With Reynardo In Exilio

I did not think that she exaggerated.

The upper level held several corridors and fewer rooms. Lined with paintings and statues they opened up into a great raised hall. And what strange paintings I saw as we hurried past. This one all deep blue with just one large, red eye. And this one, with strange shapes and wavy lines. And again, one the very scene of chaos, with long streams of paint strewn and splashed and dripped all about.

The hall by contrast was simple, even spare. Great hanging curtains of red, orange, yellow and black. Torches, a simple throne, then a narrow balcony all around leading to more corridors from which various soft musics came forth, making for a dissonant mix of odd tones. A man stood there on the balcony, a white shock of hair, purple cape and gay hat. I thought he looked like Belfagor.

"Hello, Morgana! How was your journey?"

"Why, hello father! It was joy itself. I have to thank you for making it such a pleasant cruise filled with the most diverse entertainments! I was hoping you could join us for the return trip." She made her way slowly up the steps to the balcony.

" ‘Us’? I see only you. You and...some of my mercenaries you’ve bribed, or lied to about your lost inheritance?"

She was up another few steps. Somewhere she had found a sword and was lifting it from her sheath. "Some of my uncle Belfagor’s men that I’ve bribed and lied to." She moved closer. He smiled and backed off a step. There was a commotion below. Natan rushed in, also in the company of variously garbed troops, many of them my own men! The two groups stood at arms, facing one another.

"Stand fast!" I cried, to keep the two troops from fighting. Natan stood in the hall directly beneath his father’s perch on the balcony.

"Hello, father! Greetings! How is your health? We’ve missed you back in Kashengar. You left so suddenly, we were worried about you, and in your leaving, you left the order of succession in doubt. And now that your brother in Terregnor has met an untimely death at the hand of one of Alter’s assassins, we thought it best to safeguard you in this self imposed exile of yours."

"I am indeed warmed by my son’s great concern over the health of his old father, and that you’ve traveled so far. Now, will Joram come rushing in next, eager to see his old man well?"

Natan laughed. "Unless you’ve had him drowned, something you should have done a short time after his birth." Natan too drew his sword, and now began to make his way up the opposite staircase.

Still very calm old Reynardo stepped back. I could see no place for his escape, Morgana and Natan could easily cut off his retreat to the near corridors.

"Come on, father, give it up! Don’t make us bruise your old frail body. We mean to bring you back, peaceably or not!"

Reynardo drew his sword. "Not so frail! I trained you both, I am still the Master!"

"We know all your tricks, old fox, you taught us well. Now be a good old man. Put away the sword." Nathan was coming up on the balcony now. Reynardo stepped back.

"Damn! He’s got a mirror up here, sister!"

"Grab him! Grab him, before..."

Natan rushed forward, but it was too late. Reyardo stepped back, into the mirror, and disappeared, followed by the sound of his laughter.

I ran up after them. Morgana went to the mirror and ran her hand over the surface.