The Invisible Chains - Part 2: Bonds of Fear (47 page)

to keep him up to date, and none of his sources were participating in

the expedition.

Admitting that he was shunned by his friend’s son, never

consulted by him and kept ignorant wasn’t the hardest part.

“My old friend, I will execute whatever order you give me, never

doubt that. I won’t make difficulties or try to second guess you. You

know me better than that, you have always known me better than

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that; even from before you risked your life for me at the Karmenian

Hill. I know you have told me that there are sound, compelling reasons

for not resisting the Mukthars. I only wish you had seen fit to tell me

what they are.

“I have made no secret in my reports that the prince and I are

not seeing eye to eye. But, Tenax, daily I see his forces grow. I see

how earnestly he is preparing himself for this confrontation. How he

watches every stage from the recruitment to the training. The results

are there. Already the Landemere cavalry can execute complicated

maneuvers involving hundreds of men. Even the rabble that enrolls in

the Amirathan Militia is beginning to look like soldiers.

“You know me, my old friend. I am but a simple soldier and naturally

I’m beginning to wonder whether he isn’t right after all. I know that

the situation in the south doesn’t permit you to give the Marches

more aid than you have already given them. But he has forced them

to take responsibility for their own defense and that without costing

the treasury a single sarth. From a military point of view he will be

ready in six weeks to two months to withstand a force of about eight

thousand. I’m not privy to the strategical options he has taken, if he

has taken any already. I suspect that how he finds the Plains will have

a bearing on that. What I do know is that he prefers to meet the enemy

outside the province, rather than waiting till they cross our borders.

“As difficult as it is for me to admit it, I must say that he is doing

quite well. If only you could see him with his men, Tenax, I’m sure you

would agree with me that he is a real Tanahkos. In my estimate he has

more than a good chance of beating the Mukthars.

“As I said: I will execute any order you give me. I just thought you

had a right to know what I was thinking.”

He lay down his quill and sighed.

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“I’m only a simple soldier, Tenax. You should never have given me

this responsibility,”
he thought.

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369

He sat by the hearth playing his little silver flute. The melody

he had composed was nearly finished. He only wished his lord were

here, so he could play it for him. The days were so, so interminably

long without him.

Strangely enough, when his lord was here he always felt a little

apprehensive. He might find something amiss when he returned

at evening and make a remark about it. And very often there was

something he had forgotten or not done as it should have been done.

Sometimes he made bitter reproaches, but it was far worse when

he said nothing and just looked disappointed. He missed even those

looks.

He kept the place as clean as possible. There was no telling when

he might return, so every evening he prepared everything to wash

his lord’s feet and for hours on end changed the water so that it had

the right temperature. Late at evening he stowed everything away

again.

He had not been tempted, not once, to sleep in his lord’s bed,

but he had thought about sleeping on the rug before the hearth. He

was sure he had not expressly forbidden it, but that didn’t mean he

would like it. So he retired to his little room and his straw mattress

every night.

Sometimes he thought he heard strange noises from the direction

of the stairs, but that was not possible. Who could, who would dare

enter the private chambers of the lord-governor? Still, a few times

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he had hidden in the bathroom until he was certain that nobody was

trying to force the door.

Nobody was ever there. He shouldn’t worry so much, he reflected.

Until it struck him that he was only safe as long as his lordship lived.

What if something happened? What if he died? He wouldn’t even

know until they came to fetch him. Did anybody still know he was

here? Renda. Renda would remember. But what could she do? She

was only a cook. In any case, if his lord died they would enter the

apartments, if only to prepare them for the next lord-governor, or to

collect his possessions. They would find him. They would find him

like this.

Then they would remember that he was nameless. Nobody. What

would they do with him? Had his lord made any provisions for him? If

so he hadn’t told him. Why should he? For that matter why should he

have made any provisions at all? What did it matter what happened

to him after his lord had died.

He would ask him. He would ask him as soon as he returned.

Hopefully he would be in a good mood... He wouldn’t be if he found

the place a shambles or his foot bath not ready for him to use. He

startled. See, see, it had happened again. He had prepared the foot

bath every evening, but his lord could return at any time of the day

or the night. He would not be pleased if he thought advantage had

been taken of his absence.

