‘You seem to forget you’ve a dragon stalking your isles,’ retorted Janne. ‘What will you do for Chazen if I refuse to take your pearls for these gems you’re so anxious to have? You need gems for barbarian lore, or for some barbarian mage you’re relying on to rid you of the beast. Don’t deny it,’ she concluded with malicious satisfaction.
‘I think the dragon’s presence strengthens my hand.’ Kheda smiled cruelly. ‘I told you we can contain it. I’ll share one Chazen secret with you, Janne, for old times’ sake. We can do more than contain it. We know how to lure it from place to place. Why else do you think I’m so confident that we can kill it when we choose?’ He stepped forward to look down on Janne again, this time resisting her attempt to push him away. We could lure it to Daish waters if we felt so inclined.’
‘You wouldn’t!’ Janne stared up at him, aghast.
‘If we don’t have the gems to trade for the lore we need to kill it?’ Kheda leaned forward, his weight resting on his hands, which were set flat on the chest on either side of Janne. What would we have to lose? If I’m to see Chazen lost, after all the pains I’ve suffered for this domain, I’ll take Daish down with me.’
Can I convince you of that? Can I convince you that I hate you so much now that I’d forget my love for my children and my duty to all the innocent people of Daish?
‘Then I want a better price than a few sacks of pearls,’ Janne hissed, ‘if you’re so convinced you can cleanse yourself of all suspicion and free this domain from all taint of magic with the shedding of this dragon’s blood.’ Her breath came fast and shallow.
‘Offer me terms,’ Kheda invited with cold precision.
‘Itrac was very eager to convince me that she is happy in this marriage, that your future will soon be secured in a child.’ Janne stood up, forcing Kheda away. The vase with the silver cranes toppled over to fall and crack into pieces on the floor, the sound startlingly loud within the enclosed space. They both ignored it.
Janne took a pace forward, coming so close that her gown brushed Kheda’s tunic. ‘Too eager. You still haven’t touched her, have you, Kheda? Don’t try lying to me. I know you too well. I know the look in a woman’s eyes when she’s remembering a night in your arms. I don’t see it in Itrac’s face. And I know your taste in women and your scruples. She’s barely older than our eldest daughter and you were never some monster like Ulla Safar to violate hairless girls. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.’ She paused for a moment, eyes closed.
‘So, Kheda, that’s my price. Don’t touch Itrac. Don’t take any acknowledged concubines either. I don’t know if this gossip about you and that poet girl is true—she’s barely older than Itrac after all. I don’t care. Leave her well alone or use your physic chest to make sure she never quickens with a child. Don’t leave the responsibility to her because folly or ambition will win her over some day. If you want Daish gems to save Chazen, then you make sure there’s no child born to this domain. I want only Daish blood to have any claim on Chazen when you die.’
‘Should I beware of any food from your hands, in case you decide to see if that day’s to come sooner rather than later?’ Kheda compelled himself to hold his ground, even though he could feel the taut warmth of Janne’s breasts through the thin layers of silk separating them. Why do you want Daish to claim Chazen, when you’ve condemned us all as tainted with magic?’
‘Don’t you want to see a better future for Chazen?’ Janne’s eyes didn’t move from his face. ‘Sirket’s posterity will be untouched by magic. You’re not, of your own deliberate choice, and neither is Itrac, innocent victim though she’s been in all this. You could secure an untainted future ruler for this domain and free all the domains hereabouts from the fear that echoes of your actions may yet cause disaster in years to come. I want to see Daish free of that burden.’
‘And I would be leaving my son an inheritance to make him the equal of the most powerful lords in these reaches. You know exactly how to tempt me, Janne.’ Kheda still refused to retreat. ‘I might be more convinced if you hadn’t baulked at any action that would have tied Daish to lands so tainted with magic last year. You wouldn’t see Itrac protected by a tactical marriage to Sirket.’
He looked at her with cold contempt. ‘I see your principles aren’t so strong when your pearl harvest fails. You really are desperate to get your hands on the Chazen reefs, aren’t you? You tried to tempt me with Rekha and the children and when that failed, you’ve come to play a harder game. Can I expect to find you slipping into my apartments tonight, to offer ease for my hardness? What’s happened to the Daish reefs? A plague of black prickle-stars eating corals and oysters alike?’
