CHAPTER XXV. CHERKIS
There was stark amazement on Kulun's face; and fear now enough. Hedropped from the parapet among his men. There came one loud trumpetblast.
Out from the battlements poured a storm of arrows, a cloud of javelins.The squat catapults leaped forward. From them came a hail of boulders.Before that onrushing tempest of death I flinched.
I heard Norhala's golden laughter and before they could reach us arrowand javelin and boulder were checked as though myriads of hands reachedout from the Thing under us and caught them. Down they dropped.
Forth from the great spindle shot a gigantic arm, hammer tipped withcubes. It struck the wall close to where the scarlet armored Kulun hadvanished.
Under its blow the stones crumbled. With the fragments fell thesoldiers; were buried beneath them.
A hundred feet in width a breach gaped in the battlements. Out shot thearm again; hooked its hammer tip over the parapet, tore away a stretchof the breastwork as though it had been cardboard. Beside the breach anexpanse of the broad flat top lay open like a wide platform.
The arm withdrew, and out from the whole length of the spindle thrustother arms, hammer tipped, held high aloft, menacing.
From all the length of the wall arose panic outcry. Abruptly the stormof arrows ended; the catapults were still. Again the trumpets sounded;the crying ceased. Down fell a silence, terrified, stifling.
Kulun stepped forth again, both hands held high. Gone was his arrogance.
"A parley," he shouted. "A parley, Norhala. If we give you the maid andman, will you go?"
"Go get them," she answered. "And take with you this my command toCherkis--that HE return with the two!"
For an instant Kulun hesitated. Up thrust the dreadful arms, poisedthemselves to strike.
"It shall be so," he shouted. "I carry your command."
He leaped back, his red mail flashed toward a turret that held, Isupposed, a stairway. He was lost to sight. In silence we waited.
On the further side of the city I glimpsed movement. Little troops ofmounted men, pony drawn wains, knots of running figures were fleeingfrom the city through the opposite gates.
Norhala saw them too. With that incomprehensible, instant obedienceto her unspoken thought a mass of the Metal Things separated from us;whirled up into a dozen of those obelisked forms I had seen march fromthe cat eyes of the City of the Pit.
In but a breath, it seemed, their columns were far off, herding back thefugitives.
They did not touch them, did not offer to harm--only, grotesquely,like dogs heading off and corraling frightened sheep, they circled anddarted. Rushing back came those they herded.
From the watching terraces and walls arose shrill cries of terror, awailing. Far away the obelisks met, pirouetted, melted into one thickcolumn. Towering, motionless as we, it stood, guarding the furthergates.
There was a stir upon the wall, a flashing of spears, of drawn blades.Two litters closed with curtainings, surrounded by triple rows ofswordsmen fully armored, carrying small shields and led by Kulun werebeing borne to the torn battlement.
Their bearers stopped well within the platform and gently lowered theirburdens. The leader of those around the second litter drew aside itscovering, spoke.
Out stepped Ruth and after her--Ventnor!
"Martin!" I could not keep back the cry; heard mingled with it Drake'sown cry to Ruth. Ventnor raised his hand in greeting; I thought hesmiled.
The cubes on which we stood shot forward; stopped within fifty feet ofthem. Instantly the guard of swordsmen raised their blades, held themover the pair as though waiting the signal to strike.
And now I saw that Ruth was not clad as she had been when we had lefther. She stood in scanty kirtle that came scarcely to her knees, hershoulders were bare, her curly brown hair unbound and tangled. Her facewas set with wrath hardly less than that which beat from Norhala. OnVentnor's forehead was a blood red scar, a line that ran from temple totemple like a brand.
The curtains of the first litter quivered; behind them someone spoke.That in which Ruth and Ventnor had ridden was drawn swiftly away. Theknot of swordsmen drew back.
Into their places sprang and knelt a dozen archers. They ringed in thetwo, bows drawn taut, arrows in place and pointing straight to theirhearts.
