The Kingless Land - Ed Greenwood [41]
Another masked mage sneered, "Oh? There are no gods but the Three!"
The serpent head turned to regard him and seemed to smile. "I agree, sssir. Oh, yesss. By serving the Ssserpent, I ssserve the Dark One. One of his tentacles gave me these scales and biting fangs and eternity to use them in. Can any of you say the same?"
In the fearful silence that followed, an eye whose presence would have surprised the baron and his three mages very much drew back thoughtfully behind a tapestry and watched that assembly of conspirators no more.
***
"Well, we've traded clever words," Sarasper growled, looking slowly around at the three adventurers, "and we know your need… and my price. You run from a known peril, and fear a known foe. I offer you a dream to follow, in years to come. A dream that shows us a road out of the death and tyranny that now rules what was once Aglirta, wherein outlaws, tyrants, and monsters outnumber farmers, and even honest folk outnumber those who are happy and bereft of fear."
He lifted his shoulders in a shrug. "Perhaps you care nothing for a brighter future or the land that birthed you. Perhaps you care only for the next meal and a way clear of all this. If so, know that I can show you other ways out of this House-or devour you one by one, if you offer me violence. I should do so anyway, to keep my secret safe… but I've little heart for that when there's a chance to follow the Forefather's will."
He shrugged, lifted his hands, and let them fall. "The choice remains to you. I cannot make it for you."
The healer let silence stretch; Craer was the first to speak, looking quickly to the armaragor. "Hawk? I dragged you into this…"
The armaragor shrugged. "My will is to stand with you, little man, whatever road you choose. I think this man follows crazed dreams-but we all have to follow something or drift to our graves having done nothing. Stay or go; you decide."
Craer shook his head and said heavily, "I like none of our choices." Reluctantly, far more slowly than he'd sought out the gaze of his friend, he turned to look into the eyes of Embra Silvertree.
She looked back at them all and then at the floor, saying nothing.
"Speak," the armaragor rumbled, finally.
His bidding caused her head to snap up and her eyes to flash with anger. She held his gaze wordlessly for some time before she said softly, "I find in myself no stomach for seeking revenge on my father and naught else. I know not if I dare ever use magic again or what has befallen me, with the bindings broken."
Her lips twisted, as if to utter a warrior's curse, but when she spoke again it was to say almost calmly, "You dared to aid me, men of Blackgult. I think we should- must-all dare to aid this lonely man. I could not rest easy if we walked away and left him here alone, and I think we dare not fight him… nor would I take any pride in doing so, even if by some grace of the gods we defeated him. We cannot treat everyone we meet as a foe to be fought."
Sarasper abruptly turned his back. It was not until they saw the droplets on the stones in front of him that they realized he was weeping.
Embarrassed, Hawkril said heartily, "Well, if we're agreed, then we must be a band of adventurers, we four-and we'll have to choose a name, before bards hang something ridiculous on us. Anyone feel clever?"
"Always," Craer and Embra said in dry unison-and then, slowly, snorted in reluctant mirth. They glanced at each other, and snorts became chuckles… chuckles that grew slowly into laughter-roars of laughter, from four throats that rang around the room.
Four trapped and desperate folk…
"We must be," Sarasper the healer announced almost shyly, "until that cleverness smites us all with something better: the Band of Four."
"Let us be so," Craer nodded, sounding a trifle reluctant. It was his turn for lips to twist on the edge of a curse, before he said mockingly, "Embra, start working on the ballad!"
"You'll be sorry," the woman at his elbow purred in a voice that held equal parts mirth and warning, "and that's Lady Embra to you."
The three