Ilario, the Stone Golem (5 page)

father. ‘How many Caesars began as successful generals? A man with an

army supporting him has always been dangerous. If the soldiers of a

kingdom follow one man, tradition and law all make way for him. As far

as I can discover, and as far as King Rodrigo Sanguerra’s spies in Leon

and Castile should be telling
him
, the mercenary commander Licinus

Honorius has never given any of his kings one sleepless night.’

Honorius looked plainly embarrassed.

A low hungry whine came from Onorata’s cot; Honorius quickly rose

and scooped her up, letting her suck on his forefinger, and went over to

the door to call for milk.

Rekhmire’ directed a look at me that said
I
have
given
him
somewhat
to
think
on
.

‘He shouldn’t go to Taraco!’ I attempted to shove hands into

breeches-pockets, which in petticoats and a Frankish over-robe is bound

to be unsuccessful. ‘Not with Videric as his enemy. And you shouldn’t

be encouraging him!’

‘Ilario—’

I rode over Rekhmire’’s protest. ‘This letter may just be something to

get him on the road home! Suppose that’s all it is? Suppose it doesn’t

matter about Taraco, because he’s not intended to reach home – Videric

will have paid
banditi,
masnadiere
, pirates, any kind of thugs!’

‘It’s possible . . . but Master Honorius is a soldier.’ Rekhmire’ came to

stand at my shoulder, watching my father give orders to one of Neferet’s

women. ‘Have you thought? If King Rodrigo takes his lands, and forbids

him to cross the borders of Taraconensis – your father loses everything

it’s taken him twenty-five years to earn by battle.’

20

4

I found it impossible to persuade Honorius to leave Venice.

Appealing to emotion, to logic; simply shouting as loudly as I could

without breaking my scar open – nothing convinced him.

He sat in silence while I coaxed Onorata to feed. The room’s tenseness

made her cry and throw her arms about, spattering milk. Eventually I

laid her across my lap, to ease her of belly-cramps as the midwife had

suggested, but it was an hour or more before she ceased to cry, and fell

asleep.

That had proved enough to make Rekhmire’ descend the stairs, no

matter how awkward he found it, and Honorius joined him. I left Neferet

watching over Onorata – since
her
appetite for the bawling, squalling thing seemed inexhaustible – and took refuge in a chalk profile of

Rekhmire’, while Honorius shuffled through his small company’s

accounts.

‘I won’t leave you unprotected,’ he remarked, finally. ‘I’ve three lances

here. Even if I split them with you, that only leaves each of us

inadequately defended.’

‘
I
don’t need protection!’ The proportions of Rekhmire’’s eye and

nose in no way matched each other. I threw down the slate in disgust.

‘You’d be the one going into danger!’

The argument went on for an hour at the least, becoming increasingly

mathematical. Rekhmire’ joined in, not disputing Honorius’s tactical

assessments, but digging deeply into the same question – which my

father declined to answer:
How
many
of
your
men
do
you
need
to
stay
safe
from
danger
on
the
roads?

I stopped speaking and let them go at it, treasuring an idea that came

into my mind.

When both fell breathlessly silent, I spoke again.

‘The answer to “How many men?” is “All of them”,’ I said. ‘It has to

be. I’ll tell you why. Father, your concern is that when Videric’s spies see

you and your men leave, they’ll kill me—’

‘
No
, you can’t come with me!’ Honorius interrupted. ‘I’ve seen the

sewing-work on your belly: there’s no way you’re riding a horse or being

strapped into a litter –
or
puking your guts up by sea! I know how long it

takes men to recover from battlefield wounds; you’re still weeks from

ready, no matter what the Turk said—’

21

‘Yes, but I don’t think anyone else knows that.’ I walked across the

room and rested my hands on his shoulders, standing behind his chair.

‘Go with all your men, banners flying. Ensign Saverico is about my

height and build, although he’s fair-haired. Put him in my green

travelling cloak and a skirt. Any spies will report to Videric that I’ve left

Venice.’

‘A battle double.’ Honorius glanced up, the dawning of amusement in

his gaze. ‘Well thought of! But not good enough. Am I supposed to leave

my son-daughter and Onorata to that whoreson Federico, or any other

ruffian who can make his way to Venice?’

‘You’ll lose your estates!’

He looked away from me. ‘My reputation – which you and the

Egyptian both seem to think I have – should mean I have no difficulty in

earning more money, and buying more land. If it’s not in Taraco . . .

then it’s elsewhere.’

‘You are the
worst
liar!’

Honorius grinned, and reached for the seal on a wine bottle.

‘Honorius –
Father
—’

It was my first experience of a long and pointless argument as a free

individual rather than as a slave.

It was no less aggravating, and I seemed equally powerless. True, no

man threatened to whip me when I threw a shoe at Honorius’s head. But

that was solely because it made him laugh, and then wipe at his eyes as if

he were deeply moved.

‘Stupid soldier!’ I snarled.

He crossed the room and put his arms about my shoulders. As ever, he

seemed to have no hesitation in touching me. He wept a little.

‘Must have been hanging out with too many damned English

mercenaries,’ he muttered, wiping his face. ‘All the English are far too

emotional, always have been!’

I stated it as plainly as I could. ‘If you have to fight to be paid again,

you might be killed. I don’t want that.’

‘I am going nowhere until you’re safe!’ He scowled at me. ‘And – what

is
safe? If you and the child could travel, I wouldn’t take you with me.

