Part 38 (1/2)

'Why did she become a wh.o.r.e?' asked Skilgannon. 'My guess is that you are from a high- born family.'

'I really don't know. There was some scandal when she was young. She was sent to Drenan in disgrace, and then ran away. It was before I was born. It was some years later that she appeared. She had wealth then, and she bought a huge house on the outskirts of the city. It was beautiful. She hired architects and gardeners and turned it into a palace. The gardens were a sight to behold. Pools and fountains, and rooms there created from bushes and trees. And she had the most gorgeous girls.' Diagoras sighed. 'They came from everywhere - Ventria, Mashrapur, Panthia. There were even two Chiatze girls, dark-eyed and with skin the colour of ivory. I tell you that place was like paradise. Sometimes I still dream of it.'

'Does your aunt still own it?'

'No. She died of a fever a few years back. Just after Skein. Even in death there was a scandal. My aunt's closest friend was a woman named Magatha. She was Ventrian, and, like my aunt, had been a wh.o.r.e. She killed herself on the same day my aunt died. Sweet Heaven, that caused a ripple in polite society.'

'So, the wh.o.r.ehouse is closed now?'

'Oh, no. She left it to me, along with all her wealth. I promoted one of the women there, and she manages it for me.'

'This must please your father.'

Diagoras laughed. 'It pleases almost every other man in the community. It is - and I say this with great pride - the best wh.o.r.ehouse in the south.'

Dawn was not far off. 'It is time,' said Skilgannon.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

FOR RABALYN THE NIGHT WAS SPENT IN A STATE OF PANIC. HE SAT quietly as the others discussed the fight that would come tomorrow. His hands were trembling, and he clasped them together tightly, so that Druss would not see he was frightened. The attack by the beasts on the camp had been sudden, and he had reacted well. Druss had praised him for his courage. But now, sitting waiting to be attacked, he found his stomach churning. He saw Diagoras and Skilgannon joking together by the ledge, and then watched as Druss picked up the struggling Drenai officer and dangled him over the edge. These men had no fear.

Rabalyn had no understanding of military tactics, and he had listened to Skilgannon outline the plan of attack and it seemed so perilous. Yet no-one else had pointed this out, and he felt, perhaps, that his own lack of knowledge was preventing him from seeing just what a fine plan it was. So he said nothing.

The Nadir would ride up the mountain road, past where Diagoras and the brothers were hiding in a shallow fissure. Then Skilgannon and Druss would attack them from the front.

He and Garianne would shoot arrows at the riders from the shelter of a stand of boulders above the road. Once Skilgannon and Druss were engaged Diagoras and the twins would rush in from behind. Apparently these five fighters would then overpower twenty or so savage tribesmen. It made no sense to Rabalyn. Would the Nadir not ride over the men attacking them on foot? Would they not be trampled to death?

Rabalyn had been afraid to ask these questions.

All he knew now was that this might be his last night alive, and he found himself staring longingly at the beauty of the night sky, wis.h.i.+ng that he could sprout wings and fly away from his fears.

Druss had walked back to the rock wall, stretched himself out, and fallen asleep. It was incomprehensible to Rabalyn that a man facing a battle could just sleep. He found himself thinking of Aunt Athyla, and the little house back in Skepthia. He would willingly have given ten years of his life to be back at home, worrying about nothing more than a scolding from old Labbers for not doing his homework. Instead he had a sword belted at his side, and a curved bow with a quiver of black-feathered arrows.

Time drifted by, and the fear did not subside. It swelled in his belly, causing the trembling to worsen. Skilgannon came back with Diagoras, and they woke Druss. The old man sat up and winced. Rabalyn saw him rubbing at his left arm. His face seemed sunken and grey.

Then the brothers approached. Once again Nian was holding on to the sash at Jared's belt.

'Are we going to fight now?' asked Nian.

'Soon. But we must be quiet,' answered Jared, patting his brother on the shoulder.

Diagoras and the twins left the company then, walking back down the road and out of sight. Skilgannon came and knelt beside Rabalyn. 'How are you feeling?' he asked.

'Good,' lied Rabalyn, not wis.h.i.+ng to shame himself by admitting his terror. Skilgannon looked at him closely.

'Follow me. I'll show you where I want you to shoot from.'

Rabalyn pushed himself to his feet. His legs were unsteady. As he made to follow Skilgannon Druss called out to him. 'You've forgotten the bow, lad.' Blus.h.i.+ng with embarra.s.sment Rabalyn swept up the bow and the quiver and ran to catch Skilgannon.

They walked to the site of a recent landslide, where several huge boulders had fallen across the road. Skilgannon scrambled up the first, hauling Rabalyn up behind him. 'There is good cover here, Rabalyn. Do not show yourself too often. Shoot when you can, then duck back.'

'Where will Garianne be?'

'She'll be on the ground below you. She is a better shot.' He smiled. 'And less likely to send an arrow through one of us. Keep your shafts aimed at the centre of the riders.'

'The centre. Yes.'

'Are you frightened?'

'No. I am fine.'

'It is not a crime to be frightened, Rabalyn. I am frightened. Diagoras is frightened.

Anyone with any intelligence would be frightened. Fear is necessary. It is there to keep us alive; to warn us to avoid danger. The greatest instinct we have is for self-preservation.

Every ounce of that instinct is telling us that it would be safer to run than to stay.'

'Then why don't we run?' asked Rabalyn, with more feeling than he intended.

'Because it would only save us today. Tomorrow the enemy would still be coming, and the terrain would be more suitable for them than for us. So here we stand. Here we fight.'

'We could die here,' said Rabalyn miserably.

'Yes, we could die. Some of us may anyway. Keep yourself safe here. Do not venture down for any reason. You understand?'

'Yes.'

'Good.'

'Is Druss all right?'

Skilgannon looked away. 'I am concerned about him. Something is troubling him. I cannot worry about that now. The Nadir will be here soon, and I must ride to meet them.'

'I thought you were going to stand with Druss.'

'I will. Try not to shoot me as I ride back.'

Skilgannon climbed down the boulders, leaping the last few feet to the ground. Garianne was waiting at the bottom, her crossbow hanging from her belt, a Nadir bow in her hands.

Rabalyn heard Skilgannon speak to her. 'Protect Old Uncle,' he said.

Then he was gone. Moments later he rode by them.

The dawn was breaking.

Skilgannon rode back along the rocky road, moving past the fissure in which Diagoras, Jared and Nian were hidden. As he did so Nian called out. 'There's Skilgannon! h.e.l.lo!' As he rode on Skilgannon heard Jared telling his brother to keep quiet. Anger flared fleetingly in his heart, and then the dark humour of the situation relaxed him. Diagoras was right. A simpleton, a mad woman and a frightened boy made up half of Skilgannon's army. Then there was Druss. Old and weary. Somewhere the old G.o.ds were laughing.