The Return of Tharn

  CHAPTER VI

  JALTOR'S DECISION

  Knuckles pounding heavily against his door awakened Garlud, nobleman ofAmmad. There was an urgency in the sound that brought him bolt uprightfrom his pillow in alarm.

  "Who's there?" he called out.

  "Open!" thundered a heavy voice. "Open in the name of Jaltor of Ammad!"

  Hardly able to believe his ears Garlud left his bed and groped for thebrazier of coals kept in one corner of the room. Igniting atallow-soaked bit of cloth from it, he lighted two of the room'scandles, crossed to the door and unbarred it.

  Four stalwart warriors wearing the tunics of Jaltor's personal guardpushed into the room, leaving Garlud's major-domo, who had brought themthere, hovering anxiously outside. At sight of the latter's worried faceGarlud smiled a reassurance he was far from feeling and said, "Return toyour bed, Bokut. I will see my visitors to the door when they are readyto leave."

  He closed the door on Bokut's unrelieved expression and turned toJaltor's men. One of them he recognized immediately as Curzad, captainof the king's guard, whose strong intelligent face was set in grimlines.

  "Well, Curzad," Garlud said lightly, "your expression is forbodingenough to put fear in the bravest of men. What errand brings you here?"

  "My master's respects, noble Garlud," the captain replied woodenly, "andhe bids me escort you to the palace at once."

  "Does it require four of you to help me find my way to Jaltor's palace?"Garlud demanded, his voice suddenly sharp.

  The captain's face seemed even bleaker. "I obey my orders, noble Garlud.I must ask you to don clothing at once and come with us."

  For a moment it seemed that Garlud was about to refuse ... then a slightsmile crooked the corners of his mouth and he turned to take up histunic. He slipped into the garment without haste, drew the strings ofhis sandals tight about his ankles, then straightened.

  "I am ready," he said.

  * * * * *

  It was a cold, forbidding room, its walls, ceiling and floor of bareroughened gray stone, and located deep beneath the palace of Jaltor,supreme ruler of all Ammad. Against the far wall was a narrow bedoccupied by the naked body of an elderly man. It was a body thin to thepoint of emaciation, the ribs standing out sharp and distinct beneathyellowing skin. Two middle-aged men, their expressions grave, weregingerly applying liquid-soaked cloths against scorched blotchescovering the naked man's chest. The man himself appeared to be in acomatose state, although from time to time he groaned and stirredfeverishly under the attempts to soothe his suffering.

  There was another man in the room--a man of such appearance that hedominated it through his physical dimensions alone. In height he was afull seven inches beyond six feet, yet built proportionately so that hedid not seem that tall. His wide shoulders seemed to fill the room, hisbody sloping to narrow hips and long powerful legs. His face was almoststartlingly handsome, with a fierce regal cast to its large, sharp-linedfeatures. Chill black eyes of exceptional brilliance burned from beneathheavy black brows that matched the thick, slightly curling growth abovea high rounded forehead. It was the face of a man of strength andintelligence, a man ruthless and proud and yet who could be given toquixotic acts of kindness, a man dictatorial but usually just, a manincapable of brooking interference.

  He was pacing the room now with quick restless strides, badly restrainedanger riding his expression. Once a quick turn caused him to brushagainst one of four stools grouped about a wooden table set on fourcrossed timbers, and he kicked the stool viciously aside causing it toshatter against the wall.

  At the sound of splintering wood the man on the bed cried out in suchutter fear that his two attendants fell back. He did not appear fullyconscious however and they resumed their attempts to ease his pain.

  That cry of fear had altered the pacing of the tall man momentarily andhe turned his burning eyes on the men at the bedside. "Is he awake?" heasked sharply, his deep voice beating against the walls like surfagainst a rocky shore.

  One of the attendants shook his head nervously. "Not yet, Most-High. Butsoon now, I think. He is old and weak and the burns are grievous."

  "Time is short and he must not die--yet."

  "Yes, noble Jaltor."

  Again there was silence within the room, broken only by the mutteringsof the half-conscious man and the heavy tread of feet as Jaltor resumedhis pacing....

  A brief knock at the room's only door brought Jaltor around sharply."Enter!" he thundered.

  The door opened and four guards came in. With them was a trim figuredman a few years short of middle-age, his strong regular featuresimpassive. As his escort halted he continued on into the room, pausingonly when he stood facing Ammad's monarch.

