Penumbra - Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Six
The Chamber of the Council of the Lamasoni was intended to be awe-inspiring. Part of its purpose was to overwhelm petitioners and other visitors so that they dare not press for explanations or favors from the governing body. Rispa, the Brisevant of the Prydain, was not impressed; he was too old in the congresses of the mighty to be affected by stagecraft.
“I am grateful for the courtesy of your reception, Ombrios. It is kind of you to make time to see a provincial such as I.” He bowed with formally spurious humility.
“It is I who should be grateful that one of our most valuable allies has made the time to come here at my request. I would have come to you save that I felt reluctant to intrude on the privacy of our hero and his lady.” Naufrage thus made it clear that he was aware of the situation in the townhouse although he was careful to conceal both his recent meeting with Anjh and the politely contemptuous message he had received exactly one week later in which Anjh had declined to become a god. Damn the man anyway, he was not as easily handled as one might desire.
“I have not yet expressed my gratitude and that of my people for your incredible kindness in the matter of Anjh. His loss would have been a dreadful blow to the Prydain.”
“And to Junonia as a whole. I must apologize for not informing you at once that we had tentatively rescued him. But it was all happening so fast and we were not sure if the implants would work... well, I’m certain you can see how it was. And how is he? Thriving, I trust? We haven’t inflicted our company upon him during this time of healing but I have heard that he is to become a father within the year. Now, that is surely a sign of recovery in a man.”
Rispa permitted himself a small smile, “You have heard correctly; the Lady Jaithlym will bear Anjh a son before the year is past. We of the Prydain are, of course, overjoyed to have his genetic material preserved to our race.’
Naufrage leaned back putting the tips of his fingers together. “I have always admired and envied the way your people can choose the gender of your progeny. It’s a rare talent and an invaluable one.”
“Nature provides some small recompense for the paucity of our birth-rate.” Rispa judged that the opening courtesies were complete and he could begin to broach the subjects he had come to discuss. “Ombrios, I suspect we are in at least partial agreement on the subject of what Anjh should do next. I will be frank with you - I, speaking both as myself and as the voice of the Prydain, am opposed to letting him risk death again after all that has been done to preserve his life. I feel that he is showing a puzzling lack of gratitude in rejecting your offers of a diplomatic mission here in the capital and insisting on a return to the field. This sort of behavior is not typical of our race; we know when to let go of a passion, when to change. Change, as you surely know, is a central element in our culture.”
Naufrage was not surprised by the bluntness of his counterpart’s words; he had expected no less from a Prydain. “I thank you for your openness and agree that we must make every effort to ease him gently into another way of life. Yes, I am familiar with the Prydain custom of Voltefase and I, too, thought Anjh would be willing to take advantage of the opportunity when it was offered to him. Given my expectations, I have been thoroughly mystified by his mood and behavior since he regained consciousness. He has shown a certain distaste for the manner in which he was rescued although he must know there was no other way to preserve his life... Have you been made aware of the extent of his injuries?”
“No, but I heard alarming tales when I first came to Aleofane. Was he actually dead when you brought him off the Mountain?”
“I would rather that you judged for yourself. You haven’t seen the discs?”
“No. I didn’t know any were made.”
“We record anything that may be important or controversial. I shall have copies of the pertinent ones made and given to you before you leave.” Naufrage pressed a button on his desk and spoke softly into a grid. “I think you’ll find them enlightening. Now, I shall match your frankness and tell you about one of our number, a priest called Caffolas, who is a danger to Anjh and our wishes.” He began to speak.
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When the Ombrios had finished, Rispa rose stiffly and walked over to a cabinet on the opposite wall, absently admiring the specimens of various gem crystals on its shelves. “So, this Caffolas is planning to send Anjh into a cavern that has claimed several score of the best the armies have to offer?”
“That’s the gist of it. We have been told by our... um... agents that Anjh has accepted the mission and will report to these so-called Zealots next week.”
“That doesn’t give us much time.”
“No. Have you any suggestions?”
“I still can’t understand why you and your fellow Lamasoni don’t put an end to this plot at once.” Rispa clenched his fist. “Surely, you can forbid Caffolas to do this foolish thing.”
