Scabbard's Song (9 page)

temple in question and took the marble steps two by two, stopping at a table on the top. There sat an old man in a wicker chair, his long beard wrapped several times around his throat for safety reasons. Wrinkled, bent and brittle he may have been, but his eyes twinkled like those of a child. He seemed excited by the way Soldier approached him, and cackled in toothless glee. Came up to Cristobel like a bounding gazelle, he said in a voice like brown paper being crumpled. Up, up, he leapt! Look at him, in his prime youth. I was like you once, Soldier. Had a penis like a tent pole. The women went wild for me. All night long I could lust and last. Out of one, into another. He shrieked with laughter at his own gross humour, slapping his bony knee. I loved it. I was strong and virile. Thighs like a canoe. Stomach muscles like stepping stones. I popped a dozen vestal virgins one night. Maidens of the temple. They gave me a good thrashing for that, but it didnt stop me. I was incorrigible. You were a damned rogue, if you ask me, and I cannot understand how you escaped the dungeons, or worse, if thats what you did. But I am here on serious business . . . What could be more serious than lost youth? bemoaned the old man. Look at these spindly legs now! Look at these rheumy eyes! Who would want to bed a man with a penis like a piece of string? You have a one-track mind and I can see why Spagg comes to you for your prophecies, but I must know something. Fill my heart with pleasure by filling my hand with gold. He held out his palm and Soldier placed a bag of money in it. This had better be good, old man, or I shall be back for that. Ill have spent it by then, said the senior citizen with a chuckle, on wild women with red lips and pot bellies. Soldier was beginning to wonder if this senile old rake could tell him anything of value, but once the question was asked the priest sent for a copper bowl and a charcoal brazier, an astrolabe, a divining rod, and other instruments of conjecture. The astrolabe was consulted with regard to the source of the wind. Then the copper bowl was placed on the fire, substances were put into the bowl and stirred with the divining rod, and green smoke issued forth which contained cryptic messages for the old conjuror to decipher and pass on to this client, the questioning soldier. Theg says that to cure your wife, to restore her memory to her without its companion madness, you need to go on a quest and gather the following three objects: the silver container of the song of an eternal prisoner; a golden unborn babe in the house of a stranger; a jade widow who has righteously murdered and devoured her husband. These are all to be found in the the Unknown Region. Once you have the objects, you must lay them at Thegs altar. Soldier was angry at first, with these words from the priest. What are these riddles? How can I find objects when I dont understand what they are? They are precisely that, riddles, which you have to solve before you can discover their hiding places. Good Soldier, do you expect it to be easy? You want the gods to place the cure in your lap? No, a knight must earn the reward, by using his intelligence, his chivalry, his courage. You must go forth, seek amongst the hidden ways, probe into unknown places of horror, use the goodness of your soul and the brightness of your mind to uncover the truth. Return with the treasures to me and I shall use them to lure your wifes lost memory from the hole in which it hides. How will I find them? Follow the white road. Soldier was puzzled. Are there roads in the Unknown Region? This one comes and goes, said the ancient priest, smiling secretly. This one is evanescent, transient. Sometimes its there, sometimes its not. More damn riddles, grumbled Soldier. Do you want to cure your wife or not? If you dont, stay at home. I dont care. Its nothing to me. Should I take any companion with me? Take the bird, the raven, for it can climb high and see many things which are out of sight to your eyes. Very sensible. I hadnt thought of that. In the meantime, I shall rattle my bones with the contents of this purse and see if I can find a spark of life in these old loins. You are a wicked priest! Yes, I am, arent I? cackled the old man. Soldier returned to the Palace of Wildflowers and told his wife what the priest had said. Husband, she said, taking him in her arms, you do not need to do this thing. The place to which that old man has sent you is a dangerous and unnatural land, full of tricks and traps, where even the ordinary needs travel under different guises. There is no stranger you can trust there, and you will find no friend amongst them. It is an isolated, brooding place, where solitary, exiled creatures grow into the landscape. It is full of wild, uncoded magic, uncontrolled and without any sense of order. I am afraid for you. I would spend the rest of my life with a blank history rather than let you wander out into that