Soon there was altercation outside and he heard Baber's voice raised in profane demand. A moment later the old fellow came wheeling in on his cart, propelling himself with the sticks. He spotted Blade immediately and rolled to him. Blade grinned down at the legless man.
'You are finely turned out, old man. But you do not smell much like a warrior. What did you do - tub yourself in perfume?'
Baber was trimmed and clipped and arrayed in his best. He smoothed hair over his bald spot and winked up at Blade. 'For an occasion like this a man must look his best. Even a slave. How soon, Blade?'
'Sir Blade, you rascal. Have you not heard?'
'I had not. But I am glad. Could it be that I will not be a slave much longer?'
'That could be. Now quiet - and keep your eyes and ears open.'
Morpho entered the tent, carrying a small box of melons packed in snow that had been brought in that afternoon. The dwarf did not glance at them. He went to the dais and took his usual place to the Khad's right. After a moment he took his colored balls from a pocket and began to twirl them absently. The dancers were just finishing their simulated orgy in a sensuous blare of music.
The music soared to a great clashing finale. The dancers ran off through a side entrance in the tent.
Blade waited. Fretting a bit now. He was not to move until Rahstum was carried in. He peered through the crowd. Sadda was watching the door now with no attempt to hide her annoyance. She moved impatiently and clamped white teeth over her scarlet nether lip.
Rahstum was carried in. The crowd parted and four of his men carried the pallet through art aisle to a prominent place near the cleared space before the dais.
Khad Tambur stood up, painfully, swaying, his inclined back thrusting him forward nearly parallel with the floor. Blade doubted that he felt pain now. He was swimming in bross.
The Khad made a sign and trumpets called from the orchestra. Silence now, but for whispering and coughing and drunken chuckles. The Khad pointed to Rahstum.
'I give you greetings, my Captain. And I give you all my thanks. And your men, and mine, I also thank. This day you taught the Caths a lesson they will never forget. I regret your grave wound. What say the surgeons?'
The Captain, raising himself a trifle on the pallet, held his bandaged stub aloft for all to see.
'The surgeons, great Khad, are angry because they could not cut it off themselves. They curse the Cath that did it, thus robbing them of practice - which they sorely need.'
A great roar of laughter went up. The Khad smiled, his eye glittering and rolling.
When the laughter died Rahstum said: 'It was only a hand, gracious One. A small thing to offer my Khad.'
That was Blade's cue. Rahstum had judged perfectly how the scene would fall out, even to the Khad's words and his own reply. Blade moved toward the dais. The people stepped aside for him and the whispering began.
Blade came into the open space, floored with rugs, and approached the two thrones. The music had stopped. Sadda's eyes were soft as she watched him draw near. She raised a hand in greeting.
Blade bowed first to the Khad, then to Sadda, then straightened and faced the Scourge of the Universe.
'My thanks, great One, for allowing me to be here. It is splendid, but not as great as your splendor, gracious Lord;.
I respected the Caths before as soldiers, but no more. Today I learned. You are the Scourge of the Universe!'
The Khad leaned toward him. His face twitched and his eye seemed to spin and flash. Blade sensed that he had not even heard the cloying flattery. The Khad was fighting for self-control.
But when the great one spoke his voice was low, harsh, with a neutrality that must have cost him dear. At first he spoke for Blade's ear alone.
'You were fortunate today, Sir Blade. Most fortunate. Twice. Or was it three times?'
Blade gave him back stare for stare. 'Twice, Lord. Only twice.' He saw it now. The Khad was going to bide his time. Play out the farce and settle with Blade at a better time.
The Khad gnawed at his lip with bad teeth. 'I thank you as I thank the others, Sir Blade. But I will do more than thank in mere words - you are Sir Blade once more, so cast off that golden collar.'
At last. Blade unfastened the collar and flung it away from him. One of the black eunuchs pounced on it.
The Khad held up a hand for silence. This time he waited until the crowd obeyed. Then: 'We have seen how Sir Blade fought today. We have seen his valor in our cause. We have also noted his luck.' The eye glinted at Blade and the thin mouth smiled.
'We Mongs know the value of luck, of good fortune. This man has it. So I permit his marriage to my sister, in due time and with great ceremony, and I make him an officer of mine. Of mine! Responsible solely to me. As my officer he shall have whatever he desires - of my treasure, anything. And he shall sit on this dais, beside my sister, and be consort to her even before they are married. You have heard me.'
Two blacks came running forward with another throne. It was put down beside Sadda and the Khad motioned to Blade.
'You see, Sir Blade, how I keep my word.'
There was a roar of approval from the gathering. For the first time Blade knew just how popular he was at the moment. It would not last, but for the moment he had status. He had displayed that day the two things that Mongs worshiped above all else - courage and fighting ability.
Blade took his seat beside Sadda to a buzz of excited approval. She thanked her brother, then leaned to put a hand on Blade's. Her eyes were bright with excitement and anticipation.
