Theatre of the Gods (48 page)

‘As you wish. There is a very powerful man inside your city. He can make people do what he wants. He is the Emperor of Minds. Will you give us fools a ship so we can flee?’

‘Lenore!’ said Fritzacopple. ‘I’m very sorry, Your Highness.’

‘It is quite all right. My girl, after what you and your friends did for us, I’ll certainly give you a ship. I’ll let you know as soon as one becomes available. Though I don’t see why you’d want to leave just yet. We haven’t even heard the bee orchestra. In the meantime, if there are any dangerous operators at work in the city, our Secret Police will find them. They are experts. Just last month they caught a pair of spies. Imagine that, spies, right under your nose.’

Miss Fritzacopple was looking at the Emperor’s worried face, its deep lines and sunken eyes. She could tell from the lines around those eyes that he loved to laugh. He was staring at a spot in the middle
distance. And so they sat, the prince gazing at Kimmy, who was gazing at a girl with a bee, who was transfixed by the lustrous and unruly hair of Miss Fritzacopple, who was staring at the Emperor, who was staring at a fading memory of a fleeting moment of happiness.

226413: THE ONE WHERE THEY’RE UP ALL NIGHT

‘Hello there.’

‘Who’s there?’

‘Are you sleeping well this night?’

‘I am not. This city is too hot.’

‘Isn’t it, though? I am happy that we are finally in the same great city. I trust you got my letter?’

‘It was an horrible letter.’

‘Oh? I’m sorry about that. You see, I have a dark side to my personality. But you must understand that what I’m doing is for the best. It might seem cruel to you, but it’s part of a bigger picture. I need you to understand that. I’m actually a big fan. I’ve followed you all the way to the city at the end of the universe. I had no magical engine. I had to hitch a ride through with a pope. Imagine that. I have been waiting for you to come out of the worm. Killing time.’

‘… Killing people.’

‘I confess, I have been indulging my dark half. But only on the ignorant and poorly dressed.’

‘It’s wrong to kill people.’

‘Really? But you killed your bosun?’

‘… I did not.’

‘You did. You saw what was coming and did nothing. You let him come for you, then you ran away. You let the beast have at him.’

‘I didn’t have the power to help him.’

‘Power is a state of mind. You’ve brought doom to this city just by visiting. The whole city will burn because of you. I get the feeling you think you’re the hero of this story.’

‘I do.’

‘Are you sure? Are you certain you’re not the monster?’

‘I don’t think I am.’

‘Your captain thinks you’re a monster.’

‘I do not think he does.’

‘He does, I know his mind.’

‘What do you want with us?’

‘I’ve been sent to kill you. Not immediately, though. Where is your friend? The boy.’

‘———’

‘Oh. He ran off and left you. The cad! Never mind. He’ll come back. Probably. When he sees what I mean to do to you he’ll surely come back. He won’t want to let you die. Not the way you let the bosun die.’

‘My captain will protect me from you. He is strong and clever.’

‘Oh really?’

‘Yes.’

‘When you meet them tomorrow, observe their hair or beards. Then tell me they are worthy protectors.’

‘Please leave my dreams now.’

‘As you wish. Sleep well, my little monster.’

*

The next day, when the old man arrived for breakfast he had a pretty pink bow in his beard. ‘Fabrigas!’ exclaimed Fritzacopple. ‘Why do you have a pretty pink bow in your beard?’

‘I do?’ said the old man. He could not remember putting a pretty pink bow in his beard.

Soon, the captain stumbled in, drunk. ‘Why do you have a lovely bow in your beard, old fool?!’ said the captain as he slumped upon a chair and slopped coffee in a cup.

‘I’ll answer that if you tell me why you have a silky purple bow in
your
hair!’

But neither man was able to remember or explain why they had decided to tie pretty, silky bows into their hair and beard, or why each bow held a slip of paper with a fortune on it:

‘You will soon meet a handsome stranger.’

IN MOTION

At breakfast they had a meeting. They had been in the city almost two weeks and still had no plan for the next stage of their mission. The Emperor had laid on traditional local pastry treats, as well as an invigorating breakfast tonic called ‘Gangdara’. Fabrigas chaired the meeting. Miss Fritzacopple took the minutes. As he was the only other grown-up left from this ship of fools, Captain Lambestyo, aka the Necronaut, aka Snatch Masters (long story), was forced to attend. Lenore had smelled them waking and would not be excluded.