bleak, desolate region where there are no common rules, where science and philosophy have decayed and fallen into foul hands, to be moulded as they wish into shapes of which you could not dream. Stay here, safe by my side, and we shall make do with less than perfect. Soldier sighed. That I cannot do, my sweet Layana, for you will always ache for a whole mind. Your whole life has been spent either in the shadow of lunacy or without your memory. We must do all we can to restore you to wholeness, for only then will I know if you truly love me. You must remember who and what I was when I first came to you, and I must tell you the whole of my terrible past history. Then you may decide whether I am worthy to spend the rest of my days sharing your bed, your waking hours, your life. You are the queen of Zamerkand and must ask no less. What rubbish you speak! she cried. I know what I feel in my heart. Zamerkand needs a healthy queen, to put it back on its feet, to restore it to its former greatness as a trading nation. They argued thus the whole night long and finally Soldier won, for there was something in him which drew him forth, to the region of the damned and damnable. There was the sense that he might discover more about himself as well as about his wife. And of course, he was a knight, and what is the raison detre of a knight but to go on a quest for a Holy Grail, or Wonderful Sword, or an otherwise unattainable Truth. Such marshy, mountainous, treacherous unknown territories were the princesse lointaine to knights, drawing them into their cobwebbed regions. And the knight must go. He must. There is the traditional arming of the hero, carried out with great ceremony, with the squire handing the knight those items of armour which must be put on reverently and with solemnity in the right order. Once the knight is armed, cap-a-pie, he says farewell to his lady love, who gives him a favour a chiffon scarf or a velvet glove and then his newly groomed charger is brought to him, hoofs clattering on the cobbles of the courtyard, sparks flying from the iron shoes. The saddle is polished and the sheeps fleece that covers it is as soft and pure as the first white rose of spring. High noon sees the knight riding forth, his horse prancing to a chaconne that lives in its head, the pair of them bent on creating mayhem amongst evil and bringing home the desired object. Thus the vertical sun of the third day saw Soldier attired in his travelling armour, the raven on his shoulder. Half the city was at the walls to watch him go, friends, enemies and neutrals. He struck out north-west, towards the Kermer Pass, which would lead him through Falyum and to the Scalash River. There he would enter the marshes, flanked by two enormous sheer cliff faces, which guarded the border of the Unknown Region. The pass the crack between the unclimbable cliffs - went from half a mile wide at the outset to just a yard wide at its exit on the other side of the marshes. It was as if a wedge had been taken out of the mountain and had left a soggy triangular stretch of ground covered in quickmud. They reached the Kermer Pass, an ordinary passage between the first range of mountains, in several days. There they were seen by beast-heads, who dipped and dived behind rocks, but did not attack. Soldier had heard some disturbing reports that Wo had been banished for assisting the enemy of the beast-people in gaining a deadly sword. He hoped this was not true, for the dog-headed Wo did not deserve such punishment. When he returned from his quest Soldier planned to find out for sure what had happened and if at all possible reverse any wrongs. You know what you are doing, I suppose? said the raven, bobbing with the motion of the horse. This is certain death. So far every quest Ive been on has been certain death to you. Well, this one definitely is. So be it, we all have to die sometime. My only regret will be that my wife will be alone in her bed at nights. Maybe not, said the bird. Perhaps Captain Kaff will go on a quest for her and find success where youve found failure. Soldiers jaw set grimly. In that case, I shall make sure I do not die. Eventually they reached the marshy passage which would lead them into the Unknown Region. Soldier walked his charger through very carefully, testing the marish with his lance as they went. As with other border bogs there were stunted figures seen only at twilight which bobbed up suddenly in front of the horse, screeching and shrieking, trying to frighten it. But Soldiers old faithful was not to be intimidated by such wilful creatures, nor by the pungent smell of green marsh gas which puffed from the punctures made by the lance. She was a mare who refused to be impressed by petty magic and obeyed her masters instructions to the last prick of a spur. Nevertheless, they were unable to cross, finding the sticky way too hazardous, and had to return to the shore. Whats to do now? asked the raven. Stopped at the first hurdle. We must