Wizard's Funeral (6 page)

burst black blisters. A filthy river ran through the countryside, full of effluence from the ponies and the people who lived there. Drinking water was collected in huge skins stretched over racks, making giant hide bowls. Even so, children were bathing in these bowls, swimming and splashing around, their excited squeals plain to hear from the heights above. Soldier had a conference with his officers. What do you think? he asked Velion. Where will they keep their prisoners? In one of the big caves? she said. Kaff said, Did you see that hut without any windows, down by the second corral? My guess is that theyre in there. Why have a hut without windows? You cant store grain or perishable goods in such a place: you need the free flow of air for that. Perhaps they have stock in there, but I doubt it its too low and awkward to keep anything but sheep or goats, and the Hannacks are not sheep farmers. Soldier pointed at Kaff, impressed. If they are in there, theyre having to squat down low, because the ceiling is not more than a metre off the ground. Its a way of demoralising your captives, agreed Velion. Keep them crouched down in the dark. Kaff added, Theyll be cramped. We cant expect them to run if we get them out. That means we cant sneak them out in the dark hours. Well need the use of the horses. Well double up on the horses, agreed Soldier. Youre right. The best way would have been to try to creep down and let them out. That would have been quite risky, however. Hannacks are notoriously deaf, having those small ears, but their eyesight makes up for it. So heres the plan. Full-frontal attack. Hannacks, as you all know, are swift to retaliate to any threat. So we must be quick and clean. Velion nodded. Kaff nodded. All were agreed. The two sets of cavalry were placed appropriately: the righthanders on the right, the left-handers on the left. Velion led her Carthagans, Kaff his Imperial Guardsmen. In the centre of the column was the Jundra detachment, mostly ambidextrous women, who used their swords like scissors. The idea was to sweep down, split the column down the middle and swallow the hut. Get the prisoners out, put them up behind the riders from Jundra, and ride back up the slopes to the high passes. I want the archers up here, ready to cover our retreat, said Soldier. Each archer will stick sixty arrows in the sand in front of them, ready to pluck up and fire at will. Pick off the leaders or their horses, in that way they will fall in front of the riders behind and hamper them. Understood? The bowmen and bow-women nodded their heads, then set up their firing zone on a shelf above the slopes. Simple, said Soldier. Lets go. He gave the command to charge. They flowed down the hillside. Almost immediately a horn sounded from somewhere and Hannacks ran out of the caves, or if already outside, dropped what they were doing. Instead of going for their ponies, as expected, they ran to defend their territory on foot. As the column approached the area, the air suddenly became alive with spears, thrown by the Hannacks. Soldier could see the children in their makeshift swimming pools, watching the action with wide eyes. Hannack women, who did not fight, were gathering precious pots and running for the caves. The horsemen drove into the confused Hannacks, the flanks bristling with swords, the head of the column windmilling blades. There was no way in. Lefthanders, righthanders, both-handers the horsemen were protected on all sides. The invading force surrounded the low hut. Soldier leaped from his saddle, sprang to the door, which he found unlocked. Warning bells jangled in his ears. There was a strong smell of pigs coming from the hut. Indeed the squealing began the moment he opened the door. Hogs rushed out into the sunlight, running between the legs of the horses, causing panic. They tumbled on into the Hannacks, bowling some of them over. These were the lucky ones. Their comrades were being hacked down by the invading cavalry. Soldier saw Kaff reach out with his eagles claw and tear a Hannacks face open to the bone. Velion was laying about her with her sword, cutting down on shoulder and neck. It was not all going one way. Some invaders saddles were already empty, the horses being led away as prizes by Hannack women. The swine ran through the slaughter, and back again, terrified and confused, squealing as if it were they who were being murdered. Oh, gods, cried Soldier. A pigsty! Just when despair was settling on his soul, the raven landed on his shoulder and yelled into his ear. The totems! Theyre at the totems. Soldier looked up towards a mound at the far end of the troglodytes village. Carved standing-stones tall monoliths - stood in a circle. These had been hidden by the base of a ridge which ran out as a spur into the