“If you drink that medicine now, I will forgive the act,” our king told him.
Aras nodded. Lifting the flask, he hesitated for a bare instant. Then he drank all the wine, set the flask on the gritty soil where he knelt, and almost at once swayed, lifting a hand to his face. I caught him as he slumped, lowered him to lie down, folded his cloak around him, and tucked his hands beneath the fur to keep them warm. I stayed there, kneeling beside him, my eyes on his face. The hard-held calm had relaxed now into peace. A man should die on his feet, fighting. But if he could not die that way, then this was perhaps not bad.
“How long will he sleep?” Koro asked me.
I could not bring myself to look up. “Four handbreadths of time. Five. Probably not six.”
“Sinowa inGara, I will hear your opinion.”
My father stepped close to me, setting a hand on my shoulder. He said, “My son.”
Now I had to raise my eyes. Steeling myself, I did so.
“Ryo,” he said gently. “I think there is only one possible decision.”
I protested, “He checked himself. When I spoke to him, he at once ceased using his sorcery in this wrong way. “
“I saw this. That was not as bad as it could have been. But, Ryo, he should not have needed you to speak to him. No matter how difficult everything that has happened, he should have understood it before he acted.” My father paused.
I began to speak, but my father lifted a hand and went on, still speaking gently. “I know he has been an honorable man. I think he is still mindful of honor, or his last thought before he drank that medicine would not have been to seek your forgiveness. But if he wakes, what then? You heard him say he committed this act without thinking, without realizing that he put his will on another man until he had done it. My son, if this is the way in which the madness comes upon a sorcerer, better he dies now, while he is still an honorable man.”
I said sharply, “He was upset and frightened. Anyone would have been. He ceased at once when he realized what he had done. He knows the act was utterly disgraceful—he spoke the truth when he said his own act horrified him. I am certain this was the truth.”
“I think perhaps it was. But, my son, neither you nor I are sorcerers, to see into a man's heart; nor are we gods, to know what the days will bring. What if you are wrong?” My father help up his hand when I would have answered. He said, still gently, “Even if you are right, the matter is still one that must be taken very seriously. If another sorcerer did such a thing to anyone, to you or to me, to any Ugaro, far less our king, would you pardon that sorcerer? Would you argue that our king should pardon him?”
I had not thought of it in that way. I said nothing.
Finally, taking his hand from my arm and turning to face our king, my father said, “The best time to put a sorcerer to death is while he sleeps. There can be no better time than this. I will not protest that decision, if you think it best.” Then he said to me, “My son, you are a proud and honorable man and you know what your honor requires. But if the decision goes that way, I ask that you do not step in front of the knife.”
I drew breath to speak.
I did not know what I meant to say, but before words came to me, a different voice spoke above me, in taksu that was not very good. “I hope no one will say I should not step in front of the knife.”
-35-
I jumped to my feet, aghast. “Geras—” I began.
He held up a hand to check me. “Stop right there,” he told me in darau. “You know better, or you should. There’s no way.” He had come down the hill. Hokino had not stopped him. Hokino was beside him and a step behind, watchful, but plainly not inclined to intervene.
“Geras—” I began again.
“I know everything you’re likely to say, Ryo, so don’t bother.” He turned to Koro and said in his slow taksu, “My name is Geras Lan Karenasen. I understand what happen. What happened. I say it is wrong for the king of the winter country to judge Lord Gaur. I say it is right for Lord Gaur to go back into the summer country, to his own king. Let the summer king say what should be done. That is not right for you to say.”
I said rapidly in darau, “Tell him you mean no disrespect by saying this! Kneel and say so.”
Geras did not glance at me. Nor did he kneel. He stood straight in the Lau manner and said, “I mean no disrespect, o king, but what I say is right. This man is not yours to judge. I will step in front of any knife.” He looked at Royova, and then back at Koro. “I will step in front of his knife. I will fight him now. I say if I win—”
“You cannot possibly win against Royova!” I said urgently in darau.
Geras ignored me, continuing doggedly. “I say if I win, this shows the gods agree with my words. I say you should agree.” He thrust out a hand, pointing at Aras, glaring down at Koro from his greater height. “He do everything to protect your country and your people! If there