find some local creature who knows the paths. Can you trust them? I only ask because it is you who will sink to your death in black mire, not me. I, if you havent noticed, can fly. We will light a fire and hope to attract someone. You might get more than you expect, but who am I to argue? The tinder box came out and the fire was lit. Soldier sat back from its flames, keeping partly to the shadow. His ears were tuned to the slightest noise from out of the darkness. While Soldier dozed, a figure emerged from the trees, drawn by the light of the fire. When Soldier jerked awake, an hour later, he found himself staring into a pair of large brown eyes which looked at him from the other side of the flames. Soldier leapt up, sword in hand, wondering why his scabbard had not sung her warning song. Who are you? he cried. By what right do you steal the warmth from my fire? His shouts woke the raven, who took off into the night immediately, the birds philosophy being get out of danger, then find out whats going on. Me Huccarra, said the creature. Me Whin. Name Glokk. No steal. Whin not steal. Only sometimes. Soldier stoked the fire with his sword-point, making it flare. He saw now that the creature was indeed one of the Whin, half-giants from the south of Guthrum. They were strange, muscle-knotted creatures, shaped roughly like men, but twice the size of a normal human and ten times as stocky. Most of them were miners, who worked hard at their profession, but occasionally there was the lazy one, usually a thief of some kind, who sent out jackdaws and jilldaws to steal for them. Soldier had met one called Clokk, a sword-stealer amongst the Whin, and found him to be an amiable creature. Glokk? Are you any relation to Clokk? Cousin from me, said Glokk, eagerly. You know me cousin? Soldier sheathed Kutrama and sat down. Clearly Sintra had not sensed any danger in the creature, or she would have sung a warning song. Ive met him. So, what are you doing, a half-giant, this far north? Banishment, for stealing lady Whin. Soldier gave him a disapproving look. Ah, you took a female by force? Not force. She like me. Her hut-sharer no like me. He important Whin. Tell Glokk he must go away for one year. Well, thatll teach you to poach. Glokk hung his head, looking suitably chastised. And so, enough about your past crimes, how do you survive here? Do the beast-people bother you at all? No bother. I break their heads. Fair enough. But this is a rocky, inhospitable landscape, with no real vegetation to speak of. How do you live? Do you hunt? Fish? Me go into swamp and take eggs from giant frogs. Very nice. He rubbed his naked stomach. Lots of jelly. Nice black eggs. UmmU no like Glokk steal eggs. UmmU whip with tongue. The Whin turned and showed Soldier his back. There were the scars of a lash on the thick hairy skin. That must have been painful. And UmmU is who? Big toad. Was wizard but now toad. Big teeth. The raven had returned now, flapping down to the fires edge. Ive heard of this creature, said the bird. Hes a natterjack, not a toad, and hell eat anything. Soldier said, Nice of you to join us, raven. Tell me about this UmmU. UmmU was once a wizard but is now a hideous, bulbous amphibian with snout and teeth. UmmU is as large as a house. The raven grimaced, crossing his beak. UmmU eats swallows, martins and swifts, using that tongue of his like a fisherman casting for trout. He sends out his fly-tipped fleshy line and the birds dive and are caught. He crunches the struggling creatures in his heavy yellow molars and another good bird is gone. UmmU will do all in his power to protect the other reptiles and amphibians of the marshes, but he is so heavy he does not move from the small marsh island under which he lives, submerged some of the time, but rising to the surface to eat his fill of the beautiful birds of the air Hmmmm. I see, said Soldier. A formidable amphibian. He turned back to Glokk. Well now, you know the way across the marsh. Thats lucky for us, because we need someone like you as a guide. The Whin shook his large-boned, heavy head with an expression of sorrow. No, no. Glokk go home tomorrow. Banishing end. Glokk go back Huccarra and be good. Not steal lady Whin no more. Soldier was upset. But you can stay another day to assist me across the bog? No, no go home. No go marsh again. Knowing of the Whins fondness for swords and blades of any kind, Soldier offered an incentive. What about if I were to give you a shiny dagger? Glokks head perked up. What like dagger? Besides the one on his belt, which had been given to him by Layana, Soldier had two or three more in his saddlebags. He reached across and took one out: a handsome blade with an obsidian handle which gleamed in the firelight. He took the dagger from its sheath, the flashing blade reflecting the flames. Then he showed the Whin the sheath itself, of black worked leather and decorated with brass studs. Glokk took both the knife and its holder and turned them over in his
