The carriage pulled away. Loiosh’s feet tightened briefly on my shoulder.
I took three steps forward, started to clap, and noticed a rope hanging from the eaves. I pulled it and heard the faint clackety-clunk from within. I was feeling something similar, but never mind. The door opened.
“I’ve been expecting you, Vladimir,” said Cawti. “Please come in.”
Iorich
7
Q: State your name, your House, and your city of residence.
A: Bryn, of Lockhead, Your Worship.
Q: House?
A: I’m not certain, Your Worship.
Q: Not . . . You may address me as my lord. How is it you don’t know your House?
A: I was born into the House of the Teckla, my lord, but I enlisted in the army, and—
Q: You are still of the Teckla, son.
A: Thank you, my lord. Teckla.
Q: How did you come to enlist?
A: For the honor of the Empire, my lord, and to serve Her Majesty.
Q: That’s very good, son. Why else?
A: My lord?
Q: Who convinced you to join the army?
A: The recruiter, my lord. He offered three imperials to anyone who’d enlist.
Q: That’s a lot of gold, isn’t it, son?
A: I’d never seen, that is, yes my lord.
Q: What would you do for that much gold?
A: My lord? I don’t understand.
Q: You’ve explained that this is a lot of gold to you.
A: Oh, yes!
Q: It would seem that for money like that, you would have been willing to do things you otherwise wouldn’t.
A: All I had to do was follow—
Q: Nevertheless, Bryn, isn’t it true that there are things you would have been willing to do for three imperials that might have seemed wrong before you took such payment?
A: I guess.
Q: Can you describe what happened on the first Marketday of Lyorn of this year?
A: Yes, my lord. Deppi said we’d gotten orders to—
Q: Just answer the question, son. Describe what happened.
A: We were going through a sort of hamlet about a mile west of Seerpoint, when—
Q: What do you mean when you say “a sort of hamlet”?
A: About four or five cottages and a post stable, my lord.
Q: Was it four or five cottages, Bryn?
A: (Hesitation) Five, I think.
Q: Very well. Observe that it is important we be exact in all details. The Empire insists on no less.
A: Yes, my lord.
Q: Continue, then. Did this hamlet have a name?
A: Tirma, my lord. It was called Tirma.
Q: Very well. And what happened there?
A: The Stuffies were—
Q: Stuffies?
A: Your pardon, my lord. The, ah, the enemy.
Q: Go on.
A: They were hidden behind a stone wall on one side, and a row of jacklenut bushes on the other.
Q: And what happened?
A: It was a ’stoun, my lord. There must have been—
Q: Pardon me, son. A “ ’stoun”?
A: Um, a surprise? An ambuscade?
Q: I see. Go on.
A: They killed Jaf. He was on point, and at least three of them jumped him. They cut him to pieces, you know? Just hacked away, even after he was dead. We couldn’t get to him.
Q: That must have made you angry.
A: Yes, my lord.
Q: Very angry.
A: Yes, my lord.
Q: So, what happened then?
Her eyes were just the same, though maybe they looked a little bigger than I remembered them. I stood looking at her.
“Nice place,” I managed.
A quick smile. “You haven’t even seen it yet.”
“From the outside.”
She stood aside and I walked in.
“It’s nice in here. I like the hearth being near the kitchen, so you can use it for cooking.”
“Not much of a kitchen, really.”
“You have water.”
“When the pump works. When it doesn’t, there’s a well in back.”
“You share a room with, with the boy?”
“Yes. One other room.”
“I remember that chair.”
“Sit in it. I’ll get you something.”
I didn’t really want to sit in it, but I did. It seemed to remember me. Rocza flew over and landed on Cawti’s shoulder, rubbed against her cheek. I felt the most bizarre flash of jealousy I can recall, then chuckled at myself. Here and there, on counters and mantelpieces, were things I remembered: the small white vase, the lant, the winneasaurus bookends. Other things I didn’t recognize: a jar of a such a pure violet color that it was almost painful, a frame drum with attached beater, the books between the bookends.
She found a bottle and opened it. She was much better with the tongs and feather than she had been before; I’d always opened the bottles.
She poured a couple of glasses and brought them back, sat down opposite me. By turning my head, I could see outside, where there was a little garden; I couldn’t tell what was growing, but I guessed a mix of bright-blooming flowers and vegetables.
I raised my glass to her. “You’ve become very domestic.”
She nodded. “Necessity.”
“Yeah, that’ll do it.”
Rocza remained on her shoulder, nuzzling and getting reacquainted.
I said, “Where is Vlad Norathar?”
“Out playing; I expect him back soon.”
I nodded. “He has friends?”
“A few. And the little girl, Devera, comes by from time to time.”
“Good,” I said.
I wanted to ask if she missed me, only I didn’t want to ask. I said, “Do you see much of Norathar these days?”
“Yes,” she said. “She’s pretty much the boy’s other parent.”
I nodded. “How’s that working out?”
“Well. We haven’t gotten to the political conflicts yet.” She smiled a little. I tried to smile back, but I think it came out more of a grimace.
“This business with Aliera,” I said. “It must be hard on her.”
“I suppose.”
“I mean Norathar.”
“Oh. Yes, it is.”
“How is it she was picked to be Warlord?”
“I don’t know; it isn’t something I’m comfortable talking about with her.”
“I guess.”
“And if it were, I don’t think she’d want me talking about it with you.”
I nodded and drank some wine.
I said, “I trust everything is settled in South Adrilankha.”
“I’m not involved, if that’s what you mean. Things are as they were, there. No better.”
“Are you still giving reading lessons?”
“Twice a week, until lately.”
I nodded.
Various questions formed in my mind: “Do you miss me at all?” “Is it hard to raise him without me here?” “Does he ever ask about me, and if he does, what do you tell him?” I didn’t give them voice.
“Do you like the wine?” she asked.
“You know I do.”
“Just trying to make conversation.”
“And avoid talking.”
“Yes,” she said. “That too.”
I let out a breath. “Sorry. I didn’t intend to be difficult. I just wanted to see you. And the boy.”
She nodded. “And see if you could find out anything that might help your current project.”
I nodded. There was something about how she said “project” that I could have explored if I’d felt like it, but I didn’t.
She said, “If there was something I could tell you that would help, I would.”
“I know.”
Cawti said, “What has happened since you were here last?”