Magician (91 page)

A chorus of jeers and cries of
“Politics” and “Sit down!” erupted from
around the room. Soon Shimone and Hochopepa were on their feet with
others crying, “Let him speak!”

Fumita held up a hand for silence, and
soon the room quieted Hodiku continued “We are precedented.
Fifteen years ago the Assembly sent an order to the Warlord to end
the war against the Thunl Confederation.”

Another magician jumped to his feet “If
the Thuril conquest had continued, there would have been too few in
the north to repulse the Thün migration that year. It was a
clear case of the salvation of Szetac Province and the Holy City. Now
our borders in the north are secure. The situation is not the same.”

Arguments erupted over the entire hall,
and it took several minutes for Fumita to restore order. Hochopepa
rose and said, “I would like to hear Hodiku’s reasons for
considering this request vital to the security of the Empire. Any
magician who is willing is free to work on behalf of the conquest.”

“That is the point,”
responded Hodiku. “There is no reason for any magician who
feels this war into another space-time is right and proper for the
Empire not to work in support of the conquest. Without the Black
Robes who already serve the Warlord, the rift would never have been
prepared for such an undertaking. It is that he now makes demands of
the Assembly itself I find objectionable If five or six magicians
choose to serve in the field, even to traveling to this other world
to risk their lives in the battle, then it is their own concern. But
if one magician responds to this demand without considering the
issues, it will appear the Assembly is now subject to the will of the
Warlord.”

Several magicians applauded this
sentiment, and others seemed to weigh its merits. Only a few booed
and jeered. Hochopepa stood again. “I would like to offer a
proposal. I will undertake on behalf of the Assembly to send a
message to the Warlord expressing our regret that the Assembly as a
body may not order any magician to perform as requested, but that he
is free to seek the services of any magician willing to work on his
behalf.”

A general murmur of approval ran
through the room, and Fumita asked, “Hochopepa offers a
proposition to send a statement of policy to the Warlord on behalf of
the Assembly. Does anyone find this objectionable?” When no
objections were forthcoming, he said, “The Assembly thanks
Hochopepa for his wisdom.”

He paused for a moment, then said,
“Another matter needs our attention: the novice Shiro has been
found lacking in the moral qualities necessary for the Greater Art.
The mind probes reveal that he harbors anti-Imperial feelings,
learned as a youth from his maternal grandmother, a Thuril woman. Is
the Assembly agreed?”

Hands were raised, and each bore a
nimbus of light as the magicians voted. Green for life, red for
death, and blue for abstention. Milamber abstained, but the vote was
otherwise unanimous for death. One Black Robe rose, and Milamber knew
that within minutes the novice would be stunned senseless, then
teleported to the bottom of the lake, where his lifeless body would
remain, too cold to rise to the surface.

After the meeting broke up, Shimone
said, “You should make a point of coming more often, Milamber.
We hardly see you anymore. And you spend too much time alone.”

Milamber smiled. “That is true,
but I plan to remedy the situation tomorrow.”

The chime sounded throughout the house,
and servants jumped to make ready for the Great One’s visit.
Kamatsu, Lord of the Shinzawai, knew that a Great One had struck a
chime in the halls of the Assembly, willing the sound to come here,
to announce his imminent appearance.

In Kasumi’s room, Laurie and the
elder son of the house sat engrossed in a game of pashawa, played
with painted pieces of stiff paper. It was common to alehouses and
inns in Midkemia and was one more detail in the young Tsurani’s
drive to master every facet of Midkemian life.

Kasumi stood. “It is most likely
he who once was my uncle; I had best go.”

Laurie smiled. “Or could it be
that you wish to stem your losses?”

The Tsurani shook his head. “I
fear I have created a problem in my own house. You were never a good
slave, Laurie, and if anything, you have grown more intractable. It
is a good thing I like you.”

They both laughed, and the elder son of
the house left. A few minutes later a house slave came running to
Laurie and informed him that the lord of the house commanded him to
come at once. Laurie jumped up, more from the slave’s obvious
agitation than from any inbred obedience. He hurried to the lord’s
room and knocked on the doorjamb. The door slid to one side, and
Kasumi held it. Laurie stepped through and saw the Shinzawai lord and
his guest, and then confusion overtook him.

