Chasing the Phoenix by Michael Swanwick Page B

lead, and together they retraced their steps back the way they had come.
    The messenger came running after him. “Sir! Sir!” he cried. “The generals await you.”
    Darger said nothing.
    The messenger trotted alongside the wagon. “Sir, you are expected! Why are you leaving?”
    Without looking at the man, Darger said, “What is your rank?”
    â€œI am an adjunct officer, sir.”
    â€œDo you consider yourself my equal?”
    â€œNo, sir! Of course not, sir!”
    â€œThen you will understand why I have nothing to say to you.”
    The nearest member of the honor guard brought his horse close enough to ask Darger, “Do you want this individual removed, sir?”
    â€œHe was just leaving,” Darger said. At which the messenger ceased running and was left behind.
    Without hurry, Darger drove back to the main gate. “Send up the flare with the black smoke,” he told one of his men. To Colonel Glorious Legend, who was clearly surprised to see him back so soon, he said, “You will of course want to supervise the proceeding to ensure that the rocket is nothing more than a flare, and that it is fired in the general direction of the Abundant Kingdom camp, rather than at your own men. It is commendable of you to be so thorough.”
    The gate had been opened and the flare just sent up when a general cantered up on a snow-white mountain horse. She was a stout woman with short-cropped hair. “Why are you leaving?” she demanded. “You asked to parley but left without saying a word. Come back and tell us what your offer is.”
    With all the dignity he could counterfeit, Darger replied. “I came here to negotiate a surrender and was greeted with rudeness and contempt. Insult me, spit on me, beat me, and leave me for dead by the wayside, if you wish, and for my own sake I care not. But I am here as the representative of the Hidden King, which means that what is done to me is in effect done to him. Your behavior was unacceptable. So the war must continue.”
    A flash of anger glinted from the general’s eyes but did not reach the rest of her face. Expressionlessly, she said, “Conditions are not always what they should be when an army is in the field. It is possible, as well, that the informality that infects an army under conditions of war has led to us behaving less respectfully than we should have. These are small things that can be corrected.”
    â€œI shall inform the Hidden King of your words. His mercy is beyond measure, and it is possible that he will overlook—only once!—this insult to his greatness. If so, I will come back tomorrow. If not, then not.”
    Darger left the camp, along with his honor guard, and the gate was closed behind him.
    *   *   *
    THE NEXT day, Darger returned to find an honor guard of Mountain Horses troops awaiting him. Colonel Glorious Legend saluted him respectfully and again inspected the wagon. “Who is this man behind you, and what’s in the cask he is sitting atop?”
    â€œHe is but a menial. Capable Servant, open the cask and let the officer see what it contains.”
    Capable Servant did so. Colonel Glorious Legend’s eyes widened.
    â€œYou may shut it now,” Darger told his servant. He gestured the officer closer and in a low voice said, “I feel I may confide in you, friend Glory, that this may well be the last day of my mission. If peace is achieved today … well, as you see, the Hidden King can be most generous.”
    There was some disagreement between their two ranking officers as to which honor guard would lead, which Darger settled by declaring that the Abundant Kingdom guard would parade single file on his right-hand side with the Mountain Horses guard to his left. (Little Spider, eagerly observing everything around her, made a sketch of the procession, which she decorated with butterflies in the margins.) This time, they were