The second pair of riders were Komees Djeen and Vahrohnos Spiros, who both rode in silence, each full of his own thoughts and worries. The third pair were Clan Bard Hail and Bard Klairuhnz. Hail’s lips moved silently as he composed new verses to the “Song of Morguhn,” while Klairuhnz was in mindspeak with Master Ahlee, on a mental level to which few men or women could attain.
Save for the fact that his sash now supported an exotically decorated, double-curved saber, Ahlee’s outward appearance was but little changed. His flowing white robe still billowed, but now it concealed a longsleeved brigandine and a brace of wavy-bladed daggers, and his head-wrappings covered a steel skullcap.
Although he had both war training and experience, Ahlee basically disliked harming a fellow man under most circumstances. But what these people faced, unbelievers though they assuredly were, was a different and distinctly sinister thing, a true horror; and he was convinced that to aid them in their uneven struggle against such evil would be to strive for Ahlah. When again he thought upon the things—the godless, unclean, monstrous things—which his hypnotism had drawn from the mind and memory of that prisoner, he shuddered from head to foot. For spiritual solace, he began to chant holy verses.
The mercenary who rode beside him, leading a packmule, listened briefly, failed to understand the ancient tongue, but decided that a song was just the thing to help speed this almost-done and boring ride; whereupon he launched into an endless and endlessly obscene soldiers’ song. Bili knew the particular ditty and took it up, any- thing to relieve some of the maddening tension. After some score of choruses, Djehf bawled a few original and recent verses from Eeree.
The bawdy old ballad brought fond memories to Komees Djeen and a broad smile to his face, and he joined in as well. Though he knew neither the song itself nor memories of it, Spiros found himself joining in the catchy, nonsensical chorus. And when others’ recall failed, Clan bard Hail provided extemporaneous and topical verses.
While his physical being sang with the rest, Klairuhnz mindspoke Ahlee, saying, “These fine men cannot know or even suspect just how incredibly ancient this song really is. Nor do they realize that near twoscore generations of their ancestors have sung it.”
“Did my antecedents also sing it, Lord?” queried the physician.
“Oh, yes, Ahlee,” replied the Bard. “In those long-ago days, we were all one nation, speaking one language.”
“Most remarkable,” Ahlee commented, adding, “It is certain that I have then chosen aright, for surely you and your few peers are much loved of Ahlah, that He has vouchsafed you such long life.”
The guards at the eastern gate of Morguhnpolis were Freefighters, mostly from the Middle Kingdoms. They laughed and buffeted each other in delight, as the noble lords entered the city singing a song they considered their own, and they enthusiastically added their voices to a chorus, feeling a fierce kinship with these fellow fighting-men.
Thus augmented, the last chorus roared up the all but deserted east-west thoroughfare, “HINKEE DINKEE PAHRLEE VOOOOt”
CHAPTER IX
Bill’s party dismounted before the city palace, more than three hundred years old, dating from the period before his ancestors had crossed the mountains, when Morguhnpolis—then called Eeleeoheepolis—had been the north-western jewel of the Crown of Karaleenos. It was an impressive building, fashioned of native granite and faced with that hauntingly beautiful greygreen limestone from Kehnooryohs Ehlahs. Its main chamber was almost as large as the outer courtyard of Morguhn Hall and was columned and paved with colored and veined marbles; but it was very difficult to heat, so was seldom used for anything. The footfalls of the noblemen echoed as they traversed the length of the huge chamber and mounted the wide marble stairs toward the second floor Council Chamber.
Komees Djeen frowned at sight of the four pikemen ranged before the tall, brass-sheathed doors of the Council’s meetingroom. They were not the usual Free-fighter guards, but rather civilian Spearlevymen, Ehleenoee all. A skinny corporal of the same body stood just behind the pikemen, holding his knife-edged thrusting spear as though it were a frog gig.
Eyes fixed dead ahead, Bili and Djehf clanked toward the doors, outwardly unconcerned. After nervously licking his lips, the corporal hissed a whispered order and the levymen sloppily presented their pikes, no two at the same angle. Komees Djeen snorted in disgust and made a decidedly uncomplimentary remark concerning gutter-scum playing at soldier.
Bili and Djehf marched forward until the glittering points were but inches from their breastplates. The brothers stood thus for a moment. Then Djehf suddenly grasped the crossbar of the pike before him and savagely jerked it from the hands of its wielder. The levyman spun half around and, ere he could turn back, Djehf dropped the captured pike and booted the man’s rump so hard that he went sprawling, sliding a good way down the slick floor of the side hallway on his breastplate. Grinning, he reached for a second pike, but the levymen hastily grounded their weapons and backed up until the walls ended their retreat, leaving their corporal to guard the portals alone.
“The Council Chamber,” began that worthy, in a piping falsetto squeak. He flushed, cleared his throat, presented the long, wide blade of his spear, and started over. “The Council Chamber is forbidden to any save confirmed members of the Thirds!” He spoke in Old Ehleeneekos.
Komees Djeen shouldered between Bili and Djehf, demanding, “What language are you grunting in, you puling shoat?”
Before the unhappy man could frame an answer, Djehf’s powerful hand had closed on the shaft of the short spear. In a brittle voice, he announced, “If you don’t let go of that piece of junk, dungface, by Sun and Wind, I’ll bugger you with it!”
The corporal did let go, but not quickly enough to suit Djehf, who jerked the Ehleen away from the closed door, spun him about, and jabbed a good two inches of the broad spearpoint into his seat. The man screamed, then sped down the side hall, clutching at his bleeding posterior and howling like a moon mad hound. Three pikes fell clattering and three pikemen followed their wounded leader as fast as their legs would carry them.
Jerking wide the brazen doors, the brothers stalked into the Council Chamber, the rest of their party hard on their heels.
The T-shaped Council Table filled the center of the chamber. The places of the Second and Third Thirds were ranged on either side of the shaft, while those of the First Third were along the crossbar. No one, of course, occupied the chairs of the First, but all five of the Third were filled and four of the second had occupants. A bench against the side wall held a flashy fop, a black-bearded man in the robes of a subpriest, and a beefy, balding lout in a stained butcher’s apron. At each of the chamber’s four corners stood a Spearlevyman with grounded pike, all obviously of near-pure Ehleen blood.
Speaking no word, glancing neither to right nor left, Bili strode to the central chair of the First Third. Before he seated himself, however, he drew his heavy broadsword and laid it near to hand, pointing it down the length of the T’s shaft. He imperiously waved his brother to the chair at his right, while Komees Djeen moved to his accustomed place, along with Spiros and Hail. Klairuhnz leaned a hip against the end of the table, near Ahndee’s empty seat. Master Ahlee had carefully closed the doors and now loitered close to them.
Bili let his gaze travel down the two rows of faces. Nearest him on either side of the board sat Komees Hari and Feelos Pooleeos, the merchant, and the faces of both men looked deeply troubled. Beyond Hari lounged Vahrohnos Myros, a mocking smile on his fleshy lips, but pure, distilled hatred beaming from the glittering black eyes which briefly locked with Bill’s. Beyond him sat Drehkos, who gave Bili a nervous, uncertain smile; and Vahrohneeskos Stehfahnos, slender but supple looking, who stared back levelly and coolly, from eyes as blue as Bill’s, despite the Ehleen’s black hair.