Monster Of The Maze

Chapter 6

The computer did not fail. Blade lived and prospered and, when the thirty days had elapsed, he was his own brute and masculine self again, with the civilized trappings of Home Dimension fallen away as they always did when he was in X Dimension. His thews were mighty again, his legs like pillars of oak and his chest deep and his shoulders massive. He had his hair clipped to a decent length but let his beard grow long and black and curly. Now that his body again matched his head in proportion he was as handsome as ever, but he was not the Blade of HD. Beneath that flowing dark mane was a brain both subtle and shrewd, but with an animal cunning the normal Blade did not possess. By the time he had attained his growth again he was more a creature of Zir than of Home Dimension. He had adapted.

The Izmir kept his word. He had said that he could muster a dozen loyal guards and he did. They were led by a captain named Ogier, a stalwart, barrel-shaped man who clanked about in armor and whose only loyalty was to the old Izmir and, later, to Blade. It was this Ogier who, when the situation was explained to him, schemed how the child Blade could be kept alive.

«'Tis simple enough,» Ogier said, «given loyal men such as I have. There are twelve of us. Six of us will remain always awake and on guard. We will keep the boy here, Izmir, in your own chambers and six of us will be with him come night or come day. Six will guard and six will sleep, and so it will be until the need is past.» And he glanced down at Blade, who by this time had the size and heft of a ten-year-old.

«He has grown since yesterday, Izmir. It is indeed a miracle and all Zir whispers of it. The people are impatient to see for themselves.»

Blade, dressed in baggy trousers and a jeweled vest, was practicing with his little sword. He liked Ogier and trusted him and had plans for him, but he did not speak now. He listened. Always he listened and learned.

«The people will have to wait,» the Izmir said, «until he has his years and is announced as my heir. And that cannot be done until he has proven himself in battle against the Hitts. In good time, Ogier, all in good time. But what of Casta and the Princess Hirga? I have not seen them since the audience in the palace. It is not like the priest to be so quiet.»

Captain Ogier laughed harshly. «Casta is sulking, Izmir. He has been sulking ever since he denounced the boy and stalked from the palace. Yes, he sulks and I think he plots, but for the moment he is quiet. The Princess Hirga is curious and employs her spies. This I overlook, for what can they tell her but the truth? I think that she is as awed as the people and that her faith in Casta is somewhat shaken. And something else, I near forgot-a boy child, dressed in rich and priestly vestments, has been found on a dungheap with his throat cut. My own spies say that the boy had been seen with Casta from time to time.»

Blade spoke then. «The priest had plans for that boy. Then I came and the plans were useless, so the boy has been silenced. I do not think, Izmir, that this Casta and I are going to get along when finally we meet.»

But the High Priest and the Princess Hirga made no move. When Blade reached his full growth, he was given a palace and a harem of his own, at the far end of the park from the Izmir's own palace, and Ogier and his twelve faithful men were assigned to Blade as permanent bodyguard. The Izmir accompanied Blade on the day he moved into his palace. They moved through the streets of the palace-city, Blade on a white horse with golden trappings and the old man carried by slaves in an ornate chair. The crowd that gathered to watch was a curious one, silent and almost sullen, awe-stricken and fearful, obviously torn between disbelief and faith.

When they were in Blade's palace the old man said, «That crowd was packed with Casta's spies. He will be told that the miracle has come to pass, but he will not believe. He will suspect some trick because he is a trickster himself. It will be interesting to see what he does. But we will talk of the priest at another time; come now, Blade, and see your palace and the harem I promised you. Afterward we will talk of your campaign against the Hitts.»

Guarded by Ogier and six of his men, Blade and the Izmir toured the palace-and grounds. It was all magnificent enough-the buildings of smooth white marble and with furnishings of gold and ivory-and Blade found no cause for complaint. The harem was guarded by ball-less men and the women that Blade saw were young and pretty. He saw few of them on this first trip, though the harem reeked of woman-smell and he heard giggles and was conscious of being watched from behind ivory screens that shielded the various rooms. Strange, but all this available female flesh aroused no desire in him, no lust. This puzzled him at first, even alarmed him, but he put it down to tension and the newness of things.

Blade had a throne room of his own and the Izmir insisted that he sit in the ivory chair on its dais and play the part of heir and prince. Ogier was permitted to remain while the others were sent to guard the entrances.

