by John Marco
"I'll stand. Thank you."
"Then I will sit," said Tharn. "And you and Voris can be as uncomfortable as you wish. But do not fight, please. I am too tired for it."
A reluctant smile broke on Richius' face. Regrettably, he was liking Tharn these days. It made it difficult to stay angry.
"We are all tired, Tharn," he said easily. "If your friend doesn't attack me again, I promise not to throw him out the window."
"If you want to die for something, make it for something valuable." He gestured to the chair again. "Now please..."
Richius relented, pulling out the chair and sitting down. He crossed one leg over the other and leaned backward, making every effort to seem relaxed. "Now," he said, pointing his chin toward Voris. "What's he doing here?"
As if he understood the words, Voris stepped forward and broke into an angry retort, pushing his finger into Richius' face. Richius swatted it away and sprang out of the chair, bracing for another fight. He didn't see Tharn's cane flash until it crashed against his shin. Before Voris could back away the cane struck again, cracking against the warlord's leg. Both men fell back with a howl. Cursing, Richius dropped into the chair, rubbing the bone to dull the pain. He scowled at Tharn and the cunning-man grinned.
"Now we can talk," said Tharn. "You will listen, yes?"
Richius nodded.
Tharn bid Voris closer with his stiffened hand. The warlord sighed dutifully and obeyed. Only when he was satisfied that he had an attentive audience did Tharn continue.
"We all go in the morning," he said seriously. "And I want things understood. Richius, Voris has made suggestions to me."
"I'm sure."
"Hear me now. He is not pleased with your plans for Dring. He disagrees."
"Disagrees?" Richius sat upright in his chair. "He's had four days to disagree with me. Why's he telling us this now?"
"He wants changes."
"No," said Richius. "No changes. He was supposed to start ordering the things I asked for. Didn't he start yet?"
Tharn nodded. "He has already sent some of his warriors ahead. The defenses you asked for are being made."
"Good. So what's the problem?"
"There is no attack plan," replied Tharn. "He wants to see an attack plan."
"There is no attack plan. You asked me to help defend the Dring Valley. So all right, I'm doing it. If you want an attack plan, ask him for one."
"He has already given me one. I want your ideas on it." Tharn shifted effortfully in the chair and produced a small map from the desktop. He held it out for Richius to inspect. It was of the Dring Valley. To the west were dozens of blotchy black pen strikes representing the approaching forces of Nar. To the east were a series of vertical lines. Richius guessed these to be his defense trenches. He shrugged and tossed the map back onto the desk.
"So?"
Voris spoke up, addressing Tharn directly. Tharn nodded as he listened.
"Richius, Voris wants to attack the Narens. He says that it would surprise them and that they could be overtaken with enough men. Do you agree with this?"
Richius choked back a laugh. "Attack them? Is he serious? With what? He'd need an army to overcome their forces."
"He proposes using all his warriors and wolves for the strike. He says the surprise would even out the numbers."
"He's wrong, Tharn. They'd be slaughtered. Even if they could surprise them, Nar has too many men ready. Attacking them would be suicide."
Tharn passed on Richius' words to Voris. The warlord argued vehemently.
"Voris wants you to know that he has built up his forces since you left the Dring Valley. He says that he has over two thousand men now. Enough, he says, to have destroyed you."
Richius smiled. "History. Besides, he's not just up against Aramoor this time. Lord, haven't you explained that to him? If he fights them on the flats he'll have to deal with the war wagons and the horsemen." He glanced mischievously at Voris. "And if we'd used horses we would have beaten him."
Tharn's bloodshot eyes rolled back in his head. "Enough, please. Now tell me, will you support this or not?"
"I will not," said Richius. "It is foolhardy and dangerous. Nothing good can come of it, I promise."
"Richius," said Tharn thoughtfully, "before you decide you should consider everything. The horseman you hate will be on the flats. It may not be possible for you to get to him otherwise."
"I know," answered Richius. He had already considered his slim chances of reaching Blackwood Gayle in the thick, inhospitable valley. It changed nothing. "I stand by what I've said. Will you support me?"
