'Good. Do you agree with your brother, Dee?' Dhraji asked.
Dee looked from his brother to Dhraji and back, evidently reluctant to make a decision. 'No, Rani,' he said at last.
'Do you think Chera is a coward?' Dhraji asked smoothly. 'He is strong and muscular, and he looks brave. Is he brave?'
Dee closed his eyes as sweat broke out on his forehead. His voice dropped to a whisper. 'Yes, Rani. He is brave.'
Bradan breathed as softly as he could in a room that had gone very quiet. He could hear voices rising from the city below and even the rustle of a bird's wings as it flew past the window.
'Your brother says you are brave,' Dhraji said to Chera. 'Are you brave?'
'Brave enough.' Chera evidently knew there was no escape.
'Prove it to us.' Dhraji's smile did not falter.
'What? How can I prove my bravery?'
'Jump out of the window.' Still Dhraji's smile did not falter.
The room was five storeys above the square. Chera stepped back, with Dhraji still smiling. 'Jump out of the window,' she ordered, 'or I will have four elephants pull you apart an inch a day in the square.'
'No!' Chera looked at his colleagues for support. When they stepped further back, he pulled out his sword and rushed at Dhraji. 'You evil whore!'
Nobody moved. The seamen and warriors seemed frozen in horror as sunlight glinted on Chera's curved blade. Even the guards appeared paralysed. Dhraji continued to smile. It was instinct that forced Bradan to thrust his foot forward. Chera tripped and staggered, which gave Dhraji's guards sufficient time to rush from their position against the wall and remove Chera's sword. They held him securely on the ground, awaiting Dhraji's orders.
Dhraji had not moved. 'Strip him,' she said pleasantly, 'and hang him by his left ankle outside the window. He can sun-dry there for a day or two until I decide how to execute him.' She looked at Bradan and nodded, once. 'That one was not a test,' she said and watched as her guards suspended Chera from the window, as she had ordered. None of the men lifted a finger to help.
'Now, here is what we will do,' Bhim continued, as if a naked man was not slowly swinging outside the building. 'Our ships will meet Rajaraja's fleet in the open sea. We will harass them and attack the stragglers and the loolas, their scout ships.' Bhim looked around to ensure that everybody was paying attention.
'We will strike, kill, withdraw and strike again. We will not oppose the Chola fleet in an open battle. Our job is to thin their numbers and unsettle them.'
The shipmasters nodded. They were raiders and slavers; they understood tip-and-run fighting.
'When we get within half a day's sail of Kollchi, we will break off and sail home.' Bhim's grin restored some spirit to his audience. 'We have some surprises for Rajaraja's men here, and I'll need your nautical fighters to man the walls. We will put out the boom and hold them in our harbour, with fire and steel.'
Bradan nodded. It was an excellent strategy. He began to have a little respect for Bhim.
'We will defeat them. No fleet can breach our defences, island and city,' Bhim said. 'What is more troubling is the Chola army. Our border fort at Rajgana is only lightly held, so we need to send reinforcements to the pass.'
'We have a week to defeat the Chola fleet,' Dhraji said. 'Don't let me down.' She pulled Dee close to her and patted his cheek. 'Can I trust you, Dee? Can I trust you, knowing what I have done to your brave brother?'
'You can trust me.' Dee did not look as Chera struggled desperately outside. With all his weight suspended on one ankle, the strain would already be becoming intolerable.
'Good.' Dhraji kissed his forehead. 'If you stay loyal, I will make it easy for your brother. If you let me down, then you will join him. I rather like the idea of having two brothers decorating my house.'
Ignoring Dhraji's words, Bhim lifted his voice. 'Thank you all, gentlemen. You may go and prepare for war.'
The ship captains and war lords filed out, leaving Bradan alone with Dhraji and Bhim.
'You did well, Bradan.' Dhraji eyed him. 'That is twice you have intervened to save me. You deserve a reward. What shall I give you? A slave girl, perhaps? Or some golden trinkets? What do you desire most?'
'Your Majesty,' Bradan salaamed to Dhraji, 'I crave a favour from Bhim'
'You are my wife's slave.' Bhim's eyes were as smoky as Dhraji's leopard's. 'Your favour is remaining alive.'
'He has proved his loyalty twice now,' Dhraji said. 'The first time, he thought to protect me from a night assassin and he saved me again today. Let him speak. He is an intriguing slave.'
'Thank you, My Lady.' Bradan salaamed to Dhraji and then to Bhim. 'You may not recall, Bhim Raj, that when I was captured, there was a woman with me.'
You may not like me mentioning Melcorka again, Dhraji, but I must find out.
When Bhim nodded, folds of fat flapped around his chin. 'I remember.'
'Is she still alive?'
Bhim nodded. 'The pale woman is still alive.'
Bradan felt Dhraji's eyes on him and wondered if the Rani was jealous, or if she was now so secure with her power and undoubted charisma that such emotions were beyond her. I must take the chance. 'She was unwell when we were captured. I would crave permission to see her again.'
Dhraji tilted her head to one side. 'Were you as loyal to this woman as you are to me?'
'I was, and I am,' Bradan said. 'My loyalty does not falter or die, your Majesty.'
'How strange.' Dhraji touched Bradan's arm. 'It is curious that you should remain loyal to somebody else, even after meeting me… even when you know how much I value total submission.'
That was undoubtedly a threat. 'You are easily the most enchanting woman I have ever met.' Bradan chose his words carefully.
'So why keep your
