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on the practice courts rather than on the dance floor-- she'll do him more damage here than
there." Tashi did not move to obey the summons. Fergox frowned. "Come here or do I have to
drag you?"
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She got up and perched uneasily on his knee.
"See, nothing to be afraid of, is there?" Fergox murmured, putting his arm around her waist. "I'm just wishing you Midwinter cheer." He kissed her hand. "Now, you wish me Midwinter cheer
back."
"Midwinter cheer, sir."
"A cold greeting if ever I heard one. Never mind; next year, when we're seeing in the New Year
together on Rama, celebrating the dawn of an enlightened age of worship of the supreme God,
there'll be plenty of opportunity for warmth. You'll like that, won't you, Tashi? Of course you
would: every woman desires to be wife to the most powerful man in the world!" He didn't wait
for--or seem to require--an answer, so certain of his own irresistible attractions. "Off you go,
back to your cell." Fergox pushed her up and signalled to the guard to take her away. "I can't have you sitting here all night or my people will think you've been hard at your spells again.
My sister's already convinced you've bewitched me. Though it seems young Ramil has been the
one charming her." He roared with laughter as the red-faced Ramil clumped by with Junis in his
arms, attempting to teach her the steps of a dance. "Midwinter cheer, my little penitent!"
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Chapter 9
Ramil let Junis believe she had drunk him under the table. "Another one, sweetheart?" the old woman crowed as he slid from his chair pretending to pass out. She poked her brother in the
ribs. "A good boy but can't hold his drink!"
Fergox saw that his sister had reached the rowdy stage of drunkenness. Any moment now she
would be picking fights with everyone, including him, or singing scurrilous songs that would
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make the toughest soldier blush.
"Come along, Junis, I'll see you to your bed," he said, getting up unsteadily.
He only now realized how much wine he'd consumed. The boy had been very free with the jug.
"Can't I take him with me?" groaned the Inkar as she staggered to her feet.
"Leave him be. He'll not be happy tomorrow morning when he wakes. You can have him later if
you still want him."
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The brother and sister swayed off together through the mass of snoring, sprawling bodies
slumped on and under the tables.
When they had gone, Ramil picked himself up cautiously. He stank of the wine he had slopped
down his front but was stone-cold sober. He knew he had just missed a fate worse than death.
The thought of spending the night with Junis was enough to make him foreswear the company
of women
forever.
He picked his way through the dregs of the festival to the big man sitting morosely by the fire.
"Gordoc, Midwinter cheer to you," Ramil murmured. He hoped he would find the strong man
sober enough for the task he had in mind for him.
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Gordoc raised his sad grey eyes to Ramil's face. The Prince felt a twinge of conscience: should he
ask the man to help him when in all likelihood he would suffer for it?
"Prince, Midwinter cheer to you," Gordoc said in a very uncheerful voice.
There was no trace of drink about him. It appeared he had not been in the mood to participate
in the festivities.
"Did you see the Princess?" Ramil probed gently.
"Aye, I saw her. They said they were going to look after her but she's hurting bad. I can tell." He tapped his chest. "She's hurting in there."
For a simple man, the giant had a very clear sight of people, thought Ramil.
"Yes, she's hurting--and it won't stop unless we get her out of here." Ramil paused. If Gordoc was going
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to give him away, this was the moment when he would call the guard.
Instead, he gripped Ramil's arm.
"You can do it? You can save the Princess?"
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Ramil nodded. "I can do it, but I'll need your help." He glanced around the room. No one was watching. The guards were distracted, flirting with some girls in the entrance. He would not find
a better moment. "Come with me now. I need you to break the Princess out of her cell and get
us a horse.
Once that's done, I'll take her far, far away."
"You'll take her where she can be happy?" Gordoc rubbed his big hands through his wiry brown hair wearily.
"I hope so--I'll certainly try."
Coming to a decision, Gordoc stood up. "I don't understand about these wars and things. I'm a
good Brigardian and they say you're my enemy, but you make more sense to me than my
friends. Little girls should not be beaten by red-robed devils. They should be looked after--made
to smile again. If you can do this, Prince Ramil, I will be in your debt."
Ramil tried to hush him. "Quiet now, we don't want the guards to hear us. Let me lean against
you. Pretend you're helping me stagger out."
Gordoc did better than that. He slung the Prince over his shoulder and strode from the room.
Ramil's guards looked up as they passed.
"Where're you going with him?" one asked, his arm around an attractive serving maid.
"Taking him to his bed on orders of the master," Gordoc replied.
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The guard waved him on, more interested in the charms of his female companion than the
snores of a drunken boy.
Once outside, Gordoc stamped over the snow-covered courtyard to the temple doors.
Ramil thumped his back. "Put me down!"
Gordoc dropped him at the entrance to the temple. It was deadly quiet inside.
The smell of recent bloodshed hung in the air; a single light flickered on the altar throwing
ghostly shadows on the icon of Holin.
"Who goes there?" challenged a guard.
Gordoc did not bother with a reply. He thumped the guard once on the head.
The man crumpled like an unset jelly turned from its mold. There was no going back now. They
had attacked a guard and would have to go through with this.
"She's down here!" Ramil whispered, leading the way to the crypt.
He could hear Gordoc's breath coming in quick, angry bursts. "They put my pretty
underground?" he asked outraged. "With no sun, no light? Buried her with the dead?"
Ramil thought it wise to stoke up the man's indignation. "And no blanket on these cold nights.
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Even Kosind the tiger has been treated better than the Princess."
They reached her cell door. The corridor was empty. Ramil tapped lightly.
"Tashi, it's time," he said.
They heard movements on the other side and a pale face appeared at the grate.
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"Ram? And Gordoc, is that you?"
"Yes, my pretty. Stand back."
Tashi fled to the other end of the cell, guessing what was about to happen.
Gordoc charged at the door and crashed into it with his shoulder. The door groaned, creaked,
and on the third kick, burst open, the lock dangling from the splintered wood. Gordoc
immediately entered and knelt before her.
"You're free. Run away now and be happy."
Tashi dropped to her knees and hugged him. Ramil realized he had never seen her willingly
touch another person before--it was a huge gesture on her part.
"Gordoc, thank you. But you mustn't get into trouble. You must run too!"