JULIEN

II

Chapter 1

Last night in sweet slumber...

Julien was looking at the pale figure of Ambar, who was making his way back to the bed. In a few seconds he would be snuggling against his warm, soft body. The thought of embracing him was already starting to give him an erection...

“Berthier! You're asleep again! Perhaps two hours of detention on Saturday morning will teach you not to ruin your brain by sitting up watching television until after midnight!”

Startled into wakefulness, Julien felt himself sinking into a terrible bottomless pit of despair. The horrible reality of his classroom and the voice of the awful 'Julliard Witch', a maths teacher who remained completely impervious to the spirit of liberty which had supposedly been broadcast continually since the Spring of 1968 forced their way into his consciousness. All that remained of his beautiful dreamed-of world was a heart-rending memory. In that world he had loved a boy and been loved in return. It was a world far more real than this dull one, and its image, far from drifting away like the mist in the morning, seemed burnt into his mind in order to torment him further.

On his left Gallier, who shared a double desk with him – a desk that dated back to the days of metal-nibbed pens and ink-pots – was carefully copying from the blackboard the diagram that had been drawn there by a humourless woman whose fate it was to try to explain Euclidean geometry to a set of children whose only wish was to be somewhere else. Gallier was a good friend, and in another world Julien was sure that he'd have been happy to join in with the sort of games that couldn't even be mentioned in this world.

This world! The thought of being stuck in this horrible reality was too much for him, and he gave a sort of strangled sob...

“Julien! Julien! What's wrong?”

In the dim light of the kang he saw Ambar, who looked positively alarmed. Julien felt overwhelmed by a wave of relief that was so strong that for a few seconds he didn't even try to withhold the sobs that were stopping him from answering Ambar's question. He just pulled the smaller boy into his arms and held him tight until eventually his breathing settled back into its normal rhythm. Finally he got himself under control.

“It was a nightmare,” he explained.

“Huh?”

“I dreamed I was back in my world. None of this had ever existed: it was just a dream, and I was waking up from it. You can't begin to imagine how horrible it was, waking up to find myself in the middle of a nightmare... Tell me that you're real!”

Ambar didn't need to speak, because the kiss he bestowed instead would have convinced the world's biggest sceptic. Besides, nobody that Julien had known on Earth would have dared to press against him something as insolently hard as the thing that Ambar was favouring him with.

oo0oo

The morning revealed the form of Dillik who, as he had recently started doing almost every day, had crept into the bed between the two friends in order to take part in the early morning cuddling session. He was still asleep, but Ambar was in the process of waking him up in his usual unrestrained way – a way which would have horrified Julien's parents if they had known about it. They were having breakfast not so very far away, and as far as they were concerned there were things that a young boy wasn't supposed to put in his mouth. Actually, in their world young boys weren't even supposed to get erections, let alone actually do something with them And as for their own beloved son, it was completely unthinkable that he should witness such goings-on without trying to put a stop to it.

Outside it was raining heavily, and the quays on the lake would no doubt already be flooded. The rainy season had started two months previously, a fortnight after Julien's parents had surprised him by organising a little party for his thirteenth birthday. They weren't completely sure that it was the right day because the calendars weren't the same, but they thought it was close enough. However, the noise of the storm didn't bother Ambar at all, and he just got on with what he was doing, in a way that his partner clearly found thoroughly satisfying.

Once Dillik got his breath back he sighed contentedly before rolling over to face Julien.

“Good morning!” he said. “You didn't wake up when I got into bed. You must have been really tired. I bet that was Ambar's fault!”

“In a way,” said Julien. “But he only did it to help me forget a bad dream I'd had.”

“Don't you want me to help you forget it too? I bet there are still a few little memories you'd like to get rid of!”

“No, thank you. You can give me a good morning kiss if you like, but Ambar is really efficient and there's nothing else that needs getting rid of.”

Dillik had obviously been hoping for a different answer, but although he went on making puppy eyes at him, Julien remained unmoved.

“I've got an appointment with Master Subadar,” he said. “I'm sure you don't want me to keep him waiting.”

“Why not, if it's your health that's at stake? I'm sure you don't want people saying that he doesn't care whether you're healthy or not!”

Julien laughed as the door chime sounded.

“Put on a laï and go and open the door instead of lying there talking nonsense,” he said. “I expect it's breakfast.”

With a slightly sulky expression Dillik went over to the door.

“Hello,” he said. “You're new, aren't you? Is Kardok on holiday?”

But the muttered reply of the servant was drowned out by the whirr of Xarax's wings as he crossed the kang at full speed and collided with the servant, who was knocked back into the corridor as the plates and precious china shattered on the marble floor.

