Martin Scott - Thraxas at War

'He forced his way past me,' says his wife, bringing up the rear, and sounding betrayed.

The Senator casts an evil glance in her direction before turning his glare on me.

'Save the stare, I need to talk to you. Here will do, or somewhere private if you'd rather the servants didn't hear.'

'This way,' says Senator Lodius, and leads me further back into an office.

'Is there any reason why I should not call for the Civil Guard to throw you out?'

'No reason at all. But the way your popularity has waned recently, I'm not sure they'd be all that quick in coming to your rescue. I have questions.'

'I have already made it abundantly clear that I do not wish to talk to you. You do not represent me.'

'I do. Or maybe I represent your wife. Either way I'm working on your case. And I just learned from a lawyer that you're guilty in the matter of forging a will.'

'I beg your pardon?'

'Comosius's will. You forged it, or rather, you had it forged for you. Galwinius was right, you were trying to defraud him of an inheritance. He had witnesses and documents. He was going to skewer you in court.'

I'm expecting a lot of arguments and denials. I'm expecting wrong.

'You are quite right. I did cause the will to be forged.'

'You admit it?'

'Yes.'

'Why did you do it?'

'I needed the money. My political campaigning is prohibitively expensive. The Populares do not have the resources of the King's treasury behind us.'

'So you just thought you'd help yourself to someone else's fortune?'

'You could put it like that. As Galwinius was a miserable parasite who built his fortune largely by robbing the poor, I thought it was not an unreasonable thing to do.'

Senator Lodius is looking me right in the eye. I wouldn't say he was crushed with guilt. I wouldn't say he was bothered at all. Cold as an Ore's heart, like all ambitious politicians.

'Are you still denying you murdered Galwinius?'

'I am.'

'Even though he was about to prosecute you for a crime you had committed and would be found guilty of?'

'It was not certain that I would be found guilty.'

'It was likely'

The Senator shrugs. He's calm in a crisis, I'll give him that.

'Is this why you didn't want me on the case? Because I'd find out about the will?'

'No. Any Investigator would have found out. I didn't want you working for me because you're not a suitable man to be associated with my family'

'I'm not the one who's been forging wills around here.'

'No, you're the one who lives in a cheap tavern in

Twelve Seas in conditions of squalor. I have been in your office, if you remember.'

'I remember all right. You blackmailed me.'

I feel a strong need for a beer.

Any chance of some traditional hospitality?'

'No.'

'I figured it was worth a shot. You realise you're going to hang for Prefect Galwinius's murder?'

'Perhaps.'

'No perhaps about it. The fraud case ended with Galwinius's death but they're going to pin the murder on you for sure. And they're not going to let you retreat into exile. Are you planing to flee the city before the case comes to court?'

'My affairs are no business of yours, Investigator. I insist that you leave now.'

I try to think of something good to say. Nothing occurs to me. So I take the Senator's advice and walk out of the office and along the corridor towards the front door. Senator Lodius's wife is waiting for me. She looks at me with hurt in her eyes.

'Do not come back here,' she says. And please regard your work as finished. I will no longer employ you.'

I leave the house without saying goodbye. The guards at the front gate look at me blankly as I pass, stamping their feet to keep out the cold. Now I've been ejected by both the Senator and his wife. I hang around, wondering what to do. I could give up on the case. I should give up on the case. No one wants me to investigate it. As of now, no one's paying me. It's stupid to carry on, But I want to know who killed Galwinius. All my life, I've been more curious than is good for me.

I decide to visit Lisutaris. Probably she'll be either too busy or else unwilling to see me. Still angry over the harsh words I spoke to her in the Avenging Axe, no doubt. Damn these women, and in particular, damn these women Sorcerers. Realising that knocking on Lisutaris's door unfortified by alcohol is asking too much of a man, I look round for a tavern. Taverns are in short supply in Thamlin and I have to make a diversion to find one. Inside I feel out of place among the Senators' servants, so I make haste in downing a few ales and take a bottle of klee with me for the journey. I knock it back quickly as I walk, and it lifts my spirits somewhat. By the time I'm strolling into Truth is Beauty Lane I've mellowed a good deal and am feeling more benevolent towards Lisutaris. Not such a bad sort really. Fought bravely in the war, and paid me well when I helped her in the election.

I'm shown to a reception room by a surly servant. These days I'm really unpopular with the servants. I'm uncertain what I'm going to say to Lisutaris but I'll have to try to persuade her to use her powers to help me somehow. Maybe she can trace the elusive scroll. It's pretty much my last hope, so I'm even prepared to go so far as to offer an apology for my angry words at the Avenging Axe. I take another healthy slug of klee. I notice I've drunk more than half the bottle of the powerful spirit, which is fine for a man of my capacity. For others, less experienced, it might cause problems.

After ten minutes or so another servant leads me to Lisutaris's favourite room, overlooking the garden, now covered with snow. The garden contains private fishponds, as is customary among the very wealthy. If you're rich enough you can serve fish to your guests from your own stock. It always impresses the guests. Lisutaris regards me with displeasure.

'Lisutaris, I need your help,' I begin quickly. 'I'm sorry I spoke harshly to you at the Avenging Axe the other night. No need for it. Though it was understandable, I suppose. It was quite a shock to find my office full of strange women. Anyone would have been surprised. You can't really blame a man for reacting badly. I mean, it's not like the Association of Gentlewomen are favourites of mine. A bunch of troublemakers, you might even say. From a certain point of view, that is. Your view, equally valid of course, may differ. So though I'd say I'm really the victim here I'm prepared to let bygones be bygones.'

Lisutaris is looking confused.

'What is this?' she demands.

'I'm apologising.'

'It doesn't sound like it.'

'Well, how much apologising does a man have to do when he finds his office filled up with a bunch of harpies intent on persecuting the hard-working men of Turai? Goddammit, who told you you could cram my office full of murderous Assassins, half-witted barmaids and parasitic Senators' wives? What the hell have Senators' wives got to complain about anyway? They're all raking in a lot more money than me and no doubt cavorting with professional athletes while their husbands are busy at the Senate. I tell you, it's this sort of behaviour that's dragged this city into the dust. When I was a young man the Consul would've exiled the lot of you.'

I take another drink from my bottle of klee. Lisutaris raises one eyebrow.

'Is this still part of the apology?'

'So you expect me to apologise? Is that why you dragged me here? I'm not the one who should be apologising. What have you got to say for yourself, that's what I want to know'

Are you drunk?'

'Possibly. No doubt when the Association of Gentlewomen takes over the city your first action will be to close down the taverns. Admit it, you're nothing but a bunch of hypocrites. Continually criticising me—'

'We've never mentioned you,' interrupts Lisutaris.