The Mist and the Lightning. Part I

"Let's go," Lis said, "he might call for a patrol and we don't need it."

"Bet on it," Nikto confirmed.

"Now, now, let's go!" Orel put his bloodied sword back into the sheath. His horse hopped over the spread body easily and galloped forward.

Chapter 8

At 'Backara'

The riders reached 'Backara'. Servants already started lighting torches on the facade of the building. Orel rounded the hotel through the side arc and dismounted in the backyard.

"The main entrance is not for you, sirs, is it?" Nikto asked.

Orel passed Beauty's bridle to a servant. "I don't want to reveal myself today."

They entered the restaurant through the rear exit and the owner rushed to welcome them.

"We'll be upstairs," Orel snapped. "If there is any mail, bring it later."

He quickly walked up the stairs to the room he used as his reception-room in the Lower City. Taking off his cloak, he turned to Nikto.

"Who is it that Morgan? Tell me, tell me now!"

Nikto shrugged.

"A nobody. A commoner, a warrior – but on the whole nothing special."

"I can't believe it!" Orel fell into a luxurious armchair at the head of the table. "A commoner threatens me, where is this world going to?"

Nikto laughed. Orel pointed at the place he could take.

"Orel, I want roast meat," Tol drawled whimsically.

"Then go and order it, don't you see I'm busy!" Orel shouted at him.

"All right, I'll wait."

"No, you go! Go now and order whatever you want! And pick up the mail while you're at it!"

Tol left the room hastily.

"You upset him when you killed Lamy," Nikto said. "Now he'll be trying to get you. He hates rich people and yells about it at every corner. He'll make the whole city know that the prince Arel Chig kills defenseless pregnant women."

"Oooh," Enriki moaned.

Orel passed his hands over his hair, smoothening it back.

"My poor reputation." He smiled, his eyes sparkling mischievously. "I just cut off that bitch's head by mistake. You were hanging around with her in the street, I decided she was your friend."

"She was my friend."

"I wanted to kill the Unclean!"

Nikto laughed.

"You find it funny, you're amused that a commoner puts me down! I need to kill him!"

"You can try. He's like a rat, if he hides, you won't catch him."

"Did you try?" Orel leaned forward.

"No," Nikto lit a cigarette. "Why would I?"

"He was threatening you, too."

"And a lot," Enriki added.

"Let him have his fun," Nikto said. "It works to my advantage. His tales of me scare everyone so much that I can do whatever I want in the Lower City now."

Orel laughed.

"They are really afraid of you, aren't they?"

"You can't imagine," Nikto shook his head.

"I don't find it funny at all," Lis said. "What's good in being a fright for everyone?"

"At last you've said something, Lis!" Orel exclaimed. "I thought you swallowed your tongue! No," he continued, "I'll kill that Morgan nonetheless, and you'll help me find him," he stabbed his finger at Nikto's mask.

"Hey, careful!"

"You seem happy," Lis said.

"Who's happy? I'm happy?"

"No, your horse's happy."

"Fine. I've had enough, I'm tired of all that shit." Orel put his legs onto the table as usual.

Tol entered the room.

"Roast meat is coming," he said. "And here is some mail." He put a few envelopes in front of Orel.

"Oh no, I don't want to be bothered with it," Orel moaned.

"So, what have you decided about Mor… whatever's his name?" Tol asked.

"I'll kill him next week," Orel said.

"Perfect. Why not sooner?"

"I'll let him live for a while longer."

"He'll just use that time to write a few complaints about you – to the court, all the ministers and the king himself," Nikto said.

"Do you mean it? He's writing complaints?"

"More than you can imagine."

"Oh no, I cannot bear it!" Orel pressed his palm to his chest. "Farewell, my friends! Prison is waiting for me!"

Tol laughed. Orel took his legs away from the table.

"So, where is roast meat?"

"Coming," Tol said.

"It's a pity it won't be made of Morgan Talas!"

"Orel, you're crossing the borders," Enriki said, exasperated.

"Enriki is silent," Orel cut him off.

The servants brought the dinner.

"Oh gods, I haven't been praying for a long time but I think I should now!" Orel slapped a maiden on her ass. "Am I right, Rona?"

"I'm praying for you every day, my lord," Rona purred.

"And do you pray for me?" Tol smiled at her.

"For you I don't," she said resentfully and pressed closer to Orel just in case.

