The River of Dancing Gods (21 page)

"Urn. Well, sir, we broke a plow, and Cohom village had no spares, since it was very old, and they sent me to get a new bracing custom-made for it..

"Hmmm... A good liar, too. Come, now—what was it, really? Women? Drink? Dishonesty? Or just plain oath-breaking?.

The goat sighed. "Not as bad as all that. We was out workin' in the fields, and a friend of mine, Druka, got caught up in a runaway plow team. Got pretty tore up. Well, this highborn son of a bitch rides over, jumps off his fancy horse, and starts screaming that we've screwed up the production schedule and loused up a good master plow. Loused up a good master plow! With Druka there all cut and bleeding to death! So I slugged the bastard. Felt good. He looked real surprised and went down like a sack of meal. Then I dragged Druka out. Finally I saw he was dead. Chain had broken and snapped back, probably broke his neck. Well, sir, I knew what would happen if that fellow came to, him more concerned about plows than men and all. I figured I either had to kill him or cut and run. He wasn't worth killin' like that, and I'd hardly get a fair fight, so I cut and ran. Bummed around for a while, took odd jobs, and finally applied for work at the old bat's place..

Ruddygore nodded. "I see. And now you want—what? To be restored and returned to Cohom?.

"Oh, no, sir! There's no time limit on hittin' a highborn.

Uh-uh. I'll be happy to join tip, work for you or whatever, but if you're gonna send me back or turn me in, you might as well leave me a goat..

The sorcerer laughed. "Well said, sir!" He turned to Joe.

"He meets with your approval?.

Joe nodded. "He has real guts, I'll say that. I don't know what you two have been saying, but this fellow sneaked in, got that wand. and didn't panic. I think I'd trust him at my back..

"Then that is where he should be," Ruddygore replied. Again he made a series of signs in the air; suddenly a spindly, knock- Page 105 Chalker, Jack L - The River of the Dancing Gods kneed fellow with a light beard appeared, on hands and knees.

He looked uncertain, almost wondrous, as he made his way 122 THE RIVER OF DANCING GODS unaccustomedly to his two feet. He looks like a young Uncle Sam, Joe thought.

Next the sorcerer looked at Macore the rooster. "And you, sir?.

"A tradesman. I sharpened and serviced household gadgets door-to-door and farm-to-farm. I picked the wrong customer, that's all..

Ruddy gore turned again to Joe questioningly.

"Macore was the first to agree to the plan and talked the others into it," Joe explained. "He also had almost all the information we needed..

"Hmmm... Macore, huh? Seems to me I heard of a Macore a few years back from someplace in Leander. Funny. He was in the same business you were. Only he had a reputation for leaving with more things from the various farms than he should have. You wouldn't be any relation to him, would you?.

"No comment until I've seen a lawyer," the rooster responded.

Ruddy gore laughed and turned back to Joe. "What the fellow was, actually, was a common thief. Not even a fancy one.

Pretty good, though. He would have valuable skills for us— but I wouldn't trust him too far. He is too clever to have to steal for a living—he did it because he liked the work..

"I'll take the chance," Joe answered. "Besides, I owe him that much..

Again the sign, and now Macore was revealed—a small, slightly built man with a large hawk nose and tiny, deep-set black eyes. For once Joe wondered about the choice of animal the Circean had made. Macore looked more like a weasel than a rooster.

Next was Grogha. That pig looked up expectantly at the sorcerer and eventually told his story about the shrewish wife and mean kids. Like Houma, he was willing to do anything in the service of Terindell, but, rather than go home, he'd remain a Pig- Ruddy gore had no problem with him, and the Circean pattern was once again revealed to be fairly consistent. He was a middle-aged, fat man, short and stocky, with a round face and an enormous wide mouth.

Next came Posti. Joe fold Ruddy gore about the hesitant JACK L. CHALKER 123 horse, but emphasized that Posti, once committed, had acquitted himself well indeed.

Page 106 Chalker, Jack L - The River of the Dancing Gods "So you would like to be restored and join our Company?.

the sorcerer asked. "I detect some hesitancy in you..

