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The gong was struck.
The harmonics of its sound reverberated through the breadth of the great hall of the Anasati. Hung with ancient war banners, the room was thick with the smell of old waxed wood and generations of intrigue. The vaulted tiled roof hid shadows so deep the place was somber even with candles lit. The hall itself swallowed echoes, to the point where the assembled courtiers and retainers, seated and waiting, seemed barely moving statues who made no sound.
At the head of a long, carpeted centre aisle, upon an imposing dais, sat the Lord of the Anasati in his formal robes of office. Beneath the tiered weight of his ceremonial headdress, perspiration glossed his forehead; his bone-thin features showed no trace of discomfort, though his attire was stifling in the heat of midday. A dozen sashes of scarlet and yellow restricted his breathing, while the bows that flared out like starched wings behind him bound his shoulders; each time he moved, servants were obliged to rush to his side and adjust them. In one hand he held a large carved wand, its origins lost in time, sign of his supremacy as Ruling Lord. Across his knees rested the ancient steel sword of the Anasati - a relic second in importance only to the family natami - handed down from father to son since the days of the golden bridge and the Escape, when the nations first came to Kelewan. Now its weight bore down cruelly on old knees, an inconvenience he must endure along with all the other trappings of office while waiting for the upstart Acoma girl to arrive. The room was a veritable oven, for tradition dictated that all the screens must remain closed until the formal entry of the suitor.
Tecuma, Lord of the Anasati, inclined his head slightly, and his First Adviser, Chumaka, hurried to his side.
'How long?' the Lord whispered impatiently.
'Quite soon, master.' The loyal counselor bobbed like a nervous rodent and elaborated. 'The gong has rung thrice, as Mara's litter reached the outer gate, while it entered the main house, and now as it passes through the gate to the courtyard. The fourth chime will sound when she is admitted to your august presence, Lord.'
Irked by stillness when he longed for music, the Lord of the Anasati said, 'Have you given thought to what I asked?'
'Of course, my Lord. Your wish is my desire. I have conceived of several appropriate insults to answer the Acoma bitch's presumption.'
The adviser licked his lips and added, 'To ask for your son Jiro as consort . . . well, that would be brilliant' - the Lord of the Anasati shot his adviser a curious look, which caused his ritual gown to list left. Servants flocked to him and fussed until it was properly adjusted once again.
Chumaka continued his comment. 'Brilliant, if it had even the remotest hope of success. A marriage with any of your sons would bind you to the Acoma in an alliance.
Not only would that deplete your resources to protect them, but then the witch could turn her full attentions to the Lord of the Minwanabi.'
The Lord of the Anasati curled his lips with thinly disguised distaste for the man just named. 'I'd marry her myself if I thought she had even the remotest possibility of defeating that jaguna in the Game of the Council.'
He frowned at mention of the foul-smelling carrion eater; then his knuckles tightened on his wand as he thought aloud, 'But what does she hope to gain? She must know I would never allow her to take Jiro as consort. The Acoma is the only family older than mine, after the Five Great Families. If it falls, and by some chance one of the Five Greats falls . . .'
Chumaka finished the often repeated wish of his Lord. '. . . then the Anasati becomes one of the Five Greats.'
Tecuma nodded. 'And someday one of my descendants might rise to be Warlord.' He cast a glance to the left, where his three sons waited upon a slightly lower dais.
Closest to his father sat Halesko, heir to the Anasati mantle. Beside him was Jiro, the most clever and able of the three, already likely to marry any one of a dozen great Lords' daughters, perhaps even a child of the Emperor's, bringing the Anasati another powerful political tie. Next to him slouched Buntokapi, intently picking dirt from under his thumbnail.
Studying the lumpish visage of his youngest, the Lord of the Anasati whispered to Chumaka, 'You don't suppose by some act of providence she'd take Bunto, do you?'
The counsellor's thin eyebrows rose. 'Our intelligence indicates she may be a bright girl, if unseasoned, but for her to ask for Bunto as consort would . . . show a little more cleverness than I'd expect, Lord.'
'Cleverness? In asking for Bunto as consort?' Tecuma twisted around in disbelief, causing his bows to droop and a second flurry of fussing from his servants. 'Are you bereft of your senses?'
Regarding the stolid third son, the counsellor said, 'You might be tempted to say yes.'
With a look close to open regret, the Lord of the Anasati sighed. 'I would have to say no, I suppose, wouldn't I?'