In a mild panic he stood up. When had he last cleaned the

furniture? Yesterday. It would be dirty again by now. And the

floor? This morning. Hours upon hours ago. He’d better do it again.

Thoroughly this time. Inch by inch. The foot bath. The foot bath must

be ready when he returned.

He hastened into the bathroom.

So much to do.

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371

“I don’t understand why you’re so surprised,” Timishi said. “Do

you really know so little about us, Anashantish? Of course they stand

in awe. We Mukthars naturally inspire deference and fear.”

“The only fear I have, is of you stumbling over your gigantic high

opinion of yourself,” Anaxantis replied dryly.

They had crossed the border back into Amiratha early that

morning. Once they reached the road they began to meet other

people. The young Warlord was almost immediately recognized, but

it were his guests who got the most attention. As luck would have it,

the cavalry had about ten horses in reserve, so Anaxantis had been

able to let the Mukthars have their own ride. It had not been a purely

selfless act on his part.

Timishi shrugged and grinned simultaneously.

“Trying to turn me into a Ximerionian, are you? We Mukthars are

not given to false modesty. Mukthar honor forbids it.”

“And that’s another thing. Why do you call me Anashantish, but

not a Shimerionian?”

Timishi looked at him in utter surprise.

“But I did call you a Ximerionian, Anashantish. Is there something

wrong with your ears?”

“Well, I’ll be...” Anaxantis fumed exasperated. “I have a good mind

to call you Timixi from now on.”

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Timishi looked quizzically at him.

“I already gave you permission to call me Timishi. Really,

Anashantish, now your memory is gone as well?”

“I shwear I’m going to… oh, never mind.”

Timishi laughed out loud.

“You could almost be a Mukthar when you’re angry. You really

look fierce for such a—”

“Go on, go on, I dare you,” Anaxantis grumbled.

“No, I mustn’t insult my host. I seem to have lost my manners.”

“You can’t loose what you never had, Mukthar. I don’t think

manners are the Mukthar way. Mukthar honor probably forbids

them.”

Timishi looked both surprised and amused.

“I was only teasing you, Anashantish. I’m sorry if I hurt your

feelings. I know Ximerionian feelings are delicate and—”

“And you were doing so good,” Anaxantis laughed.

Timishi produced once more his shrug-grin combo.

“You’re keeping a good pace. Do you have to be somewhere

urgently?” Timishi asked after a while.

“Everywhere at once, in fact. But I need to return to Lorseth first.

There are some things I must take care of.”

“I suppose it’s the dungeons for us, once we’re there?”

“What? What gave you that idea?”

“We’re in your lands now and going deeper into them by the

minute. There’s not much we could do.”

“No, no. You’ll be lodged in one of the guest houses we keep

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for important visitors. I gave you my word you would be treated

honorably. I have but one word.”

He had sounded more irritated than he had meant to.

“I’m sorry, Anashantish. Now I have insulted you again, it seems,”

Timishi said, his eyes downcast and his face hidden behind his long

hair with the red ribbon woven into it.

“Don’t worry about it, Timishi. It must be a... strange experience

for a Mukthar prince to be in enemy territory with this small a

retinue. But I assure you, you have nothing to fear. I promised.”

“And that’s not the only thing I promised. My thousand holy and

unholy oaths. What am I going to do with him? How am I going to

resolve this? I can’t waste time. It’s March already, and the barbarians

could be here by the end of April. The recruitment... Father... Treason

in Mirkadesh and the Gods may know where else. And him. Whatever

am I going to do with him? And do something I must. I’m alive and

my authority stands. Nobody will dare enter my private apartments

without my say-so. All that may change, no, will change in the event of

my death. Or I must resolve this before the war breaks out in earnest,

or I must make provisions for him. It’s my own fault, I suppose. He is in

no condition anymore to take care of himself.”

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“I can’t stress enough how important your assignment is,” the

queen had said and Jerruth had assured her that he would faithfully