Day 2

Sylpha stood on the heights, gazing down at the temple of Bana. On the morrow she would stand there beneath its shaded arcades and glittering domes and say her vows before the gods and men. Ise, the great city, stretched before her, a tangle of stone baking in the sun. Dry wind swept off from the desert, capturing her tears, carrying them down, down, until they dashed into the salt spray of the sea.

The island city had never fallen to an invader, it was said, although many had met the implacable defense of the sea and failed. Once, in the days of legend beyond living memory, a great captain had set foot on the island, only to be thwarted by ancient walls of stone.

Across the blue gulf Sylpha could see Small Ise, a cluster of clay huts jammed around the bridges like mushrooms clustering at the roots of a Terebinth tree. She had hunted beneath such trees, plucking up pungent treasures, crowing her success over her brother and their cousins.

When Sylpha was a small girl, one of the bridges of Ise had burned. Her father had made an immense gift of lumber to the Lords Council of Ise, and they all went to see the new bridge built. She remembered the giant cables being strung across the water, each one anchored to three great pillars of stone. She remembered a carpenter falling to his death from the ropes as the great timbers were fitted. She could not hear his voice, but his waving arms were black shadows on remembered sunlight.

It had been a long time since the bridges of Ise were hewn through in war, but Sylpha looked at them and felt their weight. Tomorrow her own cables would be cut, the bridges of her heart tumbling into the black abyss. Tomorrow she would be a queen of the desert, eating in tents and tending a palace of carpets, and the only green she would see would be the emeralds at her throat and scrub palms in the sand.

A footstep sounded behind her, and she turned. Alexander stood there, booted and dusty, black hair windswept. He saw her tears, but gave no sign beyond a gentle smile.

"The sun sets on the water," he said softly. "Tomorrow it will dawn on a new age."

"Yes," said Sylpha thickly, wiping her face on her sleeve. It was not a noble gesture; best indulge herself while she could. "I hope that it will be an age of happiness for my people."

"But not for you," he said, with a sigh. "I know you. You will miss your trees and your water." He moved closer and rested an arm on her shoulders. Sylpha leaned her head against his, familiar and comforting.

"Perhaps it will not be so bad. You will enjoy being a desert queen, maybe," Alexander said quietly. "Look there." He pointed out over the city at North Harbor. "It was meant for a surprise; a dowry gift from my father."

Sylpha followed his arm and saw a ship, low and sleek, glowing gold in the sun's last rays.

"She's a fast little thing," Alexander continued. "Built after the eastern pattern. A sail to push her in the wind, and fifty slaves to driver her in the calm. She has a wide draft and a deep keel. You could even take her out of sight of land, I wager."

He smiled down at her. "She is named _Carida_. It means "freedom" in the tongue of the east. Let your heart rest easy, Sylpha. You will see your trees again, whenever you wish it. And even eat your revolting fungus."

Sylpha laughed aloud and hugged him. "You know me as well as I know myself. This is not your father's doing Alex, that is plain, and I have no words to thank you for it."

"Well, now, that is enough." Alexander said. "My secret is out, but let it remain between the two of us. Prince Arcanus - hm, well, I would not want him to take it amiss that his queen-to-be has got a wave-runner and fifty slaves from Captain Alexander - even though Captain Alexander is half again her age and betrothed to battle - while Arcanus himself gets only an eastern-made sword." He looked amused. "Although, it is a particularly fine sword. Worth at least ten slaves and a fisherman's row-boat."

"Well," he said, squeezing her arm as she laughed again. "I must leave you now. Prince Arcanus is giving a great banquet in honor of his forthcoming union. I must attend to represent my father, as he has no taste for drunkenness and naked slave girls."

"Ah, but you do?" she called after him, as he moved away. He turned and gave her a look, then spat on the ground before striding away, dust curling around his boots.

* * *

As darkness fell, Sylpha descended from the heights to pray. Not in the great Temple of Bana where she would tomorrow wed, but in a small shrine to Ai quietly hidden in the south wing of the Grand Palace. She bathed herself in the shrine's private pool, then left her prayer and offering on the altar.

The halls of the Grand Palace were empty as she made her way back towards her chambers. Desiring solitude, she had sent her handmaids away, but now she had solitude in truth. The Grand Palace seemed deserted; even the guards were away drinking the health of Prince Arcanus it seemed.

Twice Sylpha heard a stealthy footfall behind her and turned to find nothing there. Once a shadow flickered in the side of her eye, and she stared but saw nothing. She began to hurry, running the last few steps and catapulting herself at her door, heart fluttering. Strong hands gripped her arms, bringing her up short, one going to her mouth to cut off her scream of surprise.

"Hush Sylpha! You are safe!"

