Free Four Horses For Tishtry by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro Page B

amphitheater, he felt intimidated.
    “Huh!” the Greek scoffed, then looked once more at Tishtry. “You’re the Armenian, aren’t you?”
    “Yes,” Tishtry answered, aware for the first time that her speech marked her as a complete provincial.
    “I’ve heard about you. Tomorrow I want to see if what they say is true.” He braced his hands on his hips and planted his feet apart, as if he expected a struggle.
    “The day after would be better. My team has been on a ship for four days and they will need to be worked on the lunge before I yoke them up again.” She was pleased to seethat this protest had gained her a small measure of respect.
    “Day after tomorrow, then,” he agreed, and started to walk away.
    “Where are we to stay?” Atadillius called after him.
    “How should I know? That is Barantosz’s concern, not mine. You’ll find taverns all around the amphitheater. They’ll have room. There arestalls at the end of the stable yard that you can use until we move you to permanent quarters.” He waved his hand once, and then was gone.
    Macon looked astonished and turned to Atadillius. “What behavior!”
    “They’re always like this in the big cities,” Atadillius lamented, and gave a philosophical hitch to his shoulders. He did not want to admit how little confidence he felt now that he was out of his own amphitheater.
    “We’d better get the horses stabled and then find a place to sleep for the night,” Tishtry said, paying little attention to either Atadillius or Macon. “I want to see that they get raisins with their grain tonight. It will help them tomorrow.” She signaled one of the grooms to assist her, and led her horses toward the far end of the stable yard, as the Greek had told her to do.
    “Say there, youngster!” a tall charioteer called as Tishtry made her way toward thestalls. “What’s a kitten like you doing with a quadriga?”
    She paused, searching for the taunting man. “Driving it in the arena,” she answered firmly. “Just like you.”
    “You race?” The man laughed.
    “No, I do other things,” she replied, and regretted it as soon as she had said it. There was bawdy laughter from some of the men in the courtyard that angered her.
    “What other things, kitten?”
    Tishtry turned to him and stared hard at him. “I do tricks. The day after tomorrow, you may judge for yourself what they are worth.” With that, she continued toward the stalls, paying no more attention to the comments that followed her.
    She stayed on at the stables while her horses were fed and watered, then she made certain that there was a salt lick for each of them, that their coats were brushed and their manes and tails combed free of tangles, before she left the amphitheater and started in the direction of the street of the taverns, where Atadillius and Macon had found lodging. As she walked, she stared about her in wonder, amazed at how crowded, huge, and busy the place was. Everyone seemed to have something to do and was in a hurry to do it. People bustled through the streets, unmindful of those around them, their manners brusque and abrupt.
    “They’re going to be curious about you,” Atadillius promised Tishtry when she reached the tavern. “I heard some of the aurigatorestalking about you, saying that they had heard you were skilled. Most of them expected one of those strapping great women, like the Cimri have, not a compact thing like you.” He held out a plate of fish chunks cooked with grapes. “Better have some.”
    Tishtry helped herself, looking at her sister. “I want to go over the tack tonight, just in case we need to makeany repairs.”
    Macon looked down at her fingers. “If you think it’s best.”
    “Of course it’s best. No one performs when there’s something wrong with her equipment.” She ate some more, thinking that she had become hungry during her walk. “Do they have any nuts? I’m famished for nuts.”
    “Probably theyhave almonds in the kitchen. They