Scabbard's Song (3 page)

had persuaded enough, finally agreed to manage the pack horses and the cooking. The three mounted men set off in the early dawn. They were riding to the land of dragons, snake-people, horse-people, wolf-people and other such creatures. It was an area where the gods had mixed human features with those of beasts, mostly a human body with an animals head on its shoulders, and real people were not welcome there. The dog-heads had been amongst the hordes that Soldier and his army had recently crushed under the walls of Zamerkand. They stopped the first night in the cave of an old warrener, a hunter of rabbits, who sold the meat for the pot and the skins for hats. The old man lived naked as a wild creature, with only his thick, long, greasy grey hair forming a cloak around his body to keep him warm at night. He gave his guests a black-toothed grin before inviting them into the cave. Old yellow dragons cave, eh, he explained. The walls were blackened by smutty fires. Not many of em about nowadays. You can see where they used to sharpen their claws, on this piece of gneiss here. Eh? Eh? Wily old bastards, the yellows. Smoke you with their nostrils, so they would. Ive killed a few dragons in my time, boasted Spagg to the old man. You cant tell me about dragons. Betcha aint killed a witch, eh? Eh? Witches? I chaw em up and spit em out. How about you? Golgath rolled his eyes at Soldier, as if to say, weve got a pair of them here. Yep. Killed a witch once. Spurlggrot her name was, eh? Chopped her head off when she trapped me in a net made o gorse. The head bit me then rolled down a rabbit hole. I got sick, o course, and I burned the body in a fit of pique. That left her head loose, to roam the underground tunnels of rabbits, moles and the like. Lords and peasants out huntin in this district will tell you they hear her calling, from deep underground. Its said that warreners like myself sometimes get their hands bit, savagely, when they reach down into rabbit holes. Once you get witch-bit, you swell up like a black bladder and burst, if you dont get magic help. Nothin worse than a witch-bite for turnin you rotten as last years plums. I take it you aint been bitten again? asked Spagg, impressed in spite of himself. Im the one killed her, said the old man, proudly. She cant touch me no more. Its like some diseases. Once youve had em, you cant catch em twice. Ive already been witch-bit once. And so on, and so forth, murmured Golgath, unrolling his blanket. He yawned, before saying, Now where did I put that bragging stick? Up yer arse, snapped the old man, before turning the spitted rabbit over the fire. They slept the night in the cave with the old man, then continued their journey. It was true that in the old days they would have met with many dragons on this route north: yellow, red and green. But now there were so very few. There were rumours of an albino great-dragon, which roamed the Unknown Region to the north-west of the marshes beyond Falyum, but these were unconfirmed. The wingspan of a great-dragon was a hundred yards. They could chase you until you dropped, and their front legs were small and dainty, so they could get their claws into any crevice. The appetite of a great-dragon was voracious, bones, flesh and all, so if you saw one, you didnt usually live to tell of it. The next day, and the next, they continued north-eastward, into the country of the dog-heads, until they sighted their first beast-person. Once they had been seen, of course, they knew it was only a matter of time before they would be attacked. Sure enough, they were halfway across a plain when a hunting pack of twelve dog-people spotted them and came charging up in a cloud of dust, barking and yelping and waving their spears. It appeared they believed the three men to be ignorant of where they were, until Soldier unfurled the truce-standard, which was blue and white. Even the dog-heads recognised this flag and to a certain extent respected it at least until they heard what strangers wanted, then they killed and ate them. What do you want in my country, blue-eyes? growled the dog-head leader. You will go on to my lance and be cut? It was not an invitation, this latter question, it was a threat. I come to see the dog-warrior called Wo, said Soldier, the sword-finder. My wife the Princess Layana of Zamerkand told me he is the best in the business. I need him to help me find a sword. The dog-heads mouth fell open, revealing his rows of fangs. His tongue lolled out as his hairy face took on an expression of incredulity. Then his expression hardened. You be the blue-eyed Soldier, general of Carthagans, slayer of the noble and dogly Vau, of our canine-peopled