cacb.thefarkingdoms- 第1节

　
　
　The　First　Voyage
　
　CHAPTER　ONE
　The　Courtesan
　
　KING　OF　FIRE。
　King　of　Water。
　Queen　of　the　Muse。
　I；　Amalric　Emilie　Antero；　put　quill　to　linen　on　this；　the　second　candleday　of　the　Harvest　Month；　in　the　tenth　year　of　the　Time　of　the　Lizard。　I　swear　on　the　heads　of　my　descendants　all　I　write　is　true。　I　beseech　thee；　My　Lords　and　My　Lady；　to　look　with　favor　upon　this　journal。　Fire；　light　the　way　through　dim　memory。　Water；　nourish　the　fruit　of　my　thoughts。　Muse；　look　with　kindness　on　my　poor　skills　and　grant　me　words　worthy　of　the　tale　I　tell。　The　tale　of　my　travels　to　the　Far　Kingdoms。
　And　what　I　found。
　AS　I　REREAD　those　lines　I　could　hear　Janos'　laugh。　It　was　a　deep　drum　of　a　laugh　that　could　warm　a　cold　night　or　turn　a　fool's　words　to　stone。　I　heard　it　loud；　as　if　he　sat　next　to　me；　instead　of　from　a　distance　of　over　forty　years。　The　laughter　mocked　me。　Not　for　writing　this　history。　He　approved　of　histories　and　all　books　of　knowledge。　He　thought　them　more　sacred　than　any　holy　cedar　grove；　more　telling　than　the　mirror　of　any　Seer。　Yes；　he　would　have　approved；　even　if　this　account　sometimes　paints　him　in　an　ugly　light。　Which　it　shall。　It　shall。　For　have　I　not　sworn　to　tell　the　truth？　Janos　was　Truth's　most　ardent　worshipper。　Even　when　he　lied　。。。　Especially　when　he　lied。
　The　mockery；　I　am　sure；　was　for　the　traditional　opening　spell　I　penned；　calling　on　fire；　water；　and　the　Muse　to　assist　me　in　my　endeavors。
　〃It's　a　silly　custom；〃　he　would　have　said。　〃What's　more；　it　is　also　a　waste　of　your　energies　and　your　substance。　It's　like　curing　a　nest　of　warts；　and　then　not　having　anything　left　over　for　important　things　like　a　demon　in　your　skull。　A　knotted　thread's　as　good　as　thrice…blessed　toad　skin　for　a　wart；　and　much　less　expensive；　besides。〃
　Then　he　would　have　slapped　me　on　the　back　and　filled　our　wineglasses　to　the　brim。　〃Just　start　the　book；　Amalric。　It'll　e　to　you　as　you　go。〃
　Very　well；　then　。。。　It　began　with　a　woman。
　Her　name　was　Melina；　and　she　was　the　most　exquisite　courtesan　in　all　Orissa。　Even　after　all　these　years；　my　loins　stir　when　I　remember　her。　She　had　large；　dark　eyes　a　man　could　lose　his　soul　in　and　long；　perfumed　waves　of　black　hair　to　cover　him　with　if　he　were　accepted　into　her　embrace。　She　had　the　form　of　a　goddess；　with　golden　skin；　hennaed　lips；　red…tipped　breasts；　and　silken　thighs　that　promised　the　most　wele　harbor　any　voyager　of　the　flesh　could　imagine。　In　short；　I　was　a　man　of　exactly　twenty　summers；　and　I　lusted　for　her　with　all　the　blind；　unreasoning　youth　must　that　hot…blooded　age　carries。　If　she　had　satisfied　that　lust；　I　would　not　be　telling　this　story。　Instead　she　held　me　transfixed　in　her　professional　thrall　with　nothing　more　than　promises。
　I　was　on　a　rare　bit　of　business　for　my　father　the　day　I　entangled　myself　in　her　net。　A　ship　bearing　goods　from　the　west　had　just　disgorged　its　cargo　into　one　of　my　father's　warehouses　and　it　was　my　duty　to　oversee　the　accounting。　This　did　not　mean　I　was　to　interfere　with　my　father's　excellent　slave　clerks。　I　was　there　as　a　〃presence　of　authority；〃　as　my　father　put　it。　This　meant　keeping　the　bribes　allocated　to　the　port　officer；　city　tax　collector；　and　Evocators'　tithingman　to　a　sensible　level。　I　had　a　purse　of　gold　and　silver　coins　to　slip　into　greedy　fingers；　and　had　been　warned　that　if　I　paid　out　all　of　it　profits　from　this　voyage　would　be　slim。　The　voyage　had　been　long　and　with　much　incident；　including　a　storm　that　had　caught　and　battered　our　ship　just　off　the　mouth　of　the　river　that　nourishes　our　city。　It　was　tricky　business；　and　I　was　amazed　at　the　time　that　he'd　entrusted　it　to　me。　But　my　father　was　trying　to　encourage　me　during　a　time　of　youthful　confusion。　He　saw　merit　in　me　that　I　did　not　see　in　myself。
　The　port　officer　was　green　but　overly　cautious　to　make　up　for　this　failing。　As　we　went　from　crate　to　bundle　to　barrel　to　jar　and　toted　up　the　value；　I　saw　a　look　of　craft　mar　his　youthful　eyes　as　he　envisioned　a　bribe　equal　to　a　year's　wages。　As　his　appetite　sharpened；　my　mind　raced　for　a　solution。　My　gaze　fell　on　a　broken　bundle　of　fabric。　I　groaned；　ripped　it　open；　and　let　the　rich　cloth　spill　onto　the　dusty　warehouse　floor。　I　shouted　for　the　ship's　captain；　ignoring　the　startled　look　on　the　port　officer's　face。　He　must　have　thought　I'd　gone　mad。　But　the　look　turned　to　amazement　when　the　captain　arrived　and　I　showed　him　the　offending　cloth　and　cursed　its　poor　quality。
