Crown Thief

by David Tallerman

  "You know, it's normally women who tell me that. But thank you, Guard-Captain."

  "After everything you went through to get and keep that gold… yet you hand it away so easily."

  "It's for a good cause."

  Alvantes looked at me steadily. "Do you really think a clean conscience is so easy to buy? That making up for one misdeed can pay off a lifetime's wrongs?"

  I considered. Asides from a little harmless thievery, it was hard to say what other significant wrongs I'd committed. Certainly, nothing had preyed on my mind the way the burning of Reb Panza had. "Yes, I do."

  "You mean it, don't you?"

  "Absolutely."

  Alvantes shook his head, reached to snuff our candle. "Then gods help you, Damasco."

  Perhaps I was getting used to the inhuman hours Alvantes kept, because I woke of my own accord before dawn. When we went outside, it was to find the Patri arch waiting on the bench before his house. "Four hours of sleep is more than enough for me," he said, by way of explanation. "My wife prepared you lunches," he added, offering us each a cloth-wrapped bundle.

  "Thank you. And thanks for giving up your bed. I haven't slept so well in weeks."

  He grinned toothlessly. "A small show of appreciation. Practically the least I could do in the face of such generosity."

  "Spend it wisely," I told him.

  "Oh, I will," he said. "Be assured of that."

  We roused Saltlick, saddled the horses, and set out with the first flush of dawn. It wasn't long before we'd left Reb Panza behind and rejoined the main road. For the first time I could remember, Saltlick took the lead. It was always difficult to judge his mood; now, he seemed both excited and nervous. He travelled at a fast walk bordering on a trot, and picked up speed as the day wore on, until our horses were almost cantering.

  By midday, we were staring down towards the valley floor from the northernmost edge of the Hunch. Straining, I could just make out where Moaradrid's army had camped before the battle all those many days ago. If there were giants to be seen, however, my eyes weren't up to the task.

  As we descended, a rise far ahead cut off our view. I could sense Saltlick's frustration. Back upon the valley floor, we raced past small farms and rice paddies. Often, farmers looked up or tipped their wide-brimmed hats in our direction; no one seemed surprised or concerned to see a giant rushing by. Saltlick, oblivious to everything but the road ahead, paid them no attention. It was as though all the emotion he'd kept in check these last days, all his fears and doubts for his people, were finally breaking to the surface, converting into energy that propelled him forward.

  For all his speed, it was late in the day when we reached the rise. Saltlick picked up his already considerable pace once more. With so little distance left, I encouraged my horse to match him, though it whickered miserably.

  A couple of minutes' hard riding, with Saltlick labouring ahead, and the rise began to level. The last time I'd witnessed the view that opened beyond it, I'd been hanging upon Saltlick's shoulder as we fled for our lives. Their vast encampment had stretched from the farms at the waterside to halfway up the shallow hillside. Beyond, the slope had been busy with Moaradrid's troops, and littered with the fallen dead of the recent conflict – some northern, most Castovalian. Lastly, amidst the carnage, splashed with gore, there had been the giants.

  I still shivered to think of the violence they'd wreaked, violence Moaradrid had forced upon them. Under his control they'd been his secret weapon, had irresistibly turned the battle's tide. If I hadn't accidentally intervened, he would have gone on to use them against the King, with undoubtedly similar results.

  Now, the tents were gone. The northerner troops had all left. The fallen bodies had vanished, their spilled blood long since washed into the earth.

  Nothing remained of either camp or battlefield – nothing except the giants.

  And even they were barely recognisable from when last I'd seen them.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  There must have been almost a hundred giants scattered upon the hillside. It was as bizarre a sight as I'd ever seen, as though the land had spat out living monoliths by the dozen.

  Though they were unmistakeably huge – even sitting, they reached as high as I did on horseback – it was hard to believe they were of a kind with Saltlick. Where he was broad-limbed and barrel-chested, they were hardly more than pale grey skin wrapped round great, jutting bones. Most strange was how their thinness made them seem, somehow, less giant. It was as if they were out of proportion now, all height with no width.

  Saltlick bellowed something in giantish and broke into a run.

  He covered the distance to the nearest of his brethren in moments. There followed a brief, incomprehensible exchange, with most of the talking on Saltlick's part. Whatever was said, it didn't satisfy him. His eyes skimmed over the assembly and settled on one particular giant near the centre. He was older than those around him, skin wrinkled and mottled with patches of white. He didn't look at all surprised to have been singled out.

  It occurred to me that this might be the former chieftain, from whom Moaradrid had wrested the giant-stone. The length of the ensuing conversation seemed to bear out my guess. Even then, however, Saltlick did most of the talking. The former chieftain answered in brief snatches, when he bothered to reply at all.

  Whatever was occurring, it obviously wasn't going to be resolved any time soon. I dismounted, stretched saddle-sore muscles and sat down on the grass.