"Ah, you've hurt her feelings, Tol," Orel said contentedly. "She remembers. Don't you, little Rona?"

Rona bowed. Orel gave her a coin, the only one of three servants.

"When did I hurt her feelings?" Tol couldn't believe it. "Oh fuck her, that bitch!"

Bowing, the servants left.

"Fuck your mother, Tol, why did you order so much food?" Enriki asked.

"I'm hungry!"

"Stupid ass."

"And I'm thirsty," Orel said.

"Are you going to get drunk tonight?" Lis asked.

"Never mind." Orel halved the bottle in one gulp. Lis looked at him in contempt.

"So, do you like the roast meat?" Tol asked proudly. "Tastes good, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, it's okay."

"And what do you think?" he turned to Nikto.

"It's okay."

"Oh bullshit, you don't like it! You like something else, don't you?"

"If I say that, Lis won't like it," Nikto said.

"Aah, I know! You like fox fillet!" Tol cackled happily with his joke. Orel tossed away the empty bottle and looked at them tiredly.

"I know what he wants to say," Lis continued ignoring Tol's remark.

"Really? What?" Tol asked with interest.

"He likes raw meat better."

Tol looked at Nikto.

"Why didn't you say sooner? I'd have asked not to roast your slice!" he laughed.

"Tol," Orel said, "why are you tiring me so?"

"Because you're too nervy! You're nerves are just thrusting out of you!" Tol waved his hands showing the nerves thrust out of Orel. Everyone laughed, including Orel.

"Orel, I need a shot," Nikto said.

"Oh shit. I hope it's not 'black water'?"

"No."

"Then go to my study," Orel pointed at the door behind his back. Nikto got up, took his bag and walked out. The friends followed him with their gazes.

"Are you going to check your mail?" Lis asked.

"Yes, I am." Orel opened the first envelope. "Again some complaints that I should rule out. N complaints about P, and P complaints about V. I don't even know who V is! Do you?"

"I don't know either," Enriki said.

Tol and Lis shook their head in reply to Orel's questioning stare.

"Fine, what else do we have? An anonymous threat."

"What's there?"

Orel tossed the paper to his friends.

"Bey will fuck your every hole, just like he did with your beloved Toby. Prepare yourself!" Enriki read softly.

"Just throw it away!" Lis crumpled the paper and tossed it on the floor.

Nikto came back to the room. He sat down putting his elbows on the table and holding his head.

"You were quick," Orel said. Nikto didn't answer. Lis gave Orel an expressive look and shook his head.

"No matter what Bey does to Toby, I'm not giving him my street!" Orel said.

"We've figured that out," Enriki said.

"You've discarded Toby," Lis snorted, "and the street is nearly Bey's all the same."

"We'll see!"

"Nothing to see here," Tol muttered.

"What else?" Lis pointed at the remaining envelopes.

"Same shit," Orel pushed his mail away. "Traders side with Bey, they choose him over me."

"They don't trust you any more," Enriki said to Orel.

"He coerces them," Orel looked down and paused. "I don't know how but I won't let him have the street," he said at last.

"You're saying it for two months and what?" Tol mumbled.

"Fine, what do you suggest? We'll give him one street, then another and what?"

"We'll have our streets in the Upper City left, he won't be able to take them anyway," Lis said.

"The Lower City is giving me thrice what the Upper does! I have six hundred slaves I have to feed! A half of them are women and children, what should I do to them, sell them?"

"Don't panic. How many soldiers do we have?"

"Not many. Look, Enriki, can you get Squint-Eye out of prison at last? Squint-Eye can bring us mercenaries from the west."

"I'm trying, Arel, but the king controls everything, he keeps his eye on him, I can't do anything. But I'm trying, really!"

"We are so fucked," Orel said.

"Bring your people from the east," Lis suggested.

"Right. There are already five of my people against ten Reds there! If we lose my lands in the east, we're finished."

"We can take Squint-Eye's people even without him," Tol said.

"Do you think it's so easy?" Orel shrugged.

"He can write an order and pass it to us."

"His father and elder brother don't care shit about his orders. While he is in prison, they use his best lands."

"We can kill them."

Orel laughed.

"And what are you going to tell Squint-Eye? Hello, we killed your family because they didn't let us take your people?"

"Maybe he'll be glad."

"Sure!"

"He can write them to give us people," Tol didn't give up.

"We need to get Squint-Eye out, that's all," Orel looked at Enriki significantly.

