The Two of Swords: Part 11 Read Online Free PDF

we’ve just demonstrated, in fact. He made us as we are, therefore by implication we must be good for something; our duty is to find out what it is. It’s a bit crazy, though. I mean, take me and my brother. You ever come across him?”
    “Once.”
    “Once is enough. He was always so jealous of me when we were kids. And quite right, too, because I was always smarter, stronger, better looking, better singing voice. It was quite pathetic sometimes. He was always trying to find something he could be good at, and as soon as he did, I took it up, too, and got better at it than him, just to put him in his place. Drove him crazy. I never let him keep a girl for more than five minutes, either. I guess I’m partly responsible for the mess he’s turned himself into, but what the hell. I never liked him very much. I think the day I joined the army was the happiest day of his life.”
    Musen grinned. “I can see why.”
    “Well, quite. But the point is, here you have me, a man with all the talents, all the graces, I could’ve been a great musician or a poet, I could’ve been a wise statesman, definitely an outstanding general. And what does He decide to use me for? Robbing people and leading bandits.” He shrugged. “His will be done, I guess, but I can’t help thinking it’s a waste.”
    Musen looked at him sideways. “You sure that was Him and not you?”
    “Oh, yes.” Axeo scowled. “That was Him all right. He put me in a position where I had no choice but to throw it all away and become the sorry object you see before you. I don’t actually care if you believe this or not, but you’ll never ever meet anyone who’s given up more for his faith than I have.” He smiled. “Just as well He and I both have such a strong sense of humour,” he said. “Otherwise we wouldn’t be nearly such good friends.”
    He waited for Musen to ask, but he didn’t. So he said, “You don’t approve of me, do you?”
    Musen pulled off his other boot. “Have we got any money left?” he said.
    “Not much,” Axeo replied, “apart from what you filched out of the strongboxes, in spite of what I told you.” He held out his hand. Musen tapped the heel of the boot he’d just taken off, and coins tumbled out. “Just as well you don’t obey orders,” Axeo said, and picked them up. Twelve angels; old coins, pre-schism, but still current, the few that were left. Most of them had been melted down long ago, because the gold content was higher. “Not bad,” he went on. “We can buy a coach and horses to take us home and still have enough left for a small farm.”
    Musen gave him a look that wasn’t a scowl but did just as well.
    But the sad reality is that it doesn’t matter how much money you’ve got if there’s nobody around to sell you things. That morning they passed four substantial farms, all boarded up, the stables empty. Musen climbed a roof, dug down through the thatch and came out again with half a cheese and a slab of dusty bacon, or they’d have gone hungry.
    Mail coaches passed them once or twice; but all going to the city, none coming back the other way. Axeo didn’t like that at all.
    “For all we know,” he complained, “Rasch has already fallen, Senza’s on his way up here and this has all been a complete waste of time.” He covered his pocket with his hand, just to make sure it was still there. “You’re definite that was the right pack?” he added.
    “Yes. You keep asking me that. I’m sure.”
    “It’s ironic, the fate of a great city depending on the antiquarian knowledge of the likes of you. Don’t they have horses in Rhus? Is that why you walk everywhere?”
    “Horses cost money.”
    “That was never a problem when I was growing up,” Axeo said gravely. “Everything else, but not money, we were fine for that. All gone now, of course. I was the eldest, so when I had my bit of difficulty it was all forfeited to the Exchequer. Oida’s never forgiven me for that. Actually, he’s never