you decided to murder yourself – not to mention the terrible mess
it’d make on the carpet.’ I translocated the triangular dagger he’d
had concealed under his clothes into my own hands and looked at
it curiously. ‘What a peculiar implement,’ I noted frowning slightly.
‘Ah, I see. It’s a throwing knife. Very efficient-looking. Shall we
press on, then?’ I stared intently into his eyes as I gathered in my
Will. I’ll admit that I had a certain advantage in this situation. I was
going to show him the image of something he was afraid of, but if
it didn’t work, the real thing wasn’t too far away. I made a small
gesture with my right hand as I released my Will.
Yes, I know. Father’s been chiding me about those gestures for thirty
or so centuries now, and I’ve been ignoring him for just as long. It’s
a question of style, actually, and since I’m the one who’s doing it,
I’ll do it any way I like.
So there.
Those of you who know my father know that above all else, he’s a
performer. This is not to say that he can’t turn mountains inside out
if he chooses to, but he always does things with a certain panache,
a grand and flamboyant style that’s very impressive. His face is
really no more than a tool, and his expressions speak whole volumes.
Believe me, I’ve seen all of those expressions at close range over the
centuries, and so the illusion I created for the Murgo’s entertaimnent
was very lifelike. Initially, father’s face was stern, accusatory, and
the Murgo flinched back from it, his face going pale and his eyes
bulging from their sockets.
Then father frowned, and the Murgo gave vent to a pathetic little
squeal and tried to cover his head with his arms.
Then my father’s illusory face twisted into an expression which
I’d seen him practicing in a mirror when he thought I wasn’t
watching. His eyes narrowed with his lower eyelids sliding upward, and
he tilted his head slightly back so that it almost appeared that he
was glaring over the top of those ominous lids. To be honest about
it, the expression made him look like a madman right on the verge
of tearing someone apart with his teeth.
Then I hardened the image, giving it that momentary flicker of
decision that comes just prior to the releasing of the Will.
The Murgo screamed and tried to scramble from his chair in sheer
panic. ‘No!’ he wailed. ‘Don’t!’
I froze him in place while he howled and whimpered in absolute
terror. ‘Please!’ he shrieked. ‘Please make it go away, Polgara! I’ll
do anything! Anything! Just make it go away!’
There are all sorts of wild stories which have been circulated
about me over the years, but I don’t think Kathandrion had actually
believed them before. He did now, though, and he drew himself
back, looking just a little bit afraid.
‘Why don’t you begin by telling me your name, Murgo?’ I
suggested, ‘and then you can tell me what a Dagashi is. We’ll go on
from there. Always keep in mind the fact that I can bring my father
back any time you decide not to cooperate.’
‘I’m known as Krachack,’ the Murgo replied in a trembling voice,
and the Dagashi are members of a secret order in Cthol Murgos.
We gather information and eliminate people who are inconvenient
for those who employ us.’
‘Spies and hired assassins?’
‘If you choose to call us so.’
‘How is it that you don’t have Murgo features?’
‘Breeding,’ he replied. ‘Our mothers and grandmothers are
slavewomen from other races. They’re killed after we’re born. I’m about
one quarter Murgo.’
‘Peculiar,’ I noted, ‘particularly in view of Ctuchik’s obsession
with racial purity. Let’s set that aside for now, though. Exactly
what’s the purpose of your mission here in Arendia?’
‘I’ve been instructed to persuade Duke Kathandrion that Ran
Vordue will come to his aid when he attacks Vo Astur. With the
help of the legions, Kathandrion would be able to obliterate Asturia.
Then I’m to hint that the combined force of Wacite Arends and
Tolnedran legions would be able to turn south and do the same
thing to Mimbre.’
‘That’s absurd,’ I told him. ‘What’s Ran Vordue supposed to get
out of this?’
‘Southern Mimbre,’Krachack replied with a shrug, ‘the part where
most of the cities are.’
I looked at Kathandrion. ‘Would it have worked?’ I asked bluntly.
would this offer have tempted you?’
