Lady Friday Part 14

"No other way," said Jakem, flinching. "It may only be reached through flight. As for wings, we have none, but perhaps Friday's Dawn .. . the Gilded Youths ... "

"Who you haven't let in," said Arthur. "Why was that?"

"Sat.u.r.day's Noon instructed us, I think because Friday's Dawn refused to obey. We were only following Sat.u.r.day's orders!"

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"Is Sat.u.r.day's Noon still here?" asked Arthur. "Are your elevators working? And your telephones?"

"No, Sat.u.r.day's Noon visited only briefly yesterday. Sat.u.r.day's Dusk has visited several times through the night, but he is not here now. The elevators answer to them, but not to us. Our telephones are not working."

"I want you to send a messenger to Friday's Dawn," instructed Arthur. "Tell him that Lord Arthur has a.s.sumed command of the Middle House and if he will follow my orders, he will be put in charge of this fortress and the Top Shelf."

"This fortress!" squeaked Jakem. "But Dawn's province is the Flat, down there "

Arthur lifted the point of his rapier.

"Yes, at once, Lord Arthur. Digby, you dunce! You heard Lord Arthur. Get yourself an olive branch and deliver his message immediately to Friday's Dawn outside the gates."

"Get those chairs out from the press and set them up here," said Arthur. He really needed to sit down. "Gaborl, Pluik!" shouted Jakem. "Move these chairs instantly for Lord Arthur!" "You help them," said Suzy to Jakem. "Those chairs look heavy."

"Yes, do," said Arthur. "Don't bother with the tea, though."

Without being told to, the Denizens set up one chair by itself and the others facing it in a semicircle. Arthur settled down in the single chair. He kept the Key in its rapier form, resting the blade across the arm of the chair, holding the hilt loosely in his hand.

"Sit down," he said to Jakem, who chose a seat facing him. Suzy sat down too, while Ugham stood between her and Fred.

"Since we're going to have to wait for a response from Friday's Dawn and for Fred to wake up, you can answer some more questions," Arthur said to Jakem.

"Anything, anything, milord."

"Has the Piper been here?" Arthur couldn't help but glance at Ugham, who met his eyes with an untroubled gaze. Arthur repressed a sigh. He liked Ugham, and he liked the sound of the Newniths. As the Piper had told him before the a.s.sault on the Citadel, they actually wanted to be farmers. But even so, Ugham was a problematic ally. One word from the Piper and he would have to turn on his friends.

"Not here," answered Jakem.

Arthur didn't suppress his sigh this time.

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"You mean not in Binding Junction or not in the Middle House?"

"Ah, I meant to say, he has been seen. He and a troop of his children appeared several hours ago and flew off, presumably to Friday's Scriptorium, if the Winged Servants did not intercept them first."

"Did anybody else go after him?"

"Hmm, I believe Sat.u.r.day's Dusk and a dozen or so Internal Auditors might have flown after him...." "Internal Auditors?" asked Arthur. "The most doughty soldiery of the Upper House," said Ugham. "Fell warriors, by all accounts."

"They can suck your innards out by looking at you," said Suzy. " 'Least that's what they say."

"I wonder which children the Piper had with him," said Arthur. "He must have used the Improbable Stair, or he'd have brought Newniths. That reminds me. We encountered a Nithling in the Flat, Jakem. A kind of pig thing with a horn. ..."

"A pig thing with a horn? Ah, I do believe there was some nasty squealing coming out of the elevator Sat.u.r.day's Dusk was using.... It could perhaps have been the type of created Nithling called a grannow-boinch...."

"I thought it must have come with Sat.u.r.day's Dusk,"

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said Arthur. "Strange combination, though. I wonder what the Fetchers were looking for... . Do you know, Jakem?"

"I beg your pardon, Lord Arthur?" Jakem wiped his brow nervously and went back to wringing his hands. "Do I know..."

"Do you know what Sat.u.r.day's Fetchers were looking for down on the Flat?"

"Um, not exactly. I do believe there was some talk about something, perhaps a modified rodent, that had taken something not exactly its property. ... "

"A Raised Rat!" exclaimed Arthur. "They were looking for a Raised Rat. I wonder what it could have taken?"

"I don't know precisely," said Jakem. "But I did happen to hear a little of the conversation between Sat.u.r.day's Noon and Dusk, and that fragment leads me to think the rat if it was a rat might have laid its paws upon a letter."

/ wonder what that's all about, thought Arthur. He rubbed his eyes in an effort to banish his weariness. A Raised Rat who stole something, presumably from Sat.u.r.day, and they're looking for it on the Flat of the Middle House....

"Reckon it must have jumped a Transfer Plate, the one Friday's messenger gave to Sat.u.r.day, same as we did for 227.

the Piper's," said Suzy. "I thought I saw some funny prints in the snow when we arrived, didn't I, Uggie?" Ugham nodded. Arthur looked at him sharply, but this time the Newnith did not meet his gaze, instead looking into a s.p.a.ce above Arthur's shoulder.

