‘When the lady has seen whatever she wants to, don’t stop to find us; we may already be back in the castle. Take a knight with you; you know how dangerous she is.’ Morgan laughed at Cheris’s indignant look and at her desperate attempts to cling to Dominic as the three of them disappeared into the trees.
Morgan was left with one knight and the wagon. ‘Let us start back,’ he said to them, turning his horse and feeling his wounds pulling sharply.
They rode on for a little while, until they reached a tiny copse next to the river. Within a dozen trees was a tiny bush-fringed glade, its bare earth covered by scant patches of grass and scattered leaves brown with decay. The wagon stopped here in front of Morgan and he watched as Syalin was led out of it, a rope around her neck and tightly binding her wrists. She was wearing a cloak against the cold, which the jailor removed, leaving her in her linen robe and boots. Throwing the cloak to one of his colleagues in the wagon, he climbed back in and turned to Morgan as he did so.
‘Your instructions have not changed, my Lord.’
‘No. They remain as I told you earlier.’
The jailor bowed as best he could and called to the driver to be off. Within a minute the glade was deserted. Deserted apart from Morgan and Syalin.
‘Stand over there. Turn your back to me,’ he said curtly.
She obeyed. She was right next to the river.
‘I never thought it would happen somewhere so cold,’ she said quietly. ‘It will be quick, won’t it?’
‘Yes,’ he replied, ‘it will not take long at all.’
‘I thank you for that.’ Her voice could barely be heard above the rushing water.
‘Shall I kneel?’
‘That won’t be necessary,’ he said. She heard the sound of a dagger being unsheathed. It would not be so bad. This was a pretty spot and the trees concealed them from any onlookers; perhaps she would be tipped into the river when it was done. No, she thought, the river runs through the city and, if he wanted this to be done quietly, it would rather ruin the purpose if her lifeless body were to float past Felmere Castle. Why was she wondering such things? It hardly mattered, after all. She heard him approach. He was right behind her. She would have been much quieter than he, she thought wryly. For what good that did. She relaxed and waited for the inevitable.
A magpie hopped across the glade not ten feet from her; it gave her a quick, curious glance and continued on its way. Still she waited.
Then she felt the knife behind her, grazing her arm. He was doing this all wrong; perhaps it wouldn’t be that quick after all. Then it dawned on her exactly what he was doing. He was cutting her bonds.
Just a few seconds later he was standing in front of her, holding the frayed and severed cords. He threw them to the ground. ‘I told you it wouldn’t take long,’ he said with a half-smile.
She looked at him dumbstruck. Her mouth opened, but no words came for a few seconds. Finally, all she could manage was ‘I don’t understand.’
‘I am letting you go,’ Morgan said. ‘You were just doing your job. Your actions were decided elsewhere and so I have no interest in vengeance. You can go. Your life is your own.’
She continued to look at him, her mouth open like a goldfish.
‘Oh, and this is yours – you might need it.’ He threw her the knife, which she caught without thinking. It was one of hers. Then Morgan spoke again.
‘Ach, now what have I done? I have given you your knife. Here of all places where no one can see us. I had forgotten, too, you are part of a greater being and bound to kill me. You cannot think for yourself or this great being dies; at least, that is what you told me. Well,’ he shrugged his shoulders, ‘you had better get on with it; I am too wounded to run or fight back. Unless, of course, you actually are capable of independent thought and can decide for yourself, whether or not to pursue this action. I am here. You had better get on and kill me.’ He opened his arms and waited, his face non-committal.
‘Are you mad?’ she whispered. She felt the knife in her hand; he was so close it would be easy.
‘No.’ said Morgan, ‘but I do think that you are not the person you pretend to be. You are not divorced from your actions and you are capable of thinking and acting independently. I have shown you clemency; the rest is up to you.’
‘Where would I go?’
‘Well, if you kill me, your mission is accomplished; you can go back to your Emperor in triumph and spend the last eight years of your life slaughtering other people or being the Emperor’s little plaything, if what Cedric has told me has any truth. The blackroot is on me; you can take it at your leisure. Come along. It is getting cold here and I haven’t got all day.’
‘And if I let you live?’
‘So you can decide things for yourself.’
