The Diamond Isle Read online

  ‘Everything you’ve heard about Melyobar is true, and more. He isn’t a patch on the old King, Narbetton. And be warned: you will not, of course, address the Prince of your own volition. Should he speak to you, be brief and circumspect in your answers. You smile, but this is a serious matter.’

  ‘Sir.’ Meakin’s demeanour was instantly solemn.

  ‘The man has some…let’s say unusual notions. Showing disrespect for them, or gods forbid, questioning them, is more than an indiscretion; it’s downright dangerous. So keep your mouth shut and follow my lead.’

  ‘Yes, sir.’

  They bumped over a particularly deep pothole. Bastorran swore vehemently under his breath. Meakin leaned to his window and gazed at the hovering palace. Its enormity was astonishing. It led an unruly procession of lesser, but still massive, floating structures that blotted out the sky.

  ‘Ever seen it before?’ Bastorran said.

  ‘Once. When I was much younger, sir. With my mother and brother, and from a distance. But I’ve never forgotten it.’

  His master gave an offhand grunt, uninterested, and muttered, ‘You’ll be seeing it much closer soon enough.’

  If the airborne convoy inspired wonderment, what was happening below stirred a different kind of awe.

  Their carriage bounced along in a torrent of humanity. As far as they could see on all sides a kind of insanity was on the hoof: an incalculable number of wagons, coaches, traps, gigs, landaus and carts thundered across the land. Like seagoing craft they traversed an ocean of uniformed and civilian mounted riders, and far to the rear of the wheeled conveyances and charging horses a multitude of people strained to keep up on foot. The scene was reminiscent of a free-for-all land-grab or gold rush. Except the aim was to keep pace with the spectacle passing overhead.

  ‘Ah,’ Bastorran said, ‘here’s our escort. Hold on. The ride’s about to get even rougher.’

  Meakin looked out at the chaos on his master’s side, but could make no sense of it, let alone identify any kind of escort. Then a particular contrary movement caught his eye. A carriage not dissimilar to their own was edging towards them through the human deluge. As it weaved their way, Meakin could make out a royal crest on its side, and the palace guard uniform the driver wore.

  ‘They’re experts at negotiating this rabble,’ Bastorran explained. ‘I hope you’re fit, Meakin.’

  ‘I think so, sir.’

  ‘You’ll need to be. Ready yourself.’

  The royal carriage drew alongside. Its driver and Bastorran’s exchanged shouts that were impossible to hear above the din. Then the door of the carriage opened. Inside, another uniformed man beckoned. Bastorran opened his own door, letting in a blast of cold air.

  ‘Come on,’ he said. ‘And don’t linger if you value your neck.’

  The paladin grasped the hand stretching from the other carriage and jumped.

  Meakin eased himself across to the open door. He looked out, trying to ignore their speed and the bedlam all around. Bastorran was yelling at him from the second carriage and beckoning. A hand was extended. Meakin reached for it and leapt. A dizzying second later he was across and deposited on a seat by a grim faced Captain of the Guard.

  ‘Well done,’ Bastorran congratulated him coolly. ‘But don’t relax just yet. We still have the pleasure of getting on board the palace itself.’

  They pulled away from the paladin carriage and soon lost sight of it in the galloping confusion. Their new carriage sliced into the crush, handled skilfully but totally without regard for the safety of others. Riders who got in the way were downed and trampled. Wagons swerving to avoid the carriage crashed into each other, shattering axels and shedding passengers. There were collisions and runaway horses.

  ‘I must say this does have a certain exhilarating quality to it, eh, Meakin?’ Bastorran enthused.

  ‘Um, yes, sir.’ He was trying to stop himself being hurled from his seat.

  After what seemed an age they were in the shadow of the royal palace, its massive base sliding along above them at three or four times the height of their carriage.

  ‘What now, sir?’ Meakin asked.

  ‘Not too many more indignities to go,’ Bastorran replied caustically.

  The officer who’d sat silently facing them went to open the door nearest the palace. The carriage began undertaking a series of complex manoeuvres. Within minutes they were beside a wooden platform suspended from the palace by a complex arrangement of stout ropes.

  ‘Over we go,’ Bastorran instructed.

