CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR

Doo wanted to find out as much about Sigmar as she could, and in Taddig she had a useful informant. For his part, he wished to ingratiate himself with her so as to be able to keep Havil informed of what she was learning from her new friend. They often spoke together, and it was Taddig who told her that Sigmar was giving shelter to Babra, the former king of Kroya, and Havil's most potent enemy.
The next day Doo asked Jivvae if she was able to speak to her father freely. Jivvae shrugged. Then Doo said: "The Sairish king who was such a problem for your people is not liked here in Budenrath. King Havil has a quarrel with him. Your father must speak to his majesty. I am sure they could come to an agreement."
Jivvae objected: "My father does not speak his language . . . "
Doo had thought of that. "You could interpret for him. "
"Our tribe is broken," Jivvae objected. "Why should the king form an alliance with us?"
Doo only said: "Please speak to your father anyway."
Despite Jivvae's reluctance to commit herself, she obviously did speak to him because a few days later she told Doo that he wished to see her.
Confronted by the chieftain, Doo quickly got the impression that he was suspicious of her. He rapped out a series of questions at her, which Jivvae did her best to translate. Doo became frightened, and in an undertone Jivvae tried to reassure her that he meant her no harm.
Then the questions changed, and Doo found herself being interrogated about Kroya. There were, she said, many mines in the kingdom. He immediately wanted to know how many, and what they produced. Reluctantly she had to tell him that she had no idea how many, but in answer to his second question she said that gold, silver and iron were all mined. The words meant nothing to him, so she pointed out the silver and gold ornaments in the room, and the swords of the Theigan attendants. He repeated the Theigan words, as though committing them to memory, but the one he most wanted to be sure of was the word for iron. He seemed to be pleased with her, and beckoning, held out a ring that he took from his little finger. Doo looked at Jivvae for guidance; she was smiling. "He wants you to have it," she said. "He is grateful to you."
As she took it from him he spoke again. Jivvae said: "He asks you to arrange a meeting between him and the king."
Doo was momentarily taken aback. Then she thought of Taddig; she was sure he would help, and through Jivvae she assured the chieftain that it would be done.
She would have liked to be at the meeting when it took place, but had to be content with Jivvae's report of it. Jivvae told her that it had not lasted long, but that the two men had parted amicably.
"What did they talk about?" Doo asked, but Jivvae shrugged. "It wasn't for me to understand," she said.
There were several meetings after that, and Doo longed to know what was going on; it was extraordinary to her that Jivvae could be playing such an important part in them without seeming to know what was being said.
It was Taddig who eventually told her that an understanding had been reached. "The King," he told her, "will help Jaejisir against Sigmar. He will give him weapons and put Theigan soldiers at his disposal."

Doo laughed and clapped her hands. Only later did she learn that there was another dimension to the "understanding."

* * * *

The position in which Havil found himself at the time of the fugitives' arrival in Kroya was peculiarly unsatisfactory, for he was king, but king in name only. The real power was exercised not from the capital of Budenrath but from the headquarters of Cregitzig, the military commander.
Cregitzig's allegiance was to Haz, King of Theigia, and the payment Haz claimed for installing Havil on the Kroyan throne was the entire production of gold and silver from the Kroyan mines. Cregitzig was in charge of the operation, which he organised on military lines. He seized control of all the kingdom's precious-metal mines, increased the work-force by sending women and children into them along with their men-folk, and shipped the refined ores to Theigia via the port of Segan.
If there was anything Havil resented more than the emasculation of his government, it was the plundering of his kingdom's wealth, but he had thought himself powerless to do anything about either. Then Taddig, at Doo's request, had suggested he meet Jaejisir, the fugitive chieftain.
"What for?" he had asked.
Taddig said "We can lose nothing, and there is a chance we might learn something useful. His daughter will translate."
After the meeting, Havil said: "I don't see the point of that." Taddig was philosophical. "Look on this first meeting," he said, "as you would an acorn. What man, who has never yet seen an oak tree, can hold as small a thing as an acorn in his hand and imagine what it will one day become? We should not be discouraged by small beginnings, my lord."
Havil agreed to another meeting, and his interest in the barbarian chieftain began to stir.
He learnt that Jaejisir's and the other Lodmurak tribes had limited access to iron, and had no knowledge of steel-making, and that it was their reliance upon inferior bronze weaponry which accounted for their inability to make headway against the Sairish army. Jaejisir argued that if he commanded an army equipped with steel swords he would gain ascendancy over the other Lodmurak tribes. Their warriors would be absorbed into his victorious army, and then not even Sigmar could stop him.
Taddig pointed out privately to Havil that military conquest produces captives, and that here might lie a solution to Kroya's chronic shortage of man-power. "Cregitzig," he reminded the king, "is having to use women and children in the mines. The very little children and women who are carrying unborn children are of limited use, and many, I hear, are dying. If Jaejisir is victorious with the weapons we provide him, he must send us the prisoners he takes. By their labour new mines could be opened, and the king of Theigia need know nothing about them.
Havil thought it a very attractive idea, and at his next meeting he got Taddig to outline it to Jaejisir.
When he understood what was being proposed ,the Lodmurak chieftain nodded in agreement. He said that he would take many prisoners, more than enough, and Havil supposed he meant that some at least would be made to fight for him. Jaejisir did indeed have that in mind, but he was also considering the needs of Histiggar, the Lodmurak god of war whose terrible thirst had always to be assuaged by the spilling of sacrificial blood.
After the meeting, Taddig surprised Havil be saying he was not happy with the way the discussions were going. "We only have his word," he said, "and what value can be placed on the word of a barbarian? Now, if we had a hostage . . . "
"His wife?" Havil suggested.
"No," said Taddig. "His daughter. She is not unattractive, would you say?"
"Very striking," said Havil.
"I think it would suit your purposes," went on Taddig, with slow deliberation, "if you were to marry her."
Havil was astonished. "But I am betrothed to Dradigsad's girl," he objected.
"We have heard nothing from that man since you arrived here," Taddig reminded him. "And I would ask you this: what sort of a prize is Felda for a king? The arrangement between your parents and Dradigsad was made before the momentous events took place that made you prince of one of the wealthiest realms in the world."
"The dowry was phenomenal," Havil pointed out.
"Marry the barbarian's daughter, and I promise you that Dradigsad's dowry will look meagre. If Jaejisir is successful in the field, and with Cregitzig's help he will be, you will have greater wealth than any living man."
Havil was once more astonished: "Cregitzig!" he exclaimed. "We know to our cost where his loyalty lies."
"May be we do, may be we don't," said Taddig. "I suggest you invite him to attend your majesty here at the castle."
Havil was doubtful. "On what pretext can I get him here? That man doesn't come and go at my bidding."
"I suggest you invite him here to celebrate your betrothal, and then we will put it to him that he and his army join forces with the barbarian,"
"He won't agree!" predicted Havil.
"I think I know our commander," said Taddig, and he gave a lopsided smile. "But if he proves to be difficult we shall just have to think of something else . . . "
"Such as?"
"Your majesty, many solutions can be found on the point of a sword."
It took Havil a few moments to grasp his adviser's meaning. Then he grinned. "Not even our commander would expect to meet the point of a sword at a king's betrothal. Arrange another meeting with what's-his-name. We will tell him I will marry his daughter. Taddig, if we are successful in this, I will show you my gratitude."
"I know," said Taddig.