King of The Murgos

bring it to me—in a bucket."
    "As your Majesty commands," the Murgos replied in unison, each banging his fist against his mail shirt.
    Kradak turned, trembling and suddenly broken, and went out with the grim Murgo guards flanking him closely.
    Urgit retained his imperious expression until the door closed, and then he threw both arms in the air and began beating his feet on the floor, whooping with delight. "Oh, Gods!" he said ecstatically. "I loved that! I've been wanting to do that all my life!"
    The Lady Tamazin rose gravely from her chair, limped to where her son sat, and wordlessly embraced him.
    "Affection, mother?" he asked lightly, a broad grin still creasing his sharp-featured face. "How terribly un-Murgoish." And then he laughed and caught her in a rough bear hug.
    "There may be hope after all," she observed calmly to Oskatat.
    A slow smile crept across the big Murgo's lips. "It looks a bit more promising, my Lady," he agreed.
    "Thank you for your support, Oskatat," Urgit said to his friend. "I might not have gotten through that without your help." He paused. "I must say, though, that I’m a little surprised that you approved of my scheme."
    "I don't. I think it's an absurd idea almost certainly doomed from the start."
    Urgit blinked.
    "There was another issue at stake, however—one that is much more important." There was a peculiar pride on the big man's face. "Do you realize that this is the very first time you've ever faced down one of your generals? They've been running roughshod over you since the day you took the throne. The loss of a few ships and a few thousand men is a small price to pay for a real king on the throne of Cthol Murgos."
    "Thank you for your candor, Oskatat," Urgit said gravely. "It may just be, though, that things may not turn out so disastrously as you think."
    "Perhaps, but Taur Urgas would not have done this."
    "It might just be that someday we'll all rejoice in the fact that Taur Urgas is no longer with us, Oskatat.'' A faint ironic smile crossed the king's lips. "As a matter of fact, I seem to feel a small surge of rejoicing coming over me already. I'm losing this war, my old friend, and a man who's losing can't afford to be conservative. I've got to take a few gambles if I want to keep Kal Zakath from parading through the streets of Rak Urga with my head on a pole."
    "As your Majesty commands," the seneschal said with a bow. "I'm also going to have to give certain orders. Have I your permission to withdraw?"
    "Of course."
    Oskatat turned and started toward the door. Before he reached it, however, it opened and Silk came into the room. The seneschal stopped, staring hard at the Drasnian. Silk's hand moved swiftly toward the hood of his robe, but then he let it drop with a rueful grimace.
    Garion groaned inwardly. He moved carefully into position not far behind Oskatat, aware that Durnik and the gigantic Toth were also coming up on either side of him, ready to move quickly to prevent any outcry.
    "You!" Oskatat exclaimed to Silk. "What are you doing here?"
    Silk's expression grew resigned. "Just passing through, Oskatat," he replied casually. "You've been well, I trust?"
    Urgit looked up. "What's this?"
    "The seneschal and I are old friends, your Majesty," Silk replied. "We met in Rak Goska some years ago."
    "Is your Majesty aware of this man's true identity?" Oskatat demanded.
    Urgit shrugged. "He's one of Sadi's servants," he said. "Or so I was told."
    "Hardly that, Urgit. This is Prince Kheldar of Drasnia, the most notorious spy in the entire world."
    "The seneschal is perhaps a bit lavish in his praise," Silk noted modestly.
    "Do you deny that you murdered the soldiers Taur Urgas sent to detain you when your scheme in Rak Goska was exposed?" Oskatat said accusingly.
    "I don't know that I'd use the word 'murdered,' exactly, my Lord." Silk winced. "Oh, I'll admit that there was a bit of unpleasantness, but that's such an awkward way to sum up."
    "Your Majesty," the grim old Murgo said. "This man was responsible for the death of Dorak Urgas, your eldest brother. There is a long-standing warrant for his immediate execution, so I will send for the headsman at once."

CHAPTER FIFTEEN
    Urgit's face had grown cold. His eyes were narrowed, and he chewed nervously on a fingernail. "All right, Sadi," he said, "what's this all about?"
    "Your Majesty—I—" The eunuch spread his hand.
    "Don't try to play the innocent with me," Urgit snapped. "Did you know about this man?" He pointed