The King Beyond the Gate

Galand shook his head and chuckled. 'I'm not getting into this,' he said.

'I like the dark one,' said Parsal, unabashed.

They made camp in a shallow cave. Renya ate sparingly and then walked out into the night to watch the stars. Tenaka joined her and they sat together, wrapped in his cloak.

He told her of Illae and Ventria and the beauty of the desert. And while he spoke he stroked her arm and her back, and kissed her hair.

'I cannot say if I love you,' he said suddenly.

She smiled. 'Then do not say it.'

'You don't mind?'

She shook her head and kissed him, curling her arm up and around is neck.

You are a fool, Tenaka Khan, she thought. A wonderful, loving fool!

6

The black man was enjoying himself. Two of the robbers were down and another five remained. He hefted the short iron bar and twirled the chain attached to it. A tall man with a quarterstaff leapt forward and the black man's hand flashed out, the chain whipping round the staff. As he tugged, his attacker stumbled — into a crunching left upper-cut. He slumped to the ground.

Two of the remaining four robbers dropped their clubs, pulling curved daggers from their belts. The other two ran back into the trees, fetching longbows.

This was getting serious. Up to now the black man had killed no one, but that would have to change. He discarded the mace and pulled two throwing knives from his boots.

'Do you really want to die?' he asked them, his voice deep and sonorous.

'No one is going to die,' said a voice from the left and he turned. Two more men stood at the edge of the trees; both had bows bent, aimed at the outlaws.

'A timely intervention!' commented the black man. 'They killed my horse.'

Tenaka gently released the pressure on the bowstring and came forward.

'Put it down to experience,' he told the man. Then he turned to the outlaws. 'I suggest you put away your weapons — the fight is over.'

'He was more trouble that he was worth, anyway,' said the leader, walking over to check the fallen.

'They are all alive,' said the black man, replacing his knives and collecting the mace chain.

A scream sounded from the woods and the outlaw leader jerked to his feet.

Galand, Parsal and Belder moved into view.

'You were right, general,' said Galand. 'There were two more of them creeping in.'

'Did you kill them?' asked Tenaka.

'No. Sore heads, though!'

Tenaka swung to the outlaw. 'Are we likely to have any more trouble with you?'

'You are not going to ask for my word, are you?' replied the man.

'Is it worth anything?'

'Sometimes!'

'No, I don't want your word. Do as you please. But the next time we meet, I will see you all dead. That is my word!'

'The word of a barbarian,' said the man. He hawked and spat.

Tenaka grinned. 'Exactly so.' Turning his back, he walked back to Ananais and then on into the trees. Valtaya had prepared a fire and was talking to Scaler. Renya, dagger in hand, returned to the clearing as Tenaka arrived; he smiled at her. The others followed, except Galand who was keeping an eye on the outlaws.

The black man arrived last, carrying two saddlebags across one broad shoulder. He was tall and very powerful, dressed in a tight-fitting tunic of blue silk under a sheepskin cloak. Valtaya had never seen anyone like him, though she had heard stories of dark races far to the east.

'Greetings to you, my friends,' he said, dumping his saddlebags to the ground. 'Many blessings be upon you all!'

'Will you eat with us?' asked Tenaka.

'That is kind, but I have my own provisions.'

'Where are you headed?' asked Ananais as the black man delved into his bags, pulling out two apples which he polished on his tunic.

'I am visiting your fine land. I have no set destination for the moment.'

'Where are you from?' asked Valtaya.

'A far way, my lady, many thousand of leagues east of Ventria.'

'You are on a pilgrimage?' enquired Scaler.

'You could say that. I have a small mission to perform and then I shall return home to my family.'

'How are you called?' asked Tenaka.

'I fear my name would be difficult to you to pronounce. However, one of the robbers called me something that touched a chord. You may call be Pagan.'

'I am Tenaka Khan.' Swiftly he introduced the others.

Ananais held out his hand; Pagan took it in a firm clasp and their eyes met. Tenaka leaned back, watching them. Both men were from the same mould, immensely powerful and inordinately proud. They were like two prize bulls, each gauging the other.

'Your mask is dramatic,' said Pagan.

'Yes. It makes us look like brothers, black man,' replied Ananais and Pagan chuckled, a deep rolling sound full of good humour.

'Then brothers we are, Ananais!' he said.

Galand appeared and moved to Tenaka. 'They've gone north. I don't think they will be back.'

'Good! That was fine work back there.' Galand nodded and moved to sit beside his brother. Renya signalled to Tenaka and the two of them moved away from the fire.

'What is it?' he asked.

'The black man.'

'What about him?'

'He carries more weapons than anyone I have ever seen. He has two knives in his boots; a sword and two bows that he left in the trees back there. And there's a broken axe under his horse. He's like a one-man army.'

'So?'

'Did we meet him by accident?'

'You think he might be hunting us?'

'I don't know. But he is a killer, I can sense it. His pilgrimage has to do with death. And Ananais doesn't like him.'

'Don't worry,' he said softly.

'I am not Nadir, Tenaka. I'm not a fatalist.'

'Is that all that's worrying you?'

'No. Now you mention it — the two brothers; they don't like us. We don't belong together and we are none of us close — just a group of strangers thrown together by events.'

'The brothers are strong men and good warriors. I know about these things. I also know they regard me with suspicion, but there's nothing I can do about that. It has always been the way. But we share a common goal. And they will come to trust me. Belder and Scaler? I don't know. But they will do us no harm. And as for Pagan — if he is hunting me, I will kill him.'

'If you can!'

He smiled. 'Yes. If l can.'

'You make it sound easy. I don't see it that way.'

'You worry too much. The Nadir way is better: tackle each problem as it arises and worry about nothing.'

'I shall never forgive you if you let yourself be killed,' she said.

'Then you watch out for me, Renya. I trust your instincts — I mean that, truly. You are right about Pagan. He is a killer and he may be hunting us. It will be interesting to see what action he now takes.'

'He will offer to travel with us,' she said.

'Yes, but that would make sense. He is a stranger in our land and has already been attacked once.'

'We should refuse him. We are conspicuous enough with your giant friend and his black mask. But to add a black man in blue silk?'

'Yes. The gods — if such there be — are in humorous mood today.'

'I am not laughing,' said Renya.

* * *

Tenaka awoke from a dreamless sleep, his eyes flaring open and fear touching him like a cold caress. He rose to his feet. The moon was unnaturally bright, glowing like an eldritch lantern, and the branches of trees rustled and swayed though there was no breath of wind.

He looked around him — his companions were all sleeping. Then he glanced down and shock hit him hard: his own body lay there, wrapped in its blankets. He began to shiver.

Was this death?

Of all the cruel jests fate could play. .

A faint stirring, like the memory of yesterday's breeze, caused him to turn. At the edge of the trees stood six men in dark armour, their black swords in their hands. They advanced on him, spreading out in a half-circle. Tenaka reached for his own blade but could not touch it; his hand passed through the hilt as if it were mist.