The First Adviser clicked his tongue through his teeth. 'Even Bunto would bring her too much political power. Consider, if the Minwanabi dog accidentally killed Bunto while obliterating the Acoma . . . don't forget the mess he made by sending that Hamoi assassin.'
The Lord of the Anasati nodded. 'Yes, I'd be forced to see his family suffer vengeance. It's a shame Minwanabi bungled Mara's assassination, but I guess that was to be expected: the man's worse than a jaguna; he has the subtlety of a needra bull in a breeding pen.'
Tecuma shifted in an attempt to find a more comfortable position, and his bows teetered. As servants began their approach, he froze, keeping his costume in place. 'I didn't mind humbling her father Sezu was certainly eager to get the best of me whenever he could. But that was certainly within the rules of the game. This business of blood feuds...' He shook his head, and the heavy headdress slipped almost beyond his ability to prevent its fall. Chumaka reached out and gently steadied it while Tecuma continued. 'And going to all this trouble to humiliate his brat seems a waste of time.'
Looking around the hot chamber, he said, 'Gods, all these musicians, and not one note of entertainment.'
Fussy with detail to the point of being pedantic, Chumaka said, 'They must remain ready to play the formal entrance music, Lord.'
The Lord of the Anasati sighed in exasperation, his frustration only partly due to the droning of his counsellor. 'I was enjoying that series of new compositions the musicians had prepared this month. Now the entire day is wasted. Perhaps they could play something until Mara arrives?'
Chumaka shook his head slightly as perspiration rolled over the bulb of his nose. 'Lord, any breach of etiquette and the Lady of the Acoma gains from the insult.' Though by nature more patient than his master, even he wondered why the girl's retinue was taking so long to cross the central court. To the nearest servant he whispered, 'Find out what's causing the delay.'
The man bowed and slipped unobtrusively through a side door. He returned to the First Adviser within moments with his report. 'The Lady of the Acoma sits before the doors, master.'
Short-tempered at last, Chumaka whispered, 'Then why doesn't someone ring the gong and admit her?'
The servant glanced uncomfortably at the main entrance, guarded still by the costumed forms of the ceremonial door openers. With a helpless gesture he whispered 'She complained of the heat and ordered scented damp towels and cool drinks brought for herself and her retinue so they could all refresh themselves before their appearance, master.'
Chumaka considered the Anasati court, all of whom had been sitting for over an hour in the sweltering heat of midday in a closed room.
Inwardly he reconsidered his estimation of Mara. Her tardiness could be a clever manipulation, calculated to goad an opponent to petty anger, gaining her an advantage.
Tecuma said, 'Well, how long can it take to drink a cup of water?'
The servant said, 'My Lord, the Lady's request caught us by surprise. It's taken time to fetch drink for so large a retinue.'
The Lord of the Anasati exchanged glances with his First Adviser.
'Just how large is her retinue?' asked Chumaka.
The servant reddened; uneducated, he could not count reliably past twenty. Still, he did his best to answer. 'She brought five personal maids, and an old woman of some rank. I saw two officers with plumed helms.'
'Which means no fewer than fifty warriors.' Tecuma leaned towards his First Adviser and spoke so low and quickly he almost hissed. 'I thought you had informed me that her entire home garrison had been reduced to fewer than fifty warriors.'
Chumaka blinked. 'My Lord, our spy in the Minwanabi household indicated that the battle which killed Sezu and his son also obliterated the main strength of the Acoma.'
The servant looked uncomfortable at being within earshot of this conversation, but Chumaka ignored that fact. Louder he said, 'Then would the Lady of the Acoma dare bring her entire remaining force with her?'
Obviously wishing to be elsewhere, the servant answered, 'Sir, the hadonra said she brought more. To our shame'- seeing the Lord of the Anasati tense at the suggestion that this lack of preparation threw dishonor on his house, the servant quickly amended his report -'the shame of your poor servants, of course, my Lord - she was obliged to leave another one hundred warriors in camp outside the gates of my Lord's estates, as we had no ready accommodations for them.'