The guest was wearing the black robe of
the Tsurani Great Ones, but the face was Pug’s. He started to
speak, stopped, and started again “Pug?”

The lord of the house looked outraged
at this forward behavior by the slave, but his nearly voiced command
was stopped by the Great One. “May I have the use of this room
for a few minutes, lord? I wish to speak to this slave in private.”

Kamatsu, Lord of the Shinzawai, bowed
stiffly. “Your will, Great One.” He left the room with
his son behind, he was still in shock over the appearance of the
former slave and confused at the conflicts within himself. The Great
One he was, there could be no thought of fraud: his manner of arrival
proved it. But Kamatsu couldn’t help feeling that his arrival
heralded disaster for the plan he and his son had so carefully
nurtured for the last nine years.

Milamber spoke “Shut the door,
Laurie.”

Laurie shut it, then studied his former
friend. He looked fit, but vastly changed. His bearing was nearly
regal, as if the mantle of power he now wore reflected some inner
strength he had lacked before.

“I . . . ,” Laurie began,
then lapsed into silence, confused about what to say. Finally he
said, “Are you well?”

Milamber nodded. “I am well, old
friend.”

Laurie smiled and crossed the room and
embraced his friend, then pushed himself away. “Let me look at
you.”

Milamber smiled. “I am called
Milamber, Laurie. The boy you knew as Pug is as dead as last year’s
flowers. Come, sit and we will talk.”

They sat at the table and poured two
cups of chocha Laurie sipped at the bitter brew and said, “We
heard nothing about you. After the first year I gave you up for lost
I’m sorry.”

Milamber nodded, “It is the way
of the Assembly. As a magician I am expected to forgo all my former
ties, except for those that can be maintained in a socially
acceptable manner. Being without clan or family, I had nothing to
forgo. And you were always a poor slave who never knew his place.
What better friend for a renegade, barbarian magician?”

Laune nodded. “I am glad you have
returned. Will you stay?”

Milamber shook his head no “I
have no place here. Besides, there is work I must be about. I now
have an estate of my own, near the city of Ontoset. I have come for
you. And Katala, if . . .” His voice trailed off, as if he were
fearful of asking about her.

Sensing his distress, Laurie said, “She
is still here and has not taken a husband. She would not forget you.”
He broke into a grin. “Gods of Midkemia! It completely slipped
my mind. You would have no way of knowing.”

“What?”

“You have a son.”

Milamber sat dumbstruck. “A son?”

Laurie laughed “He was born eight
months after you were taken. He is a fine boy, and Katala is a fine
mother.”

Milamber felt overwhelmed at the news
and said, “Please. Would you bring her here?”

Laurie jumped to his feet “At
once.”

He rushed from the room Milamber sat
fighting down the upsurge of emotion. He composed himself, using his
magician’s skills to relax his mind.

The door slid open, and Katala was
revealed, uncertainty on her face Laurie stood behind, a boy of about
four in his arms.

Milamber rose and spread his arms to
her Katala rushed to him, and he nearly cried in his joy. They clung
quietly for a moment, then she murmured, “I thought you gone. I
hoped . . . but I thought you gone.”

They stood for several minutes, each
lost in the pure pleasure of the other’s presence, until she
pushed herself away “You must meet your son, Pug.”

Laurie brought the boy forward. He
regarded Milamber with large brown eyes. He was a well-formed boy,
with a stronger likeness to his mother, but something in the way he
tilted his head made him resemble the boy from Crydee keep. Katala
took him from Laurie and passed him to Milamber. “William, this
is your father.”

The boy seemed to take this in with
some skepticism. He ventured a shy smile, but leaned back, keeping
his distance. “I want down,” he said abruptly. Milamber
laughed and put the boy down. He looked at his father, then
immediately lost interest in the stranger in black. “Ooh!”
he cried, and rushed over to play with the Lord of the Shinzawai’s
shah pieces.

Milamber watched him for a moment, then
said, “William?”

Katala stood next to him with her arm
around his waist, hugging him as if afraid he would disappear again.
Laurie said, “She wanted a Midkemian name for him, Milamber.”

Katala started. “Milamber?”

