The Phoenix Guards by Steven Brust Read Free Book Online

into the audience chamber, with Tazendra close at his heels, followed by Aerich and Khaavren.
    They found themselves standing before a long desk, covered with papers. Behind the desk was the Captain, and behind him a window that looked out into a courtyard, where several Guardsmen could be seen engaged in sword practice. A cool breeze came through the window, disturbing the papers, which were only held in place by stones set on them.
    G’aereth gave them a greeting with his hand. Pel said, “My Captain, I have the honor to present to you the Cavalier Aerich, the Cavalier Tazendra, and the Marquis of Khaavren.”
    “Welcome, my friends, welcome. So, you all wish to join His Imperial Majesty’s Guards?”
    They signified that this was, indeed, the case.
    “Well, well,” he said. He addressed Aerich. “It would appear that you have no blade.”
    Aerich bowed as a sign of agreement.
    “Can you use one?” asked the Captain.
    Aerich shrugged, as if to say, “Who cannot?”
    “Are you then, a sorcerer?”
    This time when Aerich shrugged it meant, “Only a poor one.” Aerich, as we can see, was very expressive with his gestures.
    The Captain looked at him closely for a moment, his keen eyes taking in the skirt that is the mark of a trained warrior of the House of the Lyorn. Then the Captain grunted, as if to say, “I have no worries about your fighting abilities, my friend.” The Captain’s grunts, as we can see, were nearly as expressive as the Lyorn’s shrugs.
    G’aereth turned his attention to Tazendra. He said, “I see that you have a blade.”
    “Well, so I do.”
    “Can you play with it?”
    “Yes,” she said.
    “Ah! And are you a sorcerer?”
    “If my lord would be good enough to try me—”
    The Captain grunted, which meant, this time, “There is no need for the moment.”
    He continued, “Can you ride?”
    “I was born on horseback,” she said.
    “Hmmm. And you, my good Khaavren?”
    “My lord?” said Khaavren, who felt a sudden tightening in his throat. “Yes, I ride.”
    “Are you a sorcerer?”
    “No part of me, I must admit.”
    “And your swordplay?”
    “I only ask that you try me, my lord.”
    “That’s well,” he said. “That is what we’ll do.” He reached into a cupboard that was next to his chair and found three purses. He passed one to each. “Guardsman Pel will show you where you may purchase uniform cloaks. Come back when you are attired, and we will give you a trial duty, during which each of you will experience a patrol as a Guardsman, and a report will be made of how well you perform your duties.”
    “Thank you, Lord,” said Khaavren, taking the purse. Aerich bowed his head, which amounted to the same thing.
    Tazendra, however, bowed without accepting the purse. “I am well provided for,” she said. “I have no need—”
    “Ah! So much the worse!” said G’aereth.
    “So much the worse?”
    “Yes. It is my wish that I, and I alone, you perceive, outfit and equip my Guardsmen. I wish them to be dependent upon me, as I am upon them.”
    “Oh. Well then—”
    “Yes?”
    “I shall give up my funds from this moment.”
    “That would be well. And I have just remembered something else.” He found, from within the same cupboard, a handful of gold Imperials, which he gave to Aerich. “These are to allow you to purchase a sword.”
    Aerich shrugged again, this time to indicate, “I will obey, naturally.”
    At this, they understood the interview to be at an end, and filed out of the room, after bowing to the Captain.
    “Come now,” said Tazendra to Pel, “let us adjourn to the tailor with whom we saw you speaking earlier. The sooner we are outfitted, the sooner we may be tested. And the sooner tested, the sooner we shall be able to cover ourselves with glory.”
    Aerich shrugged again.

Chapter the Fourth

    In Which Aerich Acquires a Sword
And our Friends are Assigned their Duties

    O N THE WAY TO MEET with the Chreotha tailor, Pel had occasion three