of the gods' room, in deference to the old and the infirm and the very young who found themselves in need of the gods' succour or assistance.'Come. Let us sit and talk, old friend.'
Shugat bowed to the Three, shining in the sunlight, then took his place at Zazoor's side. Leaning back into the seating alcove, right knee drawn up to his chest, arms linked loosely about it, Zazoor considered him, one eyebrow raised in silent enquiry.
'This Lional is a bad man, my Sultan,' he said, shaking his head.'He wishes us nothing but ill.' Zazoor frowned. 'How do you know?'
He bared his stumpy teeth in a grim smile. 'He offers you the hand of his only sister in marriage.'
'Princess Melissande? Yes. So Nerim said.' Zazoor pursed his hps in thought.'I met her. Years ago. A squat child with hair like rusty nails. I don't suppose…'
'Alas, no. Outwardly the lowliest maid in your smallest village is more comely to the eye.'
'Ah.' Zazoor sighed. He was a kind man. 'A pity, then, for her sake.'
'The palace servants say she is strict but fair, honest and overworked,' he added. 'Beauty burns away beneath the sun, Zazoor, but an honourable heart withstands even Grimthak's mighty flame. I judge Princess Melissandes heart to be most honourable. She would make a worthy wife and mother of your sons but she is not for you.'
Zazoor's eyebrow lifted again.'That is not what Nerim says. Nerim says the gods most earnestly desire me to marry Lional's sister.'
'As ever, Nerim snatches at the truth like a child greedy for a sweetmeat, who takes only the wrapping and leaves the real prize behind,' he said, disapproving. 'It is Lional who says the gods desire you to marry the girl.This is untrue. I say it again, great Sultan of Kallarap: the Princess Melissande is not for you. Her destiny lies along a different path.'
'Ah,' said Zazoor, then fell silent. At length he stirred, the merest hint of a rueful smile touching his lips. 'No word yet, I suppose, on who is for me?'
He rapped his staff lightly against the side of the sultan's head. 'When the gods choose your proper wife you will be the second to know.'
Zazoor flattened his hands to his heart, the sign of obedient acceptance. 'Lional thinks, of course, to void the treaties with this proposed marriage. Perhaps more, and worse. Knowing him as I do, his offer does not surprise me.'
'More and worse,' Shugat said grimly. 'You have the right of it. You must refuse the king's offer in such a way that he cannot vent his rage upon his sister. For that, I judge, is the honour of his heart.'
Zazoor smiled. 'As always, friend Shugat, your eyes see a man's soul as keenly as Vorsluk.'Then his smile faded and his face took on a solemn cast. 'Nerim says Vorsluk and Lalchak were present in Lional's court. He says they answered Lional's plea but not your own. He says Vorsluk spoke on Lional's command.' His breath caught in his throat as though he were nearly overcome. 'These are wonders I did not think to hear, Shugat, and I confess I find them hard to believe… but can I deny them? Nerim is my brother and for all his foolishness he does not lie.'
Shugat rested his chin on his chest and sighed deeply. 'Nerim's faith is pure. He looks at the world with the eyes of a child, Zazoor, and in his breast beats the heart of a child. Like a child he cannot conceive of wickedness and perfidy. I may at times long to beat him, but still I would have him thus till the end of his days if to have him otherwise gave him the eyes and heart of a man like Lional. Nerim saw and believed what he was intended to see and believe. There was a bird, and it did speak. But it was not the voice ofVorsluk that Nerim and I heard.'
'Then what was it?' said Zazoor, after a moment of silent surprise.
He shrugged. 'What else but some feathered thing captured and taught to mimic speech? Trained to speak on Lional's command.'
'It is possible, I suppose,' Zazoor agreed, frowning. 'But what of Lalchak? Nerim says the Lion showed Lional great favour and did not smite him with tooth or claw.' 'Lions, too, can be tamed and trained.'
'Then this was trickery?' said Zazoor. 'But how can that be? The Three are hidden from all but the Kallarapi. How could Lional know them if this was a ruse?'
Shugat smoothed his rough robe over his knee. 'So there is one thing Nerim did not tell you.' 'I do not understand,' said Zazoor, staring. 'Perhaps not. But do you recall, my sultan, a time at school when you succumbed to temptation? Drank wine to excess? Gambled with Lional… and lost the bet?'
