'Tell him this for me: I will be there tonight, but I have undertaken to guard Bombas for only this conference. As long as Maxio does not threaten the Reeve, I care not what else he does. I do not as yet take sides in any of the goings-on here in Sicas.'
'Perhaps you do not take sides,' she said, her voice gone hard, 'but you are involved in them up to those blue eyes of I yours. I think there would not be half so much chaos here were it not for you.'
'What is the matter, Delia?' he asked cheerfully. 'Do you not like excitement?'
'If you were with me, I think I could enjoy all this,' she said forthrightly. 'As it is, I am frightened.'
''Just be careful and you will come to no harm,' he said. And relay to Maxio what I have told you.'
'I will,' she said. 'Now go. I am beginning to think that it is not a good thing to be seen in company with you. Leave me ,and I will go on in a little while.'
He bade her farewell and left the niche. He had one errand yet in perform. He wandered among the vendors in the Square until lie found what he was looking for. In a corner of the market, among the poorest and pettiest of the hawkers, an old woman sat on the pavement, her aged back against a stone wall. Before her was spread a blanket bearing clay pots and bowls for sale. It was the woman from the mining village, the one who had seen him slay Ingas's three men. Casually he walked over to her, then squatted and pretended to examine her pitiful wares.
'Greeting, Grandmother,' he said in a low voice.
'Greeting, Cimmerian.' Her sharp old eyes darted about to search out observers.
'I have a message for Bellas. Will you deliver it, exactly as I
give it to you?'
'Tell me!' Now her eyes glittered with hope.
'Tell him this: In the hours before dawn tomorrow, all the able-bodied men of the mining village must arm themselves and travel southward, down the riverbank, until they are well out of sight of the town. I know where the women and children are being held, and if Bellas will follow my instructions exactly, you will have your families back before sundown tomorrow.'
'I will tell him!' she said, her eyes shining with tears. She repeated his instructions word for word.
'Very good,' Conan said. 'Now, someplace within a half-day's march downriver, all must cross to the east bank of the river. Is there a bridge or a ford, or a ferry?'
'Aye, there is a small bridge, about five miles to the south.
There is no true road; the bridge is used only by herders to mow cattle from one pasture to another.'
'Perfect!' Conan said. 'Stone or wood?'
'Wood atop old stone pilings. It falls into poor condition if nobody uses it for a few seasons.'
'Then tell Bellas to bring along tools in case we need to repair the bridge.'
'I will do it,' she said. 'Go with the blessings of all the gods, Cimmerian.'
'Do not bless me until I return with your menfolk and the wives and bairns tomorrow night,' Conan cautioned. 'You could have cause to curse my name.'
'A man who even tries to aid us earns my prayers,' the old woman maintained stoutly.
Conan made his way back to the temple. He was glad that he knew the bridge might be in a ruinous state. He had known sizeable military operations to founder because no one had thought to bring a spade, or a rope, or any of a thousand mundane items that could prove to be crucially necessary. There was more to war than men, horses and arms.
Oppia saw him as he entered the temple. She -was upset, and for once it was not because of his lengthy absences from the place.
'Come,' she said. 'Look at this!' She took him by the hand and tugged him toward the nave. Inside were the acolytes, as well as some of the newcomers who had been there the night Andolla had performed his statue trick. The hall shook with loud chanting and the orchestra played as before, but now something was different. A dense, crimson glow hovered shapelessly above the head of Mother Doorgah. Andolla chanted with arms outspread. He sat cross-legged, but this time, instead of sitting directly upon the lap of the goddess, he hovered two or three feet above it.
'How is he doing it?' Conan asked. 'Wires?'
'No, you fool' she hissed. 'The glow began to form during the morning offices. This afternoon my husband attempted the spell of levitation, and this time it worked. His magical powers have increased tenfold!'
'Perhaps Mother Doorgah smiles upon him,' Conan said. Oppia favoured him with a withering glare.
'This is probably harmless,' she said, 'but I fear that his success may tempt him to try some truly dangerous work of wizardry.'
