My thanks. I will take charge of this man.”
“Quidang!”
The Pachaks trotted off and I followed Insur down into his cabin. He waited with the handle in his fist, and he slammed the door after us. Then, at once, he bowed, and said:
“Majister.”
I took his hand.
“My thanks, Insur. That was splendidly done.”
“If I say I am amazed — flabbergasted — to find you here...”
“You would match the pleasure I feel in meeting you again.”
He motioned to a chair, and so I had to sit down, otherwise he’d remain standing, half-bent, forever. “Well, Insur, tell me all about it.”
He sat down and instinctively poured parclear. The sherbet drink fizzed and sparkled in the glass. “I will tell you everything, majister. But — what? I am bereft of words.”
“First of all — you did right to keep my identity safe. Second: What is all this nonsense about taking the argenter from Tomboram a prisoner of war?”
He straightened.
“It is hardly nonsense, majister.” He wouldn’t mince words. “The Opaz-forsaken devils bear heavily upon us. We strive to thwart their designs, but—”
“Press? Designs? What are you talking about? Is not Vallia at peace with Pandahem? All the nations of Pandahem — well, perhaps with the exception of the Bloody Menahem.”
“No, majister. Not so.”
I gaped. Then I said, harshly, “Tell me.”
So he told me.
Down in the southwest of Vallia, the land I had made my home on Kregen and which empire had fetched me to be their emperor, down there in the southwest in the kovnate of Kaldi a pretty little revolution had broken out. I knew about that. My son Drak had taken his army down there to sort them out, for Kov Vodun Alloran had proclaimed himself as king. During my most recent adventurings I had been somewhat out of touch with the latest developments.
Insur said: “Alloran sought help from Pandahem. He got it. Armies were landed and Prince Drak has fought many hard battles—”
He saw my face and stopped speaking abruptly. Drak! Suppose he was killed in one of these petty little battles, for hard battles mean casualties. Insur saw at once.
“The Prince Majister is safe, and leads the army brilliantly.”
“Thank Opaz!”
“Aye.”
“And so you cruise the sea lanes to prevent the ferrying of more troops to feed this mad King Vodun Alloran?”
“Yes, majister.”
“But — Tomboram! They have been friends for many seasons. I would have thought it of Menaham—”
“They were defeated in a great battle, and Alloran desperately sought fresh allies, and found them in Tomboram.”
“Well, I suppose it all adds up,” I said in a grudging fashion. “Although it stinks worse than the Fish Souk in Helamlad where there is no ice for fifty dwaburs around.”
“Where Helamlad might be, majister, I do not know. What I would dearly like to know is where you came from — oh! Unless—”
“From
Tuscurs Maiden’s
ship’s company, Insur, that’s where. And she’s not of Tomboram, being of Tuscursmot in South Pandahem. We flew the colors of Bormark just because we imagined Vallia and Tomboram, Bormark, allies.”
He shook his head; but he was no man’s fool.
“Your designs are none of my business, majister. You know I will do all in my power to aid you.”
“I know, Insur, and I thank you. So that means you can’t take the argenter prisoner.”
“Quite.”
“I spotted Wersting Rogahan at the forrard varters.”
“He will know you, for sure. And Ortyg Fondal and Nath Cwophorlin have made your acquaintance in the past. Once made—”
“I know, I know,” I grumped. “They say I’ve a face like a leem at times.”
A tiny smile licked around his lips, and his face, all bronzed and sea-beaten, creaked alarmingly. He was no salt-laden old sea-dog but a fiery and consummately professional naval officer. Men had given their lives to save his. I looked hard at him. “And,” I said, “that young Hikdar Varathon...?”
“My son,
“Quidang!”
The Pachaks trotted off and I followed Insur down into his cabin. He waited with the handle in his fist, and he slammed the door after us. Then, at once, he bowed, and said:
“Majister.”
I took his hand.
“My thanks, Insur. That was splendidly done.”
“If I say I am amazed — flabbergasted — to find you here...”
“You would match the pleasure I feel in meeting you again.”
He motioned to a chair, and so I had to sit down, otherwise he’d remain standing, half-bent, forever. “Well, Insur, tell me all about it.”
He sat down and instinctively poured parclear. The sherbet drink fizzed and sparkled in the glass. “I will tell you everything, majister. But — what? I am bereft of words.”
“First of all — you did right to keep my identity safe. Second: What is all this nonsense about taking the argenter from Tomboram a prisoner of war?”
He straightened.
“It is hardly nonsense, majister.” He wouldn’t mince words. “The Opaz-forsaken devils bear heavily upon us. We strive to thwart their designs, but—”
“Press? Designs? What are you talking about? Is not Vallia at peace with Pandahem? All the nations of Pandahem — well, perhaps with the exception of the Bloody Menahem.”
“No, majister. Not so.”
I gaped. Then I said, harshly, “Tell me.”
So he told me.
Down in the southwest of Vallia, the land I had made my home on Kregen and which empire had fetched me to be their emperor, down there in the southwest in the kovnate of Kaldi a pretty little revolution had broken out. I knew about that. My son Drak had taken his army down there to sort them out, for Kov Vodun Alloran had proclaimed himself as king. During my most recent adventurings I had been somewhat out of touch with the latest developments.
Insur said: “Alloran sought help from Pandahem. He got it. Armies were landed and Prince Drak has fought many hard battles—”
He saw my face and stopped speaking abruptly. Drak! Suppose he was killed in one of these petty little battles, for hard battles mean casualties. Insur saw at once.
“The Prince Majister is safe, and leads the army brilliantly.”
“Thank Opaz!”
“Aye.”
“And so you cruise the sea lanes to prevent the ferrying of more troops to feed this mad King Vodun Alloran?”
“Yes, majister.”
“But — Tomboram! They have been friends for many seasons. I would have thought it of Menaham—”
“They were defeated in a great battle, and Alloran desperately sought fresh allies, and found them in Tomboram.”
“Well, I suppose it all adds up,” I said in a grudging fashion. “Although it stinks worse than the Fish Souk in Helamlad where there is no ice for fifty dwaburs around.”
“Where Helamlad might be, majister, I do not know. What I would dearly like to know is where you came from — oh! Unless—”
“From
Tuscurs Maiden’s
ship’s company, Insur, that’s where. And she’s not of Tomboram, being of Tuscursmot in South Pandahem. We flew the colors of Bormark just because we imagined Vallia and Tomboram, Bormark, allies.”
He shook his head; but he was no man’s fool.
“Your designs are none of my business, majister. You know I will do all in my power to aid you.”
“I know, Insur, and I thank you. So that means you can’t take the argenter prisoner.”
“Quite.”
“I spotted Wersting Rogahan at the forrard varters.”
“He will know you, for sure. And Ortyg Fondal and Nath Cwophorlin have made your acquaintance in the past. Once made—”
“I know, I know,” I grumped. “They say I’ve a face like a leem at times.”
A tiny smile licked around his lips, and his face, all bronzed and sea-beaten, creaked alarmingly. He was no salt-laden old sea-dog but a fiery and consummately professional naval officer. Men had given their lives to save his. I looked hard at him. “And,” I said, “that young Hikdar Varathon...?”
“My son,
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