"I won't be able to do it sooner than in a month, in the best case," Enriki looked down.

"He's there for a year, already!" Orel shouted.

"What can I do? They can keep him there for life! Maybe you can take his place, Arel, and he goes free."

"So, you really can get him out."

"Exchanging him for you – yes, I can."

"Well, thank you," Orel looked at him in disgust.

Someone knocked the door softly.

"Who's there?"

The owner entered the room.

"Master Vil Luven and other masters from the third street have come to see you."

"I know, I know! Tell them I'm busy, I'm dealing with the problem, all right?"

"Yes, my lord," the owner left hastily.

"They are going to keep complaining and ask to protect them from Bey," Lis said. "They won't leave you alone until you do something."

"Yes, I know but what can I do?"

"Let's negotiate with Bey and give him a half of the street," Enriki suggested. "It'll give us a break, I'll have time to get Squint-Eye out, we'll find people and…"

"And then," Orel continued for him, "we'll get our half of the street back, and everything starts again from the beginning but we'll have only half of people left."

"Then I don't know," Enriki spread his arms.

"Any other suggestions? Hey? Where are you, my friends? Help me!"

Everyone kept silent musing.

"Nik, are you restored?" Orel slightly pushed Nikto's shoulder.

"Yes."

"Do you have any suggestions?"

"A lot but they won't suit you." He screwed his eyes shut and rubbed his face with his palms. Tol moved the light on the table away from him, just in case.

"Good morning, my dear," Orel said, "are you going to wake up at last?"

"I have, I have," Nikto leaned at the back of the chair.

"Is your stuff knocking you out seriously?" Enriki asked watching him with interest.

"It doesn't knock me out. But you'll think I'm drunk if I don't take it."

"Ooh. Nikto must have some free men at his disposal," Tol said with a brightened face.

"No men among them," Nikto said very calmly.

Lis looked at him with a fixed stare. "But you do have someone, don't you?"

"As many as you want," Nikto smiled.

"No, we can't do that," Enriki said.

"Why, for fuck's sake?" Tol yelled.

"We can add them to our men, half by half," Orel said, "everyone in the Lower City does that."

"Perhaps we can use half-bloods," Enriki mused. "Otherwise our people desert even sooner."

"They are not my servants, I can only hire them," Nikto said. "But it'll be cheap. Maybe you won't have to pay them at all, just give them some human females, for example."

"That's it. Now we're trapped," Lis said.

"You want to keep your hands clean, Lis," Orel exclaimed. "It won't work, you have to choose."

"You make such a choice once, you'll never have your hands clean again."

"I don't like it either," Enriki said carefully.

"Two of you, three of us," Orel cut him off. "We'll get a break, then come up with something better, maybe."

"We have already lost," Lis said, "and we won't ever win again."

"It's decided then," Orel summarized. "Life makes us change our tactics, we have so few people and they are so expensive that we can't afford it any more."

"Bey has more half-bloods and Uncleans than you can imagine," Nikto said, "that's why he's crushing you."

"And he will keep crushing us," Tol added. "It's time to put the end to it. I personally don't mind Unclean half-bloods, they sometimes look so much like humans you can't tell the difference."

"How many people do we need? Let's decide quickly. Can you find two hundred of them?"

"Two hundred, three hundred – easily, Arel."

"How much time do you need?"

"Two hours."

"Wha..?"

"If you want to choose them yourselves, it'll take more time."

"Oh gods, it sounds so easy!" Tol sighed. "Nikto, I love you!"

"I'll hire them from the Lower City, from the borders with the Unclean District, so you won't have anyone from the Unclean District itself."

"Thank gods," Enriki whispered.

"You could have done that yourselves," Nikto said, "you'd just need a little more time," he paused, "…and a little less pride."

Nikto takes Tol and goes to find mercenaries at the borders of the Lower City and the Unclean District.

Orel talks to the traders of the third street who waited for him in the restaurant downstairs and promises them a quick victory over Bey. He convinces them not to leave his domain. Later he goes back to his castle.

Enriki and Lis gather Orel's soldiers and prepare them to the fact that they will be joined by Unclean half-bloods soon. Commanders start preparing to accept new warriors.

As soon as Tol brings the first party, Lis goes to Orel's castle to report.

Chapter 9

Lis and Orel

Lis entered Orel's room.

"Couldn't you do anything better than sleep right now?" he said in annoyance.

