Episode LXXX - Friends, Family and Acquaintances

            "What is the meaning of this, Kerring?" the Kahn demanded in the imperious tones of man several decades younger than he appeared.  Ellis flinched despite himself and fought the urge to withdraw into the booth for safety.

"If I may ask, my Lord Kahn," Kerring replied with an oily obsequiousness, "to what are you refferin'?"

"I am referring," the Kahn replied, emphasising the 'g' with furious intensity, "to the fact that I donated a substantial sum of darics to your circus on the condition that everything you did was above board, and yet here you are, exploiting this poor boy and bleeding my nobles dry with false claims!"

There were gasps from the assembled nobility and Ellis saw the Shahzada speaking furiously to someone next to him.  Somewhere a voice could be heard asking, "You mean he's not from the other world?"

"I can assure you, my Lord Kahn, Ellis 'ere is bein' looked after with the best care in the world, and my claims are not fraudulent as you say.  'E really is from the other world!"

"Oh, I don't doubt the latter, Kerring, but I now know for a fact that you have kidnapped this poor boy and I will not have it.  And to think you have the audacity to pull such a stunt in front of the very doors of my palace.  It is an affront to my honour and to the consciences of every right-thinking man and woman here!"

There were murmurs of agreement, although Ellis wondered how many really cared and how many were just trying to impress the Kahn with their sudden philanthropy.

It was at this point, Ellis surmised, that Kerring first noticed the Former Baron standing behind the Kahn and his attendants and his eyes narrowed to mean little slits.

"Is all this comin' from 'im?" he asked, pointing towards the deposed nobleman, "because I 'appen to know that Franck there is a liar an' a fraud of the 'ighest order.  I wouldn't trust 'im as far as I could throw an Overweight Oilyphant!"

Ellis watched the Kahn's reaction closely and was surprised to see this statement give the powerful man a moment's pause.  Don't believe him, he thought, don't believe him!

It seemed a long time before he finally spoke, but when he did it was with a sudden, unexpected smile.  "Franck is an old friend of mine.  You shouldn't try to fabricate lies about my friends to my very face, Kerring."

Kerring paled, then he began to sweat even more profusely than he had been before.  It rolled in great drips off his forehead and his hands started to shake.

"I can assure you, my Lord Kahn - there's a very reasonable explanation for all o’ this."

"Oh yes," the Kahn replied, "and I'll make sure the torturers in my dungeon find out exactly what that is."  He clapped his hands, just once, and then chaos was unleashed upon the Plaza of the Kahn.

There was the sound of thundering footsteps from all directions as at least a hundred of the palace guard flooded the grounds of the circus, their main goal clearly to secure Kerring, but they made sure that all the circus performers were rounded up as well.  Animals roared, there was a feral cat screech from Grimblegaw and sporadic patches of violence flickered briefly across the space.  The gathered nobility took their cue and fled.

Kerring, of course, tried to run off with them, but he had no hope at all, in every direction he ran the guard were already advancing.  Eventually he returned to Ellis' booth, glanced pleadingly at Nadiyya, who still stood nonchalantly at its side, and cried out, "I'll make it worth your while, little princess!  All you 'ave to do is show of some of those famous skills of yours."

Nadiyya showed no sign that she was listening.

"Please, Nadiyya, I'll do anything'!"

And then the guards were on him and he was dragged away, kicking the air feebly as he went.  Ellis tried not to laugh.

"Nadiyya," the Kahn said, clearly a statement, rather than a question.  He stood, pensive, staring at her with the keen eyes of a desert eagle, or a vulture.

"Uncle," the tamer replied calmly after a moment.  Ellis couldn't believe his ears.

"We have much to discuss," the Kahn said, then turned around and began to lead his entourage away.

"Ah, Irfan," the Former Baron called out, the first thing he had said since this whole performance began, "a moment, if I may?"

The Kahn turned and for a just a moment Ellis could have sworn he was about to shout at the old Philosopher with a terrible anger, his posture seemed tense and uninviting, but when the Kahn spoke it was suddenly warm and friendly, like his voice; rich like whiskey.

"Yes, old friend?"

"There is still something I would like to talk to you about.  A request, if I may?"

Something unreadable flickered across the aged Kahn's expression, then he nodded.

"Come see me once the boy has been safely attended to and I shall listen to your request."  He turned to glance at the taciturn tamer, "See that this is done, Nadiyya, then accompany them."

"Yes, Uncle," Nadiyya nodded politely, although with no particular deference, then, as the Kahn stepped away once more, she made her way around the back of Ellis' booth and unlocked the door.

Ellis almost expected to be treated gently now that he was free again, but after Nadiyya pulled the door of the booth open, she reached in, grabbed him uncomfortably by the shoulder and pulled him out into the night with a harsh jerk.

"Now I am out of a job," she whispered, her tone cool, "and my life is about to get a lot more complicated.  I will not forget this."  Then she pushed him around to the front of the booth and let him stumble forwards a few steps to where the Former Baron and Gulliver stood waiting.

"Well that was easier than usual, I 'ave to admit," Gulliver said, sounding genuinely surprised and more upbeat than he had in weeks.  He glanced at the Former Baron and added, "When you said the Kahn would sort everythin' out I thought you were just spinnin' another ramblin' tale like always."

"You never said you and Kahn were friends," Ellis added, "although, perhaps I'm just delirious, but occasionally it looked like he wanted to kill you."  He laughed nervously.

"Oh, I'm quite sure he does," the Former Baron replied, "quite sure.  Irfan and I go way back, it's true and we were good friends when we were children, but I made a mistake, a very grave mistake of the kind we Von Spektrs seem especially prone to and since then... well since then we've been terrible, terrible enemies."

"There's no worse enemy-" Ellis began.

"-than a three hundred ton Greater Pelagic Spicewhale during rutting season, I know," Von Spektr interrupted, "but an old friend is almost as bad."

"'E seemed so nice, though," Gulliver objected.

"Indeed he did, as is appropriate to the social situation we find ourselves in and in respect for the days when we truly were friends, but, outside of formal and informal audiences, he will stop at nothing in his attempts to kill me now that he knows I'm here.  He already sent one assassin after me between leaving our seats in the pavilion and coming here."

"'E never!"

"Who else do you think that girl with the delightful golden roses was if not an assassin?  You don't think anyone else in Searingsands would give something away for free, do you?"

"So that's why you 'andled them so carefully.  And I did think it odd when you gave them 'er back.  It didn't seem like you to prick her thumb like that... wait, is she dead now?"

"More likely simply comatose.  I'm sure Irfan would rather I was tortured before I died."

"Oh dear," Ellis said, "I didn't realise I would cause so much trouble just stepping out of the door."

"Oh, stepping out the door is just about the worst thing anyone can do, but I'm glad we got you back safely, my boy."

"Thank you," Ellis replied, blushing a little.

"Now, let's go brave the perils of the palace."  he turned towards Ellis' silent 'tamer'.  "Nadiyya, was it?"  She nodded.  "Could you lead the way, please?"

Nadiyya shrugged, then stepped ahead and gestured for them all to follow.  It was a little superfluous, what with the palace being the largest building in Searingsands and standing only a couple of hundred yards away, but Ellis supposed there might be a ceremony of sorts to moments like this.

"Now that I think on it," the Former Baron said suddenly, interrupting Ellis' thoughts, "I think that the larger Benthic Spicewhale might be a worse enemy than a Pelagic one, but, really, who has the time or the energy to waste stirring things up at the bottom of the ocean these days?"

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