The Warrior's Tale Part 28

After he'd been carried around the room on the shoulders of the exulting officers, he met privately with Cholla Yi and myself. He was full of cheer and rea.s.surances. Of course he knew we were the real leaders of the expedition, being familiar with these d.a.m.ned magicians and so forth, 'Especially this one that hailed from your lands, or so I've heard, although d.a.m.ned if I don't find it hard to believe how someone can be slain and come back to fight again; although certainly no one would slight the powers of a great wizard.' He thought he might be of some small a.s.sistance to us, since he knew the Konyan waters, and, more importandy, the souls of his people, and how they could be roused to fight like the heroes of old; so each Konyan would be as ten, perhaps twenty, soldiers from another land. We would have a high command founded on mutual trust, faith and determination, united in a common goal of consummate importance to all men and women everywhere.

But to me, all his words were the tapping of the deathwatch beede.

One evening as we were taking a stroll in the garden before Xia departed, I asked her if her father was in the least bit suspicious of us.

'He's been so busy with his duties,' she said, 'that he hasn't had time to think long enough for suspicion to arise. Even if he did, he wouldn't want to make too great a fuss, in fear word would get out to the other members of the Council of Purity.'

'I must say, that group hardly looked pure enough to claim such a name,' I said.

'Believe me, they are not,' she said. 'Many a wh.o.r.e would weep at the prospect of poverty if those men were true to their vows. Of course, there'd be an equal amount of cheering among young slaves of both s.e.xes who have been unfortunate enough to join their households.'

'Chaste, or not,' I said, 'it seems an odd name for a ruling body.'

'It's the fault of one of my more randy ancestors,' Xia laughed. 'He took decadence to such extremes he even had temples - bawdy houses, actually - built to honour some of our more unsavoury G.o.ds. He also laid claim to any pretty maid or youth who took his fancy. It got so bad that the barons rose up and forced him to stop. That's when the Council of Purity was formed. Its original job was to make certain the morals of Konya were being upheld. Then, when The Sarzana was defeated, it was the only traditional group under our ancient laws for the barons to take power.'

'Do you think the monarchy will ever return to Konya?' I asked.

Xia grew quite serious. She sat at the edge of the fountain and let her fingers trail through the water. 'My father certainly hopes so,' she finally said. 'And perhaps a few of the other n.o.bles who have royal blood in their veins. But, if it happened, none of them - even my father - would dare declare themselves king. It would seem too grasping. The kings of Konya, you should know, were deposed by the mobs. The Sarzana came later. And my father and the others fear the ma.s.ses almost as much as they do The Sarzana. So, no, I don't think that generation will seek the throne. But one of their children might.'

'Such as you?' I asked.

'I've never considered it,' she said. 'It would be foolish for me to do so.'

'Has Konya ever had a queen?' I asked.

Xia nodded. 'My great-grandmother - who died long before I was born - ruled here. And her husband had no authority. He was merely her consort.'

I almost asked her again if she'd really never thought of sitting on the throne. But I could see by the look in her eye that I'd be wise to take her word for it. Royalty never lies. It only changes its mind from time to time.

One of the best things Xia's brave volunteering produced was to make the war into a sacred crusade. It's been my experience that wars are begun by n.o.blemen with paper, and ended by peasants with blood; while those who'll benefit the most from a victory make sure to stay as far away as possible from the battlefield. But following Xia's lead the young aristocrats of Konya flocked to the colours.

Despite Xia's example, however, I noticed that all the volunteers were men, and reflected that as much as I groused about the treatment of women in Orissa, at least such a thing as the Maranon Guard existed. It wasn't much progress, but it seemed large when measured against the dim-witted policies of other cities and kingdoms.

I hadn't realized how popular Xia was with the others of her cla.s.s and generation until I saw the long lines of richly dressed men, waiting with a measure of patience at the recruiting booths in the marketplace. Those who'd had some training or experience with sword or sail were easy to fit in, but all too many of them had no developed skills beyond hawking, hunting and the other indulgences of court. It didn't matter, they said. They would serve in any manner we wanted them to, quartermaster to galley scut. We took them at their word and, for the most part, they served willingly and well. I was surprised, since I thought these soft youths would never be able to handle being chased up a mast by a mate, or bellowed at by Sergeant Ismet or one of the Konyans' own leather-lungers.