"I needed a little rest." Orel sat up in bed and yawned. "I've drunk too much and you guys really loaded me with all that shit."

Lis came up to the mirror, tried to smoothen his disheveled hair but without much result.

"I'm riding like mad, driving my horse breathless, it’s been galloping the whole day, and you're asleep! Maybe you don't care at all how the things are going?"

"I do, I do." Orel got up heavily and stretched. "Have a drink." He came up to the bar and poured himself a drink.

Lis sat down in the armchair.

"Tol brought the first hundred of mercenaries," he said.

Orel's face lit up with a smile, he gulped the content of his glass and filled it again.

"I knew it!" he said. "I knew Nikto would save us!"

Lis reached his hand and Orel gave him a glass.

"It was just yesterday we had a normal talk with him, and today he's giving us a hundred mercenaries and will get another hundred, I'm sure," Orel smiled. "Within two hours he was able to do more than we could in two months. And it's just the beginning," he laughed. "Why do you keep silent, Lis? Nothing to say?"

"Nothing," Lis said darkly. "I don't like many things but here I have to agree with you: he saved us, and did it easily and gracefully. Fucking really gracefully. Curse this devil."

"How did my warriors react?"

"They were expecting any help, they are too tired of fighting Bey's people alone. Enriki assured the commanders that if they didn't like someone, they'd be excluded at once, no questions."

"And?"

"When Tol brought the first party, their doubts vanished."

Orel looked at Lis with interest.

"He brought good soldiers, didn't he?"

"Yes, very good," Lis said. "They are professionals, nothing to say."

"Now we'll see who's going to win!" Orel laughed and fell across the bed. "Now they'll pay for everything!"

He got up again.

"I'll give an order… any of Bey's people we capture – I'll order to do such things to them that the rest will be horrified. They'll lose any desire to get into our territory."

"Think of Toby," Lis said. "What Bey is going to do to him if you start brutalize his people."

Orel came up to Lis.

"I'll be completely honest, Lis," he leaned forward resting his hands on the elbow rests of Lis's armchair; his face was on the same level with Lis's face now. "I don't care shit what happens to Toby."

They stared at each other for a while, then Orel straightened taking away his hands and walked away.

"Do you understand me, Lis?" he said fiercely.

"I do," Lis said.

"By the way," Orel continued as if nothing happened, "those half-bloods, you didn't tell me, are they very disgusting looking?"

"Not at all. If Nikto hadn't told us, I would've never guessed. They are not different from humans."

"Why are you saying that in such a sad voice, Lis?" Orel smiled. "You were wrong about Nikto, now you have to admit it. You didn't have to pick on him, did you?"

"He helped us but he isn't at a loss either," Lis snarled. "You can say the street is half-his now! And you're right, Arel, he isn't wasting any time. He's getting everything under his control quickly. Too quickly, I'd say, too boldly – he knows we cannot do without his help."

"Lis, you're paranoid. Why does he need our streets?"

"At first it's the Lower City, then the Upper," Lis said, "it's simple. I'm sure those half-bloods were long prepared to rise, they just waited for his signal. You cannot find two hundred chosen soldiers in two hours!"

"It's nonsense, Lis!" Orel shouted. "We just took him on our team yesterday! Do you want to say that he knew in advance that we'd invite him and we'd need his people? Did he know that when we didn't know it ourselves?"

"Why not? He's not human, he's a son of the Devil!"

"Now you're talking like that madman we met today – Morgan Talas."

"Why did he say we gave Nikto power to come out in the street by daylight?" Lis said.

"What?! You're memorizing this bullshit? Poor Lis! Did your vision grow worse since today? Did the devil take some of it to see better?" Orel looked at Lis as if he was mentally sick.

"No, of course not, my vision didn't grow worse," Lis hastened to explain. "I just didn't like his words, that's all."

"But I'm happy that I met Nikto, he's a great man and you won't make me change my mind! And you know, if he had it planned in advance, he wouldn't take Tol along. Tol will tell us everything."

"Yes," Lis said, "I hope so. Tol is very happy. He said Nikto invited him to go to the very border of the Unclean District, to get the rest of the soldiers, but Tol didn't go."

"I trust Nikto," Orel said. "He doesn't wish evil to us."

Lis kept silent.

"I ordered him to go back to the castle when he finishes with soldiers. And you go to the Lower City to Tol and Enriki."

"N-no."

"Yes," Orel said firmly.

