Scabbard's Song (8 page)

Chapter Three

Layana had lost her memory in the deserts of Uan Muhuggiag, in the city of the sands, where those who entered remembered nothing of their former life. Taken from the city by a petulant prince, who had since been killed, she was later reunited with her husband, Soldier. It had taken much fortitude and patience for Soldier to woo his wife all over again. To her he was someone new, someone she had never met before, but she did indeed fall in love all over again. Soldier and others had told her as much of her former life as they could remember, including the fact that she had suffered terrible bouts of madness which the memory-loss seemed to have cured. Thus she knew who and what she was, but second-hand. She had no primal memory of herself or her old life. She wanted to be able to recall all those past times, terrible and good, which give someone their whole identity. This was brought home to her when she entered the Palace of Wildflowers and two servants she did not know fell on her neck and wept. Oh mistress, oh Your Majesty, cried the one known as Ofao, a manservant, how we have missed you and prayed to the gods for your deliverance. Drissila, the other, sobbed into her ear, My lady, we heard you had lost all vestige of memory. And so I have, she said, gently extricating herself, and warding off any further display of affection. I know you not, young woman. Nor you, the other servant, she said to Ofao. Please, I am uncomfortable with this unseemly show of sentiment. Ofao looked shocked and fought back his emotions. Well, he said. I dont know what to say. He went off into a corner by himself, upset by this rejection. Drissila however was made of sterner stuff and collected herself straight away. We understand, my lady, and we must work to making you well again. Unless, of course, it would mean your old illness would return . . . then I think it would be better if you remained thus, without your memory, for your former ailment was horrible indeed. You having killed two husbands and attempted to do the same to the third . . . I tried to murder Soldier? Layana cried in dismay. She had not been told of these dark patches in her past. Many times, Your Highness, but he was made of bolder materials than the first two, Drissilas voice became full of contempt, who I have to say went to their deaths with a whimper in their throats. Layanas hands fluttered around her face like two pale doves. Oh, my lord, what a terrible person I was . . . They were in the Green Tower, Layanas favourite building in the gardens of her own palace. The Palace of Wildflowers was where the princess lived, but she was now queen and was entitled as expected to live in the Palace of Birds. Yet somehow she had been drawn to the Green Tower by some hidden need within her. Perhaps all vestige of memory had not gone? Something had taken her to this now unfamiliar room. Soldier entered, having climbed the spiral staircase with his usual annoyance at the number of steps. Ah, there you are, my love. My lord, you are home, safe and sound! Ofao had someone to cling to who remembered him and rushed across the room with open arms Soldier narrowed one eye and held up a warning hand. None of that, Ofao. You know I cant stand that sort of thing. Once again, Ofao backed off, sulking. He went out on to the balcony and looked down, to see huge crowds below. They were expecting their new queen and an excited Oooooohhh went through the waiting multitude. Some of them cheered, automatically. Ofao perked up. He waved. A few confused souls waved back. Then a great roar went up, hats were thrown in the air, men and women blew kisses. Excitement! Ofao threw both arms in the air and was about to dance a jig when he suddenly realised he was not alone. The queen and her consort were out on the balcony too. The cheers had been for them, not for him. He slunk back to the doorway. Stop acting the fool, Ofao, warned Soldier, quietly. Gather a little dignity, man. For the next half an hour Layana gave herself to her adoring populace, waving and smiling as a queen was expected to do, then Soldier gave a speech, about how the city was going to rise to new greatness under a new great queen, and then they were allowed to go inside again. Phew! said Layana, flopping on to a couch in a very unqueenlike manner. Do we have to go through that sort of thing often? No, no, theyre excited because Humbold has gone and you are new to them in the role of queen, thats all. I mean, theyre used to seeing you being carried through the streets on your palanquin, but until now it is your sister who has ruled them. Once they settle down youll only have to show yourself once every few months at state occasions. There was to be no coronation. Princess Layana was the sister of the late Queen Vanda. That was enough. But since Humbold had destroyed the whole structure of the former court who governed in her name, new officials had to be appointed to such positions as