Besides, as Aahz pointed out, it was bad for morale to let the troops find out how much their commander was being paid, particularly when it was extremely disproportionate to their own wages.
Following his advice, I paid each of them personally. When I was done, however, I found myself strangely at a loss for words. Once again, the team came to my aid.
"Well, boss," Brockhurst sighed. "I guess this is it. Thanks for everything."
"It's been a real pleasure working for you," Gus echoed. "The money's nice, but the way I figure it, Berfert and I owe you a little extra for getting us out of that slop chute. Anytime you need a favor, look us up."
"Youngster," Ajax said, clearing his throat, "I move around a lot, so I'm not that easy to track. If you ever find yourself in a spot where you think I can lend a hand, jes' send a message to the Bazaar and I'll be along shortly."
"I didn't think you visited the Bazaar that often," I asked, surprised.
"Normally I don't," the bowman admitted. "But I will now ... jest in case."
Tanda was tossing her coin in the air and catching it with practiced ease.
"I shouldn't take this," she sighed. "But a girl's gotta eat."
"You earned it," I insisted.
"Yea, well, I guess we'll be going," she said, beckoning to the others. "Take care of yourself, handsome."
"You will be coming back?" I asked hurriedly.
She made a face.
"I don't think so," she said wryly, "If Grimble saw us together..."
"I meant, ever," I clarified.
She brightened immediately.
"Sure," she winked. "You won't get rid of me that easily. Say good-bye to Aahz for me."
"Say good-bye to him yourself," Aahz growled, stepping out of the shadows.
"There you are!" Tanda grinned. "Where's the Gremlin? I thought you two were talking."
"We were," Aahz confirmed, looking around him. "I don't understand. He was here a minute ago."
"It's as if he didn't exist, isn't it, Aahz?" I suggested innocently.
"Now look, kid!" my mentor began angrily.
A chorus of laughter erupted from the team. He spun in that direction to deliver a scathing reply, but there was a blip of light and they were gone.
We stood silently together for several moments staring at the vacant space. Then Aahz slipped an arm around my shoulder.
"They were a good team, kid," he sighed. "Now pull yourself together. Triumphant generals don't have slow leaks in the vicinity of their eyes. It's bad for the image."
Chapter Twenty-Five:
"Is everybody happy?"
-MACHIAVELU
AAHZ and I entered the capital at the head of a jubilant mob of Possiltum citizens.
We were practically herded to the front of the palace by the crowd pressing us forward. The cheering was incredible. Flowers and other less identifiable objects were thrown at us or strewn in our path, making the footing uncertain enough that more than once I was afraid of falling and being trampled. The people, at least, seemed thoroughly delighted to see us. All in all, though, our triumphal procession was almost as potentially injurious to our life and limb as the war had been.
I was loving it.
I had never had a large crowd make a fuss over me before. It was nice.
"Heads up, kid," Aahz murmured, nudging me in the ribs. "Here comes the reception committee."
Sure enough, there was another procession emerging from the main gates of the palace. It was smaller than ours, but made up for what it lacked in numbers with the prestige of its members.
The king was front and center, flanked closely by Grimble and Badaxe. The chancellor was beaming with undisguised delight. The general, on the other hand, looked positively grim.
Sweeping the crowd with his eyes, Badaxe spotted several of his soldiers in our entourage. His dark expression grew even darker, boding ill for those men. I guessed he was curious as to why they had failed to carry out his orders to stop our return.
Whatever he had in mind, it would have to wait. The king was raising his arms, and the assemblage obediently fell silent to hear what he had to say.
"Lord Magician," he began, "know that the cheers of the grateful citizens of Possiltum only echo my feelings for this service you have done us."
A fresh wave of applause answered him.
"News of your victory has spread before you," he continued. "And already our historians are recording the details of your triumph ... as much as is known, that is."
An appreciative ripple of laughter surged through the crowd.
"While we do not pretend to comprehend the workings of your powers," the king announced, "the results speak for themselves. A mighty army of invincible warriors vanished into thin air, weapons and all. Only their armor and siege machines littering the empty battlefield mark their passing. The war is won! The threat to Possiltum is ended forever!"
At this, the crowd exploded. The air again filled with flowers and shouting shook the very walls of the palace.
The king tried to shout something more, but it was lost in the jubilant noise. Finally he shrugged and reentered the palace, pausing only for a final wave at the crowd.
I thought it was a rather cheap ploy, allowing him to cash in on our applause as if it were intended for him, but I let it go. Right now we had bigger fish to fry.
Catching the eyes of Grimble and Badaxe, I beckoned them forward.
"I've got to talk to you two," I shouted over the din.
"Shouldn't we go inside where it's quieter?" Grimble shouted back.
"We'll talk here!" I insisted.
"But the crowd ..." the chancellor gestured.
I turned and nodded to a figure in the front row of the mob. He responded by raising his right arm in a signal. In response, the men in the forefront of the crowd locked arms and formed a circle around us, moving with near military precision. In a twinkling, there was a space cleared in the teeming populace, with the advisors, Aahz, Gleep, myself, and the man who had given the signal standing alone at its center.
"Just a moment," Badaxe rumbled, peering suspiciously at the circle. "What's going on-"
"General!" I beamed, flashing my biggest smile. "I'd like you to meet the newest citizen of Possiltum."
Holding my smile, I beckoned the mob leader forward.
"General Badaxe," I announced formally, "meet Big Julie. Big Julie, Hugh Badaxe!"
"Nice to meet you!" Julie smiled. "The boy here, he's been tellin' me all about you!"
The general blanched as he recognized the Empire's top commander.
"You!" he stammered. "But you... you're-"
"I hope you don't mind, General," I said smoothly. "But I've taken the liberty of offering Big Julie a job ... as your military consultant."
"Military consultant?" Badaxe echoed suspiciously.
"What's the matter," Julie scowled. "Don't you think I can do it?"
"It's not that," the general clarified hastily. "It's just that.. .well-"
"One thing we neglected to mention. General," Aahz interrupted. "Big Julie here is retiring from active duty. He's more than willing to leave the running of Possiltum's army to you, and agrees to give advice only when asked."
"That's right!" Julie beamed. "I just wanna sit in the sun, drink a little wine, maybe pat a few bottoms, you know what I mean?"
"But the king ..." Badaxe stammered.
"... . doesn't have to be bothered with it at all," Aahz purred. "Unless, of course, you deem it necessary to tell him where your new battle plans are coming from."
"Hmm," the general said thoughtfully. "You sure you'd be happy with things that way, Julie?"