The Invisible Hands - Part 1: Gambit (47 page)

39
had wanted to wander around the city to get a feel for what the general populace knew about the army movements. He had planned on at least finding out where he could get additional information. Would Merw’s company make this more easy or more difficult? He came to the conclusion that it didn’t make too much of a difference either way.

What was more natural than a young noble walking about with his even younger servant?

“All right then,” he agreed. “Let’s go whenever you’re ready.”

Merw grinned. He seemed happy, and that pleased Rullio more than he would have thought possible.

In the evening they returned to the Leather Bucket. Rullio was tired, but content. He had learned that by now it was general knowledge that a part of the army was being decommissioned. The popular consensus was that this was the beginning of peace negotiations with Lorsanthia. Only a few people thought a military operation against the Northern Marches was imminent. Most were of the opinion that the high king would open diplomatic talks with his youngest sons as soon as the trouble with the southern neighbor was solved. Should he visit Camp Prista, he wondered?

40
Merw was walking beside him, chatting away animatedly, pointing

out sights of interest and sharing his rich experience of city life, often tugging at the count’s sleeve to get his attention.

“I’m tired. Very tired, Rullio, and hungry. I wonder what they will be serving us and how much of it,” he said.

“How, in the name of all the Gods and Goddesses of cookery, can you be hungry? We’ve eaten barely a few hours ago.”

“Yes, we did. Yes, we did. But it was just a small plate.”

“Two small plates. You ate mine as well,” Rullio reminded him in a dry tone.

“I’m still growing. I’m only… eh, nineteen years old. I’m still growing.”

“Nineteen?” Rullio asked, rolling his eyes.

“Eighteen, and not a year less. Don’t be such a killjoy, Rullio.” As he walked, he stretched his arms over his head. “But first I want a nice warm bath. Yes, a nice, long, warm bath.”

Rullio grinned.

“I could have sworn that you didn’t like water, it being all wet, you know.”

“I like to feel clean. I was brought up that way, and all this walking about has made me sweaty. We will take it together, to save time.”

“Which we will lose again on the bed.”

Merw sighed.

“I see you will take advantage of me once more, you dirty, old, ugly man. Just because I like to tend to my personal hygiene.”

“At least I’ll be a clean, old, ugly man after taking a bath.”

40
After dinner and a few drinks they decided to go to sleep. Merw

was already lying in bed, drowsy and a bit groggy from the wine. He yawned, but sat up, suddenly wide awake, his dark-green eyes glistening. He stared uncomprehendingly at Rullio.

“That’s money,” Merw said. “That’s money. That’s money, and a lot of it.”

“Yes, it is. It is all the money I have here. I’ve just laid it there on the table so you can steal it without having to cut my throat while I’m sleeping.”

He went over to the bed and got in.

“There’s a lot of sarths and even a few pieces of silver,” Merw said, barely able to take his eyes off of the so carelessly strewn out riches.

“Yes, I believe there’s six or seven moltars there. If you feel you need to steal them, do so without killing me, please.”

Merw frowned and bit his lip.

“You could give it to me. The money. You could give it to me.”

“I’m not giving you money, kitten. You would feel as if I treated you as a common whore.”

“Yes, I would. Yes, I would. I will not be treated like that. You leave me no choice. I’ll have to steal your money. And I will. I will. But first I need to sleep a few hours.”

He yawned.

“You do that. Try not to wake me while you’re stealing my money.”

“I won’t. I won’t. I’ll be as silent as—”

“A cat?”

“Hm,” Merw grunted.

He nestled himself in Rullio’s arms and promptly began to snore.

40
When Rullio woke the next morning, he thought Merw had disappeared. The money was still lying on the table, apparently untouched, but the pillow beside him was empty. Then he felt some movement near his belly. He looked under the covers, and there was Merw, still sleeping soundly, rolled up in a ball.

Rullio gently nudged him.

“Time to wake up, kitten.”

Merw sat up, still fuzzy with sleep. He rubbed his bleary eyes.

“Good morning,” Rullio said cheerfully. “Slept well? Oh, now that I think about it, weren’t you going to steal my money?”

“I will. I will. Never you worry. I was just too tired. Leave it on the table this evening. I’m going to rob you blind tonight,” Merw replied.

“Are you always so annoyingly chipper this early in the morning?” he added, grumbling.

Merw was happily munching on some hot, roasted chestnuts Rullio had bought for him and which he was carrying in an improvised, basket-like container of straw.

40
“So,” he said, “you’re a noble, a gentleman of high birth. How high

exactly? Are you an errant knight looking for employ?”

“Why would you think that?” Rullio asked, amused.

“For one, you have a sword. For another, you are interested in all that army stuff and whether there will be a war in the North,” Merw replied.

“Actually, I’m a count,” Rullio said, trying to make it sound as un— imposing as he could.

“No way. Ouch, that’s hot.”

“I know.”

“Not you, you ugly, old man. The chestnuts. Anyway, somehow you don’t seem to be highty-mighty enough for a count. And don’t they have hundreds of servants and knights to do their every bidding?”

“I’ve not been a count for very long, kitten. My father is a baron and my oldest brother will eventually inherit the title. But I was lucky to be of an age with Prince Ehandar, and I was chosen as one of his companions. Most of my younger years were spent at court.”

Merw whistled.

“But you did something really bad and they chased you,” he said, commiserating.

Rullio laughed.

“Well… yes and no. I got caught up in the business of men far more important than me. Again luck and coincidence were on my side, and I was able to render a small service to his Glorious Majesty. In recogni— tion he elevated me to the county of Aldemon. I can call myself Count Rullio of Brenx-Aldemon now.”