stubby-fingered hands. Nice shiny. Glokk like nice shiny. Its yours, if you take me across there. The square-faced half-giant nodded slowly, not taking his eyes from the dagger until Soldier repacked it in the saddlebag. Having found his guide, Soldier relaxed a little. He lay back with his head on a rolled blanket and looked up at the stars. These heavenly bodies had never been much use to him, except for navigational purposes, but they looked quite beautiful on this particular evening. They pierced the sky with unusual clarity, seemingly reaching out to touch each other with their spikes of light. Well, you look peaceful enough, said the bird. I wonder you dont consider the fact that this great lumpy fellow might try to murder you and take what he wants, rather than having to wait for it until morning. The ravens words disturbed Soldiers tranquillity. What do you mean? I mean, what do you know about him? Nothing. He could have murdered and eaten a hundred like you, for all you know. Just because he says hes been banished for womanising doesnt mean its true. Soldier stared at the half-giant, still sitting on the other side of the fire, seemingly unconcerned by the ravens chatter. Soldier got the impression that the bird spoke too fast for the Whin to understand, and when a half-giant from Huccarra cannot understand something he simply pays no more attention to it. He turns away and hums, or looks vacantly into the middle distance. Glokk was doing this now, his dull eyes blank of expression. He seemed to be counting fireflies, but since the Whin could not count to more than three, this was probably just an impression rather than a fact. Look, bird, I have known many Huccarran half-giants well, one or two anyway and they have always struck me as being too stupid to be anything but honest. Even my scabbard considers this one unworthy of a warning song. There are always one or two who do not conform. Im not saying he is dangerous. Im saying he might be. This one looks sly. You can see it in his fidgeting fingers. I tell you, Soldier, you had better not close your eyes with this one around. Sleep with your scabbard in one hand and your sword in the other. On the other side of the fire Glokk yawned, giving Soldier a good look at thick square molars that went right back into the creatures throat. Tired? said Soldier. You may sleep if you wish Ill keep guard. Not need. No bad things here. Bad things in swamp. You go sleep. I go sleep. Birdie go sleep. This is best. As you say, said Soldier, his suspicions beginning to tingle. Everyone go sleep. The two man-creatures lay down, one either side of the fire. The raven perched on a log. Everyone remained awake for at least two hours after that, the half-giants eyes on the knight, and the knights eyes on the Whin, until finally Soldier fell into a doze. He was awoken by the singing of his scabbard and had the impression of someone scuttling away. Soldier sat bolt upright, sword in hand. Glokk was standing stock still, awkwardly, as if frozen in motion on the other side of the fire. What are you doing? growled Soldier. I go get log, replied the half-giant, for fire. What was that? I saw something move when I woke. He be wildcat I think. Come steal food. Theres no new log on the fire just glowing embers. I not get yet. I get now Soldier watched the creature unfreeze and walk to the log pile. He picked up a huge bough, thicker than a mans leg. It was too large for the fire and Glokk broke it in half over his thigh, just like that. An astonishing feat of strength for any ordinary man. Then he carried the log like a club, at one end, advancing towards the fire and Soldier. Thats far enough, snarled Soldier. Throw it on. The half-giant stood there, looking innocent of anything but tending to the needs of the camp. He blinked, several times, but still he did not relinquish the log, which remained a lethal weapon to Soldier. Finally, he ambled forward again and tossed the log on the fire. Sparks flew up and the fire was stirred to burst into flame as oxygen went into its roots. Glokk remained on his feet, looking at Soldier. Then finally he sat down, to play with the revitalised fire, encouraging flames to grow. Soldier remained alert and expectant, wondering if Glokk was now safe. What did I tell you? Crafty devil, aint he? It was of course the bird who had spoken, in that quick chitter-chatter way that birds have with their beaks and tongues. I dont know. Im still not sure. You you dont know? Youre an even bigger fool than we all thought, said the raven. Get a hold of yourself . . . All right, all right, hes not to be trusted. But I need the sleep. Ill stay awake for you. You get some shut-eye. Soldier laid his weary head down, and after a long while, in which his mind turned questions over and over on themselves, he finally fell asleep again. His dreams were fragmented and disturbing: the dreams of a man with an anxiety. When he woke again, it was morning. He still