Tharn smiled grimly, addressing Voris over his shoulder. The warlord's face mottled with crimson as he listened. When his master was done, Voris spoke again, crossing his arms and throwing back his head. Tharn frowned and didn't translate.
"Well?" asked Richius. "What did he say?"
"He says that you are a coward. He says that your plan is a coward's plan." Tharn rubbed his atrophied hand distractedly.
"Are you afraid to die, Richius?'' he asked. "Because Voris thinks that you are. You should know that he is not."
"I'm no coward," replied Richius. "But if Voris isn't afraid to die, tell him to go ahead with his stupid plan. He'll be dead within an hour. And his valley will be no safer for it."
Tharn lowered his head. "And that is what we want, is it not? Very well. You know I do not think you are a coward, Richius. But you may have to convince Voris. Understand what I have done to him. He is a warlord of Lucel-Lor. What I have asked of him is a great dishonor. Because he is loyal he obeys."
"Does he?" asked Richius. "I mean really obey you? None of your stories now, Tharn. I want the truth. Don't let me get all the way to Dring just so he can slit my throat."
"You will be safe. I would not send Dyana with you if I did not think so. I am only warning you not to anger Voris. I will not be in Dring to protect you, and if he thinks you are less than what I have told him..."
"I understand," said Richius. He could see that Tharn was looking for a concession, so he added, "I'll try not to anger him."
Voris listened dumbly to their banter. He nudged at Tharn's chair leg with his foot impatiently, and Tharn explained to him what had been said. The warlord seemed satisfied. He gave Richius a sly smile.
"Now tell him to forget his plans," directed Richius. "Tell him to do things my way."
This Voris found less amusing. He made a sound like a whimper. Surprisingly, though, he didn't argue the point. He merely bowed to Tharn and left the chamber, ignoring Richius as he walked by, leaving the door to the chamber open. Richius rose and closed it.
"You told him?" he asked.
Tharn nodded wearily. "You have much to prove to him, Richius. Be careful."
"I will if I can," said Richius. "But he has to listen to me. Voris is wrong about attacking the Narens. If you don't believe me yourself--"
"I believe you," said Tharn. "I only wanted to be sure of your answer. Voris is a man of strong will. He always feels he must act. You are asking him to do nothing."
"Not nothing. I'm asking him to defend his valley. And to use his head for a change. Even he must know how foolish his idea is. He just wants to look like he's still in control." Richius shrugged indifferently. "If it's that important to him, maybe he should be."
"No," said Tharn. "It must be you. Only you know what Dring will be up against."
"I'm no expert, Tharn. I grew up in Aramoor, remember? And when it comes to the Dring Valley, no one knows it better than Voris. Really, maybe you should reconsider."
"No need. You have shown me what I wanted to see."
"What was that?"
"You are strong, like Voris, but smarter. I worried you would want to attack the Narens so you could get to the Baron Gayle. You surprised me. I am pleased."
Richius lowered his gaze to the floor. .
"You take good news badly," said the cunning-man. "Why?"
"Sabrina," said Richius. "She deserves to be avenged. Maybe Vori
s was right about me. Maybe I am afraid."
"We are all afraid, Richius. We would not be men otherwise."
"Voris isn't afraid. You told me so yourself."
"I lied. He is afraid. He fears for his valley and his family. He fears for his pride, too. You think he is mad but he is not. He is simply unknown to you."
"But at least he's willing to go after Gayle. And Gayle didn't kill his wife."
Tharn waved the remark away. "These doubts you have are nonsense. A real man protects the people he cares about. That is all Voris is trying to do, and that is what you want, too. I have asked you to protect the Dring Valley. By doing so you are protecting Dyana and the little one. You are right not to attack the horseman. He and his brigands would slaughter you."
"All right," agreed Richius. "Point taken."
"Good." Tharn grinned. "And do not worry. The time may come when you can get to the horseman. When it comes, you will know it."
Maybe, thought Richius. I just hope I'm ready for it.
