The man suddenly went from rage-lividity to the color of fresh curds, and Captain Rahb Vawn frowned, saying, “He’s guilty as sin, Lord Grahvos, that’s as plain as fresh horse biscuits on a winter snow. Such a whirl is his mind in just now, though, it’s hard to sift out facts. Can you delve any deeper, Gil?”
Captain of Elephants Gil Djohnz closed his eyes for a moment and then spoke. “I get the impression that while he himself did none of the killings, he paid others to do them, especially a stout, thickly bearded man called Yohseefos . . . something like that, anyway.”
“Lieutenant . . . ?” called Grahvos.
When that worthy stood before him, the eldest thoheeks returned his salute and ordered, “Take a detachment, go back to the camp of Lord Hahkmukos and seek out a stout man with a thick beard and a name on the order of Yohseefos.”
But before the young officer could even answer, the miserable thoheeks-designate barked a harsh laugh. “If all you had by way of proof of these groundless charges against me was the unsupported word of that bastard, then know that your man here killed him outside my tent before he forced his way in and brought me here. Other credulous men may believe in these barbarians who are said to be able to read minds and commune with dumb beasts, but I do not, nor does any rational, civilized man.
“With this usurper in the camp, in your power, why not just kill him and get it over with? With the army camped out in plain view and with his head on a lance, I doubt that any or many would offer fight to my guards as I ride into my city.”
“For one thing,” answered Grahvos, “it never has been my habit to dishonor myself or a sacred truce with murder, though I would assume you hold a different philosophy. For another thing, after these last weeks of closer association with you than I could ever have desired, I am far from certain that Council would want such a thing as you in power of any description within our realm.”
“Like it or not,” sneered Hahkmukos, “Iam thoheeks, and by your oaths you and this army are required to put me in power in this duchy, for I am, after all, my father’s son and my father was the half brother of the sire of the last thoheeks of direct descent of the House of Ahndros.”
Komees Klaios snorted. “If you truly believe that statement, then you’re the only one in this duchy who does! Although your late father was a decent, hardworking man who did the best he could by you and your brothers, his mother was widely known as an arrant whore, such as my wife’s great-grandfather used to cart to his palace in troops to entertain his guests at drunken brawls several times each year.”
“You lie!” snarled Hahkmukos heatedly. “My father was recognized the half brother of the late thoheeks.”
“Not so!” replied thekomees. “When the boy was four or five years old, the sire of the late thoheeks chanced to see him, noted his face and remarked only that he clearly was come ofan Ahndros man; he then ordered that when the boy came of age, he should be given enough gold to set himself up in a business or a trade. He was a most generous and kindly thoheeks; he
didas much for full many a commoner in his lands during his lifetime. That your sire and his mother chose to take the largesse of the old thoheeks to mean an acknowledgment of his paternity was known for long, hereabouts. She was laughed at by other whores and by everyone else, but because he was liked, people only smiled behind their hands whenever he mentioned his supposed close relationship with our late thoheeks.
“You know, gentlemen, if this thing’s father still were alive, I doubt not but that many of the older folk of all stations would be willing to accept him as a city-lord, if not as thoheeks, but not his eldest son, not this creature. Force me out, kill me, if you wish—for—as he just pointed out, I am within your power—but even without me, you will find to your chagrin that neither the nobles nor the commoners will accept Hahkmukos as thoheeks in peace. All of them remember how Hahkmukos left Ahndropolis, years agone, and they will never supinely submit to the rule of a parricide, nor will all of your armies of armed men be able to place him securely in Ahndropolis until all its folk are done to death!”
With a scream, Hahkmukos ripped the lieutenant’s sword from its sheath and, brandishing the blade high, hurled himself at the unarmedkomees, the cloak sliding from off his shoulders to show his body naked save for a pair of soft ankle boots and his golden jewelry.
He did not get far in his impetuous attack, however. Captain of Elephants Gil Djohnz thrust out a leg and tripped him neatly, then quick-moving Portos planted a heavy booted foot athwart the downed man’s neck while bending to pry the beringed fingers loose from the swordhilt.
“You want to see blood, do you, Hahkmukos?” Icicles hung from Portos’ words, and his tone was frigid as a mountain blizzard. “Then I suggest that we settle this business of claimants in the ancient Ehleen custom, gentlemen: let Hahkmukos meet thekomees at swords’ points in a death match, winner to take all. Will you fight him, Lord Klaios?”
“Gladly, my lord,” Klaios said, grim-faced. “Return my sword and loan mea panoply and shield and I’ll fight him with great pleasure.”
“No need to be so precipitate, gentlemen,” said Grahvos. “A man fights more comfortably in his own panoply. Let the other gentleman return into the city and fetch back your gear, Lord Klaios. You two can do your combat on that little plain just beyond the main gates of Ahndropolis—that way, more of your folk can watch it and so be witness to God’s decision in the matter at hand.
“It was a very good, a very fitting suggestion, Portos. My wits must be slowing with age or I’d’ve thought of itmyself .”
Turning to the lieutenant, he said, “Help the thoheeks-designate up, drape him in his cloak again, and escort him back to his tent. There help him to dress and to arm, then bring him back here. Oh, and fetch back a brace of his guards to be his arming-men for the fight, for I doubt if any gentleman in this pavilion would care for that ‘honor.’ You might bring him back mounted, for we’ll all have to ride out to the site of the fight.”
When they had gone, Grahvos seated himself again and called for ewers of wine to refill the goblets and mugs. After they all were again brimming and the servants padded out, he asked, “Lord Klaios, what is the story on this parricide business? That’s a weighty charge, as I’m certain you are aware. A claimant to a title or to lands must swear powerful oaths that he never has done such, save accidentally, in the heat of a large battle, and Hahkmukos so swore before the assembled Council. If he perjured himself, then we must know.”
Thekomees set aside his goblet and shrugged. “No one ever proved it, my lord, Hahkmukos was never declared outlaw, you understand, but the late thoheeks did make it clear to him that he would assuredly be made to suffer for it if ever he returned to this duchy while still he was lord here.
“When she who had been Hahkmukos’ mother died, his sire remarried; of course, this was while Hahkmukos was away being given a gentleman’s education at his sire’s expense. When he returned, his sire put him to work in his shop. Then, of a day, his new young wife apprehended her stepson in the act of forcibly abusing one of his little half brothers in the way of his kind, whereupon Hahkmukos clubbed herdown, all but slew her on the spot.
“Her screams brought her husband and a brace of his customers from the shop into the living quarters, and after the raging young man had been subdued and the wife revived, and her story and that of the child had been heard and witnessed, the sire became enraged and made a sincere effort to kill or at least do serious damage to his eldest son, but his customers—both of them old friends of the sire—restrained him from doing more than beating the miscreant within an inch of his life.