Part 29 (1/2)
”What of Belyn and my brothers?”
”Still fighting... on and off. They ride the coasts and borders and defend the towns. Belyn looks to Tairn, while Kian, Maildun, and Guistan keep Seithenin at his distance. Once in a while one of them will catch a raiding party and there is a fight. Mostly they just ride and watch.”
”It sounds so hopeless, Annubi.”
”It is is hopeless, child. This war is despair itself. It cannot be won, but neither side dares quit. And the other kingdoms just sit looking on, thinking, I suppose, to take advantage of the loser-selling supplies, horses, weapons, and sometimes even men to the highest bidder. Oh, there are talks and treaties and alliances and more talks and more treaties, but they all keep their distance, hoping to pick at the bones. Only Meirchion remains our ally, and he is weary.” hopeless, child. This war is despair itself. It cannot be won, but neither side dares quit. And the other kingdoms just sit looking on, thinking, I suppose, to take advantage of the loser-selling supplies, horses, weapons, and sometimes even men to the highest bidder. Oh, there are talks and treaties and alliances and more talks and more treaties, but they all keep their distance, hoping to pick at the bones. Only Meirchion remains our ally, and he is weary.”
”Eoinn?” asked Charis. ”You did not mention him.”
Annubi stopped walking. ”I thought you knew.”
She shook her head. ”N-no...”
”He is dead, Charis. Last year.”
”How?”
”A night raid along the Coran. No one saw what happened. He just disappeared.” Annubi recited the words wearily. ”Two days later they found his body downriver. There was not a mark on him. Apparently his horse threw him and he drowned.”
Charis bent her head. Poor, gentle Eoinn, so enraptured by his horses-how ironic that one of his beloved animals should bring about his death. How was it possible that he could die and she not know it?
”The king Was recovering whea it happened, but insisted on riding out to bring Eoinn's body back. He returned the worse for it and has grown steadily worse ever since.”
”Can nothing be done?”
Annubi gave a quick shake of his head. ”As long as she she remains beside him... nothing. Bel alone knows what she puts in that foul concoction she gives him. She makes it herself and lets no one near it.” He paused and uttered darkly, ”I think she is poisoning him.” remains beside him... nothing. Bel alone knows what she puts in that foul concoction she gives him. She makes it herself and lets no one near it.” He paused and uttered darkly, ”I think she is poisoning him.”
”Why?” Charis raised her head. ”Have you told him?”
”It keeps him weak and dependent on her. And yes, I have told him. He laughs at me. I have talked with the shrew as well. She Believes me jealous of the king's affection for her. She She is the jealous one; the woman is crazed with it. is the jealous one; the woman is crazed with it.
”I have tried to treat the king myself. She flies into a screaming rage-she threatens me.” He shook his head sadly. ”As if I were a thief determined to steal the king's linen. Me, Annubi, who has served the throne of Sarras for three generations. It makes no sense.”
They began walking again. Charis was silent a long time, listening to their steps pattering lightly among the immense stone columns.
”It does not matter, Annubi,” she said at last. ”None of it matters-not now, not anymore. It is over.”
”What is over, Charis?”
”I met Throm again,” she explained, ”on a hill near Atlas. He was just standing out there, waiting-waiting for the end. He told me the seven years were over and I remembered his prophecy. It is going to happen, Annubi, just as he has said.”
”So you know.”
”You have known all along too. Why have you never said anything?”
”What can be said?”
”There was an earthquake in Poseidonis; it happened when I was in the bullring. A small one-little damage, no one was hurt, but the temple crystal was shattered. The next one will be bigger, and the one after that...”
”What did the people of Poseidonis do?”
”Do? Why, nothing. There was no real damage. They went on about their business.”
”The signs are there for anyone to read,” Annubi told her, ”but no one heeds them. Men go on with their business as if the world will last forever. It will not. It never does.”
”We could tell them... warn then.”
”Do you really Believe anyone would listen?” Annubi scoffed. ”They will not listen. Throm has been telling them for years.”
”But... the earthquake. They would Believe”
”Oh, yes, the earthquake. They will Believe when their houses crumble upon them, when the lintels of the temple crack and the sacred edifice falls-then they will Believe. But it will be too late.”
”But surely” she began.
Annubi continued a few paces, stopped suddenly and whipped toward her. ”Do you think this the first disaster to overtake Atlantis? There have been others.”
”I did not know.”
”Oh, yes. The last was a long time ago. A fireball from the sky plunged into the sea, penetrated the seabed, and disturbed the earth's course. Cities toppled. Whole kingdoms in the south simply slid into the sea and disappeared. Disease, pestilence, and war followed. Survivors left the destruction and migrated to other lands. But it was no better elsewhere.”
”I had no idea.”
”The Magi do not speak of it, but they know. It is well recorded if one knows where to look. People forget what they do not wish to remember. They refuse to Believe disaster can ever invade their tight little lives. That is why they will not listen to you or Throm or anyone else who tries to warn them.”
”But we must try,” insisted Charis. ”We must try to make them understand.”
”Why?”
”Because we have to save as many lives as we can, because we can survive.”
Annubi shook his head slowly. ”No, Charis,” he said softly. ”Our time is finished. It is the way of things. A new age is upon the world and we have no place in it. The center will s.h.i.+ft once more as it always does and Atlantis will vanish beneath the waves.”
”We can get a s.h.i.+p. We can leave leave it all behind. We can go somewhere else.”
”There is noplace else, Charis. Not for us.”
”I do not Believe that.”
Annubi sighed. ”Believe what you like, Charis.”
”I will find my brothers; I will go to Belyn.”
”They will not heed you any more than the crowds in Poseidonis heeded the earthquake no more than anyone ever heeded Throm. ”
”Stop it!” Charis shouted angrily. ”I will make them heed me! I will make them listen and I will make them Believe.”