area in front of the caves. Soldier remounted. Follow me, he yelled over the hubbub. To the stones! He wheeled his horse and was followed by Kaff, then Velion, as he led the column towards the standing-stones. Soldier could see the prisoners now, strapped to the bases of the totems. They were naked and looked wretched. It did not take a great deal of manoeuvring to ride through the stones and cut the cords. Uthellen was lifted up behind Velion. Ixonnoxl went behind Kaff. And Spagg - Spagg? He found the nearest rider and leapt very agilely for a man of his age, up onto the rump of that warriors horse. Away! Away! cried Soldier, heading for the slopes which led to the high passes. The Hannacks were on their ponies now, and in pursuit. Soldier stayed at the rear. He and his riders kept turning and meeting the Hannacks head on, allowing the front of the column to climb to safety. Soldiers archers were effective now. They were picking off the leaders of the Hannacks, as instructed, whose bodies fell under the hooves of the ponies behind, sometimes causing the mounts to stumble and fall. The pass was reached. Those carrying the prisoners continued on, through the narrow rock walls, leaving other troops to block the way. It was easily defended. Once they were all through the gap two or three warriors could defend it against thousands. Some of the archers came down from above and fired into the mass of furious Hannacks who were trying to force a passage. Bodies began to pile up on the ledge path, further blocking the efforts of the Hannacks to break through. The rest of the archers stayed high, raining arrows down on the mass of pursuers, until finally they gave up, retreated, fell back down the slopes. Soldier knew his position was only temporarily tenable. The Hannacks would know of other ways around the heights and would be setting out to use them now. If the column stayed where it was they would be surrounded before nightfall and there would be no way out, no way back. The Guthrumites and Carthagans had to move soon. Kaff said, Leave some of the archers behind, to keep the pass, while the rest of us escape. To the Captain of the Imperial Guard, his troops were expendable. The mission was all important, lives were secondary. Marshal Crushkite would have approved of such tactics. So would the queen. Even Jakanda, Warlord of the Carthagans, would have nodded in assent. But Soldier could not leave men and women behind, to certain death. We leave now, he said. All of us. We may have a running fight on our hands, but I think we have a chance. Kaff looked about to argue, but finally remained silent. Perhaps he remembered his promise that Soldiers command should be respected completely. Whatever the reason, he barked an order and his archers took to their mounts, as did the Carthagans moments later. The whole column then set off through the mountains. The Hannacks had not realised yet that the pass was undefended, but they would soon guess. The column worked steadily through the mountain passes, aware that the Hannacks would not be far behind. Once they reached the border of Guthrum, they paused by a river, where they refreshed themselves, thirsty almost beyond reason. The prisoners were given clothes, the horses were rested, Soldier called his officers to his side. Do we run, or do we stand and fight? Kaff grunted. Yours is the decision. The odds are about the same. If we stand and fight well be whittled down until were overrun. If we flee, well be cut down from the rear, as the Hannacks overtake us. My own feelings are that Id rather be on the move. Theres something demoralising about defending a stationary site, something about the inevitability of being overwhelmed by a more numerous enemy. At least while one is moving the landscape changes, the odds lengthen, and one is doing something. I agree, said Kaff. And I, replied Velion. So began a running battle, almost to the gates of Zamerkand. Soldiers porcupine, as the column came to be known, moved across the landscape bristling with weapons on all sides. From within the ranks of the left and righthanders, and rear and front scissor-warriors, the archers fired out on the enemy as they attacked. Soldier lost more Imperial Guardsmen, more Carthagan warriors, on that desperate retreat across the wastelands. The gods only knew how many Hannacks went down, for they attacked regardless of the columns strength or position. For every guardsman, every warrior, that was lost, Soldier felt responsible. It was he who had lost the new King Magus in the first place and so his was the blame for the deaths. However, finding Spagg alive was somewhat surprising for him. Seeds of suspicion entered Soldiers mind. Once they were back inside the gates of Zamerkand, Soldier decided to confront the hand-seller with his suspicions.

