thus threatening an immediate detonation of laughter, and forcing both voyeurs to withdraw to the cellar, where they could allow their mirth its free and unrestricted expression. Their laughter was not just a response to the human comedy: it was also a form of revenge. For these two women, who endured all the minor and major humiliations that slave status brought, there was something exquisite in the spectacle of this high-caste lord and his high-caste lady pawing each other's bodies, licking each other, sharing saliva, and first baby-talking then swearing and imploring as they struggled toward the brink of the apotheosis of friction.
It was only in her dreams that Yen Olass knew she envied them.
It lasted for a month. Then the lovers were betrayed. The text-master Eldegen Terzanagel went to see Lord Alagrace, and told all – or nearly all. Terzanagel did not admit that he had been blackmailed, but simply said that Haveros had threatened him.
'You have my sympathies,' said Lord Alagrace, knowing that Haveros was a determined and sometimes violent man.
'My lord
'We will arrest him, of course.' 'But
'But what?’
'His friends will still be…’
'Are you afraid of revenge?' said Lord Alagrace. 'I won't call you as a witness when I grant him his trial. If we can catch him in the building with the Princess Quenerain, that will be enough.’
'But he will know – or guess. And his friends… my lord, I request permission to… to absent myself from Gendormargensis while this
Sensing that the text-master was truly afraid, Lord Alagrace gave him permission to make a journey to the south-east, to inspect the archives in the Atka Castle at Port Domax. As Port Domax was a free port beyond the rule of the Collosnon Empire, there would then be nothing to stop Terzanagel going further if he wished – but Lord Alagrace did not care.
Lord Alagrace provided the text-master with horses and travel documents, together with some money for the journey, and a squad of league riders to accompany him on the first stage of his travels.
Lord Alagrace went to this trouble because he believed that justice should be done, if that was at all possible; that those who witnessed crimes should be encouraged to come forward, and should be protected when they did; and that the Lawmaker should go to special pains to prosecute criminals in positions of high responsibility, for they have betrayed a trust as well as breaking the law.
To him, it was a source of secret shame and sorrow that he found himself forced to manipulate justice on occasion for the most cynical of political purposes. However, this did not make him more tolerant; instead, he became even more determined to perfect the processes of the law as they applied to other people.
And so it came to pass that the text-master Eldegen Terzanagel slipped out of Gendormargensis one evening with his slave girl Nuana Nanalako. Accompanied by their military escort, they rode through the night, and by morning they were well and truly launched on a journey which, of course, would not end at Port Domax, but would take them south by sea to Ashmolea and then to the Stepping Stone Islands, where Terzanagel would be able to complete his researches into the life and works of Saba Yavendar, creator of the Winesong.
When morning came, Yen Olass arrived at Tangzkez Nesh – and found Lord Alagrace waiting for her. He briefed her, cautioned her and calmed her fears, and asked some questions. Yen Olass showed him where he could hide and watch.
Haveros arrived a little later.
'Nuana!' said Yen Olass. 'Our visitor's here.' She went into the empty kitchen and picked up a bowl of water.
'Thank you, Nuana.’
She returned to Haveros, bearing the bowl of water. He washed his face, then withdrew to change his clothes. When the Princess Quenerain arrived, Haveros was waiting in the sleeping quarters. The princess said nothing to Yen Olass, but went straight in. They were always just a little rushed for time, because Haveros always had to inspect a ceremonial guard at noon, and the Princess Quenerain had to conduct a service of the Rite of Purification at the same time – and Yen Olass herself often had an appointment with a patron in the later part of the morning.
From the observation point, Lord Alagrace watched. He did not interrupt the couple: he wanted to see. He had to see to believe. When they were finished, Lord Alagrace retreated; Yen Olass showed him the way out.
The Princess Quenerain left first. Lord Alagrace made no move to stop her, but, when she had gone, he stormed Tangzkez Nesh, leading a force of twenty league riders who had been ordered to kill anyone who resisted. Lord Alagrace hoped Haveros would put up a fight and die in combat, thus sparing the city and the regime the shame of a public trial. But Haveros, too much in love with his life to commit suicide, surrendered without a struggle.
Lord Alagrace visited him later in the East Tower Jail.
'Why?' said Lord Alagrace.
And Haveros, his hands and feet in shackles, made no reply, but looked out of the window at the world beyond, where the wind kicked up waves on the river and the clouds clawed south.
'Why her?' said Lord Alagrace. 'The city is full of slaves and whores. So why her?’
'Love,' said Haveros.
When a grown man talks of love, there is no hope for him; Lord Alagrace turned away in disgust. 'I raped her,' said Haveros.
'Who believes that?' 'The people will.’
'Khmar won't,' said Lord Alagrace. 'And even if he did
The Lord Emperor Khmar would be extremely angry if Lord Alagrace was to execute Haveros just for a little matter like rape, particularly when the only supporting evidence was a confession which Khmar would never believe.
'If you don't want to punish me,' said Haveros, 'why did you arrest me?’
'So that justice can be done. Nobody can be allowed to stand outside the law.’
'But now you've arrested me, you're too frightened to enforce that law,' said Haveros. 'You're a coward.’
Lord Alagrace bowed his head. It was true. He had really expected Haveros to fight and die in Tangzkez Nesh – had really expected that a sense of honour would compel the warrior to meet his death at swordpoint. He had not anticipated the complications of a trial.
When Haveros and Chonjara had fought earlier in the year, they had brought trouble upon themselves by quarrelling in the public eye. But when Haveros had conducted his affair with the Princess Quenerain, he had been entirely discreet. The public disclosure of the affair was Lord Alagrace's responsibility, and the Lord Emperor Khmar was likely to see that as a case of his Sharla Lawmaker making war on Yarglat clansmen. If Lord Alagrace had Haveros executed, Khmar was likely to delete his head with a hammer.
'If you think you've made a mistake,' said Haveros, 'then let me go. Forget about it. I can, if you will.’
'Not possible,' said Lord Alagrce. 'Chonjara's heard of your arrest.’
'Oh.’
There was no need to say more. If Lord Alagrace abandoned the trial, Chonjara would protest, and the law would be brought into disrepute. More seriously, Chonjara might challenge Lord Alagrace, giving him a choice between public shame and death. If Lord Alagrace followed the matter through and allowed it to come to trial, he was likely to incur the wrath of the Lord Khmar.
There was no way out.
Or was there?
'A dralkosh,' said Lord Alagrace. 'What?' said Haveros.
'The mob has a woman in a cage in the northern marketplace. They're going to stone her to death tomorrow.' 'Then she's got nothing to lose.' 'They're going to stone her baby, too.' 'Ah,' said Haveros.
Sensing hope. He would live; he would be free of these shackles, free to rejoin the world of horses and women, wine and song.
