Tak

Khalkedon - Part 5

     The road lead directly to the palace in the centre of the city, perched on top of the hill, but Gal-Gowan took a more roundabout route. It took them through the most densely populated regions of the city, where cheering crowds thronged to greet them every step of the way as if he was leading a parade. It was as if it had all been planned weeks beforehand, and Tak even saw street vendors pushing their way through the throng selling pies, pastries and sweetmeats, taking the opportunity to make a profit from the occasion. Everyone had flags and were waving them with an almost desperate enthusiasm while Gal-Gowan basked and preened himself, truly the red wizard, back in his own element.

     He beckoned for Tak to bring his horse up and ride alongside him, making sure the crowd saw that he was a VIP as well, and soon the astonished young man found that he was being cheered as well, the crowd deciding to play it safe. Some were even shouting his name, agents of Khalkedon carefully placed in the crowd, and before long his name was ringing through the packed streets just as loudly as the red wizard's.

     Tak forgot that the crowd's jubilation was false. The atmosphere generated was intoxicating and Tak was completely overwhelmed by it. Before long he was shouting his delight and gratitude and waving at everyone he saw as if he was returning from a great victory. As if he'd just saved the city from some terrible fate. He had no sense at all of the carefully laid trap into which he was being led. Only in later years did he imagine the conversation Khalkedon must have had with Gal Gowan before the apprentice had left the city to fetch him. Give him a taste of celebrity, the wizard King had probably said. "Let him grow to enjoy it. Very soon he won't be able to live without it, and then he'll be ours." In later years, the older Tak had shaken his head at how completely he'd been fooled.

     Eventually they came to the palace and the gilded gates opened wide to let them pass. The guards saluted Tak and Gal-Gowan, paying them equal respect as they'd been ordered, and a splendidly dressed groom with a troop of assistants arrived to take charge of the horses as they dismounted. Their escort went off to the barracks in another part of the city and the two wizards were met by a houseman, dressed similarly to Trobo but much smarter and gaudier. He led them in through the King's doors which, Gal-Gowan explained in case Tak didn't know, which he didn't, were used only by the most important of visitors. Neighbouring Kings, for instance.

     Tak's head, already dangerously light from the welcome he'd received, swelled even further. "You will be one of the elite," Gal-Gowan explained as splendidly dressed servants followed them along the gloriously decorated corridor. "One of the King's most valuable and trusted servants. Once you've made your place at his side you'll be able to ask for anything. Anything at all." Tak could only gape at him, completely lost for words.

     The red wizard then left him, though, saying he had important business elsewhere. "Bagglo here will take care of you," he said, and then he was gone. Tak stared after him, unsure of himself in these strange surroundings, but the houseman cleared his throat to attract his attention.

     "You are weary from your long journey," he said soberly. "Please allow me to show you to your room."

     Tak nodded, feeling lost and scared, and the houseman led him away down an impossibly long corridor.

     There were three maids waiting for him in his room. Young and beautiful. Even in his present condition it was immediately obvious to Tak that they'd been chosen for this duty because for their outstanding physical attributes, shown off to good effect by their skimpy, tight fitting uniforms. Khalkedon was really pushing the boat out for him.

     They curtsied as he hesitated in the doorway, at a loss to know what he was supposed to do in a situation like this, but fortunately the maids didn't wait.