Chapter Six

Ive been thinking about the attack at the end of the pass, and the way the Hannacks were waiting for the Bhantan contingent and my party, said Soldier to Kaff as they walked just inside the curtain wall of the city. I think they knew we were carrying the King Magus designate. I think they knew our movements and were ready to attack the moment we came out of that pass. Captain Kaffs head jerked backwards and his eyes narrowed to yellow-brown slits. Are you accusing me of being a traitor again? he hissed. Soldier frowned. No, not you - Spagg. I believe the hand-seller betrayed us to the Hannacks. Kaff cooled immediately. He shrugged. What would Spagg get out of it? His brother, a man called Jugg, owns a farm up-country from Zamerkand, out of reach of the protection of the Carthagans. I understand its often attacked by raiders, and he has to buy Amekni slaves from Uan Muhuggiag slave traders, to defend the place. Spagg might have struck a bargain with the Hannacks. If they agreed to leave his brothers farm alone, he would deliver the witchboy into their hands. But why? What would the Hannacks want with a witchboy, a youth destined to be the next King Magus? Not much of it made sense, and Soldier was determined to find out more. Ill have him arrested and tortured, said Kaff, flexing his eagle-claw hand. Well soon sizzle the truth out of him. Once we burn an eye out with a red-hot iron its surprising how quickly the truth follows it. Very painful, losing an eye to a branding iron. If he doesnt confess quickly, well crush his testicles with stones. Why, I remember one old man we had. Wouldnt talk. Actually, he couldnt talk, I suppose, after we cut out his tongue and fed it to the lizards. We tried everything ... Kaff was lost in some reverie of his own, staring into the middle distance, recalling fondly those tortures he had perpetrated of old. Id like to interview him first, if you wouldnt mind. The Captain of the Imperial Guard shrugged his shoulders. Be my guest. Interview him. But I guarantee you wont get anywhere without the proper equipment. Nevertheless. Spagg was sent for. He arrived in a grumpy mood. Whats goin on? I want to get back to my stall and start earnin some money. Im down to my last spmza. Hurry up, then. What is it? Soldier said, coldly, Youll be lucky if you ever see your stall again, hand-seller. What? You betrayed us, fumed Soldier, convinced of Spaggs guilt now that he had him in his eye. The hand-sellers demeanour, everything about him screamed betrayal to Soldier. You set it up with the Hannacks - admit it. That ambush had inside knowledge behind it. Confess now, or later in the torture chamber. Kaff, sitting in the corner of the darkened guardroom, ran his talons along the bench, setting Spaggs teeth on edge with the scratching sound. Spagg stared at Kaff, then back at Soldier. He began to get scared now, knowing he was in serious trouble. You accusin me of treachery? he cried, trying to sound as indignant as possible. Is that what youre doin? Right first time, murmured Kaff. Listen! Spagg went quiet and listened, but since he could hear nothing but the sound of carts rumbling by the windows, he said, What? Can you hear the coals being piled on the braziers, down in the dungeons? said Kaff, smiling. I can. Theyre preparing for a long session down there. Not much sleep tonight, for the Lord of Thieftakers minions, eh? They wont be pleased. They were looking forward to a night at the tavern, a few jugs of ale and a nice partridge pie. Spagg started sweating. He appealed to Soldier. Look, you an me have bin through a lot together. I wouldnt ever betray you. Why was I tied to them standin-stones? Answer me that. I was in the same fix as the boy and his mother. You cant do this. If he takes me down to the dungeon, hell make me say I did it, but that wont be a confession, cause I didnt do it. Peoplell say anythin if you give em enough pain. You get to a point where youd rather die. This was true enough, and Soldier was reluctant to let Kaff have his way with Spagg, but betrayal was a heinous crime in his eyes. Cowardice in the face of the enemy; murder of one sort or another; theft of property; rape and pillage: all these things were lesser crimes, he felt, than that of betraying ones friends and comrades. You refuse to confess? he said, not looking at Spagg. I didnt do it. I didnt. Thats flat. All right, muttered Soldier to Kaff. You can have him. Spagg gripped the arms of the chair he was sitting in. His face went white with terror. He locked his legs around those of the chair, as if he could anchor himself to the spot. I aint goin, he yelled. I dint do no wrong. Help, ho, murder! Dont do it to me, he broke down, sobbing. Once they get me down there Ill never come out again. You should have thought of that before, snapped Soldier, angry with himself as much as Spagg. Its too late. Guards were called in. They dragged Spagg, chair and all, to some stone steps leading down below the