nation. Soldiers blue eyes were unique in a world of creatures with only brown eyes and he was thus ever known by their colour. Vau? Soldier spat the word. May he rot in his grave without his head. Vau was anything but noble. He was infamous. He assaulted my wife tore her face with his teeth, scarring from brow to jaw down one side. His head was a cheap return for such treatment. You admit to kill Vau? I would do it again, twice over, and laugh. The alpha dog-head looked round at his fellows, his tongue lolling out in amusement. They stared back at him and yelped, averting their eyes from their leader, as submissive members of the pack are wont to do. We has got the Soldier! Killer of our persons! Soldier drew his sword, as did Golgath. Spagg nervously armed himself with a pair of daggers, one in each hand. You might kill one of us, Soldier said to the dog-head, but you will all die, every one. You have seen me fight the terrible Vau. You have seen me wreak slaughter on your packs in battle. Golgath here, the brother of my most bitter enemy, General Kaff, is as good a fighter as I am. Spagg there will mop up any wounded or weak among you. Now, do we get to see Wo, or do we chop each other to bits? The alpha dog-warrior closed one eye, as if in thought, then wheeled his horse and said, You follow. He went charging off, yelping like a puppy, with his pack following after. Soldier and the other two followed at a more leisurely pace, keeping their guides in sight. Eventually they were led into a valley which was thronging with dog-people. Spagg was absolutely terrified and now regretted joining Soldier and Golgath. The dozen or so in the hunting pack went charging around, yelping and barking, until the three men were surrounded by hundreds, if not thousands, of dog-heads, all with hostile eyes. Jaws were snapping and the air was hot with the musty breath of hounds. Their hairless bodies, as pale as Soldiers own, seemed incongruous beneath the canine heads. They really were nightmare creatures, with their tall, hairy ears, their drooling mouths full of sharp teeth, and their strong, wiry human bodies. What now? cried Soldier, determined to show no fear to these creatures, who thrived on tearing cringing curs to pieces. Will the warrior Wo, fmder-of-lost-swords, come forth to speak? A tall, willowy creature stepped from the mass. I be Wo, he said. What will you with Wo? I am Soldier, Commander-in-Chief of the Carthagan army. I seek a named sword, which has been lost to me for many years. Why will you with Wo? I am enemy of Soldier. All these, his arm swept over the glaring dog-heads, are big enemy of Soldier. You be moon-struck to come here amongst us. You kill many dog-people with you sword. You take head of noble and princely Vau. We tear you to pieces, now you come into our den. I eat you eyes. I eat you liver. I eat you heart. A great howling followed this speech and some of the younger dog-warriors went scampering around on their knuckles, like real dogs, yelping at the tops of their voices. That so? said Soldier, ready for this eventuality. He swung himself down off his horse. Well, I challenge you all to single combat. You cannot refuse. It is one of your unwritten laws that you must accept. What? cried Wo, stepping back with a surprised look on his face. What you say? You heard. I will meet you all, one after another, in single combat, here, today. If the first one kills me, so be it. But I think he will not. I think I will kill at least a hundred of you, if not more, before I tire. You saw me fight Vau? He was your best single fighter, your champion. I slew him with so much ease it made your eyes water to watch me. You dog-warriors, you are fine in packs, but alone you cannot match me. Remember Vau? He was a great braggart, but a poor champion. I took his head from his shoulders and held it up, worked the jaws to make him bark in death, like a puppet. One after the other then, you cannot refuse. Otherwise where is your pride? Where is your code? Where is your honour? They howled again, this time with a note of despair in their voices. Soldier drew his sword and made a practice swish at the air. And after him, cried Golgath, also swinging out of the saddle, will come me! I too challenge the whole pack to single combat. And, gulped Spagg, his legs shaking, me. Wo first then, said Soldier. But a young dog-warrior rushed forward, swinging a club. Soldier stepped aside from the blow aimed at his head, and swiped through the club at the handle. The weapon was in two pieces, the young warrior staring stupidly at the stump gripped in his hands. Then he realised the point of Soldiers sword was at his throat. He whined a death-song, expecting to be run through. Soldier stayed his hand. We have not come to kill, we have come to seek a sword.