a lost kingdom, part 2

by horace p sternwall

part two of two

click here to read part one

that fellow in the ragged cloak -, jezebel began. they all had ragged cloaks, bursk interrupted her. the one wearing a cloak that had a rip in in it shaped like the mountain of xu - bursk looked around the dark room impatiently. is the rascal still here? what do you think? he slipped out as soon as the game broke up. he could be two miles away - or two thousand miles away… two thousand miles away? so he was… yes, he was a god. he was none other than the trickster god, jerry the jumper… but what he did want with me? i am a barbarian and a swordsman, not a clown. jezebel shrugged. probably nothing, before the game began. but he seemed to take offense at an oath you swore when you won a hand from him, just as the slave was stirring the coals… just as you were taking your fourth sip of your grog… do you remember? no, i do not remember such trifles! and what then? you barbarians, you can not remember anything,,, what then? on the next hand, he lost to you again, and you swore the same tedious oath.,,, but this time he had contrived to lose to you an innocent looking coin which , if you had kept it and gotten up from the table, was the key to the kingdom of ka-lee, as i told you before… pooh! and as i told you before, what care i for such nonsense? it is as if it never happened. and bursk took another hearty swig of grog. so! you make light of jerry’s jest? have a care, my friend, he may not be through with you yet. better to provoke the wrath of murz, the god of war… * the armies of the empire of vigargia and of the upstart kingdom of ju had been marching toward each for a week and would meet in the shadow of the great gray mountain in two days time. here was an opportunity for a hired sword! bursk began riding across the plain toward the mountain. it would be an easy matter to cross the river boro, intercept the army of ju and offer his services, and if they declined, negotiate with the army of vigargia. but a great storm caused the boro to flood the plain. when bursk finally reached the base of the mountain the battle was over. he was greeted by a single crocodile slithering back to the river after gorging on the bodies of the defeated… the crocodile did not stop to talk. neither did the birds flying overhead. the clouds smiled, and the sinking red sun roared with laughter. a week later, the kingdom of czarq declared war on the grand duchy of txukula… the end