To the servant's profound relief, Chumaka waved him away, while the Lord of the Anasati's mood shifted from umbrage at a servant's possible slight of honour to alarm at the implication of what he had just been told. 'The Acoma Force Commander' - his hand moved in a slight circle as he searched his memory for the name - 'Keyoke, is a seasoned campaigner, and no fool. If Mara brings a hundred and fifty warriors with her, we must assume that twice that number remain to guard her main estates. Sezu's reserve garrison must have been far larger than we judged.' His eyes reflected growing irritation, then narrowed with a hint of suspicion. 'our spy is either in the employ of the Minwanabi or incompetent. Since you were the one who convinced me to accept one not born of this house into so sensitive a position of trust, I charge you with responsibility for making enquiries. If we are betrayed, we must know at once.' The heat and the discomfort were bad enough, but Tecuma recalled the expense and difficulty he had endured to place that spy in the Minwanabi lord's house. His eyes fixed on his First Adviser. 'Clearly I see you may have steered us to a bad course.'
Chumaka cleared his throat. He made a show of cooling himself with a decorative fan, to hide his lips from any who might read them.
'My Lord, please don't judge hastily. That agent has served us dependably in the past and is remarkably well placed.' He paused obsequiously and licked his teeth. 'Far more likely our Lady Mara has found a way to mislead the Minwanabi lord, which would explain why our agent provided bad intelligence. I will dispatch another agent. He will return with verification of what I have surmised, or news that a traitor is dead.'
Tecuma subsided, like an irritable killwing slowly allowing ruffled feathers to return to quiescence. At that moment the fourth gong rang at last. Servants stationed inside the hall slowly opened the doors to the court, while Chumaka intoned the ancient ritual of greeting a suitor. 'We welcome one to our house, like light and wind, warmth and rain, a bringer of life into our hall.'
The words were an ancient formality, reflecting nothing of the true Anasati feelings towards the Acoma. In the Game of the Council the forms must always be observed. A light breeze stirred the hangings. The Lord of the Anasati almost audibly sighed in relief.
Chumaka spoke louder, so his master's slight lapse of manners would be masked. 'Enter, suitor, and tell us your desire. We offer drink and food, warmth and comfort.'
Chumaka smiled inwardly at the last. No one needed or desired additional warmth this day, and Mara would certainly find little comfort before the Anasati lord. He turned his attention to those entering the hall.
Timed to the beat of a single drum, grey-robed bearers entered through the door furthest from the Lord's dais. The flat, open litter they carried was piled high with cushions; upon these Mara sat motionless. The musicians struck up the entrance song of the suitor. While the irritatingly simple melody repeated itself, the Anasati court studied this slight girl carried at the head of an impressively garbed retinue, a girl who wore the mantle of one of the proudest names in the Empire. Like the Lord who was her host, she was dressed in a fashion dictated by tradition, dark hair bound up high and held with shell- and gem-decorated pins, her face seemingly perched on a stiff, beaded collar. Her formal gown beneath was starched into pleats, with large bows of Acoma green, and floor length sleeves. Yet for all her makeup and heavy, embroidered clothing, the girl looked unruffled by the pomp or the heat. On Mara's left, but one pace behind, walked Nacoya, now wearing the mantle of Acoma First Adviser. On Mara's right marched three officers, armour gleaming brightly from new lacquer and fresh polish. Their helms were bedecked with magnificent new plumes. With them came a command of fifty warriors. Equally splendid in newly polished armour, they marched on either side of Mara's litter.
The soldiers paused in neat array at the foot of the dais, a splash of green amid the scarlet and yellow of the Anasati. One officer remained with the soldiers while the other two accompanied Mara's litter up three steps to the dais. There the slaves set their burden down, and two rulers confronted each other, one a cord thin, irritated man and the other a slight girl who bargained for her very survival.
Chumaka continued his formal greetings. 'The Anasati bid welcome to our most exalted guest, the Lady of the Acoma.'
Nacoya replied as tradition dictated. 'The Acoma give thanks to our most excellent host, the Lord of the Anasati.' Despite her age, the old woman bore up well under the weight of the formal costume and the heat. Her voice was clear, as if she had been born to the role of First Adviser rather than nurse.
Now that formal greetings were exchanged, Tecuma pressed on to the point of the meeting. 'We have your petition before us, Lady of the Acoma.' A hush fell over the waiting courtiers, for Tecuma's words offered a slight insult; to name the marriage proposal a petition implied that Mara's social rank was inferior, and she within his power to reward or punish.
But the girl upon the ceremonial litter answered without a moment's hesitation. She chose a tone and phrase commonly employed when filling an order with a merchant. 'I am pleased you have no difficulty in meeting our requirements, Lord Tecuma.'