  I couldn't say what I'd expected to find. It struck me that until that moment, I hadn't entirely believed the giants would even have waited here. Despite everything I'd learned about them and their society, despite everything I'd witnessed, it was hard to imagine any people could be so bound by tradition. Surely, once a day or two had passed with no sign of Moaradrid and no fresh instructions, they'd have began to question? If not then, surely when the last of Moaradrid's army packed up and left?

  Alvantes caught up and watched Saltlick and the former chieftain for a while, with obvious irritation. Then he too dismounted. "What are they doing?" he asked. There was disgust in his voice, as though he found something offensive in the sight of so much apathy.

  "They're waiting," I said, "for Moaradrid to come back with the giant-stone and give them new orders." Another thought occurred to me. "I bet it was the last thing that bastard told them."

  "Surely they realise he's not coming back?"

  "I'm not sure it's that simple." After my experiences with Saltlick, I thought I understood, at least a little. Putting it into words was another thing entirely. "Imagine if someone told you that you didn't need to breathe any more. Even if you knew it was true, even if there was no doubt in your mind, could you bring yourself to do it?"

  "That's absurd. Nobody's telling them not to breathe. They simply need to forget their stupid stone and go home."

  "When," I said, "the most basic rule of their society says they can't."

  "Then they should have sense enough to realise the rules have changed."

  "Says the man trooping the length of two countries to deliver bad news to a king he's never met."

  Alvantes frowned. "I've met the King."

  "Fine. I'm sure that once you arrive it will be straight to the nearest inn to catch up on old times. My point is, you're hardly one to lecture on discarding outmoded social values. In fact, right now I'd say Mounteban's the expert on that front."

  "If you're so enamoured with his ideas, perhaps you should join him."

  "And perhaps you should be more understanding of the giants. They've been dragged from their home, tormented, forced against their every instinct to fight someone else's war and abandoned – while in the meantime, the system they've relied on for countless generations has been turned inside out and used to enslave them. That should be enough to confuse anyone."

  "Make whatever excuses you like," said Alvantes. His voice was taut with restrained fury. "The fact is, they're no use to anyone like this."

  Then
I understood. I remembered what Alvantes had asked me on the road from Altapasaeda; I knew why he'd agreed to accompany Saltlick, and why he was so angry now. Even after everything, he'd still hoped the giants might be recruited in his battle for Altapasaeda. He hadn't heard a word I'd said.

  I'd never hated Alvantes more than I did just then. Yet – on some level, I really did understand. Altapasaeda meant everything to him, and it was in Mounteban's hands. I doubted there was anything he wouldn't risk, harm, or sacrifice to save it.

  It was a good thing Saltlick chose that moment to break off his conversation with the former chieftain. As he lumbered towards us, his expression was as despondent as any of his brethren's.

  "What's going on?" I asked.

  "Old chief won't leave," he said, speaking low enough not to be overheard. "Wait for new chief."

  "Surely you told him what happened?"

  Saltlick shook his head, so slowly that the gesture seemed almost painful. "Stone makes chief," he said. "Chief makes orders. No stone. No chief. No orders."

  "You mean, because Moaradrid can't take back his command and no one can make a new one they're just going to sit here and die?" Damn Moaradrid, if only he'd thought to give back the giant-stone before plummeting to his death this would all be so much more straightforward. "Can't you talk them round?" I asked.

  "Tried to talk." Saltlick sat heavily, cupped his chin in his hands. "Think now. Try more."

  Despite what I'd told Alvantes, it was hard to credit that the giants were really willing to sacrifice their lives over some loophole in their social order. Most absurd was the fact that to all intents and purposes, Saltlick was now their chieftain. Perhaps I was missing the subtleties of giant politics, but he'd certainly been ordained when we'd visited their enclave high in the Castoval's southernmost tip. Surely that counted for something? Could they really be so hidebound that only Moaradrid's miraculous return from the grave would release them?

  Either way, nothing I could contribute would help. I doubted the majority of the giants would even understand me. This was one Saltlick would have to work out alone.

  Looking round for a diversion, my eyes fell on a wagon approaching in the direction we'd come from. A man and woman a few years older than me and dressed in peasant garb sat together on the driver's seat, with two small children running along beside them. A great quantity of yellowed grass was piled in the rear.

  I hailed them as they drew close and the man replied with a wave. He drew the wagon up beside the road and walked towards us. Though he was dressed in the traditional plain white shirt and trousers of the local farmers, complete with ragged wide-brimmed hat, something in his manner told me he wasn't accustomed to poverty.

  "That's a new one, isn't it?" he called.

  It took me a moment to understand. "This is Saltlick," I said. "He's been away… travelling with me."

  "Ah. More sense than the rest then. My name's Huero." He offered me his hand.

  I shook. "Easie Damasco. And my travelling companion's Alvantes."

  Alvantes tipped a noncommittal nod to Huero.

  "Good to meet you," Huero said. "Any friend of the giants is a friend of ours. Not that they'd consider us friends, I don't suppose. Half the time they hardly know we're here."

  Behind, I could see his wife manoeuvring the wagon off the road, towards the centre of the congregated giants. In a flash of insight, I said, "You've been looking after them. Since the soldiers left."

