Spira Mirabilis (43 page)

To preserve the city, the menfolk are kept away from it. The Salernitans
glory in this self-discipline. They claim the dichotomy between the civilised and the savage is an unhealthy illusion; they argue that just as each year has four seasons, so does a man.
¹⁰
And just as each season has its humour, so it has its proper activity.
¹¹

The busts of Grimani’s ancestors all wore fool’s caps and were painted up as courtesans and carnival clowns, part of Geta’s redecoration of the former duke’s throne room to turn it into a banquet hall. Leto had promised Castello Grimani to the city fathers, but might have omitted to tell them they would have to share it for the duration of the cold season.

The Moor’s men were making extravagant bets on a spinning knife, winning and losing their new fortunes according to who ended up with the sharp end.

Geta, thoroughly enjoying the hospitality of the ‘liberated’ Veians, concentrated on filling his belly. ‘Come on, Spinther. Eat before it gets cold. Don’t look so dour – you’re putting me off. I plan to fatten myself up this winter, starting tonight.’

‘Don’t you have a grieving wife somewhere?’

‘She’ll understand the sacrifices I have to make.’ He burped and reached for the nearest flagon of wine.

The party was in mid-swing when a petrified herald announced the First Apprentice was at the gate.

‘Let him in, man!’ said Leto and, close to panic, tried to dismiss the revellers. He was pacing the hall while Geta and the Moor tried to keep the party going on either side of the table. All of them were trying to ignore the dread sitting in their bellies; the Moor hid it by drinking, while Geta continued wrestling slices off a roast pig sitting in a bed of salt.

‘What do you think he wants, Spinther?’ Geta asked through a mouthful.

‘To admonish me …’

‘Well, if you’re left with a head on your shoulders when he’s done, you can’t have done anything
that
bad.’

‘Disobeying orders now and again is good practise,’ said the Moor.

‘Then you three must be virtuosi by now.’ Torbidda’s crisp young voice echoed through the hall. ‘Gentlemen, I fear I have interrupted your revels.’

He stood in the doorway as his praetorians filed by, taking up positions against the walls. Geta, fearing the worst, sprang to his feet and cried, ‘Welcome First Apprentice!’

‘Lord Geta! You left Concord in such a hurry that you forgot to say goodbye.’

When Geta looked about for a window through which to hurl himself, the First Apprentice hastened to put him at ease. ‘My dear fellow,
tranquillo
. I look upon those events as in another lifetime. Whatever your sins, your subsequent actions have more than atoned for them. As Podesta and Gonfaloniere of Rasenna you did more damage than we ever could. The general is my dear friend, but he is too careful. He needs men who are not. It’s
so
important in life,’ Torbidda continued, ‘to do as rivers do and find one’s true course. Your vocation, Lord Geta, is destruction. Continue to practise it and we’ll continue to get along.’

‘Yes, First Apprentice,’ said Geta, thoroughly confused, sitting back down. This was not the dour, murderous boy he had fled from a year ago. As much as Spinther got on his nerves, he felt almost sorry for him as he watched the two old friends size each other up.

‘Leto, you’ve met Malapert Omodeo. I had to drag him away from his counting table to get him to come along. I always say that it’s good to see your money at work.’

Leto nodded perfunctorily at the financier, who was accompanied
by a slender young man with hair coiffed in the Byzantine fashion.

‘That is why I am here too. After I received your letter, I decided I had to hear you explain yourself in person.’ His polite smile vanished. ‘Well, get on with it.’

Leto began a long account of what had happened at Ariminum, and why – after the disaster – he thought it vital to use the fleet to bring Veii to heel. The First Apprentice listened with growing irritation and finally silenced him with an imperious wave. ‘Let me get this clear: you do not know how Ariminum burned – you
surmise
, but the only certainty is that the Serenissima is ash. Yet you are bold enough to imply that it would not have happened had you known the prisoner’s condition. Believe what you like – I
never
confide with subordinates and I do not propose to start. I see it was pure luck that you escaped with part of the fleet – had I been of a conspiratorial bent, I might even think you burned Ariminum on purpose to give you an excuse to bring the fleet here. I see now that you always intended to disobey my orders.’

‘Torbidda, when conditions change, it is—’

‘I suppose you thought success would mollify me. Despite your mistakes and defiance, your resignation is refused. I need you yet. Our purpose was to terrify Etruria and now that Ariminum is burned, that is achieved.’

