“Were there an experienced war-eleplant officer about, I would be more than happy to give him the command post and responsibility and let you go back to being what you were, just anotherfeelahks, but we have thus far not discovered any elephant officers who survived that debacle in Karaleenos and no one of our messengers has as yet come back from the source of most war-elephants, the triple duchy of Meelohnhohra. You have my word of honor, Giclass="underline" the moment that a trained and experienced elephant officer enters this camp and this army, you will cease to be captain of elephants, but until then, please do me and your High Lord the great favor of cooperating with us and helping to win over this vast, rich land for our Confederation.
“Will you do that for us, my friend?”
Newgrass, the Iron Mountain elephant, unlike the other two cows, Sunshine and Tulip, had a pair of thick, eighteen-inch tusks. She was as much larger than Tulip as Tulip was larger than Sunshine, yet she unquestion-ingly accepted Sunshine as leader of the small herd. There were enough differences between Newgrass and the others to make Gil certain that they were of two different strains of elephant.
The most readily obvious distinctions were that where Sunshine, Tulip and Tulip’s Son customarily carried their heads low so that the arch of their backs was the highest part of them, Newgrass’ back was almost
concavefrom withers to rump and her head was therefore the highest part of her. Nor were the ears the same as those of the other elephants, being significantly larger and rounder; her head did not bulge out into domes at the temples, as did the others, either. And there were other, less readily apparent points of difference, such as Newgrass’ total lack of the protective flap of skin over the anal opening.
But the bigger cow’s mindspeak was just as good as that of the smaller cows and she seemed to be every bit as intelligent. Her new Horseclansman feelahks, Sami Skaht of Vawn, had never had any trouble or disagreements with her since the first day that Gil had made the introductions between them.
Newgrass had been fully war-trained at Iron Mountain, which state used both bulls and larger cows for such, and watching her perform her maneuvers told Gil what he needed to know about the training of Sunshine and Tulip, whose primary function had always been that of mere draught animals.
When the bright, willing animals had learned all that Newgrass had to show for her training, Gil asked Tomos Gonsalos to seek for him an appointment to speak with Thoheeks Sitheeros of Iron Mountain .
To Gil, who like all his Kindred had been virtually born in the saddle, it seemed distinctly strange to be riding a horse after so long of riding only his elephant. At fifteen-two, the gelding was sleek and powerful, yet he seemed tiny and very delicate to his rider.
Gil’s officer’s garb passed him easily and quickly through the gates of Mehseepolis, and the small folded square of vellum with its impressive gold-wax seal saw him duly admitted to the outer courtyard of the ducal palace, where a liveried groom was quick to hold the head of his horse while he dismounted, then lead the beast away. At the entrance to the citadel, a courteous but firm junior officer of the Council Guards relieved Gil of saber, dirk and both daggers, hung the weapons carefully on a wall hook among a host of other edge weapons, then waved him on to a functionary who unfolded and read the pass.
“The Thoheeks Sitheeros’ office is adjacent to his suite, Captain. His grace’s suite is in the palace proper, but you would likely be wandering half the day before you found it. Wait a few minutes and I’ll send a man who knows his way with you.”
This much said, the functionary did nothing, said no more, just stood, a slight smile on his lips. Gil had been told in advance by Tomos what to expect, so though it went against his Horseclans grain, he dug a silverthrahkmeh from under his belt and placed it in the soft palm of the outstretched hand, only to see all trace of a smile disappear and become an incipient frown. He dug out another silver coin to place beside the first, and the frown became a bit more nebulous. But it was not until fourthrahkmeh-pieces were upon that palm that the trace of a smile returned to the dark, slightly greasy face of the functionary.
The boy who arrived shortly to lead him to Thoheeks Sitheeros’ office, though looking to Gil just about old enough to begin warring, had he been a Horseclansman, already bore visible scars that could only have been made by sharp steel and moved as if he had spent much time under arms; moreover, there was an honest, no-nonsense air about him that was far more mature than his body.
Gil made to dig out a couple of silver pieces, but seeing this, the boy shook his head vigorously. “My lord Captain, I am not like unto these larcenous, bureaucratic swine, always rooting for silver. No, it is my great honor to serve my most puissant lord, Thoheeks Grahvos, who provides all my needs and more. Come, I will take you to Thoheeks Sitheeros, captain.”
When the lad had knocked, introduced Gil by name and rank to a pair of armed guards, then handed the letter to one of them, he bade Gil a courteous goodbye and went back down the hall at a brisk walk.
Gil rendered the gray-haired thoheeks a military salute in the classic Ehleen fashion. He liked the look of the middle-aged nobleman—firm jaw and chin with a spiky, gray-streaked chinbeard, the scars of a warrior on his face and hairy arms, expressive black eyes and lips whose corners showed the clear traces of frequent smiles; the thoheeks’ body was thick and powerful-looking, all big, round muscles, loaded shoulders, hips almost as wide as his shoulders, but with the legs of a horseman, for all.
The thoheeks’ garb was very like that of a Horseclansman—short boots of tooled leather, tight leather breeches, an embroidered shirt of heavy silk, broad tooled belt with a massive silver buckle. He wore large rings on one thumb and threefingers, and up close the flat gold chain held onto his shoulders by brooches and hanging down onto his broad breast could be seen to be fashioned of little golden elephants, all joined one to the other at trunk and tail.
Although two braziers were glowing with coals, the marble-walled chamber was decidedly chilly, and Gil was glad to accept the steaming spiced wine proffered by a servant.
As the manservant was padding out, the thoheeks ordered, “Hohfos, tell my man Drehkos to bring a hooded velvet robe for me and one for Captain Gil here, too.”
Then he waved Gil to a padded chair. “Sit you down, Captain. Our Hohfos will be back shortly with cheeses and other oddments. Not only am I ever glad to meet another admirer of elephants, your visit today gave me a rare chance to get away from the boring details of Council. I tell you, Captain, had I not pledged to stay here until planting time ...” The big man sighed gustily and shook his close-cropped head.
“But tell me, Captain, how do you people stay warm in winter in simple hide tents?”
“We don’t, Lord Thoheeks” Gil replied. “We don’t live in tents at all, except on hunting trips. Our homes are yurts, made of wood and hides and canvas and many layers of felt. So warm are they that even in the most bitter weather, a mere lamp will often render them so hot that vents must be opened to maintain comfort. Such winter warmth is unknown to you Ehleenoee, Lord Thoheeks . . . but then of course we barbarians have never attained to full many of the wonders of your sophisticated civilization.”
The thoheeks stared hard at Oil for a long moment, then his lips began to twitch, then they bent upward into a grin, and when the man knocked, then entered with a tray of foods, followed by another man bearing two long, thick robes, Sitheeros was laughing uproariously, his face red and tears squeezing from out his eyes.