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part in my sin. And only the gods could best him.
It was barely a hundred paces from the bridge to the wealthy peasant's house
that had been turned into quarters for her. Strymon had offered her
hospitality in Bheroman Ajacias's castle, but the idea of accepting so much as
a crust of bread from that traitor revolted her.
That would be reason enough, but she also suspected that Ajacias was more the
ally of Prince Teodoros, Strymon's younger brother, than Prince Strymon.
Strymon deserved his reputation for honor and chivalry. She was not so certain
of his brother, and she feared the men around Prince Teodoros. She was
particularly concerned about a burly Vothanite archpriest who spoke like a
king's councilor and moved like a warrior. The little she'd heard him say
showed that he knew far too much about Drantos, Tamaerthon, and even
Rick's star warriors.
The litter bearers had brought her nearly to the house when half a score of
riders reined in. The helmeted axemen surrounded a tall bareheaded man in
silvered mail. His fair hair seemed to glow in the light of the rising True
Sun.
He wore a surcoat of Nikeian red, and an amber-hilted sword of state. Jewels
flashed at his ear lobes. Tylara smiled; Prince Strymon could not be called
vain about his good looks, but he did not exactly try to hide them either!
Tylara's smile faded when he dismounted. Prince Strymon's face was as friendly
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as a battle-helm.
"Welcome, my lord," Tylara said. "I bid you enter, but will you give me a
moment?"
He nodded curtly and paced while Apelles helped Tylara inside to a settee and
arranged a bright silk coverlet over her legs. When the bearers left, he
stormed in unasked. "Leave us," he commanded Apelles.
"Your Highness," Tylara protested, "Apelles is a consecrated priest of Yatar.
His oaths "
"I know the oaths of a priest of Yatar. I also know that his master is Yanulf,
Chancellor of Drantos, and that half the priests of Yatar follow him no matter
what land they serve in."
Tylara bristled. "Do you doubt my honor?"
Strymon returned an encouraging ghost of his usual smile. "No more, my
Lady Eqetassa, than I doubt your beauty or the sharpness of your tongue. Do
you doubt my wits? I wish to speak to you alone."
Tylara sighed. "Apelles, if you please "
"Certainly, my lady. I will wait outside."
Apelles went out; two of Strymon's guards brought honey-cakes, fine bronze
cups set with seashells, a jug of water and another of wine. Another brought a
small folding table fitted with ivory and silver. Strymon on campaign seemed
half a Roman. He carried the luxuries of a Praetor, but he also fortified his
camps, sent out scouts, paid attention to sanitation and mixed his wine half
with water.
Strymon did that now and filled their cups. Tylara sipped at hers. The brown
and white cat who had adopted Tylara jumped up on the settee. Strymon absently
broke off a piece of honeycake and gave it to the cat, who took it and jumped
to the floor.
"My lady. I cannot imagine that you do not know that the survivors of your
of the Host of Drantos continue to fight in the hills around us. Supplies and
messengers are not safe unless they are escorted by five-score and more armed
riders. Men have been sent gull-feathered to Vothan's House without ever
seeing an enemy. Others have gone to sleep three under a blanket, and in the
morning the one in the middle has awakened to find his comrades lying with
their throats cut."
Tylara recalled hearing Rick speak of such a trick used on Earth, by warriors
who swam into battle in the country called Vietnam. "Surely you do not
complain that my people are teaching yours the folly of sleeping on watch?
When they have done their work, you will have a smaller host, but most
assuredly a better one."
"This is not a matter for jesting. I want it stopped!"
"That is easily done. Release us and return to your own lands. Do that and we
will harry you no more."
"There could be a blood price for such obstinacy. Not your blood alone,
either."
"Threats, Highness? Against your prisoners? I take it you are not satisfied
with the songs the bards will sing of your combat with Morrone. You wish them
to sing of your dishonor as well."
"Lady "
"Your Highness, you can do nothing to me, or Lord Morrone, that will win you
the smallest victory over the men in the hills. What you can do is make
certain of war to the knife. You believe you have won a victory because you
bested a foolish King's Companion and a woman. Wait until you face not the
chivalry of Drantos, but Romans, Tamaerthan pikes and archers who have bested
Romans, Great Guns and muskets and star weapons. Wait until you face the Wanax
Gan-ton who is your equal, and my Lord Rick who is the master of us all! When
you have bested them, you may proclaim victory."
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"Enough!"
Tylara smiled. "Forgive me, Your Highness. I do not doubt your courage. I
only warn you that if any harm comes to me, my Lord Rick will defeat your
armies, and turn loose the clanless ones of Tamaerthon to pick Ta-Meltemos to
bare bones, and this is as certain as anything mortal man can know."
"Your lord or the Wanax Ganton might not place so small a value on the lives
and limbs of those I hold. Are you sure that you can speak for them?"
"Hah. Who can speak for a Wanax? But do you think I have married a fool, or
that I have lived with him these years and borne him his children, and yet do
not know him? For himmay I speak; and I tell you, he knows terrible things,
and in his anger he will use them against all of you. You have doubtless heard
that he and his men are not of this world. I tell you that is true, and I tell
you beware harming what little he holds of value here lest he let this entire
world go to its doom."
Strymon looked thoughtful. He took a paper from his glove, glanced at it, then
returned it. "My Lady, many have marched against me. None have returned. I
stand on your land, not you on mine "
Tylara laughed. "Forgive me, Highness. Again I do not doubt your skills. Yet
ask yourself this. Sarakos with the aid of the traitor Parsons was able to
conquer Drantos, yet he could not hold it. Three days after Lord Rick killed
Parsons he drove the host of the Five Kingdoms from our land. What can my
husband do now that he has gathered his strength? I tell you that you do not
know what you face.
"Consider the star weapons, the least of which can strike down a man four
stadia away. There is another, named for a king from another world, and with
that Lord Rick can tear a castle gate to splinters from twice bowshot. How
long can your castles stand against that?"
"That will depend, I suppose, on whether there are more gates than this Carl
Gustav has bombs."
Tylara's bowels went cold. Strymon knew the very name of the star weapon!
What else might he know? And from what source?
For a moment she toyed with the idea of attempting Strymon's life herself.
Ridiculous. It is dishonor, apd what he knows, his brother knows. "That is one
of my husband's weapons. He has more. Many more," Tylara said. "Your spies
have told you truly, that the star weapons are like bows useless when there
are no more arrows. It is even true that we do not have so many arrows as you
have castles. We do have quite enough to batter down any castle unfortunate [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]