Obviously Tannder's training was having the desired effect, for within a few seconds Julien and Ambar were both at the door, naked but armed, one with his viciously sharp nagtri knife and the other with his deadly mini-crossbow. A little further away Tannder's door flew open and the Silent Warrior emerged wielding his short sabre. It only took him a moment to work out what was happening and to rush to the woman, who was struggling to get up despite the efforts of the haptir, whose razor-sharp fangs were tearing at her wrists while his claws ploughed into anything that was within reach.

“Xarax!” cried Tannder. “Don't kill her!”

Reluctantly the haptir obeyed, relaxing his tail which was around the woman's neck and strangling her. He also stopped tearing at her flesh. Tannder leaned down and took from her ruined hand a small device, which he slipped into the pocket of his laï. And now finally Julien had a moment to look around, and he was able to see the bodies of the two guards who usually guarded his door a short distance away along the corridor.

“What happened?” asked Dillik in a shaky voice.

Julien turned around and saw him, his face almost as pale as his white laï and looking as if he might faint at any moment. He quickly ran to the smaller boy and hugged him.

“Don't be afraid,” he said. “It's all over now. I think Xarax just saved our lives.”

oo0oo

Tannder put something on the table. It was a small object of grey metal, egg-shaped, with three dents in its surface that looked as if they could have been made by someone pressing their fingers into it.

“This is an explosive device, My Lord,” he said. “It's certainly powerful enough to destroy everything in this kang. I just took it from that woman's hand. I'll hand it over to the illegal weapons experts, but I can already tell you that this does not come from any manufacturer, legal or otherwise, in the Nine Worlds. Once we're sure that it's safe I'll ask your father if it might have come from Earth.”

“Look, Tannder... yes, it's true that my father was in the army for a while, but he certainly isn't a weapons specialist. And I'd much rather you didn't mention this to my parents at all. You haven't spoken to them about it yet, have you?”

“No, My Lord, but...”

“Then please be good enough to issue orders forbidding anyone from mentioning it to them.”

“As you wish, My Lord. But...”

“Look, Tannder, if you tell them what happened this morning it'll only frighten them, and there's nothing they could do to help, anyway: you and Aldegard are already doing far more than my father could. It's difficult enough for them being here at all – yes, it's a nice place, but it's still a long way from their home. I don't want to make things even harder for them.”

“Very well, My Lord.”

“I don't suppose you know who that woman is?”

“Not yet, My Lord, but as soon as the Health Masters have stabilised her she'll be mentally probed, and then we'll find out.”

He turned to Xarax, who was now perched on Julien's shoulder.

“My congratulations, Master Haptir,” he said. “You managed to neutralise her without killing her with your venom. That must have taken a great deal of self-restraint.”

Xarax continued to stare at Tannder with his big red eyes, and at the same time he spoke inside Julien's head.

Don't say anything, he said. It would be better if you're the only one who knows that I don't have any more venom. I haven't even told Dillik.

“Anyway, My Lord,” Tannder went on, “until we find out how an assassin managed to get this close to you I think you ought to move to a different location.”

“That's sounds sensible,” agreed Julien. “I also think it'd be a good idea if Ambar and Dillik didn't stay too close to me.”

“What!?”

Both boys immediately broke into a torrent of protest. If Julien thought they were going to abandon him as soon as things got dangerous, he had another think coming. What did he take them for? Ambar flatly refused to go away, and if he was removed from Julien's side by force he would run away from his guards and find a way back. As for Dillik, he was sure that Xarax wouldn't want him to go away...

Julien let them shout until they started to repeat themselves, and then he told them to shut up and listen.

“One hour ago,” he said, “someone tried to kill us. All of us, even though the only one she actually wanted to kill was me.”

“Yes, but...”

“I know, Ambar. If Dillik hadn't been here and I'd answered the door myself I would be dead now. That's true, but it won't happen again. If we stay together, not only do we risk there being three corpses instead of one, but it also means that Tannder and the other people guarding me will have to defend three people instead of one. I'm sure Tannder doesn't want us to make his job harder than it already is. As for Xarax, I'm sure he'd prefer to stay with you, Dillik, but I'm afraid that's impossible right now, for several reasons. We have to stay together, me and Xarax, and that means that we're both going to have to leave someone we love very much indeed. Please don't make it harder for us.”

“But... we'll be able to come and visit... won't we?” asked Dillik.

“Think,” said Julien. “If they find out that you visit us, all they'll need to do to find us will be to follow you. Or, even worse, if they discover that I value you enough to risk putting my security in jeopardy they'll probably try to harm you in order to get at me.”

