[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
"You know, this isn't bad stew, but someone has to teach your cook that
pepper's a spice, not a vegetable."
"You didn't answer my question."
Chak snorted. "I was busy being peppered to death.... It's a matter of status,
of legend. We are... the feared
Home raiders; we carry thunder and lightning with us. And as long as we're the
only ones who can do that, local lords and princes are going to be nervous
about interfering with us, no matter what the reward;
as long as we don't make a habit of taking on local lords and princes, they
won't feel obliged to.
"But what if they can come up with their own guns? Couldn't that change the
whole balance?"
"Maybe." Karl wasn't sure that Chak had a solid point, but he didn't like
contradicting him in public.
"In any case," Walter said, "you're probably right that Ellegon's the best
person to keep an eye on things including politics. Even if the elves are
shielded, Chton and the rest of the joiners aren't, eh?"
"Right. But the person that they're really underestimating is Ahira, I think.
He can keep a lid on Home for years."
As long as his heart is in his work
, Karl added to himself. "And then..."
"And then?"
He sat back in his chair and closed his eyes. "We had a huge victory; I don't
know if anyone else saw it.
There's this twelve-year-old kid, name of Petros. He lives in a lean-to next
to what Ahira says is the scraggliest field that he's ever seen. Doesn't crop
for anyone, because he wants his own land, his own vote, and he wants it now.
"
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Karl opened his eyes and smiled. "You give me another hundred like Petros, and
I won't ever have to worry that Home might be bought out by anyone. Ever." He
waved it away. "But forget about that for now. We've got Enkiar to deal with.
And Ahrmin."
"Ahrmin." Walter shook his head. "I hope Ellegon's wrong about him. His father
scared me shitless. The son is probably going to be worse." .
"He's badly burned and scarred, but he's still alive and he hired the
assassins. In Enkiar."
Slovotsky pursed his mouth. "If I remember right, he's the one who killed
Fialt. Tennetty'll be all over him like ugly on an ape which explains her
being here. I've got to admit that her being with you surprised me."
"
Dammit.
" Karl threw up his hands. Of course. That was why Tennetty had changed her
mind, decided that she was willing to play slave.
Sometimes I think U'len's right about my lack of brains
.
Slovotsky smiled. "You missed one, eh? Happens to the best of us. You think
we'll have a shot at
Ahrmin?"
"Maybe. he's still in Enkiar. he shows his face. this whole thing isn't
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a trap for yours truly." Karl bit
If
If
If his lip. "Which is why we're going to do things a bit differently than we'd
planned. I don't think that
Lord what's the name of the Lord of Enkiar?"
"Gyren," Chak said. "Otherwise known as Gyren the Neutral. Trying to make
Enkiar the trading center of the Middle Lands he never gets involved in
anything."
"Exactly. I don't think we have to worry about the locals being involved in
some sort of guild plot, but we do have to face the possibility that the other
end of this gunrunning operation is going to put us face to face with Ahrmin."
Karl rubbed a hand against his face. "Which is why I haven't shaved. He's seen
Tennetty and Chak, although only for a few minutes and in the dark. He
probably won't recognize them. I'm the problem. No matter what I do, if Ahrmin
sees me, he's going to recognize me."
"So? What are you going to do? Sit this one out?"
"No, Walter. I want you to keep an eye on Beralyn."
"You're going to stay behind?"
"No, I'm going ahead. I'm going to be the bait. Well, half of the bait,
anyway."
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Chak smiled. "If I'm reading your mind correctly, I'm the other half."
"Any objections?"
"Well... I've always liked it when you get tricky." Chak eyed the edge of his
eating knife. "I liked Fialt a lot, Karl. And Rahff." He nodded grimly. "And
if you'll recall, I was the one who chiseled through Anna
Major's chains."
"Well?"
"Promise to save a piece of him for me. If you can."
"If I can. I won't try too hard, though."
Chak laughed. "At least you're honest."
"Someone has to be." He turned to Walter. "We brought only half a dozen rifles
and four pistols. I can't exactly hide the rifles under my cloak so I'll take
whatever pistols you have."
"Hey, you had me send all of our weapons back Home with Gwellin. Don't blame
me if "
Karl held out a hand. "I love you like a brother, Walter, but that doesn't
mean I don't know you. You held out a few pistols and rifles as insurance,
didn't you?"
"Well..." Slovotsky spread his hands. "Can't blame a guy for trying."
"Not this time, anyway."