Still, it was amusing to hear, as I did once, a bosun with his nose and rum-breath flush against a pretty lad's face, screaming at the boy as if he were a parade-ground distant, 'Lord Hilmuth, sir, you ignorant excuse for a six-legged pig with no more G.o.ds-d.a.m.ned sense than th' G.o.ds gave goats, sir, if I ever see you clew up a sheet like that again, you s.h.i.+tbrain, you p.r.i.c.kear, I'll have you for my fancy-boy for th' rest of th' cruise, you futtering fool! Beggin' yer pardon, sir.'

Two other benefits these n.o.blemen brought - now we could have anything and everything we wanted. Also, the n.o.bility brought the commoners in as well to serve, and the s.h.i.+ps and the men to serve or fight from them were a bottomless barrel. I've often wondered why peasants espouse the most savage hatred for the gentry, but have an abiding fascination for their antics, to the point of relentlessly aping them.

The fleet was beginning to look like a navy, instead of a motley a.s.semblage of s.h.i.+ps. We were nearly ready to sail and confront The Sarzana and his far more dangerous ally and secret master, the Archon.

During those long weeks of preparation, I saw little of Gamelan, even though he was housed in the same villa with me. When I did seek him out for advice on a th.o.r.n.y matter he was maddeningly non-committal; only saying to do what I thought best. He even refused to attend the morning bone-casting, claiming to be too weary, or sick. What I missed most was our nightly ritual of discussion, where everything under the sun was fair game for debate. I never saw him smile during that time, and he'd begun to shuffle like an old man - he, who even in blindness, always had a youthful spring to his step. The women I'd a.s.signed to attend him said he ate little, no matter how much they tried to tempt him with delicacies, and he drank no spirits at all - only water. All this from a man who'd previously berated us for losing hope; who pressed on no matter how difficult the circ.u.mstances.

As I watched his spirit shrivel before my eyes I thought perhaps the experience of the dungeons had been too much for him. I began to fear he might soon die.

I sought him out one night to ask him what was the matter. I thought perhaps there was some elixir he could direct me in making that might help him recover some of his former vigour.

Tm just old, dammit!' he said, his voice quivering.

'But, Gamelan, my friend,' I said. 'I need you. We We need you.' need you.'

'Your needs are sucking me dry,' he shouted. 'Now go away and leave me be.'

I left. What else could I do? I did notice, however, the closer we came to being ready, the more despondent he became. If I hadn't been so busy, I might've found the cause sooner. No, that's not the truth. Hang duty. I should have made the time; but I was too smitten with Xia to do so.

It was a wondrous spell she wove about me; and I'm Vain enough to still believe I did the same for her. She was meat and drink to me. The more I bedded her, the more I l.u.s.ted for our next bedding. She found forbidden books on s.e.xual tricks and we tried everything, save those that are degrading, or cause pain. We daubed each other with honey and wine and took hours licking off every speck. We rubbed perfumed oils into every crease in our bodies, then wrestled until one or the other would pretend to give way. Then the victor got to choose her pleasure as a reward.

There were also long, languorous afternoons of talk in which we shared secrets one only tells to lovers. She wept with me when I told her about Otara. But when I spoke of Tries and our fight, she grew angry and turned away and when I attempted to ma.s.sage her back she snapped: 'Don't touch me!'

'What have I done?' I said.

'You still love her,' she accused.

I sputtered: 'Don't be silly. She left me. It's over.'

'No, it's not,' she said. 'I can tell when you speak her name. It's a game she's playing. The wh.o.r.e! Soon as you return she'll wrinkle her nose and you'll be in her arms again.'

'I swear, Xia,' I protested. 'I love only you.'

