(Page 1 of 9) The Warrior and The Enchantress by Michael Bishop
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SUMMARY: What she needs is a blade who so good that he could escort her through the gates of Hell without the powers of darkness being any the wiser. And she know one such hero.....As she entered the cantina, she spotted him sitting in the corner. Not that it was particularly difficult: this early in the day there were no other few customers in the place . Besides, she would have recognised him anywhere.
She crossed the room with a smile on her lips. There is a certain irony in him, once the darling of the Army and probably its greatest warrior being here in Drywater.
Once, aeons ago, city has been a thriving metropolis. Then the deserts had come and the Forerunners who had built it attempted to maintain it by transporting water from the poles in great canals. However, the sands had won the struggle and original inhabitants were now long gone. Water still trickled along the canals though and most of fairy towers had survived the ravages of time if not entirely the occupation of their new tenants. A fallen town for fallen men. And he was most definitely a fallen man.
He had aged far more than she had, she decided as she slipped onto the bench opposite him. Also he had not been one to drink wine this early in the morning when she had last seen him. But then if you hit rock bottom in Drywater, it had to be one hell of a drop. And even harder landing.
She flipped back her hood. "Hello Janno. It wasn't easy to find you. But then I didn't expect even you to end up here."
He glanced up as if expecting her, but then he always had reacted with lightening speed in unusual situations. "There was nowhere else to go, Rashell," he replied. "But then some of us didn't change sides in the War. From a court enchantress to the old Triumvirate to a court enchantress to the new one, you are a real credit to the family. At least when I go to work I keep my pants on."
His words angered her. She leant forward so her face right in front in his, their noses so close that they almost touched. "Easy for you to say, Janno, one time General of the Army of the Rim. You are a man. When you are a woman, getting to the top then staying there is a damn sight more difficult. And mind your manners. You are the last of the old guard unaccounted for and there are some who still have not too fond memories of you.
"But, I am not here to argue or turn you in. I am here because I need an escort through the wilderness and you are the best blade I know. So are you interested or would you prefer to demonstrate the virtue of destitution?"
He pulled back a bit, but didn't bother to look around to see if any one was listening in. At this time of day he knew the cantina would have practically empty. In addition, if any one were watching, they would presume that any woman at his table were a lady of the night toting for some daytime business.
"No promises that I'll take the job, witch, but I am all ears. First I could do with another drink. The boss gets unhappy if he sees customers with empty cups."
She ignored the old jibe and waited whilst he signalled to the slattern who served drinks in the cantina to come over. When his cup had been filled and the slattern out of earshot, she composed herself.
"Here as much as I have learned," she began.
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