CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Jaluba: Sarazin's doxy, who pleasured him first during his exile in the city of Voice, and who later came to Selzirk to take employment with the fortune-teller Madam Sosostris. Circumstance suggests that it is highly probable that she is an agent in the pay of Lord Regan of the Rice Empire, though Sarazin has never seen fit to ask her about this.
Autumn brought wind and rain. The open arches of Farfalla's throne room were boarded up, as they always were in bad weather. With the views shut out, it became a dim, dull, draughty place. Sarazin went there twice that autumn – once when his mother had an audience with the king of Kelebes (who was, of course, her appointee) and once when she received Plovey of the Regency and discussed the budget for her palace for the following year. Dull stuff.
And what Sarazin was doing from day to day was equally dull. His work on the military committee preparing for an invasion by the Red Emperor Khmar had almost ground to a halt, for it was clear by now that the invasion was not going to take place. Reports from the north were contradictory.
One said the Lord Emperor Khmar had been eaten alive by the dragon Zenphos. Another said that mountains of fire had arisen in the north, blocking the salt road and drowning Khmar and his armies in molten rock. A third said the Red Emperor had been killed by wolves in the forests of Penvash. But all agreed that there would be no invasion.
The military committee was preparing its final report. The public, for its part, had almost forgotten about Khmar altogether. As for Sean Sarazin – his battles in Hok had become part of ancient history. His triumph against the evil wizard Epelthin Elkin had been but a five-day wonder.
He was bored. Even the routine work of conspiracy was just that – routine. But Jaluba – ah, she was never routine. She was not just delicious but exciting as well. Sarazin romanced her, boasting of his achieve- ments and his potential. To his delight, she believed his every word.
Unlike some people one could mention, Jaluba knew her demon lover was a strong, brave hero who was des- tined for great things. She said as much. Sarazin then became at least half-convinced he was in love with her, for her protestations of praise told him his own opinion of himself.
In daydreams of the future, Sarazin imagined marrying Jaluba and making her queen of Selzirk. He would name a month of the year in her honour, would raise statues to her praise on every street corner, would turn Libernek Square into a walled garden where she could walk naked in summer amidst butterfly sunlight, delighting in the possession of her own beauty.
Thus Sarazin dreamed: while others worked, schemed, plotted, and prepared his downfall.
One autumn morning, Bizzie admitted Jaluba to Sarazin's quarters as she was accustomed to. The morning then passed in love and games. Sarazin for the first time showed Jaluba his bard; he also almost went so far as to read to her from his prophetic book. Then, shortly before noon, the lovers were disturbed when Bizzie arrived with a message: Sarazin was wanted by Farfalla. 'How long will this take?' said Sarazin.
'I don't know,' said Bizzie. 'I've no idea what your mother wants with you this time.'
Sarazin exchanged kisses with Jaluba and told her to wait.
'Will you leave me this toy, then?' said Jaluba, dangling the bard from one of her dainty fingers. 'By all means,' said Sarazin.
Then was off, hoping he would not be away from Jaluba for long. He hurried to Farfalla's High Court where his mother was in conference with several men. To his astonishment, he found they were discussing the possibility of building a new capital to the east, near the border with Chenameg. 'How can I help?' said Sarazin.
You are our military expert,' said Farfalla. You will advise us on this project's strategic implications. You also know Voice, of which you have spoken highly. We are particularly interested in these aqueducts which you have praised so freely.' 'Well, yes,' said Sarazin.
He was no longer in a hurry to get away. Jaluba, after all, would still be available on the morrow. But to have people of importance attend seriously to his opinions, his knowledge, his expertise – well, that was a pleasure which rarely came his way.
It was late afternoon before Sarazin finally returned to his room. As he had only rented Jaluba from Sosostris for the morning, he was not surprised to find her gone. Unfor- tunately, one or two of his possessions appeared to have departed with her. His bard, for example. And his pro- phetic book. Worse, a whole armload of documents was missing.
'The minx must have hidden them,' muttered Sarazin.
He looked under the bed, under the blankets, in his travel chest. .. but found nothing. His valuables were gone for real! 'I've been robbed!' exclaimed Sarazin.
Shocked, hurt and alarmed. How could Jaluba do this to him? More importantly – why had she done it? Where had his valuables gone? If she had decided to flee the city and had stolen his bard and his book to sell for cash – why, then there was no harm done.
'I'd not grudge her those trinkets,' said Sarazin bravely, though in fact he already knew he would mourn the loss of his book and bard for years. 'But the documents! What could she want with those?'
Of course, he knew the answer already. He was simply trying to deny his own awareness. But, in the end, that proved impossible. Jaluba must be planning to blackmail him with those documents.
Some were innocuous – maps, official briefing papers and so forth. But on some there had been his own notes. Lists of names. Records of dates, appointments, pass- words, safe houses and so forth. To most people, such cryptic notations would mean nothing. But if they fell into the hands of someone who already suspected con- spiracy – Plovey, for example – they might prove his death. 'Gods!' said Sarazin.
'There are no gods to help you here,' said Plovey zar Plovey, striding into his room.
A dozen thug-faced brutes with truncheons followed close behind. They seized Sarazin and threw him against the nearest wall. 'Hey!' said Sarazin.
One of Plovey's brutes hit him – hard! – in the solar plexus. He expostulated no more, but stood there gasping, fighting the pain.
Meanwhile, Plovey gave calm, crisp orders. Obedient to these, his men shovelled all of Sarazin's remaining books and documents into capacious sacks. Then searched his room. They tore apart his mattress, smashed his furniture, explored the stones of the wall and- 'No!' cried Sarazin in anguish.
For one man had found the loose stone which guarded his magic treasures: his dragon-bottle, his ring of invisi- bility and his eldritch green candle.
'Aha!' said Plovey. 'So there's something in there, is it? What is it, darling boy? What have we found?'
'Nothing, my lord,' said the searcher, who had explored the hole and had found it empty. 'Let me see!' said Plovey.
But there was truly nothing to be found behind the loose stone. Another thief had been there before them.
'This will suffice, then,' said Plovey, kicking one of the sacks. 'I'm sure there's enough within to hang our pretty young friend. Ah yes, hang him – and draw him and quarter him as well. Come! Let's be gone!'
Plovey's men grabbed Sean Sarazin and dragged him from the room. He screamed for help, and help came – but Plovey had a warrant for Sarazin's arrest on a charge of high treason and that warrant was sufficient to repel the would-be rescuers.
Plovey escorted Sarazin to the Regency's headquarters and there a ferocious interrogation began. Plovey's very first question told Sarazin that all was lost: 'Name your fellow conspirators.'
'I don't know what you're talking about,' said Sarazin bravely.
And remained obdurate while the afternoon wore away, while evening darkened to night, while dawn stained the sky with blood. By that time, he was too exhausted to be frightened any longer. Just as well: for Plovey had assumed a truly frightening mien.
You set me up, didn't you, darling boy?' said Plovey, in a voice of snakes and scorpions.
'Set you up?' said Sarazin, bewildered. 'I don't know what you're talking about.' 'You take me for a fool?' said Plovey.