She cried and finally let me comfort her. I whispered her name over and over, demanding she believe that I loved no other. Eventually we made up. The s.e.x of forgiveness was hot and violent; and Xia was all sweetness and smiles when she finally left for home. The subject was never raised again. But I must confess, I certainly thought about her accusation. Did I still love Tries? The remarkable thing was, I couldn't swear to myself that I didn't.

The tales of The Sarzana's latest atrocities came with every fresh arrival to Isolde. I imagine his deeds were supposed to send us into paroxysms of panic, and either make us battle-foolish or even surrender. But, for the most part, they had the opposite effect. Since his ghouls laid waste to every island and port they came across, whether hostile, neutral or festooned with white flags, resolve actually stiffened. It was very clear to almost everyone that there could be no truce, no compromise, no quarter offered or given. Even those who might've hesitated, or who'd managed to convince themselves The Sarzana's regime wasn't that that terrible - or even to be preferred to the present rulers - held their tongues and professed patriotism. terrible - or even to be preferred to the present rulers - held their tongues and professed patriotism.

I did hear, once or twice, wonderment expressed at how The Sarzana had 'changed, had darkened'. I knew his alliance with the Archon made his deeds more black-handed, but that the difference between what he was doing now and his past tyranny was only a matter of degrees.

I had a grisly confrontation with his evil one early morning, when the gangwatch summoned me on deck. I was maintaining two headquarters - one in the Council's palace, for large or formal meetings, the second in Xia's old cabin on board Stryker's galley, for secret or highly important matters. Perhaps I also needed it to remind myself not to become mired in the politics, treacheries and problems of the Konyans. My duties were simple - first to Orissa, to end the menace of the Archon, and then to my Guardswomen and finally to Cholla Yi's mercenaries. In the final reckoning, nothing else, beyond my obligation to my own soul, was to be given much weight.

When the deck officer asked if I had time to meet someone, I hurried topside, being bored orry-eyed with lists of lading, duty rosters and all the rest of a soldier's task the sagas never sing about. Waiting was a slender man in his early fifties. His beard was close-cropped and his hair tied back in a tiny queue. He wore a plain, loose-fitting tunic and pants. A sword and dagger hung from a belt with a supporting shoulder strap and I noted both sheaths were dark with age - the hilts of the weapons polished from long usage. A soldier, then. There was one odd thing. He wore no rings or jewels, but tucked above one ear was a tube perhaps four or five inches long, and I noted it was gold, and crusted with jewels.

On the nearby wharf I saw, drawn up in company order, perhaps another hundred men dressed similarly, aged from twenty to sixty. I greeted him warmly, hoping his fine body of soldiers had come to join us. Nor, who was their leader, a.s.sured me they had. He said the men below were only half of those who followed him. I was even more pleased, since I was having great difficulty arranging my own forces for the battle, needing and facing the dismal fact I had no more than 125 warriors I could truly depend on, my own Guard.

I asked Nor his rank. 'I have none,' he answered. 'And the rank I held before I would be shamed to say.'

I looked long into his eyes and they were stark, burning. I'd seen eyes like that before - from the poor souls we freed from the torture-dungeons of the Archon when we took the sea-castle in Lycanth. I knew the man had a tale in him, and somehow felt it was not one for all listeners. I saw there were curious ears, both from my own women and from sailors pretending to find tasks nearby. I told Nor he could dismiss his troops and let them find shelter, since it was misting, the mist promising to become a summer rain shortly.

He shook his head. 'My men will remain where they are. They don't melt.'

I led him to the deserted foredeck, where a tarpaulin had been rigged overhead. I asked if he wished wine, and he said no. Very well, if he wanted to deal with the business at hand, that would be the style of our meeting.

'So you wish to serve,' I said. 'Why have you come to me, rather than to Admiral Trahern, or one of his generals? Surely men like yours, a.s.suming they can fight as hard as they look, could serve where they wished.'

'First, I came to you because I've heard well of you and your women. I don't think you have any interest in the game-playing most Konyans call fighting, with their feints and bluffs and champions and such.'

'I do not,' I said. 'War is what it is, and to be fought as hard and as briefly as I can manage.'

