Shadow of a Hero by Peter Dickinson

Author:Peter Dickinson
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781448172627
Publisher: RHCP

LEGEND

The Danube Pilot

NOW SELIM PASHA sent for his Captains and said, ‘Restaur Vax holds Potok and all Varina north of the Danube. Soon the Sultan will hear of his doings, and he will send armies with generals, and he will say to us who live here, “Why have you allowed our rest to be disturbed by a mere bandit?” And he will take from us our estates, and our sons he will send to his galleys and our daughters to harems, and our names will be no more.’

The Captains said, ‘We cannot fight Restaur Vax, though we are many more than he. He is too strong in his mountains, where he knows the goat-paths and the paths of the hunter, and can fall on us unawares.’

Selim said, ‘Then we must bring him across the river to our own lands, where the mountains are less, and strange to him. Go now through the land with your bazouks, and demand of the people more taxes than they can pay, and when they refuse punish them with great cruelty, so that they cry out to Restaur Vax to come to their aid.’

As he commanded, so it was done, until the West Varinians sent word to Restaur Vax saying, ‘Come to our aid, or we are no more a people.’ And Restaur Vax said, ‘We will go.’ But his chieftains said, ‘Selim will set watch on the river and send his bazouks against us while some of us are yet on the water and those who have landed are as yet unready.’

Restaur Vax said, ‘We will cross in the dark of the moon.’

His chieftains said, ‘This is madness. Who crosses the Danube in the dark of the moon? Only the hardiest pilots, and how can we trust them? All the pilots are Serbs and Bulgars.’

Restaur Vax said, ‘Let boats be gathered at Vosh. Selim will no doubt send us a pilot.’

And so it was, for a man came to Restaur Vax saying, ‘I am the hardiest pilot on all the river, from the White Mountains to the Inmost Sea. I will lead you over in the dark of the moon.’

Restaur Vax looked into his eyes and said, ‘You are a fine man. I guess you have many fine sons.’

The pilot said, ‘I have three fine sons.’

Restaur Vax, still holding his gaze, said, ‘I trust they are well.’

The man said, ‘They are indeed well.’

But Restaur Vax saw his eyes narrow as he spoke, and by that he knew that the man’s sons stood at that very hour in Selim Pasha’s courtyard, with ropes around their necks. Nevertheless, he told him that he should be their pilot, and they settled a price, and gave him food and wine. But as the man ate, Restaur Vax said to Lash the Golden, ‘Have this man watched in secret, and bring me word of all that he does.’

Then Restaur Vax took his horse and rode on the banks of the Danube, some kolons below Vosh, studying the further shore for a landing-place.

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