‘Please, just answer the question.’
‘Well, then you cannot return to Arshuma or go to the Emperor. The rest of the world is yours to see, I suppose, though if you need a job, or somewhere to stay I have a vacancy that needs filling...’
She spoke slowly ‘And ... that ... is?’
‘I need a bodyguard. Thanks to you, I still cannot wield a sword. It seems a form of justice to me that you become my sword arm – at least until my hand heals. After it does, then, again, I will release you from your service if you have somewhere else to go.’
She shook her head. ‘No...no, your people would never accept that. The lady who wishes to bed you would see my head on a pike first.’
Morgan rolled his eyes. ‘I have actually spoken to everyone about this last night and persuaded them into seeing my point of view, including that lady who most definitely does not want to bed me.’
His reply was glib but his mind went back to the night before when he had called everyone to a surprise meeting in the throne room. Mathilde was there along with Dominic and Reynard, Cedric, Cheris and Astania, as well as the seneschal, General Mirik and the jailor, who spent the entire time shrinking into his chair, so uncomfortable was he in the presence of so many august people. When they were all seated, Morgan decided just to come out with it and deal with the fallout later.
‘Now we are all here,’ he said, trying to sound as commanding as possible, ‘I wish to tell you about a decision I have made. I wish to employ the assassin as my bodyguard.’
If he had ever wondered what the sound of nine jaws hitting the floor at the same time sounded like, then at that moment he had his answer. So stunned was his audience there was nothing but silence for what seemed a very long time. Finally, Mathilde composed herself sufficiently to speak.
‘Did this girl land a telling blow on your head, may I ask? Or is she one of those mystics who can control people’s thoughts with her mind. The only other explanation I can find is that you have gone mad, and I truly hope that isn’t the case here.’
‘She is much too tall for you,’ Dominic said, trying to sound flippant but failing miserably.
‘If I may speak, my Lord,’ said the seneschal. ‘This girl killed two of my men and scarred two others; no one will be comfortable having her around you.’
‘But surely that is the idea of a bodyguard; if she is protecting my person, then maybe it will help to have others around me discomfited by her presence. The men will get used to it in time.’
‘I thought,’ said Cheris, ‘she was employed to kill you. That she failed once is irrelevant; surely she will keep trying until she succeeds?’
‘Not if she swears an oath to me,’ Morgan replied. ‘These Strekha, Cedric, they are people of honour, yes? Forswearing an oath is something they do not do, surely?’
‘You are right, Morgan,’ Cedric answered, drawing his hands up to his chin. ‘But to do that she will have to break her oath to the Emperor and I am not sure that is possible.’
‘I think I know how to,’ said Morgan. ‘I have spoken to her and think I know how to pull the right levers. I will not say more, except to ask you to trust me in this and, when and if she does take up this position, not to o
stracise her. Not too much anyway. Tomorrow I will ride out with her and some guards. At some point I will ask the jailor here to leave me alone with her. Then I will make the offer.’
‘You are taking a huge risk,’ said Mathilde. ‘You wish to speak alone with her?’
‘I will be armed and she will be tied,’ Morgan replied, not entirely truthfully. ‘It is but a small risk but, yes, it is a risk. I grant you that. If something does go wrong, Mathilde, the new Protector Baron should come from your family. Harris Lasgaart seems a good choice, though he is not here tonight because I do not entirely trust him.’
‘Very well,’ said Mathilde curtly. ‘If indeed you have gone mad, it may be better you are replaced anyway.’ She did not mean to sound so cutting and regretted her words as soon as they were spoken.
‘I, too, rather wish your late husband had chosen another for this task. But he didn’t, and so I must discharge my responsibilities as I see fit. This girl is a model prisoner, I believe?’
‘Indeed, my Lord,’ said the jailor. ‘She has never raised a voice or tried anything untoward. Meek as a lamb she has been.’
‘So there you have it. I cannot lead my men in battle without a bodyguard for the time being and, believe me, battle is coming. One other thing: today I have sent two separate messengers to the Grand Duke. They have an identical message, but if one of them dies then the other may still get through.’
‘What message do they take to him?’ asked Reynard.
