Part 23 (1/1)
”Will you give me quarter?” deivenLife for you and all your ht to split your head for an infernal thief,” the Cilared over the plain The ree with swar with the fury of glutted vengeance Bossonians and Gunder the tents to pieces in search of plunder, seizing prisoners, ripping open the baggage and upsetting the wagons
Tarascus cursed fervently, and then shrugged his shoulders, as well as he could, under the circumstances
”Very well I have no choice What are your des in Aquilonia Order your garrisons to march out of the castles and towns they hold, without their aret your infernal armies out of Aquilonia as quickly as possible In addition you shall return all Aquilonians sold as slaves, and pay an indee your occupation of the country has caused has been properly estie until these terms have been carried out”
”Very well,” surrendered Tarascus ”I will surrender all the castles and towns now held by s shall be done What ransohed and rerasped his shoulder and heaved him to his feet He started to speak, then turned to see Hadrathus approaching hi his way between rows of dead men and horses
Conan wiped the sweat-smeared dust froh the day, first on foot with the pikeone, his armor splashed with blood and battered with strokes of sword, round of blood and slaughter, like soy
”Well done, Hadrathus!” quoth he gustily ”By Crohts were al their hearts out to be at sword-strokes I could not have held theer What of the wizard?”
”He has gone down the dim road to Acheron,” answered Hadrathus ”And I-I am for Tarantia My work is done here, and I have a task to perform at the temple of Mitra All our work is done here On this field we have saved Aquilonia-and more than Aquilonia Your ride to your capital will be a triudo the return of their king And so, until we reat royal hall-farewell!”
Conan stood silently watching the priest as he went Fro toward him He saw Pallantides, Trocero, Prospero, Servius Galannus, their ariving way to a roar of triumph and acclai with exultation, were turned toward the great black figure of the king; mailed arms brandished red-stained swords A confused torrent of sound rose, deep and thunderous as the sea-surf: ”Hail, Conan, king of Aquilonia!”
Tarascus spoke
”You have not yet nahed and slapped his sword hohty arh his thick black locks, as if feeling there his re-won crown
”There is a girl in your seraglio named Zenobia”
”Why, yes, so there is”
”Very well” The king sly pleasant ht else I will come to Belverus for her as I promised She was a slave in Nemedia, but I will make her queen of Aquilonia!”