Elric to Rescue Tanelorn - Michael Moorcock [17]
“You placed her under my protection, king,” I said angrily, “and I am sworn to protect her against all dangers.”
“Fool!” he said. “I have warned you. I do not want to lose your friendship, Erekosë—and more, I do not want to lose our War Champion. If she shows further signs of enchanting you, I shall slay her. No-one shall stop me.”
“I am doing your work, king,” I said, “at your request. But remember you this, I am Erekosë. I have been many other champions. What I do is for the human race. I have taken no oath of loyalty to you or any other king. I am Erekosë, the War Champion—Champion of Humanity, not Rigenos’s Champion!”
His eyes narrowed. “Is this treachery, Erekosë?”
“No, King Rigenos. Disagreement with a single representative of Humanity does not constitute treachery to mankind.”
He said nothing, just stood there, seeming to hate me as much as he hated the Eldren girl. His breathing was heavy and rasped in his throat.
“Give me no reason to regret my summoning of thee, dead Erekosë,” he said at length and turned away, back to his cabin.
“I think we’d best remain apart,” said Ermizhad quietly.
“Dead Erekosë, eh?” I said and then grinned. “If I’m dead then I’m strangely prone to emotion for a corpse.” I made light of our dispute, yet events had taken a turn which had caused me to fear that he would not, for one thing, allow me the hand of Iolinda.
Although he warmed somewhat as the journey reached its end, I was still troubled as we sailed up the Droonaa River and came again to Necranal.
As it happened, King Rigenos found himself in no position to refuse me aught. I received such an ovation upon my return, that to go against my wishes would have aroused the wrath of the people against him. I think he began to see me as a threat to his throne, then, but I was not interested in his crown, only in his daughter.
The king announced our betrothal the next day and the news was received with joy by the citizens of Necranal. We stood before them on the great balcony overlooking the city. We smiled and waved but, when we went inside again, the king left us with a curt word and hurried away.
“Father seems to disapprove of our match,” Iolinda said in puzzlement, “in spite of his consent.”
“A disagreement about tactics,” I comforted her. “He will soon forget.”
But, I admitted to myself, I still felt troubled.
Iolinda and I lay together, as was the custom in the Human Kingdoms. But, that first night, we did not make love.
Two days later there came word that what we had sought to avert by taking Paphanaal had actually come to pass.
Eldren ships had beached on the coast of Necralala. An Eldren army was pushing towards Necranal and, it was said, none could stand against it.
The king spoke to me sombrely.
“You must go, Erekosë, and do battle with the Hounds of Evil. Evidently we underestimated their strength. News is that Prince Arjavh leads them. This is our opportunity to strike the head from the monster that is the Eldren.”
“I’ll take forty divisions of men,” I said, “and leave at once.”
“Twenty divisions will be enough,” he said. “Even then you will outnumber the Eldren horde.”
“But surely it is best to be safe,” I said.
“Twenty,” he said dogmatically, “we’ll need the rest in case other attacks have been made from other parts of the coasts. You’ll agree that my logic is reasonable?”
“I agree,” I nodded, “but this seems, I think, more a question of emotion than logic.”
“What do you mean?” His eyes had a half-guilty look.
“Nothing,” I said. “I will take twenty divisions. Will you agree to fifteen of those being cavalry?”
“I’ll agree to that,” he said. “Fifteen cavalry divisions and five infantry. Good luck.”
“Thanks,” I said.
I rode in my proud armour at the head of my army, my lance flaunting my banner of bronze portcullis on an azure field. It was with seeming sorrow that Iolinda had bade me farewell. Ermizhad