'That is true,' Kulothunga said, without a hint of irony. He puffed out his chest again. 'These markings on your woman's face; what do they mean?'
'Ask her,' Bradan said.
'What do they mean, Lady Swordswoman without a sword?'
Melcorka touched the tattoo on her left cheek. 'They are the symbols of my people,' she said.
'Are they sacred? Are they sacred to your gods?' Kulothunga continued, before Melcorka could reply. 'This temple is sacred but so is the fountain.' He was smiling again, proud to reveal his knowledge. 'Did you know that, foreign woman with the unpronounceable name?'
'I knew the temple was sacred,' Melcorka said. 'I did not know about the fountain.'
'Follow me!' Kulothunga walked to the fountain that tinkled and splashed in the centre of the garden. 'The water in this fountain is from the Ganges,' he said. 'The Ganges is our sacred river, many weeks' march to the north.'Dipping his hand in the water, Kulothunga touched it to his forehead. 'Rajaraja sent an expedition north with barrels and containers and brought back the sacred water.' He spoke with genuine awe in his voice.
For the first time, Melcorka felt some liking for Kulothunga. 'Does the water have special powers? When the holy men in our religion bless water, it has holy powers.'
'The Ganges is always holy,' Kulothunga said. 'Wherever I go, I carry some Ganges water with me.' He showed a small bottle. 'If I fall, then carrying holy water will ensure that I ascend to the next level of creation,' he smiled, 'or at least that I do not descend to a lower level. Could you imagine me as a farmer or a sweeper?' He laughed at the very idea.
'I could not imagine that.' Melcorka kept her voice serious. 'Not a warrior such as you.'
Kulothunga accepted Melcorka's praise as his due. 'Before I die,' he said, 'I wish to lead a Chola expedition to the Ganges. Could you imagine?' He lowered his voice in awe. 'Could you imagine elephants from Chola dipping their trunks in the Sacred River?'
Melcorka nodded. 'If such a thing happens, I know that you will be there.'
Kulothunga touched the hilt of his sword. 'If I were to be even part of such an expedition, I would die happy. I would have achieved deeds that no Chola warrior, not even the great Vijayalaya, has ever achieved in the past.' He puffed out his chest again, stroking his moustache and rattling the earrings that all Chola warriors seemed to affect. 'Do you wish to see me fight?'
'I would like that very much,' Melcorka said.
'Come then.' Kulothunga put his hand on Melcorka's shoulder. 'It is something that all women should see. After only a single demonstration of my skills, you will forget this peace-loving wandering fellow and wish to bed a warrior.'
Melcorka kept her expression solemn. 'In that case, perhaps I had better not come. Bradan and I have been through many adventures together. It would be a shame to turn my back on him now.'
'It is such a shapely back.' Kulothunga ran his gaze over her. 'I am sure he will admire the view as you walk away from him and towards me.'
Melcorka changed the subject. 'Show me your skills.'
Between the temple and the palace stretched a parade ground on which a company of Chola infantry were marching and counter-marching. Kulothunga approached the officer in charge, an impressively authoritarian man with the ubiquitous moustache of the Chola military.
'I wish to demonstrate my fighting skills to these foreigners,' Kulothunga said. 'Give me five of your best fighters.'
'Only five?' The officer did not seem to be joking. 'You are surely feeling weak today, Kulothunga.'
'Give me seven, then.' Kulothunga glanced at Melcorka to make sure she was listening. 'Form the rest of your men into a hollow square so they can all watch, and have the pale foreigners come inside as well.' He laughed, gripping the hilt of his sword.
Wishing she had Defender, Melcorka stepped inside the square, as Kulothunga stood with his head up and one leg forward and bent in a dramatic pose.
The officer selected seven men. They stepped forward willingly.
'Handy-looking bunch,' Bradan said.
Melcorka agreed. The soldiers were well-disciplined and fit, each man equipped with a spear, sword and shield. 'If appearances are anything to go by, these warriors would trouble any army in the world.'
'First two soldiers,' Kulothunga said. Two men stepped forward. The first soldier poised and threw his spear, which Kulothunga sidestepped with ease, and the second advanced at a run, thrusting his spear in front of him. Kulothunga slipped sideways, grabbed the shaft of the spear, pulled it past him and tripped the soldier with one fluid movement. As Melcorka watched, Kulothunga reversed the spear and pressed the point to the soldier's chest.
'That was neatly done,' Bradan said.
Melcorka watched through narrowed eyes. 'There's nothing new there,' she said. 'Children at play do that.'
Kulothunga glanced over to Melcorka to ensure she was still watching. 'Next two!' he shouted, unsheathing his sword.
Two men approached with swords out, and circular shields held on their left arms. Without a word, they broke into a run. Kulothunga adopted a half crouch, holding his much longer sword one-handed. He parried the blow of the man on his right, locked his opponent's blade with his own and turned aside, so his opponent's body shielded him from the second man. Laughing, Kulothunga twisted away from the first man's sword and stabbed across his body to slightly nick the second soldier on the chest.
'You're both dead!' Kulothunga shouted and returned his sword to its scabbard.
'Well done!' Melcorka clapped her hands. 'That was as neat a piece of swordplay as I have seen.'
Kulothunga smiled.
'Three men this time.' Kulothunga unbuckled his sword and spread his arms out. 'No weapons.'
'That's unusual.' Melcorka watched closely as the three soldiers dropped their weapons and advanced. Rather than waiting and counterattacking as he had done on his two previous encounters, Kulothunga ran towards his opponents. He avoided the grappling move of the first and jabbed at the chest of the