  "Greetings, noble Jaltor," he said quietly. "You sent for me?"

  Anger and bewildered sorrow seemed to be fighting for dominance in theruler's expression. "I thought you my friend, Garlud!" he burst outsuddenly. "How could a senseless ambition so drive you that you wouldturn against your king?"

  The blood seemed to drain from Garlud's cheeks and his eyes went wide inshocked wonder. "Turn against you?" he repeated, aghast. "What madnessis this?"

  Jaltor's eyes narrowed and a sneer curled his upper lip. "Before you addlies upon lies, Garlud, give greetings to a friend of yours."

  With these words the king stepped aside, for the first time permittingGarlud to see the man on the bed.

  The nobleman's jaw dropped. "Why, it's old Heglar!" he exclaimed. "Whatin the God's name has happened to him?"

  "What usually happens to enemies of Jaltor?"

  * * * * *

  Garlud took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "You have spoken inriddles from the moment I came in here. For almost forty summers--sincewe were boys together--we have been more like brothers than friends. Forthat reason, if no other, I believe I am entitled to an explanationinstead of badgering and half-veiled threats."

  Jaltor's face darkened. "I'm the one who demands an explanation! Why didyou set Heglar to attempt my life this afternoon?"

  "I--set...."

  "Do you deny," thundered the king, "that this very morning you held along and carefully guarded conversation with Heglar in an ante-roomoutside my audience hall?"

  "It is true that I spoke with him this morning," Garlud said slowly. "Wedid not talk for long, nor were we 'guarded' about it."

  "I see!" Jaltor's tone was triumphant. "And what did the two of you talkabout?"

  "He sought me out as I entered the room on my way to the audiencechamber. He drew me into a corner and asked if I had had word fromJotan, my son, recently. I told him I had not, but that I expected himto return within half a moon, perhaps even sooner."

  Understanding dawned suddenly in Garlud's face and he added: "I wonderedthen why he drew me aside to ask the question, but at the time I thoughtlittle about it."

  "And now?" Jaltor urged mockingly.

  "I am beginning to see he had a reason of his own."

  "You deny any part in the plot to kill me?"

  "I do."

  "But you knew there was such an attempt made this afternoon?"

  "I heard some such rumor."

  "But," persisted Jaltor, "you did not think it necessary that you learnif your friend--your _brother_, as you said a moment ago--had beeninjured in that attempt?"

  "I was assured you were not even scratched," Garlud replied quietly.

  "Humph!" Jaltor paced up and down a time or two, his face working, thegreat hands opening and closing spasmodically. Abruptly he stopped infront of the other and bent until his face almost touched Garlud's.

  "Before you walked into this room, if anyone had asked for your opinionof Heglar what would you have said?"

  "That I knew him well and liked and respected him."

  "Would you have said he was an honorable man?"

  "Certainly."

  "Have you ever known him to tell a lie?"

  "Not to my knowledge."
r />   "Does he have any reason to hate you?"

  "None that I know of."

  "Have you any idea why he tried to kill me?"

  "None. I am completely surprised that he tried to do so."

  "Then why," Jaltor thundered suddenly, "did he say his attempt to killme was engineered by _you_?"

  Garlud met his angry glare without visible emotion. "I can hardly beexpected to answer that question, Most-High, since this is the first Ihave heard of such a charge."

  "Then Heglar lied in so naming you?"

  "He--is mistaken."

  Jaltor snorted. "Don't bandy words with me! When one man says he talkedwith another about killing a third, he cannot be _mistaken_. He iseither telling the truth or lying. Which is it, in this case?"

  "If Heglar's mind was clear at the time he so accused me, then he lied!"

  "But my good Garlud," cried Jaltor, his reasoning tone a mockery, "youtold me only a moment ago that to your knowledge Heglar is an honorableman and does not tell lies."

  "Then it must be," Garlud said, openly serene, "that he has started totell them now. Either that or his mind has become affected by hisdisease. It is common knowledge that there is a sickness in his throatand he has only a few moons of life remaining."

  * * * * *

  Jaltor turned on his heel and began his pacing anew. The four guardsremained stiffly at attention near the door, their eyes fixed unseeinglyon the opposite wall, their ears obviously hearing none of this. Againstthe far wall the two attendants continued their unceasing efforts tobring consciousness and comfort to the old man on the bed.