MOTION: That immediate steps be made to procure a new ship and able crew to use to go in search of our own ship, the
Necronaut
. Proposed: M.F.F. Seconded: Miss M.F. Motion carried.

MOTION: That should no ship be available to them, or should be made unavailable by cost, the Emperor would be implored for assistance. Proposed: M.F.F. Seconded: Miss M.F. Motion carried.

MOTION: That meetings are boring and stupid. Proposed: C.G. Lambestyo. Seconded: Miss Lenore. Motion split.

MOTION: That children are to be excluded from voting in meetings. Proposed: M.F.F. Seconded: Miss M.F. Motion split.

MOTION: That beards are stupid. Proposed: C.G. Lambestyo. Seconded: Miss Lenore. Motion carried.

MOTION: That someone needs a bath. Proposed: M.F.F. Seconded: Miss M.F. Motion carried.

Meeting adjourned.

*

The Emperor, who had sat at the back of the room during the at times chaotic meeting, was sympathetic on a number of counts: ‘I realise that my city owes you a lot. I just ask that you be patient while we find you a ship.’

‘But you have thousands of ships,’ said Fabrigas. ‘Surely it can’t be that difficult to loan us one. A coal-ship, a junk-barge, anything. Obviously not
literally
a junk-barge.’

‘I understand your frustrations, but there are difficulties: some agitators in government are making trouble. They are saying that we can’t just go handing out ships to people we don’t know. You might be pirates.’

‘Pirates?’

‘Well, obviously
I
don’t think you’re pirates. But these agitators are claiming that you created an ecological disaster zone when you killed that worm.’

‘I beg your pardon?’

‘Some are even saying criminal charges should be brought against you.’

‘Criminal charges?!’

‘Obviously it is nonsense. This is just a vocal minority in Parliament. But we must be patient. We will continue to offer you the finest hospitality. In the meantime I have an invitation from the Empress.’

‘The Empress! At last we shall meet this famous beauty.’

‘It is not for you, I’m afraid. Just the girl.’

‘Lenore?’

‘Yes. My wife is very curious to meet her.’

SUPPER

Lenore was taken by carriage through the quiet streets to the royal residence. She was taken through corridors lined with heavily varnished wood and marble. She toyed with the gift she’d brought for the Empress. The Emperor had made it very clear that she should bring a gift, but, having few possessions, she realised she would be forced to give the only thing she had. She was led by two servants. She was brought to a set of doors whose handles burned with traces of a man whose hands had held a brandy glass just minutes before. An ancient odour crawled out from beneath the door.

‘Do I knock?’ But she realised the servants had left.

‘The door is open,’ said a voice from the other side.

*

The room had tall windows, heavy curtains, the odour of a stagnant lake. The only furniture in the room was a table with a small armchair, and a bed set on heavy velvet paws. The voice spoke softly. ‘Come in, mouse, your supper is ready.’

Soup. A small glass of wine. She sat before the soup and breathed deeply. She couldn’t sense her host. It was as if only her voice had come to supper.

‘I hope you don’t mind eating late.’ The voice was so soft you could hardly hear it, like a sigh. ‘I always eat late because I sleep poorly otherwise.’

‘I know that you do,’ said the girl.

‘The girl that knows too much. Let’s drink a toast to you becoming a woman then. In Diemendääs the older children are allowed a bee’s-nose full of wine with dinner. Here’s to you and all you’ll soon become.’

‘They say bad things will happen when I become a mature woman. I hear them talking.’

‘Never mind about that. I too had a troublesome adolescence. We become what we become. Drink.’

Lenore took a sip and suddenly she was no longer in the room. The ways seemed to part, the heavy flesh vanished, and she found herself inside a humming cloud where for a brief second she could see the colours dancing. The sensation vanished in the flick of a wing.

‘Isn’t it wonderful? In human tradition wine is drunk to escape life. In our tradition it is a sacred thing, a revealer of life and truth. In reality we are so much more than the cages we live in.’

Lenore felt as if she’d just been told a great secret. ‘I have brought you a gift. They said I should.’ She produced the starfish from her pocket. For a few seconds, as she held it up, she thought her host had left the room. A vacuum seemed to tear open in the air.

