To a man, they did just that as the reinforcements, led by Iantine, burst in from the hall. That was what finally roused Chalkin from a drunken sleep.
Later Paulin remarked that he’d been disappointed at such an anti-climactic outcome of their dawn invasion.
“S’nan will be reassured,” K’vin said. I think he was certain we intended to humiliate Chalkin.”
“We have,” Tashvi said with a chuckle.
Lady Nadona, though she took a strong case of hysterics Irene took some pleasure in applying the slaps that cut her histrionics short decided that she could not leave her darling children to the mercies of unfeeling men and women, and would sacrifice herself to remain behind while Chalkin went into exile. She was exceedingly well acquainted with her own rights as granted by the Charter, down to the Clause and relevant sub-paragraphs.
Chalkin showed every fiber of his cowardice, trying to bribe one Lord Holder after another, with hints of unusual treasure if they assisted him. If anyone had been in the least bit tempted, their resolve was strengthened when the broken, shivering wrecks were released from ‘cold storage’.
“The place was full,” Issony said, looking shattered by what he had seen on that level. “Border guards, most of them, but they didn’t deserve that from Chalkin!” Even the hardiest of them would bear the marks of their incarceration for the rest of their lives.
“Iantine? Did you bring… ah, you did. Do a quick sketch of them, will you?” Issony asked, pointing to the two so close to death: the two who had been castrated for rape. All that could be done for them was to ease their passing with fellis juice. “To show S’nan. In case he has lingering doubts as to the justice of what was done here today.”
“Any sign of Vergerin?” Paulin asked when all the cells had been emptied.
“No,” M’shall said grimly. That shouldn’t reassure you any.” He jerked his thumb at some of the stretcher-bearers who had previously been the ‘cold storage’ guards. They said there were four dead ones who were slipped into the lime pits day before yesterday. We may have moved too late for Vergerin.” Paulin cursed under his breath.
“Did you ask if any had heard the name?”
M’shall grunted. “No-one down there had a name.”
Paulin winced. “We’d best send for the Holder team.”
“I have dispatched riders to collect the deputies already. They should be here.”
There was a commotion in the Hall, with cheering and shouts of welcome.
“They can’t have got here this soon,” M’shall said, surprised.
Both men went to investigate.
A tall man was shrugging out of thin and dirty furs and smiling at the riders clapping him on the back or whatever part of him they could touch.
“Guess who just walked in?” B’nurrin of Igen cried, seeing Paulin and M’shall.
“Vergerin?” Paulin asked.
“Optimist,” M’shall muttered, and then, taking a second hard look at the face no longer hidden by a big furred hat, exclaimed, “It is!”
“It is?” Paulin hastened across the broad Hall.
“Has the family eyebrows,” M’shall said with a chuckle.
“Where’ve you been hiding, Vergerin?” M’shall?” Vergerin peered around, a hopeful smile breaking across his weather-beaten face. He did bear a facial resemblance to Chalkin; as if Chalkin’s features had been elongated and refined. “You don’t know how glad I was to see all those dragons on the heights. I figured you had to come to your senses and get rid of him.” He jerked his thumb ceiling-ward You’ve no idea.”
“Where did you hide? When did you hide?” Paulin asked, clasping Vergerin’s hand and shaking it enthusiastically.
Vergerin’s grin turned wry. “I figured the safest place was under Chalkin’s nose.” He gestured in the general direction of the cot holds
“He houses his beasts better than his folk, so the smell of me is at least clean horse manure. I’ve been earning my keep at the beast hold.”
“But your holding has been empty.”
“By my design, I assure you,” Vergerin said, running a grubby hand through greasy hair and smiling apologetically.
“I’ve a strong survival streak, my Lords Holder, and when I realized my nephew really was not going to do a single thing about the imminence of Thread, I thought I had better disappear before he thought of possible retaliation - - and me as his only too obvious replacement.” He had unwound the layers that clothed him and stood with a quiet dignity in the midst of the warmly-dressed riders and Lord Holders. It was that innate dignity which impressed Paulin. Nor was he alone in noticing it.
“Admittedly, my Blood claim to the Hold was squandered foolishly but then, I should have known that Chalkin was likely to cheat that night, if ever, with such stakes. It took me quite some while to figure out how he managed it, for I’m not without knowing a few tricks myself, and most of those that can be played on the unwary.”
He gave a self-deprecating little smile. “I forgot just how hungry Chalkin was for a Lord Holder’s power.”
“But you kept your promises,” Paulin said, nodding approval.
“The least I could do to restore self-esteem,” and Vergerin executed a little bow to Paulin and the others.
“Dare I hope that you wish to keep this Bloodline in Bitra Hold?” He cocked one of his heavy dark eyebrows, his glance candid and accepting.
Paulin did a quick check of the expressions on the faces of the other four Lord Holders who had arrived on the scene.
“You will certainly be considered by the Conclave when it meets at Turn’s End,” Paulin said, nodding. The others murmured agreement.
Loud protestations of innocence suddenly broke up the tableau as Chalkin, bracketed by Bastom and Bridgely, was walked down the main stairs. The tears of his wife and the frightened shrieks of his children added to the tumult.
At the last landing, Chalkin halted, wrenching his arms free from the two Lords as he flung himself down the stairs at Vergerin.
“You! YOU! You betrayed me! You broke your word! You did it. You did it all!” Bastom and Bridgely, moving with creditable speed, managed to recapture Chalkin and restrained him from physically attacking Vergerin, who did not so much as recoil from his nephew.
“You did it to me. You did it all,” Chalkin said and shrieked louder than his children when Vergerin, with an expressionless face, slowly pivoted away from him.
Then Lady Nadona saw Vergerin and her cries turned raucous with hatred. “You’ve taken my husband and now you stand there to take my Hold, my children’s inheritance - - Oh, Franco, how can you let them do this to your sister?” She fell against the Neratian’s chest.
Franco’s expression was far from repentant as he quickly unwound her plump arms from his neck with the help of Zulaya and the Istan Laura. Nadona was still in her nightdress, with a robe half-closed over the thin garment. Richud had the two boys by the arm, and his spouse the two weeping little girls who certainly didn’t understand what was happening but were hysterical because their mother was.
Paulin took Vergerin by the arm and led him towards the nearest door, which turned out to be Chalkin’s office.
Decanters and glasses were part of the appointments and Paulin hurriedly poured two glasses. Vergerin took his and drank it down, the draught restoring some color to his face.
He exhaled deeply.
Paulin, impressed by the man’s control in a difficult situation, clapped his shoulder and gripped it firmly.
“It can’t have been easy,” he said.
Vergerin murmured, then straightened himself. “What was hardest,” and his smile was wry, “was knowing what a consummate idiot I had been.”