The Carpet People

always do with a few tall people around the place. But Bane says he’s going on to Ware tomorrow, just in case. And my ears hurt.’
    It’s a big Carpet, he thought. Brocando and Bane are both . . . well, likeable, but they look at the world from opposite ends. Look at the Dumii. Half the time you can see why the Deftmenes don’t like them. They’re so fair about things, in an unimaginative way. And in their unimaginative way, fighting like tictoc men, they built a huge Empire. And Bane hates the idea of kings. But the Deftmenes fight as if they enjoy it, and make up life as they go along, and they’ll do anything for their king. You can’t expect them to get along with each other—
    Roland shifted uneasily. Snibril raised his head, and heard the night breeze die away. The hairs were silent.
    He felt a pricking sensation in his feet. The headache felt like a fire now. The silent Carpet seemed to be waiting . . .
    Roland neighed, tugged at his tether. Down in the stables the ponies were kicking their stalls. Dogs barked, down in the city.
    Snibril remembered this feeling. But he thought: not here, surely, where it was all so safe?
    Yes, he told himself, even here. Fray can be anywhere.
    He turned and ran up the steps into the palace.
    ‘Fray!’ he shouted. In the din, no one heard. One or two people waved cheerily at him.
    He bounded over to the band and snatched a trumpet from one startled Deftmene. He didn’t know how to play one, but playing it very badly loudly enough was enough to get something approaching silence.
    ‘Can’t you feel it? Fray is coming!’ he shouted.
    ‘Coming here?’ said Pismire.
    ‘Can’t you feel it? Can’t you feel it?’ Snibril was desperate with impatience and pain. They were looking at him as if he was mad.
    ‘Get to the carts,’ snapped Pismire.
    ‘I can’t feel anything,’ said Brocando. ‘Anyway,Jeopard is safe from any enem—’
    Pismire pointed upwards. There were big candle chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. They had begun to swing, very gently.
    Kings take some time to grasp an idea, but once they’ve got a hold they don’t let go.
    ‘Run for it! Get everyone outside!’ Brocando shouted.
    The Munrungs were already streaming through the door. Tables were overturned as people scurried from the hall, grabbing their children as they ran. Pismire caught hold of a pillar to steady himself as they jostled past, and yelled above the noise: ‘The ponies! Harness them to the carts!’
    The lamps were swinging quite noticeably now. A jug bounced off a table and shattered on the floor. A couple of candles teetered out of the crazily-weaving lamps.
    There was a far-off thump. The whole rock shook.
    The heavy lintel over the door shivered and sagged. Glurk strode forward among the bewildered throng and put his shoulders under it, and stood with one hand braced against each doorpost while people scrambled under his arms and between his legs.
    Snibril was already leading the screaming ponies out of their stable. No sooner was each cart movingthan it was loaded down with people. And still people were coming, scurrying along under treasured possessions and small children. The hall was already blazing.
    He lifted four Deftmenes on to Roland’s back and sent the horse after the carts, then struggled through the flow to the hall. Glurk had been forced almost to his knees, his face purple, the veins throbbing in his neck.
    Snibril grabbed an arm. ‘Come on! The whole building is going to go!’
    ‘No,’ came the low growl. ‘Pismire and the others are still in there.’
    Another tremor shook the hall. A pillar cracked, and Glurk grunted. ‘Get out of the way!’ came a whisper from deep in his throat. ‘It’s going to go.’
    The rock shook underfoot.
    ‘I’ll . . . I’ll get some people with beams and things!’ said Snibril. ‘We’ll soon have you out! Don’t go away!’
    Glurk grunted as Snibril hurried away.
    Pismire appeared through the smoke, a scrap of his robe tied over his face, shepherding some bewildered revellers in front of him. He pushed them out under Glurk’s arm.
    ‘What are you doing, still here?’ he said.
    ‘Goin’ to be in a story,’ said Glurk.
    Bane groped his way out of the billows, a rag pressed over his mouth. ‘Come on,’ he said, ‘Brocando’s got the secret door open.’
    ‘Help me with this idiot,’ said Pismire.
    ‘Looks wedged to me,’ said Bane.
    ‘Gonna be a hero,’ said Glurk.
    ‘Shut up,’ said Pismire.