“Can you forbid Anjh to do this foolish thing?” There was no mockery in the Ombrios’ voice. “We are handicapped, my friend, by the very respect for the individual which is the framework of our world.”
“And yet, this must not be permitted. My race doesn’t believe in such a wasting of human potential. You wouldn’t know this but Anjh is the one I chose years ago to follow me as Brisevant. I grieved for our entire race when I heard that he had died and the news that he lived after all restored my hope. Now to chance his loss again to something so stupid as this... It’s not... He must be dissuaded.”
“Or even physically prevented from going to the Feneralia?”
“That would be difficult. He’s strong and has many allies in his house who would be athirst to help him if he asked.”
“Help him to die?” Naufrage made a dismissive gesture. “If you discreetly spread word of Caffolas’ intentions, you should have plenty of sturdy young Prydain even more eager to restrain him. After all, he’s lame and can’t escape on his own.”
Rispa flushed at the blunt reminder. “I’m sure this can be handled with dispatch and discretion and without further damage to anyone’s pride. Now, if you will forgive me, I must return to my duties.”
“Can you delay them a little longer? I feel there is more for us to say to one another. I have a suggestion that may seem unthinkable but has some virtues under these rather odd circumstances... You have mentioned grooming Anjh to be the Brisevant of the Prydain in spite of some obvious obstacles to that move. I ask you - what do you think of our initiating him into the Lamasoni? Physical prowess isn’t a requirement for that.”
“Make a priest of him? Impossible! He’s no believer and never will be.” Rispa was amused. “Is that why you’re permitting the spread of this obviously specious fantasy about his miraculous resurrection? To make him acceptable to the religious?”
“Only in part,” Naufrage was marginally abashed. “It doesn’t hurt to give a restive populace something to divert them from their grievances. But belief isn’t necessary for what I have in mind. I told you it was something different. Just think about it and we’ll discuss it later if you wish... There’s one other thing I’m hesitant to mention but feel I should. I’ve told you what Caffolas has said about Anjh. Can you tell me if it’s true?”
“It’s not the sort of thing I’d be likely to know, now is it?” The Brisevant looked coldly at his counterpart. “Our kind don’t go around baring their souls to one another.”
Naufrage idly moved the items on his desk about as he considered whether to continue this along this direction. A few moments later, he had come to a decision, “Rispa, I’m going to tell you something that may be indiscreet. Did you know that we almost lost your lad a few days after the surgeries were complete?”
“No! I thought it all went very smoothly.”
“Oh, the surgeries went fine. It’s just that a few days later, a nurse heard a noise in his room and went to check on him. She found him on the floor, huddled in a corner, hemorrhaging... He had tried to rip out the implants and had damn’ near succeeded and would have died right there had it not been for that woman’s sharp ears and curiosity.” Naufrage was grim.
“Why wasn’t I told about this?”
“We kept it as quiet as possible; it wouldn’t have done any of us any good to alarm the masses. I went to see him the next day and convinced him not to do something like that again - but the part that bothered me then and still troubles me is that he didn’t deny it when I suggested he was trying to die on Mount Nothscar.”
“You asked him that?” Rispa was astonished.
“Not in so many words - I implied it and he didn’t dispute it. So, you see I have a reason to think Caffolas may be right in his guess and I ask you again - can you confirm it?”
“It seems to me that you’ve put too much emphasis on what he might have said or not said during a time of great stress when I doubt very much precision of speech was his first priority. You, yourself, have mentioned how depressed he was by his situation. I’m sure it was all a misinterpretation on your part. Besides, I think the Hunters of Death are more of a legend than a fact. I’ve never met one.” Rispa was resolute if disingenuous.
“I wish you could trust me but feared you wouldn’t. Well, we must do what we can. There is just one more thing and I feel awkward asking you.”
“You need not. I will gladly do what I can to advance our intentions.”
“This is not exactly in that line. It’s a personal thing. Anjh was, by all indications, dead when we brought him from the Mountain. Yes, I’ll admit that. What I want to know is: did he had any experiences during the time he was in that other world, another state of being? Did he find any proof of the existence of Aleo?” Naufrage looked away from his counterpart in embarrassment.
“Have you asked him directly?”
