The Sarzana was waiting. He wore gaily coloured robes, as if he'd only recendy risen from sleep.
'Someone,' I began, without preamble or polite greeting, 'tried to attack one of my officers. It was Legate Corais.'
The Sarzana's eyes widened in shock.
'Up here}
On my plateau?' I nodded.
'Gods. What did she do? What happened?'
'That doesn't matter,' I said.
l
She
did nothing and is safe. I know it wasn't one of our men. She described the person, but I'm not sure her memory is exact.'
'May I ask what you're thinking?' The Sarzana began, and I could see his brows furrow, that fire-ice gaze start to burn at me, and his lips form into that thin line.
'I am not accusing you, Sarzana,' I said. 'I hardly think a lord'of your powers would stoop to rape. But what of your creations? Your man-beasts?'
The Sarzana shook his head rapidly from side to side. 'Impossible. Quite impossible. When I created them, I gave them the power to lust, and to breed. But I held it back, as a final gift for when I leave this island. No, my friends are as safe as the castrated ones who once guarded my seraglio. Safer, even, since even the knife can err. Captain Antero
...
I vow that none of mine had anything to do with this. When I heard the outcries, I was in a deep slumber. I tried to use sorcery to determine what had happened, but there is
...
was
...
something out there in the night that clouded my vision.'
'You think Corais's attacker was magical?'
'I don't know,' he said. 'A demon? An incubus? I had no time to learn from the villagers before they were murdered what spirits might haunt this island. Nor did I perform any thaumaturgics to find out. Evidently I should have.
'Captain, I cannot say how horrified I am. I take this as an affront. I promised you safety and I failed to provide it. I am deeply ashamed. But I promise you for the rest of the time you remain on this island, nothing shall happen. I'll begin casting spells this very hour to keep your women
...
and Cholla Yi's men, from the slightest jeopardy. More, I'll send my own demons, and there are some who owe me fell deeds, to cast about for whatever tried to commit this terrible thing. And when I find it, him or them, their tortures shall be beyond your most hateful dreams.'
I looked deeply into The Sarzana's eyes, and I
believed
him. I saluted formally and stalked out.
There were no other incidents until we left the island. In fact, even the sexual attempts from the sailors stopped quite suddenly. But I no longer let any of my women go anywhere except in pairs, and, at night, no one, from Corais to myself to Dica and Ismet, was permitted to sleep beyond the sentry-ring.
The Sarzana was a constant presence, although he never intruded nor forced his company when it might not be wanted. But he was always there. The lowliest spearwoman might be walking her post at the loneliest end of the village, and The Sarzana would stroll past with a word of cheer, or a sailor might be concentrating on a splice, and find The Sarzana holding the line's end away from his knotting so it wouldn't snag. We officers ate with him often, although never so sumptuously as at that first banquet.
He never asked directl
y if he could accompany us when we left Tristan. But it was an idea that grew and grew, until at last we somehow all knew he'd joined the expedition, and we felt stronger and safer in that knowledge.
Just how he would help us, and just how much assistance we, in turn, were supposed to provide, was also never discussed. Not that The Sarzana was mute about his dreams, nor how one of us or all of us might be included. He systematically wooed each officer. I first saw his seduction at work one afternoon in his mansion. I'd gone looking for him at Gamelan's request to see if The Sarzana had power over windspirits, such as a seaport witch had. I found him in deep conversation with Cholla Yi, sitting in that alcove where he'd told us the story of his rise and fall.
As I approached he said, 'There's much wisdom in what you say, Admiral. Perhaps if I would have had a small cadre of loyal and skilled seamen with their own ships always at my bec
k things might've gone differentl
y, and I could have summoned aid from my home isles and not been driven from my throne. You've given me much to think on, sir, much indeed.'
I cleared my throat before I entered. The Sarzana stood and greeted me. I made my request, and he said such a matter was quite simple and he'd begin preparing the proper spells at once. After he left, I looked at Cholla Yi and lifted an eyebrow. I realized he'd heard me approach.
'So?' he said, without embarrassment. 'So I'm looking for gold? What's the sin in that, because you choose to fight for a flag? I'm a mercenary, and we must always be looking for a new master. Certainly when we return to Orissa your Magistrates will be only too glad to see us sail away. Not that I've any great love for them anyway, to be honest. My men and I still think we were given an unfair casting of the die when we were compelled to carry you and your women over the seas chasing that damned Archon, instead of getting our pay and our loot as promised. Besides, do you care, Captain,
what
I do, once my
duty to you and Orissa is honestl
y fulfilled?'
'I do not, Admiral,' I said.
'Once your duty is complete!
And not before!'
'Then we are friends once more,' he said, and emitted that great boom of noise he meant to pass for jovial laughter.
That was but one instance. The Sarzana also spent a great deal of time with Gamelan. It seemed if I saw one, I saw the other. I found myself resenting it, oddly, then caught myself short. What was I thinking? Was I being basely jealous? Of course a great Evocator such as Gamelan would find more to talk about in the company of an equally gifted sorcerer rather than a beginner like myself, who had less than a village soothsayer's knowledge. But there was a very real concern after I'd overheard The Sarzana's offer to Cholla Yi. I knew what The Sarzana must be dangling in front of Gamelan.
At last I asked Gamelan direcdy. As always, the Evocator was straightforward.
'Of course, The Sarzana has been trying to win my support,' he said. 'He's offering, once he's restored to the throne and given full access to his former demons and alembics, to force a great spell against the other worlds, so that my blindness, both physical and sorcerous, will be ended.'