"Tam!" she cried, prying his hand away from her face. "What are you _doing?_"

"I have come for you! I could not live knowing you were at the mercy of that barbarian Arcanus!"

"Tam, you are a fool! You must leave here at once!"

"No! I will not go without you! I cannot live without you! Have you forgotten . . ."

He broke off, blood pouring from his mouth. Sylpha stumbled backwards, staring with shock at the arrow sprouting from Tam's throat.

"There! It is she!" A band of warriors was rushing towards her down the far hallway, the sword and ship standard of Ise gleaming on their armor. The archer was already fitting another shaft to his short bow.

Sylpha dove through her door, desperately baring it behind her. She leaned backwards against it, shuddering, then screamed again. Tarna lay slumped in a bloody heap, throat slashed. A few yards away, lay Sylpha's other handmaids, Sana and Thesa. Sana was still alive, breath gurgling as she tried to speak.

Suddenly Alexander was there, grabbing Sylpha's arm, tugging her away. He was drenched in gore.

"I have just killed three of my own men with a wine cup," he said roughly. She saw the polished stone vessel, still gripped in his right fist. "Quickly, this way, out the side passage." He tugged her hand, and she followed blankly. "We must get to the Carida. The Grand Palace is a hornet's nest of death. Arcanus' men are fighting in the streets. And my own men . . ." his face was dark. "What price did it take to turn them against you?"

The passage spiraled down through the rock and the dark. Alexander led the way, gripping her hand, running almost, with no torch to light the way. Sylpha hiccupped and sobbed, but did not draw away. This was his city; he would keep her safe.

Her own men were lined along the quay awaiting them. Conrad, her father's lieutenant, pushed forward as she and Alexander emerged.

"Princess Sylpha!" he cried. "Are you well? We aimed to cut our way to you, but Captain Alexander warned us . . ."

"We have no time," Alexander cut him off. "The princess is unharmed, and likely to remain so if we make for sea at once."

"At once," agreed Conrad, snapping his sword to salute. Sylpha hurried across the gangway, her father's men pressed near around her, Alexander coming close behind with watchful eyes. The driving drum began as Bulere, the Master of Slaves, beat out the rowing tattoo. Carida creaked and pulled away from the harbor, speeding into darkness.

* * *

"Twelve of my best men!" Arcanus ranted. "And I barely escaping with my life. What is he playing at, that whore-son Alexander? Does he think Tarwin will stand for this insult? Does he think _I_ will stand for it?"

Golias leaned back on his cushions and surveyed his son over his fingertips.

"The people of Toxa have long been friends with Ise, my son. Tarwin will not willingly march against Alexander."

"Even so?" demanded Arcanus.

"Even so. The fleets of Ise rule the sea. It is impossible to land an invasion through their blockade."

Captain Occanse shifted in his place to Golias' left.

"Further," Occanse said, "we cannot move against Ise or Toxa without risking that those fleets bring invasion to our own lands."

"Further? Risk?" roared Arcanus. "What manless chatter is this? Alexander has stolen my bride! Would you have me stomach this insult to my house, this grand . . ."

"Do you wish her returned to you?" Golias asked quietly, cutting through Arcanus' shouting.

"Yes!"

"Then you must do as I say. A campaign against the united might of Toxa and Ise is not to be undertaken lightly, or in the heat of anger."

Arcanus flung himself down. "Very well then. I will listen."

Golias spread a parchment map on the rug before them, tracing the coastline with his finger, marking cities as he went.

"The coastal cities must fall by land," he said. "Qurat and Mora first, then Ise. Without safe harbor, surely the fleets must starve. And what good are ships at sea against an army camped at your door?"

Occanse stared at him. "You intend to take Ise? The unconquered isle? The city of stone?"

"Yes, Ise, even Ise, the great city of many quaint names." Golias speared Occanse with a glance. "Do not doubt me, Occanse. I will take the field myself. Together we will crush this barknut."

"What of me?" demanded Arcanus. "This is my war!"

Golias smiled. "Yes. Your war. When Qurat falls, I will need a garrison there. When Mora falls, I will need a garrison there. When I reach Ise, my forces will have suffered losses. You must bring me a new force. We will convene at the island, and . . ." Golias held out his hand, palm up, then clenched it into a fist. "You have eight months to raise and train your men. By then I will have taken Qurat and Mora, and Ise will be ripe for plucking."

Arcanus rose and saluted his father. "As you command, so shall it be!" He turned on his heel and strode from the tent.

Occanse regarded Golias with consideration.

"If the coastal cities fall, what lies between us and Toxa?"

Golias smiled thinly.

"Nothing. I mean to take the whole of the south. I will rule the Empire of the West in truth, then. Go see to the captains, Occanse. When the fleets of Ise surrender, not all of them will heed the call of our coin. We will need to train men to drive our new ships."

* * *