Into The Darkness

The old folks had had Unkerlanter rammed down their throats in the classroom, and plainly enjoyed using what they'd been made to learn.

More Zuwayzi troops followed, these mounted on camels. From the reports that had come into Bishah, the camel riders had played a major part in the victory over Unkerlant. Even in the somewhat cooler south.

Zuwayza was a desert country. Camels could cross terrain that defeated horses and unicorns and behemoths. Appearing on the Unkerlanters' flank at the critical moment, the riders had thrown them first into co fusion and then into panic.

Someone tapped Hajaj on the shoulder. He turned and saw it was one of King Shazli's servants. Bowing, the man said, "May it please [..y le se nt, ge. the the on one..] our Excellency, his Majesty would see you in his private reception chamber directly the parade is ended."

Hajaj returned the bow. "His Majesty's wish is my pleasure," he replied, courteously if not altogether accurately. "I shall attend him at the time named." The servant nodded and hurried away.

As soon as the last captured egg-tosser had trundled past the palace, Hajaj ducked inside and made his way through the relatively cool dimness to the chamber where he so often consulted with his sovereign.

Shazli awaited him there. So, inevitably, did cakes and tea and wine.

Hajaj enjoyed the rituals and rhythms of his native land; to him, Unkerlanters and Algarvians always moved with unseemly haste. There were times, though, when haste was necessary even if unseemly.

Shazli felt the same way. The king broke off the polite small talk over refreshments as soon as he decently could. "How now, Hajaj?" he said.

"We have given King Swemmel a smart box on the ear. Whatever the Unkerlanters aim to extract from us, we have shown them they win have to pay dearly. We have shown the rest of the world the same thing. May we now hope the rest of the world has noticed?"

"Oh, aye, your Majesty, the rest of the world has noticed," Hajaj replied. "I have received messages of congratulations from the ministers of several kingdoms. And each of those messages ends with the warning that it is but a personal note, and not meant to imply any change of policy on the part of the minister's sovereign."

"What must we do?" Shazli asked bitterly. "If we march on Cottbus and sack the place, win that get us the aid we need?"

Hajaj's voice was dry: "If we march on Cottbus and sack the place, the Unkerlanters will be the ones needing aid. But I do not expect that to happen. I did not expect such good news as we have already had."

"You are a professional diplomat, and so a professional pessimist," Shazli said. Hajaj inclined his head, acknowledging the truth in that. His sovereign went on, "Our officers tell me the Unkerlanters attack with less force than they expected. Maybe they were trying to catch us by surprise.

Wherever the truth lies there, they failed, and have paid dearly for failing."

"Swemmel has a way of striking before he is fully ready," Hajaj replied. "It cost him in the war against his twin brother, it made him start the pointless war against Gyongyos, and now it hurts him again "Only against Forthweg did striking soon serve him well," Shazli said.

"Algarve did most of the hard work against Forthweg," Hajaj said.

"All Swemmel did there was jump on the carcass and tear off some me

This is, of course, also what he seeks to do against us."

"He has paid blood," Shazli said, sounding fierce as any warrior prin in Zuwayza's brigand-filled history. "He has paid blood, but has no to show for it."

"Not yet," Hajaj said. "As you say, we have blooded one Unkerlant army. Swemmel will send others after it. We cannot gather so many in together, try as we will."

"You do not believe we can win?" The king of Zuwayza look wounded.

"Win?" Hajaj shook his graying head. "Not if the Unkerlanters persist. If any of your officers should tell you otherwise, tell him in return that he has smoked too much hashish. My hope, your Majesty, is that can hurt the Unkerlanters enough to keep more of what is ours than the demand, and not to let them gobble us down, as they did before. Even that, I judge, will not be easy, for has not King Swemmel shouted he [..ai.] to rule in Bishah?"

"The generals do indeed speak of victory," Shazli said.

Hajaj bowed in his seat. "You are the king. You are the ruler. You are the one to decide whom to believe. If my record over the years caused you to lose faith in me, you have but to say the word. At my [..a..] I shall be glad to lay down the burdens of my office and retire to home, my wives, my children, and my grandchildren. My fate is in your hands, as is the kingdom's."