The Stranger's Woes (37 page)

I looked at my boss, surprised. I didn’t remember saying anything like that to him. I generally try not to complain. It’s just not my style.

A few moments later I remembered part of a conversation with Melifaro. “Don’t you get a little sick of the air of mystery that surrounds you?” he had said. “Yes,” I had replied. Just some worldly chitchat, nothing more.

“Juffin, do you really eavesdrop on every word that flies out of my mouth? And you still haven’t gone mad?”

“Eavesdrop? Oh, spare me, Max. Your mindless chatter isn’t the least bit interesting to me. It’s just that I always know what’s going on with you. It’s a quirk I have, a character trait.”

“No, no, it’s okay. I’m flattered,” I said and smiled. “Besides, it’s very useful, too, because I don’t always know what’s going on with me. You should tell me.”

“I just did.”

We got out of the amobiler and entered the Anmokari Castle. Juffin walked slowly and carefully so as not to disturb Kurush, who was dozing on his shoulder.

We stood before a cool, empty hallway that seemed to go on forever. When I made my first step in it, my knees trembled: the floor, walls, and ceiling had mirror-like surfaces. They were made from dull, smoky glass that multiplied our reflections infinitely and rendered them into sad, beautiful ghosts. The misty multitudes of creatures timidly copied our every motion. It sent my head into a tailspin.

“I know. You can really lose your equilibrium if you’re not used to it,” said Juffin with a nod. “A strange place this is, but the king likes it.”

We managed to cross that mysterious infinitude and finally ended up in front of an open door leading to a relatively small and cozy hall.

“You should be happy that this is a business visit and not an official one,” said Juffin, winking at me. “Remember what happened at Sir Makluk’s?”

“Do I! Compared to that high-life reception, all the rest of the events in your neighbor’s house were a joke.”

“Indeed. Well, an official reception here would have been even more entertaining.”

“I can only imagine.”

“No, you can’t, Max. I swear by the Magicians you can’t. We are, however, going to take a small ride. Get ready.”

“Well, if it’s just a small ride, I don’t mind.”

We were surrounded by a few dozen young courtiers in embroidered looxis. They bowed so low that their heads almost touched the floor. They gave us looks of poorly concealed curiosity. Not without pleasure I noticed that my Mantle of Death inspired respect rather than superstitious horror. Maybe the courtiers were nice, well-educated young people, unburdened by superstitions.

Finally, the palanquin bearers arrived. I had acquired social graces by now, so I immediately flopped onto one of them. Sir Juffin graciously settled himself onto another. The bearers took us to a large hall that was modestly called the Minor Royal Study. It was as empty as most living quarters in the Capital. In Echo people don’t like to crowd rooms with too much furniture, and I, for one, welcomed this custom wholeheartedly.

The palanquin bearers disappeared, leaving Juffin and me alone. The king was nowhere to be seen, though.

“This is all part of the etiquette,” said Juffin. “His Majesty has been burning with curiosity since morning, but good manners require that he make us wait at least a minute. He rarely keeps his visitors waiting longer.” Juffin tickled the soft feathers on Kurush’s back. “Wake up, my friend. Time to get to work.”

Kurush, displeased, puffed up his feathers. He always hated waking up. I understood him very well.

His Majesty King Gurig VIII didn’t wait even the customary full minute. A little door at the far end of the room opened, and a handsome, youthful man who looked like a young Johnny Depp appeared before us. He was wearing an elegant, hand-embroidered purple looxi. Instead of a turban, the favorite headgear of all local dandies of the past few centuries, he wore a simple hat. Later I learned that the shape of the royal headgear had been canonized many millennia ago. This was the kind of hat favored by Mynin, the most illustrious monarch of the Unified Kingdom, who had reigned centuries before.

“I see you as in a waking dream!” said the king, covering his eyes with his hands and turning to me.

I smiled. I hadn’t had the opportunity to show off the official greeting that I learned on my first day in this World. I mostly met guys who didn’t think much of all these highfalutin manners. But praise be the Magicians, I had practiced enough in my time to respond to His Majesty accordingly.

“You only visit me when you run out of excuses, Sir Hully,” said the king reproachfully. “I was expecting you a hundred days ago. Not with a report, like today, but just for a friendly visit. You did get my invitation, didn’t you?”

“I did,” said Juffin. “But you know as well as I do what went on at the Ministry this spring, Your Majesty. We had to manage without Sir Max, just like in the old days. So instead of enjoying your company, seated at your table, I ran around Echo like an errand boy, chasing the mad Magician Bankori Yonli. He almost killed Melifaro, I should add. The boy now has quite a neat-looking scar on his face. I suspect he deliberately put too little healing ointment on it, so he looks like a true hero.”

“What are you saying? The youngest son of Sir Manga nearly died? That would have been very bad. Very bad, indeed. And who is this Yonli? I do not recall,” said the king, frowning.