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Valeran
What we anticipate seldom occurs; what we least expected generally happens
, Benjamin Disraeli
"I'm getting a bit irritated," Karl said, keeping his voice pitched low as
they rode side by side down the street toward Enkiar's inn. "Nobody seems to
have recognized me."
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"What a pity!" Chak laughed. "So Karl Cullinane is supposed to be the center
of the world, eh? Have you been taking lessons from Walter Slovotsky on the
sly? We don't have..teebee on This Side, remember?"
"Teevee."
"Eh?"
"Teevee, not teebee
. Teebee is something else."
"In any case, we don't have it. As I was saying, your visage isn't all that
well known. Which is just as well."
"Right." But if Ahrmin was still in the Enkiar area, he would certainly have
somebody out watching, just on the off chance of spotting Karl Cullinane. The
ill-feeling was mutual; Karl had killed Ahrmin's father, Ohlmin.
One of the few times I really enjoyed killing
, he thought, remembering.
Whatever had happened to Ohlmin's head? They had left it behind in the wagon
outside of Bremen, and the Gate Between Worlds; likely the skull was still
there.
A sextet of foot soldiers approached them as they neared the inn.
"Greetings," their leader said. He was a tall and rangy man, perhaps in his
mid-forties, though his hair and short beard were still coal-black. His stern
blue eyes considered them carefully. "Your names and purpose in Enkiar?"
Chak spoke up first. "I am Ch'akresarkandyn ip Katharhdn "
"I can see that you are a Katharhd, fellow." His pursed lips made it clear
that seeing a Katharhd wasn't his idea of a great treat. "Your business?"
"I watch his back." Chak jerked a thumb toward Karl. "To see that it doesn't
sprout knives."
"I see. And you are?"
"My name is Karl Cullinane." Karl smiled genially, raisijng his right hand,
keeping his left hand near where the two pistols tucked into his belt were
hidden by the folds of his cloak. "And I am just passing through. Have you any
objection to that?"
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"None. As long as you don't bring your... feud into Enkiar." The leader turned
to the man next to him.
"Though I don't believe that there are any Pandathaway guildsmen in Enkiar at [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl exclamation.htw.pl
"You know, this isn't bad stew, but someone has to teach your cook that
pepper's a spice, not a vegetable."
"You didn't answer my question."
Chak snorted. "I was busy being peppered to death.... It's a matter of status,
of legend. We are... the feared
Home raiders; we carry thunder and lightning with us. And as long as we're the
only ones who can do that, local lords and princes are going to be nervous
about interfering with us, no matter what the reward;
as long as we don't make a habit of taking on local lords and princes, they
won't feel obliged to.
"But what if they can come up with their own guns? Couldn't that change the
whole balance?"
"Maybe." Karl wasn't sure that Chak had a solid point, but he didn't like
contradicting him in public.
"In any case," Walter said, "you're probably right that Ellegon's the best
person to keep an eye on things including politics. Even if the elves are
shielded, Chton and the rest of the joiners aren't, eh?"
"Right. But the person that they're really underestimating is Ahira, I think.
He can keep a lid on Home for years."
As long as his heart is in his work
, Karl added to himself. "And then..."
"And then?"
He sat back in his chair and closed his eyes. "We had a huge victory; I don't
know if anyone else saw it.
There's this twelve-year-old kid, name of Petros. He lives in a lean-to next
to what Ahira says is the scraggliest field that he's ever seen. Doesn't crop
for anyone, because he wants his own land, his own vote, and he wants it now.
"
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Karl opened his eyes and smiled. "You give me another hundred like Petros, and
I won't ever have to worry that Home might be bought out by anyone. Ever." He
waved it away. "But forget about that for now. We've got Enkiar to deal with.
And Ahrmin."
"Ahrmin." Walter shook his head. "I hope Ellegon's wrong about him. His father
scared me shitless. The son is probably going to be worse." .
"He's badly burned and scarred, but he's still alive and he hired the
assassins. In Enkiar."
Slovotsky pursed his mouth. "If I remember right, he's the one who killed
Fialt. Tennetty'll be all over him like ugly on an ape which explains her
being here. I've got to admit that her being with you surprised me."
"
Dammit.
" Karl threw up his hands. Of course. That was why Tennetty had changed her
mind, decided that she was willing to play slave.
Sometimes I think U'len's right about my lack of brains
.
Slovotsky smiled. "You missed one, eh? Happens to the best of us. You think
we'll have a shot at
Ahrmin?"
