The Phoenix Guards by Steven Brust Read Free Book Online Page A

times to point out to Aerich that they were passing a weapon-smith, but each time the latter merely shook his head. The third time, Pel said, “I should mention, I think, that the Captain expects you to be armed.”
    “I will be,” said Aerich laconically. Even as he spoke something seemed to catch his eye, for he stopped, and indicated a door leading down into the basement of a hostelry. They were on a tiny, unnamed street between the Street of the Dragons and the Street of the Seven Trees, perhaps half a league from the Dragon Wing. The hostel was a squat, two-story building, of whitewashed brick, and had a large sign depicting a fat partridge. The door to the basement had a small sign, depicting a simple longsword.
    “Here?” said Pel.
    “Do you know this smith?” asked Aerich.
    “K’sozhaleniju, I do not,” said Pel, falling for a moment into the Serioli speech then fashionable at court.
    Aerich, without another word, made his way down the stairs. The others followed, and found themselves in a small, stuffy basement, which would have been damp, smelly, close, and dark, were it not, in fact, well-lit, which prevented it from being dark. An old Vallista, with scraggly grey hair and bright eyes, sat at a table honing a hiltless blade by use of a small whetstone. As the four friends entered, he looked up and pursed his lips, as if trying to decide why someone could be coming to see him. Then he shook his head and said, “May I have the honor to be of some service to you, my lords?”
    Aerich nodded. “I would like a sword,” he said. “It is to be three and three quarter pounds, forty-seven centimeters of blade. The width is to be a uniform three and one half centimeters. The steel must be Kanefthali, tempered in the Dui’clior way and crystal-forged. The balance must be within one centimeter of the guard, which must be plain. Double-edged, oak-covered hilt.”
    The Vallista listened to this quietly, then bowed, “Length of the hilt, lord?”
    “Anything within reason.”
    The smith nodded. “I have one that is made of a fine alloy, woven, as is said, in the techniques of—” He paused, seeing that Aerich was uninterested in these details. He continued, “It fits all of the particulars you mention save hilt and balance.”
    “Balance is necessary,” said Aerich.
    “Of a certainty it is, lord,” said the Vallista. “But with a few words, I think, I can satisfy you.”
    “Pray do so, then.”
    “I shall.”
    “How?”
    “Well, this way: I shall remove the hilt and replace it with one of oak, and I will hollow this out and fill it with lead shot until the balance is correct. You perceive, then, that we will have solved both problems at once.”
    “Admirable,” said Aerich.
    “To be sure, I will also sharpen, clean, and polish it. Would you like leather grips on the hilt?”
    “Exactly.”
    “And will you have a stiffened scabbard? Or perhaps a soft leather sheath?”
    “Just so,” said Aerich.
    “A belt then as well, with a small chain for a side draw?”
    “Precisely.”
    “Very good.”
    The Vallista disappeared into a back room, whence the sound of sawing could be heard for a few minutes, then other sounds which Khaavren recognized as smoothing and polishing. The companions occupied themselves by describing the coach-ride to Pel, and discussing their strange companions, who were dressed as Issola, yet seemed to be Phoenix. When Khaavren explained his observations about the candlebud, Pel’s brows came together, and then Khaavren observed a faint smile land upon his lips, hover for a moment, and fly off. Yet when he asked about it, Pel denied having any thoughts on the matter; Tazendra, we should add, was amazed that this deception had taken place before her, and demanded several times of Khaavren and Aerich if they were certain of the truth of their observations, to which they replied without hesitation that they were.
    In a surprisingly short time, the smith appeared with sword and