  They stepped onto the rocking platform, grabbing the handrail to steady themselves. Immediately the carriage moved away. The platform hung for a moment, swaying, then began to be hoisted up. Knuckles white on the rail, wind beating at his face, Meakin looked to the scene unfolding below, but even from his elevated position he couldn’t see an end to the camp followers.

  Perhaps a hundred feet up the edifice they arrived at a wide terrace. Here they were met by a contingent of guards, escorted to an ornate entrance and into the palace proper. They were then lightly searched; a humiliation Bastorran endured in scowling silence. After that they were shepherded through a maze of eccentrically decorated passageways and made to climb a seemingly endless succession of staircases.

  Walking yet more lengthy corridors lined with grotesque statues, and hanging back from their escort, Bastorran whispered, ‘What do you think? You can speak freely. But keep your voice down.’

  ‘It…it’s…’

  ‘Insane?’

  ‘I was going to say vast, sir.’

  ‘That’s part of the insanity.’

  Going through a set of reinforced doors, they emerged onto broad battlements.

  ‘And we’re still only a quarter of the way,’ Bastorran said, pointing up at the looming pile above them. ‘You can see why I enquired after your fitness.’

  ‘I can, sir.’

  Making their way across the ramparts to another section of the palace, they passed a dozen full-sized catapults, standing in line.

  ‘These are new,’ the paladin commented.

  ‘Their defences certainly seem comprehensive, sir.’

  ‘Yes,’ Bastorran replied thoughtfully. ‘But why catapults? They’re siege engines; hardly the most ideal of defensive weapons.’

  ‘Perhaps it’s another of His Highness’s…eccentricities,’ Meakin ventured in an undertone.

  ‘Probably. I should know better than to be surprised at anything he does.’

  They were led back inside the building, through more passages and up further flights of stairs. At last they were shown into an anteroom and left to wait.

  Bastorran seated himself, and motioned for his aide to do the same.

  Meakin cleared his throat. ‘I wonder how–’

  Bastorran nudged him in the ribs and indicated the ceiling. A brass coloured spy glamour hovered there.

  ‘–how long it’ll be before his gracious Highness consents to see us,’ Meakin finished lamely.

  ‘There’s no way of knowing.’

  They were settling into an awkward silence when a lackey entered and guided them into the Prince’s reception suite.

  It was a long, elegantly furnished room. At its far end, Melyobar occupied a throne mounted on a dais. He wore a red, ermine-lined cape, though the effect was somewhat diminished by a grubby shirt, dusty breeches and scuffed, mud-splattered boots.

  Bastorran bowed. Meakin took his lead and bobbed low too. Raising a languid hand, the Prince waved them closer.

  ‘Your Royal Highness,’ Bastorran opened. ‘Thank you for seeing me.’

  The Prince managed a vacuous nod. His eyes flitted to the paladin’s companion. ‘Who?’

  ‘My aide-de-camp, Highness. Lahon Meakin.’

  ‘Lahon?’ Melyobar repeated, a look of confusion on his face. ‘Devlor, surely? And he’s your aide now, High Chief?’

  ‘Highness?’

  ‘I thought your nephew was your heir,’ the Prince explained with
some exasperation. ‘Certainly something more than merely your aide.’

  Realisation dawned on Bastorran. ‘I fear we’re at cross purposes, sire. My fault entirely. I am Devlor, Lord High Chief of the Paladins. You’re thinking of my late uncle, Ivak.’

  Melyobar blinked at them, like a myopic trying to focus. ‘Late?’

  ‘Sadly, sire, yes. My uncle passed on some months ago, the victim of a notorious radical. You were informed at the time, Majesty.’

  The Prince sighed. ‘Another triumph for him.’

  ‘With all due respect, Your Highness, I hardly think the assassin’s deed could be termed a triumph.’

  ‘Assassin? I suppose he is, in a way. The great slayer is a kind of ultimate assassin. Yes, I like that.’

  Bastorran and Meakin exchanged glances; the former one of vexation, the latter puzzlement.

  ‘Apologies, sir,’ Bastorran said, ‘but I misconstrued your meaning. You’re speaking of Death, naturally.’

  ‘Of course I am. Who else? The grief over the loss of your uncle has obviously skewed your senses.’