felt ragged, but once he was up and had splashed cold water on his face he felt more able to tackle the day. The black bird was hopping around the fire, fighting with a long and rather thick worm. It appeared for a moment as if the worm were winning, but then it finally started on its journey down the ravens throat, wriggling all the way. Thats disgusting, muttered Soldier, without meaning to speak out loud. If you think Im disgusting, go round behind that boulder and watch the Huccarran eating a live kicking rabbit. Soldier grimaced. No thank you. The half-giant appeared with blood running down the gullies on the sides of his chin. He seemed unconcerned by the events of the night before. Soldier did not mention them, so they were considered buried. Soldier ate some Carthagan oatcakes that had been soaked in lard and fried. He did not particularly like this army fare, which the Red Pavilion ate while on the march, but he appreciated its energy-giving qualities. Once he had finished and had drunk a hot beverage, to wash down the larded crumbs, he saddled his mare and told the others they should be on their way. After they struck camp, the trio set out, Glokk heading the way, and Soldier leading his charger by the reins. They picked their way through tall reeds, the swaying tips of which were above Soldiers head. This meant that Glokk could see ahead, but Soldier couldnt, which was a dangerous situation for the human. Soldier ordered the raven into the air, so that he had a spare pair of eyes on the scenery around him. The reeds were covered with twittering birds, mostly warblers, but many other varieties. While a swamp is a dangerous place for humans and half-giants, it is a great larder for the birds of the air. There are seeds by the hundred-thousand to be gobbled up. A boggy landscape is also a haven to reptiles, many of whom rather enjoy a breakfast of birds eggs. Insects too abound in such places, along with insect eaters - some of them insects themselves. Thus, as they walked, Soldier was aware of life all around him. One form he did not appreciate, that of a big black mosquito, clouds of which persisted in feasting from his vulnerable skin. The great cliffs loomed over them on either side, their walls getting closer together as they progressed through the marsh. At noon they rested. Soldier flattened some reeds to make a sort of nest for himself and his horse. The raven came down to eat. Glokk asked to see the dagger about half a dozen times, until Soldier finally refused to show it to him again. Glokk not happy, said the half-giant. You give Glokk dagger. You lead us through the marshes and you can have it with pleasure. The half-giant became angry. Glokk take dagger. Glokk very strong. Break Soldiers back with hands. The naked, hairy half-giant became menacing, standing up like a bear and setting himself for battle. Soldier leapt to his feet and drew his sword. You will do as you promised, snarled Soldier, or your head and body will part company. Instead of retreating into whimpering displeasure, as had been the case until now, the half-giant rushed forward. Soldier did not really want to kill the great fellow. Quite apart from the fact that Glokk was so simple it would be like murdering a dumb creature, he would be stuck in the middle of the swamp with only the raven to lead him out. While he trusted the bird on most things, the raven would not be able to recognise a solid path through the mire. At least with Glokk Soldier knew that the half-giant was heavier than he and therefore would be in just as much trouble. Soldier leapt aside and swiped at one of Glokks ears. Ow, that hurt! cried the half-giant, reaching up to where Soldier had nicked a slice out of the lobe. Blood poured between the creatures thick, stubby fingers. That hurt Glokk bad. Just think how much it will hurt without your head. Glokks hand went to his own throat, imagining just a stump of a neck. But instead of seeing sense, or feeling fear, he had a rush of blood to the head. He became incredibly angry. When a Huccarran half-giant gets angry, he loses all control. Normally passive creatures who toil in the mines, when they go berserk they are impossible to stop with reason. You bad man! cried the half-giant. I break you in two bits. I eat you liver. I pop you eyes from you skull. He rushed forward again, and again Soldier managed to evade him, though the space on their small island of reeds was limited. They continued thus for several minutes. Soldier danced this way and that, swinging at Glokk and trying to cut him but not injure him badly. Glokk lumbered back and forth like a crazy bull, head down, huge arms windmilling. The situation was made even more confusing by the raven, squawking like mad and flying around their heads. What the other creatures of the marshes thought of this melee was anyones guess, but the noise did awaken a creature who became very interested in the fight. This creature rose from the quagmire like a kraken