‘An update of the situation here; saying things are stable and that we may soon be able to attack the enemy. I also mention that Arshuma employs Kozean assassins should he wish to inform the Chiran ambassador. Having her around, you see, means that we have our proof, should proof be required.’
This registered with his audience; there was much nodding of heads in agreement. ‘That makes sense,’ said Reynard, ‘but it is still a madcap scheme.’
‘Madcap or no, it will be carried out tomorrow. Now, if no one else has anything to say...’
‘There is one thing,’ Cheris asked. ‘When you ride out tomorrow, will you be going near to the waterfall to the east?’
‘As a matter of fact, I will; I have a place in mind quite close to it.’
‘I would like to see the waterfall, or at least that plateau that stands next to it. I cannot explain why for now, though I promise you, Morgan, I will tell you privately later.’
Cedric’s eyes burned into her from over his glasses, a gaze she assiduously avoided.
‘Very well,’ said Morgan, ‘but you will need an escort. Dominic, would you be so kind...?’
The knight nodded. Cheris smiled at him. ‘I am glad of that; I have no idea how to ride a horse, after all. Though I would like to learn.’
‘That is all then. You know of my plans now. I just would ask you to remember me in your prayers tonight.’ Morgan was looking at Mathilde, for her face was all worry and concern. She nodded at him and tried a comforting smile in return, but it was a feeble attempt, reassuring neither of them.
And so, less than a day later, he was here in this glade facing the assassin gripping her knife tightly in her palm. If he had given further details of his scheme to them, he thought he would probably be manacled in the oubliette right now.
Syalin spoke slowly, her inner conflict obvious. ‘I am sworn to serve the Emperor; it is his bidding that I serve the Arshuman king and it is that king’s command that you should die. Do you not understand?’
‘Perfectly,’ Morgan replied.
‘Then I would ask that you leave this place. I will count. Maybe up to fifty to give you a chance of escape before ... before I come for you.’
‘I am going nowhere.’
She grimaced at this reply. ‘I would rather you had killed me.’
Morgan nodded slowly. ‘Cedric was right about your code of honour. What if you swear an oath to me?’
‘It would not override my oath to the Emperor. Nothing could.’
‘Are you so sure? Then I will swear an oath to you. If you accept the position I offer you, I swear that I will not torture you, or force you to kill family members, or bed you if the fancy takes me. Neither will I offer you any slow poison, other than that you have to take for your survival. You will have a room next to mine and, when your presence is not required, your time will be your own to fill. I expect no litanies of loyalty, no grovelling on your knees or belly, and lastly I do not wish to be treated as a god, for I am definitely not one. This I solemnly swear to you.’
‘You are playing with me.’ Her words were barely audible.
‘My life is at stake. I am not playing.’
They stood facing each other. A gust of cold wind shivered the branches of the trees, sending the last of its leaves showering around them like rain. The river continued to run, the birds to sing. Syalin lifted the knife ready to throw it, her jaw clenched so tight it looked like it could shatter at the slightest touch.
And then she did throw it.
That done, she sank to her knees putting her hands to her face, for her hair was not long enough to cover her. She must have been freezing in her thin robe.
Morgan went and pulled the blade from the tree where it had stuck fast and went over to her.
‘Come on, my girl. The wagon will be but a short distance away and I think you need that cloak. You will be needing these.’ He offered her the knife and the blackroot.
She stood slowly, her robe muddy at the knee. She looked at him and took the objects, her composure regained. ‘What do I have to swear?’
‘You want to do this now?’
‘Yes. If I am to serve you, I must take an oath immediately.’
‘All right then. Then say after me, what is your full name exactly?’
‘Just Syalin. Norvakkor names are long and relate to your family and the place you are born, but I have sacrificed the right to use them.’
‘Very well. Then say that “I, Syalin, swear to guard the person of the Protector Baron of Felmere from any foes that would seek to do him harm. My loyalties are to him and him alone until such time he discharges me from my duties or death claim me. Any previous oaths I have sworn are held in abeyance while this one endures. All this I do swear by the god I hold most dear to me.”’
She repeated his words with her hand held over her heart. That done, she spoke again. ‘My first duty as your bodyguard is to tell you never to walk into a secluded glade unprotected. Anything could happen to you there.’
