She leaned back against him, her head resting on his hip. “If you like, I will return to bed, husband. And try to be quiet.”
Standing over her, he saw her left breast inside the loose dress, uplifted by the bandage that passed under it, and the sight still excited him. It was the hour of noon, and everyone was taking their meal. But he didn’t want to do anything that might slow her healing. “Perhaps later, after you’ve changed the dressing.” He kissed the top of her head. “And you need not worry about being quiet.”
“I will try to wait until tonight.” She straightened up and turned back to her mirror. “Now, what took you away from your training?”
“Jalen has returned from across the river.” Esk kar had sent the man out to find a suitable place to ambush the barbarians. “He was surprised to hear what happened. Jalen offers prayers for your speedy recovery. He joins us tonight for dinner.”
“Did he find a suitable place?” Jalen’s mission interested Trella far more than his prayers.
“He thinks so. We’ll talk about that tonight.” Esk kar sat down on the edge of the bed.
“Do you think the barbarians will come soon?” She might have been asking about the weather.
“The main host is moving faster. They’ll be here in less than a month.”
“Must you go across the river?” Now she sounded like a soldier’s wife, fretting about her husband, worrying that he must risk his life in some minor skirmish when he’d be needed for the great battle before the walls.
They’d had this discussion before. “Yes, from what Jalen tells me.” He hesitated. “I’ll wait a few more days, in case Mesilim can get through.”
He worried more about that than he admitted. Mesilim should have sent word by now if he were coming. The noose had started closing around Orak, and fewer people came asking for shelter or transport across the river.
In another week, it would be too late for Mesilim to come at all. Eskkar’s men had begun burning the fields and crops, riding as close to the barbarians as they dared, then falling back, torching everything behind them. The Alur Meriki would find little to sustain man or beast when they arrived. And the villagers’ lives would depend on the grain and livestock sent across the river, at least until the next harvest.
“What else troubles you, husband?”
She could tell when something bothered him. “Nicar wishes to speak to me… to us. He sent a messenger asking if he could meet with us today.
I haven’t yet sent a reply.”
Esk kar hadn’t seen or spoken to Nicar since Caldor’s death. The father had stood there, hands over his eyes, as they stoned his son to death. Gatus had to protect Nicar from the wrath of the crowd that cried out for his blood.
“It must be a terrible thing to watch your child die.” For a moment Trella seemed lost in thought. “What should we say to him?”
He’d come to ask her that very question. But he sat there and thought about what would be best for Orak, for himself, and for Nicar. After Trella’s attack, he’d considered banishing Nicar and his family, despite Trella’s advice, but now he knew that would be a mistake. Orak needed men like Nicar, open — minded, fair men who could deal honestly with people.
“We must find a way to make peace between us, Trella. But how we can accomplish that, with blood shed on both sides? A blood feud can only be settled with blood.”
“There must be no more blood shed, especially from the noble families. Besides, we owe so much to Nicar. He raised you up to captain of the guard, stood by you when Drigo was killed, and convinced the other Families to give you the gold you needed and to submit to your orders. He gave me to you so that I could help you. I think he was protecting me even then from Caldor.”
“Perhaps he was afraid you would slip a knife in Caldor’s ribs while he slept.” Esk kar made a face. He couldn’t contemplate the thought of Trella in Nicar’s or anyone else’s bed. “You’re right. There’s much we owe him.
But how do we make peace?”
“What thoughts must be in Nicar’s mind now? What will concern him the most?”
“Lesu! He will be worrying about his son,” Esk kar said. Weeks before they’d put Lesu in charge of all the cattle, grain, and livestock taken across the river, along with thirty — five soldiers and forty armed villagers to herd and care for the animals. They’d established a camp in the hill country at least a hundred miles away. “Nicar dispatched a rider across the river six days ago, no doubt to carry the news about his brother. Perhaps Nicar comes to plead for his son’s life.”
“Yes, that’s likely. But you mustn’t let him plead or beg for anything.
That would destroy his dignity. You must treat him with respect and we must assure him that he and his son will come to no harm.” She reached over and took his hand. “Let’s talk about what we will say.”
The long summer sun still blazed in the afternoon sky when Nicar arrived. Esk kar had spoken to the household, and everyone greeted Nicar respectfully before escorting him upstairs. Esk kar and Trella were standing when Nicar entered. Esk kar bowed formally and offered Nicar one of three chairs arranged around the small table. Platters of fruits and dates rested on the table, along with a pitcher of wine.
Esk kar studied Nicar and saw a man who had aged greatly. Until now, Esk kar’s hatred of Caldor had overshadowed any sympathy toward Nicar.
But seeing him like this, Esk kar felt a pang of sorrow for the man.
The man who’d been the most powerful in Orak now knew that all his wealth couldn’t bring back his influence. Caldor’s deed had weakened his father’s authority, and the barbarian invasion would change the founda- tions of village life. The new Orak would be very different from the old.
Nicar sat awkwardly for a moment until Trella spoke.
“Noble Nicar, the loss of your son must pain you greatly. If there’s anything we can do, please tell us. We need your help in the coming days.”
Nicar stared at her for a moment, then looked at Esk kar. “Trella … Lady Trella, you seem much recovered. I am glad. I came to beg your forgiveness for what my son did.” His head went down for a moment. “It was a weak and shameful act, the deed of a foolish child spoiled by his father.
The fault was mine. I did not restrain him… didn’t teach him to respect others…”
Trella reached out and touched his arm. “Nicar, there’s no need to say such things. We understand. Without you, Esk kar and I wouldn’t be here today. We owe you more than we can ever repay. But now we must think of the future. If we survive the battle, there are years of work ahead of us and we need your help.”
“That night, the crowd wanted to kill me.” Nicar turned to Esk kar.
“Why did you have your men protect me? It would have been easier for you with me dead, my House broken. Each day since, I’ve waited for your revenge.”
“Let there be no talk of revenge, Nicar,” Esk kar answered, seeing things clearly now. “You’ve been nothing but honest with me. I put no blood feud between us. I know you had nothing to do with it. Caldor paid the price for his deed and that can be the end of it.”
True enough, and Nicar hadn’t known anything about it. If he had, the attempt would never have been made-or it would have been better planned and executed.
Nevertheless Esk kar couldn’t stop from saying what he felt. “If Trella had been killed, it might have been different.” If she’d died, he would have taken every drop of blood from Nicar and his family, then left their bodies to rot in the sun.
Nicar looked at both of them, almost as if seeing them for the first time. “You’ve changed much, Esk kar, since we first met. You’ve become a great leader. And Trella has become a noble woman, wise beyond her seasons. I failed to see what the rest of the villagers saw months ago when they first called her a great lady. And now I find mercy from you both.” He shook his head as if all this were beyond his understanding.
“Do not talk of mercy, Nicar, only of friendship,” Trella replied. “We need your wisdom. The village has changed greatly in the last few months.
If the barbarians are driven off, we can never return to the old ways. Orak will become a great city, larger than any of us can imagine, and every man’s hand will stretch out to take it as a prize. All will hear of Orak and come here for protection. Such a city must be governed by a strong ruler, and this ruler will need a wise council to advise him.”
Nicar smiled wanly. “I’m sure as long as Esk kar has you at his side, Lady Trella, he’ll need few others to