He went on as if I'd not interrupted. 'Second, though, is that my men are hardly welcome in most ranks.'

s.h.i.+t! I thought. They're probably posers, bandits or convicts. But I didn't let my disappointment show. Instead, I merely waited.

'These men are my brothers,' Nor said. 'Once there were a thousand of us. But that was five years and more ago, when we were known as The Sarzana's Own.'

Nor caught my shocked reaction. 'Yes. We were the b.a.s.t.a.r.d's bodyguards. His elite, who surrounded him day and night - in his travels or at his castle. Our lives were his, and his safety and pleasure our only concern.'

'Most rulers have such a guard,' I said, 'but generally they die when he's overthrown, trying to keep him alive. Or else they're killed in the aftermath. And seldom have I heard such men, who're generally given great favours by the ruler unless he's an utter fool, curse his memory.'

Nor said nothing, but abruptly lowered his pants. I started back, momentarily sure I was in the presence of the commander of a band of lunatics. Then I saw what he'd meant to show me, and my stomach roiled. He had no p.e.n.i.s at all, but rather a small protuberance, less than a fingerwidth. Strangely, underneath that hung a normal-looking s.c.r.o.t.u.m. I'd seen eunuchs before, but they'd always been either completely gelded, or with just the t.e.s.t.i.c.l.es cut away.

I nodded - I'd seen. Nor lifted his pants, showing no sign of shame, nor did he apologize. Now I also knew that jewel-crusted tube was for the men to relieve themselves. I'd heard of such mutilations before; just as I've heard of cruel tribes who mutilate all their girls so they cannot enjoy the pleasure of s.e.x.

'That was the way The Sarzana sealed us to him,' Nor said. 'He wanted warriors with their manly virtues, and my pardon for using such trite words to someone who must know better, undamaged. Even better, a man with his seeds intact, but with no way of relieving his desires or needs, would make a deadly fighter, always br.i.m.m.i.n.g with blind rage. That was The Sarzana's thinking, and he was quite right. We were were terrors and would kill or maim anyone, child, man or beast, at his slightest whim.' terrors and would kill or maim anyone, child, man or beast, at his slightest whim.'

'How could he hold you to him, considering the crime he'd done to you?' I wondered. 'Magic?'

'A bit of that,' Nor said. 'When he was torn from the throne, a veil was lifted that he'd cast on us. But there was something more. He took all of us when we were small children. None of us know who we are, who our parents were, or even where our homes might be. The Sarzana had us kidnapped and ... cut by a special team of men -although I find it impossible to claim them as human - who also ran his torture chamber; or for such tasks even poor b.a.s.t.a.r.ds such as we would refuse. None of them them lived beyond the day The Sarzana fell. lived beyond the day The Sarzana fell.

'We were raised and trained separately from the rest of the people; always told we were special and the G.o.ds had caused us to be birthed with only one goal - to serve and die for The Sarzana.' Nor grimaced. 'You tell a child that ten or a thousand times a day from the time he can walk, and you will produce, well, what you see standing out there.'

'So you want revenge?'

'Yes,' Nor said. 'That is the only dream we have. Somehow most of us managed to survive the day the palace fell and somehow we found each other. That was five years ago and we had but one goal - to send The Sarzana into the worst h.e.l.l the G.o.ds can design. We called ourselves the Broken Men. I will tell you frankly we were attempting to mount a conspiracy, to find the island where The Sarzana was exiled, and seek him there. We'd already purchased five s.h.i.+ps for the mission from some Konyan corsairs; s.h.i.+ps not very different in design from yours, although I doubt if they're as easily sailed or rowed. We'd spent time teaching ourselves how to sail them as well, both in storm and calm.

'None of us gave, or give, the slightest d.a.m.n for the curse that comes on he who slays a king of Konya. What curse could be worse than waking each morning and having to p.i.s.s through this straw,' and he touched the jewelled tube in his hair, 'and know no woman will look at you, no child will carry your name down the ages, and no one will bother sending your ghost to peace when you lie dead?

