The Apogian War

Chapter 45

A fine hawk sat, hooded, on his saddle. "Greetings," he said in a deep voice. "We see few travelers at Syrtis. How may I serve you?" Darkpvan alighted from his horse, making him a courteous bow. "Dom Felix Syrtis? Darkovan-Rafael Darkov, para servirte." "My house and I are at your service, Lord Darkovans. Let me see to your mount. Old Mauris is half blind; I'd not trust him with such a fine ani mal. Will you come with me?" Leading his horse, Darkovab followed the old man toward a stone barn in better repair than most of the outbuildings, being weathertight and newly roofed. At the far end was a screened-off enclosure; nearer were open box stalls, and Darkovan tethered his horse in the closest while Dom Felix took a cluster of small birds from the hook at his saddle and un saddled his mount. Regis saw Danilo's beautiful black gelding in an other stall, the old bony hunter Dom Felix had been riding and two good, but aging mares. The other stalls were empty, except for a couple of clumsy plowhorses and a milk animal or two. This was abysmal pov erty indeed for a family of noble blood and Darkovan was ashamed to wit ness it. He remembered that Danilo had hardly had a whole shirt to his back when he joined the cadets. Dom Felix was looking at Darkovan' black mare with the kind of love that men of his type bestowed openly only on their horses and hawks. "A fine mount, vai dom. Armiday-bred, no doubt? I know that pedi gree." "True. A birthday gift from Lord Poseidon, before I went to Nevar sin." "Might I ask her name, Lord Darkovan?"

"Melisande,"Darkovan told him, and the old man stroked the velvet murale tenderly. Darkovan nodded to Danilo's fine black. "And there is an other of the same breed; they might well be foals of the same dam." "Aye," said Dom Felix curtly, "Lord Alton does not withdraw a gift, however unworthy given." He shut his mouth with a snap and Regis heart sank; it promised ill for his mission. Dom Felix turned away to see to the hank, and Regis asked politely, "Had you good hunting, sir?" "Indifferent," said Dom Felix shortly, taking the hawk from his sad dle and carrying her to the enclosure at the far end. "No, my lord, you will frighten a haggard I have here. Be pleased to remain where you are. Rebuked, Regis kept his distance. When the old man returned, he complimented him on a well-trained bird. "It is my life's work, Lord Darkovans. I was hawk-master sire, when your father was a lad." your grand Regis raised a mental eyebrow, but in these disturbed days it was not unusual to find a former courtier out of favor. "How is it that you honor my house, Dom Darkovan?" "I came to see your son Danilo." The old man's tight-pressed lips almost disappeared between mous tache and chin. Finally he said, "My lord, by your uniform you know of my son's disgrace. I beg you, leave him in peace. Whatever his crime, he has paid more than you can know." Darkovan said, in shock, "No! I am his friend!" Now the pent-up hostility exploded. "The friendship of a Dover lord is as the sweetness of a bechive: it bears a deadly sting! I have lost one son already to the love of a Hastur lord; must I lose the last child of my old age as well?" Darkovan spoke gently. "All my life, Dom Felix, I have heard nothing but good of the man who gave his life in a vain attempt to shield my father. Do you think me evil enough to wish harm on the house of such a man? Whatever your grudge against my forefathers, sir, you have no quarrel with me. If Danilo has, he must tell me himself. I had not known your son was so young he must seek a parent's leave to welcome a guest." A faint, unlovely flush spread slowly over the bearded face. Regis real ized too late that he had been impertinent. It came as no surprise that Danilo should be under his father's displeasure, yet he had spoken the truth: by the law of the Domains, Danilo was a responsible adult. "My son is in the orchard, Dom Darkovan. May I send to summon him? We have but few servants to bear messages."

