Cormyr_ a novel - Ed Greenwood [72]
Vangerdahast shook his head sadly at the chaos of sneering and declaiming and posturing-was this the best the realm could muster from its noble bloodlines?-but did not slow his stride. Soon he reached the end of the royal purple carpet, where the last pair of white marble statues guarded three doors that led from the hall.
The wizard took the door on the left, into the Argent Robing Room, and reached for a fine chain on his belt that held a certain key. His hand fell away again when he saw that a man he did not know was waiting for him, bareheaded but in battered and stained battle armor, flanked by two Purple Dragons. "Yes?" he asked shortly, his tone almost a challenge.
The man in armor bowed stiffly, metal plates shifting, and laid a hand on his breast, saying, "Eregar Abanther, servant of Tempus."
Vangerdahast nodded his head, and the priest continued. "We have prepared the duke's body for resting in state, Lord Wizard." He raised a hand and waved at the walls around him, asking delicately, "Where…?"
"Our thanks, sword brother," the Royal Magician said gravely. "Let it be done fittingly. Algus of the Keys will give you the duke's sword. Take it and four of your brethren of good strength and shared size to carry the duke. Let there be four more holy men of Tempus with lit torches to serve as escort. Bid the carriers take down Bhereu's shield of honor from the Gallant Gallery-Algus will show you where-and bear it in solemn procession to where the duke now lies, his sheathed sword upon it. Let such holy prayers as please Tempus be said then, and the duke taken up."
"Forthwith?"
Vagerdahast nodded. "Lead them yourself from that place. Bear him slowly, with dirge and tolling bell, through the palace, so the Purple Dragons you pass can give him sword salute, and take the fallen to the court, and to the Marble Forehall there. A bier awaits in that chamber. Lay him down there with the Warrior's Farewell."
The priest of Tempus bowed his head. "Lord, it shall be so."
Vangerdahast took a ring from his belt pouch and pressed it into Abather's hand. It bore a device shaped like a golden lion and inscribed with the numeral 3.
"Redeem this at the treasury after the solemnities are done," he murmured. "They will have instructions to render unto you nine thousand golden lions, one thousand for each priest of Tempus who walks with the duke."
The priest bowed his head. "Tempus thanks you, lord."
"And I thank Tempus," the wizard said, startling Abanther with the ritual response known only to faithful followers of the god of battles. Then he inclined his head in dismissal and gestured to the guards to depart. They and the priest went out together, leaving Vangerdahast alone. He looked around, noted the two belarjacks, the unarmed servants guarding the door he'd come in by. The wizard nodded at them, then murmured a word he'd not used in a long time.
Utter darkness came down, darkness only he could see through. One of the servants cried out in alarm, but the Royal Magician spoke no word of explanation or reassurance as he drew forth the key he'd been reaching for earlier, went to a wall panel that very few living folk knew was a door, and unlocked it with the key while murmuring a spell to keep the enchanted guardian of the portal at bay.
There was a moment of swirling, fairylike chiming, a stirring of the air, and he was through the ward. In the room he'd left, the darkness should be clearing already. Ahead down a long passage stood a row of motionless guards in full armor. Vangerdahast strode right up to them and on past, and they stood