how far distant? Who saw them? Do they come by road or by forest?'
They march down the North Road, my lord. Some charcoal burners sighted them yesterday at dusk. They went not near enough to count them but hastened to Shin by night. Ere the sun rose they persuaded the ferrymen to bring them across the river that they might give us the news. They ask now for reward.'
'Hold them!' said Sarazin. 'Death will reward them if they've told us untruths. Where is Jarl?' Yes, and breakfast!' said Amantha.
'Breakfast is coming, my lady, coming soon,' said the servant, obviously more fearful of Amantha than he was of Sarazin – something scarcely calculated to improve Sarazin's temper. 'Jarl!' said Sarazin. Where is Jarl?' 'He is nowhere to be found, my lord.' 'Then get Glambrax,' said Sarazin. 'Glambrax?' 'My dwarf, you fool!'
In preparation for the wedding, at which he had thought he might possibly get drunk, Sarazin had given his ring of invisibility, his magic mudstone, his dragon bottle and his green candle into the care of the dwarf. In the event, Sarazin had stayed sober, so this precaution against drunken accidents had been unnecessary. However, Glambrax still had charge of Sarazin's magic.
And Glambrax, it seemed, had made himself very scarce indeed. Shortly, however, Thodric Jarl was found, lying dead drunk in one of the stables. Ear-pulling, rib-kicking and a dousing with cold water failed to rouse him. Further- more, Jarl's condition was far from unique. Few men were fit for battle as all had celebrated Sarazin's wedding feast in uproarious style.
Sarazin swore in his most soldierly fashion then assembled the few capable men at his command.
We ride on patrol,' said Sarazin. 'If those from the west are friendly then all is well. If not, then we will return to the Great House and flee forthwith.'
The ferrymen took Sarazin and his patrol across the Velvet River to the start of the North Road, a wide trail of mud with forest uprising on either side. Soon Sarazin was leading his men westward. It might be that they rode to their deaths, yet none of their demeanour admitted dismay.
They had not gone far when they sighted a single avant- courier. The man drew rein when he saw them. Whereupon Sarazin cried, in a loud voice: Who is it who marches on the realm of Chenameg?' 'Me!' answered a voice which was not entirely unfamiliar. It was his brother Celadon.
Sarazin rode forward. Then the two brothers sat on their horses eyeing each other with disfavour. They did not know each other very well for their past acquaintance had been but short. However, what they knew they disliked.
To Sarazin, Celadon was an uncouth militarist whose concern for the future was strictly limited to the provenance of his next beer and his next whore. To Celadon, Sarazin was a severe embarrassment, a wildly reckless adventurer whose self-serving ambition threatened the careers (if not the very lives) of everyone who had the misfortune to be related to him.
'What,' said Sarazin, opening the hostilities, 'are you doing here? Moreover, how many men do you have at your back?'
'I have four hundred men,' said Celadon, 'and I ride to ensure the lawful succession of the throne of Chenameg.' 'That has been decided already,' said Sarazin, 'for I have married the fair princess Amantha and am myself king in Chenameg.' You!' said Celadon, gaping.
Yes,' said Sarazin proudly, pleased with the obvious impact his new status was making on his brother. Then Celadon said:
You're mad! Mad, yes, and shortly dead, unless you flee. 'Tis well I rode first. With no witness to this warning I can let you escape. I thought you ready for some lunacy – but never something so witless as this!'
'Have a care how you speak,' said Sarazin, a warning in his voice, 'for you are talking to a king.'
'Tarkal is king, fool!' said Celadon. 'He rides in our ranks.' And Celadon explained.
Celadon had of course been sent to Selzirk with news that King Lyra wished Sarazin to remain in Shin for Lod's trial. Unbeknownst to Sarazin, King Lyra had also given Celadon secret dispatches complaining of the activities of outlaws, brigands and anarchists, and asking Selzirk to send Celadon back to Shin in due course with a force sufficient to restore law to the countryside.
