
pleased about it.
My grandfather did his job, which was to spoil me, and it is only now that I’m
beginning to realize how much more he did. I must have been five or six when I
began to realize that my father didn’t approve of all the things Noish-pa was showing
me-like how to make a leaf blow slightly askew of the wind just by willing it to. And,
even more, the little slap-games we’d play that I now know to be the first introduction
to Eastern-style fencing.
I was puzzled by my father’s displeasure but, being a contrary little cuss, this
made me pay all the more attention to Noish-pa. This may be the root of the problems
between my father and me, although I doubt it. Maybe I look like my mother, I don’t
know. I’ve asked Noish-pa who I resemble, and all he ever says is, “You look like
yourself, Vladimir.”
I do know of one thing that must have hurt my father. One day when I was about
five I received my first real beating, which was delivered by, I think, four or five
punks from the House of the Orca. I remember that I was at the market running an
errand of some sort, and they surrounded me, called me names I can’t remember, and
made fun of my boots, which were of an Eastern style. They slapped me a few times
and one of them hit me in the stomach hard enough to knock the wind out of me; then
they kicked me once or twice and took the money I had been given to make the
purchases. They were about my own size, which I guess means they were in their late
teens, but there were several of them, and I was pretty banged up, as well as terrified
of telling my father.
When they were finished with me, I got up, crying, and ran all the way to South
Adrilankha, to my grandfather’s house. He put things on the cuts that made me feel
better, fed me tea (which I suspect he spiked with brandy), brought me home, and
spoke to my father so I didn’t have to explain where the money had gone.
It was only years later that I actually got around to wondering why I’d gone all the
way to Noish-pa’s, instead of going home, which was closer. And it was years after
that when I got to wondering if that had hurt my father’s feelings.
About twenty-two hours after Kragar left to set things up, I was leaning back in
my chair, which has a strange mechanism that allows it to tilt, swivel, and do other
things. My feet were up on the desk, crossed at the ankles. The toes of my boots
pointed to opposite corners of the room, and in the gap between them Kragar’s thin
face was framed. His chin is one that a human would call weak, but Kragar isn’t-
that’s just another one of his innate illusions. He is built of illusions. Some natural,
others, I think, cultivated. For example, when anyone else would be angry, he never
seems to be; he usually just appears disgusted.
The face that was framed in the V of my boots looked disgusted. He said, “You’re
right. You don’t have to take anyone with you. What interest could a Dragonlord
possibly have in hurting a poor, innocent Jhereg, just because he’s an Easterner? Or
should I say, a poor, innocent Easterner, just because he’s a Jhereg? Come on, Vlad,
wake up. You have to have protection. And I’m your best bet for avoiding trouble.”
Loiosh, who had been swooping down on stray lint, landed on my right shoulder
and said, “Just point out that I’ll be there, boss. That should keep him from
worrying.”
“You think so? What if it doesn’t?”
“I’ll bite his nose off. “
I said aloud, “Kragar, I could bring every enforcer who works for me, and it
wouldn’t make any difference at all if Morrolan decides to shine me. And this is a
social call. If I show up with protection-”