Simon objected, “You're not taking them in order."
“I don't have to,” Lazarus replied. “Jake?"
“Aye."
“Adam?"
“Aye."
“And reluctant as I am, I vote ‘aye', too,” Lazarus said. “That makes six for, and with an abstention that's a majority. God's will be done, amen. If you others want to go on record you can, but that's all we need. Anyone?"
No one spoke up; after a brief pause, Lazarus continued, “All right, then-someone get John a white flag and a cross, and he can head out for Spiritus Sancti right now."
“Thank you, Uncle Lazarus,” John replied.
The party that had ridden full-speed from Marshside had been made up of John, Habakkuk, Matthew, and Miriam-John had brought Matthew and Miriam to support his testimony, and Habakkuk to report on the current state of the army at Marshside, reaffirming the soldiers’ faith in their leaders and their readiness to fight any foe. The party that gathered for the journey to Spiritus Sancti, an hour after the meeting of the Elders, included John, as spokesman; Habakkuk, as second; a civilian by the name of Peter Light-of-the-World to speak for the Elders; two soldiers as honor guard; and Miriam, because nobody had any better idea of what to do with her. Matthew was to return to Marshside with Lieutenant David Saved-By-Grace, who would be taking charge of the army there until John's return-John and Habakkuk had left a mere under-lieutenant running things, and the Elders deemed that unsuitable.
It was the third of May when the party reached Spiritus Sancti under heavy guard and was led into the presence of the Anointed.
When Peter had run through the required formalities and made introductions, John came directly to the point. “We have come here in hopes that we can convince your people to forget, temporarily, their differences with the People of the True Word and Flesh, and join with us against a common foe."
The Anointed sat back on his cathedra; the chair creaked beneath his weight. “And who would this common foe be?” he asked.
“The so-called People of Heaven, and their infernal pagan protectorate."
“I don't know a thing about them; they're on the other side of the New Jordan, and I don't concern myself with anything over there."
“Well, sir, whether you know it or not, they're a growing threat to all of Godsworld, on both sides of the New Jordan, from Asher all the way to Simeon."
“Oh?” the Anointed said politely.
“Yes, they are! They're from Earth, agents of Satan come to destroy us."
“Oh?” the Anointed said again. “What makes you think so?"
“I've visited their capital, and they told me as much. They have the lost arts-they have an airship, they have machine guns, and they're fabulously wealthy. They're expanding rapidly; it won't be more than two years before they start nibbling away at your own southeastern territories. They've already taken Little St. Peter, and St. Peter itself is a part of your domain, isn't it?"
“It is-but if I were concerned with Little St. Peter we'd have taken that, too. Still… agents of Satan, you say?"
“Their women are wantons, their men cowards; their leader is a woman. The towns they ‘protect’ become soft and decadent. They have no faith-they insist their client towns accept any sort of heresy."
The Anointed nodded. “And your people intend to put a stop to these abominations?"
“With your help, yes."
“You propose to put an end to your plans for a war against my people?"
“We propose an alliance until the last of the People of Heaven is destroyed; I can't promise any more than that."
“And if I accept such an alliance, whose command would our armies fight under?"
John glanced at Peter and Habakkuk, then turned back to the Anointed. “That remains to be negotiated."
“I see.” He nodded again. “Is that everything?"
The True Worders looked at one another. “I think so,” John said."
“All right, then. You folks can wait in the yard; I need to pray and talk to my advisors. I'll let you know my decision before supper. God be with you.” He pushed his swollen body up out of the chair and plodded heavily from the room.
The Chosen guards herded the True Worders unceremoniously out before they could protest, out to the yard in front of the Anointed's house where rows of benches were available for petitioners.
After a moment of rebelliousness, John shrugged and sat down. He was in the enemy camp; he had no say here. He could not even use the standard diplomatic threat of war to demand better treatment, since what he wanted most of all was to avoid a war against the Chosen.
Miriam sat beside him, pressing up close; startled, John turned and looked at her, even as Habakkuk and the others, noticing her actions, discreetly took benches well away from the pair. She smiled winningly.
“What do you think you're doing?” he asked quietly.
“Oh, I'm just enjoying myself,” she replied in a near-whisper.
“You are?"
“Sure-I knew you were a coward and a hypocrite all along, and it's nice to have proof."
John felt his face going red, and glanced at Habakkuk. Habakkuk politely looked the other way; he had seen the red and assumed that his captain was blushing at something the girl had suggested.
“A coward?"
“Yes, a coward. You claim that you command an army of the Lord's own men, the only followers of the true religion on all Godsworld, but before you go up against the Heaveners-men you called decadent weaklings-you want to make sure you've got the help of the biggest bunch of heretics around. The big brave warrior!"
“They have machine guns,” he reminded her.
“A lot of good that did Marshside!"
Annoyed, he pushed her away and sat brooding silently.
The sun was well down the western sky when a messenger summoned them back into the Anointed's presence.
“I've decided,” the Anointed said without preliminaries, “that I can't afford to risk my people by getting them into a war that's none of our business. You may be right about the threat these heathens present, but we'll just have to trust in the Lord to protect us. We won't join your alliance.” He paused, watching the True Worders’ faces for reactions, then went on, “However, since these ‘People of Heaven’ may be a real threat someday, we will swear to remain neutral in any war you poor heretics may wage against them; we won't harm any of you so long as you fight the Heaveners.” He shifted in his seat and leaned forward. “In fact, we'd be glad to arrange a truce, whether you fight the Heaveners or not, so that our two peoples won't be weakened by fighting each other, such that the Heaveners could wipe us both out later."
John said, “I hope you'll reconsider…"
The Anointed interrupted him. “Boy, when I speak from this cathedra, it's final-I don't reconsider. You got that?"
John opened his mouth, then closed it again and nodded.
“Good. We've got a couple of rooms for you down the street; you stay there tonight, but be out of the city by noon tomorrow. Got that?"
John nodded again.
“Good. Thanks for coming; tell your Elders to send me a message if they want that truce, and I'll lay off you as long as you fight the Heaveners, truce or not. Now, get out of here, and God be with you.” He waved, then sat back and watched as the True Worders departed.
The rooms were in a boarding house, but the matron refused to serve heretics, so that supper consisted of cold trail provisions. After everything was eaten and the food had had time to settle John, Habakkuk, Peter, and Miriam gathered in one room to talk-or rather, the three men were to talk; Miriam was just there.
“I don't like it,” Habakkuk said.
“Which part?” Peter asked.
“Any of it."
“The truce offer isn't bad."
“It's interesting, certainly,” John agreed.
“It's a trick of some kind,” Habakkuk insisted.
“I don't think so,” John said. “The Chosen have been careful about treaties; they don't break them without provocation. I think that the Anointed means what he says."
“Why? A few months ago the Chosen were practically begging for a war, blocking our trade routes, taking hostages… why would they want peace now?"