Emperor and Clown Read Free Page A

policy, or as your personal opinions?” His bellow
reverberated down from the dome.
    Ythbane
fell back a pace. The ministers exchanged worried glances; the jotunn flunkies
grinned again. “Well?” roared the ambassador, still wanting an answer.
    “What’th
all the sthouting?” a new voice said. Shandie jumped and looked around before
he could stop himself.
    Grandfather
was awake! He was slumped awkwardly in his seat, but he was awake. His right
eye was open, the left half closed as always, and he was drooling, as always,
but obviously he was having one of his good spells, and Shandie was glad, glad,
gladlthey were so rare now! It was as if the old man had gone away, like Aunt
Oro, and it made Shandie feel all cozy-nice to see him come back, although it
would only be for a few minutes.
    And
Grandfather had noticed Shandie! He smiled down at him. “You’re toga’th come
looth, tholdier,” he said quietly. But he was smiling, not angry at all! And
Shandie must move to obey an imperial command, whether Ythbane liked it or not.
Quickly he gathered up the fallen folds with his right hand, looping them back
on his left arm, and he lifted that useless limb back into place and held it
there. The pleating was an awful scrimmage, but it would have to do. He smiled
briefly, gratefully, up at Grandfather, then turned to stare across at the
White Throne again, going as still as a stone pillar again. Pity he’d had no
excuse to move his feet a bit.
    Ythbane
had recovered from his surprise. He bowed to the throne. “A discussion of the
Krasnegar matter, your Majesty.”
    “Thought
that wath all thettled?” Grandfather’s voice was very slurred nowadays; and
quiet, but the words obviously staggered the courtiers. Clearly he still
understood more than they had believed. “Ambassador Krushjor’s views of the
concordat-”
    “Memorandum!”
the ambassador roared.
    “Whaz
‘e want?” the imperor mumbled.
    Ythbane
scowled. “He demands safe conduct for Thane Kalkor to come here to Hub to
negotiate in person on a matter-”
    “-he
has the best claim to the throne of Krasn-” Krushjor bellowed, much louder than
the consul.
    “-burning
and looting-”
    “-thane
of Gark, and an honored-”
    “-ever
dares show his face-”
    Then
... sudden silence, with everyone staring up at the throne behind Shandie’s
left shoulder. If it wasn’t sorcery, then Grandfather must have gestured. “Kalkor?”
the tired old voice whispered.
    “Yes,
Sire! The same murdering raider who has been killing and looting all through
the Summer Seas for months. The Navy’s Southern Command has been completely reorganized
over the matter, as your Majesty will recall, but too late to stop this Kalkor
escaping westward, through Dyre Channel. He sacked three towns in Krul’s Bay
and is now apparently in, or near to, Uthle. He has the audacity to propose
that he sail his infamous orca longship up the Ambly River-all the way to
Cenmere!”
    Ministers
and secretaries shook their heads in disbelief. Senators rumbled with outrage.
Shandie had been reading up on that geography just yesterday: the Nogid
Archipelago, and the horrid anthropophagi (q.v.), and the Mosweep Mountains,
and trolls ...
    “Worse!”
Ythbane added loudly. “He, a notorious pirate, demands to be recognized as
sovereign ruler of Gark, as if it were an independent state, so he can
negotiate directly with your Imperial Majesty on the matter of Krasnegar. He
furthermore demands safe conduct for-”
    “Granted!”
    Ythbane
choked, stared, then said, “Sire?” disbelievingly.
    “If
he’th here behaving himthelf, then he’th not looting thomewhere elsh.”
    There
was a long, shocked silence, then the consul bowed. “As your Majesty commands.”
The senators were glaring.
    “When
he leavth, tell the Navy,” Grandfather said wearily.
    Smiles
flashed among ministers and secretaries and heralds. Ripples of mirth rolled through
senatorial ranks. The jotnar scowled angrily. Ythbane even put