stopping instead just ahead of the last row of seats. He saluted, and the commanders returned it.
Sanctari, who seemed the most at peace of the generals, spoke. "Tribune Talaos, you have the thanks of the entire army for taking the gatehouse and opening the city at so little cost. Outside of the works of magi, I doubt any of us here have ever seen anything like what you did yesterday. Many lives were saved, and thanks to you, we have intact walls to defend us.
"We do not, however, have an intact city. It is true that a city that falls by assault has every reason to fear the wrath of the victors, and no reason to expect mercy. However, our army was under orders, for many more reasons, to avoid a general sack. We had expected to impose harsh terms on Avrosa, and a tributary wartime council of our choosing, which might have included some of the existing Patricians. Now, however many of those choices are out of our hands. Other choices were made instead, by you, for reasons that we now need to understand."
Talaos surveyed them coolly. Feet slightly apart, he stood at ease. "Did any of you see the smoke rising from the city, constantly, those days before the attack?" he said.
If possible, the expressions on the faces of several of the generals became more complex, thought Talaos. He'd asked an obvious question with only one answer, like asking if they knew there was a thing called the sun, and they quite naturally seemed to be watching for a trap.
Narrowed eyes and a few nods passed around the circle.
"All of you now know where that smoke was coming from. Do you care?"
Nissas spoke, "How Avrosa was governing itself was hardly your concern, Tribune."
Talaos smiled, "Perhaps you have more expertise than I in the laws of Avrosa, but Hunyos and the Republic both use laws based on the code of the old Empire, and almost anyone on the street in either country could answer that there is nothing in there about burning people alive, or handing them over to some unelected philosophical cult."
Uncomfortable looks passed among the generals. Nissas seemed undeterred. "How does any of that grant you, Talaos, the authority to make decisions about that, in battle or..."
Then, to the surprise of Nissas and, Talaos thought, most in the room, General Dromno stood up and interrupted. The simply-dressed general's gruff, earthy voice was thick with sudden emotion, "The Imperial laws were wrong, boy! False laws made by sinful men. People in Avrosa chose higher laws, and it was our job, even as the conquerors, to let them stand by what was right. The House of the..."
Talaos interrupted him in turn, "Leaving aside the very large question of how many of the people of Avrosa actually made or supported that choice, what choice did the people on the pyre have? Or the prisoners I found in the House of the Prophet? I had a physician of Avrosa look at them last night, and you have the copy of his notes in the report I dispatched at dawn. It is possible some of you have not taken the time to read it..."
Talaos was vaguely aware of Adriko putting his head in his hands.
"...but what crimes, exactly, could a seven year old girl commit that would merit being burned alive?"
Adriko sat back up, with an expression as if stuck with a dagger. There were surprised looks on the faces of nearly every man among the allied officers.
Kurvan stood up, and turned to his fellow commanders. "Hear that, my lads? I didn't read that thing, but that's the sort of news I was already expecting. Now, Nissas here did read it. And Aro. You too Sanctari. How long are we going to keep this show up before we vote?"
Nissas, still standing, turned to Kurvan, his voice now rising with visible temper, "Again, who the hell told Talaos he could slaughter the entire council based on his moral sensitivities! Are we going to... "
"Those Councilors were still armed and giving their men orders!" growled Kurvan.
"And you know very well he should have asked for their surrender,"
Sanctari, who seemed the most at peace of the generals, spoke. "Tribune Talaos, you have the thanks of the entire army for taking the gatehouse and opening the city at so little cost. Outside of the works of magi, I doubt any of us here have ever seen anything like what you did yesterday. Many lives were saved, and thanks to you, we have intact walls to defend us.
"We do not, however, have an intact city. It is true that a city that falls by assault has every reason to fear the wrath of the victors, and no reason to expect mercy. However, our army was under orders, for many more reasons, to avoid a general sack. We had expected to impose harsh terms on Avrosa, and a tributary wartime council of our choosing, which might have included some of the existing Patricians. Now, however many of those choices are out of our hands. Other choices were made instead, by you, for reasons that we now need to understand."
Talaos surveyed them coolly. Feet slightly apart, he stood at ease. "Did any of you see the smoke rising from the city, constantly, those days before the attack?" he said.
If possible, the expressions on the faces of several of the generals became more complex, thought Talaos. He'd asked an obvious question with only one answer, like asking if they knew there was a thing called the sun, and they quite naturally seemed to be watching for a trap.
Narrowed eyes and a few nods passed around the circle.
"All of you now know where that smoke was coming from. Do you care?"
Nissas spoke, "How Avrosa was governing itself was hardly your concern, Tribune."
Talaos smiled, "Perhaps you have more expertise than I in the laws of Avrosa, but Hunyos and the Republic both use laws based on the code of the old Empire, and almost anyone on the street in either country could answer that there is nothing in there about burning people alive, or handing them over to some unelected philosophical cult."
Uncomfortable looks passed among the generals. Nissas seemed undeterred. "How does any of that grant you, Talaos, the authority to make decisions about that, in battle or..."
Then, to the surprise of Nissas and, Talaos thought, most in the room, General Dromno stood up and interrupted. The simply-dressed general's gruff, earthy voice was thick with sudden emotion, "The Imperial laws were wrong, boy! False laws made by sinful men. People in Avrosa chose higher laws, and it was our job, even as the conquerors, to let them stand by what was right. The House of the..."
Talaos interrupted him in turn, "Leaving aside the very large question of how many of the people of Avrosa actually made or supported that choice, what choice did the people on the pyre have? Or the prisoners I found in the House of the Prophet? I had a physician of Avrosa look at them last night, and you have the copy of his notes in the report I dispatched at dawn. It is possible some of you have not taken the time to read it..."
Talaos was vaguely aware of Adriko putting his head in his hands.
"...but what crimes, exactly, could a seven year old girl commit that would merit being burned alive?"
Adriko sat back up, with an expression as if stuck with a dagger. There were surprised looks on the faces of nearly every man among the allied officers.
Kurvan stood up, and turned to his fellow commanders. "Hear that, my lads? I didn't read that thing, but that's the sort of news I was already expecting. Now, Nissas here did read it. And Aro. You too Sanctari. How long are we going to keep this show up before we vote?"
Nissas, still standing, turned to Kurvan, his voice now rising with visible temper, "Again, who the hell told Talaos he could slaughter the entire council based on his moral sensitivities! Are we going to... "
"Those Councilors were still armed and giving their men orders!" growled Kurvan.
"And you know very well he should have asked for their surrender,"
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