Lord of the Royal Purse, Lord of the Ladders, Lord of All Sewers and Drains, Chancellor, and various other official offices. All the old members had been executed or poisoned by Humbold. Soldier explained this to his wife, who listened with only the barest understanding. The structure of her court was complicated and complex. Her old mind would have known exactly how it all worked, but to her new mind this was all quite extraordinary and rather confusing. There was a knock on the door and Ofao went to answer it. Go away, Soldier heard him say coldly. You are not wanted here. Who is it, Ofao? called Layana. Your Majesty, it is that ugly worm General Kaff, who presumes to slither into your presence. Let him enter. But Your Majesty . . . Ofao, do as you are told, growled Soldier, or youll end up selling sprouts in the market to earn your daily bread. Ofao sniffed. As you wish, sir. Your Majesty, General Kaff, Commander of the Imperial Guard. Kaff strode into the room in full armour with his helmet under his arm. He ignored Soldier and went straight to the couch on which Layana was draped, going down on one knee. There was a dove attached to his right wrist which fluttered and cooed. Your Majesty, he said in a silky voice, I am your dedicated servant. Coming it a bit strong, muttered Soldier. You werent dedicated a couple of days ago. I was addressing the queen, snapped Kaff, hoping to trade on Layanas old affection for him, not her shadow. But Layana of course had no memory of her fondness for the treacherous ex-captain of the Imperial Guard. You will speak to my husband in a respectful tone, she said coldly to Kaff. He is right. Until recently you were Humbolds creature. You have been General of the Imperial Guard, but my husband has been explaining to me that we are having to build our court from nothing . . . Kaff stood up, abruptly, the colour draining from his face. I was told by your husband that I should retain my position. I gave you no such assurances, replied Soldier. I merely told you that no executions or imprisonments would take place. And none shall. But no one said anything about you keeping your position. It would be impossible for us to leave you as you are, retaining your power over the army. Do you think us insane? You could arrange a military coup at any time you felt dissatisfied with the queens authority. Do be sensible for once in your life, Kaff. We must have a general who is totally loyal to the queen. It will be my recommendation to Her Majesty that you take up your old post, before the revolution, as captain in the Imperial Guard. Captain? Kaff was dismayed. I am to be demoted so far? You were never promoted in the first instance, not by the proper authority. The rank of general was conferred upon you by a scoundrel and a regicide who had no right to the throne. We have yet to hear who actually cut off Queen Vandas head, even though under orders from Humbold. It was one of the court executioners. You know the system. I had no personal hand in it. Soldier did indeed know the system. There were twelve court executioners, who on the morning any death sentence was carried out went to a blockhouse with twelve separate rooms. They were men with similar physiques, dressed in black from head to foot and wearing black masks. Already in their disguises they each chose a room at random. At six oclock soldiers went on to the streets and took the first citizen they found back to the blockhouse. This person, man or woman, then pointed to a room, any room. The executioner in that room was the one who carried out the beheading. He then returned to his room and an hour later all executioners returned to their homes. Thus only the executioner who had carried out the sentence knew who had done the deed. None of his fellow executioners knew who he was. They each knew they had not done it, but so far as they were aware it could have been any one of the other eleven. Anonymity was their protection against future reprisals by any king or queen suddenly remorseful about those they had sentenced to death, and who decided to scapegoat the executioner. Although, of course, it was a false sense of security, for any real tyrant would have the whole twelve of them boiled in oil and have done with it. Well, whether you were there or not, it makes no difference to our decision, said Soldier. You are henceforth reduced to captain. I take no orders from you! cried Kaff. Layana opened her mouth to speak, but a look from her husband made her close it again. Listen to me carefully, Captain Kaff, said Soldier. I am the queens consort. I am the second most powerful person in the kingdom. I have my own authority, separate from that of the queen, and I WILL EXERCISE IT! Soldier shouted the last four words, but then calmed himself again. If you wish to leave the army, you may do so of course. We will accept your resignation without question. You may wish to earn your bread elsewhere. However, if you remain in the Imperial Guard there