  Without pausing in his pacing, Jaltor said, his voice more subdued now:"It is useless to throw doubt on Heglar's sanity, noble Garlud. Afterhis bungling attempt on my life I questioned him. He told me it was hisown idea to take my life, that no one else had anything to do with it.Over and over he said that, even when my questions called for no suchanswer, until I began to suspect he was trying to shield an accomplice.When I charged him with this he became so upset I was sure he lied. So Ihad my guards torture him into telling the truth. That is when he namedyou."

  "A man will say anything to escape torture, Most-High," Garlud pointedout calmly.

  "Do you think I'm not aware of that?" growled the monarch. "It was notuntil he endured torture I doubt I could have stood up under that hegave your name."

  "Naturally, in view of our long friendship, I thought he was lying. Iordered further torture to bring out the truth. Again and again he lostconsciousness under the white-hot iron, and each time we revived him hegave your name. Finally I was convinced despite my reluctance. I thensent for you to hear the charge from Heglar's own lips."

  Garlud shook his head. "I cannot believe that you would so easily turnagainst me, my friend. One man's unsupported word--and you believe theworst of me."

  Jaltor's expression did not soften. "A word wrung from a man after longtorture, noble Garlud, carries beyond ordinary denial."

  "Would you wish to put me to the same test?" Garlud asked grimly.

  "No. You are comparatively young and a brave man. Should you willyourself to deny Heglar's charge, no amount of physical suffering wouldwring a confession from you."

  "Your pardon, Most-High." It was one of the men at the bedside whospoke. "The man is conscious now, but I fear he is dying."

  "Good." Jaltor motioned to his erstwhile friend. "Come, Garlud, hearthese things from the man's own lips."

  They approached the bed, the two attendants falling back respectfully.From the narrow surface Heglar looked up at them, his faded blue eyesglazed with pain, his rib-ridged chest rising and falling with shallow,uneven breathing. The smell of burned flesh came from his body insickening emanations and his lips were torn where he had bitten them inagony.

  Jaltor said stonily, "I have brought the noble Garlud here to listen toyour charges, Heglar. Now accuse him or clear his name!"

  The faded blue eyes flickered to the erect figure of the other man. Itwas not until the third effort that he was able to speak.

  "I failed, Garlud." The words were barely audible. "Forgive me, myfriend. They ... made me tell. I am ... old. Once they would not ...have been able...."

  Compassion came into Garlud's expression. "Heglar, Heglar," he saidsoftly. "You know I had nothing to do with your attempt to kill Jaltor.What have I done to you that makes you say this awful thing about me?"

  Was there a flicker of remorse in those faded blue eyes? If so, it wasgone before Garlud could be sure. "It ... is useless, Garlud," thefeeble voice whispered. "I had to ... tell him."

  "You are dying, Heglar." Sweat stood out on Garlud's forehead. "Wouldyou face the God-Whose-Name-May-Not-Be-Spoken-Aloud with a lie upon yourlips?"

  "I ... I----"

  The noble's hand closed on the old man's shoulder. "The truth, Heglar!Who is the real one behind this?"

  The aged eyes closed and Heglar's face began to work. "No! No! I have... no----"

  "You must tell us, Heglar! Speak, man!"

  Once more the lips opened. "I--I ... Rhoa!"

  Abruptly Heglar's head rolled to one side, his body went limp and withhis mate's name on his lips he died.

  * * * * *

  For a long moment there was silence within the room. Garlud stood asthough turned to stone, his eyes fastened unbelievably on the lifelessface of the old man. It was a tortured face; death had brought peace toit. What terrible compulsion, Garlud wondered dully, had forced anhonorable man to die with a lie upon his lips?

  "You have heard, noble Garlud?"

  It was Jaltor's deep voice--stern, unflinching, empty of feeling. Garludlooked up into those piercing black eyes and despite himself he felt atiny chill move along his spine.

  "I heard, Most-High."

  Jaltor passed a hand over his own face--a slow pressing gesture thatmomentarily left the skin white beneath its tan. "For the sake of ourlong friendship," he said thickly, "I am prepared to temper justice withmercy. Admit your part in the plot and I will spare your life.Although," he added, "I will leave you nothing else. Your wealth isconfiscate, your palace will go to the noble next in line, as is ourcustom, and you shall be turned from Ammad. Your king has spoken!"

