient.'
Sparhawk squinted at Vanion's armour. 'Brace yourself,'
he said. 'You're lopsided.' Then he banged both of his
fists down on Vanion's shoulder plates. 'There,' he said.
'That's better.'
'Thanks,' Vanion said drily, his knees buckling
Page 197
Eddings, David - Elenium 2 - The Ruby Knight.txt
slightly.
'The honour of the order, My Lord. I don't want you to
look as if you were dressed in cheap tin plates.'
Vanion decided not to answer that.
The Earl of Lenda was in the room when Sparhawk
and Vanion entered.
'There you are, Vanion,' King Wargun said. 'Now we
can get started. What's happening down in Arcium?'
'The situation hasn't changed all that much, Your
Majesty. The Rendors are still besieging Larium, but the
Genidians, Cyrinics and Alciones are inside the walls
along with most of the Arcian army.'
'is the city in any real danger?'
'Hardly. It's built like a mountain. You know the
Arcian fondness for stone-work. It could probably hold
out for twenty Years.' Vanion looked over at Sparhawk. "I
saw an old friend of yours down there,' he said. 'Martel
appears to be in command of the Rendorish army.'
"I'd more or less guessed that. I thought I'd nailed his
feet to the floor down in Rendor, but apparently he
managed to talk his way around Arasham.'
'He really didn't have to,' King Obler said. 'Arasham
died a month ago - under highly suspicious circumstances.'
"It sounds as if Martel's had his hand in the poison jar
again,' Kalten said.
"Who's the new spiritual leader in Rendor then?'
Sparhawk asked.
'A man named Ulesim,' King Obler replied. "I gather
he was one of Arashams disciples.'
Sparhawk laughed. 'Arasham didn't even know he
existed. I've met ulesim. The man's an idiot. He won't
last six months.'
'Anyway,' Vanion continued, "I have the Pandion
order out in the countryside dealing with Rendorish
foraging parties. Martel's going to start getting hungry
before long. That's about all, Your Majesty,' he concluded.
'Nice and to the point. Thanks, Vanion. Lenda, what's
going on in Cimmura?'
'Things are about the same, Your Majesty - except that
Annias has gone to Chyrellos.'
'And he's probably perched on the foot of the Archprelate's
bed like a vulture,' Wargun surmised.
"I wouldn't be at all surprised, Your Majesty,' Lenda
agreed. 'He left Lycheas in charge. I have a number of
people in the palace who work for me, and one of them
managed to hear Annias giving Lycheas his final instructions.
He ordered Lycheas to withhold the Elenian army
from the campaign in Rendor. As soon as Cluvonus dies,
the army - and the Church soldiers in Cimmura - are
supposed to march on Chyrellos. Annias wants to flood
the holy city with his own men to help intimidate the
uncommitted members of the Hierocracy.'
'The Elenian army's mobilized then?'
'Fully, Your Majesty. They have an encampment about
ten leagues south of Cimmura.'
'We'll probably have to fight them, Your Majesty,'
Kalten said. 'Annias dismissed most of the old generals
and replaced them with men loyal to him.'
Wargun started to swear.
"It may not be quite as serious as it sounds, Your
Majesty,' the Earl of Lenda said. "I've made an extended
study of the law. In times of religious crisis, the militant
orders are empowered to take command of all forces in
Western Eosia. Wouldn't you say that an invasion by the
Page 198
Eddings, David - Elenium 2 - The Ruby Knight.txt
Eshandist Heresy qualifies as a religious crisis?'
'By God, you're right, Lenda. Is that Elenian law?'
'No, Your Majesty. Church law.'
Wargun suddenly howled with laughter. 'Oh, that's
too rare!' he roared, pounding on the arm of his chair
with one beefy fist. 'Annias is trying to become the head
of the church, and we use church law to spike his wheel.
Lenda, you're a genius.'
"I have my moments, Your Majesty,' Lenda replied
modestly. "I'd imagine that Preceptor Vanion here can
persuade the General Staff to join your forces - particularly
in view of the fact that Church law empowers him to
resort to extreme measures should any officer refuse to
accept his authority in such situations.'
"I'd imagine that a few beheadings might prove instructional
to the General Staff,' Ulath said. 'if we shorten four or
five generals, the rest will probably fall in line.'
"Quickly,' Tynian added with a grin.
'Keep your axe good and sharp then, Ulath,' Wargun
said.
'Yes, Your Majesty.'
'About the only problem remaining is what we're
going to do about Lycheas,' the Earl of Lenda said.
"I've already decided that, Wargun said. 'As soon as
we get to Cimmura, I'm going to hang him.'
'Splendid notion,' Lenda said smoothly, 'but I think
we might want to consider that just a bit. You do know
that Annias is the Prince Regent's father, don't you?'
'So Sparhawk tells me, but I don't really care who his
father is, I'm going to hang him anyway.'
"I'm not really sure just how fond Annias is of his son
but he did go to some fairly extreme measures to put him
on the Elenian throne. It might just be that the militant
orders can use him to some advantage when they get to
Chyrellos. An offer to put him to the torture might just
persuade Annias to move his troops out of Chyrellos so
that the election can proceed without their interference.'
'You're taking all the fun out of this, Lenda,' Wargun
complained. He scowled. 'You're probably right,
though. All right, when we get to Cimmura, we'll throw
him in the dungeon - along with all his toadies. Are you
up to taking charge at the Palace?'
'if Your Majesty wishes,' Lenda sighed, 'but wouldn't
Sparhawk or Vanion be a better choice?'
'Maybe, but I'm going to need them when I get to
Arcium. What do you think, Obler?'
"I have absolute confidence in the Earl of Lenda,' King
Obler replied. 'I'll do my best, Your Majesties,' Lenda said, "but keep
in mind the fact that I'm getting very old.'
'You're not as old as I am, my friend,' King Obler
reminded him, 'and nobody's offered to let me evade my
responsibilities.'
'All right, that's settled then,' Wargun said. 'Now, let's
2 - The Ruby Knight Page 40