  ‘Yes,’ the paladin replied as best he could between clenched teeth, ‘that must be it.’

  ‘What a pity your uncle couldn’t have modelled himself on my own dear father,’ Melyobar suggested, ‘the only person in history, so far, to defy the Reaper’s dominion. Truly a shining example to the rest of us.’

  ‘Indeed, sire.’

  ‘So, why are you here?’ the Prince asked brightly.

  The change of topic and mood almost stumped Bastorran. ‘I’m here to be officially recognised as the new Clan leader, Majesty.’

  ‘To receive my blessing.’

  ‘Er, yes. In a way. It’s a formality, of course, but–’

  ‘And what kind of leader will you be?’

  ‘What kind, Your Majesty?’

  ‘As compared to your late uncle.’

  ‘I would hope to emulate all his best qualities, Highness. Though in some respects I’m departing from his style of leadership.’

  ‘How?’

  ‘One of my Uncle Ivak’s many virtues was that he had too much heart, Your Majesty.’

  This came as a surprise to Meakin, but naturally he kept silent.

  ‘Commendable as this quality was,’ Bastorran went on, choosing his words carefully, ‘it had the regrettable effect of encouraging Your Highness’s enemies.’

  ‘He was soft on the terrorists?’

  ‘I’m not certain that was his intention, sire, but it’s how his actions were perceived.’

  ‘Whereas your policies will be firmer.’

  ‘Considerably. I’d go so far as to say that under my leadership recent events might have taken a very different turn.’

  ‘You would have prevented this exodus of rebels I’ve been told about?’

  ‘I take it Your Royal Highness is referring to certain antisocial elements escaping justice by fleeing to the Diamond Isle. It was hardly an exodus.’

  ‘But how would you have stopped it?’

  ‘Simply by ensuring that there were no rebels to escape, Majesty. Unlike my uncle, and, if I may say so, certain other decision-makers in the security services, I would never have tolerated these traitors’ existence in the first place.’

  ‘It seems we share a similar view, High Chief.’

  ‘I’m pleased to hear you approve, sire.’

  ‘Oh, yes. If a fire rages, cut down the trees it feeds on.’

  ‘Precisely, sir.’

  ‘My father often says that the best way to catch a fish is by draining the sea.’

  It struck Bastorran and Meakin that this was an odd analogy, quite apart from Melyobar’s use of the present tense, but both dutifully nodded.

  ‘I wonder how they dealt with him during the Dreamtime?’ the Prince said.

  ‘Your pardon, Majesty?’ Bastorran replied.

  ‘Death. Would he have walked the land in those days?’

  They realised he was drifting again.

  ‘I have no idea, Majesty,’ the paladin ventured. ‘Hasn’t Death always been in the world?’

  ‘He must have been, mustn’t he? I mean, if he wasn’t, the Founders would still be here, wouldn’t they?’

  ‘Yes, I suppose that’s–’

  ‘It’s a sobering thought, isn’t it? Even the mighty Founders, subject to his whim. It goes to show how worthy an opponent he is, doesn’t it?’

  ‘As you say, Highness.’

  Something like clarity seemed to inform the Prince’s features. ‘Still, it’s all irrelevant now, of course. Or about to be.’

  ‘Sire?’

  He gave them a smile that was almost impish. ‘You’ll see.’

  14

  It had been snowing hard in the northern wastes. Zerreiss’s army was forced to halt, and even the warlord himself, usually a patient man, had grown restless. But as night fell on the third day, the snow finally died down.

  In the warlord’s tent, bathed by the soft glow of oil lamps and candles, Zerreiss stood by a hide map on an easel.

  ‘Finally ending here,’ he concluded, pointing to a spot on the chart.

  ‘But what you’re suggesting doesn’t make up the time we’ve lost, sir,’ commented Sephor, the younger of his two closest aides. ‘In fact it adds a significant amount of time to the original plan.’

  ‘I’m aware of that. But can it be done, logistically? Wellem?’

  ‘It’s not impossible, but it’ll need a great effort and a lot of preparation. You’re talking about taking the bulk of the army to sea for the first time, and the practicalities of that are complex.’

  ‘But that was always our intention.’

