interference in Your Force's preferences might be considered insolence, both
by Your Force and by the Noble Singhalissa herself."
"She told you, in effect, to help me make a fool of myself. Then she summoned
the eiodarks to an audience."
Agnois spoke hurriedly: "This is accurate, Force, but -"
Efraim cut him short. "Postpone the audience with the eiodarks. Explain that
I must study the events of the last six months. Then remove these garments.
Instruct the tailors to prepare me a suitable wardrobe. In the meantime bring
here whatever can be salvaged from my old wardrobe."
"Yes, Force."
"Further, inform the staff that the Noble Singhalissa will no longer exert
authority. I am bored with these petty intrigues. She is to be known not as
the 'Kraike' but as the Wirwove of Disbague."
"Yes, Your Force."
"Finally, Agnois, I am astounded that you failed to notify me of
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Singhalissa's intentions."
Agnois cried out in frustration: "Force, I intended to obey the Noble
Singhalissa's instructions to the letter; but nonetheless, by one means or
another, I planned to protect Your Force's dignity. Indeed, you divined the
ploy before I had opportunity to alter the situation!"
Efraim gave a curt nod. "Lay out garments at least temporarily appropriate."
Efraim dressed and went out into the Grand Parlor, half-expecting to find
Matho Lorcas awaiting him. The room was empty. Efraim stood irresolute a
moment, then turned as Agnois entered the chamber. Efraim seated himself in a
chair.
"Tell me how the Kaiark Jochaim died."
"Nothing, Force, is surely known. Semaphores warned of mirk-men riding down
over the Tassenberg from Gorgetto. The Kaiark sent two troops to attack their
flank and led a third force to punish the fore-riders. The mirk-men raced for
Suban Forest, then retreated up the defiles toward Horsuke.
Suddenly the slopes swarmed with Gorget boremen - the Schardes had been lured
into an ambush. Jochaim ordered retreat, and the Scharde warriors fought their
way back down the gorge. Somewhere along the way Jochaim took a bolt in his
back, and died."
"In the back? Had Jochaim taken flight? This is hard to believe!"
"It is my understanding that he had stationed himself on a knoll where he
commanded the disposition of his forces. Evidently a mirk-man had slipped
around through the rocks and discharged his bore from the rear."
"Who was he? What was his rank?"
"He was never killed, nor captured, Force. Indeed he was never seen. The
Kang Destian assumed command of the troops and brought them safely back into
Scharrode; and the folk of both Scharrode and Gorgetto expect that an awful
retaliation must take place. Gorgetto is said to be an armed camp."
Efraim, suddenly stifled by his ignorance, pounded his fists upon the arms of
his chair. "I feel like the fool in a game of blindman's bluff. I must inform
myself; I must learn more of the realm."
"This, Force, may be accomplished without delay; you need merely consult the
archives, or if you prefer, the Kaiarkal Pandects along the Wall yonder -
the volumes in the green and red bindings," Agnois spoke eagerly, relieved
that Efraim should be distracted from the episode of the wardrobe.
For three hours Efraim explored the history of Scharrode. Between Gorgetto and
Scharrode had existed centuries of strife. Each had dealt the other cruel
blows. Eccord had been sometimes an ally; sometimes a foe, but recently had
gained greatly in power and now outmatched Scharrode. Disbague occupied a
small shadowed valley high in the Gartfang Rakes, and was considered of small
consequence, though the Disbs were credited with a dark deviousness, and many
of the women were witches.
Efraim reviewed the noble lineages of Scharrode and learned something of
trismes which united them with other realms. He read about himself: of his
participation in arrays, exercises, and campaigns; he learned that he was
considered bold, persistent, and somewhat assertive. In pressing for
innovation he seemed often to have been at odds with Jochaim, who insisted
upon tradition.
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He read of his mother, the Kraike Alferica, who had drowned in a boating
accident on Lake Zule during a visit to Eccord. A list of those present at the
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obsequies included the then Lissolet Singhalissa of Urrue Strang in
Disbague. Very shortly thereafter, Jochaim contracted a new trisme, and
Singhalissa came to live at Benbuphar Strang, along with her children
Destian and Sthelany, who were both conceived out of trisme, a circumstance
neither unusual nor consequential.
Bloated with facts, Efraim put aside the Pandects and rising to his feet he
stretched and slowly paced the Grand Parlor. At a sound he looked up,
expecting Matho Lorcas, but found only Agnois. Efraim continued his
deliberations. He must reach a decision in connection with the Noble
Singhalissa. She had attempted to conceal a number of important documents,
then had tried to embarrass and demean him. If he simply adopted a manner of [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]