The Conqueror by Louis Shalako Read Free Book Online Page A

before, and
all of that had just been hearsay. This was Lowren in the flesh—and
now she’d had a glimpse into his mind.
    It might not be enough, but it was all
she had to go on at that particular moment in time.
    “ Tell us more, Lowren. Tell
us much more.”
    He talked about ships, and weapons, and
men. He talked about horses and fodder. He talked about gold, and
grain, and what it took to win a campaign. She and Eleanora had
many questions. As Lowren explained, the nucleus of the deal he was
proposing became clear. The only problem was one of mutual
trust.
    They talked far into the night. Finally
she begged off on making any decision.
    “ We will consider the
problem, Lowren.”
    His face fell momentarily, but he took
it with as much grace as he could muster.
    “ We must purify ourselves
in mind and body before coming to any decision.” A few more facts
wouldn’t hurt either. “This is not a decision to be made in
haste.”
    Theodelinda broke in.
    “ What she’s trying to tell
you, Lowren, is that she must consult with her
ministers.”
    “ I understand.” He gave
Theodelinda a look. “All of your men will be returned unharmed—that
includes the County guards. They’re being well treated.”
    Kann spoke up, bringing out the bag of
gold, a hundred and seventy-five gold pieces.
    “ This is yours, I believe.
Your men will be released on the stroke of midnight.” Their guards
would simply melt away at the appointed hour, making their way
independently to a rendezvous point which he withheld from the
ladies, discretion being the better part of valor.
    Eleanora ignored the purse and he put
it gently down on the table. Theo gave a soft snort, rolling her
eyes and Kann grinned affably at her.
    “ Interestingly, Majesty, if
we can get into your castle, we can get into Sinopus.” His eyes
went from one to another, having no doubts about Lowren’s or his
own abilities, nor the abilities of the Lemnian troops in
general.
    Theo just stared coldly at Lowren. Then
her gaze shifted to the other one and the look softened in
assessment. Lowren commanded the loyalty, possibly even the love,
of such men.
    It was a factor.
    “ You may go if you
wish.”
    Kann looked at Lowren, who
nodded.
    “ Give us ten minutes,
please, your Majesty.”
    “ You shall have it,
although if there are any tricks, it might go very hard with you,
Lowren.”
    The one known as Kann, far more than a
simple serjeant it would seem, furled the map and stowed it away in
his shoulder bag. With one long, last look into Eleanora’s
carefully-neutral gaze, Lowren and his companion turned on a nod
and departed silently and swiftly. The heavy slab thumped softly
closed and the bolt dropped. There was one last whisper of sound as
they descended the stairs.
    They were gone.
    The pair of them stood looking at the
door for quite some time.
    Turning to each other, there wasn’t
much to say.
    “ Well.”
    “ Well,
yourself.”
    But sooner or later, one of them would
have to go out there and find out what had happened to the
guard.
     
     

Chapter Four
     
     
    They skedaddled down the stairs, with
its curious absence of guards and men. Out the door and across the
yard, feeling naked and exposed…into the cold hard shadows of
slanting moonlight.
    The boys were right there in front of
the stables. The horses were saddled and their weapons slung from
the pommel in the case of the horses provided for Lowren and Kann
and the others. They strapped on the short swords that they
favored, listening for any hint of detection or pursuit. Their
bucklers were handed over and then they were ready.
    Nothing but crickets and the far-off
murmur of soldiers by the gatehouse.
    “ Right. We’re off.” They
cantered to the gate, clods and dirt flying in the dim orange light
of the exterior sconces.
    Lowren, Kann, Bibb, Garvin and the
others exited the castle by the simple expedient of riding up to
the gate and waving a scroll at the men on duty. Still clad in the
livery of