«You are quite right about the Pendari's courage. They may not have much discipline of the kind that has made Lanyr, but they have courage and they will fight long and hard. In such a fight their whole land will be terribly devastated. You must know what happens to those who resist the efforts of the Empire to bring them under its just rule. You can spare the people of Pendar all this fighting and death.» The general was allowing for the possibility that Blade might be truly loyal to the Pendari. He was holding out the possibility of saving the Pendari by betraying them. Blade found it hard to keep a thin smile off his face.
But his expression was sober as he replied. «All these words are very pretty to hear. The Lanyri have as great a skill in word-spinning as they do in fighting. But you have not told me what you would like to see me do. Perhaps it is time you spoke of that.»
From the expression that lit up Ornilan's face, Blade knew he had struck the right tone at the right moment. Ornilan would never make a poker player. He face telegraphed every emotion in him, and he would lose his shirt in every game.
«Consider,» said Ornilan. «You are the Pendarnoth, the Father of the Pendari, the man who rides the Golden Steed, who fulfills the oldest and greatest myth of a foolish people much given to such myths. You have enormous power among them. What would happen if you rode back to Vilesh and proclaimed that you had just had a vision?»
«That would depend on what kind of vision I said I had. What are you suggesting?» Blade was trying to balance his voice between skepticism and curiosity.
«Let us say-a vision that the Lanyri come as friends to the Pendari, and should not be resisted?»
The contempt in Blade's laugh was entirely real. «Are you serious, General Ornilan? And I thought you were also an intelligent man.» Ignoring the swift hardening of Ornilan's face, he went on. «It would be a miracle if I lived two days after saying something like that. The Pendari are determined to fight you, whether they have any hope of winning or not. And they believe they can win.» This drew a short burst of laughter from Ornilan. Blade shrugged. «I know what you Lanyri think. But that doesn't make any difference here. What counts is what the Pendari think. And they are certain they can win.»
Blade stood up and in his turn began to pace around the room. He was trying to look tense, concerned, and sincere all at the same time. «As long as they are certain they can win, they will try to fight. And it will be dangerous for anyone, even the Pendarnoth, to try to persuade them not to fight. I have not lived as long as I have by running into dangerous situations, at least not without some prospect of reward.»
The word «reward» made Ornilan stop and almost glow all over, as if Blade had just offered him a ton of Pendari gold. Then the general clasped his hands behind his back tightly, as if he were trying to bottle up his delight. «We can manage a reward. Indeed we can manage a reward great enough to make any man interested. We can…»
«I want specific terms,» said Blade sharply. «No more fine words. They may glitter like Pendari gold, but they are like so much mountain rock when it comes to being worth anything.»
For the first time Blade wondered if he had gone too far. Ornilan's face went first pale, then red. His voice grated as he said, «You set yourself very high for an adventurer, my friend. That will not improve your chances among the Lanyri, let me tell you.»
«Tell me something I don't already know,» snapped Blade. «Tell me why I should expect any chance among the Pendari if I go along with your proposals. And tell me what the Lanyri will do to me that the Pendari will not if they detect this change of loyalties and… ah… let us say, resent it.»
Ornilan was not too angry to recognize the sense of Blade's words. His face returned to its normal color. «I understand what you mean. Very well, I will be precise. When we have conquered Pendar, you will be second viceroy. You will have free run of the women and gold of Pendar, a palace of your own, command of Pendari and perhaps even Lanyri troops-power and wealth greater than that of many kings.»
«Who is going to be first viceroy? I must be able to work with him. Otherwise my gilded bed in Pendar may prove a bed of nails.»
Ornilan grinned. «Have you been around the royal palace in Vilesh so long without knowing that? The High Councilor Klerus is our man, body and soul-at least for the moment.» Ornilan did not want to put into words what Blade could easily see was in his mind. Klerus would be reliable as long as he needed the Lanyri. But after that? He might dream of the Pendari forgiving his treachery if he offered to lead them in revolt against Lanyri rule. If such a revolt succeeded, Klerus would be truly king, ruler of an independent Pendar, not just a satrap of the Lanyri. It was certainly an idea that would occur to Klerus, if it had not already.
«That also I have heard,» said Blade. «But I find it hard to believe, considering the number of times that Klerus has tried to have me killed or at least made powerless.»
Ornilan shrugged. «He is sometimes too eager. He no doubt thought you were an enemy at the time. I can understand what he tried to do.»
«I can understand it, too,» said Blade irritably. «But I cannot endure it any longer if I am to cooperate with you. And certainly not if I am to cooperate with Klerus. Am I, by the way?»
«Let us say that you will work in parallel but not hand-in-hand,» said the general. «We cannot raise you above Klerus, for he would become jealous. We cannot put you under Klerus, for then you would be able to see only with his eyes and hear only with his ears. We want you to use your own wisdom in this matter.» A polite way of saying that he should spy on Klerus. With pleasure!
«Very well,» said Blade. «But you must send word to Klerus that I am no longer an enemy. That will keep him from trying to kill me. That way he can also protect me if the Pendari begin to suspect that I am no longer on their side. And finally, he can keep watch over me and in case I change my mind… well, he has his methods, I am sure.»
Blade managed to avoid holding his breath while waiting for Ornilan to answer this last speech. Here was the critical point. If Ornilan agreed and reported the agreement to Klerus, it would for the moment wipe out Klerus' suspicions of the Pendarnoth. And Blade had no intention of giving Klerus more than a moment after he returned to Vilesh. He would strike fast and hard and finally, and not even King Nefus or Princess Harima would know in advance. Besides, being in the good graces of Ornilan would make the escape and the return to Vilesh much easier.
Blade saw Ornilan walk the whole length of the headquarters several times before he replied. «Very well, Pendarnoth. I understand all the reasons you give me. I particularly like the last one. If you are treacherous, Klerus will indeed find ways of dealing with you. Ways you will not like.» Ornilan turned away from Blade and walked back to the table where his papers and maps were scattered. He picked up a pen and began writing on a piece of parchment.
«I will give orders for you to be kept in comfort here until I send a message to Klerus. We now have very reliable methods of sending messages to Vilesh, so it should take no more than a week.» Ornilan grinned, showing all his teeth, and for a moment Blade was reminded of a skull. Then the general shouted an order, and half a dozen Lanyri soldiers tumbled into the room and led Blade away.
Ornilan kept at least part of his promise to Blade. Blade's quarters were not merely comfortable, they were positively luxurious. They even provided him with a choice of bed companions. Of both sexes, he noted-homosexuality was a popular vice among the Lanyri. Blade turned the men out-politely, except for one who became so insistent that Blade finally kicked him through the door-but kept a number of the women. No doubt Ornilan had ideas of getting information from Blade. But Blade in turn had ideas of getting information about the location and layout of the camp from the women. After ten days, Blade suspected that he had been more successful than Ornilan.