Part 53 (1/2)

”Damastes, we must destroy Chardin Sher. There can be no truce, no surrender except unconditional, or he'll try to usurp our rulers again.”

”Of course.”

*”I do not know if the army can stand up to a long siege, quite frankly. We have no training, nor, with our new policies, the supply train that would allow us to keep Chardin Sher's fortress invested. Nor do we have the engines for such a battle, and it would be several months to build or have them built and transported to the faraway area.

”I know it is my army, and they obey me absolutely, but I fear if we just sit here the Rule of Ten will find a backbone somewhere, and begin meddling once more.”

”We can hardly take that bastion by storm,” I pointed out.

”No,” Tenedos agreed. ”Nor, although you did not hear it from me, will magic work. I have more power than Mikael Yanthlus, and with my magicians far greater strengths than he and his staff can ever produce. The problem is all he need do is defend, which takes less energy than to attack. The best my mightiest incantations could produce, and this was calling in debts owed creatures of other worlds, was that storm that managed to chip the citadel's paint.

”Pfah! I like this but little.”

”So somehow I am going to be the solution to everyone's problems,” I said.

”I was serious, Damastes. Let me explain. There is something dark, something evil, about that fortress, as you know if you've heard anything of its history. I don't know what it is exactly, but I have managed to contact this thing, this power, and woo it to do my bidding. You may not ask what its price is, but it is terrible, but not to be paid for some time to come, fortunately.

”But this thing, force, demon, whatever it is, desired something else before it agreed to the bargain.

”If it is to act as I wish against Chardin Sher, I must be willing to prove my sincerity, or maybe commitment is a better word.” Tenedos sat silently for a moment, then went on. ”A certain service must be performed by someone I love, a service that could mean that person's Me, or the force will not grant my wish.”

”So I'm to be a hostage?”

”More. You must enter the fortress and, on the floor of its innermost courtyard, draw a symbol and pour a potion out. Then the bargain is sealed.” ”I a.s.sume I die in the process?”

”Not necessarily,” Tenedos said, but he looked very unsure. ”If you manage to make entrance, do what you're required, you could well have time enough to escape if you're not discovered.”

”And what are the chances ofthat,” I said, feeling my guts cold within me. ”As a matter of fact, how do I know that this demon or whatever it is will keep its bargain?”

”I'll be truthful. There is a chance of betrayal, but a very slight one. As for you being able to escape, I'll give you all the sorcerous guards I can provide.”

”How am I to enter the citadel? Can you change me into a bird? Or, considering the nature of that place, a bat might be more appropriate.”

”Of course not.” He took me by the arm, and led me to a window and opened its shutter. The winter wind howled around us, but neither of us paid mind, as we stared up at the brooding ma.s.s not many miles distant. As Tenedos pointed, I'd already guessed his idea. It was not utterly impossible, just highly so.

Tenedos closed the shutters.

”Ishall not press you for an answer, Damastes, my friend, and you now know how highly I prize that t.i.tle, for you are the only one who is acceptable to my partner-to-be. You don't even have to tell me no.

If I don't hear from you within a day or so, well, then, we'll find another way to winkle Chardin Sher out.”

I only half-heard him. I opened the shutters, and looked up once more at the fortress. I was reminded what I'd been taught from when I was a child, that a leader's duty is to lead from the front, and then I remembered a proverb I'd heard somewhere, that duty is hard as iron, but death is light as a feather.

Easy words, hard meaning. My mind turned to Marin, and I thought wistfully of her. I desperately wanted to say no to this absurd idea, but could not. Nor could I agree to it. I wondered if our child had been bom whole if I'd cling to life so desperately, something a soldier must not do.

I banged the shutters to, and turned to the seer.

”You needn't wait for a reply. I'll go.”

A slow smile moved across his face.

”Do you know, Damastes, I never doubted that you would say yes? That's why it took me two full days to find the courage to ask you.”

The way in was, of course, up that lightning-cut crack in the walls. Once atop the walls, all that would be necessary was to evade the sentries on the battlements, make my way down the wall, across unknown obstacles, perform Tenedos's task, and then somehow be able to escape with my head more or less attached to where it was most comfortable.

On the way I also planned to end war, disease, and famine with my free hand.

I decided I'd need three other fools to accompany me.

The first was Lance Karjan. I told him what the chances were, and he shrugged. ”Sir, how many times since we met have we been dead an' gone already? I'm gettin' used t' the idea by now. 'Sides, if we get away wi' it, which we ain't gonna, it'll be a tale that'll buy me drink for the rest of my life.”

”If you're going,” I said, ”you'll have to go as a lance-major. Bigger death benefits.”

Karjan growled, then grinned.

”You'll take any 'vantage, won't you, sir?”

”I will.”

He saluted.

One.

I couldn't simply tell my dominas I needed two more men, because I knew I'd be swamped with volunteers. While I considered how to do it, Karjan returned. Behind him was the bulk of Svalbard, that great silent brawler who I now was pleased to see wore the slashes of a lance-major.

”He's goin', too,” Karjan told me.

”Lance Karjan told you what I'm going to attempt?”

”He did. Sir.”

”You're aware there areno chances of surviving?”

”Don't believe that. Sir.”

We stared at each other in silence. I was the first to break, knowing how useless it would be to say more.

”Very well. Leave your troop and move up here to my headquarters.”

”Thank you. Sir.” And the man was gone.

Two.

The third was Domina Bikaner, who insisted he by the G.o.ds had the right to go, being who he was and how long we'd soldiered together. I told him absolutely no. The Lancers needed him. He began to argue, and I had to order him to shut up and get out. I was considering who I should ask to finish the suicide team when General Yonge entered my tent without bothering to knock.