The Ivory Star

Chapter 22

The Lakeside alarm bells rang as the first enemy banners appeared on the horizon. Mounting the foremost tower overlooking the wooden palisade, Valerion shielded his eyes as he gazed out over the field of glaring snow. Robinius took up a place next to him. "I see it's finally happened, my lord. The Slayers are here."

Valerion shielded his eyes against the glare. "Those aren't Slayers."

"Who then?"

"Sneev," Valerion said.

Long green banners dangled from lofty poles. Coupling serpents writhed on an emerald field. No black armor, no gruesomely crested helms.

Valerion swore venomously, then said, "I expected as much out of that cur! Uhr merely leads him around by the nose."

Robinius said, "Ah, if only Lord Diomenes still lived, eh, milord."

"Aye, Robinius. When I was but a wet-eared youth, Diomenes and my father were close friends. Diomenes was a good man, and shared my father's views about Uhr. But he was old, and in his senility he took Sneev under his hoary wing."

Robinius mused, "I remember meeting Sneev once, before old Diomenes died. He was a slimy rat even then. He wasted no time in bedding Prilla after the old man finally died."

"There was no 'finally' about it, my friend," Valerion growled.

"What do you mean?"

"I've long believed Sneev killed him, or had him killed at Uhr's behest."

Robinius ran his fingers through his red beard. "A very likely, theory, my lord."

"Aye," Valerion said. "What better position for a man of no noble blood to be in? Right hand man, and close friend to a noble lord. What better when the old lord gives up the ghost in his sleep? And by marrying Prilla with Tamarra but a babe, he further secured his grip on power."

Robinius added dryly, "With Uhr's full consent and filthy blessing."

Valerion's gaze grew far away, his hot blue eyes watching the approaching host. "My father always said that, anywhere in the world there might be two men who, upon meeting for the first time, recognize each other as natural foes, born enemies whose inescapable destiny is to clash. The clash might come at that instant, or a lifetime later. But nevertheless it is fated. Sneev is such as enemy. I have always known it. I knew as soon as Lord Diomenes died that the friendship between Ophidia and Armond was over." His eyes grew hard as steel. "And now, the time for my fated clash with Sneev is here."

Neither of them spoke for a while, each absorbed in his own thoughts.

Then Robinius sighed. "Lately, my lord, I've been thinking about the old days, remembering when we were ravenous for the heat of battle and women, you and I and Forstaff and Obereth. We fought the battles our families asked us to, chasing bandits, border disputes with Alhaqra, and we loved every moment. The more I think about these things, the more I realize I no longer have the stomach for it. The taste for the heat of battle, the lust for blood, like before. I only wish an end to't, that either I might meet my ancestors, or live my remaining years in peace with the world."

Valerion said, clapping him on the plated shoulder. "We're of a mind, you and I."

Robinius continued, "My only regret is that I never loved only one woman long enough to keep her interested in me." Then Robinius realized the ground on which his words tread, and he was immediately sorry. He stammered, "My lord, I—"

Valerion reassured him. "It's all right, Rob. I was the luckiest man alive to have her as long as I did."

Robinius wiped at his eye, quickly. "Aye, my lord." And he rested his hand on Valerion's heavy shoulder.