“The Grand Magician of the Order of the Tinkling Hat—remember that odd sect of King Mynin worshipers? Yonli fled from Echo during the reign of your father, and returned this spring to take revenge on Grand Magician Nuflin. I couldn’t imagine why he’d want to do such a thing. Our Sir Nuflin Moni Mak is such a gentle fellow. Never hurt as much as a fly in his entire life.”

His Majesty was kind enough to burst out laughing. Even I couldn’t hold back a smile, though I felt extremely shy. I always needed time to relax in the company of new people. Considering the fact that I had never had the pleasure of being in the company of a king before, the paroxysm of shyness was severe.

I could feel, though, that His Majesty Gurig VIII was also feeling uneasy. I realized that he and I were plagued by the same feelings. I’d never thought there might be shy kings, to tell the truth. Right away I felt a great bond with His Royal Majesty. It was so satisfying to learn that he, too, shared my insignificant human problems.

“Please be seated, gentlemen,” said the king. He pointed at a set of high, soft armchairs by an open window. “The treat for Kurush was brought in beforehand. Help yourself, dear sir.”

I liked the way Gurig addressed our wise bird with such dignity and called him “dear sir.” I even felt a little envious that I hadn’t thought of it first myself.

“Darned protocol,” said the king. “My courtiers believe that the study should only be used for business affairs, and that I should have meals in the dining room. Is it not ridiculous? I prefer to combine these two pleasurable activities, just as you do, Sir Hully. What do you think, Sir Max?”

It struck me then that His Majesty was genuinely interested in my opinion on the matter.

“Your Majesty cannot be more correct in saying so. It would be impossible to survive at the House by the Bridge if one were otherwise disposed.”

I had to muster all of my will to speak in a normal voice, and not to mumble under my breath, staring at the floor.

“Would it, indeed? It is comforting to know there are still contented people in this World,” said the king solemnly. Then he brightened up and said, “But this morning I told my Master of Ceremonies that I would resign if he didn’t at least serve us kamra here. The poor old man ground his teeth but had to submit in the end. Today I won’t have to feel that I am the stingiest master of the house in the Universe. Sir Kurush, are you prepared to do some work for us?”

The bird stopped eating peanuts and began relating the great deeds of my colleagues to the king. I think I listened to him even more attentively than the king did. I finally had the opportunity to find out, in great detail, what the guys had been up to while I had been roaming the labyrinths of unexplored Worlds. Their lives seemed much more productive and full of events than my own otherworldly existence. It even made me a little upset: I had been missing out on all the fun for a whole year.

Kurush talked for almost four hours. While he was at it, though, he managed to empty a whole plate of peanuts and even ask for another helping.

We didn’t have to starve, either. It turned out, though, that the kamra-making skills of the Royal Cooks couldn’t compare with those of the cooks at the
Glutton Bunba
. It occurred to me that I would never consider getting involved in a plot to overthrow the king and appropriate his crown—his hat, that is. There was simply nothing to gain by it.

When Kurush finished, the king nodded his head in frank admiration. “You are the only citizens of the Unified Kingdom for whom the adventurous spirit of days of yore has not become just another page in the book of history. I must confess, I envy you, gentlemen.”

“But Your Majesty, we are certainly not the only ones,” said Juffin, smiling. “I’m sure the lives of our clients are much more adventurous.”

“Yes, indeed, but they have to pay a very high price for it,” said the king.

“Sometimes they do.”

“I think retribution is always unavoidable, for they have to deal not just with anyone but with you. Well, I have truly enjoyed your company, gentlemen. May I ask you to stay for the official visit of the warriors from Arvarox?”

“When are you expecting them?” said Juffin.

“Quite soon,” said His Majesty, looking out the window. “If the sun is not deceiving me, they should be in the Minor Reception Hall any minute now. I should very much like you to stay—primarily because those gentlemen may be in need of your assistance and, of course, your guardianship.”

“Sir Max and I will be happy to fulfill any of your wishes, Your Majesty.”

“Any of my wishes, you say?” said Gurig, laughing. “I will bet a hundred crowns that I have at least a dozen wishes whose fulfillment is unlikely to make you very happy.”

Juffin mused over the thought for a moment and then said, “I would have to decline the bet, I’m afraid.”

“I thought so,” said the king, winking at Juffin.

I was steadily leaning toward becoming a monarchist. I was growing to like the head of the Unified Kingdom more every minute. It’s too bad we’re both so busy, I thought, and have such different occupations. Under different circumstances, I think I’d become friends with this fellow.

“I think this gentlemen has just fallen asleep,” whispered the king, pointing to Kurush.

“That is his most natural state,” said Juffin, smiling as he gently covered the bird with the flap of his looxi. “Would it offend Your Majesty if the bird slept through the entire reception?”

“Sir Kurush may do as he pleases in my palace.” Gurig VIII looked at the buriwok with the genuine admiration of an amateur ornithologist.