Authors: Kim Hunter
asked the lord, in deadpan voice. Wait, said Soldier, desperately. Surely theres something I can do? An appeal to the queen, asking for mercy. There must be some way ... The Lord of Thieftakers raised an eyebrow. Hasnt the captain explained it to you? No no, my lord. The captain has said nothing. The lord sighed. In that case, I shall have to, wont I? One. Your death sentence may be revoked if a Guthrum citizen with either wealth, business or land comes to plead your cause and stand surety. Two. If a lone wolf appears before the city gates under the next nights moon. Three. If a maid of Guthrum agrees to take you to husband. Thats it. To the captain the lord said, Take him back to the market-place. See if anyone wishes to stand surety, or if some fool girl wants to marry him. If neither happens, then take him to the tower and slice open his belly! But a wolf might come, argued Soldier. The captain smiled. All wolves are slaughtered on sight by the Carthagans who ring the city walls. Soldier remained silent at this news. He had to rely on Spagg to get him off. Or if he could see Uthellen, on the way, he would plead with her to marry him. She was poor and in need of a mans protection. All was not yet lost. The captain, who let it be known afterwards that he felt this was all a waste of time, led Soldier back towards the market-place, to where Spagg was back at his stall. The hand-seller was in none too good a mood. Having left his stall unattended, Soldier had allowed some of the hands to be stolen before Spagg could get back to his wares. Spagg was very sorry, he said, but he couldnt stand surety for Soldier. What? cried the condemned man. What are you saying? Ive worked for you for these past few weeks. Havent we been fnends? Spagg shrugged. Firstly, if you ran away they would take my business from me. Its the business thats the surety, not me. I wont run away, promised Soldier, desperately. Secondly, replied Spagg, ignoring this interruption, someone wants you dead. Someone with a bit of power, otherwise you wouldnt be in this fix. Im not going to cross a powerful man for someone Ive only just met. I hope the beheading is quick, for your sake. Its not a beheading. Its a disembowelling, said Soldier. Spagg winced and then shrugged, turning away, leaving Soldier feeling wretched. Soldier then appealed to anyone in the crowd who had any sense of kindness to stand surety for him. Youll probably steal the teeth out of my head, one man shouted back, the minute I fall asleep. What did I say? said Captain Kaff, after a few minutes of further barracking. A waste of time. At that moment Soldier spotted Uthellen in the crowd. He waved to her. Marry me, or I die, he cried to her. Please, Uthellen . . . Her face looked stricken, but she did not come forward. One of the crowd explained why. She has a child - shes no maid you need to marry a virgin to save yourself. Oh, said Soldier. He raised his voice again. Is there no one . . .? Peals of laughter went up. In this crowd? You must be joking. Any woman here is waiting for a customer. No, no, please. Soldier was getting desperate. There must be a maid-servant, out shopping for her mistress? Does anyone want me? I have this magical scabbard to offer. He held up the empty sword sheath for all to see. The leather-caps and dirty-aprons around him hooted, their stinking breath hitting him in the face. Ill work hard for you. Ill protect you ... more peals of laughter. Ill even love you. Oooowww, thats temptin, said a bulky woman with greasy matted hair and a warty face. I aint bin loved since I dont know when. An Ive bin a maid since I was forty-two. The crowd hooted again. Captain Kaff said, Youve had more men up your skirts than a rats got fleas. No serious takers? Right, thats it, Im not hanging around here all day, smelling cattle dung. Lets go, Soldier. Soldier, now in the depths of despair, was led from the market-place, to his last destination. Spagg shouted after the captain, When you cut im up, for the gibbet, let me have his eyes. Ill split the profit with you. The captain shook his head in disbelief. You see what kind of people they are? he said to Soldier. Theyre filth. Theyd sell their own children for a stew if the price was right. That man was your former employer and now all he cares about is making a small profit out of your remains. If thats the way they are, replied Soldier, thats the way theyve been made by the world they live in. Whos responsible for that? They are what they are, replied the captain. You cant make ambergris from pond scum. As the guards were hurrying him through the cobbled streets they had to pause for a sedan chair to cross their path. The chair was carried by four naked men: slaves by the look of them, since they did not appear to be Guthrumites. Behind