  "We have." Huero pointed to a cluster of buildings near the river. "We owned that farm. We fled when the northerners came. Just in time, I'd suppose. When word had it they'd left, we came back to see. The rumours were true – except for the giants."

  "But just now, you came from the south," I pointed out.

  Huero nodded solemnly. "They didn't leave much of the farms here. We've been staying with family of my wife's, further down the river."

  "You lost your home? And you're still looking after the giants?"

  "It's a long story. But yes, we bring food every morning and evening. All the families try to help a little. Trouble is, we don't have much left for ourselves. If it weren't for the fact that they'll eat almost anything, either they or we would have starved by now. Although, it's as much a problem getting them to eat or drink at all. I think they only do it so as not to offend us."

  That sounded about right. In my experience, just as violence seemed anathema to the giants, so consideration and a sort of fundamental politeness came naturally to them. Now, it seemed, politeness was the only thing keeping them alive.

  "We'll keep it up so long as we can," added Huero. "They don't much care about the weather, that's something. But they can't last out here forever."

  Abruptly, both Huero and I looked up, as a great shadow loomed over us. Saltlick had approached almost silently. One glance at his face told me he'd followed the entire conversation. He squatted on his haunches, bringing himself closer to Huero's height. "Thank you," he said. "Friend to giants."

  He spoke with such solemnity that it was almost funny. Yet, for once, I found I couldn't laugh at him.

  Neither did Huero. "You're welcome," he said, emotion welling in his voice. "I wish we could do more."

  At that, Saltlick destroyed the moment with a grin so wide it threatened to dislocate his jaw. Then I really couldn't help but laugh. After a brief struggle, Huero followed my example. "Listen," he said, "it's going to be dark soon. Do you have anywhere to spend the night?"

  I glanced at Alvantes, who acknowledged me with a barely perceptible tilt of the head. "We don't," I said. "We'd be grateful for anything you can offer."

  "We'll find you something," he said. "In the meantime, I'd best help my wife with sharing out the food."

  Trying to force-feed depressed giants wasn't the most appealing task I could think of, but the opportunity to stretch cramped muscles definitely appealed. "Wait, I'll join you," I said, and walked with Huero up the hillside to where the woman – who he introduced as "My lovely wife, Dura" – was already doling out portions of dried grass. The two children – "Little Ray and Loqueisa" – were following behind with cups of water filled from a cask in the back of the wagon.

  I caught up my first bundle of grass, only for Dura to appear at my elbow. "Not so much," she said softly. "If you give that to one, another will go hungry."

  I went back to the wagon and replaced a few handfuls. The remaining amount seemed very meagre.

  I turned back, just in time for Dura to return from distributing her own portion. "Better," she said. "But still too much."

  She reached over, removed a couple more handfuls and returned them to the cart. What remained looked as if it would barely qualify as a giant's midmorning snack.

  "You might have to encourage them," she added.

  I glanced round to judge who had or hadn't been fed, and singled out a target, a giant somewhat smaller than his neighbours with alarming sprouts of orange hair protruding from his head. I sidled into his line of sight, held out my hands and said, "Here's your meal. It isn't much, I'm afraid. Maybe you should stop sitting on this miserable hillside and go home for a delicious nine-course dinner."

  I couldn't tell if he was looking at me or through me, but there was nothing in his expression to suggest he'd understood. I'd grown used to Saltlick and his ability to follow simple conversations. Though Moaradrid's men had presumably taught the other giants enough to follow basic orders, I doubted their education had extended much beyond "Stand there" and "Kill those people." "Food," I tried. "For you."

  I pushed my hands closer to his mouth. Another thing about my familiarity with Saltlick was that I'd forgotten how intimidating a giant could be. I didn't feel remotely comfortable with my fingers so near that alarming maw.

  Fortunately, he chose that point to catch up with the situation. Holding out his own cupped palms, he offered a shy smile of acknowledgment. I tipped the grass into his hands; he spilled it into his mouth, chewed twice and swallowed. Then he bobbed his head, whi
ch I took for a sort of "thank you."

  After that, I fed a half-dozen more giants. Every exchange went more or less the same way. Each time, just as Huero had said, I came away with the impression that they'd only accepted their food because it would have been rude not to. When I went back the last time, I found the wagon empty but for a few stray strands.

  "That's it," said Dura. "At least they've all had something."

  Huero wandered up and put his arm about her shoulders.

  "I don't get it," I said. "I'm sure Moaradrid told them to wait until he got back, maybe he even ordered them not to move, but I can't believe he'd have told them not to eat. It's like they really want to starve."

  "I think they seem more shocked than anything," replied Dura. "Don't you?"

  I thought about what I'd told Alvantes, about what the giants had been through. I recalled how traumatised Saltlick had been after our escape outside Muena Palaiya, the sight of him standing amidst tumbling rocks with the blood of Moaradrid's soldiers smeared across his knuckles – and then what I'd witnessed the giants do to the Castovalian troops at Moaradrid's command.