‘Then I will not do it again. My I ask you something?’
‘I am yours to command, my Lord.’
‘I have been wondering. If blackroot kills you, and there is a tiny but definite chance of you surviving by stopping its ingestion, why do not more of you try it? A small chance is better than none at all.’
‘I see I was not clear enough at our last meeting. Death by blackroot withdrawal can be agonising. Death from the poison itself is a lot more peaceful. Most die in their sleep, though sometimes someone will drop dead on duty. Also, the Emperor wishes us to keep taking it and, until a minute ago, we are all sworn to obey him.’
‘So you abandon any hope and run headlong to an early death because he wants you to? I cannot believe the power this man wields.’
‘Do not be so flippant. He is a god not a man and his power is absolute. I am surprised he does not strike me down where I stand.’
‘Well, I wouldn’t go round expecting it.’
‘Your disrespect would be instant death in the Lilac Palace.’
‘Then it may be best if I never go there. Come let us go back. I have a fancy to introduce you formally to the Lady Mathilde.’
Syalin nodded. ‘Yes my Lord, it would be best to do that immediately. If looks alone could kill a person, she would make an excellent assassin. Except when she looks at you, of course.’
Morgan groaned. ‘I really do not know where you are getting this idea from. She is minor-to-medium nobility; I am a peasant temporarily elevated above my true sta
tus.’
‘I have a fancy that she is a noble that does not look too closely at who is poking her fire.’
‘Enough! Do you talk like this to the Emperor?’
‘I would not dare, but I feel I have a little more latitude with you. That is a compliment by the way.’
The two of them left the glade and strolled along a riverbank beginning to be concealed by early-evening mist. After five minutes they encountered the wagon and began the slow journey back to the city, with Syalin riding the spare horse which she now realised had been brought there specifically for that purpose.
At around the same time, Dominic Hartfield finally managed to ascend the plateau next to the waterfall. The path had got narrower and steeper the further they travelled, until it was little more than a goat track, hardly ideal terrain for two knights on chargers. For Cheris, too, it had been a challenge; her grip on Dominic had become tighter and tighter, and to his credit he had not complained, but she imagined her nails were practically stuck into his flesh through his armour by now. Then, though, the climb had finished and she was on the level again.
‘Do you wish to climb down and look around?’ Dominic asked her.
‘Please,’ she replied. ‘And thank you for this. I had no idea the climb would be so arduous.’
‘Neither did I. I probably would not have come, if I had known. We are probably the first people to come here in a long time.’
Taking great care, Cheris slid off the horse. She had been unable to see much behind the knight but the smell, of damp and fine mist, had been apparent for a while. She ran her fingers through her hair and looked about her.
They were on the eastern side of the plateau, the opposite side of the falls. Here it was quite dry; the ground was even and covered in sweet grass. Great boulders and shards of collapsed rock littered the plateau, obviously the residue from some avalanche long past. She heard a commotion from behind them and, running to look, she caught sight of some four or five mountain goats which had been unexpectedly disturbed by their arrival. As she watched, they scrambled up the mountain, finding purchase for their hooves where none could be easily seen. There was a space between the boulders and the great shelf of the mountain where someone could easily be concealed. She emerged again and strolled over to that part of the plateau overlooking the falls. There were no trees here and she saw the plants underfoot change from grass to mosses and springy bog plants as she walked into the cloud of permanent mist engendered by the tumbling waters. It was slippery and vision here was far from perfect. She felt her foot slip from under her and clung to a nearby shoulder of rock to stop herself from falling. And not a minute too soon, for she saw she was right at the precipice, barely two feet from a tumble into the plunge pool far beneath her and certain death. She could see the river before it plummeted free of the mountains. It was white and churning, funnelled between a deep and narrow gorge that held its great power in check before its release into the great cataract, now so close to her she could almost jump into it. Stepping back a little to be clear of the mist, she saw the foot of the falls, the great pool underneath and the river on the outset of its long journey. Ultimately, she realised, it would join the much greater river, the Vinoyen, many miles away in the woods. The selfsame woods where so many terrible things had happened to her not so long ago. She shivered, more at the thought than the cold.
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