Merw whistled even more shrilly. He threw away the empty straw basket.

40
“Fancy.”

“Isn’t it just?”

“I should start calling you “My Lord,” shouldn’t I?” He ran before Rullio, turned around, and walking backwards, bowed. “Please, allow me to lick your balls, My Lord Count, before you stick your noble cock up my ass.”

“I think I prefer you call me Rullio, Sir Meow.”

“Nice roast,” Merw said, wiping his mouth after he had cleaned out Rullio’s plate. “Loved the mushroom gravy they served it with. Didn’t care for the vegetables drenched in garlic butter sauce though. By the way, you must have had a great time at court.”

“Again… yes and no. I may be of noble birth, but as these things go, I was poor. Brenx isn’t exactly a great demesne, and it is my older brother who will be inheriting it anyhow. He always lorded it over me, and our parents thought that was natural, since I was destined to become my brother’s servant anyway.”

“Servant?”

“Not in name, of course. Nevertheless, kitten, that’s how it goes.

Noble houses seldom divide their lands between their children.

Everything goes to the oldest, who takes care of the younger siblings.

Since he ends up with the title, and more importantly all the land and money, his word is law. Younger brothers are paupers, at the beck and call of their lord and master.“

“But you got to know a prince. That should have changed things.”

Rullio looked at Merw and gave him a bitter smile.

“It did. Eventually. It wasn’t very easy in the beginning. Actually, it was embarrassing. You see, a lot of the other guys got generous monthly stipends from their parents. Mine was barely adequate to 40
keep my clothes mended. The others never said anything about it to

my face, but ever so often I caught them looking at me with pity in their eyes. Pity. It’s the worst feeling, being pitied.

“Then we came of an age that we had to take riding lessons. We were supposed to pay for our own horse and its fodder. My parents sent me money, but of course it wasn’t nearly enough. Several merchants had sent horses to the royal stables, so we could look them over and make our choice. Some of us decided immediately, others went to look at them every day, for a whole week. There was this beautiful dark bay horse. Ehandar had seen me looking at it and told me I should ask what it cost. I knew I couldn’t afford it, but he kept insisting. To my utter astonishment I could easily pay the asking price. I even had money to spare.”

“You were born under a lucky star, Rullio,” Merw said, wagging his finger. “You met me, didn’t you?”

“Hm. I pieced it together much later. It turned out Ehandar had bought a horse of the same salesman the day before. It was one of our friends who let that piece of information slip, months later. Ehandar himself never said anything, but I suppose he asked them what the horse cost, told them how much to ask and paid the difference himself.”

“See? Lucky, lucky, lucky.”

“Yes, lucky… and embarrassing.”

“How so? You said he never mentioned anything.”

“No, he didn’t. But I knew. Later on, it became easier. He loaned me money. I never asked, but when I hesitated to go out with the group, he always found some occasion to take me aside and ask if my stipend had come in late again. My allowance was always on time, but most of it was gone by the middle of the month. He practically forced me to accept small loans. He never asked for repayment.”

40
Rullio smiled wryly.

“You see, kitten, we’re not all that different.”

Merw gave him a sad look.

“You slept in the royal castle, in a soft bed, I imagine. I’ve slept on the streets more nights than I can remember these last two years. You had three square meals a day. I often went days without anything to eat at all. You had a nice friend to pay for your luxuries. I had to… do things, just to survive.” He stopped and his eyes teared up. Then he bit upon his lip. He took a deep breath. “We’re very different, Rullio, believe me. Very different.”

Rullio laid his hand upon Merw’s.

“I’m sorry, kitten. You’re right. I had it easy compared to you. What happened to your folks?”

Merw shrugged.

“They left, one by one, sort of. One day my mother left my father and me for another, richer man. An older man. Dad tried to take care of me as good as he could, but money was tight. Mother had worked as well to make ends meet.”

He glanced up and almost smiled.

“I never went hungry in those days though. Dad worked in the warehouse of some wealthy merchant. After mother left, he worked longer hours. I think it’s what killed him in the end. He always left very early, and when he came home he brought food for me. He himself ate in some cheap eatery near his work, so I ate everything he brought home. Dad said he liked to watch me eat. I resented him a bit for eating out and making me wait for my food, but I understood he must be very hungry after all those long hours of hard work. He wasn’t my real dad.”

“How do you know? Did he say so?”

40
“No, he didn’t. It was the last thing mother said before she left. ‘I hope you two will get on, although you’re not related. Your real dad died a year after you were born. He was a useless bum as well,’ was what she said before she slammed the door closed behind her.”

He paused. Rullio said nothing.

“Dad gave me such a helpless look that I knew what the bitch had said was true. ‘You’re the only dad I’ve ever known. What does she know? She’s not even my mother,’ I said to him.”

“That was very nice of you.”

“He left me too, a few years ago. Two, three, who can remember?

One evening he came home not feeling well. The next day he coughed up blood. A week later he was dead.”

“I’m sorry, kitten. I… I’m also sorry I bothered you with those trifles of mine. They—”

“They were important to you, Rullio. It’s all a matter of what you’re used to. I would have given anything, done anything — actually…”

Rullio squeezed Merw’s hand. The boy took another deep breath.

“You must have felt poor compared to a prince,” he said.

“I did. And I feel silly now that I ever did, or that I let it bother me that much.”

Merw remained silent for several minutes, frowning.

“Sometimes I think Dad hadn’t eaten at all when he returned home,” Merw said.

Rullio didn’t know what to answer to that.

“All this talking has made me thirsty. I could drink a keg of ale,”

the boy said, all of a sudden his cheerful self again.

Rullio couldn’t help but smile.