What? Go to such lengths to keep you alive? Sean, that was what it was all about. Keeping you alive. I warned you when you first reached Selzirk, but you never listened. It was one crazy thing after another. So I wanted to shock you, frighten you, leave you guessing. To end your conspiracy. It worked, didn't it? After a fashion.' 'After a fashion,' said Sarazin sullenly. 'But Jaluba?'
'When Bizzie cleared out your room she cleared out your whore as well. Jaluba was held incommunicado until I could get to work on her. I put the fear of hell into her, believe you me! When I was finished with her, she was more than happy to flee to the Rice Empire. I made it possible for her, of course. Escorts, gold… oh, it was all taken care of.' 'What about my bottle?' said Sarazin. 'Your bottle?' said Farfalla.
'I had a magic bottle,' said Sarazin, 'a kindle of dragons within.'
You had such stolen from you?' said Farfalla, in pitying tones. 'I wouldn't worry too much about it. Much is sold in Selzirk that is not what it seems. Maps of treasure cities, magic rings, enchanted lamps and such rubbish. All trash, as you would doubtless have found out in due course.'
You're right,' said Sarazin, 'it wasn't what it was cracked up to be. But it wasn't stolen, either. At least, not permanently. I got it back. From Glambrax. How come he took it from my quarters? Was he your creature too?'
'Oh, he did the odd job for me,' said Farfalla. 'We had some interesting conversations. But he wasn't my creature, no, I'd not call him that. He's your servant if he's anyone's. What happened was this. First Bizzie hustled Jaluba away. Then Bizzie took bard, book and documents from your room. Then she got hold of Glambrax and swore him to secrecy.' 'Why?'
'I'm telling you, aren't I?' said Farfalla. 'Don't be so impatient! She got an oath of secrecy from him, oh yes, a solemn oath, a binding oath. Then she told him Plovey would be raiding your quarters. If anything was hidden within, Plovey would likely find it. So Glambrax was to uncover it first and yield it up to Bizzie. We judged your dwarf privy to most of your secrets, even those few hidden from us.' 'And he did? He gave you… things from my room?'
'He didn't. He refused. He said he was sworn to secrecy but not to her service or mine. But Bizzie is a formidable operator, Sean – more than you'd ever guess! She forced another oath from Glambrax. He could take anything from your room, but he was not to give it back to you unless your life depended on it.' 'And he agreed?' 'His life would have been forfeit had he refused.' 'And Bizzie? Where is she now?'
'She's gone. She sailed for the west in the same ship which took Celadon, Peguero and young Jarnel. And Benthorn. Why do you ask, Sean? Do you want proof of my tale? Look! Here's proof!'
And, from round her neck, Farfalla took a bard.
'This is the bard, Sean. The one which was taken from your room. You can have it back, now.'
Sean Sarazin took the bard into his hands, then put it round his neck. Then said, in cold anger:
'You've used me. You've manipulated me. You never played straight with me. Thanks to you, a prince of the Favoured Blood was tortured, for we thought him guilty of theft. Thanks to you, Jaluba's dead.'
'Jaluba is dead,' said Farfalla bluntly, 'because you ordered her killed.' 'But I thought-'
"You set yourself up as judge, jury and executioner,' said Farfalla. You took upon yourself such responsibility. So why blame me?' 'I was not executioner,' muttered Sarazin. 'Who was?' 'Jarl.'
'Then you might,' said Farfalla, 'find what he's done with the woman's corpse, and see that it's decently buried or burnt.'
Then she turned on her heel and departed, leaving Sean Sarazin crushed, shaken, devastated. And alone with his guilt. Which was nearly unbearable.
Sean Sarazin sought for Thodric Jarl in the environs of the Lesser Tower of X-n'dix, but he was not there. So Sarazin went back through the underground passage from X-zox to the Willow Vale, and asked after Jarl at the Eastern Passage Gate.
He was told that Jarl had taken Jaluba to the shore, swearing that he would sacrifice her to the sea gods.
Sarazin took to horse and followed. Along the way he asked after Jarl and Jaluba. Yes, they had passed this way, riding together. Then, when he reached the shores of the Willow Vale, he asked after Jarl And was told that the Rovac warrior had comman- deered one of the few fishing boats operating from that coast, and had sailed away in it. 'But what did he do with the woman?' said Sarazin. He described the woman he was interested in. Jaluba.
His description was a good one, and there were several witnesses who could vouch for her fate. Thodric Jarl had married her there on the shores of the Willow Vale, and she had departed with him as his wife.
CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE
It lacked but three days to Midsummer's Day, but Sean Sarazin was sure he would never live to see his parents properly wed. He would be defeated, executed – burnt alive, perhaps. And those who remained loyal to him would die at his side. It was inevitable.
The enemy had followed up their raid with an invasion in force. The invading forces had marched up the Willow Vale to attack the Eastern Passage Gate. After brutal combat, the enemy had stormed the fortifications defend- ing the gate.
Now the enemy were in X-zox. They had won precious little so far, for Sarazin had burnt all the villages of X-zox rather than let them fall into enemy hands. All stocks of food had been brought into the Lesser Tower, or had gone with the noncombatants whom Sarazin had sent into the mountains.
If the consequent disappointment had dampened the enemy's spirit, their performance showed no sign of it.
They had assaulted the Lesser Tower three times already, and three times they had been beaten back. Epelthin Elkin had encompassed their defeat. The wizard of Ebber had thrice surpassed himself – but at a cost. Elkin now lay unconscious in bed, struck down by a stroke. They would get no more help from him.
And, when the enemy attacked for a fourth time, Sarazin was sure that the Lesser Tower would fall.
Sarazin remembered what Lord Regan had told him so long ago in the Sunrise Gardens in Voice:
'Remember, we create ourselves. Always remember that. We have free will so we are entirely responsible for ourselves. Everything happens to us by our own choice. Never forget that.' He wondered. -Did I choose this? And realised that he had.
That was a bitter irony indeed. He now had everything he had once longed for, fought for, struggled for. He was ruler of his own kingdom, master of his own castle, head of his own army, liege-lord of valorous men. And this was going to prove his death. For he lacked the strength to hold it.
Thodric Jarl must have seen as much, otherwise why would the Rovac warrior have fled? Surely not just out of love for Jaluba.
– Though I once thought the world would have been well lost for such a woman.
True, Jarl had hated Elkin bitterly. But Sarazin doubted that either love or hate could have compelled him to flee.
– It was doom, that was what drove him. -He never swore himself to my service. My error. I never demanded an oath of loyalty. -But would he have given it had I demanded? Somehow, Sarazin doubted it.
The enemy would conquer then Sean Sarazin would die, his mother would die, his father would die, those who trusted him and honoured him would die. All dead, all slaughtered, all doomed. What was the alternative? There was none.
But a few could perhaps escape. Yes. A fighting retreat over the mountains might do it. Pursuit would be difficult. -Besides, it's me the enemy want. Sarazin thought it through.
At last, he realised he had no alternative. He sought out Heth, judging Heth to be the man to lead the retreat. Sarazin himself would stay, fighting a rearguard action.
– Fox and Farfalla at least may live. If they live, then not all is lost.