Tharn was pushing papers across his desk again, using his good hand to rummage under the stacks of books. "I want to show you something," he said. "Very interesting." At last he found a tattered parchment and his eyes lit up as he handed it to Richius, who inspected it with halfhearted interest. It was no bigger than a page torn from his own journal, and the Triin writing jotted across it was faded and runny. The parchment had that peculiar, warped texture paper always gets when it has been wet.
"What is it?" asked Richius, studying the foreign words. There were not many of them, but the sparsity made the paper no easier to read.
"See the signature?" Tharn asked.
"I don't read any Triin, Tharn. I'm sorry. What does it say?"
Tharn stretched forward and ran his yellow fingernail along the signature. He said very slowly, "Cha Yulan."
"Cha Yulan?" asked Richius. "What's that mean?"
But suddenly he knew what it meant. The old battle cry of the Dring Drol. Cha Yulan. The Wolf.
"This is from Voris, isn't it?" he asked. Tharn didn't answer. Richius dropped the parchment onto the desk. "Why are you showing me this?"
"That letter came to me two years ago," said Tharn. "When the war was not yet over. You were in the Dring Valley then."
Richius picked up the letter again, wondering which word was Kalak.
"What's it say?"
"It says: 'My son is dead. I will kill the man from Nar.' "
Richius shut his eyes. The letter trembled slightly in his hand. "My son?" he asked. "Whose son? Voris'?"
"His name was Tal," said Tharn. "He was fourteen when he died. A warrior, just made. It was in the valley."
"Oh, no," Richius groaned. "Please don't tell me that. His son was killed? I didn't even know he had a son."
"One son. Three daughters. They are all still alive. Tal is dead."
"Damn!" Richius hissed, balling his fist around the note and slamming it down on the desk. "Is that why he hates me so much? Because he blames me for killing his son? God's death, how was I supposed to know? I killed a lot of people, Tharn. Too many."
"Think not of it. Anyone could have killed him. I doubt it was you."
"That's not what I'm saying. Doesn't anyone know how hard I worked to protect the people in the valley? I could have massacred them like Gayle would have, but I didn't. And now to hear this... It's a nightmare!"
"What did you think?" asked Tharn. "That only old people die in wars? Tal was a warrior. He died a hero."
"That's not how Voris sees it."
"That letter was written long ago. He was in grief. And I did not show it to you to upset you. Nor to help you understand Voris, either. You miss something."
Richius threw the letter onto the desk. "What?"
"Can you not see? Voris is like you. He hates you, but he works with you. He knows it is best."
"He's nothing like me, Tharn," argued Richius. "He's a beast."
"But he is like you," Tharn insisted. "He hates you for killing his son. You hate me for killing your Edgard."
There was a childlike innocence to the words that made Richius falter. He realized suddenly that his hatred of Tharn had all but evaporated. Tharn smiled, his crooked grin full of warmth.
"You understand," he said knowingly. "Now we work together. You and Voris, too. We learn."
"That's a lot to learn, Tharn. Voris lost a son. He has a reason to hate."
"Hate and hate. No more hate!"
"I'll do my best," said Richius.
"Your very best, or Voris will not trust you. And you must learn our language, too. Listen to Dyana and study. It is important you understand us."
"I'll try," said Richius. "But there may not be time for much study. Things are going to get pretty busy, you know."
"Dyana will teach you and you will make time. I have told her this is her duty. She understands." A melancholy veil drifted over Tharn's face then and he looked away. "Yes," he mumbled to himself. "She understands."
The pensiveness in the Drol's voice nudged Richius' curiosity. "Tharn? What is it? What are you thinking about?"
"About Dyana," Tharn confessed. "She seems troubled. She has been..." His face wrinkled as he searched for a word. "Distant, I think. She will not speak to me now."
"She's probably just worried about you, that's all. She's afraid you won't make it back from Chandakkar. That's the way women are."
"Worried?" asked Tharn. "About me?"
"Of course," said Richius. "That surprises you, doesn't it?"
Tharn looked away. "I am not much of a husband."
"Neither was I," said Richius. "It doesn't make them care about us any less."
Tharn lifted his clubbed hand and stared at it, turning it slowly as he studied the pits and scars bubbling his skin and racing up his forearm. A questioning horror dawned on his face.
