The Phoenix Guards (20 page)
Read The Phoenix Guards Online
Authors: Steven Brust
One of the ruffians, the one, in fact, who looked like an Orca, spared her a glance. “Well?” he said.
“I hesitate to interrupt your sport, but I have certain questions to put to you. In particular, I wish to know what this Teckla has done that has caused you to treat him in this manner.”
“This doesn’t concern your lordship,” said the Orca, in a tone that could be considered polite only by allowing the greatest possible liberty in the use of the term.
“Your pardon, but it does concern me, in that I have done you the honor to ask you the question.”
“And I repeat, your ladyship, that it doesn’t concern you. Our business is our own, I think, and thank the Orb the law does not require gentlemen such as ourselves to answer such questions of anyone who comes by.”
“Allow me to say that you are rude,” observed Tazendra. “And, moreover, you are not observant, or you would perceive these gold-colored cloaks we wear which announce that we are members of His Imperial Majesty’s Guards. Now, what cause has this man given you for such treatment? I beg you to observe that I have now asked you twice; I will not ask a third time.”
“That’s lucky,” said the Orca, and signaled his friend to begin the beating. His blow never landed, however, for before the stick could fall, there was a flash that, even in the well-lighted room, made everyone blink; the flash was accompanied, moreover, by a sharp sound, not unlike two blocks of wood clapped together, and this was followed by a bittersweet smell that filled the room, and, at the same time, a scream as the man holding the stick stared down at the black burn in the center of his chest, then collapsed to the floor like a pile of dirty linen.
“Oh,” cried the Orca. “Is that it, then? Well, we are ready to answer you, meddler. Charge!” They drew knives, then, save for the leader who had a sabre, and charged Tazendra.
She, however, as cool as Aerich, said, “What is this, my man? Do you think that I only have one charge in my stone? Allow me to correct you,” and fired the second in the Orca’s face, leaving him stretched out dead on the spot.
She stood then, with her sword raised (the stone had been in her left hand), ready to defend her position like Lord Golgoril at Bendrock Junction. And, indeed, the brigand who held the front rank upon the fall of his leader felt something, for, though she swung her greatsword at him one handed, he had nothing but a poniard with which to deflect it, the result being that both Tazendra’s sword and his own dagger cut deeply into his shoulder, leaving him moaning on his knees.
Things might have gone poorly for Tazendra nevertheless, except that Uttrik, who had likewise been offended by the injustice of the attack, had in the meantime drawn his own weapon and met the first attacker with a good thrust through the body which laid him out on the floor. Meanwhile, the Teckla, who had been released by his captors upon the order to charge, rather than running for the door, had picked up a stool that was of the sort used by those who polish the shoes of gentlemen, and proceeded, wielding it by two of its three legs, to bash in the head nearest him, which he did with good style.
“That was well struck, my good Uttrik,” said Tazendra.
“Well, and yourself, I must say your sorcery is very pretty, my dear Tazendra.”
“Bah, it was nothing. But look to your left, there—that’s it!”
Now, while all this was going on, Pel had whispered to Aerich and Khaavren, “My friends, this has a smell about it I don’t like, and spike me if I don’t believe that these fine folk are here to provoke us, and for no other reason.”
“Well,” said Aerich. “You may be right. But, Blood of the Gods, they have succeeded!” On this, the three friends stood up, and each held his flash-stone in plain sight while Aerich called loudly, “Come now, I think we can get them all in one turn, don’t you? On the count, gentlemen. Ready?”
This was too much for the remaining attackers, who, by this time, were reduced to six in number, for they at once turned and fled the room, the last to leave getting a good knock on the head by the Teckla as recompense for his tardiness. Those who remained on what had been the field, or rather, the floor of battle, looked about them while putting away their weapons, which consisted of three flash-stones, two swords, and a barstool, which was dutifully set down by the fire. Aerich and Pel took their seats first, while Tazendra and Uttrik embraced and congratulated each other on their victory.
“Perhaps,” said Pel, “we ought to question the survivors, if any are still alive, to learn who it was who set them on us.”
“You persist, then,” said Aerich, “in thinking this ambuscade was directed at ourselves?”
“Well, don’t you?”
“It is not impossible,” admitted Aerich.
“Well,” said Khaavren, “we may learn something by interrogating this Teckla who wields a stool so well.”
“Well thought,” said Aerich. “Do you interrogate him, while I—”
“Yes? While you?”
“Blood! While I order another bottle of this fine Gegaare wine.”
“Very well,” said Khaavren. “You, my friend, come tell us your name.”
The Teckla whom Khaavren addressed was unusually lean for a Teckla, and he was moreover of early middle years, and had a roundish face with small eyes and a protruding lower lip. His fingers were short and stubby, proclaiming his House even were it not for his straight, light brown hair and bowlegged gait. He said, “My lord, I will happily give you my name, which is Mica, and will, moreover, thank you deeply, for there is no doubt in my mind that you saved my life.”
“Well,” said Khaavren, “but what did those ruffians want with you?”
“As to that, I confess I have no knowledge whatsoever.”
“What?” said Khaavren. “You pretend you have no notion about why they attacked you?”
“None at all, my lord.”
“Well, but the thing is impossible.”
“Not at all,” said Pel.
“Perhaps,” said Khaavren, who was as yet unconvinced, “but tell us how it came about.”
“Well, my lord, three times a week I come here to this place, and am given a meal in exchange for doing whatever work Master Cleff (who is, I should mention, the host) can find for me.”
“That is, then, your livelihood.”
“It is, my lord.”
“And what do you do for meals on the other two days?”
