83.06 Inversions by Iain M. Banks

Author:Iain M. Banks
Language: eng
Format: mobi
ISBN: 9780671036683
Publisher: Hachette Digital
Published: 2008-09-03T23:00:00+00:00

This too I found later, not in the Doctor’s journal but in some other papers (and have edited it slightly to present a more continuous narrative). The common participant of these two passages is Walen, but - especially given all that happened later - I simply do not know what to make of it. I record. I do not judge. I do not even offer speculation.

12. THE BODYGUARD

The Royal Park of Croughen Hills had been a private game reserve of the royal house of Tassasen for several centuries. UrLeyn had parcelled large parts of it out to various of the nobles who had supported his cause in the war of succession, but reserved the right of the Protector and his court to go hunting in the forests.

The four mounts and their riders circled the tall clump of brush and tangled creeper bush where they reckoned their prey had gone to ground.

RuLeuin took out his sword and leaned down from the saddle, poking at the mass of vegetation. ‘Are you sure he went in here, brother?’

‘Quite certain,’ UrLeyn said, dipping his face towards his mount’s neck and squinting at an opening into the bushes. He lowered himself still further, letting go of the reins with one hand to peer into the undergrowth. DeWar, riding at his side, reached out to hold the reins of UrLeyn’s mount. RuLeuin, on the far side of the bushes, also leant down upon the neck of his mount.

‘How is the boy today, UrLeyn?’ YetAmidous said, voice booming. His big face was red and bright with sweat.

‘Oh, he’s well,’ UrLeyn said, levering himself upright again. ‘Better with every day. Still not strong, though.’ He glanced round, looking back up the slope beneath the trees. ‘We need some beaters here . . .’

‘Get your dark man to beat for us,’ YetAmidous said to UrLeyn, referring to DeWar. ‘You’ll get down and beat for us, won’t you, DeWar?’

DeWar smiled thinly. ‘I only beat out human prey, General YetAmidous.’

‘Human prey, eh?’ YetAmidous said with a hearty laugh. ‘Those were the days, what?’ He slapped his saddle. DeWar’s thin smile lasted a little longer.

In the last years of the old Kingdom, when King Beddun had been at his most carelessly cruel, prisoners - or poachers unlucky enough to be caught plying their trade in the forest - had provided most of the prey for hunts. That tradition of savagery had been outlawed, but there was one memento of the time present, DeWar thought, in the shape of the old King Beddun’s antique hunting crossbow, which UrLeyn carried slung over his back.

UrLeyn, DeWar, YetAmidous and RuLeuin had become separated from the main part of the hunt, which could be heard on the far side of the hill. ‘Sound your horn, will you, Yet?’ UrLeyn said. ‘Let’s get some of the others here.’

‘Right you are.’ YetAmidous brought his horn to his lips and let a great blare of sound escape. It almost coincided, DeWar noticed, with the sound of horns coming from the other side of the hill, so probably was not heard.

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