“Yes, and he laughs at me and denies any such experience. Rispa, I’ve lived my life in the service of Aleo and now that I am nearing the end, I find myself doubting and wondering if I made the wrong choices when I still had them to make. I need to know if there is any evidence to support what I have believed in all these years.”
“And you expect to get it from a non-believer? Anjh is not the man to alleviate your crisis; he’s not a man of faith and is indifferent to the cares of the religious. He would have no reason to lie to you.”
“He has no reason to love me and might not realize what he knows. Will you ask him? As a personal favor?”
“Oh, I’ll ask but don’t expect any satisfactory answers. Now, I really must go.” Rispa was unsettled by the man’s intensity.
“Thank you, my receptionist will give you the discs as you leave. Thank you for coming here. Will it be possible for you to inform me when you have any thoughts on any of our dilemmas?”
“Without fail, Ombrios.” With a formal bow, Rispa took his departure, tucking the discs into his sleeve as he entered the lift.
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Because Jaithlym was confined to the third floor of the townhouse, Anjh had chosen to have lunch with her in the sitting room. Leaning on the table before her, she bubbled with news of her new office and its conveniences. She was still in a mildly manic state after their total victory over Rispa's doubts and misgivings.
“I can get all the information I need on a daily basis from my juniors and my decisions will be enforced by a corps of secondaries; it’s going to be almost too easy. I can run the Akamma from here as smoothly as I could from Llaregyb. This may prove to be a revolutionary concept for the financial world. Think of it! We can live wherever we like and still keep our fingers in whatever pie interests us. I can easily end up with more power than I started with and I surely won’t lose money. I’m really looking forward to this. Truly, I am.”
Anjh looked at her indulgently, “I’m glad it’s working out so well. Boredom was the principal thing I feared for you. So, this afternoon should see you established in your routine?”
“Yes. Things are finally settling down. I get up, have my daily physical from Pereginy and start whipping up the Akamma. This will be a very short year, I think.” She took a healthy bite of her meal. “Did you know that Lamason Diranda came by for a visit this morning?”
“Yes, the servants think I should be told everything that happens in the house and beyond. Gossipy little devils. Did you have a pleasant chat with the lady? She’s the one who is so concerned about ethics and money, isn’t she?”
“That’s the one; she makes me laugh sometimes and she’s good company - acerbic but not really vicious. I asked her to call again. Anjh, she was filling me in on the city’s gossip and told me something that I should have heard from you. Why didn’t you trust me about the mission you’ve taken on?”
“The thing with Caffolas? I didn’t think there was anything more that would interest you; after all, it was your information that first alerted me to the situation.”
“Diranda told me how many have died in that Pit and how dangerous it is. You hid that from me.” Her eyes glittered with worry and brimming tears.
“Lady, don’t weep. Your friend exaggerates - remember it was gossip she was dispensing. It isn’t good for you to dwell on every half-understood rumor that infests this place. I’ve told you your well-being is my primary concern and I will not now nor ever deliberately frighten you with inflated stories about danger. I’m a Warrior and it’s my job to do things like this. If you intend to continue to share my life, you will learn to accept that and ignore the sensational tales that churn along among the ignorant.”
“Is the Pit of Archaos dangerous?” she whimpered.
He smiled reassuringly and carefully chose his words, “All actions have some danger in them and you understand that. Now don’t worry. I’m not going yet.”
“What are your plans for the afternoon?” Jaithlym tried to return his smile.
“More training. Harad and Sandro think they have some ideas on improving the function of this leg,” he dropped his hand with a thud on his left thigh.
“I hope not,” she gave a shaky little laugh at the sight of his raised eyebrows. “Your limp doesn’t bother me at all and I don’t want you to get agile enough to go back to war with Archaos. I’ve become selfish and want you to stay here with me while I germinate.”
“You needn’t fret for a while yet,” he answered. “There’s a lot more work to do on the training and therapy floor before I’m fit for use again.”