As sleeping memory stirred the blood drained from beneath Zazoor's golden skin, leaving him pale and shaken. 'Grimthak burn me…' he whispered.
'My sultan, unburden your heart. Purge yourself of this sin that we might take undistracted action against New Ottosland's dishonourable, oath-breaking king.'
Zazoor nodded, suddenly looking no older than Nerim. Looking shamefaced and sorrowful. 'As you say, Shugat. As a young student I was foolish and intemperate. I made a wager with Lional and I lost. On my knees 1 begged him not to demand the forfeit. He insisted. Said only a man without honour would welch on a bet. So I told him what he wanted to know. I–I gave him what I should not have possessed.' Zazoor closed his eyes. 'The smallest shard of andaleya!
Shugat flinched. He had not been expecting that. 'You took one of the Gods' Tears to school with you?'
'Yes,' whispered Zazoor. 'When I returned for my second year. I was so unhappy there, Shugat. Lional made my life a misery. I wanted a piece of home to give me comfort.'
Zazoor, Zazoor. 'That was not well done, my sultan.'
'No. It was not.' Zazoor stared out of a window, remembering, i begged Lional never to show the andaleya to anyone or repeat what, honour-bound, I had revealed of the Three. He agreed. And to my surprise he kept his word. I had forgotten it ever happened… or not permitted myself to remember.' Still stricken, Zazoor bowed his head. 'Shugat, I am shamed. Unworthy'
He patted Zazoor's arm. 'And yet the gods saw fit to make you Sultan.'
'You are right,' Zazoor said slowly. 'They did. They have a task for me to complete.' His clenched fist drummed his bent knee.'If I could but fathom Lional's intentions! There is more to this business than treaties and tariffs, Shugat. Some greater treachery stirs the sands. In my dreams I feel a breeze that promises to become a mighty storm, strong enough to drown us all in a river of blood.'
'As ever, Zazoor, your heart is open to hear the gods' whispers,' he said. 'This is a true dream. It is clear to me now that Lional desires you to marry his sister so he might gain access to all the andaleya in our desert. To his infidel eyes it is a treasure to be exploited. He does not believe the Three even exist.'
Zazoor closed his eyes and lowered his forehead to his knee.'So it is war. After centuries of peace. War, because one child disliked another. Nursed his hurts, fed them and watered them, cosseted them until he grew to manhood and they to hatred. War, Shugat, for no other reason than a warped man's greed for wealth and revenge.' He sprang to his feet and began pacing the blue-and-green carpets. The heels of his red leather boots thumped softly, like the beating of distant drums. 'New Ottosland has no army. With but a tenth of my warriors could I grind their green fields to dust. Is Lional mad?'
Shugat nodded. 'Yes, my sultan. Mad as a scorpion, or a man boiled too long in the sun. But he does not think it will come to war. You know he sees us as little more than superstitious tent dwellers grubbing in the sand. Nerim's gullibility easily convinced him that we think our gods are on his side.'
Zazoor turned, his eyes ablaze. 'And what of you, Shugat? What did you do to show Lional his error? To show him that the Three are our gods and do not truck with outsiders?' He hesitated.'Nothing,' he said at last.
Zazoor spread his arms wide in entreaty.' Why? I sent you to New Ottosland as I would have sent myself. Why did you not act?'Then he lowered his arms and took a step back, the fire in his eyes doused with shock.'You believed him?'
'I — ' Shugat took a firmer hold of his staff. In his forehead he felt the heat as a small pulse of white fire beat deep in the heart of the andaleya. i was unsure,' he admitted.'At first. When I called upon the gods to strike Lional down and they did not, I thought — it seemed — ' He rapped the staff into the carpets. 'When I asked them for guidance they did not reply. I do not question the gods, Zazoor! Silence answers as loudly as a shout!'
Sudden anger spent, Zazoor stepped close, placed a hand on each of his shoulders and rested their foreheads together, i understand,' he whispered. 'Forgive me for doubting you.'
For the briefest moment Shugat cradled his hand to the back of Zazoor's neck; then he smacked the side of the sultan's head in remonstration. 'You're forgiven,' he growled. 'But do not do it again.'
