Emperor and Clown by Dave Duncan Read Free Book Online

haven’t heard.”
    Shandie
had never heard Aunt Oro be angry like this before. .
    “Heard
what?”
    “That
you’re lovers.”
    “Watch
your tongue, woman!”
    Aunt
Oro gasped. “You dare threaten me? It is you who must beware. Why else would
you be in the princess’s quarters in the middle of the night? You’ve been
waiting until the old man’s completely incapable, and then you’re planning to
marry her and-”
    “And
the opposition has summoned you. I expected this, of course.” Ythbane’s voice
was getting deeper, which was a bad sign, but quieter, which was nicer. “Well,
let me give you a warning, Princess Orosea. Your dear husband-how is his clock
collection?”
    “Fine
... I mean, what on earth has Lee’s clock collection got to do with anythin ?”
    “They’re
dwarvish, aren’t they Most of them? He trades with dwarves. Dwarves make the
best clocks.”
    “So?”
    Aunt
Oro had stopped shouting. Nicer.
    “The
Dark River border is alight again. Open war may have begun already. Trading
with Dwanishian agents will be taken as evidence of treason.” Mumble.
    “But
I do! Lots of witnesses. Documents. So here are my terms, Highness! You leave
Hub by morning, or a Bill of Attainder will be laid before the Assembly at
noon.” Mumble. Weeping? Who was weeping? Moms laughing. Good.
    “I
shall also have some documents for you to sign before you depart. Within the
hour.”
    Mumbles.
Soft mumbles. Whispers. Quiet. Dark. Sleep ...
     
    Naught
availeth:
    Say
not the struggle naught availeth,
    The
labour and the wounds are vain,
    The
enemy faints not, nor faileth,
    And
as things have been, things remain.
    Clough,
Say Not the Struggle Naught Availeth
     

TWO
     
    Darkling Way
     

1
    “Who’s
there?”
    Kadolan
twisted her head as far round as she could-which wasn’t very far these days.
She overbalanced and grabbed at the bed for support. She had been praying.
    Again
a faint sound on the balcony, a flicker of movement in the moonlight . . . A
burglar? In the palace of Arakkaran, with its innumerable guards? Inos had mentioned
intruders--
    “Princess?
Highness? My pardon if I frightened you.”
    Her
leaping heart took wing altogether, and she gasped with the pain of it.
    “Doctor
Sagorn?”
    “It
is I,” said the soft, dry voice. “I fear my entry was unorthodox.”
    Kadolan
thought of how high that balcony was, and remembered a ruby brooch, and
understood. The thief ... whatever his name was ... Sagorn gave her no time to
catch her breath.
    “My
garb is not very seemly, ma’am,” he said. “Perhaps I may scout for a robe of
some sort? I apologize for waking you so suddenly.”
    She
did not sleep on the floor, but in an embarrassing situation like this, a true
gentleman would always imply he had seen much less than he had. “How extremely
kind of you to come, Doctor. Please do go into that room there, and I shall be
with you in a moment.”
    He
murmured, and she heard a shuffling, cautious tread. Then she levered herself
up from her knees and fumbled to find her housecoat. She allowed a few moments
for her unconventional visitor to make himself decent, and for her heart to
finish its slow descent from the heights, and for a quick adjustment of her
nightcap over her curlers.
    Then
she went in. He was a blurred dark shade in a chair, with specter-pale shanks
connecting it to the floor. Something that was probably a sheathed sword lay at
his feet. She settled herself carefully in a chair opposite.
    “Lights
may be inadvisable,” she said cautiously. “Indeed they may! I regret disturbing
your sleep like this.”
    “I
was not sleeping.” She would not mention nightmares of incandescent
sorceresses. “I was invoking the God of Love.”
    After
a thoughtful pause, Sagorn said, “Why Them?”
    “Because
it must have been They who appeared to Inos. I can’t think why none of us
realized. Trust in love, They said.”
    He
sighed. “How true! And Inosolan did not, did she?”
    “She
did not realize!