-I want no deaths, but I will take them if I have to. A large dog-head, surrounded by a retinue of others, barked something at Wo. This was undoubtedly an alpha chieftain, if not a king amongst them. It seemed Wo tried to argue. The bark from the king of dogs came louder and more forcefully. Wo hung his head for a moment, then looked up. He had had his orders. He nodded at Soldier. No deaths. You very clever man, to challenge single combat before we swarm all over you. Very clever. If we swarm you, we kill you quick, but we see you fight one-on-one and know you very bad man inside. Very bad. I think you kill too many of us in single fight. Oh yes, in the end you die, but only after many of our pack. How you know we must say yes to single combat challenge? Very clever. I will do finding for you. Then you will go and we will come after you, catch you before border, and cut you down. Wo looks forward to tearing pieces out of Soldier. Thank you. Soldier, Golgath and Spagg camped down by a stream, well away from the ground-holes and mud-dwellings of the locals. The first thing Golgath did was go along the bank of the stream and collect aromatic herbs. These he cast liberally around the camp site. This was to counteract the damp odour of dogs, which was powerful enough to drive anyone to distraction, even Spagg, whom no one could accuse of being fragrant. Thankfully they were upwind of the dog-people, but just occasionally the wind felt it necessary to create a back-draught, and the stink that wafted over was unbearable. Although they kept a guard for the first night, they were not molested. They split the night into three, with Spagg doing the first watch, Golgath the middle and Soldier bringing up the rag end of the small hours. No one bothered them. Watchfires burned in the villages over the rise, filling the heaven with light and blocking out the sharp points of the stars. Beast-people were not that much interested in what was above their heads. They were, like most animals, ravenous a lot of the time, and if not eating it, out hunting and gathering food. Every so often during the night one nervous bark would set off a whole chorus of them, often ending in group howling, before some organised watch went around the mud dwellings and hammered on the doors with sticks, to restore quiet. Must be in their dog-nature, thought Soldier. Difficult when you are half-beast, half-man. In the grey dawn Soldier took a short walk, away from the direction of the dog-men, to get the stiffness out of his limbs. The scenery was scrubland: mostly hard, sandy soil, with the occasional thorn bush or hardy shrub to break the monotony. The beast-people certainly had the poorest land in the region. No crops would grow out here, in this desert landscape. Any game would consist of small tough birds or the occasional rabbit colony. Such a harsh environment was likely to breed savage and hostile creatures such as the dog-warriors and their animal-headed cousins. Raiding and pillaging was probably their only means of obtaining supplies. An idea suddenly came to Soldier, which made him stop in his tracks. It was a crazy notion, but he was desperate to get inside Zamerkand. He decided to put the scheme to Golgath and get his reaction. It was while he was mulling over his latest plan that he saw a snake grappling with a heron. It was a few seconds before he realised that it was the serpent that was in trouble. The heron was attempting to eat the snake. Soldier ran forward, waving his arms, and the bird let go of its prey and took to the air. The snake wriggled away in the dust, finding the shelter of a rock. Why Soldier had reacted thus, he himself had no idea. It was purely a spontaneous gesture. But of course the reptile appreciated it and called out, I am beloved of the goddess Kist and your reward for saving me is three single commands, to be used over insects, reptiles or birds. Use them wisely, warrior. With that the creature was gone, under the stone. Well, there you have it, said Soldier cheerfully to himself. You go out for a short walk and come back with a reward. He had no idea how or when he would use his commands, but he had no doubt that at some time or another they would be useful to him. When he got back to the camp he found the raven waiting. Oh, there you are. I thought maybe the dog-warriors were cooking bits of you in their old black pots. No, I am well, thank you for asking. A purple heron just told me you stole his breakfast. Thats bad. You cant make enemies of us birds, you know. We rule the air. Youll get shat on from here to the Cerulean Sea and