guardhouse. Kaff followed. Under the floor the city was wormholed with tunnels. One of these tunnels led to the torture chamber, where heavy-set men played with ugly iron toys. Soldier expected Spagg to tell the truth before they ever reached the torture chamber. Spaggs desperate struggles, his fading screams, were pitiful to hear. Soldier winced and hoped that the hand-seller would see fit to confess quickly. He was convinced that Spagg was guilty. There could be no one else. The evidence - such as~ it was all pointed to a member of the party. Soldier hadnt done it. Uthellen certainly wouldnt give up her son to Hannacks, herself along with him. That left the Bhantan guard, who had no interest in the matter. They had been massacred. It had to be Spagg. Probably he had signalled them with a mirror. There was no other way the Hannacks could have been on them so swiftly. It wasnt the hand-seller. The voice had come from the doorway to the guardhouse. Soldier was looking directly into the light. All he could see was a silhouette, but he knew the voice. It was that of Ixonnoxl. Whats that? The hand-seller did not betray us. Who then? It was the raven. Soldier was stunned by this reply. Of course, the raven too had been following them on the wing. There was no way of knowing whether the bird was with them, or not, since it melded into the countryside, into the natural surroundings. It could have gone on high and signalled the Hannacks when the caravan was coming. The raven? But why? It was promised freedom. Soldier had not even asked the question, except in his mind, but it had received a reply. What freedom? It already has freedom. The boy inside wants to get out. My guess is that a wizard promised the raven he would change him back into a human again, if he betrayed me to the Hannacks. You realise you arrived just in time. They were going to kill us that night -all of us Spagg included. They had been ordered to. I thought you were to be ransomed. No, I was to be murdered. Soldier said, That doesnt make sense. It does when you realise that my father, OmmullummO, is still alive, somewhere, and wishes to kill me. He seeks to be the next King Magus. He feels he deserves to be. Hes waited four hundred years for his brother HoulluoH to die, so that he can take over. For some reason he cant move freely through the world, but he does send his messengers. The bird was approached and eventually gave his assent to betray you. Why not approach me - why didnt I get any messengers? You are an unknown quantity. Youre an outlander, an unfamiliar element. Better to work with known clay. The Hannacks would have received a visitor? An envoy from this hidden wizard, your father? Oh, yes. To them he would be a herald from one of their despicable deities. He probably appeared out of the night as a man of straw, or a wild beast walking on its hind legs, talking their language, whispering blood and death into their tiny ears ... Ixonnoxl was interrupted by a horrible screech from somewhere below the guardhouse. Gods and demons! cried Soldier. Spagg. He moved quickly, grabbing a candle and leaping down the stone stairs, taking them in threes and fours. Once at the bottom he followed the passage, the candle flame wavering in the draught. Finally, he came to a chamber in which there were figures highlighted by bright fires. It was very hot in the chamber. Someone was at the bellows, causing the coals to flare and glow red. Another had on a thick mitten made of sackcloth, from which smoke was curling, even though the wearer had the iron by the cooler end. The smell of singed flesh was rank in the air. Stop! cried Soldier. The man is innocent! The torturer, a small thickset man with pale-brown eyes, looked up. He was still holding the curled iron which glowed white at the tip. On his face was an expression which read, So what? Innocence, guilt, these were not the motives behind the excellent work put in by most competent torturers. Getting a confession was what counted. A child playing kick-ball was not concerned about how the ball ended up in the goal, or whether the opposition was doing their level best to prevent that happening. It was the result which counted. So the subject was innocent. So what? All the more credit if one scored a goal. Release that man. Wheres Captain Kaff? I thought he was down here too. Gone to visit the palace, said the torturer, still hovering over Spaggs face with the iron. Palace? Which palace? The Palace of Wildflowers. The Princess Layana. Soldier looked wildly back down the tunnel. He had not yet been home himself. Does one of these lead to the Palace of Wildflowers? Near enough, sniggered the torturer. Now, Captain, if youll excuse me. Ive got work to do. Im afraid only the officer who ordered the work can stop it. Youll have to find Captain Kaff first. Soldier drew his sword. I promise you, torturer, that if you do not release that man this instant, youll be looking at your own intestines draped over your