'Would that not attract even more worshippers, with yet more generous donations?'
'The risk is too great. I fear that my husband does not truly understand the powers he toys with. Something terrible could come of this.'
'That would be a great pity,' Conan said. 'Oppia, I must be away for part of this night.'
'It is good of you to tell me, for once,' she said in a voice that might have drawn blood.
'This is important business,' he went on imperturbably. 'There is to be a peace conference tonight, with most of the town's gang leaders in attendance. Bombas will be there as well, and he has asked me to go with him as his bodyguard. He no longer trusts his own men.'
'What makes him think he can trust you?' she demanded.
'We Cimmerians are known to be true to our word,' he said.
'All sorts of men have that reputation,' she said bitterly, 'but I have never encountered one of them.'
'Even so, the happenings at the meeting might be of interest to you,' he pointed out.
She thought about it for a while. 'Yes, you are right. It would be good to know whether there is to be peace here, and if not, how the battle lines are to be drawn. Go then, and report to me when you return.'
'You may be asleep when I get back,' he pointed out.
'I rarely get any rest now,' she said. She stared at the bizarre spectacle in the temple. 'And it looks as if I will be getting even less.'
Conan went to the upper floor and looked in upon Rietta. She
was in deep and, for once, peaceful sleep. She was no longer an pale and listless as she had been, and she was putting on a bit of flesh. Soon, he judged, she would be strong enough for him to carry her away from his place without her dying from the shock.
When he arrived at the Reeve's headquarters, Julus and the remaining Zingaran eyed him without favour. Conan returned the look. Both men were heavily armed. None of the knock-kneed and feeble guards seemed to be present. Soon Bombas came from within his chambers, muffled in a heavy cloak.
'Do we go to the Wyvern?' Conan asked.
'No,' the Reeve said. 'Ingas will regard that place only as Lisip's territory. All finally agreed to the Guildhall of the Goldsmiths. It is but two streets south of the Square. It is a small place, only two stories, with no other buildings adjoining and grounds all the way around. We will meet on the upper floor. Each of us is to be accompanied by no more than three followers. Only one may accompany each leader upstairs. The others may stay downstairs or, if we wish it, on the grounds outside.'
'I've seen peace conferences between warring nations carried out with less caution,' Conan said.
'The stakes here are the same,' Bombas rejoined. 'Death one who walks into a trap unprepared.'
They left the headquarters and crossed the Square. The public area contained its usual evening population, but nobody spared a glance for the four hooded, arms-clinking men who walked southward. They entered the maze of side streets and in a few minutes stood before the goldsmiths' guildhall. This had once been a town-house and was surrounded by handsome gardens, where now armed men paced. Julus spoke to the Zingaran, and that one joined the milling men in the gardens.
'He will warn us if anybody of men tries to steal close, Excellency,' said Julus.
'Come along,' said Bombas, and the three men entered the hall.
The ground floor was well appointed, intended for the entertainments held periodically by the wealthy
guild. Just now a number of men sat in the lavishly upholstered and carven furniture, their feet propped upon the fine dining table. Some had laid aside their rivalries and were dicing.
'Wait you here,' Bombas said to Julus. Then, to Conan, 'Attend me, Cimmerian.' Conan followed the Reeve up a broad, curving stair to the upper floor. They entered a long room, where the guild conducted business. It was as well appointed and highly decorated as the room below, but its only furnishing was a single long table, lined .with massive chairs. Here sat the men they were to meet with.
'It is about time you got here,' said Ingas, his gold-embroidered, red-leather costume glowing richly in the light of many candles.
'I am the King's Reeve, and I hurry for no man who is not my better in rank. I see none such present.'
'What is that rogue doing here?' Ingas demanded, pointing at Conan.
'He attends me,' Bombas said. 'Each of us was to bring one guard, and he is mine. Has anyone an objection to that?' He stared haughtily down the table.
'I have no problem,' said Lisip.
Ermak shrugged armoured shoulders. 'You may come attended by a dancing bear for all I care.'