“But that's hardly a secret,” said Dillik. There must be loads of people who know about us being friends!”

“No. Actually I think that the few people who know about you staying with me – apart from our families, that is – think that you're just a pair of privileged boys that I keep with me to share my bed. I don't think that even Aldegard is aware of quite the way things are.”

“But that isn't true!”

“Of course it's not true. But it's a lot safer if that's what people think. With a bit of luck it means they'll leave you alone.”

“But... it's not fair!!”

Dillik was crying by now, and Ambar looked close to tears as well. Julien sighed: he didn't want to think about the loneliness he was setting himself up for.

“Tannder,” he said, “I imagine you've got an idea as to where we go from here.”

“Yes, My Lord,” he said. “I think we can at least keep Ambar and Dillik together if we send them to Dak Manarang to stay with Lord Tahlil.”

“Why not with Niil?”

“Because I'm fairly sure, knowing Niil as I do, that he'd insist on coming with you if he found out about it. And there's another reason, too: if we send them to Dak Manarang Dillik will be with his father, Master Dendjor. Lord Tahlil offered him the captaincy of his new trankenn, and Dendjor is supervising its fitting out. I was going to mention it to you, but I didn't get a chance.”

“It's good news. I didn't even know that Tahlil knew Dendjor.”

“I took the liberty of introducing them to each other. It struck me that here was a capable captain whose loyalty is unquestionable, and that it would be an excellent idea if he stayed close to the seat of power on Dvârinn.”

“That was good thinking – not that I'm an expert on Dvârinn, of course. All right, once Ambar and Dillik are safe we can decide what I'm going to do myself – and of course we'll have to make some arrangements for my parents.”

“I've been thinking about that, My Lord. The Imperial House owns a number of estates in and around Aleth, and I'm sure we could assign one of them to your parents. They're both capable of speaking Tünnkeh now, so they should be able to manage their household well enough. Furthermore, I understand that the Honourable Guide Wakhann really likes them and is fascinated by Earth civilisation, and so will certainly be happy to stay with them. And of course that will give them mobility: having a Guide in the house might be essential if there is any danger.”

oo0oo

Chapter 2

Preparations

“That woman's mind was blank, My Lord. She had no memory at all that was more than three hours old.”

“Was?” queried Julien.

“She's dead. The Health Masters had her fairly well stabilised, but it looks as if her body just decided to stop working. None of us has ever seen anything like it.”

“But she must have come from somewhere! Even if a Guide brought her here there must be some sort of a clue to tell us where she came from!”

“Yes, there are clues: she can only have come from Aleth. Actually we think she was a genuine employee of the Tower. We'll know for sure soon enough. In any case I strongly recommend that you leave here as soon as possible. Clearly someone has found a way around our security.”

“So where do you advise me to go, Tannder? I hope you're not going to suggest the Palace. We've already seen that it's about as leaky as a sieve, and I really don't want to bump into another death squad.”

“There are places in the Palace that only the Emperor can get into.”

“That's pretty much what everyone told me before I got jumped in the Ocean Rotunda.”

“I'm not talking about places that are sometimes open to visitors, like the Rotunda.”

“I know, Tannder. And I know you're not stupid. What I meant was that if the Palace's defences have been breached once, there's no guarantee that they can't find their way into those other places as well.”

“That's true, My Lord. However, when you're in the Palace you have access to resources that you can't use anywhere else. Remember how you burned your attackers to ash once Xarax had shown you how?”

“Yes, but if I go and hide myself away in the Palace our enemies will have gained a huge advantage. They'll have chosen the ground, because I can't believe they aren't expecting me to do exactly what you're suggesting. It's the most sensible course, and by far the most obvious.”

“That's true, My Lord.”

“You're responsible for my security, and so obviously you have to make whatever suggestion you think will keep me safest. But be honest, Tannder: if you were in my shoes, instead of being the one who had to protect me, would you want to go into a place where your enemies would know for certain where to find you?”

“If I was in your place, My Lord, I would take risks that I can't advise you to take simply because you're not me. Forgive me for speaking plainly, but you have neither the training nor the knowledge to deal with this kind of situation.”

“All right, but forget that for a moment and tell me what you would do.”

Tannder didn't answer straight away: he knew Julien well enough to recognise that the boy might easily take whatever he said as advice in disguise. However, he also recognised that the boy's reasoning was perfectly sound. He knew he could be setting in motion something whose consequences were impossible to foresee, but he still decided to answer truthfully.