“It is my new name, love. You
must get used to calling me that.” She frowned, not entirely
pleased with the thought. “Milamber,” she repeated,
testing the sound. She then shrugged. “It is a good name.”

“How did he become William?”

Laurie went over to the boy, who was
trying to stand the pieces one atop the other, and gently took them
away. The boy threw him a black look. “I want to play,”
he said indignantly.

Laurie picked him up and said, “I
gave her a bunch of names, and she picked that one.”

“I liked its sound,” she
said; “William.”

At the sound of his name the boy looked
at his mother. “I’m hungry.”

“I favored James or Owen, but she
insisted,” Laurie said, while the boy tried to wriggle out of
his arms.

Katala took him. “I must feed
him. I’ll take him to the kitchen.” She kissed Milamber
and left the room.

The magician stood quietly for a
moment. “It is all more than I had hoped for. I was afraid
she’d have found another.”

“Not that one, P—Milamber.
She would have nothing to do with any of the men who paid court to
her, and there were a few. She’s a good woman. You need never
doubt her.”

“I never will, Laurie.”

They seated themselves; a discreet
cough at the door made them turn. Kamatsu stood at the door “May
I enter, Great One?”

Milamber and Laurie started to rise,
and the lord of the house waved them back into place. “Please,
stay seated.” Kasumi entered behind his father and closed the
door. Milamber noticed for the first time that the son of the house
was wearing garments that were Midkemian in fashion. He raised an
eyebrow, but said nothing.

The head of the Shinzawai family looked
deeply troubled and tried to collect his thoughts. After a few
moments he said, “Great One, may I be frank with you? Your
arrival today is something unexpected and the source of some possible
difficulty.”

“Please,” said Milamber. “I
do not intend to cause disruption in your household, lord. I want
only my wife and son. And I will require this slave also.” He
indicated Laurie.

“Your will, Great One. The woman
and the boy should, of course, go with you. But if I may beg of you,
please allow the slave to remain.”

Milamber looked from face to face. The
two Shinzawai maintained control, but by the way they glanced from
one to the other and at Laurie, their distress was poorly hidden.
Something had changed here in the last five years. The relationship
between the men in the room was not what it should have been between
masters and slave.

“Laurie?” Milamber looked
at his friend. “What is this?”

Laurie looked at the other two men,
then at Milamber “I will have to ask you to promise me
something.”

Kamatsu’s shock was signaled by a
sharp intake of breath “Laurie! You dare too much. One does not
bargain with a Great One His words are as law.”

Milamber held up a hand. “No. Let
him speak.”

In imploring tones Laurie said to his
friend, “I know little of these matters, Milamber. You know I
have no sense about protocol. I may be violating custom, but I ask
you for the sake of our former friendship, will you keep a trust and
vow to keep what you hear in this room to yourself?”

The magician pondered the matter. He
could command the Shinzawai lord to tell all, and the man would, as
automatically as a soldier following orders, but his friendship with
the troubadour was important to him. “I give you my word that I
will not repeat what you tell me.”

Laurie gave a sigh and smile, and the
Shinzawai seemed to lose some of their tension Laurie said, “I
have struck a bargain with my lord here. When we have completed
certain tasks, I am to be given my freedom.”

Milamber shook his head. “That is
not possible. The law does not permit a slave to be freed. Even the
Warlord cannot free a slave.”

Laurie smiled. “And yourself?”

Milamber looked stern. “I am
outside the law. None may command me. Are you claiming to be a
magician?”

“No, Milamber, nothing like that.
It is true that I can only be a slave here. But I won’t be
here. I will return to Midkemia.”

Milamber looked puzzled. “How is
that possible? There is only one rift into Midkemia, and that is
controlled by the Warlord’s pet magicians. There are no others,
or I would know of them.”

“We have a plan. It is involved
and will take much explaining, but simply put, it is this: I will
accompany Kasumi, disguised as a priest of Turakamu the Red. He will
be leading soldiers replacing troops at the front No one is likely to
notice my height, for the Red One’s priests are given wide
berth. The troops are all loyal to the Shinzawai. Once in Midkemia,
we will slip through the lines and find our way to the Kingdom
forces.”