When he could stop laughing, Drehkos wiped at streaming eyes and, leaning aching sides across his saddlebow, said, “I could almost love you for that, you lying old bugger; you’ve given me the first real laugh I’ve enjoyed in nearly two weeks. But you may cease trying to delude me with your pious hypocrisy. It’s a well-known fact that you set a better table than did the late Thoheeks Vawn. So show my men to your magazines. I warn you, if we must waste our time in searching for them, you’ll be very unhappy.”
“I tell ypu, we have nothing left!” shouted the abbot, his anger returning. “Do you doubt the word of a one sworn to the Holy Orders of God? I trow your faith must be as pale a thing as your eyes, to behave in so heathenish a manner when in so sacred a place!”
Turning to the Ehleen-appearing Danos, he demanded, “Have you and the others looked to your souls’ welfare, that you follow the sinful commands of an obvious heretic backslider?”
Though Danos just grinned, then spat between the abbot’s sandaled feet, several of the troopers squirmed uncomfortably in their saddles, but the ready laugh of their revered leader reassured them.
“Divide and conquer, hey?” exclaimed Drehkos. “Why holy sir, I’d thought you but a simple monk. “Perhaps I should have a man of such quick and shrewd mind on my staff? But you waste your breath and our time.
“Sergeant, take a squad and search this warren . . . and, be there complaint, you and your men will know whose word will weigh heaviest.”
The abbot threw up his hands, apparently having already been apprised of what had ensued when, on the previous day, the prioress of the House of Saints Ehlaina and Faiohdohra foolishly remained adamant in the face of this resolute and unbiddable lord. “Wait, wait, vahrohneeskos, please, no search will be necessary; one of the brothers will conduct you to our pitiful storeroom.”
Seeing it, Drehkos agreed that pitiful was indeed the proper adjective. The contents would not have half-filled one of the wains. “Now, sergeant, take that squad and let us see where these reverend gentlemen hide their real stores.”
The heavily guarded caravan of wains had to make no less than three round trips ere the monastery’s cupboard was finally bare. In the course of finding the concealed storerooms, some of the building suffered unavoidable structural damage and a number of small valuables disappeared, but Drehkos would hear none of the abbot’s complaints.
“You pompous, lying jackass! These men will shortly be fighting to save your scaly hide. You should be on your knees thanking them, giving them anything they might desire. Without a doubt, I should drive you and your band of useless mouths into the countryside, let you try to make a separate peace with the Kindred … if you can.”
The abbot visibly trembled. This was precisely what had been done to the holy sisters of his order on the previous day. Weeping and wailing, they all had been herded out the east gate into the barrenness which Vawn had become. And their sacred precincts were now housing refugees.
The old abbot crumbled. “Please . .. sir, you could not be so … so cruel… ?”
“Could I not?” growled Drehkos. “It might be interesting to see just how well God appreciates your services, just how well He would provide for you beyond the city walls. But it is because of those very walls that I desist.
“You and your monks may draw daily rations at the Citadel, starting tomorrow morning. At that time, certain of my agents will inform you as to where you will report to labor on our defenses.”
A bit of the abbot’s old fire briefly rekindled. “But… but this is … is unbearable! We be holy men; many of us are as noble as you, sir! You cannot ask us to do the work of common laborers. We have dedicated our lives to contemplation and prayer.”
Drehkos frowned, knitting up his brows. “Holy sir, it would pain me to watch you and yours starve.” “You would not dare!” hissed the abbot. Drehkos shrugged. “I would have no choice, holy sir. You were delivered a copy of our proclamation, that I know for a fact, and you must have at least glanced at it. Those who do not work toward the defense of Vawnpolis do not eat of our meager stores.”