He looked around the room, then asked, ‘What’s this about the Cagligarians being in revolt?’

Leto had no time to wonder where Torbidda got his information. ‘As soon as Veii was subdued, I dispatched a new governor to the colony—’

‘But?’

‘But the islanders were not content to exchange one master for another. It may have been an act of emulation – there have been rumours for months of civic unrest in the Sicilies – or perhaps
it was merely simple opportunism. In any case, I was obliged to send reinforcements.’

‘That is unfortunate. They’ll be missed when you go south.’

‘Oh, I think they’ll have the situation under control before spring.’

‘While we’re getting the bad news out of the way,’ Geta interrupted, ignoring Leto’s glare, ‘Salvatore Bombelli revealed before he died – ah, trying to escape – that the Contessa is on her way back to Etruria. She’s not alone either. Somehow she’s recruited the Oltremarines. She has Akkan ships and Byzantine troops.’

Torbidda turned to Leto with a look of vindication. ‘
Now
do you see, Leto, what comes of disobeying your Apprentice? The storm is coming here.’

‘The Contessa of Rasenna has no authority in the Black Hand,’ Leto pointed out. ‘How could she get the south to follow her?’

‘She’ll use the same charm that worked on the Oltremarines. They won’t “follow her” any more than the fanciulli “follow” me. We are each of us only the furthermost drop of two great waves rushing towards each other.’

Leto made a face. ‘Well, that’s all very picturesque but it’s hardly reasonable to—’

‘—Reason,’ Torbidda interrupted. ‘You’re too old to still worship that idol. My predecessors justified their rule by claiming that they were ruled by Reason, yet they did nothing but squabble. How is it that Reason cannot agree? Is Reason divided? A thing is true or it is false, is it not? Consiglio, Signoria, the committee, bah! The wisdom of the collective is a game for lukewarm times and when war comes, games must end. We must be ready before they arrive. Now that we have Veii, we have central Etruria. When we take Salerno, we will have the Black Hand. They can take to the hills, but we’ll have every city of consequence and the Contessa will find a cold welcome.’

‘Unfortunately,’ said Geta, ‘they’ll be arriving in a matter of weeks.’

‘Which is why it’s imperative that you march
now
. The arrow is in deep and pulling it out would only cause more pain. The thing is to push it through—’

‘You
can’t
be serious,’ Leto exclaimed. ‘We need to restore our strength, heal our wounds, stock up. If we wait, all the petty potentates south of the Albula will come crawling to us – we may conquer Etruria by force but we cannot long rule it that way. Bernoulli knew this—’

‘What Bernoulli knew, I know. You must harry the south. The lessons they must learn must be taught with fire and steel. You will go, now, and meanwhile the fleet will sail south and blockade Salerno.’

The Moor looked up from his cups. ‘That would be a mistake.’

‘Have I wandered into a Communard council? Shall we put it to a vote? Don’t tell me you’re afraid of a fight, too, Admiral. Didn’t you used to be condottiere?’

Though Azizi’s speech was slurred, his earnestness was apparent. ‘Yes – and I learnt that nothing but trouble comes from fighting men who don’t do it for the money. The Veians are not brave, and see how they resisted. Every Salernitan is a soldier. If we allow reinforcements to come to their doorstep, they’ll fight to the last. A better idea would be to meet the Contessa on the way – and I know just the place.’

While the First Apprentice listened to the Moor’s plan, Leto noticed Malapert Omodeo filling his glass. His hand was trembling.

‘I’m surprised that Torbidda was able to drag you away from the forge,’ he said quietly.

‘I welcome the chance, General. I have a favour to ask of you.’

The young man with the Byzantine sense of dress must have known he was being spoken of, for he came closer.

‘Go on,’ said Leto.

‘This is my sister’s boy, Horatius. Could you give him a commission? He’s no head for figures, but he’s brave as any.’

‘We can always use new talent,’ said Leto diplomatically. ‘How are things in the capital?’

‘Wonderful – production’s up – spectacular efficiency—’ As they talked, Omodeo manoeuvred him to a corner out of earshot of Torbidda’s praetorians. ‘—every target met. It’s wonderful.’ Once he was certain no one was paying him any attention, he started, ‘When the First Apprentice invited me back, he told me I would have influence. Instead I am being used as a milk-cow – he keeps me close lest I flee.’

