but I assure you it is… maybe that is not where you should look for answers, you believed you had an edge, and you did; you had confidence.”
Nicholas was reflective. “I could have died?”
“As I said, you are more of a man than either of us knew.”
Nicholas laughed nervously. “This is not… deception?”
Reigel smiled. “The game you played; was not the point to detect deception: do you detect it now?”
“But maybe you are a better player than I.”
Reigel shrugged.
“So the sword-fight with the Veldt?”
Reigel was surprised. “You crossed swords with the Veldt?” He thought for a moment. “I don’t know, but you told me you father taught you how to handle a blade, and if I remember you were almost boastful at your skill.”
“He did, and if I was, it was immodest to say such.” He thought for a moment. “Though in modesty I do claim even more skill with a throwing knife... But my hearing; my senses?”
“Nicholas we see and we hear what we want to see, and want to hear. In times of stress we cast our senses too wide, and are confused by all that happens around us; we let distractions confuse us. To survive we need a clear focused mind, one that ignores those distractions.”
“Fear is not merely a distraction.”
“No, yet it is a natural emotion; like anger, but we don’t fall into an uncontrollable rage at every obstacle in our path. The implant changes far less than you believe. It will not make your decisions, though understanding may make you see them clearer. You are the man you were today, as much as you were the youth fleeing the mob. You have merely learned that we are all contradictions and that those of us who can pick and choose what is best for the occasion have the edge.”
Nicholas smiled and reached out to grip Reigel around the shoulders. “Only half of what you say to me ever makes sense, but everything you do say makes me think. Though at this moment I cannot prove the fact, I am sure you do make me a better man. Enough, whatever my worth I am a poor host, come let us go inside.” They walked back to the apartments as Nicholas continued to talk. “I remember the last time you spoke to me of wondrous things, in fact am I not an example of that itself… You made me live again; not just in giving me my life back, you gave purpose to it, and though from that time could be measured in days; if not hours, then I have lived a life that has been full of every emotion that man dares in his entire lifetime to experience. I have cried, and loved; I have fought and failed. I have found friendship and a sense of worth.” Nicholas held Reigel’s gaze. “Everything that you have given me has been wondrous, but the time for new horizons and adventure is past, we have done all we can; the keep is ours as is the city. Within a few days all of the district would have…” He became silent as he went over to the drink cabinet and poured two glasses. “Here: for whatever kind of person he may be the Marshal has excellent taste.”
Reigel came beside him and took the glass, but did not drink. “What do you intend to do?”
“Do, you phrase the question as if I had a choice?”
“You could slip out under darkness, and regroup in the mountains.”
“Yes we could, and I will not call any that do a coward.”
“Will you?”
Nicholas appeared to change the subject. “You know that some of the guard has sworn allegiance to our cause?”
“To you.”
Nicholas seemed embarrassed by Reigel’s answer and ignored it. “I have their word that they will not do anything until the moment arrives. They will then take us prisoner, for their own sakes.”
“So no blood shall be spilt other than your own.”
“The cost has been great, and even at that cost we have not won; but without victory the rebellion has still achieved everything that Simeon and Antony set out to. It struck a crippling blow to the Marshal and it will take many seasons for him to rebuild his power; if ever, especially I expect when those who are his supporters see that he has failed.” He threw the drink to the back of his throat, and poured another. “The people know now that they can strike back, and in time another band of rebels will take our place and maybe they…. For us there is just tomorrow; but we have given someone else a future.”
Reigel let Nicholas finish the second drink, and refill his glass a third time. “When we last spoke I told you nothing of the past did I?”
“The past?”
“A long time ago…”
“Other than indication; neither did you say why you had helped me, other than it was a kind act; which while it was, I doubt that was the whole purpose. So I do not hesitate to believe there are many things you have not told me.”
Reigel felt ashamed to admit the truth. “It was not even a kind act. It was something I was told to do.”