boots. The torturer saw he meant it. It grieved him sorely, but he used a rusty key to release Spagg from his manacles. Spagg had a dark hole in the centre of his forehead, not very deep, but it was still smoking. He immediately dunked his head in a nearby trough of water. Then he followed Soldier out of the torture chamber, not being able to resist a parthian shot over his shoulder at the torturer. When youre up for hangin, Im goin to ask to cut off your hands before they put the rope around your neck. Next time you come in here . . . the torturer tried a riposte, but Spagg blanked out the words with a loud and echoing fart, a sound he seemed to be able to produce at will. The two men walked the passageway in silence. Spagg was near to exhaustion, mentally and physically. Soldier was thinking of the way Kaff had manoeuvred it so that it was he who called on Layana first, while her husband was left wanting. Would she see through that? Or would she think that her husband was tardy and put her second? A woman likes to be first with her man in all things. She likes to be thought of as best. Soldier had been outfoxed by a long campaigner in the stakes for Layanas good favour. Things were not looking good. I shouldnt have to compete for the affections of my own wife, he agonised. But what choice had he? He could not have let Spagg die under the torturers irons. When the two men were in daylight again, Soldier said, You should go home and rest. I will, I will, said Spagg, drained and strangely dampened. Soldier had expected the hand-seller to be furious with him, but there were no angry words. I gotta get some sleep. Im so tired. Soldier went immediately to the Palace of Wildflowers. He was met at the door by Ofao, who took his breastplate, propping it up in the corner of the hallway. The slave from Amekni then produced a bowl of scented water for Soldier to wash his hands and face in; a comb and a brush for his hair; a clean singlet. He washed his feet in the remainder of the water and put on fresh sandals. By the time he was ready to see his wife, he was looking refreshed, but worried. Drissila gave him a disapproving look as he entered the room. Captain Kaff has been here, she whispered. He came first. I know, muttered Soldier. Layana was sitting on a sofa, looking towards the window. When she saw Soldier she jumped to her feet and threw her arms around his neck. Youre alive and unwounded, she said. How well you look, my husband. I have missed you so much. No recriminations. Relief flooded through him. He still felt guilty, though. I would have come sooner, my love, but a man was about to die - an innocent man - and I had to prevent it. She looked into his eyes. You dont have to explain to me. But I do. I know Kaff was here before me. Of course he was. You were the commander of the expedition. You had many more responsibilities than he did. Of course you had to settle your men, make reports, do all the things that a commander has to do before he can go home to his wife. I understand that. If you had run home to me without finishing your duties, I should have been ashamed of you. As it is, Im bursting with pride. You come home victorious, a conqueror. I have merely righted a mistake I myself made. Everyone makes mistakes. Ive known generals who committed troops to impossible battles and came home thousands of men short with nothing to show for it. Ive known judges whove mistakenly executed innocents by the handful. Their statues stand in squares today. They are still revered. If you have great responsibility, you will make errors from time to time. Its how you deal with those mistakes which is important. The boy is here? And his mother? I have them both, safe and sound. There there you have it. You lost them, but it was you who took the risk and found them again. Not someone else, correcting your mistakes. You. You did it. I lost some good warriors. Some good men and women. They were warriors. Its their work. You didnt sacrifice them, did you? You will see their wives and mothers, their husbands and families? You will offer your sincere condolences. There is no compunction to join the army. They had a job to do and they did it. We lose warriors out patrolling the borders every day. Hardly a thought is given to them. They would not blame you for their deaths. No, I dont suppose they would but I feel for them. So you should. No one is saying you shouldnt. Soldier changed the subject. When did Kaff leave? Just a few moments ago. She looked with smouldering eyes at the door, through which Kaff must have exited a short while before. I have nothing but contempt for a second-in-command who leaves his leader to tie up all the loose ends on his own, while he tried to steal a march on the man he should be assisting. Soldier could not help but feel elated. Poor Kaff. His scheme had backfired on him. He should have known that a princess, above all others, understood the nature and importance of duty. Soldier spent an hour with