Another question occurred: 'All of us seem as if we've conferred on The Sarzana's fate and agreed we are to help him, even though no such discussion's occurred. That smacks of wizardry, and I'm not at all sure I like the thought of a spell touching any part of my thinking,' I said frankly.
'I, too, sensed that. He admitted his subconscious powers have perhaps sent a projection, if that's what it is. But what of it? I doubt if the man has sufficient strength to force such an opinion on all of us. My powers may be in abeyance, but I
know
our minds would rail if we sensed evil intent from him.'
A thought came and went, one that I didn't analyse until later:
here it was again
...
again we knew something, without any firm foundation to that belief.
But before I could say anything, something more important came to me: 'What do you think he wants us to do, specifically, besides taking him off this island he's exiled to?'
'I've asked him that. He said very little, other than take him to an island group some distance to the south and west. These islands were among his earliest supporters, and he can use them as his base and rallying
point. We'll have to sail secretl
y through two others first, however, since those Konyan outer islands are not only peopled by rude barbarians, but garrisoned with strong ships of the Konyan barons, minions of his fiercest enemies. Once we reach the lands of his friends, we'll be free to sail on our way if we wish. As payment, he'll summon a conclave of the group's most skilled navigators and ship captains. Since these people are famous explorers, or so he tells me, he hopes that at least one of them will be able to help us set a true course for our home, and give us such magical aids as he can. He also vowed to help us see if the Archon still lives, and if so, to gather his wizards together to aid us in our fight.'
I thought hard. It didn't seem we had much of a choice, actually, and the longer I considered the more sure I became. We could either continue wandering these strange and deadly seas until we died, or else provide this small favour for The Sarzana. And what evil, my mind ran, would be caused by our doing this? Very little, I thought, again remembering the great respect I'd first felt for The Sarzana. If there must be kings, and from all he'd said Konya needed to be ruled firmly, there could be no better being than him. Of course he'd be far more just and merciful than any conspiracy of greedy petty lordlings, trying to force all these peoples into the wretched near-slavery of the past.
'Thank you, Gamelan,' I said finally. 'Again your wisdom has opened my mind further.'
A day later, while taking a pre-dinner stroll along the waterfront I encountered The Sarzana. I knew it was no accidental meeting, so after we exchanged courtesies, and he asked if he could accompany me, I was most gracious. Besides, I was most curious to see what he would offer, which might indicate how well he'd gauged me. The answer was very well indeed.
'You know, Captain, I have been speaking to others in your expedition.'
'Yes,' I said.
'Then you also know I've been making some of them offers of employment, or discussing other ways I might be able to help. I wish I could do the same for you.'
I said nothing.
'But I'm hardly that much of a fool,' he went on. 'I feel I know you quite well, Rali Antero, and consider you one of the most remarkable people I've ever met. Ruling is a harsh and cynical sport, and I've always believed that all men, and women, have a price. But you prove I must always allow for the exception.'
'I don't know about that,' I said, a bit tartly. 'But I do know flattery has never struck a chord in my guts.'
'I'm not flattering anyone,' he said, his voice ringing sincere. 'Although I know it sounds it. No, what I'm saying,
Evidently
quite badly, is that there's nothing I could offer you that you do not already have.'
I stopped and looked at him closely. I'm sure my eyebrows were lifted high. What, in fact, did I have? I slept alone, and felt that weight. The woman I once loved was lost and unknown leagues away, as were the handful of people I called family, Amalric being the only real one I cared about. Riches? I supposed I was wealthy with my share of the Antero lands and holdings. But here all I possessed were my weapons, my armour, a few clothes and what was in my warbag.
A thought struck. No, even here I was rich, at least by my own thinking. I had the respect, the obedience and, in a manner of speaking, love of all my soldiers. What more did I want, save to serve them well, and keep that love?
'Just so,' The Sarzana said
gently
. 'If you have a price,
gentle
Captain, it is beyond anything I can pay. Which is why I wish to incur a debt from
you.
If I regain my throne, I propose to establish a Guard much like the Maranon women. Its oath will not be to me, nor my descendants, if I indeed chose to have any. Instead, it will serve Konya. I would want such a force above all small concerns of men and the day-to-day rule. I think such a unit might be a great force for stability. I wonder if its greatest strength might be that it cleaves to its own, as does your Guard.'
'What do you mean?'
'I mean men who prefer their own, or women like your Guards-women, or perhaps even those who belong to a single clan.'
I was instantl
y seething. 'Do you think, Sarzana, that we are what we are because of who we fuck?'
'No, no, of course not,' he said hurriedly. 'I've offended, but don't mean to. What I'm trying to say is that I do not know
what
makes you and your Guardswomen what you are. But something deep inside says I must find out. Not just for me, but for all of Konya. We need to learn how to serve something greater than ourselves. And that is my request. When you and your women have returned to Orissa, and returned to your duties, would it be possible for me to send two or three of my most skilled ministers and one or two high-ranking soldiers I have in mind, if the barons haven't murdered them, to spend time with your Guard? I warn you, they will ask the most penetrating questions, trying to understand what you are and bring that knowledge back to me.'
My anger subsided. The Sarzana smiled wryly. 'You see? Just because someone is
...
or has been
...
a ruler doesn't mean he can't offend by accident. Perhaps that is why we kings know enough to surround ourselves with silk-tongued agents, so we don't say the wrong thing and end up starting a war. Again, my apologies, Rali, or, rather, Captain Antero. I shall say no more. But, when the time is right, would you at least consider my request?'
My anger was gone, and I found myself feeling quite warm. I didn't say yes, nor did I say no, and after a few more minutes one of The Sarzana's beast-men appeared with a summons and the lord left.