Hugh Cook - The Walrus and the Warwolf

Morgan Hearst: a hero questing in company of the wizard Miphon and the woodsman Blackwood; interrupted heroic quest to command the defence of Selzirk; defeated Elkor Alish and liberated Androlmarphos; sojourns in Selzirk, though has plans for onward travel.

Drake was taken into the heights of a tall and massive tower which stood in what had once been the central courtyard of an ancient wizard stronghold. He was shown into a waiting room from which he could look down on the myrmecoid activity in the streets of Selzirk. But he had no eyes for the view.

He was dismayed at the impossible queue, which included an inventor after a patron for his perpetual motion machine; a man with a gyrfalcon to sell to the hero; a designer who hoped to interest Morgan Hearst in a gaudy coat of arms (it featured, among other things, a sea-dragon naiant, a gryphon rampant, and seventeen other creatures besides). And many others.

'Sit here,' said the functionary who had brought Drake to the place, 'and wait your turn.'

But Drake would have none of that. He strode to the head of the queue and demanded admittance.'Who are you?' asked the guard at the door.

'I am Baron Farouk's nuncio,' said Drake, in a right stomachy manner. 'I come to speak with the hero.!'About what?' said the guard.'Of ships and armies, allegiance and alliance, matters of

high state and the breaking of empires. Stand aside, or I split you with my sword.'

'The weaponless should make no threats so empty,' said the guard.

'The weapon is invisible, yet kills regardless,' said Drake. 'For my father was a jinnee and my mother the worst kind of succubus. I was born in a flood of fire, born amidst thunder, suckled on blood, weaned on a whore's-egg then grown to greatness on the flesh of butchered babies. Will you stand aside, or must I doom you to death? Aye – to hell and damnation?'

'I meant no harm, my lord,' said the guard, standing aside hastily.

In days when the city was full of wild stories of weird magic, and when thousands had seen for their own eyes the powers of the death-stone, all acknowledged the existence of occult things, and Drake's bluff was more to be believed than it would have been in more sober times. Thus he gained prompt entry to the room where Morgan Hearst did business.

Hearst was seated behind a broad desk made of split bamboo. The hero was, as Drake remembered him, a tense, hard-faced man. Lean, clean-shaven, hair cropped short, eyes grey.One thing had changed.Hearst's right wrist terminated in a steel hook.'Do you speak Galish?' said Hearst, studying Drake.'Very nicely,' said Drake.'Do I. . . do I know you from somewhere?'

'No, my lord,' said Drake, unwilling to remind Hearst of how he had once run the young Lord Dreldragon out of Estar on account of crimes of theft and hooliganism.

'That's strange,' said Hearst, a puzzled look on his face. T could almost swear I'd met you before.'

Hearst's left hand held a quill pen; papers were heaped up on the desk. The absence of any clerks implied that Hearst was literate.

T see from your desk that you read and write,' said

Drake. 'Not a hero only, but a wise man as well.'

'If that's meant by way of flattery,' said Hearst, 'don't waste your breath. I've scant powers in Selzirk, whatever my reputation might say. Most of the petitioners outside my doors are wasting their time. Most probably whatever you wish to ask for is not within my grant.'

'What I ask, my lord,' said Drake, 'is for you to accept a letter from a man named Elkor Alish.''Alish?' said Hearst. 'Who's he?'

'Why, you know!' said Drake, who had expected any reaction but this.

'Tell me about him,' said Hearst. 'Tell me everything about him you've seen and heard.'

Thus began one of those long, long interrogations which Drake, by now, was heartily sick of. At the end of it, Drake cut open the lining of his jerkin and handed over both Alish's letter to Hearst and Alish's letter to Watashi.

Hearst read both, then sent a messenger to summon Watashi into his presence. Farfalla's son arrived promptly.'You!' said Watashi, on seeing Drake.

'Nay,' said Drake, 'I died at sea some many days ago. What you see here is none but my ghost.'

But Watashi was not as credulous as the guard Drake had frightened earlier, and Drake's swift-flowing horror-talk was cut short by Hearst.

'Business,' said Hearst. 'Elkor Alish is playing a trick with this fellow. A trick he learnt from Selzirk. He holds two of the man's friends as hostage, requiring, for their release, proof of delivery of two letters.''How does that concern me?' said Watashi.

'One of those proofs must come from me,' said Hearst. 'But the other needs come from you.'

'I give no proofs to this thieving whoreson bastard,' said Watashi.

'You will give proofs,' said Hearst, waving a letter, 'or I will give this document to the Regency.' 'What says it?'

'This letter from Alish to you invites you to join with him in making war on the Regency and installing yourself as emperor of the Harvest Plains.'

'That speaks of no crime on my part,' said Watashi. 'It's no crime to be made an offer, no matter how criminal. Crime lies only in the acceptance, which I'd never make – and which none could prove against me.'

'I know little of the filthy politics of this city,' said Hearst, 'but I'm sure your Regency would make great play of this letter. You might win clear to freedom, for sure – but is it not better to give the man his proofs, and avoid all chance of such embarrassment?''Why do you take his part?' said Watashi.

'Honour acts,' said Hearst. 'It does me no harm to give proof to Elkor Alish that I have seen his letter, and thus release two men held hostage.''No harm? Such proof might see one hanged!'

'No,' said Hearst. 'For I will simply date a piece of parchment, write on it that the petition of Drake Douay has been refused, then sign it. That will be proof enough. You will do the same. You cannot be hung, young lordling, for refusing an unspecified petition. That's no crime I know of in any law.'

Watashi, grudgingly, did as Hearst obliged him to. Then Hearst dismissed him.

'So,' said Hearst, holding up two pieces of parchment, 'you have your proofs. Satisfied?'

'I'd be more satisfied if they could be delivered,' said Drake boldly. 'For I've no wish to leave Selzirk. There's a lady I wish to claim, aye, first for love, and second to spite the senile old whoremaster who holds her captive. Have you couriers to Runcorn?'

'None,' said Hearst. 'But such I can find. I'll see your proofs get through.'

Then Hearst dismissed Drake, and dismissed the whole queue of petitioners as well. For he wanted to be alone, so he could think over the letter which Alish had written to him.

But what was in that letter, and what Hearst made of it, and what he did as a result . . . those things were of no concern to Drake Douay, who had other business on his mind.

Zanya, my heart, me dearest princess. Despair not! 'Tis I, the lordly young Dreldragon, who rides even now to the rescue! I will fight to thy dungeon and free thee from the fiend. Even if I must slay a watermelon stand to do so!

Law. the rule of past over present, the dead over the living, precedent over pure reason, syntax over sense and of absurd fictions over urgent realities.

Drake the Doughty, rightful king of Stokos (with Tor dead, who had a better claim?), questing hero extraordinary, star of the Great Arena in Dalar ken Halvar, cocksman and shivman both, thought himself safe enough when he went in pursuit of the red-skinned Zanya Kliedervaust. After all, he had received a full pardon for all crimes he had committed, both in and out of Selzirk. Thus he was safe from the law – or thought he was. And he was confident he could deal with Gouda Muck and his bully boys.