"I'll tell Dyana not to fret so much when I see her," Richius hurried to say. "I'll tell her the warriors will protect you. She'll believe that."
"No," said Tharn. "No warriors."
Richius stared at him for a long moment. "No warriors? You mean you're going to Chandakkar alone?"
"Not alone. Cunning-men are coming with me. Three of them."
"You're going to Chandakkar with these priests? Oh, no, Tharn. You need warriors with you. It's too dangerous not to take them."
"All warriors are needed here in Tatterak," said Tharn. "I will be fine without them."
"But Chandakkar could be overrun with Narens by now. You can't go there unprepared. You could be killed!"
Tharn put up his hand. "Stop," he ordered. "It is decided. Falindar cannot be left unguarded. Now speak no more of it, please. I am going to Chandakkar with my cunning-men. We will convince Karlaz of the lions to help us."
Richius chanced an honest question. "What if you can't, Tharn? What if the lion people won't listen to you? Do you have another plan?"
The light in Tharn's eyes dimmed a little. "They must listen. We need them. There is no other way to take the Saccenne Run. Only the lions can do that."
"There is another way," said Richius cautiously.
"What?"
"You," Richius said. "You can stop them at the Run or anywhere else. You know you can. All you have to do is try."
Tharn stumbled to his feet. "How can you say this? Do you not see me? Look!"
Richius struggled to keep his voice level. "I've seen you, Tharn. You are ill, that's all."
"I am cursed! Look at me, man. I am grotesque!"
"A skin disease," said Richius. "Leprosy, maybe. I don't know what it is but it's not a curse. You've not been damned to live like this, not by your gods."
Tharn's face went blank. "You do not understand," he said. "I have used my touch to kill." He made a sweeping motion over his body. "This is the consequence."
"No, not a consequence," said Richius. "A coincidence. Your power isn't a curse. You saved Lucel-Lor with it once. You can do it again."
"No," said Tharn wildly, collapsing
into his chair. "Never say so! I am punished. It is true." He buried his chin in his chest and his voice became a broken whisper. "I am a freak. Unlovable to any woman."
Richius went over to the cunning-man, kneeling down beside him. "Tharn, there are medicines that can help you. It doesn't have to be this way. You don't have to be in pain all the time."
"It is what the gods want," said Tharn. "Have you no belief? What more proof do you need than my wretched body?"
"But these medicines--"
"These medicines are Naren. There is no way to get them. And I would rather suffer than beg aid from the likes of the Empire. This I deserve. To deny the gods their vengeance on me would just be another crime."
Richius stood up. "You are wrong," he said. "You could save Lucel-Lor with your powers."
"No," replied Tharn. "You are wrong. You have much to learn about being Triin. The gods do exist, and they give men burdens. Listen well to Dyana, Richius. She never believed, but she does now. She will teach you these things."
Richius nodded slowly. "If you say so. But I'll need more than your word and your disease to make me believe it. Be well on your journey, Tharn. And good luck."
Tharn's eyes welled with sadness. "Richius," he said softly. "Remember what I have told you. Prove yourself to Voris. Be careful around him. He is a good man. Try to believe that."
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Past the midnight hour, when the moon was at its apex and the lingering moans of far-off surf drifted through the air, Tharn wandered alone through the splendid halls of Falindar, his face awash with candlelight. The stone floors tapped out his shuffling progress as he moved, slowly and with effort. The candle dish trembled in his hand, spilling burning wax onto his thumb, yet in all his pain it was but one more tiny torment, and the master of the citadel hardly noticed it. His mind was feverish. A rush of thirst and fascination pushed him on, making him drag his palsied leg ever closer to Dyana's chambers.
She would be asleep. She might even be angry with him. But Richius' words had kept him awake all night, and he could not leave his wife on the morrow without one last audience. He was afraid, fearful of the death he might find in Chandakkar, and terrified that he might never again look upon the woman who held his heart. He was a monster and he knew he was, and the thought that someone so lovely feared for him had humbled him to tears. Sleep was impossible. Tonight he craved the warmth of human flesh.