"Maybe. he's still in Enkiar. he shows his face. this whole thing isn't
Page 96
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
a trap for yours truly." Karl bit
If
If
If his lip. "Which is why we're going to do things a bit differently than we'd
planned. I don't think that
Lord what's the name of the Lord of Enkiar?"
"Gyren," Chak said. "Otherwise known as Gyren the Neutral. Trying to make
Enkiar the trading center of the Middle Lands he never gets involved in
anything."
"Exactly. I don't think we have to worry about the locals being involved in
some sort of guild plot, but we do have to face the possibility that the other
end of this gunrunning operation is going to put us face to face with Ahrmin."
Karl rubbed a hand against his face. "Which is why I haven't shaved. He's seen
Tennetty and Chak, although only for a few minutes and in the dark. He
probably won't recognize them. I'm the problem. No matter what I do, if Ahrmin
sees me, he's going to recognize me."
"So? What are you going to do? Sit this one out?"
"No, Walter. I want you to keep an eye on Beralyn."
"You're going to stay behind?"
"No, I'm going ahead. I'm going to be the bait. Well, half of the bait,
anyway."
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Chak smiled. "If I'm reading your mind correctly, I'm the other half."
"Any objections?"
"Well... I've always liked it when you get tricky." Chak eyed the edge of his
eating knife. "I liked Fialt a lot, Karl. And Rahff." He nodded grimly. "And
if you'll recall, I was the one who chiseled through Anna
Major's chains."
"Well?"
"Promise to save a piece of him for me. If you can."
"If I can. I won't try too hard, though."
Chak laughed. "At least you're honest."
"Someone has to be." He turned to Walter. "We brought only half a dozen rifles
and four pistols. I can't exactly hide the rifles under my cloak so I'll take
whatever pistols you have."
"Hey, you had me send all of our weapons back Home with Gwellin. Don't blame
me if "
Karl held out a hand. "I love you like a brother, Walter, but that doesn't
mean I don't know you. You held out a few pistols and rifles as insurance,
didn't you?"
"Well..." Slovotsky spread his hands. "Can't blame a guy for trying."
"Not this time, anyway."
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Valeran
What we anticipate seldom occurs; what we least expected generally happens
, Benjamin Disraeli
"I'm getting a bit irritated," Karl said, keeping his voice pitched low as
they rode side by side down the street toward Enkiar's inn. "Nobody seems to
have recognized me."
file:///C|/2590%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%...g%20-%2003%20-%20The%20Silver%20Cr
own.txt (138 of 261) [12/29/2004 12:57:39 AM]
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0-%20The%20Silver%20Crown.txt
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"What a pity!" Chak laughed. "So Karl Cullinane is supposed to be the center
of the world, eh? Have you been taking lessons from Walter Slovotsky on the
sly? We don't have..teebee on This Side, remember?"
"Teevee."
"Eh?"
"Teevee, not teebee
. Teebee is something else."
"In any case, we don't have it. As I was saying, your visage isn't all that
well known. Which is just as well."
"Right." But if Ahrmin was still in the Enkiar area, he would certainly have
somebody out watching, just on the off chance of spotting Karl Cullinane. The
ill-feeling was mutual; Karl had killed Ahrmin's father, Ohlmin.
One of the few times I really enjoyed killing
, he thought, remembering.
Whatever had happened to Ohlmin's head? They had left it behind in the wagon
outside of Bremen, and the Gate Between Worlds; likely the skull was still
there.
A sextet of foot soldiers approached them as they neared the inn.
"Greetings," their leader said. He was a tall and rangy man, perhaps in his
mid-forties, though his hair and short beard were still coal-black. His stern
blue eyes considered them carefully. "Your names and purpose in Enkiar?"
Chak spoke up first. "I am Ch'akresarkandyn ip Katharhdn "
"I can see that you are a Katharhd, fellow." His pursed lips made it clear
that seeing a Katharhd wasn't his idea of a great treat. "Your business?"
"I watch his back." Chak jerked a thumb toward Karl. "To see that it doesn't
sprout knives."
"I see. And you are?"
"My name is Karl Cullinane." Karl smiled genially, raisijng his right hand,
keeping his left hand near where the two pistols tucked into his belt were
hidden by the folds of his cloak. "And I am just passing through. Have you any
objection to that?"
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"None. As long as you don't bring your... feud into Enkiar." The leader turned
to the man next to him.
"Though I don't believe that there are any Pandathaway guildsmen in Enkiar at [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]