caused a series of unfortunate events. She doesn't know what became of me, and I don't wish it generally known that she's still alive.”
“Why?”
“Because too many people would try to kill her. You may accuse me of deceit, but once again I'm avoiding needless murder.
“Which brings me to the second thing we have in common. The need to contain violence. We have had news of a possible attack on Menish’s land by an ancient foe from the north. I wish you to help us defend Anthor.”
“Me? What do you want me to do?” Azkun asked guardedly.
“Althak and Hrangil are going to visit the land of this foe, it's called Gashan. They'll spy out their strengths and weaknesses and confirm or deny the information we have on the attack. They'll also search for a talisman taken from Relanor forty years ago, the last time these people attacked us. I wish you to go with them.
“The journey will be dangerous. Gashan is a treacherous land of treacherous folk. The talisman is a thing of great power. It's possible that Althak and Hrangil will be able to fetch this thing, it is also possible that you'll be able to destroy the Gashans with it.”
“I refuse.”
Vorish did not look surprised, he stood silently waiting for Azkun to continue.
“I refuse because I will not commit murder. You will not send me to destroy these folk. I will not do it.”
“Do you want to see these Gashans sweep across Anthor and Relanor, killing and burning everything and everyone they find? You saw Menish and the others fight a band of pirates on your journey. That was a small skirmish, it was nothing compared to what I'm speaking of. You saw, perhaps, twenty pirates killed. I'm talking of thousands of people slain. You may refuse if you wish. But you may never call me cruel again if you do.”
“I will not commit murder!”
“You can't avoid it! The mere fact that you are alive means that others must die. It is inescapable. Life begets death.”
“I do not eat!”
“That does not exempt you from murder by inaction!”
“I have another answer. You would send me to Gashan for a talisman to help you fight these folk. I would rather go to Kishalkuz, the dragon isle, and bring aid from the dragons themselves.”
“I've heard this talk before. This is not the first offer I've had for someone to travel to Kishalkuz. How do you know Kopth, or the dragons, will receive you?”
“Of course they will. They sent me. They called me from the Chasm to be a bridge to themselves.”
“How do you know that?”
“They told me, or I realised it, it does not matter. It is the truth.”
“Perhaps they sent you for another reason. Such as to be their strength against Gashan yourself?” Vorish sat down beside Azkun and looked into his face. The Emperor’s words made him doubt himself deeply. Did he really know what the dragons wanted of him? Of course, to remove the corruption in their creation. He had assumed for so long that this would mean a journey to Kishalkuz that he had not questioned the idea.
“These things are hard to think of,” continued Vorish. “I'll not insult you by claiming that I, also, revere dragons. For me the dragons embody Vorthenki sacrifices and those are repugnant to me. I've forbidden them in Relanor, though I'm not always obeyed. People like Tralath would revive them, that's one of their complaints against me.
“I can't pretend to trust your dragons. But I can trust what I know. There's power in this talisman, there's power in you. I can trust you, you're surprised? Of course you are. But you and I are not so different. We both want to stop all this killing if we can.”
“If I go to Gashan-I will not commit myself to murder, but I will look on Gashan. If I go and return and tell you that this is not the purpose of the dragons, will you let me go to Kishalkuz?”
“Yes.”
“Then I will go.”
Azkun had agreed, however warily, to travel to Gashan. Vorish, therefore, had no quarrel with him, but he did not hold another banquet that evening. Instead he invited Menish, Azkun and the others to his private apartments to eat with him. Azkun was first taken back to the guest apartments. There he was bathed and dressed in fresh clothes, although he kept the golden cord belt Tenari had given him. He felt he wanted that. It was a memento of the one time she had spoken to him, a symbol that she could speak.
When they were ready they were led to a room near the one Menish and the others had met in for most of the day. There were bright hangings on the walls and a large fireplace piled with logs. The fire was unlit because the evening was warm. In the centre of the room were many cushions, some embroidered with complex patterns. Vorish and Sonalish were sitting on the cushions accompanied by several women and four children.
The women, except for Sonalish, rose to make room for them to sit, and to fetch them wine. A platter of cold fish and fruit was brought from another room and placed before them. Sonalish handed some cloth and needles she was holding to one of the women as she greeted Menish.
“Sonalish, you grow more Relanese each time I see you. Is that really embroidery?”
She laughed.
“Of course, Uncle. I'm Relanese now. I've not shot a bow for years and I hardly ever ride.” Her smile faded to a more serious expression. “I still keep my sword arm in practice, that's only sensible.” She pushed forward the largest of the children, a small boy with Vorish’s eyes, and spoke to him. “Men’, do you recognise your great uncle or your Uncle Drinagish? Here Drinagish, you talk to him. You'll be his vassal one day, you should make your impression early as our Uncle Menish did on Vorish!” They laughed and Drinagish took the boy's hand, looking as though he did not know what to do with him.
Men' stared at Drinagish with Vorish's eyes.
“Drinagish,” he said carefully in his piping voice. “Yes, I remember you. You came here three years ago.”
He was not much younger than Olcish, thought Menish, and perhaps the two of them would enjoy each other's company. But Olcish seemed too awed to come out from behind his mother.
Menish smiled and remembered when Vorish had first met Sonalish, years ago now. Vorish was only nineteen, newly ascended to the throne, and she was thirteen, far too young for an Anthorian to marry. He had seen her at the coronation when they placed Gilish’s crown on his head and he had determined then that he would marry her. When she was sixteen he had sent proposals to her, but her mother, Adhara’s sister, would not hear of it. He hardly knew her, she had said, it was not the Anthorian way. So he had gone to Anthor for six months to woo her, and still they refused. Not everyone liked Vorish, he was too forthright, too determined, too Vorthenki, but that was not what they said. They told him she was still too young, which she was.
But the spell was cast. When Sonalish came of age at eighteen she took a horse and rode down to Relanor without her parents' blessing to marry the Emperor. It was considered somewhat improper for her to wed so young, but Menish had intervened and soothed her parents. Vorish needed an Empress, the Vorthenki were uneasy that he had no wives, and, no, he would not prove Relanese or Vorthenki enough to take any others. In reality, Menish knew, Vorish simply always got what he wanted.
And he had wanted Sonalish. What had attracted him Menish did not know. She was pretty, but not especially so, rather lean by stocky Anthorian standards, and she had a pleasant nature. It did not seem enough for someone of Vorish’s towering passions, but it was.
“Are you feeling better, Azkun?” Sonalish inquired as though last night’s outburst had been a minor complaint of indigestion.
He nodded silently, as if minimising any commitment to an answer, but she took his response as definitely positive.
“I'm glad to hear it. You've a long and weary journey before you,” she said. “Hrangil, you're not eating. Here, do try one of these.” She held a large prawn out to him. Menish noticed that she had referred to Azkun’s journey to Gashan, she was obviously informed on Vorish’s policies.
Hrangil shook his head with a smile and picked up a bunch of grapes. “No, thank you. This will suffice.”
“Really, Hrangil,” said Menish. “You ate fish during our voyage. I didn't see you turn your nose up at it then.”