back again. Soldier ignored this attempt to draw him into an argument. How is my wife? What use are you to me if you cant give me news of home? Shes well enough. Kaff has been to visit her. You always say that when Im away. Its true. He came to make love to the Princess Layana, but she sent him away with a flea in his ear. Soldier glowered. Why didnt someone cut him down? Flag of truce and all that. Damn the flag of truce - Id have chopped him where he stood. Thats why he waited until you were gone, before coming out from behind the walls. Hes still saying hes going to have your head on a trencher, before the years out. Humbold wasnt with him, of course. Humbold was too busy executing Guthrumites. He wont have any citizens left if he goes on like this much longer. We must get inside those walls, growled Soldier. Its imperative we do so
soon. He went over and kicked Spagg lightly awake. Whaa . . . ? cried Spagg, rolling over. What was that for? Time to make breakfast. Wo will be here soon. Golgath stirred and sat up. He saw the raven. That bloody bird here again? Yes, thank you for asking, said the raven, mimicking the tone Soldier had used with him a few moments previously. And how are you, sludge-for-brains? One of these days, bird, Ill pluck you alive. Golgath rose and went down to the stream to wash. When Spagg walked upstream to piss in the very same water, Golgaths roar of protest almost took his head off his shoulders. Spagg came back looking confused and ruffled. Wheres a man supposed to do his business, he grumbled, if not in the stream? If you have to, do it downstream, said Soldier, but why do it in the stream at all? Just seems natural to do it in flowing water. The raven said, I see you and your merry band of men are still on the best of terms, Soldier. Everything well organised and working efficiently. Who said you were a barbarian? Well, Im off. If you dont see me, then you know everythings much the same back at the old farmstead. If you do see me, it might not be bad news, but prepare for it anyway. With that, the black bird flew off, into the azure sky. Wo came down to the camp mid-way through the morning. I come to talk now, he said. We find you sword. He sat cross-legged on the ground, his head looking heavy on his shoulders. Bad night? enquired Golgath. I not sleep good, agreed the dog-warrior. Too many howl-ings. Dog-people nervous with humans nearby. Can smell the stink of human sweat and human breath. Make them uneasy. Then Wo go drink ysip, to make for sleep, but just get waking drunk and not sleepy. You smell our stink, muttered Spagg. Thats a turn-up. Ysip? enquired Soldier. Fermented cactus juice, explained Golgath. I wonder hes still got a head on his shoulders, drinking that rotgut. Now, interrupted Wo, we get to business. You know name of sword you want find? I do. Its name is Kutrama and this is its sheath, here at my side, which goes by the name of Sintra. Ah, this is good. Name sword easier to find. Give me you scabbard, Soldier. Wo held out his hand, but Soldier hesitated before passing over his valuable friend, the singing scabbard, who had saved him from many enemies sneaking up unseen to cut his throat. Finally he handed over the sheath with some reverence. Wo noticed this and commended it. Wo understand. Good that you value this Sintra, who is faithful servant to her master. Good that you treat her tenderly. Now, I hold her in my hands and get from her a song . . . She only sings to me, explained Soldier, and then only when I am being attacked unawares - and then only a wizards song, which no one can underst He stopped in mid-word, astonished because Sintra had started singing, a low and throaty song he had never heard before. Wo had the scabbard resting on the palms of his upward-turned hands and his eyes were closed, his face lifted to the sky. The sheaths song was melodic and lyrical, as always, but the words were less alien than they had been before today. In fact Soldier understood one or two of them Fascinated, he could see the scabbard vibrating while she was singing. Wo seemed to be concentrating as much on this movement as on the words of the song. Eventually the song ceased and he handed back the scabbard with as much thought and care as that with which it had been given to him. There is a cavern, said the dog-head, under the Seven Peaks. In that cave is an underground sea. At the bottom of that icy sea lies Kutrama. So? So, you must make journey, General Ive got a question for Wo, said Golgath. Why did the scabbard tell you, and not any one of us, where the sword lies? Why are you the finder-of-lost-swords? What special powers do you have over forgotten blades? Wos dog-head gave that