Yen Olass stayed well clear of Lord Alagrace, who had endangered her life by his foolishness. Knowing the dynamics of ambition and hatred amongst the high caste warlords of the Collosnon Empire, Yen Olass expected that there would soon be a three-way power struggle for command of the army. Either Chonjara or Haveros would be the victor. Lord Alagrace would certainly lose, dying in a duel or a mutiny, unless he was murdered in his sleep.
Motivated by fear and necessity, Yen Olass did her best to play the woman's game and ingratiate herself with her rock, Haveros. She stayed in the background while he supervised the erection of a command tent for himself, and talked to those officers who came to greet him. There was not much Yen Olass could offer Haveros, but, once he was free of other concerns, she offered him what she had: the talking monster. To her disappointment, Haveros already knew about the Melski. So Yen Olass told him about Resbit. He laughed when she told him Resbit belonged to the prince of the castle.
'Someone's confused you,' he said. 'She's some woman one of the mercenaries used to sleep with. She's not important. But if you're worried about your friends, we'll bring them here.’
Yen Olass had not been worried at all, but supposed she should have been concerned, at least for Resbit.
'Not the monster,' said Yen Olass. 'We don't want a monster here.’
'You don't,' said Haveros, 'but I do. The Melski can be useful to us, if we treat them right. They'll work for us on the river, if we pay. If we use force they'll disappear into the wilds, never to be seen again. You say you can talk to this one?’
'It speaks Galish.’
'None of them speaks Galish,' said Haveros firmly. 'They've got their own language, which is all they speak.' 'This one is different.’
'Maybe so,' said Haveros. 'Or maybe it's a survival technique. Handy to know what people are saying when they don't think you can understand, yes?’
Yen Olass hastened to agree.
'Only I wouldn't think monsters had much trouble surviving,' she said.
'The water people are soft,' said Haveros. 'Let's go.’
And he went with her to the security section. Yen Olass expected that Resbit would be glad to see her. She looked for some sign of welcome when they entered the tent, but was not rewarded. When Resbit saw the state she was in – Yen Olass had not had a chance to clean herself or her clothes – she burst out laughing. Yen Olass was furious.
But fear replaced anger when she saw Haveros cutting the monster loose. Yen Olass, thinking that most unwise, backed away, measuring the distance to the exit.
'Don't be alarmed,' said Haveros. 'I know these people. Remember, I've lived in Estar for months. They're a peaceloving breed.’
'If you say so,' said Yen Olass, speaking in Eparget, which the Melski was most unlikely to understand. Then: 'Is it a he or a she, or is it an it?’
'A he,' said Haveros, slicing away a rope. 'The females are smoother, and they've got a slit between the legs like our own.’
'If it's a he, then where's its
'The male organ retracts when not in use,' said Haveros. 'They live much of their lives underwater, especially when they're young. They don't want dangling things for fish to bite at.’
Yen Olass laughed. The Melski now looked less like a monster and more like a sad and slightly ludicrous parody of a man. She was glad to have something to laugh at, was glad to have a little laughter to help occlude her stark vision of the use and abuse her world was going to make of her. Soon, given the chance, she would soothe herself with stories, and construct wishing-dreams in which she could take shelter; that would help keep her sane.
Haveros cut the last of the ropes free. The Melski tried to move, but could not. Resbit began to massage it limbs, working on it just as the Princess Quenerain had worked on Haveros earlier in the day.
Watching Resbit, Yen Olass felt, for the first time, some empathy with her. Now she realized why Resbit had laughed. She, too, was in an almost helpless position; she, too, needed some laughter to help her cope with the world. Tentatively, Yen Olass began to help succour the monster. Its flesh was unpleasantly rough and dry; maybe, as a water monster, its health required frequent dips in the river.
Soon the Melski could walk, and they all started out for the tent. On the way, Haveros began to ask the Melski questions about the last Galish convoy which had gone up the Hollern River toward Lake Armansis, far to the north in the Penvash Peninsular; at first he tried to use Yen Olass as a translator, but found his own Galish much better than hers.
Haveros had a small tent erected near his own for the use of Resbit and Hor-hor-hurulg-murg.
'Is it safe for a woman to sleep with a monster?' said Yen Olass.
'Melski males are incapable of sexual desire for human females,' said Haveros.
He was about to tell her more when he was interrupted by the arrival of a messenger.
'What is it?' said Haveros.
'Sir. The drawbridge had been lowered. An embassy is coming down the hill.’
Haveros acknowledged the message. Then he drew Yen Olass to one side and spoke to her quietly.
'The princess,' said Haveros.
'What about her?’
'You have to keep her away from me. When we meet this embassy-’
'I'm not coming! It's dangerous! People will spit on me and-’
'Hush,' said Haveros. 'You'll be safe. Everyone behaves themselves when the army meets an embassy. Besides, I'll be keeping an eye on you. Now, when we meet the embassy, warn the princess off if she comes near me.’
'Don't you want her?' said Yen Olass, hoping.
'Of course I want her,' said Haveros. 'But she has to be a little discreet. Take her aside and tell her so.’
So now Yen Olass knew why Haveros was being so good to her. She was going to be his mouthpiece amongst the women, bearing messages to the Princess Quenerain, arranging assignations, standing guard while Son-son stuck Suggy's teni with his slippery wet medi-vedi. Yen Olass saw it all. Still, as fates went, it was not so bad. Not bad at all, considering the alternatives.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The embassy consisted of one man, a hard-faced professional soldier who announced himself as Morgan Gestrel Hearst, son of Avor the Hawk, veteran of the wars of the Cold West, Chevalier of the Iron Order of the city of Chi'ash-lan, warrior of Rovac, dragon-killer and blood-sworn defender of the Prince of Estar, Johan Meryl Comedo.
'… in which capacity I claim the right to meet in combat the man I see there sitting amongst you, Volaine Persaga Haveros. Oathbreaker! Sworn to the service of the prince, he proves himself a liar, a trust-breaker, a traitor. If this assembly has any regard for its own honour, it will grant me his head, either by handing it to me or by giving me the chance to take it, man against man, blade against blade.’
This, translated from Galish into Eparget for the benefit of Lord Alagrace, his senior officers and siege marshals and all their attendants and immediate subordinates, failed to make a stir. The Collosnon Empire, an immensely self-confident and self-absorbed organization, had little regard for the accusations and the histrionics of outsiders.
'This is not the time to challenge,' said Haveros, 'whatever the provocation. We should be talking terms. We can at least arrange for you all to escape with your lives.’
'Such generosity!' said Hearst, with a sneer, 'I don't require or desire any favours from you. Once you've bloodied yourselves against the castle walls, you'll start to get a better idea of what's yours to give and dispose of.’
'I can tell you one thing that's ours to dispose of,' said Haveros. 'We took prisoners in Lorford.’
'Cook them and eat them for all I care,' said Hearst.
'My oath of service is to the prince, not to the earthgrub-bers under his feet.’
