Glen Cook - Surrender to the will of the night

The Imperial advent was completely sudden and unexpected. There was little resistance. One firepowder barrage discharged outside Fuerza convinced the would-be diehards.

Prince Onofrio Taglio di Fuerza bent the knee to the Grail Empress at the Fertelli villa thirty-two hours after her arrival.

Katrin was not harsh. Hecht had convinced her to be gentle with those who cooperated. His reputation, from the Connec, would give thought to those inclined to resist. Terms were: Onofrio had to provide some foodstuffs, some drayage, and fifty armed men who would not be required to fight the Patriarch. Onofrio had no trouble agreeing. In return there would be no plunder, no rapine, no murder-so long as the Prince and people of Vis Corcula did not hinder or harm the Imperials.

Heris popped in as Hecht was about to lie down his second night in Firaldia, in a villa near Vis Corcula’s western frontier, beside a road that crossed the Monte Sismonda to the Old Empire’s central military road, which, in time, reached Brothe.

He could reach the Mother City in three days if he wanted to push it hard. If nobody got in his way.

He had numbers enough to cause panic but not nearly enough to attack a sizable city, even taking it by surprise. Nor would Bronte Doneto allow himself to be captured. And that would be the only way to end this quickly.

Heris observed, “You should be too tired to be that jumpy, Piper.”

“I’m tired, all right. Of…”

“Don’t waste time. I’ve got to go lead my dwarves to the promised land pretty soon. Here’s what you need to know. The news about Katrin being pissed off and after Serenity’s guts hit Brothe a couple hours ago. About one hour before word that you’re here in Vis Corcula, in a bad mood, and headed that way.”

“Word gets around fast when the news is bad.”

“You don’t know the half. The city is in a panic. The Collegium worst of all. You really got the hoodoo on some of those old men. I don’t get that.”

“Blame Principat? Delari.”

“Grandfather?”

“He’s no adventurer. But he knows how to lay down a lie and make it smell like gospel. I’d bet he started some rumors.”

“Could be.”

“He doesn’t like Bronte Doneto.”

“Serenity has been screwing with him since you signed on with the Empire.”

Hecht sighed. “Life is strange. And keeps getting stranger.”

“Preaching to the choir, little brother. Ten years ago I was a slave, hauling water and lying down for an asshole… No! That’s all gone. Though I did birth a couple of children I wonder about sometimes.”

Hecht grunted. This was news. “Do the old men know?”

“I never mentioned it. I’m not sure why I’m telling you.”

“Did Drocker know?”

“If he did, grandchildren didn’t interest him.”

“Same with me. Though I didn’t know who or what he was till you and Delari told me.”

“You have children, too?”

“Two daughters, last seen in al-Qarn. By now they may have starved, died of a pox, or been murdered by the regime. I was promised that they’d be cared for. I have no way to know what actually became of them. Now I’ve made Anna, Pella, Lila, and Vali into a new family. Serenity better let them be!”

“Calm down, Piper. Grandfather will look out for them. And Serenity knows they’re protected.”

“I’m calm. How pressed are you?”

“Depends on what you want.”

“It would be useful to know what the rest of the Righteous are doing and how soon I can expect them. It would be nice to know how the Patriarch hopes to keep me from making the Empress happy. And I’d love to know how this is playing in Alten Weinberg and Hochwasser.”

“You don’t want much, do you?”

“If I’m going to wish I might as well wish for the stars. Information is addictive.”

“Sure. I’ll do what I can. But, like I said, I’ve got a herd of dwarves to keep in line and a clutch of gods to bully.”

“All…”

Someone pounded on the door to the room, tried to get in. Hecht had barred it.

Heris stepped into a dark corner, turned but did not leave. She could vanish without notice if necessary. Hecht opened the door. It had begun to creak as people shoved against it. He found Rivademar Vircondelet and several self-appointed lifeguards about to use a bench for a battering ram. “What in God’s Name are you doing?”

“Kinzer heard voices. We thought you might be in trouble.”

“Did I call for help?”

“No, sir. But…”

“Go away. And don’t do this again.”

The men behind Vircondelet were trying to see inside. They looked less sheepish than they ought.

Hecht shut the door.

“They’re worried about you.”

“They’re more worried about themselves. They watch me close because they think that I died and came back to life.”

“You did. But you weren’t possessed by the Night. We kept all that at bay.”

“I did? I died?”

“I thought you understood that.”

“I… No. I thought…”

“Don’t you go getting silly, too. There’s nothing different about you. A lot of people have been gone much longer than you were. They came back untouched. Will you still be here tomorrow night?”

“Probably. I don’t have the manpower to take this much farther. An unexpected diplomatic success could change things, though.”

“See you tomorrow night, then.”

An unexpected diplomatic success occurred. The high roads of Firaldia swarmed with messengers, Imperial and Patriarchal. On the Imperial side the news they carried was good. The nearest Imperial cities quickly affirmed their support for the Empress. Several nearby Patriarchal dependents volunteered to stay out of the squabble. “Promises written on air,” Titus Consent observed. “They’ll turn on us if Serenity has any success.”

“Of course. That’s Firaldian politics. They’ll never change.”

“Unless a strongman comes along and ends it.”

“Someone strong and long-lived. Johannes might have managed if he’d survived al-Khazen.”

Consent shrugged. “He did, we’d be on the other side, here.”

“No doubt.”

“I’m thinking Johannes’s offspring might have what it takes, too. If it interests them. If they have the drive.”

“Meaning?”

“Katrin and Helspeth are both capable of making the tough decisions. And their people seem accustomed to the idea of a female monarch, now. But the Empress doesn’t seem to have the commitment.”

“Uhm?”

“She’s changeable, boss. We could be knocking on the gates of Brothe and she’d get distracted by some ephemeral ambition somewhere else.”

“She’ll be constant till she’s shoved Serenity against a wall and made him explain why her special guy is no longer among the living.”

“You’re enjoying the hell out of this, aren’t you?”

“Titus?”

“You’ve changed since the Empress changed her mind about Serenity and the Church. You’re happy about it. Even though we’re likely to end up having to face friends we campaigned with before.”

“I hope it doesn’t come to that, Titus. I hope we can give Katrin what she wants before Pinkus can disengage in the Connec.” Word from that direction had the Captain-General facing serious difficulties. Serenity had few friends in the eastern Connec. Count Raymone Garete and his Countess had harvested the crop.

Hecht did think that Serenity would scream like a scared little girl when he understood what was headed his way. He was very much the product of his past.

His Plemenzan captivity had not been harsh. It was just time taken out of his life. But torments he had suffered earlier in the Connec remained tattooed on his soul. Never again would he allow himself to be at the mercy of another.