the gauze curtain was the silhouette of a slim woman. Suddenly there came a call from within and the carriers halted. The captain of the guard looked on, as puzzled as Soldier himself, as the gauze curtain was slowly opened by a delicate hand. Then they could see the occupant of the sedan chair. Her profile was quite beautiful. What could be seen of her radiant features, half-hidden by a white silken hood, were lovely to behold, with high cheekbones and eyes as dark as blackthorn sloes. She had black hair, which was pinned up, revealing a pale slender neck. The skin on that throat, and on her cheeks and brow, was fair and unblemished. Wafting from her direction came the fragrance of attar of roses mingled with sandalwood. He knew that it was impossible, but Soldier could not shake the idea that he had met this woman before somewhere. The lady, never once moving her head to turn her eyes fully on the guards and their prisoner, called softly for the captain to attend to her words. He stepped forward, went to the side of her chair, and listened to what she had to say. Soldier could hear nothing of what passed between them. Then the captain was dismissed and the curtain was dropped. The sedan chair carriers raised the lady aloft and were about to depart with her when Soldier cried out on impulse. Lady! Marry me! Or I die a horrible death! Immediately he was punched and kicked by the guards around him, including the captain. Amazingly, however, the chair was lowered again, the curtain was opened. This time the lady turned her head to stare. She looked directly into his eyes and no doubt observed their unique colour. Now Soldier saw that the other side of her face, hidden from him until now, was hideously disfigured. She gave him a fleeting, distorted smile, from which no warmth could come through that rippled flesh. Again she called the captain, who went to her side, and a whispered command left Kaff looking white and shaken. Then the sedan chair was again raised and was whisked away down a side-alley. The captain stood transfixed for a moment, staring in its wake, then he returned to shake his head at Soldier. I dont know whether youre the luckiest man alive or the most unfortunate. She agreed? cried Soldier, elated. She will marry me? So she says. Who is she? That, my poor friend, is Princess Layana, sister of Queen Vanda, of Guthrum. Your wedding will take place at the Palace of Wildflowers in three days time. A princess! cried Soldier. An ugly princess, muttered the captain, wanting no one but Soldier to hear this perfidy. A mad princess. What do you mean? Is this why you called me unfortunate? Indeed it is, said Kaff. You have escaped one painful death for another. Princess Layana is violently insane. She has already brutally murdered two husbands, one with nail scissors, the other with a long darning needle. Watch out for your eyes and always keep your pants buttoned tight. But husbands? Is she not a maid? She is still a virgin, despite the two husbands. One got dead drunk at his wedding. That same night he was attacked by his deranged bride bearing nail scissors and woke up without his manhood. He bled to death in sheets which had turned from crisp white to sodden red overnight. The second husband was warned not to enter the princesss boudoir during her bouts of madness. Unable to contain his lust he secretly arranged a rendezvous in a rooftop garden and had his eyes winkled from his head. In his blindness he stumbled over the battlements of the palace and fell to his death. At least I live for a while longer, Soldier told the captain. Make no mistake about it. She will destroy you, as she has others. Kaff paused before he said in a faraway voice, It is such a great pity for her that she doesnt see what is before her eyes. There was something in the captains tone which caught Soldiers attention. He stared into Kaffs stricken eyes. In there, he saw another kind of madness. Soldier sighed. Youre in love with her yourself. The metal glove lashed out yet one more time, splitting Soldiers lip. Blood ran from the corner of his mouth. Kaff said, Youre not married to her yet - dont become too insolent, stranger. You might have an accident on the way to the wedding. Wouldnt that be tragic? Soldier stared into Kaffs face and realised that now he had made a real enemy.
Chapter Six
