possible, but he felt feigning ignorance was far better for his own purposes.
Livia spoke in the Quegan dialect. “If you’re going to give a history lesson, Father, may I be excused. These barbarians sicken me.”
In Quegan, Lord Vasarius replied, “Barbarians or not, they are guests. If you’re bored, take the young secretary and show him the garden. He’s pretty enough to be diverting. There’s a chance he might know a trick that’s new even to you.” His tone hidnothing of his disapproval; it would have been evident even if Roo and James didn’t speak the language used.
Vasarius turned to Roo. “Forgive my daughter’s lapse of manners, but speaking the King’s Tongue is not something we do often here. It was only her teacher who insisted she learn the languages of our neighbors.”
“He was a Kingdom-born slave,” supplied the girl. “I think the son of some nobleman or another. So he claimed.” To Jimmy she said, “Business bores me. Would you care to see the garden?”
Jimmy nodded, excused himself, and left Roo and Vasarius alone.
The lord of the house continued, “Most of those outside our borders know little of us. We are all that is left of a once proud and great tradition, the true inheritors of all that was once Great Kesh.”
Roo nodded as if hearing this for the first time.
“We were founded as an outpost of the Empire, Mr. Avery. This is important. We were not a colony, as was Bosania, what you know as the Free Cities and the Far Coast, or a conquered people, as were those of the Jal-Pur or the Vale of Dreams. Those primitives who lived on this island were quickly absorbed by the garrison placed here to protect Keshian interests in the Bitter Sea.”
Raped by the soldiers and getting half-breed children, thought Roo. He had no doubt that the men living here when the Keshians showed up were either killed or enslaved.
“The garrison was pure Keshian, men from the Inner Legions. The reason I point this out to you is that you of the Kingdom have often treated withKesh’s Dog Soldiers. Their leader was Lord Vax, fourth son of the Emperor of Great Kesh.
“When the legion was called home to crush the rebellion in the Keshian Confederacy, he refused to abandon his people. This was Kesh, and Queg has endured as the sole repository of that great culture since the fall of Bosania to the Kingdom. Those who sit upon the Throne of the Overn Deep are a fallen people, Mr. Avery. They call themselves ‘True-blood,’ but they are a base and degenerate people.”
He stared at Roo, awaiting a reaction. Roo nodded and sipped his brandy.
Vasarius continued. “This is why we have few dealings with outsiders. We are mighty in culture, but otherwise we are a poor nation, surrounded on all sides by enemies.”
In other circumstances, Roo would have burst out laughing, as that phrase had been repeated to him so often it was something of a joke. But in the midst of this splendor, Roo understood. While there were many things of beauty, one couldn’t eat marble or gold. You had to trade. Yet this was a nation of people who distrusted, even feared outsiders.
Roo considered his words. “One must be careful with whom one is trading.” He waited, then said, “Else one must consider the risk of contamination.”
Vasarius nodded. “You are very perceptive for . . . an outsider.”
Roo shrugged. “I am a businessman, first and foremost, and while I have been lucky, I have also had to live by my wits. I would not be here if I didn’t sense an opportunity for mutual gain.”
“We do not permit many to trade in Queg, Mr. Avery. In the history of our people there have beenfewer than a dozen such concessions granted, and all have been to merchants in the Free Cities or from Durbin. Never has a Kingdom merchant been permitted such a privilege.”
Roo weighed his options. If this had been a Kingdom merchant or noble with whom he was speaking, he would have judged it time for a “gift,” as bribery
Livia spoke in the Quegan dialect. “If you’re going to give a history lesson, Father, may I be excused. These barbarians sicken me.”
In Quegan, Lord Vasarius replied, “Barbarians or not, they are guests. If you’re bored, take the young secretary and show him the garden. He’s pretty enough to be diverting. There’s a chance he might know a trick that’s new even to you.” His tone hidnothing of his disapproval; it would have been evident even if Roo and James didn’t speak the language used.
Vasarius turned to Roo. “Forgive my daughter’s lapse of manners, but speaking the King’s Tongue is not something we do often here. It was only her teacher who insisted she learn the languages of our neighbors.”
“He was a Kingdom-born slave,” supplied the girl. “I think the son of some nobleman or another. So he claimed.” To Jimmy she said, “Business bores me. Would you care to see the garden?”
Jimmy nodded, excused himself, and left Roo and Vasarius alone.
The lord of the house continued, “Most of those outside our borders know little of us. We are all that is left of a once proud and great tradition, the true inheritors of all that was once Great Kesh.”
Roo nodded as if hearing this for the first time.
“We were founded as an outpost of the Empire, Mr. Avery. This is important. We were not a colony, as was Bosania, what you know as the Free Cities and the Far Coast, or a conquered people, as were those of the Jal-Pur or the Vale of Dreams. Those primitives who lived on this island were quickly absorbed by the garrison placed here to protect Keshian interests in the Bitter Sea.”
Raped by the soldiers and getting half-breed children, thought Roo. He had no doubt that the men living here when the Keshians showed up were either killed or enslaved.
“The garrison was pure Keshian, men from the Inner Legions. The reason I point this out to you is that you of the Kingdom have often treated withKesh’s Dog Soldiers. Their leader was Lord Vax, fourth son of the Emperor of Great Kesh.
“When the legion was called home to crush the rebellion in the Keshian Confederacy, he refused to abandon his people. This was Kesh, and Queg has endured as the sole repository of that great culture since the fall of Bosania to the Kingdom. Those who sit upon the Throne of the Overn Deep are a fallen people, Mr. Avery. They call themselves ‘True-blood,’ but they are a base and degenerate people.”
He stared at Roo, awaiting a reaction. Roo nodded and sipped his brandy.
Vasarius continued. “This is why we have few dealings with outsiders. We are mighty in culture, but otherwise we are a poor nation, surrounded on all sides by enemies.”
In other circumstances, Roo would have burst out laughing, as that phrase had been repeated to him so often it was something of a joke. But in the midst of this splendor, Roo understood. While there were many things of beauty, one couldn’t eat marble or gold. You had to trade. Yet this was a nation of people who distrusted, even feared outsiders.
Roo considered his words. “One must be careful with whom one is trading.” He waited, then said, “Else one must consider the risk of contamination.”
Vasarius nodded. “You are very perceptive for . . . an outsider.”
Roo shrugged. “I am a businessman, first and foremost, and while I have been lucky, I have also had to live by my wits. I would not be here if I didn’t sense an opportunity for mutual gain.”
“We do not permit many to trade in Queg, Mr. Avery. In the history of our people there have beenfewer than a dozen such concessions granted, and all have been to merchants in the Free Cities or from Durbin. Never has a Kingdom merchant been permitted such a privilege.”
Roo weighed his options. If this had been a Kingdom merchant or noble with whom he was speaking, he would have judged it time for a “gift,” as bribery
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