The Lord of the Anasati straightened slightly. This girl had wits and was unfazed by her welcome. Still, the day was long and hot, and the sooner this ridiculous matter was put behind, the sooner he could take to a cool pool, perhaps with some music while he bathed. Yet even with an avowed enemy the amenities must be observed. He motioned impatiently with his wand of office.
Chumaka responded with an unctuous smile and a barely perceptible bow. 'What, then, does the Lady of the Acoma propose?' Had Mara's father lived, Sezu would have conducted negotiations for his son's or daughter's hand. But as Ruling Lady, she must contract all marriages within her house, even her own, from employing the marriage brokers who initiated the contact, to the formal meeting with the Lord of the Anasati.
Nacoya bowed, so shallow a movement that the returned insult was apparent. 'The Lady of the Acoma seeks…’
'A husband,' interrupted Mara.
A stir rippled across the room, quickly stilled to a state of keen attention. All had expected to hear this presumptuous Acoma ruler request a consort, one who by law would not share in her rule.
‘A husband?' Chumaka raised his brows, openly curious at this turn of events. Evidently this proposal surprised the Acoma First Adviser as well, for the old woman shot a glance of astonishment at the girl for an instant before regaining her formal composure.
Chumaka could almost see where this unexpected turn might lead, but not quite, causing him the discomfort of an unreachable itch.
Mara responded in her own behalf, her voice sounding small in the spacious hall of the Anasati. 'I am too young for this weighty responsibility, my Lord. I was to have been a sister of Lashima scant moments before this terrible honour was thrust upon me. My ignorance must not become a danger to the Acoma. With full knowledge of what I do, I seek a son of the Anasati to return with me. When we are wed, he shall be Ruling Lord of the Acoma.'
The Lord of the Anasati was caught speechless. Of all possible requests, this one had not been anticipated. For in one breath this girl not only had removed herself from power, but had also effectively given over control of her family to the Anasati, who numbered among her father's oldest political enemies. So unexpected was this request, a chorus of whispers broke out among those assembled in the hall. Quickly recovering his poise, the Lord of the Anasati silenced his courtiers with a sharp glance and the barest wave of his ceremonial wand.
He stared hard at the face of this girl who had come to seek the hand of one of his sons, then said bluntly, 'You seek to cast your honour to my house, Lady. May I know why?'
The Anasati courtiers waited motionless for the reply. The only movement in the room was a sudden, sparkling reflection as sunlight through the doorway caught on gem-decorated costumes. Ignoring the dazzle, Mara lowered her eyes as if ashamed. 'My position is weak, Lord Tecuma. The Acoma lands are still strong and rich, but I am only a girl, with few resources. If my house is to become a lesser power, then at least I may choose allies. My father's greatest enemy was the Lord of the Minwanabi. This is no secret. That he and you are presently at peace is only a matter of the moment. Sooner or later you must clash.'
Her small hands clenched in her lap, and her voice rose with resolve. 'I would ally with anyone who might one day crush the man responsible for my father's death!'
The First Adviser to the Lord of the Anasati turned so none in the hall could see his face - it was a given that at least one of the Acoma guards would prove to be a spy who could read lips. He whispered into the ear of the Lord Tecuma, 'I don't believe a word of this, my Lord.'
Lord Tecuma inclined his head and answered through clenched teeth. 'I don't either. Yet if this girl takes Jiro as Lord of the Acoma, I gain a great house as a lifetime ally, my son rises to a rank above any I could hope for, and she's right: sooner or later we shall have to have a final accounting with Jingu of the Minwanabi. And if we destroy the Minwanabi, a son of mine will be Lord of one of the Five Great Families.'
Chumaka shook his head in the barest motion of resignation. His Lord would be thinking that someday descendants of his in two houses might contend for the office of the Warlord. Tecuma continued his reasoning. 'Besides, she will be but the wife of the Ruling Lord. Her husband will dictate Acoma policy. No, Chumaka, whatever Mara may plot, this is too good an opportunity to pass by. I do not think this girl clever enough to outwit us once Jiro rules the Acoma.'
Tecuma glanced at his three sons and found Jiro studying Mara with interest. By the intensity of his expression, the second son found both the rank and the girl intriguing; a sensible youngster, he .should welcome the marriage. Presently the boy sought his father's gaze and nodded yes. Jiro's expression was a little too avid and his nod too emphatic for Tecuma's liking. The boy knew power was a hairsbreadth from his grasp and was openly coveting it.
