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Authors: Alan Burt Akers
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looked as though the chances were on our side. Once Wocut had committed himself he knew he would be in our power. I left the details of the transaction to the ambassador and scribbled a quick note to Drak, Emperor of Vallia, suggesting Khe-Hi check it out.
After another drink it was time to get back to the problems facing me here in Oxonium — the numim twins, and, interestingly, a rapscallion of an imp of Sicce called Dimpy.
Chapter six
On the way back to The Crystal Griffon we witnessed another street brawl. This time the skull beating erupted between the adherents of Tolaar, the major religion of these parts, and that other, darker and more mysterious cult of Dokerty. Being practical, cautious fellows, we stood aside and let them get on with it.
As I doffed the buff Vallian costume and resumed the blue shamlak of Tolindrin I reflected that I had omitted to congratulate Elten Larghos Invordun na Thothsturboin on his promotion from consul to full flown ambassador. That must have come as a result of his work respecting the succession and the treaty. My lad Drak, like me, was overfond of rewarding people. In that he showed a trait at variance with the generality of his personality, which was stern and upright. Yet, as Delia knew, he was a loving and loyal son. So the fact that the Emperor of Vallia had chosen to elevate his representative in Tolindrin to the heights of full ambassador must strike Kov Brannomar as a positive omen of good relations between the two countries. Alliance, he must assume, was just over the horizon.
I asked Nalgre to congratulate Larghos for me, and added: “I think I’ll keep the Vallian clothes — if that’s all right.”
“Of course. They may serve again.”
Having given Nalgre my thanks and bid him remberee I trotted off back to Nandisha’s palace. The cable cars still ran at night, at less frequent intervals. There were quite a lot of people about and everyone looked keyed up, tense. Trouble seemed to smoke on the air. The quicker the coronation took place and the treaty with Vallia signed, the quicker Oxonium could settle down.
Only a few lights burned in the palace as I answered the guard’s challenge and went in. I gave an almighty yawn. A left-over scrap of vosk pie and a swingeing draught of red wine tucked away, and into bed I crawled and thought my last thought of every day, closed my eyes and awoke to see Fweygo bending over me, saying: “Up, you lazy gyp! Up!”
Blinking and stretching I tumbled out. I’d missed the first breakfast. On the way down Fweygo said: “Tiri’s made up her mind. She’s off today.”
I grunted. Fweygo and I were employed by Ranaj on behalf of Nandisha. The lady Tirivenswatha was a guest, staying on here in the circumstances of our acquaintance with the princess. The dancing girl had responsibilities at the Temple of Cymbaro and San Paynor, the chief priest before Cymbaro at his shrine in Oxonium, required her return. She was already eating at the second breakfast when we went in, the youngster Dimpy, looking resentful, sitting at her side. She pouted just a trifle and her lower lip stuck out. She said: “I love my work in the shrine and San Paynor. But I do like living here. In the dormitory with the other girls... Well, it’s not like here.”
“We’ll come and visit you,” Fweygo told her.
“All these religions are fakes.” Dimpy spoke around a mouthful of breakfast. “All they want is your money.”
“Oh, Dimpy, you are dreadful!”
“Well, it’s true, by Dromang!”
They glared at each other, eyeball to eyeball, high of color and breathing too rapidly. Fweygo’s sly glance in my direction and my own reading of the situation curved my hard old lips a fraction. If Dimpy’s business had not been done for him by this curvaceous and lively lass then I hadn’t much idea of true romance. They were both of them quite clearly oblivious of anyone else in the refectory. Fweygo’s tail hand swept across the table and knocked
After another drink it was time to get back to the problems facing me here in Oxonium — the numim twins, and, interestingly, a rapscallion of an imp of Sicce called Dimpy.
Chapter six
On the way back to The Crystal Griffon we witnessed another street brawl. This time the skull beating erupted between the adherents of Tolaar, the major religion of these parts, and that other, darker and more mysterious cult of Dokerty. Being practical, cautious fellows, we stood aside and let them get on with it.
As I doffed the buff Vallian costume and resumed the blue shamlak of Tolindrin I reflected that I had omitted to congratulate Elten Larghos Invordun na Thothsturboin on his promotion from consul to full flown ambassador. That must have come as a result of his work respecting the succession and the treaty. My lad Drak, like me, was overfond of rewarding people. In that he showed a trait at variance with the generality of his personality, which was stern and upright. Yet, as Delia knew, he was a loving and loyal son. So the fact that the Emperor of Vallia had chosen to elevate his representative in Tolindrin to the heights of full ambassador must strike Kov Brannomar as a positive omen of good relations between the two countries. Alliance, he must assume, was just over the horizon.
I asked Nalgre to congratulate Larghos for me, and added: “I think I’ll keep the Vallian clothes — if that’s all right.”
“Of course. They may serve again.”
Having given Nalgre my thanks and bid him remberee I trotted off back to Nandisha’s palace. The cable cars still ran at night, at less frequent intervals. There were quite a lot of people about and everyone looked keyed up, tense. Trouble seemed to smoke on the air. The quicker the coronation took place and the treaty with Vallia signed, the quicker Oxonium could settle down.
Only a few lights burned in the palace as I answered the guard’s challenge and went in. I gave an almighty yawn. A left-over scrap of vosk pie and a swingeing draught of red wine tucked away, and into bed I crawled and thought my last thought of every day, closed my eyes and awoke to see Fweygo bending over me, saying: “Up, you lazy gyp! Up!”
Blinking and stretching I tumbled out. I’d missed the first breakfast. On the way down Fweygo said: “Tiri’s made up her mind. She’s off today.”
I grunted. Fweygo and I were employed by Ranaj on behalf of Nandisha. The lady Tirivenswatha was a guest, staying on here in the circumstances of our acquaintance with the princess. The dancing girl had responsibilities at the Temple of Cymbaro and San Paynor, the chief priest before Cymbaro at his shrine in Oxonium, required her return. She was already eating at the second breakfast when we went in, the youngster Dimpy, looking resentful, sitting at her side. She pouted just a trifle and her lower lip stuck out. She said: “I love my work in the shrine and San Paynor. But I do like living here. In the dormitory with the other girls... Well, it’s not like here.”
“We’ll come and visit you,” Fweygo told her.
“All these religions are fakes.” Dimpy spoke around a mouthful of breakfast. “All they want is your money.”
“Oh, Dimpy, you are dreadful!”
“Well, it’s true, by Dromang!”
They glared at each other, eyeball to eyeball, high of color and breathing too rapidly. Fweygo’s sly glance in my direction and my own reading of the situation curved my hard old lips a fraction. If Dimpy’s business had not been done for him by this curvaceous and lively lass then I hadn’t much idea of true romance. They were both of them quite clearly oblivious of anyone else in the refectory. Fweygo’s tail hand swept across the table and knocked
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