Read Online Tales and Imaginings by Tim Robinson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Tim Robinson
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came forward with a distracted look, listened to So’s story of the barbarian invasion in silence, and then disappeared into an inner room. A minute later he reappeared and beckoned to So. Leaving Springrice he followed the official, and found himself facing a brilliant figure whom he supposed at first to be the Emperor; but when So prostrated himself, this personage dragged him to his feet with an almost hysterical shriek: ‘This isno time for ceremonies, when fate brings you and your news of invasions on this particular morning! The Emperor is dead! Do you understand? The Emperor died in his bed after last night’s feasting; the fact has just been discovered – and you come now to warn of rebellion!’
‘Then his successor must be begged to muster the armies of the Empire,’ cried So.
‘His successor? There is no successor named. The Emperor died childless. Now can be said what many have always known; he was an usurper, and from that flaw in the chain of succession comes the imminent collapse of our Empire. The son and baby daughter of his murdered predecessor were smuggled away into exile, and contrary to our hopes and plans never returned. Thus there is no true descendant of our first Father to defend us now.’
‘That daughter ismiraculously returned from the outer lands!’ said So. ‘She is in the antechamber now.’ And he told the story of the inscription in flesh and bronze. At that moment Springrice parted the curtains that hung at the door, and peeped in. Thechamberlain sprang up, staring at her. ‘The likeness to her mother is extraordinary,’ he whispered to So. ‘And who, sir, may you be, who travels with such a companion?’
‘He is my brother,’ cried Springrice, running to his side.
A look of utter disbelief spread across the chamberlain’s face, was checked, and replaced by one of frantic calculation. Then he flung himself to the ground before So, and crept backwards out of his presence.
*
The new Emperor was enrobed that same day, with what magnificence could be mustered, and in accordance with ancient tradition was married to his sister Empress immediately. That evening he took leave of his bride and set out through the provinces to raise the Imperial forces. Every mountain farm sent down its man to the village, the tiny bands united in the market towns and marched to join the columns that flowed out of every valley. By the end of the winter the land was armed. The invader was said to be lurking in the northern mountains.
The forces of the Empire moved slowly; in the foothills their endless baggage-trains were ambushed again and again. Further north, the poised accumulated snows of winter were loosed upon them by single horsemen on high skylines. The Emperor led his groaning armies up to the mouth of passes where the wind struck at their faces with an emerald whip. In the great battle of the crests, storms of arrows broke upon them out of rolling banks of mist; the Imperial host became a shapeless thing striving to hide itself in the crannies of the precipices. Months later and half a province away the Emperor refounded part of his army, but was forced to cede town after town in a great southward circuit of the kingdom. Watching from a hillock the nomad hordes burning down onemore of many hundred villages, the Emperor knew that among the distant fleeing figures too tiny to be recognized were the parents, brothers and sisters of So. From that village the remnants of his bodyguard hurried him away, down a road choked with autumn leaves. The army had broken and fled; the horsemen were close upon them. In a minute his last soldiers were struck down by the flights of arrows, and So was alone, face to face with the great Lord of the Grasslands himself with his curving axe-blade swung high. So drew his heavy ceremonial sword and flung it up to defend himself . At that moment his foot turned on something buried in the leaves, he looked down, and the axe fell on his neck.
The invaders swept
‘Then his successor must be begged to muster the armies of the Empire,’ cried So.
‘His successor? There is no successor named. The Emperor died childless. Now can be said what many have always known; he was an usurper, and from that flaw in the chain of succession comes the imminent collapse of our Empire. The son and baby daughter of his murdered predecessor were smuggled away into exile, and contrary to our hopes and plans never returned. Thus there is no true descendant of our first Father to defend us now.’
‘That daughter ismiraculously returned from the outer lands!’ said So. ‘She is in the antechamber now.’ And he told the story of the inscription in flesh and bronze. At that moment Springrice parted the curtains that hung at the door, and peeped in. Thechamberlain sprang up, staring at her. ‘The likeness to her mother is extraordinary,’ he whispered to So. ‘And who, sir, may you be, who travels with such a companion?’
‘He is my brother,’ cried Springrice, running to his side.
A look of utter disbelief spread across the chamberlain’s face, was checked, and replaced by one of frantic calculation. Then he flung himself to the ground before So, and crept backwards out of his presence.
*
The new Emperor was enrobed that same day, with what magnificence could be mustered, and in accordance with ancient tradition was married to his sister Empress immediately. That evening he took leave of his bride and set out through the provinces to raise the Imperial forces. Every mountain farm sent down its man to the village, the tiny bands united in the market towns and marched to join the columns that flowed out of every valley. By the end of the winter the land was armed. The invader was said to be lurking in the northern mountains.
The forces of the Empire moved slowly; in the foothills their endless baggage-trains were ambushed again and again. Further north, the poised accumulated snows of winter were loosed upon them by single horsemen on high skylines. The Emperor led his groaning armies up to the mouth of passes where the wind struck at their faces with an emerald whip. In the great battle of the crests, storms of arrows broke upon them out of rolling banks of mist; the Imperial host became a shapeless thing striving to hide itself in the crannies of the precipices. Months later and half a province away the Emperor refounded part of his army, but was forced to cede town after town in a great southward circuit of the kingdom. Watching from a hillock the nomad hordes burning down onemore of many hundred villages, the Emperor knew that among the distant fleeing figures too tiny to be recognized were the parents, brothers and sisters of So. From that village the remnants of his bodyguard hurried him away, down a road choked with autumn leaves. The army had broken and fled; the horsemen were close upon them. In a minute his last soldiers were struck down by the flights of arrows, and So was alone, face to face with the great Lord of the Grasslands himself with his curving axe-blade swung high. So drew his heavy ceremonial sword and flung it up to defend himself . At that moment his foot turned on something buried in the leaves, he looked down, and the axe fell on his neck.
The invaders swept
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