«A throne befits you,» said the old man. «You look natural there, as if born to it. Not so, Ogier?»

The Captain nodded gravely. «I agree, Izmir. No one seeing Blade now could doubt that this was meant to be exactly so. Casta's prophecy has come true.»

The Izmir cackled. «In spite of Casta, eh? His lies have come true. I have a son and heir, full grown in a month and fit to rule a dozen Zirs and- subdue the Hitts. Aha, my friends, this is a sweet moment that I had not thought to see. If only I did not have to die soon, if only I could linger to enjoy it. . which brings to mind something of which I would speak, Blade. You will leave us, Ogier.»

When the Captain had gone the Izmir said, «This has all been a miracle, Blade, whether you call it so or not, and you have kept your word. It has occurred to me that if you can do such things you may be able to do others-in short, can you make me young again?»

Blade leaned back on the ivory throne and crossed his legs. He wore a kilt and light breast armor, an ornate dress helmet and carried a gold-hilted rapier which he had himself chosen from the armory. He stroked his curling beard and stared down at the old man. The question had not taken him by surprise, for he had expected something of the sort.

For a moment he pondered and then said, «To be merciful, Izmir, I must be cruel. No. I cannot restore your youth. My miracles do not extend so far.»

The old man had drawn up a stool and perched on it, wrapped in his brocaded robes, looking like an ancient tortoise. He wiped his eyes, which exuded constantly, and rubbed his beaked nose, nodding slowly.

«So. It may be as well in the long run, but I had hoped. But if not my youth, can you restore my health? For time enough for me to see you accomplish all the things I could not? My infirmities are many, as you know.»

Blade knew all too well. In the past month he had had ample time to study the Izmir. He was no doctor, but back in Home Dimension he had read widely in the field of medicine.

He shook his head. «No, Izmir. I cannot prolong your life a moment beyond its natural span. You have all the diseases of age and something else-what in my world is called cancer. It will kill you when the time comes.»

The old man had a habit of stroking his great nose with a finer. He did so now, staring at Blade. Then he laughed.

«You give cold comfort, Blade. But perhaps even that is for the best-if I were young again I would likely be at your throat. And certainly I would not share my harem with you. So be it. As a young man and an old, dying man, we can get along. And I have a strong will-I shall use it to stay alive until I have seen certain things come to pass. Now, about the conquest of the Hitts. .»

Later the Izmir departed and Blade was left alone in his palace, as he had known he must be eventually. Ogier remained, and his dozen men, and Blade saw to their posting. He and Ogier supped together. They washed in scented water and sat at a great table and were served by soft-footed servants. Ogier, a rough man better suited to barracks than palaces, was still proud and somewhat vain, and tried hard to conceal his awe of Blade.

Blade sought to put the Captain at his ease. They talked for a time about the Hitts, the savages who lived over the narrow water, and the Captain was not very hopeful.

«The Izmir talks much of subduing them,» he said, «but I have been fighting Hitts all my life and I do not think it can be done. They never surrender and they are better soldiers than the Zirnians. The narrow water protects them and their country is a nightmare of rocks, ravines, crags and mountains. Wheeled vehicles are useless and it is difficult to deploy troops. They do not give battle in the ordinary manner, but resort to one ambush after another. My advice to you, Blade, though it may be treason, is to coddle the old man with promises until he dies-which should not be long-and stay away from the Hitts.»

Ogier gnawed a bone thoughtfully. «You could pretend to make invasion preparations, of course. The Army is in sore state and badly needs work and discipline. Do all this, and let it be seen and known, and you can only profit by it. You might even worry the Hitts a little. But do not venture beyond the narrow water. It would only mean defeat and give Casta a chance to gloat and point you out as a failure and an imposter.»

Blade gave him a cold glance. He liked Ogier, but had not deemed him so loquacious and opinionated. Best, he thought, to give the man an understanding of affairs here and now.

«I am not an impostor,» Blade said. «I have done what I have done. You saw it. I grew from a babe to a man in thirty days.»

«Yes. I saw it.» Ogier passed a meaty hand over his face and did not look at Blade. «I saw it. I must believe it. I acknowledge you witch or wizard, Blade, and I respect that and will serve you as faithfully as ever I served the Izmir. But all the same I do not think your miracles will work against the Hitts. But that is up to you-you are Blade, the heir and prince to the Izmir. I am but a Captain who obeys.»

