Part 12 (2/2)
”Now I return to Dinander with an ars of nobles and rebels alike, and weave irl, I will stop these Ne one another if I have to crack a few skulls to do it!”
Ludya joined hi out across the sunlit meadows The soldiers behind them soon found thechant Against its chorus the two lovers clung together in the chariot, laying out plans and speculations
”And you, Ludya! I can provide for you grandly, once I a baron before was in having nobody to talk to, no one to trust But with you as my baroness”
”Conan, wait! I pray you, think before you speak” The young woer to her even redder lips in order to silence hiazed up with a wide-eyed, earnest look ”Usually the bedmates of princes and barons are chosen out of political expediency-to weld kingdoet titled heirs Some such alliance may be required of you, to stabilize your own rulesuch as a e to Calissa Einharson! Even if she isonly I would be happy to live modestly and consort with you outside of public view” As she spoke, her hand crept discreetly up his arirl, do not speak that way! I killed Baldohterthat would be too much of an insult to her, h ”Besides, when I am ruler, I will steer my own destiny as well as that of the province, rather than letting sly courtiers harness and ain ”No, Ludya, you are irl, sie to think-when you used to lie abed nights, sche beside you!”
The marchers proceeded down fro war wider ahead until the walls of Dinander finally appeared over low trees Nosmokes loo froe ar near the road knelt to touch their grimy palms respectfully to earth as the war-chariot rumbled past Soon the broad river curved near to hand, with skiffs and coracles bobbing along its leisurely current
Then the city looate set i expanse of stone wall Today the gates stood closed, except for a suards There was foot traffic passing through the portal, and there seeroup of officers at one side Clearly the ers Conan sent ahead had alerted the city of his arrival
He heard the other barons' officers ordering their troops to a halt behind him They stopped at a respectful distance froe But Conan kept his coht up to the foot of the stone defensive ramp that ascended to the massive doors As he halted his troops with a raised hand, the portals began to part before the wide, and cheers froreet the returning arirl, we are welcoain He gave the signal to advance-but there ca of arms, armor and harness He jerked the reins to halt his chariot-teaed plan, the troops of Dinander remained stiffly in their formations As he watched, they drew their swords, pointed them skyward and shouted one word, two beats, in salute
”Co-nan!”
Then the soldiers clashed their blades against gleaor to the cheers cos! Ulla love you too!” Feeling light-headed, freed of weighty doubts for the first time since he had been thrown into Dinander's jail, Conan turned back sirl? Do you knohat that ly to his chest ”They salutedto fear in Dinander” Again he raised his arh the city gates with hirander in every way than Baldo on his death's eve Rurown fervid in past days, and the total victory against it was a source of great rejoicing Additionally, it was the first holiday of the city's new reign, unfettered by the oppression and restraint that had so long worn at the people
In consequence, the revels ild, with lusty excesses sanctioned by state and church alike Harlots and debauched wives danced half-clothed for gold drams before taverns, while hardier ether in the town's statuary fountains Bands of drunken revelers linked ars, while troups of folk-dancers stah narrow intersections and stately buildings
To be sure, Conan's reeted as often with tears of n in lives had been heavy, and s and loved ones wailed to learn of those ould not be returning, or who lay ons
Nevertheless the overall effect of thewas seductive The rain, flower petals and knotted scarves, along with select articles of more-intimate women's apparel From street to street their thirsts were tempted by wine, rum and hot kisses; wherever the parade was slowed by the crowds,hands
Conan's officers were not such idly in order in the face of these induceradually dwindled and dispersed Finally the warlord's chariot was accouard officers fro cavalry troopers anted to see their horses safe into the stable before they joined the wild carnival
Conan had acquired a wine-flask along the march; now he plied it liberally to his own and Ludya's lips as he held the girl to his side Yet he also tried to keep an ear cocked to the conversation of the officers cantering close behind ”What say you, fellow?” he called back to the nearest one ”What is that you said about Sigmarck and Ottislav?”
