Part 26 (1/2)
”Me? I'm going back. The party has hardly started!”
Chapter Four.
A month later, Amalric, covered with sweat and dust, reined in his horse as his squadrons thundered past in a last, grand charge. All morning, and for many earlier mornings, he had drilled them over and over in the elements of civilized cavalry tactics: ”Forward, walk!”
”Forward, trot!”
”Forward, canter!”
”Charge! ”Wheel!”
”Retreat!”
”Rally!”
”Forward, walk!” And so on, over and over.
Although their evolutions were still ragged, the brown desert hawks seemed to be learning at last. At the start there had been much grumbling and sour looks at these strange foreign methods of fighting.
But Amalric, backed up by Conan, had overcome resistance by a combination or even-handed justice and tough discipline. Now he was building a formidable fighting force.
”Give them, 'form column,'” he said to the trumpeter at his side. At the blast of the trumpet, the riders reined in and, with much jostling and cursing, sorted themselves out in a column. They trotted back toward the walls of Tombalku, past fields where half-naked black peasant women stopped work to lean on their hoes and watch.
Back in Tombalku, Amalric turned in his horse at the cavalry stables and sought his home. As he neared the house, he was surprised to see Askia, the wizard, standing in the street in front of the house and talking with Lissa. The latter's servant, a Suba woman, stood in the doorway, listening.
”How now, Askia?” said Amalric in no very friendly tone as he came up.
”What are you doing here?”
”I watch over the welfare of Tombalku. To do that, I must needs ask questions.”
”I do not like strange men to question my wife in my absence.”
Askia smiled a crooked, malevolent grin. ”The fate of the city is more important than your likes and dislikes, white man. Fare you well until next time!”
The wizard walked off, his plumes nodding. Amalric, frowning, followed Lissa into the house. ”What was he asking you about?” he asked.
”Oh, about my life in Gazal, and how I had come to meet you.”
”What did you tell him?”
”I told him what a hero you are, and how you slew the G.o.d of the Red Tower.”
Amalric frowned in thought ”I wish you had not revealed that. I do not know why, but I am sure lie means to make trouble for us. I ought to go to Conan about it, right now... Why, Lissa, you're weeping!”
”I-I'm so happy!”
”About what?”
”You acknowledged me as your wife!” Her arms were around his neck as she poured out endearments.