My friend looked slightly guilty. ‘I do fear me that it might well
have, Polgara. In my mind’s eye, I would have become king of most
of Arendia, and the civil wars that tear at our beloved homeland
would have come to an end.’
‘I doubt it,’ I told him. ‘A peace founded on such conniving could
not have lasted.’ I turned back to Krachack. ‘I assume that similar
schemes are afoot in Vo Astur and Vo Mimbre?’ I suggested.
Krachack nodded. ‘There are variations, of course – all depending
on the strategic positions of the three duchies. I’m told that there
are some real Tolnedrans at Vo Mimbre who’ve been bribed to
further our plan, but that’s none of my concern. The end result of
our maneuvering is to be the same. The three dukes will attack each
other, each expecting aid from the legions. Then, when that aid
doesn’t materialize, the dukes will feel that they’ve been betrayed.
Other Dagashi, posing as Arendish patriots, will urge each one of
the dukes to ally himself with the other two and to march on the
empire. That’s Ctuchik’s goal, an ongoing war between Tolnedra
and Arendia.’
‘Tolnedra would crush us!’ Kathandrion exclaimed.
Krachack shrugged. ‘So? Ctuchik doesn’t care about Arendia, and
he doesn’t really care about what happens to her. If Tolnedra
annexes her, though, the Alorns will be dragged into it, and that’s
what Ctuchik really wants – a war between Tolnedra and Aloria.
Once that starts, Ctuchik can go to Ashaba and hand Torak a divided
west on a platter. Ctuchik will be Torak’s most favored disciple,
standing above Zedar and Urvon, and the Malloreans will come
across the Sea of the East. All of Angarak will fall on the divided
kingdoms of the west and annihilate them. Torak will become the
God of all humanity.’
I’m sure that Lelldorin will recognize the general
pattern of the scheme. A Murgo named Nachak tried something very similar in
Arendia a few years back. Ctuchik did tend to repeat himself.
Kathandrion and I questioned Krachack the Murgo until almost
dawn, and then we had him quietly taken down to the lowest level
of the dungeon. The Wacite Duke was more than a little startled by
the complexity of Ctuchik’s plot. ‘It astounds me that any man can
be so devious, Polgara,’ he admitted. ‘Are all Murgo minds thus?’
‘I rather doubt it, my friend,’ I replied. ‘Ctuchik studied at the
feet of Torak himself, and then he had centuries to practice his art
on his fellow-disciples, Urvon and Zedar. There’s no love lost
between those three, and Torak prefers it that way. The Dragon God
brings out and exploits the worst in human nature.’ I considered
the situation. ‘I think I’d better go on to Vo Astur directly,’ I mused.
‘I’m fairly sure that events there are moving to a head as rapidly
as they are here and in Vo Mimbre as well. These assorted plots
almost have to be coordinated to reach their culmination at roughly
the same time, and what’s been happening here is rapidly coming
to a climax.’
‘I shall provide thee with an escort, Polgara.’
‘Kathandrion,’ I reminded him gently, ‘you’re technically at war
with Asturia, remember? If I go to Vo Astur with a Wacite escort,
aren’t people likely to talk?’
‘Oh,’ he said. ‘I did it again, didn’t I?’He looked a bit embarrassed.
‘I’m afraid so, my friend. We’re going to have to work on that.
Don’t be concerned, Kathandrion. The Asturians won’t even see me
– until I’m ready for them to.’
I left later that same day, and after Lady and I had traveled for
about an hour, I probed the surrounding forest with my thought.
There weren’t any Arends in the vicinity, but there was someone
else. ‘Well, father,’ I said aloud, ‘are you coming along or not?’
His silence was just ever so slightly guilty. ‘Keep your nose out
of this, Old Man,’ I told him. ‘I think this is one of those “tests”
you’re so fond of talking about. Watch, but don’t get involved. You
can grade me after it’s all over. Oh, I’m going on ahead. Since you
insist on trailing along after me, why don’t you bring Lady with
you.’
I love to do that to him.
Events were moving at a quickening pace, so speed was very
important. I’d decided earlier to forego my favorite alternative form and
to use a falcon instead.