lopsided look which passed for a smile amongst his kind. My father was waylander, a sword-maker and his father before him, and his mother before him, and her mother before her. My ancestors always have been waylanders, male and female, since our Seven Gods made the world out of cow dung mixed with straw. Wo has special feeling for swords and their sheaths. They speak to him, as a stone speaks to its hill, or a tree to its root-earth. They trust Wo, to find them their right masters. Why would they trust a dog-head? asked Spagg, I wouldnt. Thats enough, snapped Soldier, at Spagg. Then to Wo he said, You must forgive the bigot, he knows no better. Now, one last request. Will you come with me to collect what is rightfully mine? Wos head went back sharply, in surprise. What? A dog-warrior and the Soldier, to travel together on the same path? Why not? asked Soldier. Perhaps it will send a message to the humans who see us on the road. And to your own people. Why should two creatures of the same earth not travel as companions? We do not have to love one another. We do not even have to like one another. All we need to do is respect one another. Already I have enormous respect for you, Wo, and your talents. If you could find it in yourself to trust me, then I see nothing but good coming out of such a venture. What do you say? What about these two? Wo indicated Golgath and Spagg. They will return to Zamerkand. Spagg started to protest, but Golgath silenced him with a dark look. And what will be my reward for so to do this thing? Once I take Zamerkand from the hands of Chancellor Humbold, who now calls himself king, I shall send engineers to build terraces out of the hillsides around this valley and an irrigation system using the water from streams like this one. When it is all complete, I shall send seed for you to grow corn or whatever crops you feel would suit best. Finally I shall send builders from Zamerkand to erect two huge barns for this valley, in which you can store the grain you grow on your terraced fields. One barn for oats, the other barn for wheat. What do you say? Wos eyes widened. At this time we collect wild gram to make our bread. It is hard to find and much coarseness of quality. The texture of the bread is not good to the feel or to the taste. To cultivate our own corn? You would do all this for Wo, just for him to go with you? Kutrama is very important to me. I need him by my side. I would not wish anything to go wrong with the finding of my blade. You are familiar with such searches. You know the geography, probably better than any Guthrumite or Carthagan. I would feel more confident with someone accompanying me who knows what he is doing. Too many times, in this world, I have bumbled through, being lucky. I no longer wish to trust to my luck. I wish to cover all eventualities and take the safe course. Wo leapt to his feet, startling the horses. If my chief say yes, then I say yes. He was off, running like the wind, towards the mud-houses of the dog-people tribes, to speak to his chief. He came racing back on a piebald pony, yelping his head off. It seemed his chief had said yes, for whatever reason. Maybe he too thought it was time the dog-head clans and the humans got together on something. Or perhaps he was just thinking of the corn fields and the great barns, one for oats, the other for wheat. (Who knew how a dogs mind worked?) Well, you know what I think about this, said Spagg, packing up. But then nobody ever takes any notice of me. I too am not sure this is a good idea. Soldier, Golgath added, quietly, for Soldiers ears only, but I know you too well now to argue. What do you want me to do in the meantime? Go back and ask Velion to take charge of the army. I shall give you my token to verify the order came from me. And.I ask you to keep an eye on that evil brother of yours. Also also tell my wife that I love her and will return as soon as I am able. She will understand I hope. Also, Golgath, can you please arrange for my promises to be met. Send carpenters to make the barns for the dog-people, and grain, and several ploughs, along with two farmers to train them in their use. Can you do that for me, please? Consider it done. Golgath and Spagg packed up that morning and were on their way south before noon. Soldier and Wo set off at the same time, heading south with the other two at first, but intending to spur off to the south-west when the trail split, one way turning towards Zamerkand, the other towards the Seven Peaks. When they reached the ancient warreners cave, Wo had great sport using a fishing line to catch the head of the witch the old man had told them about. For bait he put his hook into a venomous toadstool shaped