David Gemmell - Echoes of the Great Song

'Only those still on the continent,' said Sofarita, absently.

'You think I am wrong, lady?'

'No, not wrong, merely ahead of yourself. My powers are not yet great enough to attack her directly. First I must help Rael destroy this invading force. Then we can think of an assault in the west. Now let us talk of more pleasant matters. You have a beautiful garden here, Ro.'

'Thank you,' he said. 'It is not as fine as Viruk's, but it gives me great pleasure. I have always enjoyed watching—'

'She is gone,' said Sofarita, suddenly. 'Almeia was watching us, observing and listening. She will return. We do not have much time to plan our journey.'

'Then you think I am right?' asked Talaban.

'Yes, there is no other way. But as soon as we sail she will know what we plan. We will face many dangers.'

'She is not all-knowing,' insisted Ro. 'She did not anticipate the Sunfire, and the destruction of her ships, nor the arrival of the Serpent to save Pagaru. Nor did she succeed in the ambush of Talaban at the pass.'

'She knows,' insisted Sofarita, 'but she is limited by her need for others to carry out her commands. It is one matter to inform a general that a force is moving through a pass, quite another to direct the course of the subsequent battle. Her general, Cas-Coatl, communicates with her through the crystal he wears in his belt. She told him a small force was due in the Gen-el Pass. He sent two of his captains to oppose you. But they had no means of communicating with Almeia. Equally, Cas-Coatl was told of the Sunfire. He thought he could destroy it before the Serpent arrived. He was wrong. Trust me on this. She knows our every weakness. But our strength lies in the time it takes for her orders to be carried out. We will sail to the west. I shall choose a landing place, and tell no-one my choice until we are almost upon it.'

'I shall come with you, Sofarita,' said Ro.

'You are not a warrior, my friend. What will you do there?'

'I have other talents,' said the little man. 'And you will need them.'

'Then let it be so. We will sail at midnight.'

Viruk sat back in the open-topped carriage, his arm around the shoulders of the potter. 'Over there,' he said, 'is the Great Library.' Sadau had never seen such a building. He had thought the King's Palace in Morak was astounding, but this made it look like a mud hut. The Library was massive, two 30-foot-tall statues supporting a colossal lintel stone at the front. Upon the lintel was a statue of a seated man, his hands outstretched. It was the tallest building Sadau had ever seen.

'Who is the king seated there?' he asked.

The Fourth Avatar Prime,' said Viruk. 'Or the Fifth. I really don't remember. The building has over three hundred rooms.' A line of carriages waited outside the building and scores of servants were carrying chests inside.

'What are they doing?' asked Sadau. 'Moving treasure?'

'Of a kind,' said Viruk. 'It is the strongest building in Egaru. Avatar wives and children are being moved here for safety. Now, would you like to see something really special?'

'Special?' queried Sadau. 'It doesn't involve killing, does it?'

Viruk smiled and patted the man's back. 'Why would you think that?'

'Because I didn't deliver the head. Because I ran away and hid.'

'So, you think your death is so important to me that I would hire a carriage merely to transport you to your doom? Come now, potter. Had I wished you dead I would have done it before now.'

'Thank you, lord,' said Sadau, remembering how Viruk had reacted when the travellers had first come across the man Boru. Viruk had smiled at him, then drawn a dagger, leapt to the wagon, grabbed the man's hair and wrenched back his head. The blade was poised above Boru's throat when the king's voice rang out.

'Do not kill him, Viruk, for he is mine!'

The Avatar had stood frozen for a moment, then he had sheathed his blade, sat down beside Boru and placed his arm over the man's shoulder. Almost exactly in the manner he was doing now. 'Good to see you again, Boru,'

he said, with a wide smile. 'How have you been?'

Sadau shivered at the memory. The Avatar was insane. And here he was riding with him to the gods only knew where.

The carriage continued along a wide avenue, then on up a tree-lined road rising to a wooded hilltop. There were few houses here but the ones he could see were grand indeed. Viruk's home — as Sadau had expected — was the finest in the hills.

The carriage drew up outside the marble-fronted entrance. Viruk climbed down, paid the driver, then led Sadau through into the rear of the building. Here the Avatar threw open the doors to the garden. 'Behold!' he said.

Sadau gazed out over a landscape of exquisite beauty, of matching colours and sweet scents. There were flowers here he had never seen before. He stood open-mouthed. It was like a vision of paradise.

'Well?' said Viruk.

'Heaven cannot look this fine,' whispered Sadau. Ignoring the Avatar he walked out onto the paved pathway.

A set of wide steps led up to the rockery. On each side of the steps were large terracotta pots filled with flowers.

Viruk strolled out alongside him. 'This is my world,' he said. His voice had changed, and Sadau looked at him sharply. Gone was the menace, and even his grey eyes seemed softer.

A middle-aged servant came walking along the path. Over his shoulder was a sack made from straw. It was full of weeds. He grinned as he saw Viruk. 'The marsh marigolds are thriving, lord,' he said. 'You must see them. They are wonderful.'

Leaving Sadau standing Viruk and the servant disappeared along the pathway.

The potter kicked off his shoes and wandered around the rockery. The ground was luxuriously damp. Moving on, he came to a small stream. He sat on the grass and lowered his feet into the water. For the first time in many days he felt at peace. Stretching out on the grass he closed his eyes.

When he awoke it was growing dark. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. Then he scrambled to his feet, gathered his shoes and made his way back to the house. A servant saw him. He was a tall thin man, long-nosed, with sharp small eyes.

'Can I help you?' he asked primly, staring with obvious distaste at Sadau's travel-stained clothing.

'The Lord Viruk brought me to see his garden,' said Sadau. 'We travelled together.' The servant seemed un-impressed. 'We rescued the king.'

'Which king would that be, sir?'

'King Ammon. We brought him to Egaru. The Lord Viruk took me around the city in a carriage. I saw the Library.'

'Well, sir, the Lord Viruk has gone to the Council Chamber. And he did not mention that he had a guest.'

'I expect he forgot me,' said Sadau.

'Where are you staying, sir? I shall send for a carriage for you.'

'I don't know. I sat in the Council Chamber for hours. Then the Lord Viruk brought me here.'

At that moment the gardener entered. 'There you are,' he said. 'I have been looking for you. My name is Kale.' He thrust out a large hand.

'Sadau,' said the potter.

'The Lord Viruk says you are to stay with me tonight. I have a small house about a mile away.'

Sadau started to speak, then hesitated. 'What is it?' asked Kale.

'I… er… haven't eaten anything in two days. Is there some food at your house?'

The gardener chuckled.

'The Lord Viruk is a fine gentleman, but he does not entertain guests very often.' He glanced at the servant.

'We'll have the rest of that pie, and some bread and salted butter,' he said. 'We'll eat it in the garden. Fetch us some lanterns.'

To Sadau's surprise the servant merely bowed and backed away.

'You must be a very important man,' he said. 'I thought he was going to spit upon me.'

Kale smiled. 'I am merely a gardener. But I am the Lord Viruk's gardener. And believe me, that is almost like being a king.'