‘You’re telling me that this dragon’s blood will purify this domain.’ Janne stood still, rigid, face upturned to him. ‘If I’m wagering that’s true and that you’ll do what you’re boasting and kill the beast, if I’m staking Daish gems on your word, and Daish’s safety from the creature, I want a worthwhile return.’
‘You still think you’re in a position to dictate terms?’ Kheda prodded Janne’s chest with a hard finger. ‘I’ll tell you what you’ll get and, more importantly, what you won’t get. You’ll get sufficient pearls to conceal the bareness of the Daish reefs for this year and this year alone. You won’t get me scorning Itrac for you or Rekha and having you stake a claim on Chazen through Sirket or any other of my children. On the other hand, you won’t get every boat spreading whispered speculation around every domain within reach about just what the dire omen of the pearl-harvest failure could mean for Daish Sirket’s rule.’
Because I wouldn’t do that to my son. But this is something I’m not going to forgive in a hurry, Janne; you’re fomenting such antagonism between our domains that I cannot offer him the least advice.
Kheda took a breath to cool his anger. ‘In return, I will get sufficient choice gems from the Daish treasury to suit my purposes—and don’t forget, I know exactly what’s in those treasuries, so I’ll tell you exactly which jewels I want. Then you won’t see the dragon plundering those Daish islands that lie nearest to Chazen, so that all our neighbours’ galleys start shunning your waters as well as ours, since they’re stained with magic. As for the future, we’ll let the consequences of all our actions play themselves out. We’ll see just who’s vindicated by omens and events.’
‘Yes, we will. Who knows what the stars to come will reveal.’ Janne whirled around and walked towards the door, the silk of her gown swishing angrily. ‘Are we agreed?’ Kheda demanded harshly. ‘Pearls for gems?’
Janne halted, not looking back at him. ‘And this conversation never happened.’
‘I’ll send Dev to Birut with a list of the gems I require,’ Kheda called as she wrenched the door open and stormed through it. Janne made no response.
‘She didn’t look any too pleased.’ Dev came in from the corridor wearing a crooked smile. ‘Quiet!’ As Kheda walked back into the warlord’s private sitting room, a blur of green and scarlet beyond the high windows caught his eye.
A flurry of fig-thieves erupted from a spread of rustlenut trees on the distant heights that loomed beyond the forbidding outer wall of the fortress. Kheda shaded his eyes with a hand to see a yellow-banded eagle slice through the hysterical flock. Then a second eagle appeared, sending the little birds darting this way and that in terror. The first predator swooped low, wheeling and disappearing into the topmost branches of the copper-leafed trees. Then the second reappeared seemingly out of nowhere to scatter the fig-thieves again. Each eagle flapped its mighty wings and rose high into the air with a plump corpse in its talons.
Kheda caught his breath as a third eagle darted out of a stand of ironwood trees barely visible against the shadows of the high ground. It looked as if it would fly straight into the lower of the original pair, only veering away at the very last second. The startled eagle tumbled ungainly through the air, letting go of its prize. The attacker was ready, stooping to catch the lifeless fig-thief before vanishing into the
dark-green gloom. The bereft eagle flapped disconsolately after its mate, venting its rage in a harsh scream. A thread of that mournful, angry cry floated through the air to brush Kheda’s ear. ‘What is it?’ demanded Dev.
‘An omen,’ Kheda said slowly, ‘in the arc of the sky where one looks for portents for the self. What are the stars in that reach of the sky?’ he mused, speaking more to himself than to Dev. ‘It’s the Bowl, still hidden below the horizon, though. Token of shared food and drink, so of mutual support and faithfulness.’
‘Which means what?’ Dev persisted. ‘For you or for
Chazen?’
‘The eagle is a warlord’s symbol,’ Kheda said slowly.
‘So are you the one robbed or the opportunist snatching advantage?’ asked Dev, idly amused. ‘My lord?’ An apologetic knock at the outer door startled warlord and barbarian alike.
‘Tasu?’ Kheda whirled around. ‘There were three eagles, a pair and one other. Three always signifies a potent omen, that much we can be sure of—usually notice of something entirely unexpected, according to my father. What do you have to add?’