Blade pointed a meat knife at him and smiled. «Remember that, Captain, and we shall do well. I command here. Never forget it.»

Ogier raised a goblet of wine. «I shall not. I serve you, Blade.»

The moment of tension passed. Blade shifted the conversation to a topic he knew was dear to any soldier's heart.

«There is something I want you to do for me tonight, Ogier, and in return I will do something for you and your men. It concerns women. Are you interested?»

Ogier wiped his mouth with a hand and grinned. «Women? Of course I am interested. Tell me more of this, Blade.»

«I have a harem,» said Blade, «in which I am not much interested at the moment.»

Ogier stared. «That alone makes you more than mere man. I wish I had a harem. I would be interested.»

«There is a woman named Valli in the Izmir's harem,» Blade explained. «I want you to find her and bring her to this palace tonight. You may tell the old man if you wish-or I will. I do not think he will mind when matters are explained to him.»

Ogier put down his wine goblet with a thump. «I do not advise telling the Izmir. He is an old man and has little use for his women, true, but he is very jealous of them all the same. I am not sure of the wisdom of this. What is this Valli to you. Blade?»

«That is my concern,» said Blade curtly, «a personal matter and nothing to do with the Izmir or politics or priests, I promise you. Will you do it, Ogier? In return you and your men shall have the run of my harem. Take your choice of as many as you can handle. I will issue orders to that effect.»

Ogier studied him, stubbled chin in hand. Finally he nodded. «I will do it. No great trouble in that, for I know all the guards and they will obey me. But I think it had better be kept from the Izmir. You are now as his son, Blade, but a father can be angry. And he would not understand why, with a harem of your own, you seek a woman from his harem. I myself do not understand it.»

Blade pushed his plate away and stood up. «You do not have to understand it, Ogier. You must only do it.»

Ogier half scowled. «It is a command, then?»

«No. It is a request. When I give commands you will be in no doubt of it.»

Ogier suddenly laughed and slammed the table with his hand. «I will do it-and hold you to your word. I will loose my men in your dovecote and you will have a happy harem, Blade. We have not had women lately, my men and I, and I think each of us good for six, at the least.»

Blade smiled. «Only when they are off-duty, Ogier. Be sure they understand that. Any man caught in the harem when he should be on guard will be severely punished.»

Ogier pushed away from the table. «You need not tell me that, Blade. I am a soldier. Where shall I bring this woman?»

«To my chamber, well after dark-and be quiet and careful about it. The fewer who know the better.»

Ogier eased his swordbelt around his little paunch, distended by the hearty meal. «It shall be done. And then I will stand the first watch myself-in the harem.»

Blade watched the Captain exit laughing and went to his own private quarters, a suite of austere and high-ceilinged rooms with something of the Romanesque about them. But comfortable enough. His bedchamber was hung with drapes and opened into a latrine closet. There was a great round bed in the center of the room and mirrors here and there on the wall and a large table and a chair for working. Blade sank into the chair, put his feet on the table and examined his image in one of the mirrors.

He looked as he usually did in Dimension X, a bit larger than life, this illusion helped by the full black beard. The planes of his face were flatter, his jaw more prognathic, his eyes harder and colder, his stare more intent. He had noted it all before. He was Blade and yet he was not Blade; he was the same human animal with better and improved survival equipment.

It would be some time yet before Valli arrived, if she came at all. Blade went to the bed and stretched out without undressing. He must relax now and begin thinking ahead. He had come through the first ordeal. But it would not be the last and he much doubted that it would be the worst. Danger lay ahead and he must contrive to meet it as it came. It was always so in DX-you lived from hour to hour, day to day, week to week.

The thought made him uneasy and he left the bed to make a check. He returned satisfied. There was a guard on the door and a man beneath each of his chamber windows. From over the court, beyond a fountain of colored water, he heard the shrill laughter of women. Ogier had wasted no time in letting his men know of their good fortune. Blade grinned and went back to his bed.

The crystal was not working at the moment. He felt no impulse, no communication from the artificial intelligence of the computer. That did not necessarily mean that His Lordship was not reading Blade's impulses, though, and with this in mind he began to concentrate.

Alive and well. Blade smiled at the banality, then got back to his task. Future most uncertain. Much too early to know if there is treasure in Zir, or anything of use to England that can be teleported.

