"It might be," I admit. "But we won't get it from any party with Lodius as its leader. The man's nakedly ambitious and cold as an Orc's heart into the bargain. And he's going to make a bid for power one day, whether his party wins the election or not. The King should have had him assassinated years ago." #51 | | |
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"He left it too late and now he's scared. Lodius has powerful backing these days—rich merchants, disaf-fected aristocrats, ambitious generals and so on. I tell you, Makri, it's not worth getting involved." #53 | | |
We play a game of niarit. I win. Makri is displeased. #54 | | |
"What's this?" she says, picking up a scrap of paper. #55 | | |
"It's a bag of grapes. Minus the grapes." #56 | | |
"But it's written on." #57 | | |
"Written on?" I say, studying the meaningless scribbles. #58 | | |
"Don't you recognise Low Orcish when you see it?" #59 | | |
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"The language of the Orcish underclass. Not the common Orcish tongue, or any of their national languages, but a sort of pidgin Orcish they use in the Wastelands where there are Orcs, Humans and a lot in between. They speak it in gladiator pits." #61 | | |
I have to hand this one to Makri. I would've recognised standard Orcish characters but I had no idea there was a written form of pidgin Orcish. #62 | | |
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"Load, or consignment . . . in spirit grass place. Spirit Grass Place? I don't know what that means." #64 | | |
I sigh. I realise immediately what it means. "I imagine that Spirit Grass Place is Low Orcish for the Fairy Glade, Makri. You might be getting to see it sooner than you think." #65 | | |
Makri wonders out loud why Cerius, a Praetor's son, would carry around a message written in Orcish. #66 | | |
"I was wondering the same thing. If the Prince and Cerius are really importing dwa like Kerk says, I can't see them being involved with Orcs. Unless it's coming from Horm . . . which would explain the warning he sent me. If Cerius has got mixed up with Horm the Dead it's no wonder he's terrified. He terrifies me." #67 | | |
"Is Horm a dwa dealer?" #68 | | |
"He could be, He uses it himself, and it's profitable enough to interest him." #69 | | |
"There are two letters at the end of the message," continues Makri. "S and M, I think. Mean anything to you?" #70 | | |
I shake my head. Makri has the afternoon off from work and is due to attend a lecture on Theological Philosophy by Samanatius, one of Turai's leading thinkers. Much the same as myself, I reflect, downstairs in the bar, as I down a few beers and do some serious thinking. #71 | | |
A messenger from the Brotherhood arrives. "Yubaxas is getting impatient," he says. #72 | | |
I throw him out of the bar. "I have two days left. Tell Yubaxas he'll get his money." #73 | | |
Spurred on to action I return to my musings about the Cloth. I figure that I'm close somehow, and what's more, when I find it, I'm sure I'll be able to clear the Princess. #74 | | |
Praetor Cicerius walks into the bar in his blue-edged toga, to the general consternation of the assembled drinkers. They gape in amazement as he crosses over and greets me. Not bad, I reflect, having the Praetor himself call on me. Might earn me a little respect round here. #75 | | |
Upstairs in my rooms he has some grave news. "The Investigator Tuparius has learned that Prince Frisen-Akan is paying Horm the Dead to bring dwa into Turai. Furthermore the Prince has sent a letter of credit to cover the payment. If this becomes known to the public, the government will fall." The Praetor shakes his head sadly. "My son is involved in passing drugs from that renegade half-Orc Sorcerer to Prince Frisen-Akan. This is worse than anything I could have imagined. How can I explain this to Consul Kalius? Think of the terrible repercussions if word got out! It was bad enough before, when the Populares merely sought to discredit me. If the Prince is dragged into the affair, what chance do the Traditionals have in the election?" #76 | | |
Cicerius insists that he does not care about winning the post of Deputy Consul for himself, but only about the good of the city. Strangely enough, I believe him. He demands to know what I'm going to do. #77 | | |
"What's Tuparius going to do?" I ask. #78 | | |
"Nothing. After relating this information to me he was murdered on his way home. A crossbow bolt through the neck." #79 | | |
