curly black hair. Eiya! He was the man with the handsome eyes and the overbearing sister who had rescued them at Candra Crossing and gotten them across the river.
The law had caught up with him.
His gaze passed over her, and she found herself smiling stupidly only he had already looked away without any flicker of recognition. He glanced first at Mai, then looked at the captain and, flushed, glared down at the paving stones.
It hurt to be dismissed so easily. Avisha was used to being known as a pretty girl in her village, but she also knew perfectly well that
her village wasn't very large and that the world must be populated with women twelve times more beautiful than she could ever hope to be. And yet those two young Qin soldiers were looking at her in a gratifying way even if she did wish it was Keshad who found her of interest. In fact, the soldiers were staring as if they recognized her, and all at once she remembered the one with the pretty eyes. He had been part of the cadre that had intercepted them on the road in the Soha Hills. His teasing grin made her grin shyly in return, and his grin widened.
'Which of you did it?' asked Mai in her cool voice.
Keshad's head came up. 'It's not just these two. They were all jostling and making jokes with no respect for the possessions of others! They all need a lesson in good manners!'
'You're called Keshad, aren't you?' asked Mai in a kind voice that would have killed most men and made Keshad shut right up. 'I need to hear from these two men what they will say. I thank you.'
He gulped down a couple of breaths. Poor man! He felt things so deeply. But even as she thought it, Avisha saw Priya and the big man exchange an intimate glance, and the big man rolled his eyes and mouthed something that made Priya look at Keshad and smile with unconcealed amusement.
The clip-clop-clap of hooves on stone clattered in the courtyard; a buzz of women talking in low voices droned under. The sounds of hooves faded, shuttered by a clang of closing gates. Chief Tuvi walked over to the children and gently tipped Jerad so he could rest comfortably on the ground beside Zianna. Then he returned to stand by the captain. Everyone looked at the two Qin soldiers.
The soldier with the pretty eyes spoke first. 'It slipped out of my hands.'
'I told you!' muttered Keshad.
Mai said, 'Chaji, why did you drop the vase? After he said it was valuable?'
Chaji shrugged. 'How could I have known he knew what he was talking about? I only meant it as a bit of fun. I didn't mean to drop it. It slipped.'
'You may go, Chaji,' said the captain. 'You'll continue to ride with the tailmen until I say otherwise.'
His eyes widened; his mouth twitched. Yet as quickly as anger
flashed, he controlled it, tightening his lips into a straight line. He nodded obediently, spun, and left the garden. The other Qin soldier began to follow, but Anji raised a hand.
'Hold on, Jagi. What do you have to say for yourself?'
The soldier's gaze shifted toward Keshad, who was still glaring at the pavement. Then he looked back at his captain.
'Chief Tuvi,' said the captain, 'place Keshad in a private chamber with guards.'
'Come on,' said Chief Tuvi with a cough that was almost a laugh.
When they were gone, the captain nodded at the remaining soldier. 'Jagi?'
Jagi scratched his pock-scarred chin. Like all the Qin, he had a mustache but no beard to speak of, just wisps of hair on his chin. Captain Anji alone had a neatly trimmed beard.
'Speak,' said the captain.
Jagi sighed. 'Captain, none of us like him. That's the truth. First, some of us journeyed many days with him and his most excellent sister. Now we've traveled with him again to the barren lands and back. He's arrogant. He's unfriendly. He treats us with no respect. He never shared wine or ale but hoarded his own cup. So I suppose I thought he had it coming. I admit I enjoyed seeing the way his mouth frogged open and his eyes bugged out.' His grin made his eyes wrinkle and look merry.
'An honest answer, but yours was the behavior of a boy, not of a man.'
The smile fled. 'Yes, Captain.'
'Furthermore, you know what situation we find ourselves in. We must establish ourselves as settlers in this land, respected and accepted by those we mean to live among, while at the same we know that a dangerous threat remains, one we do not understand nor know the extent of. I need my tailmen to become men, so I can assign each one of you to stand as sergeants over recruits. To survive, we have to protect ourselves. To protect ourselves, we need what our enemy already has: an army. You may go.'
'Yes, Captain.' He left.
Mai said, 'Anji, after the battle, you told the council of Olossi you were not minded to accept the post of commander of the militia of Olossi.'
'Because the commander of the militia of Olossi can accomplish very little. This whole region needs a militia, not just the city. We need a militia, plum blossom, so our children may grow up.' He shifted, reaching to take Mai's hand, but before he touched her he caught himself, glanced at Avisha, and withdrew his hand.
Mai rested a hand on her abdomen. 'You think the army wearing the star will attack again.'
'I am sure they will.'
Avisha sank onto the bench.
Trembling, Mai sat beside her and took hold of her hands. 'Don't fret. You'll be safe.'
'I would attack, in their place,' he continued. 'But I would also assign new commanders, get better discipline in my troops, and most importantly I would send-' Looking at Avisha, he broke off. Paused. And started again. 'I would do what I have already done.'
'Shai is not ready for this,' Mai whispered, and Avisha thought she did not mean the captain to hear, but he did.
He said, 'If you do it, don't be afraid.'
She smiled wanly. 'I will not falter. It's just that sometimes it seems so hard.'
He nodded. 'Mai, we'll get the land we need. We'll build a stronghold and set up our perimeter. While you run the business, I'll teach the people of Olo'osson how to fight. Between us, we can survive.'
'Of course,' said Mai faintly as her expression twisted. She swayed, covering her mouth.
He said, briskly, 'Priya, can you fetch her some of that sweet ginger cordial she likes?'
'Here's my cup,' said Avisha.
The older woman whisked the cup out of Avisha's hand and knelt beside Mai. 'Just take a sip, little flower.'
It seemed unfair that the woman had ripped away her chance to give a kindness to repay the kindness shown her. She glanced at the children; their ragged clothes and dirty faces wouldn't help her cause. But she had been rehearsing speeches for days now, making lists of reasons she would make a good wife. 'My mam taught me a tincture, steeped herbs, that helps settle the stomach of pregnant women. I can make some for you.'
Mai was still sipping, looking almost cross-eyed with nausea, trying to hold it in.
Avisha looked up, straight into the gaze of the captain. Finally, she had caught his interest, and she straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin and felt that her ears were going to burn off, only they didn't. 'For instance, you've got a nice stand of tallow-berry over in that corner.' She pointed with her elbow. 'Mama would say, 'Inedible, good tallow for candles, oil pressed from the seeds good for varnish or paint and can be used as lamp oil although poor quality, residue of dry cakes with oil pressed out is good for fertilizer, also soap.' The wood carves well, and can be burned for incense. The leaves produce black dye if boiled in alum…'
He smiled so suddenly it made her heart jolt.
'Choose wisely,' he said, transferring his gaze to Mai. 'They're not all of equal worth.'
Avisha flushed, seared as though by lightning. He had already turned his back, and anyway, a man like him was far beyond her reach. While Priya fussed, he went inside, followed by the big man talking about sheep and wool.
'That's better,' said Mai, sitting back with a sigh. 'I thought sure it would all come out.'
Priya set down the cup, then examined Avisha. She had a dark gaze so deep it seemed to go on forever. When she touched Avisha's hand, tears stung in Avisha's eyes although she didn't know why.
'You'll stay with us,' said Priya. 'Won't you?'