  "And if I persist in my claim of innocence?" Garlud said evenly.

  "The evidence is plain. You will be put to death."

  "Very well." Garlud did not hesitate. "Order your guards to kill methen, my friend! I shall die as honorably as I lived during the yearswhen we were friends."

  Jaltor's jaw hardened. "And what of Jotan?" he said coldly.

  Something akin to fear darkened Garlud's eyes. "My son? What of him?Surely your sense of justice has not so rotted that you would harm him!"

  Sudden rage twisted Jaltor's countenance. "No man speaks so to Jaltor ofAmmad and lives!"

  Garlud's smile was undismayed. "Have you forgotten, Most-High. I havealready been sentenced to death!"

  "And by your attitude," Jaltor shouted, "you have sentenced your son tothe same fate."

  "On what grounds?"

  "I need no grounds! I know your son, noble Garlud. When he hears thatyou are dead and that it was my order, he will attempt to avenge you. Iknow the love he holds for you, and it will be that mistaken loyaltywhich will lead him into an attempt to assassinate me. Your power isgreat in Ammad, Garlud; I helped you gain that power because you were myfriend. Because you have won the affection and respect of many warriorsthey would rise to his leadership against me. All Ammad might be torn bycivil war. For that reason Jotan must die!"

  Garlud's face was livid with rage and his hands were trembling. "Thenkill us both, you son of Gubo. You have become a fearful, evil old manwho hides from shadows and who fears all men--even his friends! Kill usboth that we may not pollute our lungs with the air you breathe!"

  * * * * *

  With an almost casual sweep of his mighty arm Jaltor hurled the ragingnobleman into the grasp of the gu
ards. "Confine him to the lowest pitbeneath the palace!" he thundered. "Let the rats chew him a few sunsbefore I have him torn to bits!"

  Without a backward glance the king strode from the room. He made his wayup flight after flight of steps, through room after room of the sleepingpalace, until he reached his own wing. Through several long, windingcorridors he moved, oblivious to the salutes of startled guards on nightduty, until he entered his private apartment. He went directly to hissleeping quarters, curtly ordered his two personal slaves into the nextroom, then undressed quickly and got into bed.

  But not to sleep. For over an hour he tossed on the huge bed wooingsleep that would not come. Finally he rose, drew a richly woven robeabout his shoulders and stepped out onto a small balcony overlooking oneentire half of the vast city six floors below.

  The rays of a full moon bathed the impressive scene. Because of thelateness of the hour no lights gleamed from windows of the box-likebuildings and the broad streets were deserted.

  Slowly reason was beginning to take hold of him as anger faded. WasGarlud correct in saying that he was becoming an old man fleeing fromshadows, suspicious of all men? He went back over the golden days whenhe and Garlud were young warriors taking their first taste of battleagainst the then scattered states that today made up the country ofAmmad. He recalled the day Garlud had saved his life by leaping in frontof him and taking the tearing impact of a thrown spear. Garlud had verynearly died of that wound and he--Jaltor--had remained day and night athis bedside until the crisis passed.

  And that was the man he had sentenced to death! The man whose friendshiphad meant more to him than all his kingdom. Surely personal ambitionalone could not have driven him into plotting the assassination of hisbest friend!

  There was something behind all this that did not meet the eye. Had thewould-be assassin been anyone other than old Heglar he would havedismissed his involvement of Garlud as a trumped up lie and executed theman on the spot.

  Had Heglar lied? Was there some motivation so strong that the old manhad been forced into bearing false witness against one of the most lovednoblemen in all Ammad? Was all this some intricate plot, with Garludinstead of Jaltor as the real victim?

  Jaltor, stern, ruthless and high-handed though he was, was a man withideals and a strong sense of honor. Also, he was extremely intelligentand a veteran of the machinations of intrigue. The more he thought aboutthis whole business the more certain he was that all the facts were notyet revealed.

  For a long time he stood there on the small balcony, staring out overAmmad with unseeing eyes. After a while a slow smile came to his stronglips and he nodded his head a time or two in satisfaction. There was away....

  Leaving the balcony he strode quickly to the room's single door andthrew it wide. "Quick!" he snapped to one of the startled slaves, "tellCurzad I want him here at once!"