Out of the litter rolled a giant of a man. Seven feet he must have beenin height; over the huge shoulders, the barreled chest and the bloatedabdomen hung a purple cloak glittering with gems; through the thick andgrizzled hair passed a flashing circlet of jewels.
The scarlet armored Kulun beside him, swordsmen guarding them, he walkedto the verge of the torn gap in the wall. He peered down it, glancingimperturbably at the upraised, hammer-banded arms still threatening;examined again the breach. Then still with Kulun he strode over tothe very edge of the broken battlement and stood, head thrust a littleforward, studying us in silence.
"Cherkis!" whispered Norhala--the whisper was a hymn to Nemesis. I felther body quiver from head to foot.
A wave of hatred, a hot desire to kill, passed through me as I scannedthe face staring at us. It was a great gross mask of evil, of coldcruelty and callous lusts. Unwinking, icily malignant, black slits ofeyes glared at us between pouches that held them half closed. Heavyjowls hung pendulous, dragging down the corners of the thick lipped,brutal mouth into a deep graven, unchanging sneer.
As he gazed at Norhala a flicker of lust shot like a licking tonguethrough his eyes.
Yet from him pulsed power; sinister, instinct with evil, concentratewith cruelty--but power indomitable. Such was Cherkis, descendantperhaps of that Xerxes the Conqueror who three millenniums gone ruledmost of the known world.
It was Norhala who broke the silence.
"Tcherak! Greeting--Cherkis!" There was merciless mirth in the buglingsof her voice. "Lo, I did but knock so gently at your gates and youhastened to welcome me. Greetings--gross swine, spittle of the toads,fat slug beneath my sandals."
He passed the insults by, unmoved--although I heard a murmuring go upfrom those near and Kulun's hard eyes blazed.
"We will bargain, Norhala," he answered calmly; the voice was deep,filled with sinister strength.
"Bargain?" she laughed. "What have you with which to bargain, Cherkis?Does the rat bargain with the tigress? And you, toad, have nothing."
He shook his head.
"I have these," he waved a hand toward Ruth and her brother. "Me you mayslay--and mayhap many of mine. But before you can move my archers willfeather their hearts."
She considered him, no longer mocking.
"Two of mine you slew long since, Cherkis," she said, slowly. "Thereforeit is I am here."
"I know," he nodded heavily. "Yet now that is neither here nor there,Norhala. It was long since, and I have learned much during the years.I would have killed you too, Norhala, could I have found you. But now Iwould not do as then--quite differently would I do, Norhala; for I havelearned much. I am sorry that those that you loved died as they did. Iam in truth sorry!"
There was a curious lurking sardonicism in the words, an undertone ofmockery. Was what he really meant that in those years he had learnedto inflict greater agonies, more exquisite tortures? If so, Norhalaapparently did not sense that interpretation. Indeed, she seemed to beinterested, her wrath abating.
"No," the hoarse voice rumbled dispassionately. "None of that isimportant--now. YOU would have this man and girl. I hold them. They dieif you stir a hand's breadth toward me. If they die, I prevail againstyou--for I have cheated you of what you desire. I win, Norhala, eventhough you slay me. That is all that is now important."
There was doubt upon Norhala's face and I caught a quick gleam ofcontemptuous triumph glint through the depths of the evil eyes.
"Empty will be your victory over me, Norhala," he said; then waited.
"What is your bargain?" she spoke hesitatingly; with a sinking of myheart I heard the doubt tremble in her throat.
"If you will go without further knocking upon my
gates"--there was asatiric grimness in the phrase--"go when you have been given them, andpledge yourself never to return--you shall have them. If you will not,then they die."
"But what security, what hostages, do you ask?" Her eyes were troubled."I cannot swear by your gods, Cherkis, for they are not my gods--intruth I, Norhala, have no gods. Why should I not say yes and take thetwo, then fall upon you and destroy--as you would do in my place, oldwolf?"