‘Where did you get this?’

‘Oh, we have found them along our way. They arrive where we are.’

‘Girl, this is one gift I cannot accept. She is your guardian, a living thing.’

‘She is
my
guardian?’

‘Yes, and you cannot give your friends as gifts. You will need her where you’re going. She is bringing you home. You are about to go on an adventure that will make everything you’ve been through so far seem mundane. But to get there you have to be prepared to face a terrible enemy, and to lose the people you love.’

‘I don’t want to do either of these things.’

‘But you have to.’

‘He’s a man. A man in a suit. He takes people’s minds.’

‘Very good, yes. Destroying him will be a big test.’

‘I’m too frightened to face him.’

‘You don’t need to be frightened. I can protect you. I can show you a secret you can use against him. He won’t be prepared for your power. But you’ll need to give me something in return.’

‘I don’t have anything to give you.’

‘Yes you do. You just don’t know it yet. You must make a choice: do you want to give me a small gift, something you won’t miss, or to die?’

‘It depends. What is the small gift I won’t miss?’

‘I don’t know yet.’

‘I don’t want to die.’

‘Then it’s decided. As a reward for your good work so far I’m willing to let you ask me three questions. But choose very carefully.’

‘I dreamed my captain left us. Will he leave us? I loves him.’

The voice, deep yet light as air, made a sound as if to laugh but checked itself.

‘And you say you have nothing to lose. You don’t know love yet. Love is pain, not fulfilment. You need to get used to losing friends, because you’re going to lose many. Forget about the captain.’

‘I’ll not forget him.’

This time the voice did laugh. ‘You’ve already wasted one question on a boy. That should be your first lesson.’

‘Who am I?’

‘You are Lenore. There’s no one like you.’

‘That’s not what I meant.’

‘I can’t tell you what you are. It’s something you have to discover.’

‘Then what good are you?’

‘Be careful.’

‘I’m sorry. That was not one of the questions.’

‘I will grant you that. You are a genetic aberration, a glitch in the
great and ancient code. Much like the starry creature you wear around your neck. That is why people want to destroy you. You are like a beacon in the blackness, drawing moths of destiny towards you.’

‘I am, I am the talisman.’

‘I suppose that’s another way to put it.’

‘And you are what?’

Again the voice laughed. ‘I am a lonely woman. A lonely woman and a prisoner in my own city.’

‘You have powers.’

‘Sometimes power is a weakness. You’ll learn that soon. And I am just a whiff of what you’ll be one day.’

Lenore felt the world rushing away and she felt very alone.

‘Don’t be sad. You’re going to see things that no one else can dream of. Just be brave. And remember, there’s no such thing as death. And now the secret I promised to tell you.’

Her secret, sacred words enveloped Lenore like a fog. She felt as if she was leaving her body, and then a face began to show itself, dimly, a face so luminous and beautiful that Lenore forgot to breathe. The face vanished.

‘You must tell no one what I’ve shown you.’

But later, Lenore could not even remember, and she had no idea what price she’d agreed to pay for the secret she’d been given.

CAPTAIN

Hadley’s People’s Almanac
has several Carlos Góngora Lambestyos, among them one who fits the basic story of the man we’ve come to know. A bastard baby born to a young prostitute via a prominent naval officer. The baby was left at the Royal Naval Hospital for the officer shortly after he returned from a campaign against the Vangardik hinterlands near Bohemia. To cover up the scandal, he paid the woman off, enrolled the boy in a secret and elite naval school. The mother returned the money, along with a note, shortly before she leaped from a bridge. The baby received state-of-the-art naval mods, and a first-rate education from the day he turned one. He flew his first mission aged ten, and was a decorated Black Ops pilot by the age of fourteen. At fifteen he was lost during a top-secret mission. No attempt was made to recover his remains. Details from here are sketchy at best.

There was little to see of the young hero in the captain these days. The city had taken the life from him. The noise of the bees had become an infuriating fuzz inside his skull, like the static from a modern radiogram. All he cared about was drinking in the Land’s End, the old tavern by the space docks.

Fabrigas had gone to find him the previous day, but he wasn’t in the reeking den. He had waited as patient as a toad as the hours passed, observing the grimy sailors come and go. He would never admit it, but it made him happy to sit in such a place and watch the comings and goings.