“Not all, but some have raised walls such as yours for protection, to keep out bandits or invaders.”
“Akkad is the first village in these lands to build a fortified wall to protect itself,” Corio added, a hint of skepticism showing through. “A strong wall is not such an easy thing to raise.”
“I can only tell you what I have seen, Noble Corio,” Korthac said, raising his hands slightly in deference. “Lady Trella asked me to speak the truth, and I have done so.”
“Then we should thank you for your honesty, Korthac,” Trella said, again speaking before Corio could reply. “But now, it grows late and the council still has some business to attend to. Would you be able to call upon us tomorrow, say, at the hour before noon? Then we will have time to speak with you at leisure and you can tell us much more about what you have seen in your travels and this land called Egypt.”
Korthac took the dismissal gracefully. He stood and bowed respectfully. “Of course, Lady Trella, I understand. I will return at that hour.”
Trella had risen when he did and she bowed as well, giving Korthac a pleasant smile as he left the room. She waited until he stepped out of earshot before she turned to Corio and Gatus. “This stranger took a great chance, crossing the desert with such valuable trade goods, with only the hope of establishing a House here in Akkad.”
“Whatever his reasons,” Corio answered, “he is here and with his Empire Rising
57
goods. Every merchant adds to the wealth of Akkad. Let him establish his trading house, if he can pay his tax of twenty gold coins.”
“No, Corio,” Trella said firmly, “I think not. Tomorrow we will tell him that he must pay forty gold coins if he is to do business here.”
“Ishtar’s eyes, Trella,” Gatus swore, “Mantar wailed for days when he had to pay twenty. He claimed he would be reduced to begging in the streets. And that only a month ago.”
“Still, Mantar paid the tax,” Trella said. “And remember, Korthac is a stranger. Mantar lived here all his life.”
Mantar dealt in livestock, mostly goats and sheep, that supplied milk and cheese. He had complained bitterly about the amount of the tax, but he had been one of those who fled the city before the barbarians arrived, and now had to pay to reestablish himself. Trella had no sympathy for those who had refused to defend Akkad.
“And I doubt Korthac will cry as loud as Mantar did,” Trella said.
“I think it is important to learn as much about Korthac as possible.” She turned to Gatus. “How many men were in his caravan, how many slaves, how many animals? What kind of people did he bring with him? Find out where he is staying and talk to the innkeeper. Let us all see what we can find out, and we’ll meet here tomorrow at midmorning. We can speak about this before we see Korthac again. I will make sure Nicar is here as well. He sees much in men that we may miss.”
The Noble Nicar had led the city before the invasion, and had entrusted the city’s defense to Eskkar. Nicar had also given Eskkar a slave girl named Trella.
“What is it about Korthac that worries you, Lady Trella?” Corio sounded surprised at her concern. “He seemed polite enough.”
Trella shrugged. “Nothing worries me yet, Corio. But we can afford to be cautious. And isn’t it strange that a merchant would cross the great desert at such risk, before he was sure of what awaited him here? Was he unaware that the Alur Meriki were passing through these lands, killing anyone they encountered? Why didn’t he send an emissary ahead of him?”
Corio opened his mouth to reply, then closed it again. In the last few months, he’d learned not to dismiss her thoughts.
“Think on it, Corio,” Trella went on. “And you, too, Gatus. Let us all learn what we can. Now if you will excuse me, my body calls to me once again.”
58
SAM BARONE
She walked into the front room, her two guards rising as she entered.
Her friend and
“Akkad is the first village in these lands to build a fortified wall to protect itself,” Corio added, a hint of skepticism showing through. “A strong wall is not such an easy thing to raise.”
“I can only tell you what I have seen, Noble Corio,” Korthac said, raising his hands slightly in deference. “Lady Trella asked me to speak the truth, and I have done so.”
“Then we should thank you for your honesty, Korthac,” Trella said, again speaking before Corio could reply. “But now, it grows late and the council still has some business to attend to. Would you be able to call upon us tomorrow, say, at the hour before noon? Then we will have time to speak with you at leisure and you can tell us much more about what you have seen in your travels and this land called Egypt.”
Korthac took the dismissal gracefully. He stood and bowed respectfully. “Of course, Lady Trella, I understand. I will return at that hour.”
Trella had risen when he did and she bowed as well, giving Korthac a pleasant smile as he left the room. She waited until he stepped out of earshot before she turned to Corio and Gatus. “This stranger took a great chance, crossing the desert with such valuable trade goods, with only the hope of establishing a House here in Akkad.”
“Whatever his reasons,” Corio answered, “he is here and with his Empire Rising
57
goods. Every merchant adds to the wealth of Akkad. Let him establish his trading house, if he can pay his tax of twenty gold coins.”
“No, Corio,” Trella said firmly, “I think not. Tomorrow we will tell him that he must pay forty gold coins if he is to do business here.”
“Ishtar’s eyes, Trella,” Gatus swore, “Mantar wailed for days when he had to pay twenty. He claimed he would be reduced to begging in the streets. And that only a month ago.”
“Still, Mantar paid the tax,” Trella said. “And remember, Korthac is a stranger. Mantar lived here all his life.”
Mantar dealt in livestock, mostly goats and sheep, that supplied milk and cheese. He had complained bitterly about the amount of the tax, but he had been one of those who fled the city before the barbarians arrived, and now had to pay to reestablish himself. Trella had no sympathy for those who had refused to defend Akkad.
“And I doubt Korthac will cry as loud as Mantar did,” Trella said.
“I think it is important to learn as much about Korthac as possible.” She turned to Gatus. “How many men were in his caravan, how many slaves, how many animals? What kind of people did he bring with him? Find out where he is staying and talk to the innkeeper. Let us all see what we can find out, and we’ll meet here tomorrow at midmorning. We can speak about this before we see Korthac again. I will make sure Nicar is here as well. He sees much in men that we may miss.”
The Noble Nicar had led the city before the invasion, and had entrusted the city’s defense to Eskkar. Nicar had also given Eskkar a slave girl named Trella.
“What is it about Korthac that worries you, Lady Trella?” Corio sounded surprised at her concern. “He seemed polite enough.”
Trella shrugged. “Nothing worries me yet, Corio. But we can afford to be cautious. And isn’t it strange that a merchant would cross the great desert at such risk, before he was sure of what awaited him here? Was he unaware that the Alur Meriki were passing through these lands, killing anyone they encountered? Why didn’t he send an emissary ahead of him?”
Corio opened his mouth to reply, then closed it again. In the last few months, he’d learned not to dismiss her thoughts.
“Think on it, Corio,” Trella went on. “And you, too, Gatus. Let us all learn what we can. Now if you will excuse me, my body calls to me once again.”
58
SAM BARONE
She walked into the front room, her two guards rising as she entered.
Her friend and
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