“They're expecting you to run and hide in the Palace. If I was the Emperor I would indeed go to the Palace, just to demonstrate that I'm not prepared to abandon my own territory, but I'd leave it again immediately. Then I would start to make public appearances all over the Nine Worlds in order to defuse the rumours that suggest I have actually disappeared or am fatally weakened. Most of the time I'd avoid spending two nights in the same place, but every now and again I'd stay in the same location for a few days, just to keep my opponents off-balance. I'd make sure that I stayed in communication with my Mirrors, but I'd also start to contact – discreetly – those allies I know I can definitely count upon.”

“Why? Are you expecting it to come to war?”

“It looks as if our enemy has decided to act, and they might well try to stir up trouble anywhere in the R'hinz. I suspect that Nandak's stupid plan was actually inspired by those who want to overthrow you. And last, and most important, I'd try my hardest not to get paranoid. Once you start expecting to see traitors everywhere, you'll start seeing them even when you're actually looking at loyal allies. I'd make a point of leaving suspicion as the province of my head of security.”

“That's better! I definitely prefer you when you're being open with me. Now, we still have to decide what we're going to do about Niil. I've got an idea about that, but I want to hear what you think first.”

“Well, obviously you want to protect him, but in any case it's impossible to separate his fate from your own, because on several occasions now you've made your feelings towards Lord Niil known in public. Everyone in the Nine Worlds knows that striking at him would be a way of getting at you. So you're going to have to stay together.”

“I agree. And in any case I think he would refuse to leave me even if I ordered him to. We'd have to lock him up on his own trankenn! So we'll do exactly what you've advised me not to do. I hope you're still prepared to come with me, even if you do think I'm making a stupid choice.”

“Of course, My Lord.”

“I never doubted you for a moment. Right, so from now on nobody must know my intentions, not even Lord Aldegard.”

“He won't like it, but he will understand.”

“We're going to need Aïn, too, if he's prepared to come with us. Can you think of anything else?”

“I'd like to take Karik with us. He's a good lad, and he could be useful.”

“All right – he's your pupil, after all. But you have to let him decide for himself.”

“Oh, I don't think there's any questions about that. He got very angry a little while back when I suggested sending him with Ambar and Dillik. He even had the cheek to say that he could be positively useful to me, and that if I still wasn't convinced I should come to you. 'Ask Julien,' he said. 'He's my friend, he is. He'll understand that I don't want to let him down the moment things start to turn nasty.' The fact that he dared to argue with me demonstrates how seriously he feels about this. Normally I'd have dealt with that sort of insubordination by sending him to clean out the pak tchenn pens, but because he was clearly sincerely upset I simply confined him to his room.”

“Then you may console him and tell him that I'll be very happy if he comes with us.”

“I shall do no such thing – he'd take it as a compliment! Nothing would be more certain to sabotage the progress of a high quality student like him.”

“All the same, I hope you're not going to tell me not to treat him nicely. Don't forget that he stopped me from jumping off the top of Bakhtar Tower.”

“What!?”

“Didn't he tell you?”

“No, he most certainly did not!”

“There you are, then: that proves he can be trusted with secrets.”

“I like him more and more each day. But please don't tell him I said so! He is, as I said, an excellent student, and I hope I can train him up to a very high level indeed, provided...”

“Provided that I don't mess up his training?”

“Well, obviously I wouldn't put it quite like that...”

“Don't worry, interfering with his progress is the last thing I'd want. Bear in mind that I was there when he agreed to become your pupil in the first place, and I've always believed that if you make a silly decision you should have to live with the consequences...”

oo0oo

The mood at the Berthiers' table was very positive. Julien's parents, carefully shielded from the news of the assassination attempt, had spent the day visiting four properties owned by the Imperial House and had finally settled for the last one, saying that they couldn't possibly ask for more. It was neither the largest nor the most opulent, but it matched their idea of a dream residence. Actually it wasn't far from the house owned by Izkya, Lord Aldegard's daughter. It was on the bank of the same river and had its own private mooring, and the old butler who had shown them around had an avuncular air that instantly entranced Lady Isabelle. As for Lord Jacques, the prospect of leaving Bakhtar Tower for a place of his own made him feel very happy indeed.

“I understand that all our expenses will be paid by the Imperial Treasury,” he said. “Of course there really isn't much alternative, but I do feel a bit... well, awkward. The idea that my son is providing for me...”

“Dad, we owe you – both of you – a lot. After all, we more or less forced you to leave Earth, and we can't exactly tell you to go and work in a coal mine to support yourself, can we? Just enjoy it. Pretend you won the lottery, or something. I'm really glad you're here, anyway. I'm sure that Ugo would like to come for a visit now and then with Master Subadar. And I'll come by as often as I can...”

