"I guess we
can throw him jail, now that he's inside the castle," commented Racius,
who immediately received an elbowing from Theguis.
To Huncek, Korvos said: "You may go, but if you continue in your
thieving ways, I think you know what will happen to you."
"Yes of course my lord," agreed Huncek quickly as he ran off. "A
thousand gratitudes."
As they moved into the castle, Korvos asked "Why were the bandits so
afraid of my mere presence?"
"They fear you are cursed, like your forefathers before you," replied
Elmuth gravely. "The curse runs strongest in those born with six
fingers." And with that he motioned to Korvos' left hand.
That piqued their interest. "Why should they fear the curse?" asked
Theguis. "I thought it only meant that the King of Korvos was doomed to
die some horrible death."
Racius harrumphed under his breath. "Curse, bah!" he whispered to
himself.
"The Kings of Korath are cursed to go mad," explained Elmuth to his
three listeners. "Mad with power, with dreams of conquest. They soon
declare war on the neighboring lands, laying waste to the nearby
peoples, torturing and killing their way through all opposition. Only
the Korathian people are treated worse, those who oppose him in any
way, that is."
"Did my father have six fingers?" asked Korvos.
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"No my lord,"
replied Elmuth.
"Did I?" he asked.
"Yes, I had your sixth finger removed, to try to protect you from the
curse," explained Elmuth.
"Theguis, Racius, do you believe in this curse?" inquired Korvos of his
two companions.
----
"Computer: Freeze Program," commanded Cadet Kalhoun.
"Hey, no pausing the simulation," complained Cadet Krystal.
"I just want to say that this holo-novel is a complete waste of time,
there is no way that Centaurans were this ignorant," declared John
confidently.
"That's a fine attitude for Racius," observed Cadet Venor. "Just keep
it in character during the simulation."
"I still think our time would be better spent playing parrises
Squares," countered John, an avid Parrises Squares player.
"Stop arguing and get back into character," ordered Krys. "Computer:
Continue Program."
----
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