Read Online In the Earth Abides the Flame by Russell Kirkpatrick - Free Book Online
Authors: Russell Kirkpatrick
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the House of Wenta, one of the original four houses; parchments upon which were written records of the dealings of Instruere, going back to within a hundred years of its foundation; an extensive treatise on good and evil which makes interesting reading: many such things lie unknown and unread within the vault. Apparently the House of Lore employed a team of scholars who transcribed and interpreted these works, but of late scholars are being replaced by guards, and the oldest manuscripts begin to decay.'
Kurr said nothing. The scowl on his face, however, spoke volumes.
Phemanderac looked around at the Company. They have lived for their quest for months now, he thought; lived and died for it. I cannot expect them to be interested in fragile old manuscripts that do not bear on their immediate predicament. Nevertheless, he felt deep within there was something in that vault calling to him, something that wanted to be discovered and read. How can I tell them that? How can I tell them that what 1 look for is more important even than the safety of this generation of Falthans?
'No, I've found nothing you would consider important,' he admitted. 'Not yet. But I will.'
Some time after breakfast the next morning strong hands knocked on the door of the tenement. The door went unanswered for a time, most of the Company being at the market.
The remainder (Perdu, Stella, Mahnum and Kurr) expected Foilzie to answer it. The pounding grew louder and more persistent.
'I'll see who's there,' Stella said eventually, hands pressed against her temples, and went to the door.
'Stella!' a great deep voice boomed. 'It's good to find you safe and well! And the rest of the Company? How do they fare?'
'The Haufuth, it's the Haufuth!' Stella shouted excitedly back down the hall. 'Haufuth, come in, come in!' She ran ahead of him, calling: 'We have a guest!'
'Guests,' the Haufuth corrected, striding in behind her. 'My friend the Hermit is here also. Is there anything to eat?'
'We are all well,' Stella said, answering his earlier question. 'I'm home from the Market with a headache, but the others work there.'
'It is good to see you fit and healthy again,' Kurr said, shaking the Hermit's proffered hand, delight clear on his face. 'Sit down, both of you, and break your fast. We have much to tell you.'
'My friend,' the Haufuth said as he smiled at Kurr, 'you know I want to hear your story, though I fancy I know some of it already. But unless you have forgotten yourself completely, you will remember that the greater the tale, the more strength required to hear it, therefore the larger the breakfast to fuel the hearing. Will you at least let me sample the delights of Instruian fare before I collapse from starvation?'
Foilzie came to the table, and Kurr introduced her to the Loulean headman and the Hermit.
'You will not be disappointed in this woman,' the old farmer remarked as breakfast was served.
'Well, it seems like we've arrived just in time,' the Haufuth commented between mouthfuls.
'Yes, the meeting is this very afternoon,' said Mahnum. 'How did you know about it? And how did you find us, friend?'
Kurr laughed. 'Unless I am mistaken, our worthy headman refers to breakfast. Am I right?'
The Haufuth looked shamefaced.
'We spent three days wandering the city in search of you,' he said, 'and it was like looking for one patch of grass in an open field until we came across a certain market.' The Haufuth grinned widely at them. 'After that it was easy.'
'It's good to see you again,' Mahnum said to the big man. 'But forgive me for asking, where is the rest of you?'
'Blame him,' the Haufuth said, pointing at the Hermit. 'He wouldn't let me sit down long enough to sustain my girth. Look at this!' He stood, placing a closed fist between his belt and his shirt, and the disappointment on his face was obvious. 'Still,' he continued, sitting down again with a thump, 'if the fare in this city is the equal of what is set before me this morning, it won't
Kurr said nothing. The scowl on his face, however, spoke volumes.
Phemanderac looked around at the Company. They have lived for their quest for months now, he thought; lived and died for it. I cannot expect them to be interested in fragile old manuscripts that do not bear on their immediate predicament. Nevertheless, he felt deep within there was something in that vault calling to him, something that wanted to be discovered and read. How can I tell them that? How can I tell them that what 1 look for is more important even than the safety of this generation of Falthans?
'No, I've found nothing you would consider important,' he admitted. 'Not yet. But I will.'
Some time after breakfast the next morning strong hands knocked on the door of the tenement. The door went unanswered for a time, most of the Company being at the market.
The remainder (Perdu, Stella, Mahnum and Kurr) expected Foilzie to answer it. The pounding grew louder and more persistent.
'I'll see who's there,' Stella said eventually, hands pressed against her temples, and went to the door.
'Stella!' a great deep voice boomed. 'It's good to find you safe and well! And the rest of the Company? How do they fare?'
'The Haufuth, it's the Haufuth!' Stella shouted excitedly back down the hall. 'Haufuth, come in, come in!' She ran ahead of him, calling: 'We have a guest!'
'Guests,' the Haufuth corrected, striding in behind her. 'My friend the Hermit is here also. Is there anything to eat?'
'We are all well,' Stella said, answering his earlier question. 'I'm home from the Market with a headache, but the others work there.'
'It is good to see you fit and healthy again,' Kurr said, shaking the Hermit's proffered hand, delight clear on his face. 'Sit down, both of you, and break your fast. We have much to tell you.'
'My friend,' the Haufuth said as he smiled at Kurr, 'you know I want to hear your story, though I fancy I know some of it already. But unless you have forgotten yourself completely, you will remember that the greater the tale, the more strength required to hear it, therefore the larger the breakfast to fuel the hearing. Will you at least let me sample the delights of Instruian fare before I collapse from starvation?'
Foilzie came to the table, and Kurr introduced her to the Loulean headman and the Hermit.
'You will not be disappointed in this woman,' the old farmer remarked as breakfast was served.
'Well, it seems like we've arrived just in time,' the Haufuth commented between mouthfuls.
'Yes, the meeting is this very afternoon,' said Mahnum. 'How did you know about it? And how did you find us, friend?'
Kurr laughed. 'Unless I am mistaken, our worthy headman refers to breakfast. Am I right?'
The Haufuth looked shamefaced.
'We spent three days wandering the city in search of you,' he said, 'and it was like looking for one patch of grass in an open field until we came across a certain market.' The Haufuth grinned widely at them. 'After that it was easy.'
'It's good to see you again,' Mahnum said to the big man. 'But forgive me for asking, where is the rest of you?'
'Blame him,' the Haufuth said, pointing at the Hermit. 'He wouldn't let me sit down long enough to sustain my girth. Look at this!' He stood, placing a closed fist between his belt and his shirt, and the disappointment on his face was obvious. 'Still,' he continued, sitting down again with a thump, 'if the fare in this city is the equal of what is set before me this morning, it won't
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