The old man advanced through the anteroom. ‘Could you see which birds were cock and which were hen, my lord?’
No,’ said Kheda slowly, ‘which could have been significant. Was that some wiser female robbing an inexperienced younger sister? Can we expect Janne’s rapaciousness to defeat Itrac?’
‘What were the little birds?’ wondered Dev mischievously. ‘Aren’t they all part of this?’
‘My father always said there’s unlooked-for wisdom in chance words.’ Kheda stared at him. ‘You may be right, for all you’re an ignorant barbarian.’
‘That’s me.’ Dev grinned.
Tasu coughed uncertainly at this exchange. ‘Fig-thieves are no innocents, my lord. They’re pests with their incessant sneaking into storehouses and granaries and they foul whatever they don’t plunder. Little short of fire scares them off,’ he concluded thoughtfully. ‘Do you suppose they signify the invaders?’ Kheda wondered. ‘Am I the yellow-banded eagle throwing them all into confusion?’
‘Or is that the dragon?’ asked Dev slyly. ‘Or if you’re the first bird, is it your present wife or your former who’s flying off with a plump dinner?’
‘You’re not really helping.’ Kheda warned Dev off with a scowl.
Or is that more unlooked-for wisdom in an ignorant mouth?
‘This might be some kind of warning.’ Tasu frowned. ‘Such noisy birds carry their alarm to the whole forest. None of those eagles will hunt successfully in these woods today.’
‘Perhaps the eagle is the dragon,’ Kheda said slowly. ‘It’s certainly spreading alarm among the wild men, according to the Mist Dove’s dispatches.’
‘Is there anything in the night skies to make sense of such an omen, my lord?’ Tasu asked humbly.
‘The Diamond, the warlord’s talisman, is sharing the sky with the Sea Serpent, token of unseen forces at work. There’s a warning there but it counsels self-sufficiency as well,’ Kheda mused. ‘And both are in the heavenly arc where one looks for omens for siblings and anyone close through friendship rather than blood.’
Itrac may not he a true wife to me but she must count as close as a sister in this so-called marriage of ours.
‘Is there anything significant in direct opposition?’ prompted Tasu.
‘The Opal,’ Kheda said briefly, ‘which unlocks emotion and rides in the arc of travel and ambition, along with the Sailfish whose self-assured boldness can so easily slip into exaggeration. Maybe that’s why Janne Daish has journeyed here so confident that she’ll secure all she wants,’ he said sourly.
‘What exactly has any of that to do with eagles?’ Dev wondered with spurious innocence. ‘And forgive me, my lord, but we’re supposed to be going to dine with my lady Itrac and our guest from Daish.’
‘Indeed,’ said Kheda heavily. ‘And what a delightful prospect that is.’ He turned to Tasu. ‘What brought you here? Have any more courier doves arrived?’
No, my lord,’ the old man said apologetically. ‘Though I did check right before I came to see you. It’s just I found something about sharks. You said you were curious about their lore, what with the omen—’
‘Yes,’ said Kheda, diverted. ‘What have you found?’
‘There’s this.’ Tasu took a heavy book bound with red-tooled black leather from under his arm and opened it. ‘In an otherwise positive context, a shark can be an encouragement to perseverance.’ He tapped smoothly flowing writing below a detailed portrayal of all manner of sharks. ‘You see, there are sharks, many of them, that must keep swimming otherwise they drown.’ He frowned. ‘Which is a curious fate for a fish. I’m sorry, my lord, it’s not much but it’s all I found. A shark can be a sign that you must just keep on going, keep doing all you can.’
‘Otherwise we’re all sunk,’ said Dev quietly. ‘There might just be something in that.’
Kheda looked at him. We’re doing all we can, aren’t we? I certainly trust Risala to keep going north at best speed.’
‘I’m sure we’re all doing everything we can,’ said Dev meaningfully, ‘whether or not we can see each other doing it.’
‘I’ll bid you good evening, my lord.’ Tasu shut his book with a brisk clap. ‘I wouldn’t want to intrude further.’
‘You’re not and thank you.’ Kheda grinned. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow.’
‘Good night, my lord.’ Tasu withdrew with a low bow. What now?’ asked Dev tersely. Kheda jerked his head towards the bath chamber. ‘Try again:
The wizard groaned and turned but another knock on the outer door halted him. He went to open it instead.
