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."But I do hope, I hope most earnestly, that your young one is doing nothing foolish with that sword.It has power far beyond anything that he might hope to control or even to understand.I would protect him from disaster if I could.But of course I cannot protect him if I don't know where Page 38ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlhe is."The faces of both parents, the Duke decided, were still those of helpless sufferers, not those of schemerstrying to decide whether a secret should be told or not.He sighed once more, inwardly this time, and made a gesture of dismissal."Jord, go make that drawing for me, of the decorations on the sword.Tell the men in the next room what I want you to do, they'll get you what you need.Mala, stay here, I want to hear your story once again:"The spear-carrying.guard had reappeared.And in a moment Jord, having made an awkward bow toward the Duke, was gone.The woman waited, looking out from under her dark curls."Now, my dear, you wanted to tell me something else:"She was not going to pretend otherwise.But still she seemed uncertain as how best to pad."I spoke of that village, sire.Treefall.The place my husband comes from:""Yes?""I thought, Your Honor, that I had encountered you there one night.Thirteen years ago.At a funeral.The very night that the five men slain by Vulcan were being waked, and my husband prayed for-though he would not be my husband till two days later-and healing magic worked to help him recover from the awful wound-""Ali :" The Duke pointed a finger."You say you thought you had encountered me? You did not know? You would not remember?""The man I met, my lord, wore a mask.As I know the mighty sometimes do, when they visit a place beneath their station.""So.But why should you think this masked man was me? Had you ever seen me before?""No sir.It was just that I had heard-you know how stories go round among the people-heard that you sometimes appeared among your people wearing a mask of dark leather." Mala evidently realized that her words sounded unconvincing."I had heard that you were not very tall, and had dark hair."She paused."It was a feeling that I had:" Pause again."There were funeral rites that night.I went with the masked man to the fields.Nine months later, my sonMark was born:""Ah:" The Duke looked Mala over thoughtfully, looked her up and down, squinting a little as if trying to remember something."Folk out in the villages do say, then, that sometimes I go abroad disguised:""Yes, Your Grace, many say that.I'm sure they mean no harm, they just-"But this time, folk were wrong.You understand?"Mala's dark eyes fell."I understand, Your Grace:""Your husband, does he-?""Oh no sir.I've never told him, or anyone, about the masked man:""Let it remain so," said Duke Fraktin.And again he made a gesture of dismissal.The woman hesitated marginally.Then she was gone.The Duke turned toward the wizard's chair, which once again was visibly occupied.He waited for its occupant to comment.The first thing that the Blue-robed one said was:"You did not consider using torture, Your Grace?""Torture at this time would be foolish.I'll stake my lands that at this moment neither of them knows where.their brat has gone-or where my sword is, either.The woman, at least, would hand the sword over to me in a moment if she could.I think the man would, too, if it came to an actual decision.And when they find themselves safely home again in a day or two, with my gold in their hands-they'll want more.Page 39ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlThe word will go out from them that their son should come home.Word spreads swiftly across the countryside, Blue-Robes-I've been out there among them and I know.When their child hears that his parents are home, safe, rewarded by me-there's a good chance that hell bring home the sword.If he still has it, if we haven't found him already.But on the other hand if we begin with pointless torture, he'll hear about that too.What chance then that hell come home voluntarily?""Your Grace knows best, of course.But that man's a stiff-necked one, underneath his meekness.I have the impression that he was holding something back:""You are a shrewd observer, Blue-Robes.Yes, I agree, he was.But I don't believe it's anything central to our purpose.More likely something that passed between him and the god, years ago.""Then, Sire-?""Then why not get it out of him.Indeed:" And Duke Fraktin sighed his delicate sigh."But-it may not be hi's to tell.Have you considered that possibility?""Your Grace?""Are we sure, Blue-Robes-are we really sure-that we want to know everything that a god has said should be kept secret?""I must confess, sire, that your subtlety is often-times beyond me.""You think I'm wrong.Well, later, perhaps, I'll put the whole family on racks or into boots:" The Duke was silent for a few moments, thinking."Anyway, he's a man of property-he's not going to take to the hills and leave his mill to be confiscated.Not unless we frighten him very clumsily.""And the woman, sire?""What about her"The time she spoke of, thirteen years ago, that was before I came into your service.There was no basis in fact for what she said? I ask because a magical influence may sometimes be established through intimacy.""You heard what I told her." The Duke was brusque.The wizard bowed lightly."And what about the young boy, sire? When he is found?"The Duke looked at his advisor."Why, get the sword from him, of course, or learn from him where it is, or at the very least where he last saw it:""Of course, sire.And then, the boy?""And then? What do you mean, and then? He killed my cousin, did he not?"The wizard bowed his little bow, remaining in his chair."And the village, my lord-the place where such an atrocity was permitted to happen?""Villages, Blue-Robes, are valuable assets.We do not have an infinite supply of them.They provide resources.Vengeance must never be more than a tool, to be taken up or put down as required.One boy can serve as an example, can serve better that way, perhaps, than in any other.But a whole village-" And DukeFraktin shook his head."A tool.Yes, sire.""And a vastly more powerful tool is knowledge.Find out where that sword is.Even finding out whose men those were who tried to kidnap my cousin would be better than mere vengeance."CHAPTER 4Getting down from the high mountains was difficult, when your legs were increasingly weakened by hunger, and your head still felt light from hunger, volcanic fumes, altitude, and confrontation with the gods.Getting down still wasn't as difficult, though, as going up had been
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