Byzantium

'Then I will say nothing,' I agreed, and the official opened the door and allowed us into the room.

Governor Honorius was a big man with a full head of white hair. His shoulders and hands were broad, and his features generous. But he sat slumped in his chair as if he lacked the will ever to rise again, and his eyes were dark-circled and sunken; his flesh had the unhealthy pallor I had learned to associate with captivity. He was sitting in a large chair, behind which stood two more guards with spears and short swords. Casius was present, standing at his right hand; the other official stepped behind us to close the door and remained there.

'Thank you for seeing us, governor,' I said quickly, anxious to speak first. 'I bring greetings from my father, Nicephorus.'

At this name Honorius's eyes quickened with interest, much as I had hoped. He searched my face, but without recognition. 'I fear you have the better of me.'

'Forgive me, governor,' I said. 'I was but a small boy when last we met. It has been many years. I should not have presumed upon your memory.'

He looked at me hopefully. 'Of course, I do remember you now.'

Before I could reply, the first official, Casius, spoke up. 'I believe that you said it was a matter involving property,' he announced. 'I have already explained that it is not a matter for the exarch's involvement. Is that not so?'

'That is so,' replied Honorius, his voice going strangely dead.

'So you see-' offered the second official hurriedly, 'I fear you have-'

'A moment more, please,' I said firmly. 'The property in question is the inheritance rightfully due my bride, to be passed to her upon her betrothal and to be used as her dowry.'

'Yes, yes,' said the governor in a distracted way. 'These matters can be very-'

'Her brother,' I said-turning to Kazimain, I put my hand on her shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze-'refuses to relinquish her share, and our wedding is needlessly-'

All at once Kazimain began to weep. She buried her face in her hands and wailed. The official closest to the door advanced threateningly. 'Why is she crying?' he demanded.

'She is very distraught,' I explained, 'as anyone might imagine. Our wedding has been-'

'Tell her to be quiet,' he growled, 'or she will have to leave.'

'Please, my love,' I said, squeezing her shoulder again, 'you must try to control yourself.'

Kazimain responded with a wail, and sobbed more loudly. 'Take her out of here,' ordered Casius.

The second man stepped closer and made to lay hold of her. Kazimain stepped aside, ran to the governor's chair, and threw herself before him. She wrapped her arms around his legs and wailed, tears streaming down her cheeks. The governor peered down in startled amazement. The two officials leapt forward and tried to pry her loose, shouting, 'Stop that! Get up!'

I rushed to help them. 'Here now,' I said. 'Here now. You must desist at once, my darling.' I pawed ineffectually at Kazimain, stepping first this way and then that, entangling myself in their efforts.

'Get out of the way!' shouted the second official. Shoving me roughly aside, the two raised Kazimain to her feet and began dragging her away. 'Guards! The door!' The two guards hastened to open the door.

Stepping quickly to the governor's side, I whispered, 'We are here to help you, Honorius.'

'Help me?' He seemed bewildered by the suggestion. 'I am a prisoner here.'

'We can free you. We will come for you tonight.'

The old man clutched at my sleeve. 'It is too late for me,' he said. 'No one can help me. The emperor-' His fingers raked at my arm. 'Listen to me! You must warn him-'

'I have men with me,' I told him. 'We will come for you tonight. Be ready.'

Proconsul Casius and one of the guards returned before either of us could say more. I stepped back abruptly, and said aloud, 'Pray accept my apology, governor. My bride is overwrought. If the dowry is not forthcoming-'

'Enough!' the official said, almost stumbling in his haste to pry me from Honorius's side. 'Get out! Had I known what a disturbance you would create, I never would have allowed you to waste the exarch's time in such a disgraceful way.'

'I beg your pardon,' I said, stepping smoothly away. At the door, I paused and turned once more to the governor. 'I will deliver your greetings to my father. He will be greatly cheered to know that you are feeling better now.'

Honorius gaped at me, his mouth working to speak words I could not catch. I was pushed through the vestibule and out the door so fast that I collided with Kazimain who was already in the street, a frowning guard at her side. 'You need trouble yourselves no further,' Casius called angrily from the door. 'Should you return, the exarch has given orders not to admit you. There is nothing further he can do.'

The guard watched us until we were out of sight. But once we had turned the corner, I grabbed Kazimain and hugged her tightly. 'Excellent!' I cried.

She put her arms around my neck, smiling, and then remembered herself and abruptly pulled away. 'Was it what you wanted?'

'You were magnificent!'

'Do you think they believed us?'

'It does not matter,' I replied. 'We have seen Honorius, and he is alive-that is all we need to know.'

Kazimain gazed at me, her eyes shining. 'Was I magnificent? Truly?'

'That you were, my love.' Turning away, my mind was already leaping to the task before us. 'Hurry,' I called over my shoulder, 'we have much to do before nightfall.'

65

It would be best,' Theodore was saying, 'if no one remained inside the tent while the cheirourgia is performed.'

Glancing at Kazimain, pale and drawn but determined, I said, 'We will stay.'

'Then you must remain silent,' Theodore replied. 'I warn you now, there will be an issue of blood. Do not be frightened at this; it is a feature of the procedure.'

I relayed the physician's words to Kazimain and she nodded, never taking her eyes from the amir's prostrate form. Sadiq's hair was clipped short and the back of his head shaved smooth; he had been given a strong, soporific drug called opium made from the juice of certain flowers common in the east. Turned face down on a bed of cushions, Sadiq now slept soundly, with Ddewi at his head on one side and Theodore on the other. The amir's arms were bound to his body with cords, and his legs were also tied together.

Selecting a small, razor-like knife from among the various tools spread upon a cloth-covered brass platter beside him, Theodore nodded to Ddewi, who took the amir's head between his hands. 'We begin,' he said.

With deft, unhesitating strokes Theodore pierced the skin at the base of the amir's skull and opened a circular flap of skin, which he lifted and pinned up out of the way with a needle, much as a tailor might do with a scrap of cloth. Kazimain folded her hands and pressed them to her lips.

Blood ran freely from the wound as Theodore replaced the knife and regarded his handiwork for a moment. Apparently satisfied, he then took up a small powdery stone and applied it to several places along the edge of the cut he had made, and the bleeding diminished considerably. A look of wonder appeared on Ddewi's face.

Selecting another, longer-bladed knife, Theodore leaned forward and began gently scraping at the wound, and I soon saw the glimmer of white bone. 'Since you are here,' the physician said, speaking with slow concentration, 'you might as well be of use to me. Come and hold the lamp a little higher.'

With a look and a nod, Theodore positioned me and directed the light where he wanted it to fall. I held the brass lamp as he bent to the study of his work, probing now and then with the tip of the long blade held lightly in his fingers.

After a few moments, he breathed a whispered, 'Ah, yes!' To Ddewi, he said, 'You were right, my friend. It is a small fragment of bone which has become dislodged and has caused the bleeding inside the skull.'

Replacing the knife upon the tray, Theodore took up a strange tool; shaped like a pair of miniature tongs, but with elongated pincers at the end, it had loops for his thumb and finger with which he operated it. Using this, he bent to his work and in a moment I heard a wet, sucking sound and he raised the instrument into the light. A nasty,