You know something about this, thought Arthur. I wonder if you saw the Raised Rat. I'd better ask Fred what he saw. I hope he wakes up soon. In the meantime, maybe I could take a little rest too .. . try to think....

"I'm going to shut my eyes for a few minutes," said Arthur. "Suzy, Ugham, can you keep watch?" "Sure," said Suzy. Ugham nodded again. "Jakem, you're not to go anywhere or do anything, or give any orders." "I completely understand, milord!" Arthur looked around the room, at the press, and at the Denizens who still stood up on the winding gallery. It all looked safe enough, for the moment. "Wake me when Digby comes back with the reply from Friday's Dawn," said Arthur, and he shut his eyes.

228.

Chapter nineteen

The Newnith soldier thrust with his spear, and this time it got under Arthur's shield. He saw it slide under in horrifyingly slow motion and then it hit his armor, and for a second he thought it would be all right, but it slid under that too and was about to slide into his actual stomach. The Newnith was shouting, "Friday's Dawn .. . Friday's Dawn . . . Friday's Dawn ..." Arthur came awake with a cry and a jump that almost tumbled him out of the chair. He felt terrible, stiff and sore all over. His joints hurt from the flight up from the ca.n.a.l, and his muscles hurt from escaping the press. Suzy was standing next to him, plucking his sleeve. "Friday's Dawn is coming in! He's accepted your offer!" Arthur blinked, wiped his eyes, and sat up straight. "Is Fred " Fred waved at him from the chair opposite and gave a rueful smile. "Sorry I drank the tea, Arthur. It was stupid of me " "Don't worry," said Arthur. "I almost drank it too. Uh, how long have I been asleep?"

229 .

"Around an hour," said Suzy. "That right, Jakey?"

Jakem reached into his robes and pulled out a pocket watch, flicking open the case with his thumb. He studied it intently for a few seconds, then replaced it.

"Fifty-three minutes, milord," he said. "Friday's Dawn is waiting. Do you still wish to speak to him?"

"Send him in," said Arthur.

Friday's Dawn was, as Arthur expected, a tall and handsome Denizen. But he had not expected to see one in golden plate armor that extended from ankle to neck, including a cuira.s.s shaped with more muscles than even a Denizen could have. Long daisy-yellow wings were folded at his back, pinions rising above his head and tail feathers reaching almost to his armored ankles. He carried his visored and plumed helmet in the crook of his left arm, above a curved sword on his hip, which was balanced by some kind of short bow in a leather case on his right. A bandage around his forehead was stained with blue blood, indicating a recent wound and harsh fighting, presumably with Sat.u.r.day's forces.

Dawn bowed stiffly before Arthur, who stood and inclined his head in return.

"Greetings, Lord Arthur." Dawn's voice was gravelly, not at all as pleasant and melodic as most senior Denizens.

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"And to you, Friday's Dawn," said Arthur. "I trust you heard my offer correctly? That if you will obey my orders, I shall place you in command of Binding Junction and the Top Shelf?"

"I did, Lord Arthur, and .. . reluctantly .. . I accept," said Dawn. "Reluctantly?" Arthur asked. This Denizen was a straight talker, which made a pleasant change after Jakem.

"Yes, milord," Dawn replied stiffly. "However, I see little choice. Lady Friday has abandoned us, as have my compatriots, her Noon and Dusk. Since I am not one to partake of her ... amus.e.m.e.nts ... she clearly chose to leave me behind. My loyalty is thus not to Friday but to the Middle House and those in it. That is why I have resisted the invasion by Sat.u.r.day's forces. The choice, as I see it, is between Sat.u.r.day and yourself, Lord Arthur. I choose your service."

"I am the Rightful Heir, you know," said Arthur. "Yes, sir, if you say so. Are you ready to accept my allegiance?"

"I am." Arthur's mind flashed back to the treacherous Pravuil, in the coal cellar, so long ago or so it seemed. Pravuil had offered allegiance, but he'd never actually sworn it, probably because he'd been working for Sat.u.r.day or someone else all along.

-H231.

I'm not making that mistake again, thought Arthur. / know better now.

"You must swear to serve and obey me upon this, the Fourth Key," he said, holding out the rapier so the blade touched the floor in front of Friday's Dawn.

Dawn was unfazed by this. He knelt down, clanking and creaking, and took the blade in his gauntleted hands.

"I, Friday's Dawn, do swear allegiance to Lord Arthur, and shall serve and obey him until I am extinguished or until the end of all things."

Dawn looked up at Arthur expectantly, waiting for an answer.

"I accept your allegiance, Friday's Dawn, and confirm you as commander of Binding Junction and the Top Shelf and defender of the Middle House overall."