As of this moment know very little of Zir. Begin this task tomorrow. Am at present in position of power, but chancy. Have enemies, as usual, but not yet sure of the extent of this danger. Will pursue my usual course of coping with events as they arise and trust that luck holds.

His head ached and Blade left off. He was covered with sweat. Such concentration was hard work. He got up and summoned a servant and had a bath prepared. When he came out of the bath, with only a cloth about his genitals, Valli was there.

She fell to her knees and would not look at him. He went to her and stood looking for a moment at that sleek head with its golden combs and piled dark hair. She wore her silver kirtle and red underpants and nothing else. She kept staring at the floor and he saw that she trembled. He took her arm and raised her. «What is this, Valli? Are you afraid of me?»

The huge dark eyes were filled with tears. «Yes, Blade. I fear. Everything has changed. I am but a harem woman and you are now a god. Everyone knows this. All speak of it.»

There were many advantages to being thought a god. Blade knew this and meant to take his measure of adulation and use it, but not with Valli. He meant to use her too, but not in that manner. The fact was, and he admitted it now, that he was a bit ambivalent about Valli.

He took her chin in his hands and forced her to look directly into his eyes. «Smile,» he commanded. «There, that is better. And I am no god, Valli. Never to you. We are friends, good friends, and I am much in your debt. And will be even more so, for I have a task for you, a favor to ask, and that is why I have sent for you. Did you have trouble leaving the harem?»

She shrugged and her bare breasts moved. Her nipples were taut and aroused. «None,» she whispered. «Ogier is a powerful man. He commanded and it was done. I do not think the Izmir will ever know.»

Blade nodded and smiled. He guided her to the bed and sat beside her. «That may be as well. But how does it go? What of your friend Stel? And how goes it with the guard Ramsus?»

Valli by now had regained her composure. She smoothed her hair and leaned ever so slightly against Blade, so that her breasts brushed his bare chest. She was now, Blade thought with a little sense of shock, ten years younger than he was and very lovely, and it was incredible that she had once played mother to him, that he had once suckled those well-formed breasts that he might live. Beneath the cloth his penis began to stir.

«I no longer lie with Ramsus,» Valli said. «It is not necessary now and I never liked him. He pursues me, but I keep to the harem and he cannot get at me. As for Stel, she is mad with jealousy and curses herself for a fool. She wishes now that she had been kind to the god who came as a babe. She regrets the reward that she would have had.»

«Reward,» said Blade. «Ah, yes. That. I promised you, Valli, did I not?»

She lowered her eyes and did not look at him. «I want no reward, Blade, other than what you promised. A child.»

«I remember, Valli. And it shall be arranged. But first I wish to talk of other things. To explain why I have sent for you and-«

Valli moved closer to him. Her voice firmed and she looked at him and there was determination in the dark, liquid eyes.

«Can we not talk later, Blade? Now you must understand-I want a child. Your child!»

By now Blade was fully tumescent and the cloth that covered him was bulging. Valli cast a glance downward and smiled. She put her hand on him gently.

«You see, Blade. You are ready. You desire me as I desire you. So am I to beg? You did promise, you know, and, though I doubted then, I do not doubt now. You are a god, no matter how you deny it, and the child I have will be the child of a god. Please, Blade. I implore you. Keep your promise.»

Blade was lost. Indeed, as he drew her to him and kissed her, he wondered if this had not been in his mind all along. He did have a task for Valli, but had it not been secondary? Had he not from the very first, even with his infantile penis, wanted this girl? For that was what she was-a girl. No mother to him now. Nothing of incest here. He realized then, as he and Valli rolled over on the bed, that he had not yet shaken the mores of Home Dimension completely. Like shackles, some habits of thought persisted. He would have to do better, get completely free, if he meant to survive in Zir.

Valli, as a harem woman, had been well schooled in all the arts of love. Even had Blade not known this he would soon have guessed that, ever since she had been old enough to understand, she had been learning the ways in which men are best pleased. Her kisses were sweet and her tongue made of honey. She soon took command and, gentle-voiced, bade Blade relax and let her minister to him. And in exciting him who needed little urging, she soon excited herself.

She laved his big body with her tongue and her fingers were agile and knowing. She directed where his hands should go and what they should do. She drew it out and out and out, to such excruciating length of ecstasy, that Blade sworled in passion and began to think he would go mad. Always, when making love, he sought to keep a portion of his mind cool and detached, but with Valli it did not work. She took complete charge of him, she consumed him, and when she mounted him at last and was panting toward climax, all sweet sweat-covered, it took all his willpower to force her over and take command as he liked to do. As he insisted he do. He went into a flurry of brutal last strokes, pounding and pounding away, and then he moaned as she screamed and they collapsed into exhaustion.