The harmonics of its sound reverberated through the breadth of the great hall of the Anasati. Hung with ancient war banners, the room was thick with the smell of old waxed wood and generations of intrigue. The vaulted tiled roof hid shadows so deep the place was somber even with candles lit. The hall itself swallowed echoes, to the point where the assembled courtiers and retainers, seated and waiting, seemed barely moving statues who made no sound.
At the head of a long, carpeted centre aisle, upon an imposing dais, sat the Lord of the Anasati in his formal robes of office. Beneath the tiered weight of his ceremonial headdress, perspiration glossed his forehead; his bone-thin features showed no trace of discomfort, though his attire was stifling in the heat of midday. A dozen sashes of scarlet and yellow restricted his breathing, while the bows that flared out like starched wings behind him bound his shoulders; each time he moved, servants were obliged to rush to his side and adjust them. In one hand he held a large carved wand, its origins lost in time, sign of his supremacy as Ruling Lord. Across his knees rested the ancient steel sword of the Anasati - a relic second in importance only to the family natami - handed down from father to son since the days of the golden bridge and the Escape, when the nations first came to Kelewan. Now its weight bore down cruelly on old knees, an inconvenience he must endure along with all the other trappings of office while waiting for the upstart Acoma girl to arrive. The room was a veritable oven, for tradition dictated that all the screens must remain closed until the formal entry of the suitor.
Tecuma, Lord of the Anasati, inclined his head slightly, and his First Adviser, Chumaka, hurried to his side.
'How long?' the Lord whispered impatiently.
'Quite soon, master.' The loyal counselor bobbed like a nervous rodent and elaborated. 'The gong has rung thrice, as Mara's litter reached the outer gate, while it entered the main house, and now as it passes through the gate to the courtyard. The fourth chime will sound when she is admitted to your august presence, Lord.'
Irked by stillness when he longed for music, the Lord of the Anasati said, 'Have you given thought to what I asked?'
'Of course, my Lord. Your wish is my desire. I have conceived of several appropriate insults to answer the Acoma bitch's presumption.'
The adviser licked his lips and added, 'To ask for your son Jiro as consort . . . well, that would be brilliant' - the Lord of the Anasati shot his adviser a curious look, which caused his ritual gown to list left. Servants flocked to him and fussed until it was properly adjusted once again.
Chumaka continued his comment. 'Brilliant, if it had even the remotest hope of success. A marriage with any of your sons would bind you to the Acoma in an alliance.
Not only would that deplete your resources to protect them, but then the witch could turn her full attentions to the Lord of the Minwanabi.'
The Lord of the Anasati curled his lips with thinly disguised distaste for the man just named. 'I'd marry her myself if I thought she had even the remotest possibility of defeating that jaguna in the Game of the Council.'
He frowned at mention of the foul-smelling carrion eater; then his knuckles tightened on his wand as he thought aloud, 'But what does she hope to gain? She must know I would never allow her to take Jiro as consort. The Acoma is the only family older than mine, after the Five Great Families. If it falls, and by some chance one of the Five Greats falls . . .'
Chumaka finished the often repeated wish of his Lord. '. . . then the Anasati becomes one of the Five Greats.'
Tecuma nodded. 'And someday one of my descendants might rise to be Warlord.' He cast a glance to the left, where his three sons waited upon a slightly lower dais.
Closest to his father sat Halesko, heir to the Anasati mantle. Beside him was Jiro, the most clever and able of the three, already likely to marry any one of a dozen great Lords' daughters, perhaps even a child of the Emperor's, bringing the Anasati another powerful political tie. Next to him slouched Buntokapi, intently picking dirt from under his thumbnail.
Studying the lumpish visage of his youngest, the Lord of the Anasati whispered to Chumaka, 'You don't suppose by some act of providence she'd take Bunto, do you?'
The counsellor's thin eyebrows rose. 'Our intelligence indicates she may be a bright girl, if unseasoned, but for her to ask for Bunto as consort would . . . show a little more cleverness than I'd expect, Lord.'
'Cleverness? In asking for Bunto as consort?' Tecuma twisted around in disbelief, causing his bows to droop and a second flurry of fussing from his servants. 'Are you bereft of your senses?'
Regarding the stolid third son, the counsellor said, 'You might be tempted to say yes.'
With a look close to open regret, the Lord of the Anasati sighed. 'I would have to say no, I suppose, wouldn't I?'
