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cut.
 If I am not shot with a sho dart, I can be dangerous. How is my back?
Dreibrand asked.
Shan glanced at the welts bleeding through the fabric and said,  You needed a
new shirt anyway.
Dreibrand chuckled at Shan s annoying answer. He watched the injured
Temu warriors being helped away by their comrades, and it soothed his stinging
back.
 Get him some wine, Shan! King Taischek barked.
 I thought I would bandage his head first, Shan said.
 Ah, it s nothing for a strong warrior like him. Let s drink! Taischek poured
Dreibrand a goblet.
Thirsty from his ordeal, Dreibrand gratefully quaffed the wine, refilled his
cup and toasted the King.
 Good job, Atrophane warrior, Taischek said.  Now save your battle lust for
the Sabuto and we shall be good friends. Shan, thank you for bringing him to
me.
Shan inclined his head in acceptance of the gratitude.
Taischek continued,  I have just the thing that will make your head feel
better, Dreibrand. The King removed a pouch from his vest pocket. Out of it
he retrieved a pipe and a bundle of dried plant material.
Shan saw this and shared a laugh with the King.
 What is that? Dreibrand asked, truly intrigued.
 Don t they smoke in your great eastern empire? Taischek asked
contemptuously.
 Smoke? Dreibrand was honestly baffled.
His confusion made the King laugh harder and comment,  No wonder
you left home. Xander, this man does not even&  Taischek stopped when he
realized the General was unconscious. Quietly he added,  Xander is always the
first to go.
With genuine fascination, Dreibrand watched the King light the filled pipe and
inhale the smoke. Completely accustomed to the activity, Taischek did not
cough and exhaled with a slow sigh. He handed the pipe to Shan, who puffed
happily.
 This will shut up our smart rys friend, Taischek said.  He ll think he is
five hasas away.
 Watching you drink is not the only thing that amuses me, Shan countered
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while he handed the pipe to an empty area near Dreibrand.
 You probably can t find your butt already, Taischek joked, but Shan ignored
him easily.
Now Dreibrand received the pipe and regarded it curiously, unsure how to
proceed.
 Don t let it go out, Taischek ordered.
Curiosity and an aching skull made Dreibrand comply. His virgin lungs
protested with much hacking and coughing, which entertained everybody
thoroughly. Once his coughing subsided, Dreibrand gulped down the rest of his
wine. Despite his burning chest, he began to feel an immediate pleasantness
seep through his system. He nodded appreciatively, noticing the sweet smell of
the smoke. His subsequent turns with the pipe caused him no discomfort, and
his pain drifted away. He felt absolutely wonderful and thanked Taischek
exuberantly with a slight slur.
Taischek lovingly tucked his pipe away and said,  Just a little Temu
medicine.
Shan stood and without a word wandered off.
The King chuckled and explained,  It affects Shan more than us. Sends him into
some rys dreamland or something.
This was interesting, but Dreibrand felt too good at the moment to give any
thought to where Shan had gone. Dreibrand found himself sharing many toasts
with the Temu King and the surrounding warriors. He had a wonderful time and
consumed much more wine than was his habit.
Despite repeatedly slipping into his native language, he made a few friends
and, with a mildly comprehensible speech, personally forgave the
warrior who had split his head. Taischek rallied his men late into the night,
and being the true king of his tribe, saw them all pass out first.
20~ The First Ripple of Rebellion ~
Shan was kind to visit me as my days come to their end. He listened patiently
as I recalled the adventures of my youth. He was at my side then, but he does
not seem a day older now. I know that he has changed but the changes have
taken a lifetime to see, like watching a tree grow or noticing the course of a
river shifting after many seasons. He is becoming powerful and some day he
will stop the evil that festers in the mountains. I can die believing
this Chendoaser, Nuram ruler, year 1882
of the Age of Onja.
The fuzzy blackness emerged into a painful grayness. Dreibrand opened his eyes
slightly, but even the overcast day provided a vengeful glare. His skull felt
like a year old walnut shell, and he ached like a teenager after his first
bender. Close dark shapes hovered him, and Dreibrand squinted at them. Several
smiling Temu children kneeled around him, closely examining the immobile
foreigner. His arrival into hurtful consciousness made them all comment with
excitement, and their chatter pierced his eardrums like breaking dishes. He
implored them to hush, but his furry tongue and dry lips hindered his speech
and made them laugh harder.
Escape would be the only chance for relief.
A cool drizzle started and the merciful wet soothed him slightly.
Groaning, he sat up. His vision swam and a wave of nausea passed lazily.
Apparently he had dropped on the field in a stupor and been left on the
ground. The only people present besides the curious children were a few
villagers, who were cleaning up the mess from the banquet.
Willpower helped Dreibrand to his feet, and he shuffled to his gear that had
been set under the table. He buckled his sword back on and was vaguely pleased [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]