'So when The Sarzana used his magic against you Orissans, and found freedom, while most Konyans wept and tore their hair, we celebrated. He was ... is ... approaching his final doom.'

'You think you're that invincible?' I said, not bothering to sound impressed.

'Of course not. I'm a soldier, not a fool. Perhaps he will return and regain the throne. But none of us will be alive on that day. Captain Antero, I know one thing - that if you believe something strongly enough, to the point your own death is meaningless, you have a good chance of reaching that goal.'

'True,' I said. 'So you wish to serve direcdy under me?'

'That is the only way we'll join this fleet. Otherwise, we'll find a way to fight our own battle. We can buy more s.h.i.+ps, or steal them if necessary. And even a sorcerer like The Sarzana can be taken from behind with a dagger at midnight, if there's no other way.'

I didn't reply at once, thinking of the problems that could well arise. I decided since Nor had been brutally honest with me, I would return the favour.

'If I accept your service, you must obey me, and all my officers and sergeants, absolutely in all ways.' 'Of course we will! We aren't babes.'

'You don't understand me. I mean you must obey any of us if we tell you not not to fight, to fight, not not to charge, to charge, not not to throw your lives away in some futile attack merely because there is the slightest hope of seeing The Sarzana within bowshot. There's an old soldier's joke that says you must never be s.h.i.+eld-companion with someone who's braver than you are. Braver, or more reckless. That is my only condition, Nor; but one you must accept completely. I shall also require your men to swear an oath to do the same, in front of whatever G.o.ds you hold most sacred.' to throw your lives away in some futile attack merely because there is the slightest hope of seeing The Sarzana within bowshot. There's an old soldier's joke that says you must never be s.h.i.+eld-companion with someone who's braver than you are. Braver, or more reckless. That is my only condition, Nor; but one you must accept completely. I shall also require your men to swear an oath to do the same, in front of whatever G.o.ds you hold most sacred.'

Now it was Nor's turn for silence. He grimaced, thinking hard. Finally he looked up.

'I accept. I don't necessarily agree with you - the G.o.ds have always blessed those who go mad in battle, and care nothing for their own safety. But... I accept your conditions.' He drew himself rigid and clapped his right hand against his heart.

I returned the salute, while privately wondering whether I believed him or not. The Broken Men were unlikely to hold G.o.d-oaths any more sacred than anything else, especially when the fight waged furious. But I decided I could deal with that problem when it arose. Until then, I had twice the number of warriors I'd had an hour earlier, and the inexorable game of numbers requires many compromises.

There is never any real end when it comes to preparing for battle. No matter how hard you train, it can always be argued more is required. No matter how well you're armed, there's always a newer and better weapon about that someone will want you to carry. And s.h.i.+ps can be made more seaworthy until the oceans run dry. But there comes a moment when every soldier knows it's time to face her enemy. From that point on, your enemy can only get stronger and more deadly.

That day finally came for us. The tide was right; the winds were right; and even the soothsayers had their last say.

All of Isolde turned out to see the great fleet depart. There were processions and speeches and wine and incense. Soldiers dallied with maids on the wharf for one last rutting, and even the most prudish smiled and said, isn't that sweet, poor things. Horns blew, drums rolled, and bright clouds of ceremonial kites swooped in fantastic patterns across the sky. Mothers cried out the names of their sons as they boarded; fathers wept in envy for not boarding with them; and sisters wept for not being considered at all. Then pipes were piped and sails were hoisted and soon the entire sea was alive with white -winged s.h.i.+ps speeding for their destiny.

As for me, while I watched all the well-wishers on the sh.o.r.e diminish, I recalled another day when we marched from Orissa.

It seemed like such a long, lonely eternity, Scribe, since the prayers of good fortune had been for me and mine.

Nineteen.