Celadon had left Selzirk on Midwinter's Day, which was, in Shin, the first day of the Phoenix Festival.
When King Lyra died on the second day of the Phoenix Festival there had been fighting between men loyal to Tarkal and those loyal to Lod, as Sarazin knew well. The fighting had been inconclusive, and, while Tarkal had won temporary control of Shin, he had been uncertain of his ability to hold the city.
Therefore Tarkal had evacuated Shin and had set off for the Harvest Plains, ferrying every man, woman, child and servant within his power to cross the Velvet River to the North Road then marching them westward. Lod had pursued all the way, and many of the evacuees had died on the slow and bitter retreat.
Then the sore-pressed Tarkal had met Celadon's men, who had been advancing eastward along the North Road at a leisurely pace. Celadon, with gusto, treated Sarazin to a sanguinary account of the action which had followed.
Tod may well be dead,' concluded Celadon, 'though we have not seen his corpse. But Tarkal is definitely alive, and my duty is clear. As he is King Lyra's oldest son I must see him seated on Chenameg's throne.' You have no authority to do so,' said Sarazin savagely.
'On the contrary, I have every authority,' said Celadon. Tvly warrant for this foray into Chenameg commands me to obey King Lyra, or, in the event of his death, his son Tarkal.' 'But I am king!'
'Then Selzirk will kill you on that account if you allow yourself to be captured,' said Celadon, 'for Selzirk sees fit to order the succession in Shin.'
What cause has Selzirk to meddle in the affairs of Chenameg?' demanded Sarazin.
That is for our rulers to say,' said Celadon. 'I am but a simple soldier and do what I am told. So far, brother mine, I do not know you have made yourself king. We did not meet here, neither did we speak. But soon enough I will know all, then it will be my duty plain to hunt you down and drag you back to Selzirk in chains, there to meet the justice which will doubtless be your death.'
There was no time left for further argument, for Celadon's troops were not that far behind him. Sarazin therefore fled to Shin with his patrol. Once he was back on the southern bank of the Velvet River his first thought was to destroy all water transport. But the ferrymen refused to do the burning and sinking he ordered and his men refused to execute those ferrymen for disobedience.
Sarazin, realising what authority remained tb him was rapidly vanishing, ran to Amantha and broke the news to her.
'Therefore,' concluded Sarazin, 'we must flee. I think right on my side but cannot argue the point with Celadon and four hundred swords.' You flee,' said Amantha. 'I stay.' 'Come!' said Sarazin, imperiously.
'Don't be ridiculous,' said Amantha. Tm in the middle of breakfast, as you can see for yourself.' 'But,' said Sarazin, 'our lives will be forfeit if we stay.' Your life, perhaps,' said Amantha, 'not mine.' 'But – darling! We're married!'
'What's that got to do with the price of fish?' said Amantha. Tarkal is my brother and I await him here. Take your hands off that! That's my egg!' A pretty plight was Sean Sarazin's.
Jarl was still incapable, Glambrax was still missing, Amantha refused to be reasonable – so what was he to do? Run, obviously! But, as news of Tarkal's impending return had already spread through Shin, there was not one man – not one! – ready to ride with Sean Sarazin.
So Sarazin saddled the best horse left in Shin and rode forth alone, making for the east. And, since luck was with him, it was a full ten days before he was caught and marched back to Shin. From where he was sent onward to Selzirk to face justice.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Let Wisdom flee and Justice hide its face For we have entered into a Court of Law. (Proverbial)
Several days later, Sarazin found himself in a dark dank cell in a dungeon in Selzirk. The cell was made for one, but must perforce hold two when Sarazin was closeted with his lawyer, Childermass Imbleprig. Once again Farfalla had chosen Imbleprig as Sarazin's lawyer and was paying the bills. This is bad,' said Imbelprig, shaking his head. 'Very bad.'