The First Adviser clicked his tongue through his teeth. 'Even Bunto would bring her too much political power. Consider, if the Minwanabi dog accidentally killed Bunto while obliterating the Acoma . . . don't forget the mess he made by sending that Hamoi assassin.'
The Lord of the Anasati nodded. 'Yes, I'd be forced to see his family suffer vengeance. It's a shame Minwanabi bungled Mara's assassination, but I guess that was to be expected: the man's worse than a jaguna; he has the subtlety of a needra bull in a breeding pen.'
Tecuma shifted in an attempt to find a more comfortable position, and his bows teetered. As servants began their approach, he froze, keeping his costume in place. 'I didn't mind humbling her father Sezu was certainly eager to get the best of me whenever he could. But that was certainly within the rules of the game. This business of blood feuds...' He shook his head, and the heavy headdress slipped almost beyond his ability to prevent its fall. Chumaka reached out and gently steadied it while Tecuma continued. 'And going to all this trouble to humiliate his brat seems a waste of time.'
Looking around the hot chamber, he said, 'Gods, all these musicians, and not one note of entertainment.'
Fussy with detail to the point of being pedantic, Chumaka said, 'They must remain ready to play the formal entrance music, Lord.'
The Lord of the Anasati sighed in exasperation, his frustration only partly due to the droning of his counsellor. 'I was enjoying that series of new compositions the musicians had prepared this month. Now the entire day is wasted. Perhaps they could play something until Mara arrives?'
Chumaka shook his head slightly as perspiration rolled over the bulb of his nose. 'Lord, any breach of etiquette and the Lady of the Acoma gains from the insult.' Though by nature more patient than his master, even he wondered why the girl's retinue was taking so long to cross the central court. To the nearest servant he whispered, 'Find out what's causing the delay.'
The man bowed and slipped unobtrusively through a side door. He returned to the First Adviser within moments with his report. 'The Lady of the Acoma sits before the doors, master.'
Short-tempered at last, Chumaka whispered, 'Then why doesn't someone ring the gong and admit her?'
The servant glanced uncomfortably at the main entrance, guarded still by the costumed forms of the ceremonial door openers. With a helpless gesture he whispered 'She complained of the heat and ordered scented damp towels and cool drinks brought for herself and her retinue so they could all refresh themselves before their appearance, master.'
Chumaka considered the Anasati court, all of whom had been sitting for over an hour in the sweltering heat of midday in a closed room.
Inwardly he reconsidered his estimation of Mara. Her tardiness could be a clever manipulation, calculated to goad an opponent to petty anger, gaining her an advantage.
Tecuma said, 'Well, how long can it take to drink a cup of water?'
The servant said, 'My Lord, the Lady's request caught us by surprise. It's taken time to fetch drink for so large a retinue.'
The Lord of the Anasati exchanged glances with his First Adviser.
'Just how large is her retinue?' asked Chumaka.
The servant reddened; uneducated, he could not count reliably past twenty. Still, he did his best to answer. 'She brought five personal maids, and an old woman of some rank. I saw two officers with plumed helms.'
'Which means no fewer than fifty warriors.' Tecuma leaned towards his First Adviser and spoke so low and quickly he almost hissed. 'I thought you had informed me that her entire home garrison had been reduced to fewer than fifty warriors.'
Chumaka blinked. 'My Lord, our spy in the Minwanabi household indicated that the battle which killed Sezu and his son also obliterated the main strength of the Acoma.'
The servant looked uncomfortable at being within earshot of this conversation, but Chumaka ignored that fact. Louder he said, 'Then would the Lady of the Acoma dare bring her entire remaining force with her?'
Obviously wishing to be elsewhere, the servant answered, 'Sir, the hadonra said she brought more. To our shame'- seeing the Lord of the Anasati tense at the suggestion that this lack of preparation threw dishonor on his house, the servant quickly amended his report -'the shame of your poor servants, of course, my Lord - she was obliged to leave another one hundred warriors in camp outside the gates of my Lord's estates, as we had no ready accommodations for them.'