Nicholas looked at him with no understanding. “But you did; and I have lived long enough to have lived.” Nicholas tossed back the third drink. “They say I am related by birth to the old kings, is that true?”
“All I know is that your family is an ancient and honored lineage.”
“The captain who caused me so much grief told me this. I was not sure if he lied to cause me more pain.” Nicholas staggered a bit and laughed. “You know Reigel this sound’s strange. See now I am telling you strange things too.” He went to pour yet another drink. “As I am about to die I should very much like to see a painting or likeness of this dead king and queen; that may be my family.”
Reigel came to his side and closed the cabinet. “I don’t know if any exist. They… I am told that their fondness for each other was not widely known.”
Nicholas stared at him for a moment. “They were not married?”
“Politics then, were as now, and will be in the future, and something’s are preferable out of the public gaze.”
Now Nicholas laughed. “Then I am a bastard king?”
Reigel led him over to the couch and sat him down. “Nicholas there is more to tell than we have time to become maudlin. Sit and listen for you will not believe what I have to say.”
“You say that after what you have now, and in the past told me.” Nicholas shook his head. “But not here; where we can look out at that thing in the courtyard, for it makes me sick in my heart.”
“No Nicholas,” Reigel said firmly. “Problems do not disappear if out of sight. We will sit in full sight for my eyes do not see what yours do.”
“See?” Nicholas scoffed. “I see the sunlight shining off devastating power.”
“And I see the sun setting on the Marshal, and that your defeat can yet be your victory.”
“Do not toy with me Reigel; it is too cruel to have hope where there is none.”
“Now the wine is talking instead of you. It is my fault, enough to dull the pain but I should have stopped you before it had chance cloud your spirit.” Reigel steered him back out into the garden and together they stared down at the saucer.
Nicholas was shaking his head, with a strange smile on his face. “If the truth is known, I am truly glad to spend my last eve with…”
Instead of responding Reigel started his own conversation. “I have never told you where I come from, have I?”
“Or disappear to: no, but that does fill me with curiosity.”
“No; not coming or going; I mean where is my home?”
“You said a village; like mine, but far away. I think my mind is a little leaden.”
“Did I say that? Oh well maybe my ancestors did, but I was born up there.” Reigel pointed to the sky. “So far away that even my mind cannot comprehend.”
Nicholas thought towards the little moon. He looked back at Reigel his head wobbling disconcertingly.
“No: I am not mad. I am human like you in every way, but I am what some call an off-worlder…”
“Ahh,” Nicholas said eagerly. “I have heard that word before and not know its meaning, but you are?”
“This planet, the planet you call Earth; you’re your home: it is not mine.”
“It’s not… then where?”
Reigel looked up into the sky.
Nicholas’s eyes widened. “You are from the heavens?”
“Yes, but not the heavens you are thinking of, I am no angel or god as you once assumed.”
Nicholas’s fuzzy brain perked up. “Then there are other people... up there?”
“Up there and out there; there any many, many people on many, many worlds just like this.”
“It must be far away as it seems so small for so many.”
“I don’t just mean the moons you see. There are other worlds like and unlike this world. There are cities, and towns and homes just like here.”
“There are cities? Like Quone?”
“There are cities that are full of splendor and wonder, and far bigger; with technology that astounds even people like me.” Reigel smiled as he remembered Nicholas had no experience of the cities that he knew. “But cities like Quone… It will suffice to say yes… What do you know of the ancients?”
Nicholas looked a little stunned at another sudden change of subject. “Our ancients?”
“Yes,” said Reigel patiently.
“Little. The Alderman had books, they spoke of many strange things, but I was told much of the writing was… fiction: it was made up, but I have seen with my eyes of the structures they left to crumble. Some tell that the Gods wiped them out with fire and disease for the living of evil ways.”
“Well,” Muttered Reigel. “I suppose in a nutshell that is what happened, but the truth of the matter takes a while longer to tell. Many years ago this world was such a different place that you could not
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