David Eddings - The Sapphire Rose

‘You’re being absurd. You might as well order the tide to stop.’

‘I haven’t tried that yet, Sparhawk, and until I do, we won’t really know that it wouldn’t work, will we?’

‘I give up,’ he laughed.

‘Oh good. I just adore winning. Was there something important you wanted to tell me, or did you just stop by to ogle me?’

‘Do you mind ?’

‘Being ogled? Of course not. Ogle to your heart’s content, beloved. Would you like to see more?’

‘ Ehlana! ’

Her laughter was a silvery cascade.

‘All right, let’s get down to more serious matters.’

‘I was being serious, Sparhawk – very serious.’

‘The Pandion Knights, myself included, are going to have to leave Cimmura before long, I’m afraid. The revered Cluvonus is failing fast, and as soon as he dies, Annias is going to make a try for the Archprelate’s throne. He’s flooded the streets of Chyrellos with troops loyal to him, and unless the militant orders are there to stop him, he’ll gain that throne.’

Her face took on that flinty expression again. ‘Why don’t you take that gigantic Thalesian, Sir Ulath, run on down to Chyrellos and chop Annias’s head off? Then come right back. Don’t give me time to get lonely.’

‘Interesting notion, Ehlana. I’m glad you didn’t suggest it in front of Ulath, though. He’d be on his way to the stables to saddle the horses by now. The point I was trying to make is that when we leave, you’re going to be left defenceless here. Would you consider coming along with us?’

She thought about it. ‘I’d love to, Sparhawk,’ she said, ‘but I don’t really see how I can just now. I’ve been incapacitated for quite some time, and I’ve got to stay here in Cimmura to repair the damage Annias caused while I was asleep. I have responsibilities, love.’

‘We were fairly sure you’d feel that way about it, so we’ve come up with an alternative plan to ensure your safety.’

‘You’re going to use magic and seal me up in the palace?’ Her eyes were impish as she teased him.

‘We hadn’t considered that,’ he conceded. ‘It probably wouldn’t work, though. As soon as Annias found out what we’d done, he’d probably send soldiers here to try to retake the city. His underlings would be able to run the kingdom from outside the palace walls, and you wouldn’t be able to do much to stop them. What we are going to do is put together a kind of an army to protect you – and the city – until your own army has time to come back from Arcium.’

‘The term “a kind of an army” sounds a little tentative, Sparhawk. Where are you going to get that many men?’

‘Off the streets, and from the farms and villages.’

‘Oh, that’s just fine, Sparhawk. Wonderful.’ Her tone was sarcastic. ‘I’m to be defended by ditch-diggers and ploughboys?’

‘Also by thieves and cut-throats, My Queen.’

‘You’re actually serious about this, aren’t you?’

‘Very much so. Don’t close your mind just yet, though. Wait until you hear the details, and there are a pair of scoundrels on their way here to meet you. Don’t make any decisions until after you’ve talked with them.’

‘I think you’re completely mad, Sparhawk. I still love you, but your mind seems to be slipping. You can’t make an army out of hod-carriers and clod-hoppers.’

‘Really? Where do you suppose the common soldiers in your army come from, Ehlana? Aren’t they recruited from the streets and farms?’

She frowned. ‘I hadn’t thought of that, I suppose,’ she conceded, ‘but without generals, I’m not going to have much of an army, you know.’

‘That’s what the two men I just mentioned are coming here to discuss with you, Your Majesty.’

‘Why is it that “Your Majesty” always sounds so cold and distant when you say it, Sparhawk?’

‘Don’t change the subject. You’ll agree to withhold judgement, then?’

‘If you say so, but I’m still a little dubious about this. I wish you could stay here.’

‘So do I, but –’ He spread his hands helplessly.

‘When will there ever be time for just us?’

‘It won’t be much longer, Ehlana, but we have to beat Annias. You understand that, don’t you?’

She sighed. ‘I suppose so.’

Talen and Berit returned not long afterwards with Platime and Stragen. Sparhawk met them in the sitting-room while Ehlana attended to those minute details that are always involved in making a woman ‘presentable’.

Stragen was at his elegant best, but the waddling, black-bearded Platime, chief of beggars, thieves, cut-throats and whores, looked distinctly out of place. ‘Ho, Sparhawk!’ the fat man bellowed. He had forgone his food-spotted orange doublet in favour of one in blue velvet that didn’t fit him very well.

‘Platime,’ Sparhawk replied gravely. ‘You’re looking quite natty this evening.’

‘Do you like it?’ Platime plucked at the front of his doublet with a pleased expression. He turned a full circle, and Sparhawk noted several knife holes in the back of the thief’s finery. ‘I’ve had my eye on it for several months now. I finally persuaded the former owner to part with it.’

‘Milord.’ Sparhawk bowed to Stragen.

‘Sir Knight,’ Stragen responded, also bowing.

‘All right, what’s this all about, Sparhawk?’ Platime demanded. ‘Talen was babbling some nonsense about forming up a home guard of some kind.’

‘Home guard. That’s a good term,’ Sparhawk approved. ‘The Earl of Lenda will be along in a few moments, and then I’m sure Her Majesty will make her entrance from that room over there – where she’s probably listening at the door right now.’

From the queen’s bed-chamber came the stamp of an angry foot.

‘How’s business been?’ Sparhawk asked the gross leader of the underside of Cimmura.

‘Quite good, actually,’ the fat man beamed. ‘Those foreign church soldiers the Primate sent to prop up the bastard Lycheas were very innocent. We robbed them blind.’

‘Good. I always like to see friends get on in the world.’

The door opened, and the ancient Earl of Lenda shuffled into the room. ‘Sorry to be late, Sparhawk,’ he apologized. ‘I’m not very good at running any more.’

‘Quite all right, My Lord of Lenda,’ Sparhawk replied. ‘Gentlemen,’ he said to the two thieves, ‘I have the honour to present the Earl of Lenda, head of Her Majesty’s council of advisers. My Lord, these are the two men who will lead your home guard. This is Platime, and this, Milord Stragen from Emsat.’

They all bowed – at least Platime tried to bow. ‘Milord?’ Lenda asked Stragen curiously.

‘An affectation, My Lord of Lenda,’ Stragen smiled ironically. ‘It’s a carry-over from a misspent youth.’

‘Stragen’s one of the best,’ Platime put in. ‘He’s got some strange ideas, but he does very well – better even than me some weeks.’

‘You’re too kind, Platime,’ Stragen murmured with a bow.

Sparhawk crossed the room to the door to the queen’s bed-chamber. ‘We’re all assembled, My Queen,’ he said through the panel.

There was a pause, and then Ehlana, wearing a pale-blue satin gown and a discreet diamond tiara, entered. She stopped, looking around with a queenly bearing. ‘Your Majesty,’ Sparhawk said formally, ‘may I present Platime and Stragen, your generals?’

‘Gentlemen,’ she said with a brief inclination of her head.

Platime tried to bow again, badly, but Stragen more than made up for it.

‘Pretty little thing, isn’t she?’ Platime observed to his blond companion.

Stragen winced.