”Oh, Milord” The helmeted officer leaned down from the saddle to make himself heard over the tumult ”I am told that the barons have notcamp outside our city wall”
”They are?” Conan pondered this news briefly ”Well, the city gates have been closed to the order is to adn military personnel”
”Good, then Doubtless they will depart in the ” Conan turned to Ludya ”When we reach the Manse, I hted rogues They are no danger to us, since there are not nearly enough of them to storm the walls”
”No, I suppose not” Ludya shook her head in wine-dazed reflection ”Unless so of the th, across the wooden bridge and straight up to the Manse, whose gates stood wide Even the courtyard beyond had a festive look, adorned to Conan's surprise with potted trees and plants But the celebrants who loitered ast them were fewer and less deuards and sentries As the last of the caners turned their horses aside to the stable, Conan drove his chariot up near the broad front steps in the company of the mountedLudya down to the cobbles beside him
As they strode across the terrace, a courtly retinue careet them: Marshal Durwald, splendid in his newly enaray old Lothian, frail and stooped in his courtly and costly attire; the sword-slinging priest of Ulla, flanked by other rebels brightly garbed in uniforms of the Reform Council; and in their -sleeved, low-cut, slit-skirted gown neither arb of most of the city's festive wo about held Conan's eye- Then he recognized her,loosely in the hollow of her satin-sheathed breasts than froaunt since last he set eyes on it The woman was Calissa
Even as his hand wandered to the hilt of his sword, loves claly to his throat and the small of his back, beneath his backplate Even so, his arht; but Conan could see that the stern-faced guard officers also held Ludya gasping at steelpoint Of his own recently loyal troops, there were now only a handful in evidence These watched his arrest with frank surprise, but withoutlast the usurper is taken in hand” Addressing the company, Calissa's voice sounded lessperhaps, or rusty with disuse Her face wore a grilinted with keen intelligence
”Here, then, is the false baron as , our former kitchen-slave!” The noblewoman's thinness became even more apparent as she walked close before the captured pair, looking them up and doith obvious distaste ”A sha assassin, Evadne, is dead; I had an arrest order drawn up and waiting for her as well”
”I will fight rather than stand and bear your insults, Calissa” Conan shi+fted ath that caused thehter ”As for Evadne, she died well, fighting for Dinander”
Calissa s reco to stalk in another direction ”Very well, Ci the snake-cult-as any able cole bit of good fortune buys you the cityif you think Dinander will bow its head to a northern savage, a bloody-handed upstart!Well, you shall have more leisure to think on it chained in the stoutest wardroos, the coalition of nobles and rebels had stood behind her cal the scene hat seemed to be their entire approval Conan scanned the faces in vain for any show of discontent, or for any reassurance or signal to himself As soon as the noblewoain with her, he realized After all, if Dinander could be convinced to accept a feurehead than was a foreigner As for her mystical fitness to rule-well, Conan had proven that himself, perhaps unwisely, when he strapped the ancient ahosts
Sure now of her audience, Calissa apparently thought it a good occasion to make a speech; she athering in the courtyard
”This day was proclaiet it; now it can be doubly so For as you see, a second and greater threat to our city has just been overco to Conan and Ludya pinioned at her side ”I proer shall not be allowed to loo the illness that for it is for our province that these noble counselors have consented to crown our justice with the splendor of tradition, pledging their loyalty tothe recentbarons sent couriers to keep us informed of the vile conspiracy that would have placed us all under the sway of a ruthless Cimmerian adventurer!
No, my people, the lesson of history is clear! My father and brother are dead, but their n of the bloody sword is ended!”
Having raised a sallow palm open and empty to the sky, she lowered it to her side ”Of course the foul hoax could scarcely have succeeded; Dinander would never accept a co in Belverus would not have borne it! Our allied barons could not abide this pretender; even now they are ca him, had we need of it Know you that if by soe would have been reinforced by a hundred companies But now that matters are well in hand, you can expect to see our friends march away on theperceptibly froue before her audience Yet in a ed determination: ”By my ancestry as an Einharson I am your ruler, and by the power of this charm”
The noblewoman's pale hand clutched the now unriveted chain of the six-pointed a it aside and face the consequences
”It is an old, unhallowed tradition,” she went on, ”and I despise itBut I am not free of it, nor are you I assure you, I would use its power in an instant to protect Dinander fron tyranny!”
She released the chain, letting the spiked ornaain Conan felt himself exhale his tension as, he sensed, the other watchers did None, perhaps, was anyowner's neck would unleash the avenging Einharsons But it was plain that none wanted to find out for sure Meanwhile, the baroness was again pointing and declai him out before her cowed listeners
”You have seen this foreign opportunist enter our city in triumph, blithe in the expectation that ould surrender our freedom to hiht into check by rightful authority- of this council Is there any, I ask, ould say a word for hi with distilled menace ”I ask you, is there any here who doubts that a woe onizingly long that Conan finally broke it hi his tense captors ”Enough, Calissa! 'Tis clear that you are more ferocious than ever your father was!” He wrenched his shoulders to gaintheir hold on his are will you have on me, then? Is my blood to be poured out on these paves, to show that it is not blue enough for a lord of Dinander? And what of innocent Ludya, whom you once saved fro with exhaustion, a shastly pale features ”I am not cruel, to deprive you of the woether in their prison,” she ordered, waving her hand in dismissal as she turned back to her counselors ”Then we can proceed with our celebration”
CHAPTER 18
The Sword of Einhar