‘My lord.’ Beyau was twisting his warrior’s hands together with some considerable emotion.
‘I take it we’re ready to offer Janne a dinner to equal any Daish could present?’ Kheda shot Dev a wry look ‘We’ll keep the conversation strictly limited to the food and the seasonings. Itrac will follow my lead there.’
‘It’ll be a splendid meal, my lord, but it’ll just be you and my lady Itrac who will enjoy it.’ Beyau couldn’t keep the indignation out of his voice. ‘My lady Janne Daish has just sent word that she wishes to dine alone in her suite tonight.’
‘Daish courtesy is certainly lessened of late,’ said Kheda with sudden irritation. Then he smiled with patently false sympathy. ‘The exertions of the voyage must have caught up with her. She’s neither as young as she was nor as tireless as she thinks she still is. Make sure our household offers every comfort that a woman of her years might welcome.’
‘I can think of a few suitable things, my lord.’ Beyau chuckled before schooling his face into proper immobility. ‘So where will you dine, my lord?’
‘I certainly don’t want to miss out on such a feast even if Janne Daish is so weary.’ Kheda glanced in the direction of the various wives’ apartments. ‘And everyone’s had a long and busy day, so I see no need to have the whole household dancing attendance on me and Itrac. We’ll eat in my private audience chamber, with just our own slaves to wait onus. Let the kitchens know; I’ll tell Itrac. Dev, you tidy up in here and then help set things out for the meal.’
‘Yes, my lord,’ the barbarian replied stolidly.
‘Of course, my lord.’ Beyau bowed low before turning to go.
Then all the servants and the slaves who aren’t waiting on us can eat their food hot from the kitchens, instead of waiting for we exalted three to tire of the plenty and allow them the cooling leavings. That should win me some goodwill, and that never goes amiss.
Kheda walked through the corridors and courtyards, nodding to acknowledge the servants and slaves busy with the constant care of the residence. Garden servants in workaday cotton were removing faded blooms from the splendid arrays of flowers or sweeping the spotless tiles with rustling palm-frond brooms. Inner-household slaves protected their silk sleeves with long, soft cotton gloves as they polished finger marks from gleaming brassware and adjusted p
ainted hangings showing vistas of all the differing isles of the domain.
He knocked on the door to Itrac’s private sitting room. Jevin opened it. ‘My lord.’ He bowed and looked past Kheda for Dev. ‘You’re alone?’
‘Dev’s arranging my private audience chamber for our meal.’ Kheda entered the room. ‘It seems Janne Daish finds herself too weary to dine with us. I see no point in the two of us rattling around the banqueting hall.’
‘As you wish, my lord.’ Itrac stood in the middle of the room, wearing a shimmering gold gown cut close to flatter her slenderness. Kheda noted both anger and apprehension in her eyes, and with her paler skin, he could see the hint of a blush underlaying the rose powder on her cheekbones. Her gold-painted lips were pressed tightly together. ‘Or we can dine in the banqueting hall if you’d rather,’ he offered. ‘What?’ Itrac looked at him, momentarily confused. No, I’d rather it was just the two of us. As you say, it’s been a long day. And I’ve had about all I can stomach of Janne,’ she added in a sudden rush of anger. ‘She’s been walking in and out of my rooms ever since she arrived, as if she were mistress here. She won’t take a hint, from me or the servants, and that slave of hers is deaf to anything Jevin says to him. She kept reminiscing about how informal we’d all been when Olkai and Sekni were here.’
‘You should have sent word to me.’ Kheda saw Itrac flinch at his harsh tone. No, I’m not cross with you, just with her discourtesy. But why didn’t you send word? I thought we agreed we’d meet her together.’
‘I didn’t know how to get rid of her without being insulting. It seemed silly to make a fuss, when she was being all sweetness and sympathy and offering compliments on how well I’m managing the domain.’ Itrac bit her lip, twisting her long, gold-tipped fingers among the graduated strings of yellow lustre pearls that reached to her waist. ‘Then I realised she was treating me like a little girl who’s been out in the sun too long. And she kept reminding me that Olkai and Sekni are dead and gone, even though she was saying how proud they would be of me.’
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