“I suppose you'll be on the move most of the time,” sighed his mother.

“Well, someone in this family has to earn a living!”

“You know, Duckling,” she said, “it's a pity you never had a chance to meet your grandparents, but I don't think your father and I would have been able to just drop everything on Earth and leave if they'd still been alive instead of dying during the war.... Anyway, your father and I have an announcement to make.”

Julien braced himself: this sort of formal introduction usually heralded a problem of some sort.

“Well,” said Mr Berthier, “you're … you're going to have a little brother.”

“Or a little sister,” added Mrs Berthier.

Julien burst out laughing.

“What's so funny?” asked his mother.

It took him a while to get himself back under control, but when he'd finally mastered his fit of the giggles, he managed to explain, “It's your faces. You're both bright red.”

And that set him off again.

When his father thought that Julien could actually hear him, he said, “Obviously it's silly for us to be embarrassed to talk about the birds and bees in front of someone who I'm sure has full access to the educational literature of the Nine Worlds. Isn't it, darling?

“Oh, yes! How do you translate it again? Something about a precious necklace?”

“No, it's called The Precious Garland of Delights,” said his father.

Now it was Julien's turn to blush. He had to fight like mad to stop himself from hiding under the table. Who the hell was the bloody idiot who had disobeyed his explicit order to keep his parents away from this element of R'hinz civilisation?

“I'm afraid it was our dear friend Wakhann who gave the game away,” explained Jacques, as if Julien had actually spoken aloud. “He innocently suggested that we buy you a good quality copy for your birthday. And you have to admit that it would have been a lot more classy than the hatik belt we gave you instead.”

“In fairness to Wakhann,” said Isabelle, “he still hasn't quite assimilated every aspect of Earth culture. I wonder if you've had a chance to investigate The Secret Garden of Enchanted Flowers yet? Although I really hope you haven't yet found a copy of The Complete Cornucopia of Blissful Spouses...”

“All right, all right,” said Julien. “Stop it! You win!”

“Look,” said Jacques, determined not to leave a cloud over them, “to be completely honest I would have really liked to have owned a book like that when I was at school. But I don't think the school chaplain would have been terribly impressed.”

Somehow Julien managed to smile.

“Anyway,” his father went on, “I understand that you'll be leaving tomorrow. so next time we meet it will be in our new home. Thank you – even if you say you had nothing to do with it.”

“If you like,” suggested Julien, “you could ask Wakhann to take you both to Kardenang to do a bit of sailing with Gradik and Tenntchouk. You don't know them, but they are my friends. And their boat is called, for some reason, Isabelle.”

“It's kind of you to suggest it,” said Isabelle, “but probably I ought to take it easy for the next few months. I'll make sure your father goes sometimes, though.”

oo0oo

Ambar and Dillik were playing Territories while they waited for him, and it looked as if Dillik was going to win. But as soon as Julien appeared they abandoned the game and jumped to their feet, throwing themselves into his arms. It was obvious that they were both very unhappy.

“You can't do this to us!” cried Ambar. “I love you, and when Xarax isn't around Dillik looks like a shadow of himself.”

“And we don't care if it's dangerous!” added Dillik.

“We know you're doing it to protect us,” said Ambar, “but we reckon that someone who is strong enough to attack the Emperor and evade his security is sure to know about us. And he'll know that if he hurts us...”

“Yes,” interrupted Dillik, “and if Xarax is worrying about me he won't be able to concentrate on his job. You said that, remember, when you persuaded my father to let me come here!”

“So you can see there's no choice,” said Ambar. “We have to stay with you!”

“Stop!” shouted Julien. “Yes, I'd like to be able to take you with me more than anything, but I don't see how I can. Anyway, Tannder's the one who is in charge of security, and I really don't think he'd take a lot of notice if I told him I wanted you to come with me. But if you think you can change his mind, go ahead. You certainly won't get any argument from me.”

“Are you serious?” asked Ambar, scarcely able to believe what he had just heard.

“Yes, I'm serious. Just go along the corridor to his kang. I'm sure he won't be in bed just yet.”

“Right! We'll do that!”

“Wait! I want to make myself perfectly clear here: you can tell him that I agree that you can come with me if he thinks it practical. You may not tell him that I said you had to come and that he has to find a way to make it possible. Is that clear?”

“Yes, it is.”

“And if he says no, I want that to be final, and I want you to promise that in that case you'll do what he says even if it breaks your heart. All right?”

“Yes.”

“Right. Off you go, then!”

oo0oo