  ‘Yes, chief, but not this soon in the campaign. The number of ships we’ll need–’

  ‘That’s why I propose taking port cities here, here and…here,’ Zerreiss said, indicating sites on the map.

  ‘Even if we captured every vessel in all three locations,’ Sephor noted, ‘which assumes the defenders wouldn’t move or torch them, we still wouldn’t have all the ships we need.’

  ‘Then we’ll build more. We have the manpower, and the skills.’

  ‘Would we have the materials?’ Wellem asked.

  The warlord turned to his map again. ‘There are forests here and here. Not too far to haul timber from, assuming the weather’s kind to us.’

  ‘You’ve heard this before, chief, but I’m worried we’ll spread ourselves too thin. You’re proposing three sieges to take place more or less simultaneously, and what could be a massive boat-building programme. That’s in addition to the forces needed to guard the places we’ve already conquered.’

  ‘But recruitment continues apace,’ Zerreiss told him. ‘There’s always a net gain. Everywhere we go, they flock to us.’

  ‘Faster than we can train or equip them.’

  ‘The best training they can have is in the field. It’s how I got mine. And remember that most of the men we’re attracting to the cause are military anyway. They’re not tyros.’

  ‘Sir,’ Sephor ventured awkwardly, ‘you’ve told us what you want to do, but you haven’t said why.’

  A second passed before Zerreiss answered. ‘I had another dream,’ he explained. ‘I was standing on the terrace of a fortress. The very fortress we conquered not a week since. In my dream I stood there, as I did on the day we took it, surveying our victory. And I saw him again.’

  ‘The same man you’ve dreamt of before?’

  ‘Yes. If they can be called dreams.’

  ‘What happened?’

  ‘Happened? Nothing. Well, nothing and everything. You look at me strangely, my friends, but that’s the only way I can express it.’

  ‘Do you have any idea yet who this man is?’ Wellem asked.

  ‘I’m no nearer knowing that than when he first invaded my sleep.’

  ‘And you’re still sure he’s a real person? Not…forgive me, sir, but not your mind’s fabrication?’

  ‘I’ve no doubt he’s rea
l.’

  ‘Then maybe you should consider yourself the subject of a magical attack,’ the old campaigner stated matter-of-factly.

  ‘I don’t think you need worry yourself on that score. Whoever this man might be, I don’t think he’s a sorcerer. Though I sense there is a connection to magic in some way.’

  ‘Isn’t that a contradiction, sir?’

  ‘Am I not a contradiction myself, Wellem? Why should this man be any less of an enigma?’

  ‘But what has he to do with your new instructions, sir?’ his younger aide wanted to know.

  Zerreiss smiled. ‘Trust you to bring me back to earth, Sephor. No, don’t be embarrassed; I need pulling to the point sometimes. Simply put, he’s the reason for my fresh orders.’

  ‘You’d change your plans, the whole direction of the campaign, because of somebody you’ve dreamed about, sir?’

  ‘Not so much change as accelerate.’

  ‘But why, sir?’

  ‘I sense he’s nearer, physically, than he was. Don’t ask me how I know. Or why I, of all people, should start to believe in unexplained intuition. I only know that if there’s a chance of being in this man’s presence, I should take it.’

  ‘What do you think you might gain from that?’

  ‘Have I ever steered you down a wrong path?’

  ‘No, sir,’ they answered in unison.

  ‘Then trust me now, as you have in the past.’

  ‘It’s not that,’ Sephor assured him. ‘We just want to understand.’

  ‘So do I. That’s what I’ve been trying to say.’ He sighed. ‘The best way I can put it is that he has a…significance. And I can’t help feeling it might tie in with a particular thought I’ve long been haunted by.’

  ‘Sir?’

  ‘Could there be another like me?’

  It was obvious the notion had never occurred to his aides. Sephor recovered first. ‘We’ve always thought of you as unique, sir.’

  ‘I have, too. Or rather, I feared it. My whole life I’ve wondered if I was alone in possessing the talent. And if I am, why? Why me? I hoped there were others, but as the years passed that hope withered. But suppose I’m not exceptional. Can you see what that would mean?’

  ‘Allies?’ Wellem offered.

  ‘More than that. I didn’t choose the gift I carry, and sometimes the burden of it seems hard to bear. How much easier it would be if there were others to share the effort.’