Chapter Twelve
“He is so ruthless now, Ramon!” Mama huddled within the circle of her husband’s arms, head against his chest, both taking and giving comfort. “When he tortured that Moor, I scarcely knew him for my own gentle son!”
“I know, I know, mi corazon,” Papa soothed. “But remember that he did not actually torture the man, only subjected him to the pain of temptation, which relied on the man’s having pleasure.”
“I know, I know, but he was straining the man’s soul! Could my little boy have been so careless of another man’s beliefs?”
They sat on the bed in their suite, it being the only piece of furniture wide enough for two people side by side. The sunshine of late afternoon turned the paneling and the tapestries to gold.
“He honored the Muslim’s faith, in his way,” Papa said. “He did not force a morsel of pork between Achmed’s teeth, after all, nor even sustain the temptation to the man’s breaking… only used it to upset Achmed to the point at which his anger and pride impelled him to speak.”
Mama’s shivering stilled.
Papa took note, and pressed his consolation. “He has remembered our teachings, Jimena, and is slow to give hurt and quick to give help.”
“Yes, but, Ramon!” Mama looked up into his eyes. “He would have hurt that man if he had to, I know.”
“Certainly he would have, if the man had struck at him.” Papa smiled sadly down at her. “He would have struck faster and harder, if the sorcerer had offered harm to his Alisande.”
“Well… I can understand that, certainly… ” Mama lowered her gaze.
Papa felt a knot of concern loosen in his breast. He rested his cheek against her hair and mourned, “He has become a man, mi coition.” But fierce pride glowed in him, too, pride in this man who had been his boy.
In the queen’s solar, Matt sat at the table with Alisande, his hand covering hers. “Achmed didn’t tell us all of it, dear… and oh, was he furious when he realized how much he had said!”
“He let slip one or two more bits of knowledge, then, when you led him to his, ah, chamber?”
“Your most comfortable dungeon,” Matt assured her, “the one you put me in when I tried to leave for Allustria by myself. It even has a writing desk and a real bed.”
Alisande shuddered at the memory of the event, if not the space. “What more did he say?”
“Only that this ‘Mahdi’s’ name is Tafas bin Daoud, and that he knows about the sorcerers but ignores them. Apparently he’s convinced that his victories are a matter of destiny and the will of Allah, so whatever the sorcerers are doing doesn’t matter to him.”
“But that leaves the sorcerers free to use him by talking people into fighting for him, then making sure of victory with their magic!”
“Which is fueled by the new magical power that Nirobus is channeling in. Yes.” Matt nodded.
“Did you truly speak with this man Nirobus?” Alisande asked. “Yes… and in my home universe, too!”
The words tasted badly on Matt’s tongue. “He’s a smooth operator, no question. He pretended sympathy, pretended to want to help me out, even coaxed me into telling him who I was and how I was trying to get home. Then he blocked my transportation spell.” He simmered in embarrassment.
“You could not have known.” Alisande caressed his hand with hers now. “Did he not resemble a man of your world completely?”
“Down to the last detail,” Matt assured her. “He’s been there awhile, that’s for sure. So he’s managed to convince the sorcerers that they’re using the power he gives them without having to do anything they didn’t want to do anyway.”
“And they, in their turn, are certain they can use this Mahdi as their figurehead to conquer Europe for them, while they use their magics to gain the true victories.”
“Yes, and that’s what Achmed didn’t say,” Matt said grimly. “They may be real genuine religious fanatics, or they may be a bunch of greedy, self serving powermongers but whatever they are, they’re sure they can manipulate their Mahdi when he’s won Europe for them.”
“And believe they can thus carve up Europe between them, becoming the Mahdi’s governors and ruling as they will. Yes.” Alisande glowed with anger “Do they not see that this Nirobus intends to serve them as they would serve the Mahdi?”
“Oh, once he proves he can kill them in agony, I think they’ll be quick enough to accept whatever administrative posts he gives them,” Matt said “After all, Governor of Ibile wouldn’t be a bad settlement
“No, it would not,” Alisande said grimly, “nor would Governor of Merovence. Husband, I think we must settle their ambitions before they seek to settle us.”
“They’re already seeking,” Matt said dryly “Achmed didn’t deny that their genie attack was intended to soften us up for the Mahdi’s conquest. What he didn’t say was that it’s also supposed to keep us from going to help King Armando.”
“Let us disappoint him, then,” Alisande said. “How shall we begin our campaign?”
“That’s for you to say… you’re the military genius. But for the larger picture, I think it might be a good idea if I had a little talk with this Mahdi… show him how he’s being used, maybe even persuade him that
Allah doesn’t want his servants fighting, and definitely doesn’t want us trying to convert each other by the sword. Not easy, considering that’s what Emperor Hardishane did, but that was five hundred years ago.”
“To do that, though, you would have to go to this young Mahdi yourself.”
“Yes.” Matt nodded grimly “I would. We know where he is, though… Achmed said he’s in the southern capital, Avordoca, consolidating his forces and training them for the big offensive to push Armando and his army into the sea.”
“But Avordoca is a hundred miles and more past the mountains! To speak with Tafas bin Daoud, you would have to travel through all that distance of hostile countryside!”
“Sure.” Matt gave her a sardonic smile “I’ve done it before, haven’t I?”
“Not when a whole countryside was up in arms against you! I cannot hear of it!” Alisande cried.
“Oh, they were all against me then, too, everyone who was loyal to King Gordogrosso or feared him.
They just didn’t know I was coming.”
“But they will know now! You must not go this time! Think, husband… someone else can travel in your place!”
Something hardened inside Matt. “You know I can’t think like that… that I’ll never send someone to face dangers that should be mine.”
“They need not be yours! You rob other men of their chance for glory!”
“Who else is qualified?” Matt asked “I’m the only knight who also happens to be a wizard. No one else stands as good a chance of coming back alive.”
“Then I shall send two men, a wizard and a knight to guard him! Oh, husband!” She clasped his hand with both of hers, eyes suddenly brimming with tears. “Do not leave me again!”
Shaken, Matt returned the clasp and gazed into her eyes. “You know I can’t bear the thought of an enemy king throwing you into his dungeon.”
“Then stay and guard me! But if you will not stay for me, then stay for our son!”
Her words conjured a vision of enemy soldiers beating down the nursery door and slashing at the baby with scimitars. Matt shuddered and said, “No! I can’t let them get that close to you! I’ll leave Saul and my parents and Ortho! Between them all, you’ll be at least as safe as though I were with you… and I actually might be able to keep the enemy from invading!”
“Your parents are no substitute for… “
The knock at the door was very heavy, emphatic “We must have been louder than we thought… they’re trying to stop us.” Matt kept hold of Alisande’s hand, but stood up to face the door. Alisande dashed the tears from her eyes, squeezed his hand, then let it go as she sat up straight, leaning a little against the back of her chair, the invisible mantle of authority settling over her once again. “Enter!”