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The Brisevant Rispa slowly rose from the personal disc viewer and buried his face in his hands. The graphic scenes from the operating theatre had left him shaken and appalled. He had not known it had been so bad. No wonder Anjh was as he was. The Prydain, because of their environment and their early training, were markedly different from the other peoples of Junonia. They were schooled in self-control and mental disciplines that made them less likely to bend or break under pressure. It was those characteristics that created such fierce, courageous Warriors and such irreproachable judges. They tended to be secure in themselves and not inclined to doubt. But there were limits even for the Prydain and Rispa judged that the events reflected on the discs must have pushed Anjh past those boundaries. When he had committed the shattered man to the private clinic after the death of Biyonne, he had assumed that no more major traumas were likely to occur, certainly nothing of this magnitude. It was not surprising that the plastered-over cracks were breaking through again.
What evil star had dominated his birth skies that Anjh should be so afflicted? Rispa thought that the chances of one man experiencing all that his protégé had endured must be vanishingly small. Looked at from that perspective, it would be strange if he had not become enamored of death. With sagging shoulders and a reluctant hand, he reset the pointer on the disc player and viewed the first images on the recording again.
“There’s no denying it - no other way to see it. He spoke only the truth. He was dead back there,” Rispa said aloud without noticing. “He couldn’t have lived after what happened to him.”
“Playing those discs, are you?” Harad had entered the room unobserved and had been watching. “They don’t make pleasant viewing.”
“You’ve seen them? How many others?”
“In this house, just me, Anjh and Jaithlym, so far as I know. And now you.”
“Anjh has seen them? How did he take it?” Rispa was horrified.
“Not well - he came down here and we talked right afterwards. He was pretty shaken; he hadn’t known exactly how much damage had been done. It couldn’t have been easy to see pictures of yourself looking like what’s left after a Feral's dinner.”
“Ugh! Do you have to put it that way? How did you get the discs? Did Jaithlym let you have them?”
“The Ombrios gave them to me when we moved in here; he thought I ought to know where I was starting from when I hired on to manage the rehabilitation team.”
“Did he give you the silent ones or the...?”
“The complete ones. Those Lamasoni talk a lot, don’t they? I’d enjoy cutting the tongues out of some of those...”
Rispa paced the floor, “I’ve just come from a visit with Naufrage. He wants me to stop Anjh from going to the Pit of Archaos.”
“Then why doesn’t he rein in Caffalos? Without that little bastard’s consent, Anjh can’t get near the place.”
“I’m not sure why he is letting Caffalos do what he’s doing. He claims to want Anjh alive, but he also seems to be willing to let him kill himself.”
“Does he know that Anjh is... what he is?” Harad risked the question.
Rispa was surprised that the suspicion, if not the word, was so widespread. He had hoped it could be confined to as limited a circle as possible. “If you mean to say Thanamant - he suspects. He asked me, in a sort of round about way but I’m sure he believes it. In truth, one of the arguments Caffolas presented to the Council was that they might as well get some benefit out of their prize since he seemed determined to toss his life away in any case.”
“That’s not good.”
“No... Harad, will you help me stop him from going to the Feneralia? Naufrage suggested that the Prydain in this house physically restrain him. Is that a possibility at all? For his own good, I mean.”
“I don’t think I could do that, Brisevant. He’s my captain. As for the others here, I just don’t know. It depends on how much they know about him, if they fought under him, lots of variables there but I don’t think it would be a good idea to rely on their help. But... think about this, Anjh is much stronger now than he was just a week or so ago; he could have a chance against whatever is in that cave if I could go along and hold his back. You know my skills and abilities - I believe I could keep him alive even in that place.” Harad looked at his Elder eagerly.
With a clap on his shoulder, Rispa acknowledged the validity of his kinsman’s reasoning. “I know you well, my boy, and agree with your proposal. You might be able to save him even if he tries to die. It’s probably the only chance we have without his co-operation. Have you any way to go with him?”
“Not yet; Caffolas probably won’t be inclined to let me in his precious squad if he knows who I am and my connection to Anjh. I may be able to work through the other members - some of them are Prydain - and squeeze in as an unknown. I just wish I knew if he would rather kill Anjh or that thing in the cave; that would give me an idea of how to persuade him to take me as well.”
“Time is short, so you’d better make your move quickly,” the Brisevant warned.
“I know that. I’ll send a message at once to a man I know in the squad and get this in train.”
Rispa looked back at the viewer and shuddered. “One more question, Harad. Do you seriously think that someone as badly maimed as Anjh can ever survive in battle again?”
Harad looked at the older man and said two words, “Not alone.”