‘We none of us know what we can bear till we’re tested,’ Kheda said distantly.
If Chazen Saril failed the trials of magic and invasion, that still didn’t entitle Janne Daish to put him to a trial of his life, not on her judgement alone. I lived with her half my life, shared my bed and my blood with her in our children, and I never knew she could be so ruthless. Now she comes here, doubtless with the same unshakeable confidence in her own interpretation of what must be done.
‘Where are you going to accommodate Janne Daish?’ he asked briskly.
‘The guest apartments are between the other gardens.’ Itrac turned towards an arched passageway ending in a gate leading towards another green oasis. She looked uncertainly at Kheda. ‘Olkai Chazen always invited the wives of the domain’s allies to share her own apartments but I don’t think I want to do that.’
‘I think that’s probably wise,’ he agreed with a twinge of shame that Daish was no longer trusted. He followed Itrac, Jevin falling in step behind them. This next garden was flanked to the north by accommodation for lesser guests. To the south, doors opened on to a labyrinth of playrooms and nurseries that had been the riotous province of the domain’s children. ‘This was Sekni’s garden.’ Itrac pointed at dark-green glossy fans of leaves sprouting from low woody trunks. ‘See, she planted pitral to catch the rains. She loved the sound.’
Kheda glanced at her.
You’re hearing the lost voices of Sekni and Olkai’s children, just as I hear the echo of the sons and daughters Janne and Rekha have taken from me.
‘Olkai’s garden was through here.’ Itrac led the way through another shady passage separating more luxurious guest suites. ‘Where we grew the perfume flowers and kept the aviaries.’
White augury doves looked out of their intricate cages, cooing softly amid the irresistibly soothing fragrances of the brightly coloured garden. Dun quail bathed in the dust or preened themselves, oblivious to the presence of warlord or lady.
‘So those are now your quarters as first wife of the domain and you’re entitled to your privacy.’ Kheda looked to the south where wide doors opened on to an audience room, the faintest of breezes stirring the light drapes within. ‘I’m sure Janne and her entourage will be entirely comfortable in any of these other apartments.’
Sounds of activity within prompted Jevin towards the first wife’s suite. ‘With your permission, my lady?’ Itrac nodded and crushed Janne’s letter, still in her hand, still further. ‘Tell the maids to make the ash-flower suite ready for my lady of Daish.’
‘Only once they’ve seen to my lady of Chazen’s comforts,’ Kheda said pointedly. ‘You should take your time to bathe and eat and satisfy yourself as to the standing of our trade with Daish. It’s been a long voyage and a busy day and it’s barely half-over.’ Itrac glanced around to be sure they weren’t being observed. ‘And when Janne Daish arrives?’ She looked at him, beseeching.
‘If-’ Kheda emphasised the word ‘-you’re ready to receive her, do so. If not?’ He shrugged. ‘Don’t. I think it entirely possible that I will be occupied until at least the early evening,’ he mused. ‘So Jevin can take word to Birut that we’re both occupied with affairs of our domain and that Janne Daish can take her time to recover from the rigours of her journey. She’s not so young as she was, after all.’
‘I don’t think Jevin had better take that message to Birut,’ Itrac said with a faint smile.
‘We don’t want to make an enemy of her,’ Kheda agreed frankly, but it won’t hurt to remind her that you’re first wife of Chazen, with all the status that entails and the respect it requires.’
Itrac’s smile widened. ‘All the same, we won’t keep her waiting too long.’
No, but just long enough.’ Kheda looked around the garden. ‘If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go and see if Dev’s got himself lost or found his way to my apartments.’
Itrac laid a hand on his arm after another furtive glance around. When we’ve put all this upheaval behind us,’ she said hesitantly, ‘might you look for a personal slave with blood ties to the Archipelago? Let him go back to his northern barbarian lands?’
‘That’s something I shall be happy to do,’ Kheda promised fervently. He hesitated. ‘I can get to the central corridor through your audience hall, can’t I?’
‘Yes, my lord.’ Itrac very nearly laughed.
Jevin appeared at the doorway to her personal apartments. ‘My lady, are you ready to eat?’
‘I should check the omens from the observatory first.’
Kheda kissed Itrac lightly on the forehead. ‘You go ahead.’
The audience hall opening off the garden was cool with lengths of muslin shading the arched windows. Blue and golden flowers painted into posies on the white-tiled floor surrounded a fountain whispering in a central marble basin. Carpets at either end of the room drew the eye with their vivid pattern of white and blue vine flowers worked on a golden ground. The patterns were echoed in the painted walls where climbing roses coiled elegantly around fretwork trellises. Banks of yellow cushions were piled ready for those invited to sit with the domain’s lady; silver trays on side tables were set ready with ewers and goblets.
The household slaves certainly managed to hide a good deal from the wild men. I wonder how. I wonder if they managed to save Chazen Saril’s store of talisman gems as well as the fabrics and furniture.
Kheda went through a central arch to a smaller square reception room with doors on either side leading to the private apartments that Chazen Saril’s other wives had shared. An arch opposite opened on to the broad corridor that he recognised as separating the women’s quarters from the warlord’s preserve. He strode down the long passage past paired ironwood doors opening on to identical suites ready to welcome visiting warlords invited to some council or other.
Not that the other warlords of these southern domains ever came to sit at Saril’s feet and receive his wisdom. Am I the one to raise Chazen to such status? If I get rid of this dragon, they’ll sit up and take notice, that much is certain. Even Vila Safar. Janne Daish can chew on that till it chokes her.
He passed through a reception room luxurious with furnishings of brocaded silks, soft carpet beneath his feet and the wall hangings painted with hunting scenes suitable for a warlord’s dignity.
‘There you are,’ said Dev with relief, appearing through a door leading to some indeterminate hallway. ‘Are you eating your lunch with Itrac or should I try to find a maid to send to the kitchens?’
‘I want to visit the observatory,’ Kheda said briefly. He paused. ‘I think it’s this way.’
He opened another door to find a lesser reception room furnished with carpets whose bold scarlet pattern of interlocking canthira leaves on a rich brown ground was relieved with a white lattice of sashflowers. Low tables of rich russet fora wood bore broad brass bowls of scented petals. There wasn’t a speck of dust to be seen anywhere; two maids clutching polishing rags bowed as they disappeared through a far door.
Kheda waited until the door was closed. ‘You’re going to have to play a much more convincing slave here than you did in the southern residence,’ he warned Dev in a low tone. ‘A lot more of these people lived here before. They had time and warning to flee the invaders, not to get caught and killed.’
‘I’ll bow and scrape like a good lackey,’ promised Dev •with an unpleasant curl to his lip.
‘There’s a lot more to it than that,’ Kheda told him as they passed swiftly through another hall. ‘I need you to find out as many of these servants’ names as you can. I need to know slaves from free islanders. If they’re slaves, I need to know where they came from and how they came to be bonded. I need to know who can be trusted, who can be bribed, who will do their duty and no more and who would take a knife in the chest for their lord. Not that I suppose there are many that loyal to me. I also need to know who’s particularly loyal to Itrac.’