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Book: Drenai Series 06 - The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend by David Gemmell
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Authors: David Gemmell
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the horse galloped away
'Druss!' shouted Shadak. 'Druss!' The axeman was pursuing the fleeing raiders, but he stopped at the edge of the trees and swung back. Harib Ka was on his knees, trying to pull the brass-hilted sword from his body.
The axeman stalked back to where Shadak was waiting. He was blood-drenched and his eyes glittered. 'Where is she?' he asked the hunter.
'Collan took her to Mashrapur; they left at dusk.'
Two women emerged from the trees, carrying bows and quivers of arrows. 'Who are they?' asked Shadak.
'The Tanner's daughters. They did a lot of hunting for the village. I gave them the bows the sentries had with them.'
The tallest of the women approached Druss. 'They are fleeing into the night. I don't think they'll come back now. You want us to follow them?'
'No, bring the others down and gather the horses.' The axeman turned towards the kneeling figure of Harib Ka. 'Who is this?' Druss asked Shadak.
'One of the leaders.'
Without a word Druss clove the axe through Harib's neck. 'Not any more,' he observed.
'Indeed not,' agreed Shadak, stepping to the still quivering corpse and pulling free his sword. He gazed around the clearing and counted the bodies. 'Nineteen. By all the gods, Druss, I can't believe you did that!'
'Some were trampled by the horses I stampeded, others were killed by the girls.' Druss turned and stared out over the campsite. Somewhere to his left a man groaned and the tallest of the girls ran to him, plunging a dagger into his throat. Druss turned back to Shadak. 'Will you see the women get safely to Padia?'
'You're going on to Mashrapur?'
'I'm going to find her.'
Shadak laid his hand on the young man's shoulder. 'I hope that you do, Druss. Seek out the White Bear Inn - that's where Collan will stay. But be warned, my friend. In Mashrapur, Rowena is his property. That is their law.'
'This is mine,' answered Druss, raising the double-headed axe.
Shadak took the young man's arm and led him back to Harib's tent where he poured himself a goblet of wine and drained it. One of Harib's linen tunics was draped over a small chest and Shadak threw it to Druss. 'Wipe off the blood. You look like a demon.' Druss smiled grimly and wiped his face and arms, then cleaned the double blades.
'What do you know of Mashrapur?' asked Shadak.
The axeman shrugged. 'It is an independent state, ruled by an exiled Ventrian Prince. That's all.'
'It is a haven for thieves and slavers,' said Shadak. The laws are simple: those with gold to offer bribes are considered fine citizens. It matters not where the gold comes from. Collan is respected there; he owns property and dines with the Emir.'
'So?'
'So if you march in and kill him, you will be taken and executed. It is that simple.'
'What do you suggest?'
'There is a small town around twenty miles from here, due south. There is a man there, a friend of mine. Go to him, tell him I sent you. He is young and talented. You won't like him, Druss; he is a fop and a pleasure-seeker. He has no morals. But it will make him invaluable in Mashrapur.'
'Who is this man?'
'His name is Sieben. He's a poet, a saga-teller, and he performs at palaces; he's very good as a matter of fact. He could have been rich. But he spends most of his time trying to bed every pretty young woman who comes into his line of vision. He never concerns himself whether they are married or single - that has brought him many enemies.'
'Already I don't like the sound of him.'
Shadak chuckled. 'He has good qualities. He is a loyal friend, and he is ridiculously fearless. A good man with a knife. And he knows Mashrapur. Trust him.'
'Why should he help me?'
'He owes me a favour.' Shadak poured a second goblet of wine and passed it to the young man.
Druss sipped it, then drained the goblet. 'This is good. What is it?'
'Lentrian Red. Around five years old, I'd say. Not the best, but good enough on a night like this.'
'I can see that a man could get a taste for it,' Druss agreed.
Chapter
'Druss!' shouted Shadak. 'Druss!' The axeman was pursuing the fleeing raiders, but he stopped at the edge of the trees and swung back. Harib Ka was on his knees, trying to pull the brass-hilted sword from his body.
The axeman stalked back to where Shadak was waiting. He was blood-drenched and his eyes glittered. 'Where is she?' he asked the hunter.
'Collan took her to Mashrapur; they left at dusk.'
Two women emerged from the trees, carrying bows and quivers of arrows. 'Who are they?' asked Shadak.
'The Tanner's daughters. They did a lot of hunting for the village. I gave them the bows the sentries had with them.'
The tallest of the women approached Druss. 'They are fleeing into the night. I don't think they'll come back now. You want us to follow them?'
'No, bring the others down and gather the horses.' The axeman turned towards the kneeling figure of Harib Ka. 'Who is this?' Druss asked Shadak.
'One of the leaders.'
Without a word Druss clove the axe through Harib's neck. 'Not any more,' he observed.
'Indeed not,' agreed Shadak, stepping to the still quivering corpse and pulling free his sword. He gazed around the clearing and counted the bodies. 'Nineteen. By all the gods, Druss, I can't believe you did that!'
'Some were trampled by the horses I stampeded, others were killed by the girls.' Druss turned and stared out over the campsite. Somewhere to his left a man groaned and the tallest of the girls ran to him, plunging a dagger into his throat. Druss turned back to Shadak. 'Will you see the women get safely to Padia?'
'You're going on to Mashrapur?'
'I'm going to find her.'
Shadak laid his hand on the young man's shoulder. 'I hope that you do, Druss. Seek out the White Bear Inn - that's where Collan will stay. But be warned, my friend. In Mashrapur, Rowena is his property. That is their law.'
'This is mine,' answered Druss, raising the double-headed axe.
Shadak took the young man's arm and led him back to Harib's tent where he poured himself a goblet of wine and drained it. One of Harib's linen tunics was draped over a small chest and Shadak threw it to Druss. 'Wipe off the blood. You look like a demon.' Druss smiled grimly and wiped his face and arms, then cleaned the double blades.
'What do you know of Mashrapur?' asked Shadak.
The axeman shrugged. 'It is an independent state, ruled by an exiled Ventrian Prince. That's all.'
'It is a haven for thieves and slavers,' said Shadak. The laws are simple: those with gold to offer bribes are considered fine citizens. It matters not where the gold comes from. Collan is respected there; he owns property and dines with the Emir.'
'So?'
'So if you march in and kill him, you will be taken and executed. It is that simple.'
'What do you suggest?'
'There is a small town around twenty miles from here, due south. There is a man there, a friend of mine. Go to him, tell him I sent you. He is young and talented. You won't like him, Druss; he is a fop and a pleasure-seeker. He has no morals. But it will make him invaluable in Mashrapur.'
'Who is this man?'
'His name is Sieben. He's a poet, a saga-teller, and he performs at palaces; he's very good as a matter of fact. He could have been rich. But he spends most of his time trying to bed every pretty young woman who comes into his line of vision. He never concerns himself whether they are married or single - that has brought him many enemies.'
'Already I don't like the sound of him.'
Shadak chuckled. 'He has good qualities. He is a loyal friend, and he is ridiculously fearless. A good man with a knife. And he knows Mashrapur. Trust him.'
'Why should he help me?'
'He owes me a favour.' Shadak poured a second goblet of wine and passed it to the young man.
Druss sipped it, then drained the goblet. 'This is good. What is it?'
'Lentrian Red. Around five years old, I'd say. Not the best, but good enough on a night like this.'
'I can see that a man could get a taste for it,' Druss agreed.
Chapter
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