will be no bias against you earning promotion in the regular way. Should you distinguish yourself, or be recommended by your superiors, I would certainly not block any rise in your fortunes. But you have lost your privileged status with the queen, you will receive no special favours over other officers, and you will you will look to me as your superior and supreme commander Despite all this, Kaff appeared to be indignant, but now Ofao could not contain himself. You, sir, he spat at Kaff, are a filthy traitor! You are lucky to be alive, let alone claiming special status with the queen whose sister you stood by and watched murdered. A general amnesty has saved your treacherous skin, but there are many who would like to see you dead. Kaff ignored this outburst by a slave of the royal household and came to attention. He bowed to the queen. You may leave us, she said. Kaff strode from the room. It was a good two minutes before everyone heaved a sigh of relief. Layana said the air was clearer now that Kaff had gone. Did I really regard that man highly? she asked. Yes, you did. You even considered marrying him at one time, replied Drissila. We feared for you. You admired him. Then Soldier came along, her eyes shone as she regarded her mistresss husband, and swept you off your feet. Well, you paint a nice picture, Drissila, said Soldier, but actually it was more pity than love. If you remember, I was about to hang for being a foreigner without a sponsor in a city full of suspicion, which looked for spies and agents in every curtain fold, when your mistress in her gentle mercy decided to marry me to save me from the gallows. I was a poor ragged fellow with not a spinza to my name a despised foreigner, blue-eyed to boot and she took pity on me. Everyone told her she was a fool for doing so, even you two. But, he put his arm around his wifes waist, she had a heart that would not let a rat drown, let alone a human being. Never test me on that, laughed Layana. Drissila said, But then she fell deeply in love with you. No, no, not really. She hated the sight of me, in fact. And several times, you will recall, she took a knife to my throat while I was sleeping. I owe my life on those occasions only to my scabbard, which sang out when the lunatic wife entered with a blade in her hand. It took a long while for me to gain her trust, her affection, and finally her love. Layana said, And now it is as deep as a well. Yet, interrupted Ofao, you did at one time think much of Captain Kaff. I must have been mad. No one remarked on this, the reply being obvious. Later, they were alone together, the queen and her husband, and the raven came in through the open balcony window. Alls well that ends well, said the black bird. Except that the end has not yet come, said Soldier, rising from the bed on which he had been resting. Did you see the sky this morning? Did I see it? I was up in it. Swathed in magic, you mean. Quite frightening to be flapping through that swirling colour. You can feel it, you know. It clings to your wings like attercop webs to a weasels fur. The magi test each other, I think, and will soon come to blows. Where is IxonnoxI now, bird? In some secret place, which his father is trying to find. Our witchboy grows in strength day by day. The beasts of the field and the birds of the air believe he is already a match for OrnrnullumrnO. And the fishes of the sea? Who knows what those cold-brained idiots believe! Keep good watch for me, raven. When the magi stride forth to settle their differences there will be a short unsettled time in the land. After which, I hope we shall see peace of a kind. The raven left and Soldier settled back down on the bed. Who was that? asked Layana, drowsily. Was I sleeping? You were, my love it was the urchin bird. Oh, is there news of my memory? No, but now that we have settled the city, at least for the time being, I shall go abroad again, with my sword at my side, to seek that very thing. Tomorrow I shall consult the temple priests and ask them what I must do to find your memory for you. The priests? Will they know? They can find out. Thats what theyre for. They can consult with the gods. Otherwise, why bother with such creatures? The following day Soldier went to see Spagg, who had now opened a shop on the main thoroughfare through Zamerkand, the path which ran parallel to the covered canal which led to the sea. He was doing good business in hands-of-glory. Many citizens had been hanged by Humbold and they had not all putrefied yet. Some, the last to go, were still in a reasonable condition. Spagg had quickly preserved some of these in vinegar and those who wished to employ the cloak of invisibility bought these hanged mens hands from the trader. They were guaranteed to work. Is there any temple priest you respect more than others? asked Soldier. Or are they much the same? There is one man, said Spagg, scratching at his empty eye socket. Cristobel by name. Hes in the Temple of Theg. Soldier went to the