Soldier was taken to a house near the Palace of Wildflowers and handed over to a man-servant of the princess. What lovely eyes, said the eunuch. Youve got a summer sky in your head, havent you? Soldiers iron collar was removed by a blacksmith brought in for the purpose then dismissed. Fortunately it was not the man who had put the collar on. In the centre of the hollow-squared house was a beautiful courtyard, trimmed with bushes of entwined rosemary and lavender, and studded with medlar trees. Lyre-birds fluttered on the mosaic paths and strutted between sprays of pure-white lilies, pecking at the brown fruit from the medlars. Doves decorated the statues of gods and wild beasts. Soft music came from ivory horns projecting from the fresco which lined the walls. Clouds of colourful butterflies drifted from corner to corner, purely decorative, while hardworking imperial blue dragonf lies kept the surface of the water free from invading mosquitoes. Forming the centre of the courtyard was an oblong pool with fluorspar steps leading down into its pink water and a fountain which seemed to spray rose petals that somehow dissolved into pink-crystal liquid drops before falling gently onto the waters of the bath. Guards stood and watched, smirking and nudging each other, while Soldier was stripped and bathed in the pink water by the man-servant with soft hands and pallid skin. I can do that, said Soldier, as the man lovingly soaped his body. Id rather do it myself. The man-servant, who said his name was Ofao, smiled a secret smile. You dont have a choice, sir. This is my work. I have been told to bathe you, smear you with perfumed oils, powder your bottom, and make you generally presentable. You keep your damn hands off my bottom, growled Soldier, or so help me I swear Ill cut off your manhood. Another secret smile from Ofao. Im afraid thats already been done, sir. Once Soldier had been bathed, given a shave and haircut, and wrapped in a light cotton gown, he was left to reflect on the change in his fortunes. That evening the stars were out in great bunches, like sparkling grapes on vines. He sat in a soft chair on the roof of the house, staring at the Palace of Wildflowers nearby. Why had she done it? He was nothing to her. Yet he knew he had met the princess somewhere before, though he could not say where. It was another of those terrible puzzles which haunted him. Youll go blind. Wha ... Soldier looked wildly about him. Too much thinking. It sends you blind. Its all right, its only me, said a deep black shadow from the darkness of the rooftop. I told you Id come and get you out. I can pick locks you know, with my beak. Its a talent. Oh. Soldier relaxed. Its you, raven. Well youre a bit late. Im no longer a prisoner. No? said the raven, hopping out onto the white marble parapet before Soldiers eyes. Then what are all those guards doing, in and around the house? Are they there to read you bedtime stories? Soldier shifted his weight, uncomfortably. Well, in three days time Ill be free, once Im married. You have faith in that, do you? So, what do you suggest? The bird wiped its beak once or twice on the stonework of the parapet, as if he were sharpening it. Sorry, just been eating goats guts. Cant get the stuff off your beak afterwards. Now, where were we? Oh, yes, suggestions. Well, Im not here for that, am I? Im here to be told what to do. You decide if you want to escape and Ill help you do it. If you want to stay here and be wed to a lunatic with a face like a well-used cart track, then Ill go along with that too. You watch your tongue. How do you know ravens have got tongues? I might just find out in a minute. The bird made no reply to this. Soldier then asked it, This singing scabbard I have. Why didnt it warn me about the imperial guards in the market square? It warned me of the thieves down in the sewers. The raven was silent for a moment, then it replied, You didnt need warning. You saw the guards coming. Oh, so you think it only warns me when I have no knowledge Im being approached. Maybe probably yes. Soldier clasped his hands together and nodded. That makes sense. You smell nice, remarked the raven. Soldier looked down at himself. Ive had a bath Ive been bathed. You look nice too, without that beard. You have boyish features. Perhaps thats what attracted Princess Layana. Your handsome face? Perhaps. He rose from his seat. Now, Im going to get some sleep. Are you hanging around? Or have you got somewhere to go? No, no - Ive already eaten - I think Ill stay here the night. Dont you worry about me. I shant, muttered Soldier, then an idea came to him. Look, I want to get in touch with that woman again Uthellen the one with the peculiar child. Can you go and find her for me? Scour the streets from the sky. Make yourself useful. What do you want a woman for - youre betrothed. This has nothing to do with anything like that. I want to help the woman. She helped me when no one else would. My intended would understand that. The raven had to have the last word however. It is strange though, that she agreed to marry you, isnt it? She must have some motive. Youve already said my handsome features. That was to goad you into some sort of sensible thought on the subject. You dont really believe shes fallen in love with you at first