“My lord, I do what Kieron the Conqueror did upon the cliffs of Adrilankha.”
“That being?”
“I await the morrow.”
“Decidedly, you are a clever fellow, Mica, and not lacking in courage, to judge by your treatment of your attackers. But continue your story, for I must say that you interest me.”
“Well then,” said Mica, bowing, “today is the day upon which I am to work, and I was arriving with that in mind, when I saw those ill-favored persons whom you have so effectively put to flight.”
“And what were they doing?”
“My lord, they were standing grouped together outside the inn, speaking in low tones.”
“Well, and then?”
“As I approached, one of them pointed at me, and the others turned to observe me, and nodded. I had no knowledge of their intentions, yet something made me wary, for a I took a wide path around them. You perceive,
my lord, that, as I am not a gentleman, I may avoid danger without dishonoring myself.”
my lord, that, as I am not a gentleman, I may avoid danger without dishonoring myself.”
“Yes, that is true. Go on.”
“Well, they walked over in a mass, my lords, and barred my way. One of them said, ‘Tell us, for we wish to know, what is your intention with regards to this public house?’
“I said, ‘My lord, I intend to enter, with the plan of working here in exchange for a meal.’
“‘What?’ cried the man, ‘you wish to enter this place?’
“‘If it is not displeasing to you,’ I said. ‘If you would rather I did not,’ I continued, ‘I will remain without.’
“‘Oh, no,’ they said, ‘we are happy that you intended to go in. We will even help you to do so by providing you with the means of gaining entry.’
“And, without another word, my lords, they took me and cast me through the window, with the results of which you are acquainted.”’
“Well then,” said Pel, “do you doubt that I am right? This was a snare that had been set for us, which we escaped only because our friend the Dzurlord knows how to use flash-stones, because we have with us a Dragonlord who hates injustice, and because this Teckla knows how to strike back.”
“I no longer doubt what you say,” said Aerich. “But who is it who so desperately wishes to stop us?”
“Why, whoever it was that attempted to convince Uttrik to kill Khaavren.”
“That being?”
“The same person who attempted to warn Khaavren away.”
“And that is?”
“I have no idea.”
“Unfortunate,” murmured Aerich.
“But,” added Tazendra, “we seem to have escaped.”
“And for that,” said Khaavren, “we have you to thank.”
“I especially, my lady,” said Mica to Tazendra, “thank you. And if there is anything I can do to aid you in anything, you need only ask; henceforth, I would lay down my life for you.”
Tazendra bowed, then, suddenly struck by a thought, said, “But, have you not said that you eat only three times a week?”
“Yes, my lady, but that is twice a week more than I ate before I gained this position.”
“But then, would you wish for a better position; one that will allow you to eat, not three times a week, but four times a day?”
Mica’s mouth seemed to water at the thought, and, to judge by the way his eyes lit up, he had no complaints to make of any plan with that as its object. He bowed to the Dzurlord and said, “My lady, that would suit my greatest wishes. Only tell me what I must do.”
“Well, first you must travel with me.”
“Travel with such a lady as you? Oh, that would be a fine thing.”
“Good.”
“But, what next?”
“Next, you must wear my livery.”
“Ah, to be dressed in the arms of a Dzurlord! Such happiness is beyond me. But, what else?”
“Well, after that, you must care for my horse.”
“I love horses, and have been caring for them all my life. What next?”
“You must learn to clean, polish, and sharpen my weapons.”
“I sharpen the knives for Master Cleff, as well as cleaning and polishing the silver that he keeps in case a prince should honor his house, which he has never used in two hundred years, but which must, nevertheless, be polished every week against the chance that his fortune changes.”
“You must help me to dress.”
“My grandmother on my mother’s side used to live with us when I was but a child, and she had the aryes so bad she could not dress herself, so I performed this service for her every day for three hundred years. What next?”
“You must bring food and wine for me and my friends when we require it, with the understanding that any scraps of meat or dregs of wine are yours.”
“It is just this I have been doing for Master Cleff for the last year; and he is a tolerably stern taskmaster. What next?”
“That is all.”
“Well, I do not conceal from you that it would bring me the greatest possible joy to hold this position.”
“Then, my dear Mica, it is yours.”
“But stay,” said Pel, frowning, “surely you are aware that it is no longer the fashion to have lackeys.”
“Blood!” said Tazendra, “That is true. I had not thought of it.”
Mica trembled as all of his hopes for the future collapsed. Uttrik felt great sympathy for him, since the Dragon had, after all just saved his life, but could think of nothing to do except to lean over and whisper in Khaavren’s ear, “We must do something.”
“Indeed?” said Khaavren. “Why?”
“Are you not moved to tears by the look on his face?”
“Well, but what can we do?”
“The Horse! You are a Tiassa; think of something.”
Khaavren had a reply ready for this: he was about to say, “You are a Dragon; kill someone,” when this thought led to another, which led to still another, and he finished by addressing Tazendra.
“My dear friend, attend me.”
“Well?”
“Suppose, upon wishing to enter this fine hostel, we had met with a gentleman who forbade you from entering. What would you do?”
“What would I do? Why, I should take my sword and separate his head from his body.”
“Good. But then, what if, when you are in the garden taking your morning exercises, someone should say, ‘Your activities offend me; I insist that you stop them.’ What then?”
“Oh, then, well, then, if I had not my sword with me, I should take a flash-stone and see how large a hole I could make in his body with it.”
“Good. But then, let us pretend that one day you are dining by yourself in the Longwood Arms hotel, and an individual should insist that he, rather than you, should have the table at which you are sitting, and which commands a view of the river?”
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