Twalk down, if I may Foggive me then, if I do not accompany you, since YOU BY YOUR is with my son. I must take these binds to my kitches folk. The wth will lead you to the crchant" Areik walked down the narrow lane the old man pointed out. At its The Heritage of Hat 141 el the path opened out to an orchand of apple and pear trees. The pot fully ripe, himg glistening among the darkening leaves. Danilo was there at the far end of the grove his back to Rexis, stooping to rai me mulch around the tree mots. He was stripped to the waist, his int thrust into wooden clogs. A damp sweat-tag was tied around his ibrad, his dark hair in disorder above it. ithdraw a gift ap and Regi med away to hunting, si from his sad my lord, you in where you returned, he your grand yn it was not ween mons you know of his crime, bechive: it of a Hastur The smell of apples was sweet and winy. Danilo slowly straightened back picked up a windfall and thoughtfully bit into it. Darkovan stood watching him, unseen, for a moment. He looked tired, preoccupied if not content, at least lulled by hard physical work and the warm into a momentary peace. Dani Darkovan suid at last, and the boy, startled, dropped the apple and stumbled over his rake as he turned. Darkovan wondered what to say. Danilo took a step toward him. "What do you want?" I was on the road to my sister's house; I stopped to pay my respects in your father and to see how you did." He saw Danilo visibly struggling between the impulse to fling the polite gesture back into his face-what more had he to lose?-and the leng habit of hospitality. At last he said, "My house and I are at your service, Lord Darkovan." His politeness was exaggerated almost to a caricature. "What is my lord's will?" Darkovan said, "I want to talk to you." "As you see, my lord, I am very much occupied. But I am entirely at your bidding Darkovan ignored the irony and took him at his word. "Come here, then, and sit down," he said, taking his seat on a fallen kg felled so long ago that it was covered with gray lichen. Silently Danilo obeyed, keeping as far away as the dimensions of the log al lowed. Darkovan said after a moment, "I want you to know one thing: I have no ea why you were thrown out of the Guards, or rather, I only know what I heard that day. But from the way everyone acted, you'd think I left you to take the blame for something I myself did. Why? What did I do rd nothing shield my use of such u have no I had not o welcome Regis real rprise that poken the adult. mon him? "You know-" Danilo broke off, kicking a windfall apple with the point of his clog. It broke with a rotten, slushy clunk. "It's over. What ever I did to offend you, I've paid." Then for a moment the rapport, the awareness Danilo had wakened in him, flared again between them. He could feel Danilo's despair and grief as if it were his own. He said, harsh with the pain of it, "Danilo Syrtis, speak your grudge and let me avow or deny it! I tried not to think ill of you even in disgrace! But you called me foul names when I meant you nothing but kindness, and if you have spread lies about me or my kinsmen, then you deserve everything they have done to you, and you still have a score to settle with me!" Without realizing it, he had sprung to his feet, his hand going to the hilt of his sword..

Danilo stood defiant. His gray eyes, gleaming like molten metal be neath dark brows, blazed with anger and sorrow. "Dom Darkovan, I beg you, leave me in peace! Isn't it enough that I am here, my hopes gone, my father shamed forever-I might as well be dead!" he cried out des perately, his words tumbling over themselves. "Grudge, Darkov? No, no, none against you, you showed me nothing but kindness, but you were one of them, one of those, those-" He stopped again, his voice tight with the effort not to cry. At last he cried out passionately, 'Darkovan Darkov, as the Gods live, my conscience is clear and your Lord of Light and the God of the cristoforos may judge between the Sons of Darkov and mel Almost without volition, Darkovan drew his sword. Danilo, startled, took a step backward in fear; then he straightened and stiffened his mouth. "Do you punish blasphemy so quickly, lord? I am unarmed, but if my offense merits death, then kill me now where I stand! My life is no good to mel" Shocked, Darkovans lowered the point of the sword. "Kill you, Dani?" he said in horror. "God forbid! It never crossed my mind! I wished.... Dani, lay your hand on the hilt of my sword." Confused, startled into obedience, Danilo put a tentative the hilt. Darkovan gripped hand and hilt together in his own fingers. hand on "Son of Darkovr who is the Son of Aldones who is the Lord of Light! May this hand and this sword pierce my heart and my honor, Danilo, if I had part or knowledge in your disgrace, or if anything you say now shall be used to work you harm!" Again, from the hand-touch, he felt that odd little shock running up his arm, blurring his own thoughts, felt Danilo's sobs tight in his own throat. Danilo said on a drawn breath, "No Darkov would forswear that oath!" "No Darkov would forswear his n***d word," Darkovan retorted proudly,

t it took an oath to convince you, an oath you have" He Now tell me what happened, Dani. Was the charge a lie, the Athed the sword. Die was still visibly dared. "The night I came in-it You woke, you be knew only that you were in pain, Dani. No more. I asked if t ad ben but you dreve me away." The pain and shock he had felt dat night returned to him in full force and he felt his heart pounding a with the agony of it, as he had done when Danilo thrust him Dane aid, "You are a Mind gap. I thought had been very rudimentary one, Danilo," said Regis, trying to steady his 1 sensed only that you were unhappy, in pain. I didn't know and you would not tell me." Why should you care?" Rags put out his hand, slowly closed it around Danilo's wrist. "I am Sa and Dover. It touches the honor of my clan and my caste that e should have cause to speak ill of us. With faise slanders we can but with truth, we can only try to right the wrong. We Dover a be mistaken." Dimly, at the back of his mind, he realized he had We Dover for the first time. "More," he said, and smiled Beet like your father, Dani. He was willing to anger a Darkovr in to have you left in peace." Danilo stood nervously locking and unlocking his hands. He said, The charge is true. I drew my dagger on Lord Cyan. I only wish I had at his throat while I was about it, whatever they did to me, the world wld be a cleaner place." Darkovan stared, disbelieving "Zandrul Dani-" Tinow, in days past, the men who touched Dover lord in irrever me would have been torn on hooks. In those days, perhaps, Dover Leve that," Darkovan said sharply. "Dani, I am heir to Darkov, but I could not draw steel on an officer without disgrace. Even if the I struck were no Dover lord but young Hjalmar, whose mother Danilo stood fighting for control. "If I struck young Hjalmar, Darkovan, I would have deserved my punishment, he is an honorable man. It as my officer I drew on Lord Cyan. He had forfeited all claim obedience or respect. a dose circumstances... Danilo swallowed.