"I—I'm not really sure what I want," Posti admitted. "I know I was a pain back on the farm, and I know, too, that I came along mostly because I was damned bored. I wanted to see more of the world, get in a little more real living. But I ain't too keen on bein' me again, either. I wasn't no beauty.

I had a club foot and a cleft chin and I mostly did the haulin' and dirty work, anyway. So y'see, sir, why I was torn. On the one hand I wanted to feel like I saw something of this life, more'n most folks, but, hell, sir, I mean, I'm a really pretty horse. Strong, too..

Ruddygore thought a moment. "Do you understand what we are doing here? We are fighting a war..

"Aye, sir. I'm willin' to do my duty..

"Suppose... Just suppose... Suppose we keep you a horse.

A horse for one of these men? We'd have a horse with your courage and the intelligence of a man, and you would participate and do your part. You would also get the travel and adventure you seem to crave. How about that?.

"I was kind of thinkin' along them lines myself," Posti admitted. "But I sorta thought it would sound crazy." The sorcerer grew thoughtful once again. "Still, we must have a way for you to speak, and you just don't have the equipment for it—nor can I really give it to you without changing your nature. However, I think perhaps I have a spell for it." Again the mystic patterns in the air. "There. Now you will be able to communicate with anyone who sits upon your back— and only that person under that circumstance. You will, of course, retain your present ability to talk to others similarly bewitched and to some of the fairies. What about it?.

"I think that will do fine, sir," Posti answered.

Ruddygore turned at last to Dacaro. The sleek black stallion with the odd aura had remained silent and apparently disinterested in the proceedings until now. The head came up, looked down at Ruddygore, and Dacaro said, "Hello again, Ruddygore..

Ruddygore frowned. "Well, I'll be damned! No wonder that aura was familiar. Dacaro, isn't it?.

124 JACK L. CHALKER THE RIVER OF DANCING GOOS 125 "You know it is..

"I had clean forgotten that you were exiled to the Circean's care! But I have not forgotten why," Ruddygore added darkly.

Page 107 Chalker, Jack L - The River of the Dancing Gods "I did not think you had," the horse responded.

Ruddygore turned to the others, who, except forPosti, could follow only the sorcerer's part of the conversation. All knew, though, that something was wrong. "This man did me a great disservice once," the sorcerer told them. "He alone was there by force, not by accident..

"He was helpful to us, though," Joe said.

"Yeah, and he could read, too," Grogha added.

"Still, this presents a problem," Ruddygore told them. "Dacaro was an adept here at Terindell several years ago. I'm afraid he had the talent but not the self-discipline for the arts.

On his own, he opened the gates of Hell and almost destroyed this place—and me. I was faced with a deep breach of trust and faith and also with the fact that he knew far too much of the darker side of necromancy to be allowed simply to go. He was too ambitious and too easily seduced. He would right now be with the Dark Baron, had I let him leave..

"That's not true!" Dacaro shot back. "In fact, that is the only reason I joined in on this breakout, and certainly the only reason I returned here, to you of all people. You forget I have looked into the face of the ultimate evil that sponsors the Dark Baron. Were you right about me, I could have easily cut and run to him after the escape..

Ruddygore thought about it. "What you say has merit, I admit. But I look inside you, Dacaro, and see your tragedy.

It is a tragedy I do not think you yourself understand—or, at least, will admit to yourself. What you say is true—but there is inside you something that draws you wrong. You have the makings of a Dark Baron yourself, Dacaro. He really doesn't think he's evil, or controlled from Hell. He has fallen completely into self-delusion, which the seduction of ultimate power brings. It's inside you, too..

"I disagree..

"Obviously. And yet my original judgment stands. In your present condition, your powers are somewhat limited, although still there—as is your considerable knowledge. But I simply can't take the chance of restoring you. Not now, particularly.

After this is over, perhaps. But not now..

"I thought as much..

"Still, I'm not about to throw you into the arms of the Dark Baron, either," the sorcerer continued. "What say you to the same deal I gave Posti there? Joe can use your magical knowledge and your language abilities. The whole Company can.