　〃You　are　either　a　fool　who　has　been　taken　by　a　great　cheat；〃　I　berated　him；　〃or　you　are　that　great　cheat　in　the　flesh。〃　I　swore　the　cloth　was　of　substandard　quality；　and　even　a　dimwit　could　see　it　would　rot　within　a　week　in　Orissa's　moist　river　climate。　And　if　this　was　so；　what　of　the　other　goods？　〃Damme；　captain；　look　at　me　when　I　speak！〃
　The　captain　was　an　old　hand　and　caught　on　quickly。　He　moaned　regret　and　swore　ignorance。　I　sent　him　away　to　contemplate　my　father's　wrath　and　turned　back　to　the　port　officer。　His　smile　was　weak　when　I　apologized；　and　the　smile　grew　weaker　still　as　I　expanded　on　that　apology…slipping　him　a　single　coin　for　his　bribe…to　include　the　obviously　diminished　value　of　the　cargo。　He　did　not　protest；　but　gripped　the　coin　tightly　and　fled　before　I　came　to　my　senses　and　said　that　it　was　too　much。
　The　city　tax　collector　took　no　thought　at　all…he　owed　my　father　many　favors…so　he　was　happy　with　a　rare　trinket　from　the　west　to　pleasure　his　much　younger　wife。
　Believing　myself　a　new　master　of　merce；　I　awaited　the　tithingman　from　the　Evocators'　Council。　This　was　one　test　that　I'd　feared。　In　those　days　there　was　great　animosity　between　my　family　and　the　Evocators。　I　was　swaggering　with　thoughts　of　minor　revenge　when　the　wizard's　arrival　was　announced。　But　the　sorcerer　who　showed　himself　quickly　pricked　that　thinly　stretched　silk。　Prevotant　was　known　as　one　of　the　fattest；　greediest　Evocators　in　Orissa。　He　was　notorious　for　both　his　poor　skills　as　a　wizard　and　his　frightening　talent　for　skinning　a　merchant　of　his　purse。　The　moment　he　saw　me；　he　chuckled　in　glee　that　one　so　young　and　stupid　was　all　that　stood　between　him　and　fortune。　His　chuckle　was　echoed　by　a　shrill　cluttering　from　the　Favorite　clinging　to　his　shoulder。
　In　that　time　there　were　still　a　few；　usually　older；　Evocators　who　kept　a　Favorite　to　assist　them　in　casting　spells。　Part　animal；　part　demon；　they　could　change　their　size　at　will　from　twice　that　of　a　man　to　even　smaller　than　the　scaly　thing　curled　around　Prevotant's　neck。　The　creature's　cluttering　grew　wilder　as　it　stirred　itself　into　a　boiling　broth　of　excitement。　Most　Favorites　were　high…strung　and　sometimes　difficult　to　control；　but　I　could　see　that　this　creature　was　as　hysterical　as　a　much…beaten　dog。　Instead　of　soothing　it　with　a　soft　word　and　stroking　its　leathery　hide；　Prevotant　cursed　and　gave　it　a　stinging　blow。　The　Favorite　squealed　in　pain　and　anger　but　subsided。　Still；　I　could　see　it　was　brooding；　for　its　skin　had　turned　from　black　to　pulsing　red。　It　worried　at　a　bloody　sore　with　small；　sharp　teeth。
　　〃Perhaps　he's　hungry；〃　I　offered；　thinking　to　ingratiate　myself。〃I　could　send　for　a　morsel　to　tempt　him。〃
　　　The　Favorite　chirped；　but　Prevotant　shook　his　head；　flapping　his　jowls　from　side　to　side。　〃Never　mind　him。　Let's　get　to　the　business　at　hand。〃　He　puffed　up　his　girth　and　fixed　me　with　a　fierce　stare。　〃I　have　reports　of　sorcerous　contraband　hidden　in　your　cargo。〃
　My　good　sense　fled　before　his　charge。　It　was　an　old　ploy　at　the　docks；　especially　among　the　Evocators'　tithingmen。　My　father　would　have　dismissed　it　with　a　laugh。　I　knew　this。　My　father　had　always　made　a　point　to　mention　these　small　confrontations　and　conquests　to　aid　my　education。　But　knowing　and　doing…ah；　now；　there's　a　great　divide。　My　face；　that　great　betrayer　of　redheaded　folk；　turned　as　fiery　as　my　hair。
　〃But　。。　。　But。。。　That's　not　possible；〃　I　sputtered。　〃We　ordered　all　precautions　taken。　All　precautions！〃
　Prevotant　grimaced　and　pulled　some　scribblings　from　his　stained　robes。　He　examined　quill　scratches；　keeping　his　hand　cupped　to　hide　them　from　my　view。　He　shook　his　head；　gloomy；　then　replaced　his　notes。　His　Favorite　snatched　at　the　pocket；　receiving　another　blow。　〃Nasty　beast；〃　the　Evocator　hissed；　then　he