Free Scabbard's Song by Kim Hunter Page B

the city? It most certainly is not, growled Kaff. Good, because I have come here to solve my friends problem. General, he said to Soldier, you cannot march on Zamerkand with your Carthagan troops and oust the false king, but there is nothing which says you cannot use another army. My warriors are at your disposal. They are but eleven hundred in number . . . the guard in the watchtower heard this and nodded with great satisfaction . . . but under your guidance, for you know the city and its weaknesses, we may force an entry. Once inside I have told my warriors to kill only Imperial Guards and to leave the civilian citizens alone. He sighed. This will not be easy for them, for they are used to sacking a captured city, killing all its inhabitants, eating the babies, and setting fire to the libraries, palaces and places of learning. They enjoy a good bonfire, do my warriors. But they have agreed to follow my orders and will only pig-stick those in uniform. A book or two, may go missing, and end up on a camp fire, but for the most part the city will remain whole, and the populace untouched. This is a very generous offer, Wo, said Soldier. I am very touched. Touched in the head, growled Kaff. You must be insane if you think these animals will keep their word. I trust the oath of my friend here and would take it over yours, snapped Soldier. Now, will you convey my message to your leader? If he is to leave it must be tonight. He is allowed to take two people with him, three horses, and baggage. There must be no jewels or treasure. Only clothes, food and water. Otherwise we will attack in the morning. Kaff nodded and Soldier sensed resignation in the other generals expression. He hoped he was right. Soldier had no desire to attack the city and did not even know if he could manage to take it with so few warriors. After all, the beast-people and the Hannacks had besieged the city for a year without breaching its walls. It was true that Soldier did know where the weak spots were, and naturally he believed himself a better general than any within the ranks of the beast-people and Hannacks, but still the task was by no means an easy one. Better that Humbold should leave. The Red Pavilions were a-buzz with the news. The dog-heads were camped just two hundred yards from their own ochre tents! What a very strange state of affairs. Curious Carthagan soldiers wandered out to look across the short divide and were stared at by equally curious dog-warriors. The two had seen each other before, of course, but only in the heat of battle, and only bristling with iron and steel. Yet here they both were, two bitter enemy groups, wandering around quietly eyeing each other. It was a pity there were no children in either camp, or they would have probably met in the middle and played games together, oblivious of the fact that the grown-ups were wary. Children tended to do that, after insulting each other, and getting over the initial shyness of meeting with strangers. Soldier took Wo back to his tent. Before they got there something occurred to Soldier. I want you to meet my wife, he said, but should she react in a hostile way, I hope you will not be offended. My cousin, Vau, said Wo, nodding. I understand. But Layanas memory of that terrible attack, when her face was torn half away, had gone from her mind. She was surprised to see the dog-person, it was true, but there was no animosity in her. She offered food and drink, a place to sit and talk, and thanked Wo for helping her husband find his named sword. It was nothing, said Wo. I was pleased to be of service and that word from one such as myself who is disgusted by the servility of curs and mongrels and their kind when around humans . . . I understand. I never thought of it before, but you must find such behaviour in hounds quite contemptible. Wo shrugged. They are all-dogs, we are but part. Your use of language is excellent, Layana praised Wo. I had thought that dog-people, and all the beast-people, had