Windrider FLEET ADMIRAL TRAHERN may have made all the correct sounds may have made all the correct sounds about being equals, but once we were at sea it was firmly fixed who was in charge, at least in his mind. Both Cholla Yi and I were clear subordinates. Important ones, yes, but certainly not to be taken into Trahern's confidence unless he deemed it fitting. That became obvious when Trahern sent a fast courier boat with his chief aide, carrying orders thinly veiled as a report. about being equals, but once we were at sea it was firmly fixed who was in charge, at least in his mind. Both Cholla Yi and I were clear subordinates. Important ones, yes, but certainly not to be taken into Trahern's confidence unless he deemed it fitting. That became obvious when Trahern sent a fast courier boat with his chief aide, carrying orders thinly veiled as a report.

The aide said the Konyan wizards had determined that The Sarzana and his allies were lurking in the Alastors, an island chain about three weeks to the south, where they seemed to have found a base for their battlefleet. Trahern 'suggested' we continue scouting as we had been, and correct our course so we remained directly in front of his s.h.i.+ps. That was all - the aide had no instructions about asking for our observations or ideas.

It was amusing to see Cholla Yi fume and fuss at being treated in such a 'shameful' way. Perhaps I shouldn't have, but I couldn't resist quiedy mentioning that Trahern's behaviour was was most discourteous, and he should've patterned his style after Cholla Yi's, particularly the way the admiral had treated us when we set forth from Lycanth. All my sarcasm accomplished was to make him angrier. most discourteous, and he should've patterned his style after Cholla Yi's, particularly the way the admiral had treated us when we set forth from Lycanth. All my sarcasm accomplished was to make him angrier.

Xia was even hotter, snarling she'd been betrayed, and this was no way to treat n.o.bility. It was afternoon, in a sleepy midwatch, and all I could hear outside our cabin was the creak of the s.h.i.+p and the bootheels of the watch on deck above us as he walked to and fro. I was sprawled on the bed, and she sat beside me, legs curled under her. I told her she was right, but that was the way of the world, both here and in Orissa. Men appeared to be men wherever I went. Perhaps, I said, she might become Queen one day, and begin a new way of thinking that'd end the silliness. She looked at me oddly. After a moment she frowned, and started to say something further. But I had other thoughts, feeling the warmth in my bones looking at her as she sat in the dim glow from the deadlight. She caught my look and gave a knowing laugh - then all her anger melted in our embrace.

I hadn't gone into a rage of my own because I knew in advance that Trahern had no intention of treating us as equals, and had therefore planned how - and when - I'd deal with it. As long as we weren't in contact with the enemy, I could accept the situation as it was. I concentrated my energies on daily drills to make sure everyone in our small fleet understood the new way I proposed we would fight. The change was great, as great as chalk to cheese.

The greatest change was in att.i.tude. Instead of thinking of ourselves as infantry that happened to be aboard s.h.i.+p instead of on land, we were going to think like cavalry. There's no greater sin a horsewoman can make than to be unhorsed to become one with the common swine she tramples under her hooves. In our case, our horses were our s.h.i.+ps. We were only to 'dismount', in other words to board, when we were sure we'd crippled our opponent, just as a cavalrywoman only leaves her horse to administer the final mercy to a fallen enemy.

We were trying to destroy our enemy utterly, not just take the ground he was fighting from, which in a naval fight meant his s.h.i.+p. Burn him, ram him, drive him on the rocks, destroy his sails or oars and he would be out of the battle.

