drinking matches until at least one of their number was dead.
'But first,' said Celadric, 'we have a presentation to make to a very important person.’
York shifted restlessly. He hated speeches.
'Darling,' said Yen Olass. 'Shall we depart?' 'Wait,' said York.
'We have a very important guest here tonight,' said Celadric, 'an ambassador from that formidable power in the world of events, the Lesser Teeth.’
There was idle laughter around the banqueting table. Just as Yen Olass realized whom he was talking about, his eyes met hers, and he smiled.
'Yen Olass Ampadara,' he said. 'You ordered gaplax tonight. Did you enjoy it?’
He sounded very, very pleased with himself.
'Yes,' said Yen Olass. 'Was it poisoned?’
T hope not,' said Celadric. 'The chef was told it was for the emperor himself.’
There was more lazy laughter.
'I understand you choose to spend tonight with my brother York,' said Celadric.
T will strive to be worthy of such a noble warrior,' said Yen Olass.
'A bit of the old striving, eh?' said the pirate chief, Draven. 'Nothing like it for rousing the appetite.’
That was one of the least witty comments of the evening, but it raised a laugh all the same. Celadric frowned; he did not like being interrupted.
'So speaks a master of the strategy of striving,' said Yen Olass. 'And a master of the strategy of survival.’
She was reminding him how he had survived in Penvash: by tying her up and leaving her for Chonjara. She looked at him steadily, and he dropped his eyes. She was surprised. She had not thought him capable of shame.
'Striving and survival apart,' said Celadric, annoyed at all this cross-talk, 'we're pleased that you've enjoyed our hospitality so much, Yen Olass. And now, especially in your honour, I'm pleased to announce that we're putting on a special breakfast for you tomorrow. We're going to cook you something very special to eat.’
Celadric smiled, spinning out the silence. From round the table, eager eyes watched Yen Olass. With rising horror, Yen Olass wondered what dish he was going to name. Her breasts? Her ears? Her eyes? Her fingers? 'Bring in the pig!' said Celadric.
Four men entered, accompanied by a huge black-masked executioner. The men were carrying a big cage shrouded by a triple-ply solskin horse blanket. The executioner swept cups and plates onto the floor, clearing away the litter of the banquet with the flat edge of his falchion. Still holding his sword, the executioner stepped to one side, and the men put the cage down on the table. The heavy horse blanket muffled the noise of whatever animal was inside it.
'Do you like pork, Yen Olass?' said Celadric.
It had to be a trick question. Something monstrous must be in that cage. A baby keflo, perhaps? Yen Olass did not know whether to answer yes or no. If she said 'yes', she might be offered something poisonous. If she said 'no', then Celadric might get the thing in the cage to eat her. Thinking on her feet, she found an answer of sorts:
'I shared lunch with your father once. I'd be happy to share breakfast with you.’
'My pleasure,' said Celadric.
Then he nodded to the executioner, who whipped off his black mask, revealing himself as- 'Nan Nulador!' said Yen Olass.
The horseblanket was whipped away and the thing in the cage screamed: 'Mam!’
'Monogail!' screamed Yen Olass.
She slashed the first guard who tried to grab her, laying his face open with five steel-tipped fingernails. But York grabbed her from behind, twisted her arm up behind her back and forced it almost to the breaking point. Monogail was wailing.
'You can't do this!' said Yen Olass, gasping, her eyes watering with pain. 'Not to a child. It's too cruel.’
'A child dralkosh,' said Nan Nulador, his voice heavy as death. 'An abomination.’
'Butcher it,' said Celadric curtly.
'No!' screamed Yen Olass.
And she went on screaming as Monogail was dragged out of the cage. The handlers grabbed her hands and feet and held her flat to the table.
'Don't do it,' said Yen Olass, begging now. 'Don't hurt her. Don't do it. I'll do anything, you know. Your father-’
'Do it,' said Celadric.
'She's your half-sister!' shouted Yen Olass. 'Your own flesh and blood!’
'A monster or a bastard,' said Celadric. 'Either way, I don't care. Do it! Now!’
Nan Nulador raised the falchion. And Yen Olass dropped her voice and said, in a special tone:
'Nan Nulador…’
The big man faltered.
'Sleep,' said Yen Olass.
He swayed on his feet. He staggered. Then righted himself, and shook his head, clearing his mind. 'Sleep,' said Yen Olass.
But this time, the word had no effect at all. Nan Nulador raised his sword. The weight of the falchion was all in the big swell of steel down toward the tip, so the mass of the blade was concentrated on the point where it would slice through Monogail's neck.
Nan Nulador chopped down.
And jolted sideways, felled by a single blow. The Ondrask had smashed him with a battle hammer. The falchion went flying, and clattered to the floor. Monogail screamed senselessly.
'Bear witness!' shouted the Ondrash hoarsely. 'Bear witness! The emperor executed me because I tried to stop him eating a child. Bear witness! Tell it in Gendormargensis!’
The Ondrask gasped for breath, and was about to shout again, but Celadric cut in on him:
'Silence! Not another word! What's this about eating? Don't you know a joke when you hear one? We were just ridding the world of a dralkosh, that's all. Once it's dead, we can turf it down to the flames, for all I care.’
'Give it to me,' said the Ondrask. 'I'll take care of it.’
Celadric looked at the Ondrask of Noth. He smirked. Then his voice went silky smooth, and he addressed the Ondrask by name:
'Losh Negis, children are for women. Do you want the child? This can be arranged. But we'd have to make you a woman first. All it takes is a little work with a sharp blade. Is that what you want?’
The Ondrask was silent.
'You see?' said Celadric. 'You thought you were a hero. But you're not, really. You were ready to die – but anyone can die. People do it all the time. They manage even if they haven't practised. What's difficult is living. And, as I've shown you, when it comes to living, you're no hero. Tell that in Gendormargensis, if you wish. Losh Negis made his choices.’
The Ondrask bowed his head. His attempt to shame Celadric into letting the child live had failed. Celadric had made him look like a fool. And, in some people's minds, a bit of a coward as well. Though what man in his right mind would choose to be made into a woman?
'You only want to kill the child because your father thwarted you when you wanted to kill me,' said Yen Olass, trying to see if Nan Nulador was dead or unconscious or what.
'Really?' said Celadric, raising an eyebrow. 'The emperor is not so petty. We wish to destroy the… the pig only because it is a dralkosh.’
'She's a perfectly ordinary child,' said Yen Olass steadily, 'and you know it.’
But she knew she could not win this argument.
'I don't choose to bandy words with a slave girl,' said Celadric. 'The child is a monster, and everyone here knows it. The eyes are yellow. Look!’
He lifted Monogail's head by the hair. She wailed, and Yen Olass struggled, trying to break free. York put more tension on her arm, and she hissed with the pain.
'Give me a knife,' said Celadric, holding out his hand, 'And I'll do it myself.’
Someone slapped a knife into his hand.
