Marune Alastor 933 Page 17

  "Passion," perhaps, which encompassed sebalism and all the other strong emotions as well. At the Three Lanterns, Lorcas took his leave of Efraim. "Remember, I'd be enchanted for the opportunity to visit the Realms. Perhaps someday - who knows?"

  Efraim, thinking of the frigid reception Lorcas would certainly receive at the hands of Singhalissa, retrained an invitation. "Perhaps some day. At the moment it might not be convenient."

  "Good-by then. Remember, directly back down the avenue of Haune, turn south on any of the side streets to the Estrada, and along to the bridge. Then up the Street of Brass Boxes to your hotel."

  "I am exactly oriented; I will not get lost."

  Somewhat reluctantly Lorcas went into the Three Lanterns; at the entrance he waved farewell. Efraim turned back the way they had come.

  Clouds hung heavy; the time was yet umber, though very dull. Furad hung low behind Jibberee Hill, and both Maddar and Cirse were obscured by overcast Gloom almost as dense as mirk shrouded Port Mar, and colored lights invested the Avenue of Haune with a tipsy gaiety.

  As Efraim walked, his thoughts returned to Maerio; how he wished she were with him now! But futile to counter the will of the Kaiark Rianlle, whose rectitude was matched only by that of Singhalissa.

  Efraim at this moment was passing the expensive bordello, and even as he reflected upon the character of the Kaiark Rianlle, out the door of the bordello, his face blurred and clothes disheveled, stepped the Kaiark Rianlle himself.

  Efraim stared, unbelievingly. He began to laugh first incredulously, then with the intoxication of total mirth.

  Rianlle stood with his mouth first open, then closed; first swelling with purple wrath, then trying to achieve a comradely grin. Under the circumstances neither could be convincing or effective. Ridicule to a Rhune was insupportable; when Efraim told the story, as surely he must - the episode was too good to keep; even Rianlle realized this - the Kaiark Rianlle would thereafter be a figure of fun, and furtive snickers would accompany him through life.

  Rianlle by dint of some desperate inner contortion composed himself. "What are you doing out along the avenue?"

  "Nothing! Investigating weird antics!" And Efraim again began to chuckle.

  Rianlle managed a steely grin. "Ah, well, you must not judge me too harshly: Unfortunately for myself, I am expected to represent the apotheosis of Rhune gallantry. The pressure becomes overwhelming. Come along; we will take a hot drink together as the folk do without shame here at Port Mar. The drink is called coffee and is not considered intoxicating." Rianlle led the way along the Street of the Clever Flea to an establishment called "The Great Alastor Coffee Emporium." He ordered the refreshment for both, then excused himself. "A moment; I have a small errand."

  Efraim watched Rianlle cross the avenue and enter a dingy little shop whose windows were crowded with all manner of goods.

  The coffee was served; Efraim tasted the brew and found it savory, aromatic, and to his liking. Rianlle returned; the two sipped coffee in cautious silence.

  Rianlle lifted the lid to the silver ewer in which the coffee was served, peered within. His hand hovered, a moment over the open mouth of the ewer, then the lid dropped with a clang. He poured a second cup for Efraim and a second cup for himself. He now became affable and expansive. Efraim drank more coffee, although Rianlle allowed his own portion to go cold. And Efraim's mind dimmed and lost itself in floating mists.

  As if in a dream he felt himself walking with Rianlle along the Estrada, across the bridge, and by back alleys into the park at the Royal Rhune Hotel. Rianlle approached the hotel with great stealth; but as luck would have it, the path curved and Singhalissa stood before them.

  She looked in disgust from Efraim to Rianlle. "You have found him in a state of intoxication! What shame! Jochaim will be furious!"

  Rianlle considered a moment, then shook his head despondently. "Come with me, away from the path; and I will explain how things have gone."

  On a secluded bench Rianlle and Singhalissa sat; Efraim stood watching a firefly. Rianlle cleared his throat. "Affairs are more serious than simple intoxication. Someone offered him a dangerous drug which he foolishly ingested; his memory has completely been destroyed."

  "What a tragedy!" cried Singhalissa. "I must inform Jochaim; he will turn New Town topsy-turvy, and never stop until he learns the truth!"

  "Wait!" said Rianlle in a low hoarse voice. "This may not be to our best interests."

  Singhalissa fixed Rianlle with a cool stare which seemed to see everything. "Our best interests?"

  "Yes. Consider. Jochaim must ultimately die - perhaps sooner than we might wish.

  When that unhappy event occurs, Efraim will become Kaiark."

  "In his present condition?"

  "Of course not. He will rapidly become whole and alert, and Jochaim will renew his memories. But - what if Efraim goes traveling?"

  "And does not return?"

  "On Jochaim's death Destian than becomes Kaiark of Scharrode, and I will give him Maerio in trisme. Jochaim will never surrender Whispering Ridge; if I hold it I can levy a great toll upon the Fwai-chi. What, after all, are gems and elixirs to them? If Destian is Kaiark there will be no difficulty."

  Singhalissa reflected. "Do not underrate Destian; he is obstinate at times! But he would never deny me, were I Kraike of Eccord. In all candor, Belrod Strang is more to my taste than gloomy old Benbuphar."

  Rianlle grimaced and uttered a soft involuntary moan. "What of Dervas?"