sight, do you? Soldier did not answer. He agreed with the raven. It was an odd situation. Why did she wish to marry him? The wedding itself revealed nothing more than Soldier already knew. A priest was in attendance, but that was not to marry the pair. He was there to help with the signing of documents. In fact it was quite a drab affair, which the princess did not even attend in person. Layana sent one of her maid-servants to stand for her. The raven had told Soldier he must take three objects with him: fish, fowl and flower. The first represented the oceans of the earth, the second the skies above the planet and the third the lands of the world. He offered these symbols to the bride. If she, or her representative, accepted them, the pair were married in the eyes of the gods and confirmed that by Deed of Matrimony. On the third day Soldier was escorted to the Palace of Wildflowers. There were no trumpets, no flutes, no sweet marrying music. There were no guests. There was no bunting, no decorations, no visible sign it was a wedding. Soldier had taken gifts along with him. The first was the home of a pretty mollusc with long thin spines running down two sides: a comb shell from some exotic sea, a decoration prised out of the brickwork of the house he was living in. To represent the sky he had a black feather plucked (with permission) from the ravens tail. A dark-green oleander wand, with pink bloom still attached, completed the three objects, appropriate because it grew wild almost everywhere. What happened to all the guests? he asked a guard, afterwards, when the hall was empty but for the two of them and the priest. I thought the queen would be here, at her sisters wedding. Since the bride hasnt even bothered to come, you cant expect her relations and friends to be there, can you? At that moment a messenger arrived and announced he was from Princess Layana. About time, said Soldier, hands on hips. Well, out with it, man. When am I to see my wife? The princess states she does not want to see you, answered the messenger. Not now, not ever. You are free to go about your business in the castle, but you must stay away from Princess Layana. Its for your own good. Her previous husbands met with, er, fatal accidents. She would prefer you did not meet with the same kind of misfortune. Soldier was surprised to find a bolt of disappointment go through him. He had only seen his wife once, when she had stared at him from the confines of her sedan chair, but he now found within him an enormous attraction to her. Yes, she was unsightly, even perhaps grotesque when viewed from one side, but he had never been a man to trust appearances. It came as a shock to learn he was not even to meet his wife again, let alone make love to her as a husband should. Any fanciful thoughts he had of winning her love flew out of the window. Is this true? Do I not get to see my bride? cried Soldier. What kind of marriage is this? The messenger, a courtier of sorts, was stern with Soldier. The queens sister has saved your life, stranger. What more could you ask for? Are you not grateful to the princess? Her finer feelings could not allow you to die, once you had made supplication to her. Yet here you are, whining about the number of guests and the lack of cake and ale at your feast. The number of guests? There were not any. Cake and ale? There had been nothing to eat or drink. It was true. He had his life. But human nature is such that now he had it, it seemed a trivial thing. He wanted more. He wanted the wealth and position he had thought came with being the husband of a princess. He wanted the princess herself, in his bed, loving him. He wanted a home, this simple little palace, a place to put his feet under the table. Perhaps a few hunting dogs? A trained falcon? One or two servants? Was that too much to ask? The messenger thought it might be. I would settle for your life even that might not be yours for very much longer. The new Captain of the Imperial Guard, Kaff, does not think kindly of you, stranger. He is rising in power every day. If I were you I would sunk into obscurity and stay there until they carry you away in a box. Subsequent to this good advice, Soldier was given a purse containing a sum of money and was then thrown out into the street. Soldier roamed the streets, looking for Uthellen. He was married now and intended to stay faithful to his new wife, but he could not forget Uthellen. It had seemed to him that she was afraid of someone, or something. Had she managed to get herself onto the wrong side of the law? Or perhaps she had upset one of the chancellors minor officials in some way? Whatever it was, it caused her to scuttle away from him if she saw him first, because he came across her again in one of the three long narrow streets that ran parallel to each other