These three Conan recognised. There were others, leaders of minor gangs, but they kept silence in the presence of their betters. The Cimmerian made a circuit of the room, looking out of each window.
'Where is Maxio?' he asked when he had completed his survey.
'He has not arrived yet,' said Lisip. 'I doubt that he will show himself. Something has him acting like a madman lately.'
'Let's kill him and be done with it!' said Ermak, pounding a gauntleted fist upon the table. 'His little band are just burglars; they contribute nothing to our wealth.' He turned to Bombas, and his neatly trimmed beard was split by a narrow smile. 'Save
the percentage of their takings that they share with his Excellency.'
'We do not come here to speak of killing, but of an end lo killing,' Bombas said. He spread his hands in an appeal to calm and reason. 'At the very least, let us keep the slaying down to n sensible level, as we did in the old days. The blood-letting confined to the Pit, perhaps a throat-cutting or two, and the bodies in the river before daylight. . . who will take notice of such small matters? Certainly not I or my fellow royal officials. But pitched battles in broad daylight in the Square and in the high street? These things cannot but draw attention.'
'What will draw the king's attention,' said a loud voice from the doorway, 'is your plundering!'
'I wondered when you would show up, Maxio,' said Ingas. 'Now you and Ermak can have it out right here on the table.'
'I'd be as happy to cut that one's fat throat,' said Maxio, pointing at Bombas.
'Any who threatens the Reeve is a dead man,' said Conan. 'He is my charge for the evening. How you and Ermak want to settle things is up to you.'
Bombas looked at the Cimmerian with annoyance. 'Do not provoke them.' He turned back to face down the table. 'Now, how shall we settle this? First, I urge an immediate cessation of all hostilities. These raids and ambushes are worse than disruptive, they are unprofitable! Who gains from such tactics?'
'You,' said Maxio. He took a chair and propped his feet insolently upon the table. A gaunt, hollow-eyed daggerman took up station behind Maxio's chair. 'Every battle weakens us and stuffs money in your purse. As you grow more frightened, your greed increases. Once we paid you ten percent of our takings to stay out of your dungeon. Then it became fifteen. Now, so terrified are you that you want twenty-five! I can see the tallow oozing out of your pores at the prospect that the king will take notice of you. How long before you want the whole of it?''
'Is that all?' Bombas asked. 'Very well. For the sake of restoring peace to my city, I am willing to accept ten percent once again. Now I ask you: Could I be more fair than that?'
'Just as I thought!' It was another voice from the doorway. All turned to see Xanthus standing there. 'You scoundrels now conspire to divide up my city in secrecy!'
'Your city!' shouted Bombas, his face crimsoning. ' am King's Reeve here, not you. You are a mere low-bred merchant, no better than a slave trader! What business have you here, mine factor?'
'You suffer from the delusion that you are a nobleman, you base-born heap of lard,' said Xanthus with withering contempt. 'You earned your rank through treachery, flattery, and your unfailing obsequiousness to your superiors. Do not strike haughty poses with me, Bombas. You are merely the richest thief in Sicas'
This, Conan thought, was even better than the bickering of the gang chiefs. Then Ermak spoke.
'Nay, that would be you, Xanthus. I keep the miners sweet for you, else you'd not have a head on your shoulders. You squeeze their blood and steal the king's silver. A gilded thief is still a thief.'
'We are all thieves here.' The monotone voice of Lisip cut through the banter. 'Let us get back to our business in this place. I did not come here tonight because I relish the company of this lot.'
'Aye,' said Ermak, 'let us settle things and be done with it.'
'Will you all,' Bombas said, 'agree to the immediate cessation of hostilities?''
After a few moments of sullen pondering, answers of 'aye' began to make the rounds of the table. Maxio kept his silence.
'You do not speak, Maxio?' Ermak prompted, his sardonic smile in place.
Pointing at Ermak's armoured breast, Maxio spoke not to him, but to the others. 'I will not trust this rogue's word. A murdering plunderer who pretends to be a soldier is not to be believed.'
'Now, Maxio,' said Bombas, veins standing forth on his brow
with the effort of speaking calmly. 'Why must you persist in this hostility toward Ermak?'
