“Hello the house!” Helto called again.
Magistrate Ordgar tried a couple of times before he found his voice. “What the hell is he doing here?” he rasped.
“Right now, hailing us,” Beollan said softly, recovering from his astonishment. “Sire, if Thadro keeps him occupied, we can slip out the back—”
“We have your guards,” Helto shouted. “We also have all your exits covered.”
“It seems that Master Helto has anticipated us, Fellmark,” Jusson said. “But just in case he’s exaggerating, Thadro, if you would please have someone verify his claims.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Thadro said, signaling a couple of Own. The remaining guards surrounded Jusson, gently pushing back all who stood around the king—except me. I was herded next to Jusson. Finn appeared outside the circle of royal guards to pass through new padding and hauberk— I supposed he considered the slight deformation in the links grounds for disqualification—and I began to dress quickly.
“Do we have any crossbows ourselves, sire?” I asked, my voice also soft as I lifted the chainmail over my head.
“Yes, and longbows too,” Jusson said.
“If there’s extra, some of my watchmen are competent bowmen,” Chadde said quietly. The aristos also began offering their armsmen.
“Is there roof access, sire?” I asked, pulling on a clean tabard Finn had found for me.
“Yes,” Jusson said again. “See to it.”
“Take the bowmen and go up,” I said to Jeff. “Defense only. For now.” Jeff nodded and hurried off, a mixture of guards, armsmen and Watch tagging after him. Arlis started to follow but, thinking of coincidental crossbow bolts, I stopped him. “No, you’re with me.”
Finn produced my sword and I buckled it on. As soon as I was done, Jusson nodded at Thadro, who looked back out the narrow opening of the door. “All right, you have us surrounded,” Thadro called out. “Now what?”
Helto laughed, sounding nearer. “I like a person who cuts to the essentials, Lord Commander.”
“I live to please,” Thadro said, his voice affable. “I’d stop there, taverner. Any closer and who knows what may come winging on the wind.”
“No violence is necessary, Lord Thadro,” Helto said. “All I want to do is come in and talk, like civilized folks. See, I am removing my sword.”
“That’s good,” Thadro said. “And your knives? Will you remove those too?”
Helto must have acquired more after leaving his at the Pig, for he fell quiet. “There,” the taverner called out finally. “I’m completely unarmed. May I have safe conduct?”
Thadro looked over his shoulder at Jusson, who nodded again. “Yes,” Thadro said out the door. “Safe conduct.”
A moment later, Helto stepped inside and gave a sleek smile. “How cozy.”
“Yeah,” Thadro said. “Nice and snug.” He shut the door, locking and bolting it. “Where are my men?”
“They’re safe,” Helto said. He swept a bow at Jusson. “Your Majesty.”
Jusson said nothing, his gold eyes glinting in the dimness of the foyer, but the taverner’s smile only brightened.
“You wanted to talk,” Thadro said. “So talk.”
“Here?” Helto asked, waving a hand about, indicating the crowded entranceway. No one said anything, and he shrugged. “As you wish. The town is ours—”
“Who is ‘ours’?” Thadro interrupted.
“That’s not important—”
“Is it Gawell and Ednoth?” Chadde asked. “Are they with you? Or are they in the garrison stockade?”
Helto sneered. “Ah, Chaddie Laddie. Once again you have less effectiveness than a tinker’s damn.” He turned his back on the peacekeeper. “As I said, ‘who’ is not important, Lord Thadro. What is important is that you are completely cut off with no hope of rescue and, well, there are demands.”
“Of course,” Thadro said. “Tell us these demands.”
“Freston is ours—”
“Yes, we got that part,” Thadro said.
“—and we demand that you withdraw from both the town and the valley.”
Thadro waited a moment. “That’s it?” he asked.
“Yes,” Helto said. “We are a peaceable folk and for years we managed to bump along fairly well. I’m not saying we’ve hadn’t had friction. What community doesn’t? But it was our friction, both familiar and familial, and easily dealt with.”
Surprised at the town elders’ silence at Helto claiming kinship with Freston, I glanced over to see them staring at the taverner as a cornered mouse would a snake.
“Then the royal entourage arrives, complete with magicals,” Helto continued, “and all of a sudden we have a witch boldly attacking people in Theater Square, murders, defiled corpses, walking dead men and dark magic that has been able to reach into the very church.”
“You forgot the ambush of the king last night,” Thadro said, “and the crossbow quarrel that was able to reach through a window here moments ago.”
“I firmly believe that more can be accomplished by talking than by violence,” Helto said earnestly. “However, people who are frightened will do desperate things, and there are many who are terrified of what you’ve brought to our town. I tell you, my lord, they were ready to burn you out, but fortunately saner heads prevailed.”
“Thank goodness for sanity,” Thadro said. “What about this unnatural silence? Are they also terrified of that?”
Helto once again gave his sleek smile. “Silence? What silence? I hear fine, Lord Commander.”
“I see,” Thadro said. “Let’s get back to your demands. What about the king’s guests and his garrison? Will they be allowed to leave?”
“Anyone who wants to can.” Helto glanced at the peacekeeper. “Even you, Chadde my lad. In fact, I strongly recommend that you do, for your health’s sake.”
“And the deadline for this mass exodus?” Thadro asked.
“You have until sunset to be out of the valley, which is more than enough time for a civilized withdrawal. Until you’re ready to go, though, do not leave here—”
Alderman Almaric wetted his lips. “Are we also banished?”
Helto flashed Almaric a contemptuous look. “Those of the town may stay, if they wish. Or they can go. However, know that if you do leave with the witch and the magicals, you will not be allowed to return. Ever.” He turned back to Thadro. “When you’re ready to go, Lord Commander, hang a flag—”
“White?” Thadro asked. “Or perhaps yellow?”
“Color doesn’t matter. Hang it on the front door and we will come to escort you, so as to avoid misunderstandings.”
“And what about my men?” Thadro asked.
“As soon as you’re out the town gates, you’ll get your guards back,” Helto assured him. “Right now they’re hostages to your good behavior. Behave well and they’ll be returned to you.”
“All of them?” Thadro asked. “You never did answer Peacekeeper Chadde’s question about Gawell and Ednoth. Where are they and the guards who escorted them?”
“They are all safe, my lord,” Helto said. “Do not fret, everyone will be returned to their proper places at the appointed hour.” He gave his sleek smile once more and he bowed. “Until later, Your Majesty, my lords, gracious sirs.”
At Jusson’s nod, Thadro opened the door to let the taverner out, and shut it again with a heavy thud, snapping the locks and bolts in place and dropping a stout wood bar into the slots on either side of the door frame.
Beollan looked at Jusson, his eyes heavy-lidded. “Are we leaving town, Your Majesty?”
“No,” Jusson said. He turned on his heel and headed down the hall towards his study.
“Oh,” Beollan said, his face clearing. He quickly followed, as did everyone else. “It’s just that you didn’t say anything.”