surfacing from a long sleep. It could see a silver thing flashing back and forth above the reeds. The huge silver dragonfly, for that was what it appeared to be, seemed to be attacking an idiot half-giant, who kept flailing at it. The large squa-mous amphibian that had emerged from the depths was forever hungry. Having been attracted by the silver insect, it decided to do something about it. From the huge wide mouth, from the depths of the cavernous throat, unrolled a long whip-like tongue. It shot out at incredible speed and snatched the silver dragonfly from the air above the half-giants head. With one swallow it was gone, down the tunnel throat, to lodge there. Soldier looked stupidly at his empty hand. What had happened to his sword? One moment it had been there, the next, gone. The vanishing act caught Glokk unawares too. He blinked, thinking he had seen magic at work. A disappearing act. All his anger evaporated. Both creatures, man and half-giant, looked around them, as if expecting to see the sword lying amongst the reeds, or in the shallow water. Not there! squawked the raven. Over there, you dolts! They glanced up to see which way the ravens beak was pointing. Glokk saw the problem immediately and groaned in fear. Soldier had to part the reeds with his hands. When he did he laid eyes on the most monstrous amphibian he had ever seen. As large as a house, it did indeed roughly resemble the shape of a toad, with wide-splayed webbed feet. The green skin on its back and belly were covered with active swellings, which popped every so often, releasing a foul-smelling gas and leaving a splattered scar. Bulbous eyes with horizontal black pupils stared down at the two man-creatures on the reed island. Bulging muscles on its legs and around its neck warned of the amphibians terrible strength. It was one of the ugliest creatures Soldier had ever beheld and he was astonished by the size of its mouth, which when open split its body in half. Even as he stared, another swelling, like a green balloon, exploded and sent out that awful toxic smell, which killed insects by the hundred. UmmU! cried the raven. The toad wizard. The bird then wisely dived amongst the reeds, hiding there, rightly fearful of that whip-tongue. UmmU, murmured Glokk. Soldier was distressed. This plug-ugly giant natterjack had swallowed Kutrama. Having gone to so much trouble to find his sword again, he was not going to let it go without a fight. Arming himself with daggers, Soldier ran out of the reeds, only to find that UmmU was on an unreachable island with a huge patch of quickmud between. One foot on the surface, which created a sucking sound, told him that he needed a hard path to the creature. Give me my sword! Soldier yelled in frustration. UmmU coughed. The giant natterjack tried to unfurl his tongue and found that he could not, with a foreign body lodged in his throat. Under normal circumstances he could flay the skin off this intruder with his magnificent tongue, but now he was helpless. He wondered whether to dive back down into the depths of the swamp. Yet that would mean eventual starvation, since he could no longer eat. UmmU was intelligent enough to know that if the sword was not removed, he would waste away. He had to let the man-creature retrieve his property. The natterjack boomed in the voice of bitterns, calling for the owner of the sword to come and retrieve it. Then the sword slipped even further down the monsters throat and jammed his mouth open. Thats easier said than done, Soldier replied. Glokk - can you see a way out to this creature? Glokk, still very frightened, stared at the mud between the two of them and the risen frog-wizard. No can reach, he said. Glokk go back now You stay where you are, growled Soldier. And wheres that damn raven? Here, called the urchin bird in a very small voice, down in the reeds. I dont like it - theres a lot of snakes down here with shifty eyes. You come up here and see if you can find a path. What about the fisher-frog with his long line? Soldier said, He cant use his tongue for some reason. Youre sure about that? Get up here, bird, now The raven appeared, shaking droplets of water from his feathers. Warily he took off and landed on Soldiers shoulder. Cant see a path, said the bird. Fly around, have a good look from all sides. The raven stared at the massive warty frog in front of him. He still did not trust Soldiers assumption that the tongue would stay in the creatures mouth. No, I dont think so. Look, Ive got an idea. Havent you been given three commands, one over reptiles? Why not use one of those? Soldier remembered how he had saved the small snake from the heron and a gift had been given him. Time to try it out. But what should he do? Command UmmU to give him his property? Yet it seemed, from all that was happening now, that UmmU would like nothing better. So what use would it be to order the creature to disgorge Kutrama? None at all. Then Soldier had another idea. The raven had