the length of the city, some five miles of ground. She immediately clutched her deformed child to her side and ducked into a sidestreet. When he ran to this point, she was gone. If she doesnt want to see me, then I have to respect that, Soldier told the raven. Unless its because she thinks I mean her harm, which I dont, of course. Who knows the mind of a woman? replied the raven, preening his feathers. Theyre such vain creatures. When evening came Soldier decided to go to an inn for the night. There was no reason why he should not spend some of his wifes wedding present. He found a large inn with a room and a comfortable bed, then spent the evening eating roast chicken and getting drunk on ale. Since he had money he was willing to spend he gathered about him several tradesmen. There was a cobbler at his elbow, and a wheelwright, and a butcher, and one or two other aspiring gentlefolk from the market fringe. Halfway through the evening he was far gone enough to share his personal and domestic problems with the whole tavern. Who does she think she is? he cried, drunkenly. Just because shes a princess doesnt make her someone special. Er, excuse me, but I think it does, said the cobbler. Who asked you? snarled Soldier. Youll get no more ale from me. Not you, or your friends. Whats more, I could knock your block off with one punch. The cobbler thought differently, but to make sure he enlisted the services of his friends the wheelwright and the butcher, and between them they threw Soldier out of the inn. He landed, sprawling, on the hard cobbles of the alley. The cool night air sobered him somewhat. Picking himself up, he staggered down the alley towards one of the three main streets. He was too befuddled to notice that someone else had slipped out of the inn behind him and was stalking him silently along the alley. My father placed a wager, upon a young grey mare . . . sang Soldier, weaving back and forth across the alley and using the walls as resting points on his journey. The sound of his voice cloaked the stealthy steps of the man who rapidly came up behind him. Something held in the hand of the stalker flashed in the moonlight: a short blade of sorts. At that moment a voice sang out, clear and sweet, into the night airs of the city street. Soldier stopped his own song in mid-line. Wha . . . Soldiers brain was not sodden enough to forget the tone of that voice, even if he did not understand the words. The scabbard! A warning! He swung round just as the would-be assassin lunged at his back with the curved dagger. Soldier swung an arm across, parrying the blow. His clouded brain cleared instantly. Next he lashed out with his foot, catching the attacker on the shin. The man howled in pain and this time used the dagger to slash with, slicing through the fabric of Soldiers jerkin, the one put on his back by Ofao. You bastard, cried Soldier. Ill get you for that! Before the other man could settle himself for a murderous blow, Soldier struck him hard on the chin with his fist. The assassin fell backwards onto the stone alleyway, his dagger flying out of his fist and skittering over the flints. Soldier then brought a boot down on the offending wrist and heard a satisfying crack. His attacker yelled and rolled out of the way of any further kicks. Soon he was on his feet and running, down the alley back towards the inn, with Soldier swaying on his feet, watching him through narrowed eyes. I have enemies, muttered Soldier, picking up the curved-blade dagger and thrusting it into his belt. Someone wants me dead. Kaff, no doubt, said a voice at his shoulder. The raven. Why arent you around when I need you? grumbled Soldier. You could have warned me a lot earlier than this bent and battered piece of leather-and-metal hanging from my belt. Ive only just got here. The drunkenness returning, Soldier staggered to a wall and leaned against it. Why does this scabbard sing in a language I dont understand? Whats the use of that? If I hadnt swung round by instinct, Id be dead by now. It sings in the tongues of wizards, replied the bird. The boy said that. But why? The raven shook its head. Ever thought that it might be because it belonged to a wizard? I dont know where you got it, but if the owner ever catches up with you, youll be joining me in the animal kingdom. I hope he turns you into a nice fat worm, so that we can be together always me on the outside, you on the inside. Soldier shook his head to try to clear it. Why are you with me? he asked. I wonder about it. You saved me from a snake, replied the raven. A serpent was about to swallow me whole when you beat it to death with a stick. You saved my life. I owe it to you. I dont remember that. On the hillside, where you thought the battle was. Soldier said, I must have been asleep. It was while you were waking up.