Interlude: Counterattack

The day after our visit with Aliera I sent a message to Sethra the Younger in care of Lord Morrolan.

“She’ll be pleased,” I told Cawti.

“There have been no promises,” she said.

“Yes. But you know Aliera will agree. Eventually.”

Cawti nodded.

That was the day before yesterday. Yesterday I finished telling my story, as far as I felt like going, and came home in time to prepare dinner for Cawti. I was planning to treat her to a three-fish three-pepper stew with leeks and white wine, because no woman who has tasted it can resist me. Oh, okay, maybe I’m stretching a point. But it is good. So I did my shopping (I enjoy shopping for food, and if I ever achieve real wealth, I think I’ll continue to do so), returned home, started preparing the oysters (yes, yes, I know oysters aren’t fish), and was interrupted by Loiosh telling me that someone was clapping at the door. I started to yell “Come in,” when Loiosh said, “It isn’t Cawti.”

I opened the door and found myself staring up at Sethra the Younger. My mouth fell open. She looked down at me. I swallowed and said, “Would you care to come in and sit down? I’m afraid it falls short of your standards for a domicile.”

“Save it,” she said, stepping in. “I’m not here to criticize your decorations.” She paused, looked around, then said, “Although I must admit I find your home surprisingly tasteful.”

Tasteful? I have furniture that one could sit on, and floors that are clean, and walls that hold the place up. I have one shelf of knick knacks with sentimental value. Home is where I go when I sleep; the only room I’ve put much thought into is the kitchen. But okay. Maybe she meant she expected to find it a kethna’s nest with peeling walls, bloodstains, and rusted weapons lying about, I don’t know.

But I said, “Okay, why are you here?”

“Can’t you guess?”

“No. If it was about the trade you want to arrange with Aliera, I’d have expected you to send for me.”

“And would you have come if I had?”

“No,” I said.

“I hadn’t thought so.” She unbuckled her sword belt, and I noticed its size at once. She carefully set it on a table, and then sat down. I gritted my teeth and brought out some wine. She said, “Perhaps we should send for Aliera and get this done.”

“Actually,” I said, “I had plans for the evening.”

I could see her forming the words “Break them” and then changing her mind. After a moment she said, “Are they breakable?”

“Perhaps. If you can convince me—” There was another clap at the door.

“Loiosh?”

“Yes.”

“My plans for the evening,” I said. I went over to the door and admitted Cawti.

She took in the scene at once; I saw her notice the sheathed sword on the table. I said, “It wasn’t my plan. She wants to finish things tonight.”

“Why not?” said Cawti.

“Why not indeed?” said Sethra the Younger.

I could have made some answers, but I decided the question was rhetorical. “All right,” I said. “Then someone should reach Aliera. Who wants to do the honors?”

“Why don’t you?” said Sethra the Younger.

“All right,” I said, and composed my mind for the contact.

I reached Aliera more quickly than I’d have expected to. I guess I was getting to know her. I had mixed feelings about this.

“What is it?” she said without greeting, preamble, pleasantry, or anything else I hadn’t expected.

“Sethra the Younger is here.”

“There? Where is there?”

“My flat.”

“What does she want?”

“To conclude the transaction.”

“I haven’t agreed to the transaction yet.”

I said aloud, “She hasn’t agreed to the transaction yet.”

“Then let’s talk about it,” said Sethra.

“Then she suggests you talk about it.”

“I—very well. Can you give me a picture?”

I did so to the best of my ability. It got me enough into her head that I could tell what she thought about the best of my ability.

“Very well,” she said eventually. “I’ll be there directly.”

“Well?” snapped Sethra the Younger.

“She’ll be here.”

She nodded.

We sat in uncomfortable silence for a few minutes; Cawti sat next to me and held my arm. Aliera clapped outside the door; I let her in.

Sethra the Younger stood up. They gave each other slight bows over mutual glares.

Sethra said, “You know the bargain I propose.”

Aliera said, “You should never have received the weapon in the first place.”

“Received it?” she said, and I remembered, then, that final encounter at Baritt’s Tomb. It hadn’t stayed with me because I hadn’t known her then. She said, “I didn’t receive it, Lady Aliera. I took it. I used it. I—”

“I remember. I was there.”

“Yes, you were, weren’t you?” She turned to me. “And so, I believe, were you.”

“You could say that,” I told her.

She nodded. “But, Lady Aliera, I believe the weapon should be yours. What is your opinion?”

“My opinion is that you want the sword of Kieron the Conqueror. My opinion is also that I’m no haggler.”

“Well, then?”

“Then if you want it, come take it.”

“I could do that,” said Sethra the Younger, touching the hilt of the blade next to her.

“Not in my house, you don’t,” I said, but they weren’t listening to me.

I concentrated hard and, very quickly, reached Morrolan.

“What is it, Vlad?”

“A favor.”

“Oh?”

“Grab Blackwand and get your ass over here. Now.”

He didn’t ask why, or what was going on, or anything else. Whatever else you say about Dragons, they understand when it is time for action.

The same, of course, can be said for Aliera and Sethra the Younger. They had drawn their swords and were circling each other in the parlor.

I hoped they wouldn’t destroy too much furniture.