Valli was first to break the silence. She touched his face with her fingers and whispered, «Ah, Blade. Blade! That was a baby. I know it. I feel it. You spewed a fountain into me and of it will come a child. I thank you. I will have your child, and who is to say that he will not also be a god.»

It was some time before he could control his breathing well enough to speak. Then he said, «I hope so, Valli. If that is what you want.»

She clung to him. «It is what I want. And you will stay in Zir, Blade? You will not go away? You have power now and you will not let them kill this child as they did my first?»

Blade could not promise this and knew it-and yet he could not bring himself to hurt or worry her. So he lied.

«I will remain. I will protect your child, if indeed you have one.» He laughed and kissed her tenderly. «You are getting a little ahead of things, you know. Imagining. One time in bed does not always make a child and you cannot know-«

«I know,» Valli said firmly. «I know, Blade. I am sure. You do not understand such matters, even if you are a god.»

Blade laughed and gave it up. «All right. Have your way of it. Now we can talk of other matters-the real reason I sent for you.»

Valli lay with eyes closed and her arms outflung. She whispered. «What we have just done is reason enough for me. But speak on. I will do anything you ask, as you well know.»

Blade explained what had been in his mind for some time. He needed an intelligence network-a system of spies, to put it bluntly-and he thought to make a beginning with the harem women. Valli was to be in charge of collecting the information and bringing it to him. It was a bare beginning, a first step, but Blade must begin somewhere and at once.

Valli was intelligent. She grasped at once what he wanted.

«There is much loose talk in the harem,» she said. «The women talk to kill time and ward off boredom. But most of such talk would be worthless to your purpose, Blade. Rumors and gossip. How can they help?»

He acknowledged this but pointed out that it was worth wading through a pound of chaff to gain a Brain of truth. You never knew. His own experience in MI6, back in Home Dimension, had taught him that.

Blade donned a robe and came back to the bed. Valli had slipped back into her red underpants. «I am sure,» said Blade, «that your harem women have more to do with men than is generally known or admitted. This is bound to be so, Valli, and you need not be afraid to admit it. You will not be getting your friends in trouble. I wish this information for my own use only. I do not care a damn what harem women do or do not do. Their business is their own. And the Izmir will never hear anything from me.»

Valli smiled. «I am glad to hear that, Blade. I would betray my friends for you, I would do anything for you, but I am happy that it is not required. It is true that there is much intrigue in the harem-if the Izmir knew of it, many heads would be struck off. There are ways in which the women smuggle men in-guards and officers and even priests. There are even ways, and times, when the women leave the harem and spend nights with their lovers. Most of the guards are corrupt and can be bribed to make a false count. But I do not see-«

«You do not have to see,» said Blade. «Just do as I ask. You will form a little secret society, not more than five or six of your trusted friends, and they will listen and report to you and you will report to me. I will send for you when I am ready, and if anything of great importance arises you can reach me through Ogier. All this is understood, Valli?»

She left the bed, sensing dismissal. «It is understood, Blade. I will try not to fail you.»

«Goodnight then, Valli. Ogier will be waiting to get you back to the harem unseen.» He kissed her and patted her behind lightly and, with a sense of some relief, saw the guard on the door take her arm and lead her away. Blade went to the bed and flung himself on it naked. It was warm and he needed no cover. He needed sleep. As much as he had needed Valli an hour ago. He had had her and it had been pleasant and he hoped that all went well and she did have his child, since she really did seem to want it. Valli's role was already well established in his mind; she would never be a consort, but she could be quite comforting. It was enough.

He was nearly asleep when he noted a faint movement behind the drapes. He came instantly alert. The drapes were heavy, of some stiff material that hung straight from rods along the cornice of the ceiling. Their purpose was to add warmth to the cold marble of the room.

Blade rose swiftly and snatched his sword from a chair. There was a slight bulge in the arras where it edged near a window. Blade put his swordpoint against the bulge and pressed firmly, just hard enough to pierce the material, and said, «Come out. Or get this steel through your gut.»

A voice came muffled from behind the hanging. «You would not dare. I am the Princess Hirga.»