Gene Wolfe - The Wizard

“I didn’t know the giants painted pictures,” Toug said.

“I doubt that they do. They don’t seem to do much that they can get slaves to do for them.”

“They’re blind.”

“Not the women, and many women are very artistic.” The tip of Mani’s tail twitched. “My mistress drew wonderful pictures when her spells required them. Magic and art have a great deal in common.”

“You said those women were afraid of magic,” Toug argued, “when there wasn’t any for them to be afraid of.”

“Little you know.”

“Are you just going to sit and stare at that picture?”

“It’s like watching a rathole,” Mani explained. “There are ratholes in the wainscoting, by the way.”

“I wouldn’t have the patience.”

Mani looked superior but said nothing.

“Did you recognize him?” Toug inquired.

“The Frost Giant in the picture? No.”

The top of the bed was higher than Toug’s chin, but by grasping the blanket and jumping he climbed onto it. “I did.” He swung his feet over the edge.

“Who is it?”

“I’ll tell you if you’ll tell me why the king wants to see you.”

“That’s easy. My former mistress told him he ought to.”

Toug’s eyes widened. “Did she tell you that?”

“No. I haven’t spoken to her since she told me about the Aelf with the broken back. But who else who knows about me could have talked to him? Now whose portrait was it?”

“She’s a ghost? That’s what Sir Able said.”

“Correct. Fulfill your part of our bargain.”

Toug swung his legs, kicking the side of the mattress. “Why would she want him to talk to you?”

Mani’s unwavering gaze remained on the painting. “At the moment I’ve no idea, but that question was no part of our bargain. Who was it?”

“We should know after we’ve talked to him. Are you going to talk, Mani? He won’t like it if you don’t.”

“Then I’d better, and this is the last time I make any such bargain with you. I thought you honorable.”

“I am,” Toug declared. “It was a picture of—”

The door opened, and a black-robed Angrborn so tall that the room seemed small entered. “It’s of me,” he said. “My name is Thiazi, and I am our king’s primary minister.” His voice was low and chilling.

He pulled out one of the chairs and sat. “Our king is dining. He’ll send for you when he is finished. I thought it would be best to settle matters between ourselves first.”

On the table, Mani had turned away from the empty frame. Thiazi studied him. “Which of you is in charge?”

“He is,” Toug said. “Only I don’t know whether he’ll talk to you. Sometimes he doesn’t talk to people.”

Mani’s voice purred. “I always talk to magic workers. I am in charge, as my servitor told you. As to settling matters, what matters have we to settle?”

A frosty smile touched Thiazi’s lips. “You will tell me when you’d like me to pet you?”

“I will tell you if I would like you to pet me. It’s a privilege I accord to few, and seldom to them. Is that one? Am I to let your king stroke me whether I like it or not?”

“It might be wise. He’s fond of animals.”

“If he is fond of cats, he will understand.”

Thiazi smiled again. “You wish no help from me in this matter?”

“I require no help from you in this matter,” Mani said deliberately, “nor in any other. On the other hand, tangible gestures of goodwill are always appreciated and are usually reciprocated. How can we serve you?”

“In several ways. Are you aware that your party has slain thirteen royal Borderers?”

“We were robbed when I was not present to prevent it.”

Thiazi nodded. “By the Borderers, of course.”

“They did not identify themselves.”

Toug interrupted. “Those were the king’s men?”

Thiazi looked prouder than ever. “They were sons of Angr, our great ancestress, in royal service.”

“But...”

“They took the goods you were bringing to Utgard. Of course they did.”

Mani said, “Acting on the king’s order?”

“Your party appeared warlike. Do you deny it?”

“Yes,” Mani said. “Certainly.”

“You had armored horsemen and bowmen. You’ve reasons to present, I’m sure, but they were there. We—His Majesty—wished to determine how strong you really were.”

“Acting on your advice?”

Thiazi waved Mani’s question away. “The experiment might prove of interest. It proved much more interesting than we anticipated. His Majesty’s Borderers overcame your fighters with ease and carried off your valuables.”

“We got them back,” Toug said grimly.

“Exactly. We had hoped, you see, that your leader would return to his king for more gifts. That would have been profitable, though not enlightening. What happened instead was that a green horseman appeared among you.”

“How do you know?” Mani asked.

Toug said, “We didn’t kill all the giants. Some ran.”

Thiazi nodded. “I have spoken to them. More to the point, I was watching you in my crystal.”

Mani said, “I’d like to see it.”

Thiazi accorded him another frosty smile. “You shall, little pussy. You shall.”

Toug said, “Do you want to know if Mani and me fought your Borderers? I did, and he didn’t. If you think you ought to do something to me for fighting the people who robbed our king, I can’t stop you.”

Thiazi shook his head, regarding Toug through narrowed eyes. “You think me a sadist. I inflict pain when duty demands it. I neither object to it nor enjoy it, but do my duty. Have you watched your friend toy with a mouse? When you have, he may no longer be your friend.”

“Cats are cats,” Toug said. “I never thought he looked like a cow.”

Mani smiled, which he did with his mouth slightly open.

Thiazi might not have seen it. “We’re interested in the green horseman. You have other armored horsemen among you.”

Toug said, “Yes, sir.”

“Are their names secrets you may not divulge?”

“No, sir. Sir Garvaon, sir. He’s the senior knight. And Sir Svon. I’m Sir Svon’s squire, sir.”

“Sir Garvaon is the green horseman?”

“No, sir. That’s—”

“Can’t you see they’ll slay him?” Mani hissed.

“I hope not, little cat. We’d rather honor him. Your king sends you because he wishes our king his friend.”

“He didn’t send Mani,” Toug said, “he sent Lord Beel and Lady Idnn with fine gifts.”

“While His Majesty,” Thiazi continued, “desires the friendship of the green horseman, whose name is...?”

Toug said nothing.

“Oh, come now. Perhaps I should explain the political situation. His Majesty’s father was king in his time. A wise king, as his son is, but one who insisted his commands be executed promptly and with a will. He was king, after all, and those who forgot it did so at their peril.”

Toug nodded.

“He died, alas. His son Prince Gilling succeeded him, becoming our present majesty. You,” a forefinger longer than Toug’s hand indicated Toug, “stand at the brink of manhood. His Majesty’s situation was the same. Young and inexperienced, he was thought weak. Distant lords rebelled. When we went east, rebellion broke out in the west. When we went west, the east broke out afresh. In the mountains of the south, Mice plotted to bring low the pure get of Angr. Partiality toward your kind was out of the question. The loyalty of many was doubtful or worse. We dared not lose a battle, and any trivial act that might support the lie that His Majesty favored you would’ve been disastrous. Thus he treated you with utmost rigor. He had to.”

Mani asked, “Are things so different now?”