“And if I die tomorrow?’ frowned HawkShadow. “You will not feel deserted?”
“Of course I will,” admitted StarWind, “but I will treasure our time together and not regret it. My memories of LoneBadger are not of his death. They are memories of wonderful days and wonderful feelings. I want to feel those wonderful feelings again, and I want to share them with you.”
“You will marry me then?” HawkShadow asked hopefully.
“As soon as you ask me properly,” grinned StarWind.
* * *
Premer Tzargo walked down the gangplank and halted in front of Premer Cardijja in the city of Meliban.
“Greetings,” said Premer Cardijja. “Have you brought the Emperor to Fakara?”
“I have,” replied Premer Cardijja. “What are the results of your investigation?”
“The Jiadin have fled westward,” reported Cardijja. “It appears that they ran over the mountains to Khadora. Perhaps they had word of our coming?”
“I don’t think so,” Tzargo shook his head. “Clarvoy indicated that they were looking to make peace with the free tribes. He spoke of them going to Angragar. What about the path between here and Vandegar? Is it secure?”
“It is uninhabited,” replied Cardijja. “Even the small villages are empty. The fields have been burned and the animals have been taken. You will have no food available for your journey.”
“That is what we have Duran for,” smiled Tzargo.
“I heard that it was attacked?” frowned Cardijja.
“It was a tactical error on our part,” shrugged Tzargo. “We only had a single corte protecting it. That will not happen again. We have thousands of troops there now, and they have built strong defenses. They could hold off the mightiest armada now. The enemy will never again threaten our supplies.”
“Excellent,” smiled Cardijja. “My men will create a safe corridor between here and Vandegar for the Emperor’s passing.”
“Not just for his passing,” Tzargo retorted. “The corridor will remain in place at all times. My armies must have access to the supplies, and I will not have the supply caravans attacked.”
“That is a massive area to protect,” frowned Cardijja. “It will require a great many men and dilute the forces available to me to attack the Fakarans. I would prefer to send thousands of men with each caravan for protection. It would require much less troops.”
Premer Tzargo hesitated before answering. “For now,” he said, “form the corridor. After the Emperor is safely in Vandegar, and I have had a chance to see the countryside for myself, then we will discuss the future requirements for security.”
“Fair enough,” nodded Cardijja. “I will send out the vanguard now.”
“First you must clear the main street of this city,” instructed Tzargo. “I do not want any of your men in the Emperor’s way when he disembarks. I also want the city center clear of your troops. I will allow you to select the finest building in the city for the Emperor to rest in until morning.”
Cardijja nodded as he thought about moving his officers out of the buildings they had been staying in. He turned and marched briskly towards the city center, shouting out orders as he went. Soldiers hurried to vacate their quarters from along the main street of the city. When he reached the administration building, Premer Cardijja ordered his staff to move his headquarters elsewhere. He also issued orders to his generals to start the process of creating a safe corridor to Vandegar far to the north. There were grumbles from the generals, but Cardijja’s icy glare immediately halted any thought of dissension.
Satisfied that his orders would be obeyed, Premer Cardijja left the administration building and returned to the docks. Premer Tzargo nodded appreciatively as he gazed up the empty boulevard.
“Your men are efficient,” greeted Tzargo. “The Emperor will be pleased.”
“It is my goal to please the Emperor,” smiled Cardijja.
“Then you will have seven wasooki delivered to him after he is settled in,” replied Tzargo. “There is hunger after such a long sea voyage.”
“Seven?” questioned Cardijja. “You have many men, Premer Tzargo. Surely you must mean more than that?”
“The seven wasooki are for the Emperor and his party,” explained Tzargo. “My men will help themselves to your supplies.”
“His party?” asked Cardijja. “Perhaps the administration building will not be large enough for all of them. There is an inn directly across the street. May I suggest that some of the Emperor’s party utilize that building as well as the administration building?”
“His party is not numerous,” Tzargo smiled knowingly, “but they have large appetites. I will allow you to stay with me and guide them to the administration building. You will learn realities that are only whispered of in Eldamar.”
Premer Cardijja’s brow creased in puzzlement, but he nodded his appreciation of the honor being bestowed upon him. The only time any of the premers, other than Tzargo, were allowed in the Emperor’s presence was in the throne room in Vandamar. This day in Meliban would be a story to tell his children about.
The wait was not long. Moments after Premer Tzargo spoke, Motangan soldiers marched across the gangplank. Tzargo silently issued orders with his hands, and the soldiers formed corridors along the main street of the city. When the human corridor was complete, the Emperor’s procession began. First came half a dozen black-cloaked mages, their eyes shifting constantly as if they did not trust their own soldiers. Premer Cardijja frowned at their attitude, but he kept his mouth shut.
Next came a sight that caused Cardijja to gasp out loud. He had heard rumors of the Emperor’s demons, but he did not believe the tales. He had never seen any evidence of the creatures during his many visits to the temple, but now he believed the rumors. The six creatures were extremely tall and appeared to have been chiseled out of shiny black rock. They had long sharp claws on their hands and feet, and the noise they made descending the gangplank sent a shiver up Cardijja’s spine. Their heads were hideous distortions of a beastly nature, with long sharp horns protruding from their temples. Their snouts were long, and Cardijja swallowed hard when one of them opened its mouth. Several rows of sharp, meat-tearing teeth appeared quite capable of biting through the thickest of human bones.
“You see,” smiled Premer Tzargo, “the rumors are not entirely false. You will also understand where six of the wasooki will be going tonight.”
Premer Cardijja tore his eyes away from the demons and looked at Tzargo. He found the head premer smiling broadly at him. Cardijja realized that he was being used as a source of amusement for Tzargo, and he quickly turned away to watch the procession.
In the center of the six huge demons, Emperor Vand walked silently. His head swiveled slightly as he took in the sights of the city, but his expression was one of disinterest. Premer Cardijja noticed that six more black-cloaked mages followed the demons. There were no soldiers in the Emperor’s inner circle.
“Are there no military advisors within the Emperor’s party?” Cardijja asked as he turned to Premer Tzargo.
“I am in the Emperor’s party,” replied Tzargo. “I am the only military advisor he needs. Come. We are to lead the parade.”
Premer Cardijja dutifully followed Tzargo and led the procession along the main street of Meliban. He halted outside the administration building, wondering how the demons would fit through the doorway. His silent question was immediately answered when one of the demons simply marched through the doorway, sending showers of wood splinters raining onto the porch as the wooden frame gave way to the black-rock creature. Cardijja stared at the now-enlarged doorway and shook his head. He bowed deeply as the Emperor passed by, but Vand did not appear to even notice him.
“I must make sure that the wasooki are prepared for the Emperor’s party,” Cardijja said to Tzargo as he hastened to get away from the administration building. “If anything is required by the Emperor, I will have men stationed in the park up the street. You only need to ask, and it will be supplied.”