  "You must dissolve the trisme; this is simple enough. If events proceed along these lines all will go well. If not, it is best that we forget the matter and I will take Efraim in to Jochaim. Never fear! Jochaim is both pertinacious and ruthless; he is fond of Efraim and will never stop until he learns all the circumstances!"

  Rianlle sighed. "Destian shall be next Kaiark of Scharrode. We will then celebrate two trismes: between Destian and Maerio; between you and me."

  "In that case, we will work together."

  Though Efraim overheard much of their conversation, the subject matter made little impression on him.

  Singhalissa went off, to return with a shabby gray suit and scissors. She cut Efraim's hair short, and the two dressed him in the gray suit. Then Rianlle, stepping into his rooms, emerged wearing a black cape and a helmet which concealed his face.

  Efraim's recollections blurred. He barely recalled walking to the spaceport, nor embarcation aboard the Berenicia, where money changed hands between Rianlle and the steward.

  Events gradually merged into his conscious recollections. He opened his eyes to look into the face of the Kaiark Rianlle. Once again he saw that mixture of rage, shame, and desperate affability Efraim had noted on the Avenue of Haune.

  "My memory is whole," said Efraim. "I know the name of my enemy and I know his reasons. Cogent reasons, they are. But these are personal matters and I will deal with them on a personal basis. Meanwhile other more important affairs compel our attention.

  "With the return of my memory I can now assert that the Kaiark Jochaim did indeed endorse the ancient covenant with the Fwai-chi, and that, also, he made to the Kaiark Rianlle the following remark: 'Only when I am dead will I abandon my opposition to your scheme,' which the Kaiark Rianlle interpreted as 'when I am dead, there shall be no further opposition to your scheme.' A most reasonable mistake, which the Kaiark Rianlle now appreciates. I suspect that he wishes to withdraw utterly and forever his claim to the Dwan Jar; am I right, Your Force?"

  "Quite correct," stated the Kaiark Rianlle in a monotone. "I see where I misinterpreted the Kaiark Jochaim's jocularity."

  "Three more matters should be considered," said Efraim. "Your Force, I apply to you for trisme between our houses and our realms."

  "I am honored to accede to your proposal, if the Lissolet Maerio is like-minded."

  "I agree," said Maerio.

  "Temporary I will abandon this happy subject," said Efraim, "to deal with the crime of murder."

  "Murder!" Th
e dreadful word rustled around the table.

  "The Kaiark Jochaim," continued Efraim, "was murdered by a bolt in the back. The bolt was not discharged by a Gorget bore, hence the murderer is Scharde. Better to say, he accompanied the Scharde force.

  "Another murder occurred during mirk. I am in s sense too close to this crime to avoid prejudice; hence you, the eiodarks of Scharrode, shall hear my evidence, you shall pass judgment, and I will not quarrel with your findings.

  "I speak now as a witness.

  "When I arrived at Benbuphar Strang in company with my friend Matho Lorcas, I encountered the coolest of welcomes, and in fact antagonism.

  "A few days before mirk the Noble Sthelany surprised me by her cordiality and her assurances that for the first time she planned not to bolt her doors during mirk." Efraim described the events previous to, during, and after mirk.

  "It is clear that an attempt was made to entice me into Sthelany's chambers; but poor Lorcas entered in my stead, or else he was recognized and murdered to prevent him from telling me of the trap.

  "I well understand that strange deeds are done during mirk, but this murder falls into a different category. It was planned a week or more before mirk, and put into execution with cruel efficiency. It is not a mirk-deed. It is murder."

  "The assertions are malicious fabrications," said Singhalissa. "They are too feeble to deserve refutal."

  Efraim turned to Destian. "What is your comment?"

  "I can only echo the Noble Singhalissa's remarks."

  "And Sthelany?"

  Silence. Then presently a low voice: "I will say nothing, except that I am sick of life."

  At this point, in embarrassment, the party from Eccord departed from the Grand Parlor. The eiodarks went off to the far end of the room. For ten minutes they muttered together, then returned.

  "The judgment is this," said Baron Haulk. "The three equally share guilt. They are guilty not of mirk-deed, but murder. They shall this moment be shaved bald and expelled from the Rhune Realms, carrying no property except the clothes on their backs. Forever they are exiled and no Rhune Realm will take them in.

  Murderers, at this moment divest yourselves of all jewels, ornaments, and valuables. Then go down to the kitchens where your heads will be shaved. You will then be escorted to the aircar and flown to Port Mar, where you must live as best you can."

  Chapter 14

  Maerio and Efraim stood on the parapets of Benbuphar Strang. "Suddenly," said Efraim, "we are at peace. Our difficulties have dissipated. Life lies before us."

  "I fear that new difficulties are just beginning."

  Efraim looked at her in surprise. "How can you say so?"

  "It is clear you have known life outside the Realms; I have had the merest hint of a taste. Will we be content to live as Rhunes?"

  "We can live in whatever fashion suits us," said Efraim. "I want nothing but happiness for us."

  "Perhaps we will want to travel to far worlds. What then? How will the Schardes regard us on our return? They will consider us tainted - not true Rhunes."

  Efraim looked away down the valley. "We are not Rhunes of the clearest water, for a fact. So then - what shall we do?"

  "I don't know."

  "I don't know either."

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