"But I hope you're not going to…"

"Calm down, I'm not going to do anything, I just want to spend some time with him without you. You're always picking on him, humiliating him, asking stupid questions. I want to try understanding what he really is. I want him to relax, maybe, I'll give him a slave – I wonder what he'll do to her, he doesn't get a hard-on only from the Unclean, does he?"

"I hope he's restored after my injection," Lis laughed and then got pale looking at Orel. "You're not going to put him under your special test, are you?"

"I am."

"No, Orel, please, it's another one of your crazy ideas!.."

"Everyone who wants to be around me has to be tested. I won't give up. I'll learn more of him than he knows of himself like that."

"I really doubt!"

"You'll see, I'll make him reveal his true nature. He is too reserved: he speaks only when he's asked, does only what I order, doesn't react at our digs. But I feel he's not so simple as he tries to appear."

"I'm glad at least you understand that," Lis said.

"Yes, now I know he has authority in the Unclean District and on the borders of the Lower City. He doesn't show that but after talking to him today I feel he isn't on the level where we put him without thinking. His place is much higher."

"I told you so."

"And because he didn't try to prove us anything, because he silently took our attitude, I like him even more. He said he didn't care what Morgan Talas said about him, and I believe it's true – he really doesn't care. He doesn't care what we think of him. Isn't it so? Because he is confident. So confident that he doesn't need to try to look better. I respect such people. He is much better than anyone thinks."

"Or much worse."

"No, Lis, I don't believe that. I feel he is not a villain. Since the night we tortured him I feel that he is honest, brave and noble."

"Oh my god," Lis said. "Orel, you're losing your mind."

"Yes, I'm, really – I like him so much. He is so calm, silent and proud."

"Well, he is silent mostly because he doesn't speak Black too well. And I wouldn't say he's really calm. I saw several times he barely controlled his temper."

"Yes," Orel laughed. "Of course, you were getting on his nerves. But he did control it."

"He did, he couldn't afford to spoil everything now when it just started."

"Yes, it started," Orel smiled dreamily. "And I'm happy."

"Oh fine, enjoy yourself, and I'm leaving." Lis put the glass down. "It's late. Your beloved is coming soon, I think. If I don't see him tonight, I think I'll sleep better."

"What if he doesn't come?" Orel said shakily.

"Oh, don't you start! He'll come, you did order him."

"Maybe he doesn't care for my orders."

"Now that's something new. Weren't you certain that he was obedient?"

"Yes, but now I am not. He might stay with his Unclean wife, his house is there."

"You told him: either us or the Unclean. He has the Unclean wrapped around his little finger; we're still loose. He'll come."

"But when? It's so late!"

"It's late for us, it's early for him. He probably only wakes up at this time normally."

"All right, I'll be waiting. And I rely on you."

"We'll do everything we need and I'll come back tomorrow morning. And please, Arel, be careful."

"I promise to tell you honestly everything that happens tonight," Orel said. "I need your cool head because mine is burning."

"I'm glad you say that, you know how much I love you. And you know what I'm ready to do for you."

"Yes, you see through people. And you see me as I am. Unlike Tol and Enriki."

"See you tomorrow, Arel. Have a merry night with your tattooed friend," Lis laughed and left.

Chapter 10

At night

It was quiet in the castle, only from time to time the wind knocked sharply on the latticed windows, and then Orel flinched. He was sitting alone in his big luxurious room and listened. He wanted to hear the stamping of the hooves of Nikto's evil stallion he called a strange, difficult to pronounce Unclean name. But only hysterical gushes of wind reached him. It seemed he'd spent an eternity like that. Far away, somewhere in the castle, the clock rang, loud and solemn.

Orel slowly put a half-empty cup on the table, passed his fingers over the transparent glass.

"Enough drinking," he said to himself. "'Enough drinking, you drink too much, son.' Yeah," he muttered thoughtfully, "your son is totally fucked." He laughed. "I'm drunk and I don't care shit!"

He grabbed his glass, gulped the wine and wiped his mouth with his hand.

"I don't care shit! Do you hear me?" he yelled in the empty room and threw the glass at the closed door. The glass shattered into pieces with a deafening noise. In silence this sound seemed to Orel killingly loud. He squeezed his head with his palms. "Oooh!"

The wind howled furiously behind the window, knocked on the stained-glass window making it jingle. Orel got up heavily, slowly walked up to the bar. He took another glass, filled it with wine.