killers, hungry for the flesh of our children. They leave us nothing but piles of heads."
Nuza recalled the horror of that day in Bilauk. "I know, I know all that. But, Toshak, this man is different. He offers us a chance for peace. We must seize it."
Something cold and dangerous gleamed in his eyes for a moment. She saw how wide was the abyss that had opened between them. She and he, who had once been lovers, were now almost strangers, separated by her exile to Shasht and the war he had waged in the Land. He studied her with chilly precision, then relented.
"Yes, yes, dear Nuza, I know."
His shoulders sagged, as if a great tension went out of him.
"Toshak, dearest, you have saved the Land."
"No, dear Nuza, the Land is not yet saved. The men still threaten us. They still hold forts on the coast of Sulmo."
"That is why I am here to interpret. The Great King has been learning our language. Speak slowly to him, and he will understand most of what you say."
Toshak struggled with something, but could not say it. Instead, he turned to Aeswiren, who had waited patiently while Nuza and this fierce-looking mot had hugged and babbled at a speed far past the Emperor's ability to comprehend.
Nuza watched the two of them as they studied each other at close range. The man was the taller by an inch and heavier, too, but she doubted that would help him in a fight with Toshak. She knew all too well that Toshak was a master of the sword and all other edged weapons. For years he had been the swordsmot of her troupe of acrobats, jugglers, and entertainers. And yet there was something very similar about both of them, mot and man. They were leaders, steeped in the ways of war.
"General," said Aeswiren, using the language of the Land.
Toshak's eyebrows rose at hearing that tongue from the mouth of a man. Nuza had taught this one well. "Great King. You will have to pardon me, I cannot help my feelings. I find it hard to offer any man a welcome to the Land. We have suffered nothing but horror from men."
Toshak spoke too quickly, however, for Aeswiren to understand. Confused, the Emperor looked to Nuza. She translated into Shashti.
"General Toshak says that it is a difficult moment for him. There is great emotion, great pain from our losses."
Aeswiren nodded slowly, then spoke in the tongue of the Land. "I know. I wish to end all of that."
Toshak blinked on hearing these words. Some of the fury that burned in him turned to curiosity.
"Those are the best words I have heard in a long time. I give thanks to the Spirit." This time he had spoken much more slowly. Aeswiren nodded to show he understood, then replied, "How much do you know of the situation?"
"Which situation? On Mauste?"
Aeswiren shot a glance to Nuza at hearing this name.
"Lord," said Nuza, "Mauste is our name for the island where the fleet has set up its base."
"Ah, yes, that situation, too, but I refer to the larger scene involving myself."
Toshak looked to Nuza. She had seen him react to her use of the men's tongue. Now he heard Aeswiren's words and wondered at them.
"What does this mean, dearest Nuza?"
She gathered herself. Toshak must know the whole truth.
"The Great King is in exile himself. He has been overthrown. They tried to kill him, but he survived, and he still has the power to end the war. He has come here to take control of the expedition army, then take it back to Shasht and defeat his enemies with it."
There was a long moment of silence as Toshak absorbed this. He had suspected as much when he'd received Nuza's message.
"Well," he said dryly, "that rather reduces his value to us, but, better he is here late than that he never came at all to visit the scene of carnage his forces have unleashed."
Aeswiren understood enough of this to know it was time to keep his silence. Toshak must make up his own mind. The anger was to be expected.
Toshak had balled his fists so tightly, the muscles stood out on his neck. He stared upward as if seeking some advice
Nuza recalled the horror of that day in Bilauk. "I know, I know all that. But, Toshak, this man is different. He offers us a chance for peace. We must seize it."
Something cold and dangerous gleamed in his eyes for a moment. She saw how wide was the abyss that had opened between them. She and he, who had once been lovers, were now almost strangers, separated by her exile to Shasht and the war he had waged in the Land. He studied her with chilly precision, then relented.
"Yes, yes, dear Nuza, I know."
His shoulders sagged, as if a great tension went out of him.
"Toshak, dearest, you have saved the Land."
"No, dear Nuza, the Land is not yet saved. The men still threaten us. They still hold forts on the coast of Sulmo."
"That is why I am here to interpret. The Great King has been learning our language. Speak slowly to him, and he will understand most of what you say."
Toshak struggled with something, but could not say it. Instead, he turned to Aeswiren, who had waited patiently while Nuza and this fierce-looking mot had hugged and babbled at a speed far past the Emperor's ability to comprehend.
Nuza watched the two of them as they studied each other at close range. The man was the taller by an inch and heavier, too, but she doubted that would help him in a fight with Toshak. She knew all too well that Toshak was a master of the sword and all other edged weapons. For years he had been the swordsmot of her troupe of acrobats, jugglers, and entertainers. And yet there was something very similar about both of them, mot and man. They were leaders, steeped in the ways of war.
"General," said Aeswiren, using the language of the Land.
Toshak's eyebrows rose at hearing that tongue from the mouth of a man. Nuza had taught this one well. "Great King. You will have to pardon me, I cannot help my feelings. I find it hard to offer any man a welcome to the Land. We have suffered nothing but horror from men."
Toshak spoke too quickly, however, for Aeswiren to understand. Confused, the Emperor looked to Nuza. She translated into Shashti.
"General Toshak says that it is a difficult moment for him. There is great emotion, great pain from our losses."
Aeswiren nodded slowly, then spoke in the tongue of the Land. "I know. I wish to end all of that."
Toshak blinked on hearing these words. Some of the fury that burned in him turned to curiosity.
"Those are the best words I have heard in a long time. I give thanks to the Spirit." This time he had spoken much more slowly. Aeswiren nodded to show he understood, then replied, "How much do you know of the situation?"
"Which situation? On Mauste?"
Aeswiren shot a glance to Nuza at hearing this name.
"Lord," said Nuza, "Mauste is our name for the island where the fleet has set up its base."
"Ah, yes, that situation, too, but I refer to the larger scene involving myself."
Toshak looked to Nuza. She had seen him react to her use of the men's tongue. Now he heard Aeswiren's words and wondered at them.
"What does this mean, dearest Nuza?"
She gathered herself. Toshak must know the whole truth.
"The Great King is in exile himself. He has been overthrown. They tried to kill him, but he survived, and he still has the power to end the war. He has come here to take control of the expedition army, then take it back to Shasht and defeat his enemies with it."
There was a long moment of silence as Toshak absorbed this. He had suspected as much when he'd received Nuza's message.
"Well," he said dryly, "that rather reduces his value to us, but, better he is here late than that he never came at all to visit the scene of carnage his forces have unleashed."
Aeswiren understood enough of this to know it was time to keep his silence. Toshak must make up his own mind. The anger was to be expected.
Toshak had balled his fists so tightly, the muscles stood out on his neck. He stared upward as if seeking some advice
Similar Books