"Norhala," he answered, "I ask nothing but your word. Do I not knowthose who bore you and the line from which they sprung? Was not alwaysthe word they gave kept till death--unbroken, inviolable? No needfor vows to gods between you and me. Your word is holier than they--Oglorious daughter of kings, princess royal!"
The great voice was harshly caressing; not obsequious, but as thoughhe gave her as an equal her rightful honor. Her face softened; sheconsidered him from eyes far less hostile.
A wholesome respect for this gross tyrant's mentality came to me; itdid not temper, it heightened, the hatred I felt for him. But now Irecognized the subtlety of his attack; realized that unerringly hehad taken the only means by which he could have gained a hearing; havetemporized. Could he win her with his guile?
"Is it not true?" There was a leonine purring in the question.
"It IS true!" she answered proudly. "Though why YOU should dwell uponthis, Cherkis, whose word is steadfast as the running stream and whosepromises are as lasting as its bubbles--why YOU should dwell on this Ido not know."
"I have changed greatly, Princess, in the years since my greatwickedness; I have learned much. He who speaks to you now is not he youwere taught--and taught justly then--to hate."
"You may speak truth! Certainly you are not as I have pictured you." Itwas as though she were more than half convinced. "In this at least youdo speak truth--that IF I promise I will go and molest you no more."
"Why go at all, Princess?" Quietly he asked the amazing question--thendrew himself to his full height, threw wide his arms.
"Princess?" the great voice rumbled forth. "Nay--Queen! Why leave usagain--Norhala the Queen? Are we not of your people? Am I not of yourkin? Join your power with ours. What that war engine you ride may be,how built, I know not. But this I do know--that with our strengthsjoined we two can go forth from where I have dwelt so long, go forthinto the forgotten world, eat its cities and rule.
"You shall teach our people to make these engines, Norhala, and we willmake many of them. Queen Norhala--you shall wed my son Kulun, he whostands beside me. And while I live you shall rule with me, rule equally.And when I die you and Kulun shall rule.
"Thus shall our two royal lines be made one, the old feud wiped out, thelong score be settled. Queen--wherever it is you dwell it comes tome that you have few men. Queen--you need men, many men and strong tofollow you, men to gather the harvests of your power, men to bring toyou the fruit of your smallest wish--young men and vigorous to amuseyou.
"Let the past be forgotten--I too have wrongs to forget, O Queen. Cometo us, Great One, with your power and your beauty. Teach us. Lead us.Return, and throned above your people rule the world!"
He ceased. Over the battlements, over the city, dropped a vast expectantsilence--as though the city knew its fate was hanging upon the balance.
"No! No!" It was Ruth crying. "Do not trust him, Norhala! It's a trap!He shamed me--he tortured--"
Cherkis half turned; before he swung about I saw a hell shadow darkenhis face. Ventnor's hand thrust out, covered Ruth's mouth, choking hercrying.
"Your son"--Norhala spoke swiftly; and back flashed the cruel face ofCherkis, devouring her with his eyes. "Your son--and Queenship here--andEmpire of the World." Her voice was rapt, thrilled. "All this you offer?Me--Norhala?"
"This and more!" The huge bulk of his body quivered with eagerness. "Ifit be your wish, O Queen, I, Cherkis, will step down from the throne foryou and sit beneath your right hand, eager to do your bidding."
A moment she studied him.
"Norhala," I whispered, "do not do this thing. He thinks to gain yoursecrets."
"Let my bridegroom stand forth that I may look upon him," calledNorhala.
Visibly Cherkis relaxed, as though a strain had been withdrawn. Betweenhim and his crimson-clad son flashed a glance; it was as though atriumphant devil sped from them into each other's eyes.
I saw Ruth shrink into Ventnor's arms. Up from the wall rose a jubilantshouting, was caught by the inner battlements, passed on to the crowdedterraces.
"Take Kulun," it was Drake, pistol drawn and whispering across to me."I'll handle Cherkis. And shoot straight."