like a human ear. The witchs head took it at the seventh rabbit hole they tried and the dog-warrior hauled her to the surface. Once back in the light, surrounded by non-magical creatures, the witchs head went berserk, rolling this way and that, snapping with her terrible and deadly jaws, until the toadstool took its effect. The toxin did not kill her, of course, but it rendered her helpless for long enough for Wo to jam her head in the fork of a tree. She sang songs while she was thus placed, the fungicide hallucinogens causing her to rave about tall black ships on the high seas and climbers scaling mountains of white diamond ice. Now you are able to see the world go by, said Wo, when she came round, you can earn your living as a signpost and give travellers wrong directions when they refuse to feed and water you. Strangely enough, she did not seem too unhappy with her new station in life, though she did remark that she felt a little vulnerable, jammed as she was in the crutch of the old oak. Yet I still have one weapon left to me, she shrieked, answering her own fears. I am still able to spit poison into the eyes of those who short-change me. It was at this point in the journey that the two parties went their separate ways. Soldier and Wo struck out towards the Seven Peaks, where the Seven Gods sat and made a muddle of world affairs and the weather. Soldier found it stranger than he had expected, travelling with a dog-person. Their cultures were entirely different, their habits disgusted each other, and their bodily odours revolted one another. Yet they managed to keep open minds, both of them, and fought against their prejudices. Once or twice they felt they had to say something, though they did it without rancour. Wo, whose grammar improved with every moment he was in Soldiers company, proving him to be quite an intelligent beast, said to Soldier, Why do you wear garments} The fleece of a dead sheep and the hides of dead cattle? I could not for religious reasons, for they are coats of my brother beasts. But not only that, for being dead the coats easily become filthy within the hour and yet you carry them around on your body for the rest of the day, sometimes even the next. I find that ugly and loathsome. What do you think you look like, to the rest of nature, with dead skin hanging from your head, shoulders and hips? I shall tell you, you look revolting. It is our way, said Soldier, shrugging. You, I know, would rather freeze to death than wear clothing. Yet you never wash in water. You lick yourself clean - all over. All that sweaty muck and grime going down your throat. It makes me feel sick even to think of it. Yet despite these and other very rare odd exchanges, they seemed to manage to accept one another in the main. At least he doesnt mark his territory like a beast of the field, thought Soldier. That would be a little too hard to take. As they came closer to the mountains where the gods sat on their high thrones, so the fantastical side of supernature began to emerge. In this region there were giants and dwarfs, fairies and hobgoblins, sorcerers and marabouts. A flower here was not a flower elsewhere: in place of seeds or scent it might contain darts or poisonous gases. A pretty bird here might sing a song that would kill the listener stone dead. Old men were not what they seemed in this region, for they could run faster than deer and jump higher than antelope. Here winter could fall in the middle of a summers day as cascading, whirling ice. Winds could spring from nowhere and tear the world apart. Here a sudden deluge could flood a valley in a few seconds and yet an hour later it would be as dry and arid as a central desert. This was the land of things-that-never-were yet here they were, manifest. Deeper and deeper the two warriors ventured into the marish-land and woodlands of the warped country beyond the line of reason. A world of nightmares, in which even the dog-headed Wo found it difficult to remain sane, though he had been here many times before. Soldier had visited the region just once before and barely escaped with his life. It was no wonder they moved cautiously, prodding the ground ahead with lances, the horses spooked and ready to bolt at every sprite or wight that popped up from beneath a tuft of grass, happy to do disservice to the invaders. Daylight here was strange, the darkness even stranger. The sun threw out its beams as an oil lamp in a thick fog. The moon and stars glowed but dimly. Pools of water were viscous and stagnant. Fruit rotted on the branches of the trees. Frogs burst in a yellowy pus-spurting manner and let out a putrid stink when stepped upon by a horses hoof. It was a most alarming place.