Two days later, sons from the Smat clan arrived and presented themselves as candidates for Dar’s mintaris. They had been sent by their matriarch, and their attitude was disquieting. Although outwardly respectful, they were clearly displeased to have been chosen. Dar thought their discontent boded ill. It seemed a sign that the Smat clan matriarch had given little thought to the candidates’ selection, expecting their service to be brief. The following day, candidates from the Zut clan arrived. They were equally unsuitable.
Muth-zut and Muth-smat arrived together as Dar was preparing for her twenty-seventh feast. She postponed seeing them until the following day, and spent the evening dreading the encounter. Her dread proved well-founded when she met the pair. Muth-smat was elderly and dour. She spoke little and stared stone-faced at Dar throughout their meeting. Muth-zut, who was younger, bluntly questioned Dar’s suitability to reign. After the brief meeting was over, Dar feared that the Zut clan matriarch’s attitude reflected her companion’s. In five days, Dar would host her final feast. Then the Council of Matriarchs would meet. By Dar’s count, four of its seven members would oppose her.
“Tanath dovat,” said Sevren in a low voice. Something happen.
Kovok-mah woke. It was night, and the only light within the orcs’ quarters came from the embers on the central hearth. He was surprised that Sevren had been able to find him in the dark. “Atham?” asked Kovok-mah. What?
Sevren replied in Orcish. “See you washavokis in black?”
“Your queen has not yet summoned me,” replied Kovok-mah in the Speech of Mothers. “I have only left this room to bathe.”
“They are new guards.”
“Like washavokis in blue and red and urkzimmuthi?”
“Like, but not like. Queen’s Man leads them.”
“Queen’s Man is dead.”
“Bah Simi is now Queen’s Man.”
“Why have you not told me this before?” asked Kovok-mah.
“It is danger for me see urkzimmuthi. Washavokis watch. I think that.that.” Sevren switched to the human tongue. “I think Kol’s planning something. The royal guard has been disbanded. You’re either one of the Queen’s Men, or demoted to the city garrison. Word came out today. This is probably the last time I can get into the palace. As of tomorrow, only the orcs and the Queen’s Men will guard Girta. That doesn’t make sense. I know most of the guards who became Queen’s Men. They all hate orcs.”
“Many washavokis do.”
“There’s more to this than meets the eye. Why have two sets of guards? Especially two sets that are at odds. It looks look a power play to me.” Sevren paused, for even in the darkness he could tell that Kovok-mah was bewildered. Such intrigue is alien to him. Then Sevren tried to explain his concerns more simply. “Bah Simi is Muth Mauk’s enemy,” he said in Orcish. “He gathers friends. He grows strong. This is bad for Muth Mauk.”
“I understand,” said Kovok-mah. “When I speak to washavoki great mother, I will ask her why she has done this.”
Sevren thought Kovok-mah’s forthright approach was pointless, but he doubted he could explain why. It troubled him that the queen would replace the royal guard with Kol’s men, while retaining her orc guards. He suspected Kol was behind that decision. If the rumors were true, he was her principal adviser. Sevren was puzzled why Kol would want the orcs to remain. He suspected the reason involved Dar. “Muth Mauk should hear this,” he said.
“I cannot leave until I speak with your great mother,” said Kovok-mah.
“I could go.”
Kovok-mah considered the suggestion. “You should not go alone.” He rose, then walked among the sleeping orcs, woke one, and returned with him. “Zna-yat serves Muth Mauk. Speak to him.”
With Kovok-mah translating occasionally, Sevren repeated his story to Zna-yat, who seemed to grasp its implications better than Kovok-mah. “I should tell Sev-ronz tale to Muth Mauk,” said Zna-yat. “But there is no need for it to come.”
“He sees things that we don’t,” said Kovok-mah.
Zna-yat regarded Sevren. “Tell them to me and avoid long journey.”
“I want to go,” said Sevren.
“Why?”
Thamus had cautioned Sevren against lying to orcs, and he heeded that advice. “I wish to see Muth Mauk again.”
Zna-yat gave Kovok-mah a meaningful look. “Should it?”
“Sevren understands washavokis better than you or I. He may be helpful.”
“You may come,” said Zna-yat. “I will leave tomorrow.” “I see you on road. Not inside city,” replied Sevren. “I go now.”
As Sevren slipped away, Kovok-mah turned to Zna-yat. “What’s happening?” “I’m not sure, but I know this: Washavokis are cruel. Expect some new outrage.”
Zna-yat left Taiben the following morning, and soon afterward, Kovok-mah received the long-awaited summons to talk with the washavoki queen. He wondered if the two events were connected. Zna-yat guarded the queen. Perhaps his departure had displeased her. If it did, Kovok-mah didn’t care. He was tired of washavoki rudeness.
Kovok-mah noted that the washavokis that escorted him to the queen all wore black. They took him to the large room he had visited before. The queen was seated on the object Kovok-mah assumed was a throne. Only sons dressed in black stood about her. Bah Simi was among them.
“I regret it has been so long since we last spoke,” said the queen.
Unfamiliar with polite falsehoods, Kovok-mah found Girta’s explanation puzzling, for a queen could do as she pleased. “I regret it also. Now that we speak, need others be present?”
Kovok-mah noted that the queen’s face grew paler and the scent of fear wafted into the air. “These are the Queen’s Men. They protect me.”
“So do urkzimmuthi.”
“Queen’s Men also serve me.”
Her mintaris, thought Kovok-mah. “I understand now. Great Mother, after you and Muth Mauk spoke together, you promised to house us according to our custom so urkzimmuthi mothers could live with us. This has not happened.”
“I gave you a fine room to use.”
“It was not suitable.”
“The Queen’s Man has told me so,” said the queen, glancing at Bah Simi. Kovok-mah noticed that his black clothes were colored with yellow iron. “He has found better place for you.”
Bah Simi showed his dog-white teeth and spoke. “There are halls nearby. Round, so each is Zum Muthz la.” Muth la’s Embrace. Evidently pleased to show off his Orcish, he continued. “Each has teemhani.” Hearth. “We have also built proper spluf” Bath.
“Where are these buildings?”
“You stayed there when you fought for Great Washavoki.”
Kovok-mah realized that Bah Simi was speaking of the orcs’ former barracks. “I know these halls. They lie outside the city. How can we protect your great mother from there?”
“You’ll only live there,” said the queen. “You’ll still come into the city to guard me.”
“Muth Mauk said we were to live close to you. It is wise to have protectors near.”
Bah Simi spoke. “And you will be close when we build proper rooms inside the palace. That will take time. Until then, Great Mother wishes to honor your customs.”
Kovok-mah looked to the washavoki queen, puzzled that she would let a son speak for her. Yet she didn’t seem upset by his presumption. “It’s only for a little while,” she said.
Kovok-mah pondered his options. While he thought that Dargu would be displeased with the arrangement, he felt he lacked the authority to refuse it. “When must we move to these halls?”