‘You’re in no position to complain. You knew the terms under which you accepted amnesty.’

‘My loans were given to fund the war-effort and I accepted no interest on them because I am a patriot, believe it or not. But I’m beginning to understand that I will never be paid back.’

‘You’ll get your money when the war is won,’ said Leto, wondering at Omodeo’s unfeigned fear. Was this just about his money?

‘How can we win without weapons? Don’t expect your annunciators any time soon – the factories are empty. All of the Small People are working on the Sangrail. And even if there were workers, they could produce nothing, for all of the metal from the north has gone into this damn needle.’

‘Why are you telling me this? Do not, I pray you, say “patriotism” again; I’m not a complete fool.’

‘Nor I, General. When my fortune is exhausted, he’ll throw me to my enemies; that I know. Burning me might placate Numitor Fuscus a while and I know you would not mourn me – but what then of Concord? If the Contessa truly has enlisted Prince Jorge, the danger is greater than you know.’

‘I’ve fought Byzantines before.’

‘Aye, but you have not seen the Purple City. Its wealth is
vast
.’

‘There are other considerations besides money—’

‘What are you two whispering about?’ Torbidda shouted. ‘Hiding away in the corner there? Anyone would think you’re plotting. Come, partake of this fine feast, Leto. It’ll be your last for a while.’

*

When the order to decamp came, the men set about loading their loot with alacrity, too busy to realise the full implications. As the Grand Legion slowly poured out of Veii the following morning, Leto wondered if Malapert Omodeo was the only one who had worked out that the aftermath didn’t interest Torbidda in the least. There was no one he could tell, no one he could talk to who would even care. They would just shrug and carry on as decades of Guild governance had taught them. Everyone had too much invested in this diabolical deal – wealth for complicity – to risk saying anything awry. There was no sin so base that they could not excuse it: Rasenna had the Wave coming, and as for blameless Gubbio – well, that was an example for all Etruria. The bloody work went on while everybody pretended that there was no choice; they would keep their heads low and wait it out.

But this is a storm no one will survive.

Then he remembered that Numitor Fuscus had warned him of just that. He had dismissed the consul as ambitious, but he was right: Torbidda
had
changed, and it was something to do with Fra Norcino. Some philosophers risked their souls for new knowledge, like Old Democritus, who had put out his own eyes that he might better contemplate. His friend had done himself some mischief …

Geta, still half-drunk from last night, trotted alongside with a merry grin. ‘Where’s Scaevola?’

‘I told him I wanted someone I trusted to go with the Moor,
keep an eye on him. Did you know Scaevola was keeping an eye on me? Sending secret reports to the First Apprentice?’

‘Can’t say I’m surprised. Why so glum, Spinther? Will you miss the sycophantic tight-arse? Or were you expecting the First Apprentice to give you a Triumph?’

‘I wasn’t expecting this,’ Leto admitted.

‘I may have been a little merry last night but if the First Apprentice explained his thinking, I missed it. Why are we going again?’

‘Orders.’

‘Madonna, you’re as much in the dark as the rest of us, aren’t you? I know it’s useful to keep the enemy guessing at your strategy, but to keep it from your general? That’s a new one to me. But then, I’m not as learned as you. There must be some use to a Guild Hall education – I’m sure you can cite precedents from the Etruscan Annals. I can’t help but feel that we’re being punished, though—’

‘Trying to set me against Torbidda is a waste of time.’

Geta smiled at that. Discord was a weed that needed little encouragement.

Irritated by Geta’s smug silence, Leto said, ‘He deserves our—’

‘He’s deserving of the same treatment as any other lunatic: chains, flogging and a straw bed. If you care for Concord—’

‘The Spinthers have nothing to prove on that subject. Our escutcheon is riddled with chevrons of honour.’

‘Stop waving your bloody medals at me,’ Geta growled. ‘You’ve never fought against the Black Hand, have you?’

‘I’ve studied previous campaigns. Torbidda studied them too, so if he’s ordered this, it’s because it’s vital that the Black Hand is broken before spring.’ Geta was taken by surprise when the boy suddenly dropped his assured act, and whispered, ‘What should I do? If I refuse, I won’t just lose my commission – I’ll lose my head.’