"You're not making this investigation sound too attractive, Praetor. How about calling in the Civil Guard?" #80 | | |
"That is not possible. Many of the Guards owe allegiance to Rittius. We can't risk this scandal getting out. You will have to retrieve the letter of credit and see that the Prince's name is kept out of the affair." #81 | | |
Cicerius notes my lack of enthusiasm and enquires in an acidic tone what the matter is. I point out that every man has his limits. Even me. #82 | | |
"If the case involves Horm the Dead, Glixius Dragon Killer and Prince Frisen-Akan, no wonder your son is scared. They scare the hell out of me. Look what happened to Tuparius. Anyway, what do you expect of me? The state should be handling the job, and is it? No, it's not, because half the forces of the state are in the pay of these people. If you want to stop Glixius Dragon Killer importing dwa from Horm the Dead, get someone else to do it." #83 | | |
"I am not asking you to do any such thing." retorts Cicerius. "But my son must not be convicted of these charges. And Prince Frisen-Akan must not be implicated." #84 | | |
"That's going to be difficult, seeing as the only way for your son to get off is by naming the Prince." #85 | | |
Cicerius fixes me with his steely gaze, and demands to know if I am aware of the importance of the affair. #86 | | |
"Yes. I'll probably get killed." #87 | | |
"There are things more important to this city than your life, or mine," he replies. "If Deputy Consul Rittius succeeds in prosecuting Cerius, and disgracing the name of the Royal Family, he will win the election. If Rittius is re-elected, more Senators will move over to Lodius's party. The Populares may gain control of the Senate. Turai will be torn apart. Lodius seeks nothing less than the overthrow of the monarchy, and he will stop at nothing to procure it. He has succeeded in gathering support for his party by promising democratic reforms, but his real aim is to seize power." #88 | | |
As I said, I take little interest in Turai's politics but I'm aware that Cicerius is putting forward a very one-sided view of things. Plenty of people support Senator Lodius's Populares for good reasons. The massed poor of the city have no representation in the Senate at all. The aristocrats are heavily taxed to pay for the Royal Family's luxury. Our merchants, some of whom have amassed vast wealth, are even more heavily taxed, and also have little representation, being allowed only observer status in the Senate. #89 | | |
Among the Honourable Association of Merchants there can now be heard mutterings that, as they contribute so much in taxes to the state, they should have some say in how it's governed. This has spread to lesser guilds once renowned for fierce loyalty to the King. So the King faces an alliance of disaffected aristocrats, powerful merchants, and city artisans. He can't give in to this alliance but it's too strong for him to sweep away. Lodius has artfully harnessed these disaffections. Were I to give the matter much thought, I might well find myself in sympathy with him. After all, Turai has certainly deteriorated in the past twenty years. Unfortunately Cicerius has a trump card to play. #90 | | |
"Do you know that at this moment Deputy Consul Rittius is preparing a list of men who will no longer be allowed to trade in the city? Your name is on that list, Thraxas. If he is re-elected, your Investigator's licence will be withdrawn." #91 | | |
I'm not sure if Cicerius is telling the truth. He might be. "Okay, Praetor Cicerius, I'll see what I can do. You better write me an introduction." #92 | | |
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"To Prince Frisen-Akan. I'll have to speak to him. Don't look so appalled, Praetor. I promise I'll be polite." #94 | | |
I down a few beers and head out, looking for Captain Rallee. I find him easily enough, directing the removal of a load of dead bodies from the corner of the street. Stals are fluttering around looking interested in the prospect of some profitable scavenging. #95 | | |
"Another attack by the Society?" #96 | | |
He nods. They are getting the upper hand in their war with the Brotherhood. #97 | | |
"It's that damned crossbow killer. He's now killed four Brotherhood bosses in the past two days." #98 | | |
The Captain tells me that Choirs of Angels is flooding into the city. It's now cheaper than standard dwa. #99 | | |
"Won't be cheap for long, of course. Just long enough for these poor fools to get addicted." #100 | | |
