He must not attempt to speak to
us, and he must obey anything he's told. If he lays a hand on a
woman, he will die."
"I will order
him so."
The women
murmured, and Molla gazed at Tassin with a pensive air. The woman
beside her offered Tassin a pipe, which she declined as graciously
as she could. The air was thick with pungent smoke, and her eyes
watered. She sipped her drink as the pipe was passed across her to
the next woman, continuing its rounds.
When the
talking died away, Molla remarked, "Never have we heard of anyone
crossing the Death Zone before. It's an auspicious deed. Monsters
come from there and terrorise our village sometimes. They're
terrible creatures, and hard to kill.
"That you
survived in the Death Zone itself, where these creatures dwell, is
extraordinary. We sent warriors to try to cross the desert, but
only a few returned to tell of the horror that exists there. Those
who did return died shortly afterwards. You're welcome amongst us,
for you must be a great warrior."
"Sabre got me
across," Tassin admitted, pulling a face. "He's a far greater
warrior than I."
Molla shook
her head, looking puzzled. "I don't understand why he helps you,
since you give him nothing in return. Even with this thing on his
head... it must work very well. Yet you say in your land you ruled
men and women."
"That is
right."
"I would like
to hear more about this. Tomorrow, perhaps. A house has been
prepared for you. It's late, and you must be tired."
Tassin rose
and nodded to Molla as Shizana stepped forward to guide her.
Outside, Sabre stood where she had left him, and she realised that
he had been waiting there the whole time. Different guards watched
him; the shift had probably been changed many times during the
hours she had spent with the Queen. Sabre looked tired and
aggrieved.
Tassin went
over to him. "I did not think I would be so long. Are you all
right?"
His smile was
bitter. "I'll live. It would have been nice if they'd let me sit
down, maybe even offered me some food."
Tassin bit her
lip. She should have realised that these women, who clearly
disliked men, would not extend any courtesy or comfort to one.
Until now, Sabre had taken care of her, and now it was her turn to
see to his needs, since the warrior women would not allow him any
real freedom. Here was her opportunity to prove that she was not a
silly girl, and already she had failed him.
"I did not
realise." She turned to Shizana. "Can you bring food for him?"
The huntress'
lip curled. "We don't feed men; he can feed himself."
Tassin's jaw
dropped, and Sabre muttered, "How nice."
Several spear
points bristled around his neck, pricking his skin, and Shizana
scowled. "He's not permitted to speak!"
Tassin glared
at the tall woman, her hand on her dagger. "He speaks if he wishes,
that is my wish!"
"You heard the
Queen's orders."
"I'm also a
queen. While I shall respect Molla's wishes, and will pass on her
orders, you will also respect mine. Sabre may speak to me whenever
he wants to, and I will have no more spears at his throat." She
pushed away the nearest spear. "He was not speaking to you, so he
broke no laws. It's too late to hunt now, and he's hungry, so bring
him food." Tassin glowered at Shizana, and the warrior woman's eyes
lowered before the royal glare.
"If it's your
wish, Queen Tassin."
Tassin turned
to the women who surrounded Sabre. "You may go, all of you! I do
not need guards to watch him. He obeys me, and is no danger to
anyone."
The women
looked uncertain, but lowered their spears and walked away, casting
many looks back at them.
Sabre eyed
Tassin. "Obeys you?"
"I had to tell
them that, or they would kill you."
"So you told
them what? That I'm your slave?"
"No! You do
not understand these women, they seem to hate men."
He shook his
head. "I understand them perfectly. They do hate men, they're
taught to by their mothers and grandmothers. To them, a man is
worse than an animal, especially since he's a member of their
us, and he must obey anything he's told. If he lays a hand on a
woman, he will die."
"I will order
him so."
The women
murmured, and Molla gazed at Tassin with a pensive air. The woman
beside her offered Tassin a pipe, which she declined as graciously
as she could. The air was thick with pungent smoke, and her eyes
watered. She sipped her drink as the pipe was passed across her to
the next woman, continuing its rounds.
When the
talking died away, Molla remarked, "Never have we heard of anyone
crossing the Death Zone before. It's an auspicious deed. Monsters
come from there and terrorise our village sometimes. They're
terrible creatures, and hard to kill.
"That you
survived in the Death Zone itself, where these creatures dwell, is
extraordinary. We sent warriors to try to cross the desert, but
only a few returned to tell of the horror that exists there. Those
who did return died shortly afterwards. You're welcome amongst us,
for you must be a great warrior."
"Sabre got me
across," Tassin admitted, pulling a face. "He's a far greater
warrior than I."
Molla shook
her head, looking puzzled. "I don't understand why he helps you,
since you give him nothing in return. Even with this thing on his
head... it must work very well. Yet you say in your land you ruled
men and women."
"That is
right."
"I would like
to hear more about this. Tomorrow, perhaps. A house has been
prepared for you. It's late, and you must be tired."
Tassin rose
and nodded to Molla as Shizana stepped forward to guide her.
Outside, Sabre stood where she had left him, and she realised that
he had been waiting there the whole time. Different guards watched
him; the shift had probably been changed many times during the
hours she had spent with the Queen. Sabre looked tired and
aggrieved.
Tassin went
over to him. "I did not think I would be so long. Are you all
right?"
His smile was
bitter. "I'll live. It would have been nice if they'd let me sit
down, maybe even offered me some food."
Tassin bit her
lip. She should have realised that these women, who clearly
disliked men, would not extend any courtesy or comfort to one.
Until now, Sabre had taken care of her, and now it was her turn to
see to his needs, since the warrior women would not allow him any
real freedom. Here was her opportunity to prove that she was not a
silly girl, and already she had failed him.
"I did not
realise." She turned to Shizana. "Can you bring food for him?"
The huntress'
lip curled. "We don't feed men; he can feed himself."
Tassin's jaw
dropped, and Sabre muttered, "How nice."
Several spear
points bristled around his neck, pricking his skin, and Shizana
scowled. "He's not permitted to speak!"
Tassin glared
at the tall woman, her hand on her dagger. "He speaks if he wishes,
that is my wish!"
"You heard the
Queen's orders."
"I'm also a
queen. While I shall respect Molla's wishes, and will pass on her
orders, you will also respect mine. Sabre may speak to me whenever
he wants to, and I will have no more spears at his throat." She
pushed away the nearest spear. "He was not speaking to you, so he
broke no laws. It's too late to hunt now, and he's hungry, so bring
him food." Tassin glowered at Shizana, and the warrior woman's eyes
lowered before the royal glare.
"If it's your
wish, Queen Tassin."
Tassin turned
to the women who surrounded Sabre. "You may go, all of you! I do
not need guards to watch him. He obeys me, and is no danger to
anyone."
The women
looked uncertain, but lowered their spears and walked away, casting
many looks back at them.
Sabre eyed
Tassin. "Obeys you?"
"I had to tell
them that, or they would kill you."
"So you told
them what? That I'm your slave?"
"No! You do
not understand these women, they seem to hate men."
He shook his
head. "I understand them perfectly. They do hate men, they're
taught to by their mothers and grandmothers. To them, a man is
worse than an animal, especially since he's a member of their
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