To the servant's profound relief, Chumaka waved him away, while the Lord of the Anasati's mood shifted from umbrage at a servant's possible slight of honour to alarm at the implication of what he had just been told. 'The Acoma Force Commander' - his hand moved in a slight circle as he searched his memory for the name - 'Keyoke, is a seasoned campaigner, and no fool. If Mara brings a hundred and fifty warriors with her, we must assume that twice that number remain to guard her main estates. Sezu's reserve garrison must have been far larger than we judged.' His eyes reflected growing irritation, then narrowed with a hint of suspicion. 'our spy is either in the employ of the Minwanabi or incompetent. Since you were the one who convinced me to accept one not born of this house into so sensitive a position of trust, I charge you with responsibility for making enquiries. If we are betrayed, we must know at once.' The heat and the discomfort were bad enough, but Tecuma recalled the expense and difficulty he had endured to place that spy in the Minwanabi lord's house. His eyes fixed on his First Adviser. 'Clearly I see you may have steered us to a bad course.'
Chumaka cleared his throat. He made a show of cooling himself with a decorative fan, to hide his lips from any who might read them.
'My Lord, please don't judge hastily. That agent has served us dependably in the past and is remarkably well placed.' He paused obsequiously and licked his teeth. 'Far more likely our Lady Mara has found a way to mislead the Minwanabi lord, which would explain why our agent provided bad intelligence. I will dispatch another agent. He will return with verification of what I have surmised, or news that a traitor is dead.'
Tecuma subsided, like an irritable killwing slowly allowing ruffled feathers to return to quiescence. At that moment the fourth gong rang at last. Servants stationed inside the hall slowly opened the doors to the court, while Chumaka intoned the ancient ritual of greeting a suitor. 'We welcome one to our house, like light and wind, warmth and rain, a bringer of life into our hall.'
The words were an ancient formality, reflecting nothing of the true Anasati feelings towards the Acoma. In the Game of the Council the forms must always be observed. A light breeze stirred the hangings. The Lord of the Anasati almost audibly sighed in relief.
Chumaka spoke louder, so his master's slight lapse of manners would be masked. 'Enter, suitor, and tell us your desire. We offer drink and food, warmth and comfort.'
Chumaka smiled inwardly at the last. No one needed or desired additional warmth this day, and Mara would certainly find little comfort before the Anasati lord. He turned his attention to those entering the hall.
Timed to the beat of a single drum, grey-robed bearers entered through the door furthest from the Lord's dais. The flat, open litter they carried was piled high with cushions; upon these Mara sat motionless. The musicians struck up the entrance song of the suitor. While the irritatingly simple melody repeated itself, the Anasati court studied this slight girl carried at the head of an impressively garbed retinue, a girl who wore the mantle of one of the proudest names in the Empire. Like the Lord who was her host, she was dressed in a fashion dictated by tradition, dark hair bound up high and held with shell- and gem-decorated pins, her face seemingly perched on a stiff, beaded collar. Her formal gown beneath was starched into pleats, with large bows of Acoma green, and floor length sleeves. Yet for all her makeup and heavy, embroidered clothing, the girl looked unruffled by the pomp or the heat. On Mara's left, but one pace behind, walked Nacoya, now wearing the mantle of Acoma First Adviser. On Mara's right marched three officers, armour gleaming brightly from new lacquer and fresh polish. Their helms were bedecked with magnificent new plumes. With them came a command of fifty warriors. Equally splendid in newly polished armour, they marched on either side of Mara's litter.
The soldiers paused in neat array at the foot of the dais, a splash of green amid the scarlet and yellow of the Anasati. One officer remained with the soldiers while the other two accompanied Mara's litter up three steps to the dais. There the slaves set their burden down, and two rulers confronted each other, one a cord thin, irritated man and the other a slight girl who bargained for her very survival.
Chumaka continued his formal greetings. 'The Anasati bid welcome to our most exalted guest, the Lady of the Acoma.'
Nacoya replied as tradition dictated. 'The Acoma give thanks to our most excellent host, the Lord of the Anasati.' Despite her age, the old woman bore up well under the weight of the formal costume and the heat. Her voice was clear, as if she had been born to the role of First Adviser rather than nurse.
Now that formal greetings were exchanged, Tecuma pressed on to the point of the meeting. 'We have your petition before us, Lady of the Acoma.' A hush fell over the waiting courtiers, for Tecuma's words offered a slight insult; to name the marriage proposal a petition implied that Mara's social rank was inferior, and she within his power to reward or punish.
But the girl upon the ceremonial litter answered without a moment's hesitation. She chose a tone and phrase commonly employed when filling an order with a merchant. 'I am pleased you have no difficulty in meeting our requirements, Lord Tecuma.'