'Probably,' said Conan, 'because Ermak has called in reinforcements from Ophir. They rode into town yesterday.'
'Cimmerian!' hissed the Reeve. 'Will you not be still?'
'And who knows who comes into town better than you, Bombas?' jeered the aged Xanthus. 'It is your dogs who guard the city gates, although there is not a diseased cur in the town that is not better off than your guardsmen!'
'That settles it for me!' shouted Maxio. 'If Ermak is bringing more of his mercenaries into town, he does not mean peace!'
'Try to use such addled wits as you have left, Maxio,' said Lisip. 'Ermak must have sent for those men many days ago, long ere the peace talks were even proposed.'
Maxio whirled on the old gang leader. 'You are in league with him! I see it now! The two of you would squeeze the rest of us out and have the city all to yourselves!'
A shouting match erupted, and as it roared on, Xanthus sidled over to the Cimmerian and whispered urgently. 'Slay Bombas for me, barbarian! Do it tonight and you will have the rest of your pay. You need do no other service for me.'
'If the murder of a royal official were easy or safe,' Conan said, 'you would have done it yourself years ago. Besides, are you not afraid that when he dies, your own guilty deeds will become known?' With a snakelike hiss, Xanthus turned away.
'I am leaving!' Maxio shouted. 'Let none seek to follow me. I will observe the peace for the rest of this night, but after that, look to yourselves!' Followed by his gaunt companion, the burglar chief stalked from the room.
'I believe things would be much quieter,' Lisip said, 'if Maxio were out of the way.'
'I have no objection,' Ingas said boredly.
'You all know how I stand on the matter,' said Ermak.
'Very well,' Bombas said. 'Any of you may slay Maxio, no questions asked. He is a mad dog. He slew my brother, and I think I showed great forbearance in speaking to him so courteously this night.'
The talks continued for another hour, and all agreed to the cessation of hostilities, but Conan was confident that their words meant nothing. These were not the sort of men who could ever abide by such conditions. They were predators and scavengers, always eager to attack one they thought to be weaker. He saw Xanthus draw Ingas aside privily and speak with him. Then the man did the same with Ermak. The Cimmerian guessed that he wa
s offering support to each man against the other.
'Are we agreed, then?' Bombas asked, rising. 'I think we shall have a quieter town now. Once Maxio is out of the way, there will be no need for further conflict, and you may all renegotiate your agreements with me. Now that you will not be needing your surplus men, it will be a good idea to dismiss them. I will not even charge them an exit duty at the city gates.'
'You are a greedy fool, Bombas,' said Xanthus. 'Your grasping blindness will be the ruin of us.' He stalked out, his face looking as if he had eaten something exceedingly sour.
'I do not think that Xanthus means you well,' remarked Conan to Bombas as he followed the Reeve from the upstairs room.
'Pay him no heed,' said the Reeve. 'He does not dare move against me, with so much of the king's lawful silver in his coffers.'
Julus and the Zingaran rejoined them in the gardens, and the four men made their way back to the Reeve's headquarters.
'Farewell, Cimmerian,' the Reeve said. 'You gave me good and honest service this night. I may wish to call upon you again.'
'Next time,' Conan said, 'I will want gold in payment.'
'I know that it is gold that buys men's loyalty,' said the Reeve with a sigh. 'And little enough loyalty does it buy at that. Go, Cimmerian.'
Conan left the Reeve's headquarters, the apelike Julus glaring at him all the while. He was not halfway back to the temple when a touch of lilac on the evening breeze told him that he had company. Piris rose from his seat on the lip of a fountain.
'Why did you leave me in there so long?' Piris asked.
'I have a better question,' said Conan. 'Why did I not leave you there for the rest of your life?''
'Because you took service with me,' Piris said, 'and you Cimmerians are known to be men of your word.'
'I recall no vow to keep you out of prison,' Conan said. 'I undertook only to find your scorpion goddess.'
'Have you found her?' Piris demanded eagerly.
The Conan Chronology Page 564