made sure of it. No way a wizard with no spells could survive a week out there. There’s some people for whom exile should mean death.”
Kimbolt nodded good naturedly . His colleague’s vituperative approach to all things magical was Thackery’s most defining characteristic, that and his handlebar moustache, now sadly wilted by the melted frost.
“And still, we take them out and it’s like a walk in the park for them. Oh aye, it’s cold and they grumble, but thing is, they’re not afraid, not like they used to be. For them exile is just not the deterrent it used be, I tell you. Dunno which circle of hell they’re so happy to be headed for, ‘cos sure as dwarves dig dirt they ain’t headed for the bosom of the Goddess. Maybe the point would be better made if we just burnt a few of the bastards in a town square or two.” Thackery raised his palm in mock surrender at Kimbolt’s shocked expression. “Oh, aye I know, no death penalty in the Salved Kingdom.”
He sighed. “You know, i t’s laws like that lost us an Empire overseas. Time was an’ near enough all the lands overseas bowed down to us. Nowadays it’s just one flea bitten port and a spit of land around it that we can call our own.”
“I guess you remember the Empire then old man.”
“Don’t talk rot, last mainland province of the Salved fell four hundred years before either of us was born. Mind you I have served in Salicia.”
“Is that where you got the fleas then.”
Thackery ignored the gibe, musing on his past glories. “’s different out East, everything. More gods, more elves, people doing magic like it was natural. Goddess protect us, I say.”
“I’d like to see it myself, do a tour of duty over the sea one day.”
“Set you up nicely that woul d, ambitious fellow like you. Who knows you might even come back with a wife.”
Kimbolt smiled. “I’m like you Thackery, married to the army.”
The older man snorted. “Then mebbe you’d better tell that to yon servant girl who is always sniffing around.”
“Who,” Kimbolt w as startled. “You mean Hepdida?”
Thackery rolled his eyes. “By the Goddess , he even knows her name!”
“There’s nothing …. It’s… no…. of course,” Kimbolt stuttered through the start to a host of denials, all too aware of Thackery’s disbelieving indifference. “Look she’s only fifteen.”
“Send her a birthday greeting did you?”
“Of course not, not like you mean.”
Thackery levered himself upright and waved Kimbolt’s protestations into silence. “It’s been a strange day, one lost prince discovered and another never lost prince so put out by the event that we’re all on double guard duty. So me, I’m going to turn in while I can. My advice to you though, whatever happens with the wench, promise her nothing.”
Kimbolt flailed for a suitable retort but had found none by the time Thackery disappeared into his sleeping chamber. The younger man was left ruing the turn of events. He had thought Hepdida’s interest in him to be just a minor adolescent crush which he considered he was managing quite well; it turned out to be both more widely known and deeply misconstrued than he had ever imagined.
***
Niarmit calculated that the swimmer in the pool was well on the way to sinking. Only the agitated thrashing of his arms gave enough propulsion to balance the pull of gravity dragging him down and between each vigorous paddle of his arms his face disappeared beneath the surface. In his panic he seemed to be mistiming his intakes of breath and the moments when his face was above water, so that a fair amount of water was already being swallowed.
She lay flat on the stone and threw him one end of her belt. Somehow his flailing arm caught it and, with her pull keeping his head above the surface, they managed to negotiate a passage to a lower lip of the pool, where he hung panting for a moment, half in half out of the
Kimbolt nodded good naturedly . His colleague’s vituperative approach to all things magical was Thackery’s most defining characteristic, that and his handlebar moustache, now sadly wilted by the melted frost.
“And still, we take them out and it’s like a walk in the park for them. Oh aye, it’s cold and they grumble, but thing is, they’re not afraid, not like they used to be. For them exile is just not the deterrent it used be, I tell you. Dunno which circle of hell they’re so happy to be headed for, ‘cos sure as dwarves dig dirt they ain’t headed for the bosom of the Goddess. Maybe the point would be better made if we just burnt a few of the bastards in a town square or two.” Thackery raised his palm in mock surrender at Kimbolt’s shocked expression. “Oh, aye I know, no death penalty in the Salved Kingdom.”
He sighed. “You know, i t’s laws like that lost us an Empire overseas. Time was an’ near enough all the lands overseas bowed down to us. Nowadays it’s just one flea bitten port and a spit of land around it that we can call our own.”
“I guess you remember the Empire then old man.”
“Don’t talk rot, last mainland province of the Salved fell four hundred years before either of us was born. Mind you I have served in Salicia.”
“Is that where you got the fleas then.”
Thackery ignored the gibe, musing on his past glories. “’s different out East, everything. More gods, more elves, people doing magic like it was natural. Goddess protect us, I say.”
“I’d like to see it myself, do a tour of duty over the sea one day.”
“Set you up nicely that woul d, ambitious fellow like you. Who knows you might even come back with a wife.”
Kimbolt smiled. “I’m like you Thackery, married to the army.”
The older man snorted. “Then mebbe you’d better tell that to yon servant girl who is always sniffing around.”
“Who,” Kimbolt w as startled. “You mean Hepdida?”
Thackery rolled his eyes. “By the Goddess , he even knows her name!”
“There’s nothing …. It’s… no…. of course,” Kimbolt stuttered through the start to a host of denials, all too aware of Thackery’s disbelieving indifference. “Look she’s only fifteen.”
“Send her a birthday greeting did you?”
“Of course not, not like you mean.”
Thackery levered himself upright and waved Kimbolt’s protestations into silence. “It’s been a strange day, one lost prince discovered and another never lost prince so put out by the event that we’re all on double guard duty. So me, I’m going to turn in while I can. My advice to you though, whatever happens with the wench, promise her nothing.”
Kimbolt flailed for a suitable retort but had found none by the time Thackery disappeared into his sleeping chamber. The younger man was left ruing the turn of events. He had thought Hepdida’s interest in him to be just a minor adolescent crush which he considered he was managing quite well; it turned out to be both more widely known and deeply misconstrued than he had ever imagined.
***
Niarmit calculated that the swimmer in the pool was well on the way to sinking. Only the agitated thrashing of his arms gave enough propulsion to balance the pull of gravity dragging him down and between each vigorous paddle of his arms his face disappeared beneath the surface. In his panic he seemed to be mistiming his intakes of breath and the moments when his face was above water, so that a fair amount of water was already being swallowed.
She lay flat on the stone and threw him one end of her belt. Somehow his flailing arm caught it and, with her pull keeping his head above the surface, they managed to negotiate a passage to a lower lip of the pool, where he hung panting for a moment, half in half out of the
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