The Lord of the Anasati straightened slightly. This girl had wits and was unfazed by her welcome. Still, the day was long and hot, and the sooner this ridiculous matter was put behind, the sooner he could take to a cool pool, perhaps with some music while he bathed. Yet even with an avowed enemy the amenities must be observed. He motioned impatiently with his wand of office.
Chumaka responded with an unctuous smile and a barely perceptible bow. 'What, then, does the Lady of the Acoma propose?' Had Mara's father lived, Sezu would have conducted negotiations for his son's or daughter's hand. But as Ruling Lady, she must contract all marriages within her house, even her own, from employing the marriage brokers who initiated the contact, to the formal meeting with the Lord of the Anasati.
Nacoya bowed, so shallow a movement that the returned insult was apparent. 'The Lady of the Acoma seeks…’
'A husband,' interrupted Mara.
A stir rippled across the room, quickly stilled to a state of keen attention. All had expected to hear this presumptuous Acoma ruler request a consort, one who by law would not share in her rule.
‘A husband?' Chumaka raised his brows, openly curious at this turn of events. Evidently this proposal surprised the Acoma First Adviser as well, for the old woman shot a glance of astonishment at the girl for an instant before regaining her formal composure.
Chumaka could almost see where this unexpected turn might lead, but not quite, causing him the discomfort of an unreachable itch.
Mara responded in her own behalf, her voice sounding small in the spacious hall of the Anasati. 'I am too young for this weighty responsibility, my Lord. I was to have been a sister of Lashima scant moments before this terrible honour was thrust upon me. My ignorance must not become a danger to the Acoma. With full knowledge of what I do, I seek a son of the Anasati to return with me. When we are wed, he shall be Ruling Lord of the Acoma.'
The Lord of the Anasati was caught speechless. Of all possible requests, this one had not been anticipated. For in one breath this girl not only had removed herself from power, but had also effectively given over control of her family to the Anasati, who numbered among her father's oldest political enemies. So unexpected was this request, a chorus of whispers broke out among those assembled in the hall. Quickly recovering his poise, the Lord of the Anasati silenced his courtiers with a sharp glance and the barest wave of his ceremonial wand.
He stared hard at the face of this girl who had come to seek the hand of one of his sons, then said bluntly, 'You seek to cast your honour to my house, Lady. May I know why?'
The Anasati courtiers waited motionless for the reply. The only movement in the room was a sudden, sparkling reflection as sunlight through the doorway caught on gem-decorated costumes. Ignoring the dazzle, Mara lowered her eyes as if ashamed. 'My position is weak, Lord Tecuma. The Acoma lands are still strong and rich, but I am only a girl, with few resources. If my house is to become a lesser power, then at least I may choose allies. My father's greatest enemy was the Lord of the Minwanabi. This is no secret. That he and you are presently at peace is only a matter of the moment. Sooner or later you must clash.'
Her small hands clenched in her lap, and her voice rose with resolve. 'I would ally with anyone who might one day crush the man responsible for my father's death!'
The First Adviser to the Lord of the Anasati turned so none in the hall could see his face - it was a given that at least one of the Acoma guards would prove to be a spy who could read lips. He whispered into the ear of the Lord Tecuma, 'I don't believe a word of this, my Lord.'
Lord Tecuma inclined his head and answered through clenched teeth. 'I don't either. Yet if this girl takes Jiro as Lord of the Acoma, I gain a great house as a lifetime ally, my son rises to a rank above any I could hope for, and she's right: sooner or later we shall have to have a final accounting with Jingu of the Minwanabi. And if we destroy the Minwanabi, a son of mine will be Lord of one of the Five Great Families.'
Chumaka shook his head in the barest motion of resignation. His Lord would be thinking that someday descendants of his in two houses might contend for the office of the Warlord. Tecuma continued his reasoning. 'Besides, she will be but the wife of the Ruling Lord. Her husband will dictate Acoma policy. No, Chumaka, whatever Mara may plot, this is too good an opportunity to pass by. I do not think this girl clever enough to outwit us once Jiro rules the Acoma.'
Tecuma glanced at his three sons and found Jiro studying Mara with interest. By the intensity of his expression, the second son found both the rank and the girl intriguing; a sensible youngster, he .should welcome the marriage. Presently the boy sought his father's gaze and nodded yes. Jiro's expression was a little too avid and his nod too emphatic for Tecuma's liking. The boy knew power was a hairsbreadth from his grasp and was openly coveting it.