Naturally, Cholla Yi's captains set up a clamour, again moaning that meant they'd take no prizes. I told them I understood, secretly cursing and wis.h.i.+ng I had seamen under me who fought for the love of their city rather than for gold. But what I had, I had, and so I told them if they obeyed my orders, they might not take a prize at that moment, at that moment, but when the battle was won, there'd be more than enough drifting hulks to claim. Wouldn't it be easier, I asked, to seize such a s.h.i.+p from its demoralized, surrendering crew than have to take it by force of arms? Also, if they didn't close and board a s.h.i.+p unless they had the distinct advantage, their own craft would be less likely to be damaged or sunk. I reminded them these huge galleys of The Sarzana we'd be facing would no doubt have derrick-hung stones that could be dropped straight down from their decks when we tried to grapple them, and send us straight to the bottom without further ado. They didn't like to admit there could be something new on the sea, let alone ideas produced by greenlings who also were women. So we went over the theory again and again, until little by little it sank in. Any time one of them said something that mirrored one of our thoughts I complimented him and told him we'd incorporate that into our thinking. but when the battle was won, there'd be more than enough drifting hulks to claim. Wouldn't it be easier, I asked, to seize such a s.h.i.+p from its demoralized, surrendering crew than have to take it by force of arms? Also, if they didn't close and board a s.h.i.+p unless they had the distinct advantage, their own craft would be less likely to be damaged or sunk. I reminded them these huge galleys of The Sarzana we'd be facing would no doubt have derrick-hung stones that could be dropped straight down from their decks when we tried to grapple them, and send us straight to the bottom without further ado. They didn't like to admit there could be something new on the sea, let alone ideas produced by greenlings who also were women. So we went over the theory again and again, until little by little it sank in. Any time one of them said something that mirrored one of our thoughts I complimented him and told him we'd incorporate that into our thinking.

Eventually, it appeared to them they'd had as much to do with this new strategy as we had, and then, with the general idea accepted we could begin endlessly drilling the specific tactics. Sailors learned how to work their galleys handily in close quarters, practising one against another, backing, filling, darting in and out like hounds worrying a boar, never holding still long enough for the tusks to slash them down.

We learned how to fight in two- or three-s.h.i.+p elements, striking always for the flanks and where blood showed. We would give no mercy, not expecting any ourselves, nor would we fight a 'fair' battle, whatever that means. We had more than enough time to lower sails and turn aside from our course, since our galleys had three or four times as much speed as the hulking Konyan s.h.i.+ps behind us.

There was also new weaponry to mount and train on, weapons I'd had built secretly in a small yard and moved onto our galleys under cover of night. They were special catapults, with double troughs set at slightly divergent angles. Somebody had seen one as we loaded it and asked if we planned on shooting two arrows at once. I just said yes, and didn't explain, a.s.suming The Sarzana had spies thoroughly covering Konya, or else might be observing magically. I'd worried, but Gamelan had rea.s.sured me: 'Just because someone may be able to look at something doesn't mean he can tell what it is, or what it's intended for, now does it?'

Polillo had been detailed off to train sailors how, and more importandy when, to fire these catapults, which were intended for use deep in the battle.

She'd snarled she had more than enough to do making sure her women were ready, plus keeping herself in shape so that Precious, her axe, would drink deep in the fight. Someone else could worry about those d.a.m.ned sea dogs of Cholla Yi.

Corais laughed, and said she was being innocent. She herself would never never turn down a chance to teach a man something in his own supposed area of expertise. 'It'd be almost as good as showing one of these leap-on, leap-off, drop-a-coin-and-gone oafs how to turn down a chance to teach a man something in his own supposed area of expertise. 'It'd be almost as good as showing one of these leap-on, leap-off, drop-a-coin-and-gone oafs how to really really pleasure a la.s.s.' pleasure a la.s.s.'

Polillo had grinned wickedly, then said, dreamily, 'Now, there there is a thought. Perhaps, if I'm nice enough, one of them might introduce me to his sister.' is a thought. Perhaps, if I'm nice enough, one of them might introduce me to his sister.'

'Careful,' Corais warned. 'Sailors don't have sisters. They only mate with porgies and lighthouse keepers.'

I paid little attention to their chatter, deep in my conjectures as to how the Archon had managed to send fire spitting across the waters, and while I'd not been able to come up with a spell that would let me do the same, I thought I might have devised an incantation that could prove a stronger counter than what Gamelan had been able to produce on the instant.

Gamelan was another problem. As much as he tried not to be a burden, and not always to be the spectre at the feast, he was hardly the picture of cheerfulness. I heard Sergeant Bodilon refer to him once as Evocator Darkness, and took her aside and asked sharply if she herself would bear up handily should she lose both her arms. Bodilon said if that happened, she'd And the nearest cliff and leap rather than wander about glooming to her once-fellows.