Terisa felt nothing to indicate that a translation had ever taken place near here.
In formation, Prince Kragen and his company crossed the bare ground to the road in front of the gates.
Castellan Lebbick and ten of his men came out on horseback to meet them.
Seeing the Castellan filled Terisa’s stomach with a watery panic. His men were nervous; the horses fretted because they hadn’t had enough exercise. In contrast, he looked too obsessed and single-minded for nervousness. His eyes were red and raw, dangerously aggrieved; he moved as if the violence coiled in his muscles might burst out at any moment. His features were sharp with anticipation – almost with yearning.
“My lord Prince.” He bared his teeth: maybe he was trying to smile. “You’ve got strange friends. A fratricide and a traitor. I never thought I was going to see either of them again.”
“Castellan Lebbick.” Prince Kragen lacked Lebbick’s air of madness, but he matched the Castellan’s tone. “Geraden and the lady Terisa accompany me under a flag of truce. I have no interest in your opinion of them. You will respect the flag.”
“Oh, of course. They’re as safe as babies. Especially since they’re with you. You’re the man who intends to break down my gates. I wouldn’t lift a finger against any of you.”
Prince Kragen clenched his jaws. Before he could speak, however, Geraden said hotly, “Castellan, I didn’t kill my brother.” His face was flushed; anger glinted from his eyes. Hints of authority echoed in his voice. “Terisa isn’t a traitor. It’s time for you to start believing us. You’re doomed if you don’t.”
The Castellan actually laughed – a rough sound like a piece of stone being crushed. “Believe you? I believe you. I don’t need you to tell me I’m doomed. That’s not the problem.”
Prince Kragen contained himself. “What is the problem, Castellan?”
“The problem, my lord Prince,” retorted Lebbick fiercely, “is that I’m the only one. Nobody else here cares enough. Nobody else is desperate enough.”
Terisa recoiled from his vehemence. She didn’t want to know what he was talking about: she wanted to get away from him. Geraden leaned forward in his saddle, however; he was almost panting. “Did I hear you right, Castellan?” he demanded. “Did I just hear you admit Terisa and I are innocent?”
“No.” The Castellan bared his teeth again. “You heard me say I believe you. They all think I’m insane. If I said the sun is shining today, the people in there” – he indicated Orison with a twitch of his head – “would run to get out of the rain.
“Nobody cares what a crazy man believes. Besides” – he shrugged maliciously – “I might be wrong.”
“Castellan Lebbick.” Prince Kragen spoke harshly, trying to gain control of the situation. “We will discuss the question of your sanity at another time. As you may guess, Geraden and the lady Terisa have traveled widely since they departed Orison. They bring news. I must have an audience with King Joyse.”
“An audience?” Lebbick snapped back at once. “You? The Alend Contender? Any news you want King Joyse to hear is either false or dangerous. They’re going to scream for your heart’s blood when I let you in. Of course you can have an audience.”
Wheeling his horse as if the matter were settled, he faced his men. Counting off four of them, he ordered, “Tell King Joyse I’m going to take Kragen and these two to the hall of audiences. Tell him there are going to be riots unless he backs me up. We’ll have to kill people to keep the Prince and his friends alive if King Joyse doesn’t come to the hall.”
At once, Prince Kragen put in grimly, “And tell him also that the lady Elega is being kept hostage. Until now, she has been an honored guest and friend of the Alend Monarch. To ensure my safety, however, she has been deprived of her freedom.” He spoke as if he intended to make someone pay for the necessity which compelled him to let Elega be used in this way. “If any harm comes to me, or to my companions, she will be hurt as well.
“Tell King Joyse that.”
“Oh, of course, my lord Prince,” the Castellan grated without looking at Kragen. “I burn to do everything you command. My men will keep you alive. Somehow.”
His four guards rode back into the courtyard. Terisa saw them dismount, saw them head at a run for one of the inner doorways.
“Come on,” added Lebbick. He might have been speaking to the wall stretching high above his head over the gates. “Or ride back to Margonal and admit you haven’t got the bare courage to do whatever it is you’ve got in mind.”
With his remaining men, he reentered the mouth of Orison.
Prince Kragen stared at the Castellan’s back. He made no effort to lower his voice. “That man has lost his mind.”
Still aching inside, Terisa murmured, “King Joyse cut the ground out from under him. His wife died, and he didn’t have anything else to live for except his loyalty, and the King made him look like a fool for being loyal.”
“A pitiful tale,” rasped the Prince. Obviously, he had no patience for Lebbick’s problems. “Sadly, it does not tell us whether or not he can be trusted. Will he not have us killed as soon as we cross that threshold?”
“Suit yourself.” Abruptly, Geraden jerked up his charger’s head. “I trust him. I’m going in.”
Breaking formation, he started for the gates.
Prince Kragen swore at him, ordered him back. Terisa was already following him, however, urging her mount almost onto his horse’s heels. The Prince and his guard had no choice but to enter Orison behind Geraden and Terisa.
As she passed through the thick stone wall into the protected rectangle of the courtyard, her pulse went up a beat. In spite of her numerous anxieties – or perhaps because of them – she had the strange sensation that she was coming home.
The interior faces of the castle loomed above her, crowded with spectators, punctuated with clotheslines. Castellan Lebbick had dismounted in the mud. When the Alend party approached him, he saluted with withering sarcasm. At once, his guards took the heads of the horses and held them so that Prince Kragen and his people could dismount in an orderly fashion.
Pulling her leg hesitantly off the back of the charger, Terisa found herself caught and lifted down in Artagel’s grasp.
He embraced her as if she were dear to him.
“Artagel!” He had hurt her once, badly. On the other hand, he was Geraden’s brother; she knew most of his family. And his hug was as eloquent as an apology. Instinctively, she flung her arms around his neck.
After a moment, he pushed her away and gave her a lopsided, rather embarrassed grin. “Be careful, my lady.” He rolled his eyes at Geraden. “We don’t want to make him jealous.”
“Artagel.” Geraden practically jumped on his brother; he grabbed Artagel, shook him, hugged him, thumped his back. “How are you, how’s your side, are you all right, what’s going on here, what’s the matter with Lebbick?” Geraden’s face shone with joy. “Do you realize how long it’s been since I saw you well? I can tell you, the Domne had some stern things to say about letting yourself get hurt like that.”
“ ‘Da’,” Terisa put in happily. “You promised to call him ‘Da.’ ” Artagel’s smile told her everything she needed to know. Now she was just glad that she had never told Geraden about Artagel’s distrust.
Nevertheless Artagel’s next words reassured her further. Instead of trying to answer Geraden’s questions, he commented half casually, “I heard what he said.” He nodded toward the Castellan. “We all heard him. Actually, he isn’t the only one who believes you. But I have to admit we’re in the minority.”