"Thank you for your trust in me, milord," said Dawn as he stood up. "Good," said Arthur. "Now, Dawn, we need three ..."

Arthur paused to look at Ugham.

Now is the time to leave him behind, if I'm going to, he thought. But he has been faithful. I have the Key, and allies. .. . He will look after Fred and Suzy.. ..

"No, four sets of wings. I have to go find Part Five of 232.

the Architect's Will, and I think it's up in Friday's Scriptorium."

"Immediately, Lord Arthur. Do you want wings such as my Gilded Youth wear? They would size themselves better to you, I think, than the ones the High Guild use."

"Sure. Only Ugham will need bigger wings from the High Guild. Strangely, Jakem said they didn't have any."

"I meant of the sort suitable for your excellency," Jakem blurted out. "It is true we have a moldy selection of some old, ridiculously large wings "

"Who is next in precedence to Jakem?" interrupted Dawn. "Milka is, sir," replied Digby. "But she is away with Lady Friday. I suppose I'm next, after her."

"Then you are presently promoted above Jakem, who is now in your place," Dawn proclaimed. "I shall expect you to organize matters more efficiently than the former Pressmaster beginning with the procurement of wings for Lord Arthur's .. . soldiers."

"I protest!" Jakem screamed to Arthur. "Surely, Lord Arthur, you cannot allow such a travesty of "

"Dawn is in charge," said Arthur. "Go away."

Jakem went. A few minutes later, several Denizens returned carrying a set of wings for Ugham. A few seconds 233.

after them, two Gilded Youths arrived carrying three more sets of smaller, but still equally yellow, wings.

The Gilded Youths wore the same armor as Friday's Dawn, but instead of visored helmets they had golden masks, which completely covered their faces, save for thin eye, nostril, and mouth slits. They were much shorter and slighter than the Denizens, about the same size as Arthur. Seeing them, he suddenly exclaimed, "They're Piper's children, aren't they?"

"Not exactly," whispered Fred. "They started out that way, but Grim Tuesday got hold of a bunch of them and made them into . . . well, what they are .. . for Lady Friday."

"What do you mean, 'what they are'?" Arthur whispered back. The three Gilded Youths put the wings on one of the empty chairs, saluted Dawn who was talking to Digby and left again.

"They're mostly armor," said Fred. "I dunno how much of the original child is left inside. Least, that's what I was always told."

"It could easily be true," said Arthur. "It's just the sort of thing Grim Tuesday would have done. By the way, have you used wings before?"

"Oh, yes," said Fred. "Only it was before we got 234.

washed between the ears.... Still I expect it will come back to me.... "

"I hope so." Arthur's own memory had completely returned, or at least he thought it had. But then he had only a fraction of experience to recall compared to Fred, who had lived for at least several hundred years by House time, maybe more. "Well, we'd better get on with it."

Suzy helped Arthur attach his wings, which grew to size. While he flapped them experimentally, she a.s.sisted Fred and Ugham. Arthur belatedly realized that Ugham might not know how to use the wings, but when he asked, the Newnith was already going through a series of exercises with his wings that displayed far greater competence than Arthur had himself. This was because Arthur had only flown once previously, in Grim Tuesday's Pit.

"Our lord the Piper was very thorough in our training," Ugham explained. "We spent many decades in practice of all kinds, before the attack on the Great Maze."

"You'll need an escort," said Friday's Dawn, who left Digby to approach Arthur. "It has been reported that the Piper and a dozen soldiers, probably Piper's children, flew to the Scriptorium peak several hours ago, followed by Sat.u.r.day's Noon and a force of Internal Auditors. Now that we have Binding Junction, I can spare forty or fifty of 235 .

my Gilded Youths. I would that it were more, but far too many Denizens here are experiencing."

"I don't like this experiencing business," said Arthur. "I'm not sure I really get it. Where do these experiences come from?"

"Lady Friday takes them from mortals, Lord Arthur," Friday's Dawn explained. "She partakes of most of their good memories and leaves the bad. The Denizens who are with her in her retreat fix the discarded memories on sorcerously charged paper and bring them back here to sell. Though they are usually sad and depressing memories, they are fascinating to many Denizens. You see, we do not dream, and our lives have a fixed purpose. The mortal experiences are very attractive."

"Takes them from mortals...." Arthur repeated quietly. "What happens to the mortals?" "I don't know," said Dawn. "I have never approved of the practice and Lady Friday never took me to her retreat."

"Do you know where it is?"

Friday's Dawn shook his head. "Somewhere in the Secondary Realms." Arthur stood silently for a moment, his wings twitching. Then he took out the crystal and looked at it again. "First we find the Will," he said. "Then we get it to help us get the Fifth Key. Come on."

236*+.

He started along the corridor with everyone trailing behind, then stopped.