John Marco - The Devil's armour

‘He’s not dead,’ said Jazana. ‘Did you find the manservant?’

‘He’s outside. I thought you might like a chance to dress yourself before speaking to him.’ Varl continued averting his eyes. ‘I’ve already questioned him, but it’s as Gondoir said — if he knows anything, he’s keeping it to himself.’

Lord Gondoir was one of Duke Rihards’ men, a nobleman who had helped the duke take Carlion. Jazana had only met Gondoir once, while negotiating the dead duke’s treachery. After the fall of the city, Gondoir had sent word to her of Lorn’s disappearance. He had interrogated the prisoners, all of whom claimed to know nothing. But the interrogation had turned up someone who might know — Lorn’s manservant Uralak.

‘Bring him in. I want to speak to him,’ she said, then stepped out of the bathtub. Immediately the cold air assailed her. Without being asked, Varl hurriedly retrieved her robe and helped her slither into it. She sat down in a plush chair near the brazier to warm herself.

‘What good will that do?’ Varl asked. ‘If he wouldn’t talk to Gondoir he won’t talk to a woman.’ The mercenary smiled. ‘No offence, my lady.’

‘Just bring him,’ said Jazana. There was a plate of sweetmeats next to her chair and warm tea in an exquisite porcelain pot. She snatched up one of the morsels, popped it between her ruby lips, then poured herself some tea. When she noticed Varl still standing there she said, ‘I’d offer you some but you have an errand to run. Off with you now. .’

Varl grimaced and left the pavilion. When he was gone the Diamond Queen laughed delightedly. They had been together many years, and had always teased each other. She suspected Rodrik loved her, but that didn’t change anything. He was a mercenary at heart and loyal to money, and she could never return his affection. He was simply too valuable to her. Varl returned a few minutes later, this time with two more Norvan mercenaries and an old man dangling by the arms between them. His face had been horribly contused. His swollen eyes looked at Jazana as he was dumped on the floor, his hands tied behind his back. Jazana Carr sipped her tea as she regarded the man. He hardly seemed a threat, and she wondered how necessary his bindings were.

‘Your name is Uralak?’

The old man got to his feet. ‘Uralak of Carlion,’ he said proudly. ‘And you’ll get nothing from me, Bitch-Queen.’

Varl poised to strike him, but Jazana held up a hand. She asked the man, ‘You served King Lorn?’

‘I did, and I did so gladly. He was a great king.’

Jazana laughed. ‘He was a tyrant and a coward. He fled Carlion in secret and left you to die. That should bother you, but you’re too stupid to realise it.’ She rested the teacup in her lap. ‘Rodrik tells me you’ve already been interrogated. So far you haven’t told us anything useful.’

‘Nor will I,’ spat Uralak.

‘And the other prisoners, they had nothing useful to say either. But they were more than willing to point a finger at you, to tell us that you were closer to Lorn than anyone else in Carlion. So not only are you protecting a king that left you to die, but now you’re protecting other dogs like yourself who were all too eager to turn you over to me just to save their pathetic skins.’

Jazana studied the man, waiting for her words to penetrate. Uralak dropped his gaze to the floor. She could tell she had stung him.

‘I’m not going to hurt you,’ she hastened to add. ‘There’s nothing for you to fear. I didn’t bring you here to execute you.’

‘I won’t tell you where King Lorn is, because I don’t know,’ said the old man. ‘And if I did, I would never say.’

‘I believe you,’ said Jazana. With her dainty hands she put the cup and saucer down on the table and rose to stand before Uralak, ignoring the way her robe fell open. For a moment Uralak’s eyes lingered on her. He forced himself to look away.

‘Whore,’ he muttered. ‘Norvor will never accept you as queen.’

‘Oh, but they will. And you’re going to help me, Uralak. That’s why I brought you here.’

The manservant looked at her. ‘What?’

Jazana Carr stepped up to him, unafraid because his hands were tied, and put her face close enough to his so that their breaths comingled. ‘I am a woman, Uralak, and that frightens you. That’s why you condemn me. But I’m going to change that. I’m going to show this ancient wasteland what I can do, and men like you are going to have to sit back and watch, because there’s nothing you can do to stop me. That’s how you’re going to help me, Uralak. By bearing witness to my greatness.’

Uralak began to shudder. Jazana could see the rage cresting in him. Rodrik Varl took one step closer, ready to protect his queen. Still Jazana was unafraid.

‘Go forth, Uralak. Go back to Carlion if you like. Tell them that the Diamond Queen is coming, and that their lives will never be the same.’

‘They will hate you,’ said Uralak. ‘As I hate you.’

‘They will love me, because I will free them and feed them and take them to my bosom, and I will show the women of Carlion that they have worth, and any man that speaks against me will die. I could punish you, Uralak, but I will not. I could snap your spine on a rack or let you linger on a noose until you die, but I think I have a far worse torture for you. You will be my herald.’ Turning away, Jazana sat herself down again. With a dismissive wave she said, ‘Take him away. Give him a mount and send him south again.’

Rodrik Varl seemed stunned. ‘That’s it? After all I did to bring him here?’

‘He doesn’t know where Lorn is, and he doesn’t even care that he’s been betrayed. If you tortured him night and day he’d never change. Do as I say and let him ride away. Uralak, I don’t care where you go. As long as you live, you will have to watch and endure me, and you will see that you are wrong.’

‘I would rather die,’ said Uralak. ‘Take me back to Carlion or execute me here. I don’t care which, but I don’t want to live in your Norvor, Bitch-Queen.’

‘But you will live,’ said Jazana. ‘You will live and suffer my rule, and perhaps someday you will learn. Now get out of my sight, you shrivelled reptile.’ She snapped her long fingers at Varl’s two men, saying, ‘Take him away.’

The two mercenaries did so at once, dragging Uralak from the pavilion. Rodrik Varl remained behind. His ruddy face told Jazana how disappointed he was, but she tried to ignore it.

‘I want to get dressed now,’ she said. ‘Go and find Faruna for me.’

‘Jazana, you wasted my time. I rode to Carlion to bring him back for you, and now you’re just going to release him?’

‘I needed to see him,’ Jazana explained. ‘I needed to see the loyalty in his eyes.’ She grew melancholy again. ‘He was so true, wasn’t he? I’ve never had devotion like that.’

Rodrik Varl hovered over her a moment, then fell to one knee. ‘I am devoted to you, Jazana. Never doubt that.’

His love was frightening sometimes. She took his hand. ‘Yes. I’m sorry. But you are one man, Rodrik, and now I have a nation to persuade. I am afraid old Uralak is right. I’m afraid they will never accept me.’

‘You will do it, my lady.’ Rodrik Varl bowed his red head. ‘They will love you as I love you.’

Jazana let him stay at her feet, not wanting to send him away. His presence comforted her, the way Thorin used to comfort her. But she did not share his optimism. Rodrik was a rare breed among Norvan men, willing to follow and respect a woman. She would not find such willingness in Carlion.

‘We leave tomorrow,’ she told him.

Rodrik Varl nodded, squeezed her hand, then rose. ‘Then I will make ready. Now dress yourself and come and be with the rest of us. The men want to see you.’