Will you join the Company of your own free will?.

"As a horse?.

"As a horse. For now, anyway..

Dacaro thought it over for a moment. "All right. For now, anyway. But I do not wish to die a horse..

"You have my word. Prove yourself once more, and perhaps Page 108 Chalker, Jack L - The River of the Dancing Gods something can be worked out. Deal?.

The black stallion sighed. "Deal..

Ruddygore again made some signs, this time showing obvious concentration.

"What are you doing?" Dacaro asked nervously. "I need no spells from you to communicate!.

Ruddygore kept on, and Dacaro saw ribbons of gold and blue and yellow flow from the finger of the sorcerer and weave the signs in the air—the only one there, other than the sorcerer himself and Poquah, who could see such things.

"You are bound by a stronger spell than the old one, which was so easily broken," Ruddygore told him. "I wish you to face your choices squarely. None but one of the Council could undo my spell..

Dacaro thought about it. "I see. You expect me to run to the Baron in the end..

"Self-discipline is the key to your growth or corruption,.

Ruddygore said. "Let's see who is right." He sighed and turned to the others. "Now we are almost complete. Joe, Dacaro will be your mount, and you will be able to communicate with him.

Listen to him. He has enough of the art to keep you out of some trouble or advise you on the rest..

"Glad to have him," Joe responded.

"Posti, I'm going to give you the last member of the Company as your rider..

"Last member?" both Joe and Posti said.

Ruddygore nodded. "Have you forgotten, Joe, that you didn't arrive here alone?.

The big man snapped his fingers. "Damn! I really /ladjust about forgotten! How is she?.

126 THE RIVER OF DANCING GODS "Changed. In some ways greatly changed. In others still the same. We will all dine together tomorrow evening. At that time we will do the last things that must be done, and then I have a job for you. All of you, in fact..

"So soon?.

"Time does not wait. Already the Dark Baron's forces strike camp. In ten days, perhaps a little more, they will be at the River of Sorrows to the south with nothing to stop them. In four weeks or so, we will know where he is going and, therefore, the best point to make our stand. There will be a great battle. I have no time to waste, nor do any of you..

"Four weeks..." Houma repeated. "You mean we're that Page 109 Chalker, Jack L - The River of the Dancing Gods close to a fight?.

"Closer. You see, I have a far different but no less vital task for you. There is a possibility, at least, that the outcome of that battle and perhaps the war turns on your mission. Now go with Poquah. Relax. Those of you who are again humans, enjoy it. Tomorrow those of you who need it will be outfitted and equipped, select horses, and the like. At dinner tomorrow you will know your task. The morning after that, you will be riding far from here. Some of you may not return again..

^n^r i i-rv f ALL THE INGREDIENTS FOR A QUEST Magic swords for quests must be named.

—XVU, 167, 2(c) RUDDYGORE LOOKED MARGE OVER KEENLY AS SHE ENTERED the room and he liked what he saw. "You have progressed beyond my wildest hopes," he told her.

"I had a good teacher," Marge replied. "No fan of yours, though..

The sorcerer chuckled. "I daresay not. Think of us as members of the same family who went in different directions^ Both were of equal potential and inclined, say, to, painting pictures —but one saw the old school as outdated and uninteresting JACK L. CHALKER 127 and became an abstractionist and cubist; the other painter saw all that newfangled abstract stuff as nonsense and painted realistic portraits. Neither of them could discuss the other without each one's philosophies of art getting in the way. But even though they disagreed on the nature of art, they saw in each other a sincere belief in art itself. That's roughly the analogy between Huspeth and me..

"But she said she would be with you if the Baron reached Terindell, I remember..

He gave a soft smile and nodded. "Indeed. We disagree on just about everything concerning our own, ah, art, and we can't say three civil words to each other without getting into a fighting and clawing match. Just like our realist and our cubist. But both of those painters would be on the same barricade fighting together the forces of those who would wish to bum all pretty pictures. You see?.