You and Videric in the same kingdom? There’d be men waiting at every

corner to cut your throat!’

‘Then I’ll stay in Venice!’

‘That’s no better!’

The tense silence snapped, broken by a diplomatic cough from

Rekhmire’.

‘There’s Alexandria,’ I said, and translated for Honorius: ‘Constanti-

nople.’

‘“Constantinople.” ’ Rekhmire’ wrinkled his upper lip at the Frankish

name for his city. ‘I had wondered, if I can find Herr Mainz, or if the Pharaoh-Queen sends a new ambassador for Venice, whether I could

22

wait a month or so until the weather is clearer, and then take a ship down

through the Aegean to Alexandria. But, such a long voyage . . . ’

Honorius scowled. ‘Onorata is still very small. Travel might kill her.’

‘Alexandria is far enough from Taraco that Ilario should be out of

Videric’s reach. And Ilario will have friends and protection there.’

Rekhmire’ had his chin on his hand, where he sat at the large table; his gaze only glanced across me.

‘I won’t risk such a young child,’ Honorius grumbled.

He looked over at me, but I paid no attention. Fear turned my bowels

hot and cold while he spoke to me, and I realised in a flash why.

If, in guilty waking moments, in the early hours of the morning, I held

the unvoiced thought that it would be better, kinder, if the sickly child didn’t survive – or better if the responsibility weren’t left to someone as

completely unfitted for it as I – the thought of someone else taking her made the bottom of my stomach drop away with fear.

All the time it was me, alone, there was no concern if I fell into debt

and was sold back into slavery. I’ve lived as a slave before; I can do it again.

But slaves have no say in whether their babies are taken from them.

Their children are sold on, and they never see them again.

‘You’re not rich enough to buy all three of us,’ I whispered to

Rekhmire’, trying for humour and not achieving it.

‘If it comes to it, I’m perfectly capable of embezzling the funds of any

Alexandrine House,’ the Egyptian said, as if it were not only obvious but

sensible. ‘However. I strongly suggest we don’t let it come to that.’

He exchanged a glance with Honorius, as if both of them could come

to a conclusion without words.

‘Let the weather improve.’ Honorius grumbled. ‘Give it a few months

for the child to thrive. I’ll sail to Alexandria with you. Then, when you’re

safe, Ilario, I’ll sort out Rodrigo Sanguerra.’

‘Honorius.’ Breathing deeply gave me some control. ‘I read what

Hanulf wrote, and I know what the King dictated to him. I worked for

Rodrigo Sanguerra for nearly a decade. I
know
the man.
He
won’t
wait!
’

Honorius smiled, lines spidering his face at the mouth and eyes. ‘Let’s

sit, eat. Discuss this like sensible men. You can protest how you like,

Ilario. I won’t leave Venice while you need me.’

‘Damn it—!’

The rest of the discussion was as fruitless as any I have ever had with a

noble of King Rodrigo’s court set on going his own way – and being a

freed slave rather than the King’s Freak did not appear to help me in the

slightest.

Gazing at Honorius while he ate delicate flakes of white fish as if they

were about to give way to famine, I thought,
Even
his
affection
might
fade
if
acknowledging
me
ends
by
robbing
him
of
everything
he’s
earned
in
his
life
.

*

My body had returned to as normal a state as I thought it now could

achieve, and I was watching Onorata blink sleepily at the spring sunshine

from her cradle when Neferet bustled her way into the ground-floor

room that looked out into the courtyard, an expostulating Rekhmire’ and

Honorius in her wake.

‘Ilaria!’ She had not given up calling me by a female name, as most of

the household inhabitants had when not outside in Venice itself. ‘Ilaria, I

need your help.’

I
have
been
your
guest:
that
imposes
obligations
. I shot a look at the two men behind Neferet, who were both yelling loudly enough that I could

understand what neither was saying.
Obligations,
but
not
without
caution
.

‘What do you need?’ I asked, standing up, my fingers resting on the

wooden hood of the cradle.

‘The Council of Ten are holding Leon’s trial tomorrow.’

Neferet’s face was lean, tight, intense. She fixed me with brown-black

eyes, and what I thought was a flush under her reddish skin. ‘They’ll

torture him; I
know
he’ll be executed, because he won’t say . . . anything.’

I wanted to interrupt with some commiseration or sympathy; she

didn’t permit it.

‘His family have disowned him,’ she said sharply. ‘It’s not worth their

while to sink with him, is what they mean! I spoke to his father – no

matter. We have to do something tomorrow –
I
have to –
you
have to help me!’

The Frankish season of Lent was on the house: I didn’t suffer from

diet restrictions, since I’d had to regain my health after the birth, but I felt the abstinence going on all around me, and had abandoned wine for

the time. That was a mistake, I thought.
I
have
a
feeling
I
could
do
with
a
flask
of
Falernian
right
about
now
.

‘What?’ I began.

‘He’ll be convicted. Sentenced.’ Neferet’s eyes seemed to gleam in her

intense face. ‘I can’t do anything about that: the gods they know I’ve

tried! But he’s bound to be sentenced to execution. I need . . . I would do

this myself, but it’s the one thing I can’t do. I can’t do it.’

She shook her head. She looked oddly dignified for a moment, the

spring sun showing up every line worry had cut into her soft face over

the past weeks.

‘I can’t think of any plea of leniency they might listen to, except this.’