  When the captain of the guards, as alert and bright-eyed as though hehad not been dragged from a sound sleep by Jaltor's summons, appeared inthe doorway the king bade him enter and close the door.

  "Curzad," he said, "you have known the noble Garlud almost as long as Ihave. Does it seem likely to you that he would be mixed up in a plot tokill me?"

  The iron-faced warrior shook his head impassively. "No, Most-High. Hislove and respect for you are beyond doubt."

  "You think I acted unwisely in finding him guilty?"

  "That is not for me to say, Most-High."

  "I _know_ that! But you are not made of stone; you must have formed someopinion."

  "It is not wise to hold an opinion which differs from that of Ammad'sking."

  * * * * *

  Jaltor gestured with sharp impatience. "This is man to man, Curzad. Giveme your honest impressions of this affair."

  "If you command it, Most-High. I do not believe the noble Garlud hadanything to do with old Heglar's attempt to knife you. I think the oldone hated Garlud for some reason and named him because of that hatred."

  "But you knew Heglar's reputation as a completely truthful man?"

  "I do not say he would lie for another's purpose. But for his own ...that is a different matter."

  "But he did not give Garlud's name willingly, Curzad. Only afterprolonged torture could we wrest the name from his lips."

  The captain shrugged. "Would you for even a moment have believed himotherwise. Old Heglar was no fool, Most-High. Were his motive strongenough for bringing ruin to Garlud he would have planned it exactly thatway. An accusation lightly given is usually lightly taken."

  Jaltor smote a fist into his palm. "By the God, Curzad, I believe you'vehit it! Only my thought is that the plan was not his. When a man hatesanother both are usually aware of that hatred--and Garlud was at acomplete loss to understand why he was accused."

  "That is true, Most-High."

  "Very well, here's what must be done." Jaltor began to pace the floor,speaking the while. "I want you to speak with the guards who were withyou when I questioned Garlud tonight. Swear them to complete secrecy onthe entire matter on pain of death. The same goes for the two attendantswho were working over Heglar at the time."

  "It shall be done, Most-High."

  "Good! Now who in Garlud's household knows you brought him here?"

  "We encountered only Bokut, his chief steward, and two guards--one at anouter gate and one stationed at his palace entrance."

  "Very well, take those three into custody. Question them as to whom theytold of the incident and place _those_ under arrest as well. Leave noone who can spread word that Garlud was brought to the palace at myorders."

  "You see what I'm getting at, Curzad? Let us say there is someone whoseidentity we do not know at the bottom of this plot against Garlud.Heglar makes his clumsy attempt at killing me and fails according toplan. I order him tortured to learn the names of others involved. Hegives me Garlud's name."

  "Now, if I believe the charge, Garlud is arrested and executed, and themysterious someone is satisfied. But if I do not believe the chargeGarlud remains free, and this unknown person must try again or give upand the matter is never solved."

  "But say Garlud simply disappears without anyone knowing what's becomeof him. Has he learned of what was in store for him and gone intohiding, trying the while to learn who is responsible for his plight? Orhave I executed him secretly? Is Heglar still alive and in a position toeventually expose the true culprit?"

  "The man we want is going to have to get answers to those questions,Curzad. He'll use great care at first; but when each effort meets ablank wall he'll become increasingly desperate. Desperate men make falsemoves, Curzad--then is when we'll have him!"

  The captain nodded expressionlessly but there was a gleam of admirationin his deep-set eyes. "And what of Garlud himself, Most-High? Shall Ihave him removed from the pits and placed in more comfortable quarters?"

  Jaltor pulled thoughtfully at his lower lip. "N-no, I think not. Let himstew there awhile. I am not giving up my suspicions of him entirely,Curzad; old Heglar's dying statement can not be utterly disregardeduntil we have proof he was lying."

  "And should Jotan, his son, return from Sephar while his fatherlanguishes in the pits?"

  The king nodded. "I have thought of that. It may be necessary to takehim and his men into custody before they reach the city itself. It woulddefeat my purpose were he allowed to enter Ammad and start hunting forhis father. On the other hand I cannot arrest him openly; it would tellour mysterious enemy more than I want him to know."

  "Let us wait a few suns to decide that, Curzad. We have the time; Jotanand his men are not due for half a moon yet. If our real quarry has notrevealed himself in, say, seven suns, I shall send you and a detachmentof guards out to intercept Jotan."