as?” Heldo-Bah draws another bead of blood from the youth, close to the vital pathways throbbing on the powerful neck.
“I don’t know!” the captive sobs. “In the name of Kafra, Bane, I would tell you, if I did—why would I
not
?”
Heldo-Bah rises up, as if making ready to cut the youth’s throat; but at the sight of the tears streaming unchecked down his cheeks, he relents, and shoves the knife angrily into the sheath that holds all three of the blades. “Yes, I suppose you’re telling the truth, Tall—and I suppose my luck simply
is
that bad. Tonight as always …” Looking out into the pasture once more, the forager hisses. “Blast it. † And those two still haven’t got my meal!”
Out amid the cattle, Veloc is being chased in a tightening circle by the wounded steer, as his sister moves to grab hold of the long, bloodied hair that dangles from the animal’s neck and shoulders. Keera is close to success—until the steer flings her a dozen yards away with a toss of its head. She sits up, dazed but uninjured. “This evening looks to be a thorough disappointment,” Heldo-Bah moans.
“You won’t kill me?” the captive dares, some nerve returning.
“Oh, I’d
like
to, make no mistake. Save that the woman you see out there would render me worse than dead, were I to do it …”
“Truly? I—I did not know that the Bane understood mercy.”
Heldo-Bah gives an angry laugh. “
Us?
It’s you lofty demons that inflict suffering without a bit of remorse! Besides, what of Kafra, and his little brother the God-King? Won’t they save you from our terrible wrath?”
The Guardsman’s voice suddenly boils with indignant rage: “Do not soil those names by speaking them, you unholy little—”
Heldo-Bah laughs more heartily. “Good, Tall—good! Let’s keep things simple—you hate me, and I hate you. Each on principle. I don’t like confusion.” He fetches a gutting blade from his belt, and points into the pasture once more. “You take my friend there—do you know, he has spent this evening savaging my ears with those old lies about all men having once been of an average height? I ask you, what half-witted—”
A stifled cry of alarm comes from Veloc, who is waving frantically at Heldo-Bah; but Heldo-Bah only smiles and returns the wave.
“Listen, Bane,” the captive says, feeling ever bolder, now that he realizes these three do not intend murder. “You know my comrades will return soon. You should release me now—”
Heldo-Bah considers the matter as he watches events on the Plain. “And
you
had best hope my friends avoid that steer’s horns,” he answers, in a blithe manner that renews much of the young man’s fear. “Because if it’s up to me, boy, you
will
die. But let’s return to this puzzling question of height for the moment. I’ll tell you what—help me solve it. And then, perhaps, I’ll let you go.”
“What is it you want to know?”
“It’s troubling,” Heldo-Bah answers, squinting at the soldier, his voice still a blend of threat and congeniality. “If it’s true, this business of all men having been of one size before your accursed city was built, † that would mean that the creation of the Bane wasn’t the act of any god, yours
or
ours—wouldn’t it? That would mean that the Tall somehow brought it about themselves—wouldn’t it?” Heldo-Bah again puts his face very close to the youth’s. “That would mean you have a lot to answer for—
wouldn’t it?
”
The forager is interrupted by a louder cry from the shag steer, followed by a very unsettling sound that Veloc makes as he runs with his buttocks just inches from the dying animal’s thrusting horns, while Keera dashes alongside the animal once more.
Heldo-Bah frowns. “Well … I suppose I shouldn’t have expected anything else. This is the price of being a martyr to one’s digestion, Tall …” He grips the gutting blade (which is almost as long as his forearm) tight enough to
“I don’t know!” the captive sobs. “In the name of Kafra, Bane, I would tell you, if I did—why would I
not
?”
Heldo-Bah rises up, as if making ready to cut the youth’s throat; but at the sight of the tears streaming unchecked down his cheeks, he relents, and shoves the knife angrily into the sheath that holds all three of the blades. “Yes, I suppose you’re telling the truth, Tall—and I suppose my luck simply
is
that bad. Tonight as always …” Looking out into the pasture once more, the forager hisses. “Blast it. † And those two still haven’t got my meal!”
Out amid the cattle, Veloc is being chased in a tightening circle by the wounded steer, as his sister moves to grab hold of the long, bloodied hair that dangles from the animal’s neck and shoulders. Keera is close to success—until the steer flings her a dozen yards away with a toss of its head. She sits up, dazed but uninjured. “This evening looks to be a thorough disappointment,” Heldo-Bah moans.
“You won’t kill me?” the captive dares, some nerve returning.
“Oh, I’d
like
to, make no mistake. Save that the woman you see out there would render me worse than dead, were I to do it …”
“Truly? I—I did not know that the Bane understood mercy.”
Heldo-Bah gives an angry laugh. “
Us?
It’s you lofty demons that inflict suffering without a bit of remorse! Besides, what of Kafra, and his little brother the God-King? Won’t they save you from our terrible wrath?”
The Guardsman’s voice suddenly boils with indignant rage: “Do not soil those names by speaking them, you unholy little—”
Heldo-Bah laughs more heartily. “Good, Tall—good! Let’s keep things simple—you hate me, and I hate you. Each on principle. I don’t like confusion.” He fetches a gutting blade from his belt, and points into the pasture once more. “You take my friend there—do you know, he has spent this evening savaging my ears with those old lies about all men having once been of an average height? I ask you, what half-witted—”
A stifled cry of alarm comes from Veloc, who is waving frantically at Heldo-Bah; but Heldo-Bah only smiles and returns the wave.
“Listen, Bane,” the captive says, feeling ever bolder, now that he realizes these three do not intend murder. “You know my comrades will return soon. You should release me now—”
Heldo-Bah considers the matter as he watches events on the Plain. “And
you
had best hope my friends avoid that steer’s horns,” he answers, in a blithe manner that renews much of the young man’s fear. “Because if it’s up to me, boy, you
will
die. But let’s return to this puzzling question of height for the moment. I’ll tell you what—help me solve it. And then, perhaps, I’ll let you go.”
“What is it you want to know?”
“It’s troubling,” Heldo-Bah answers, squinting at the soldier, his voice still a blend of threat and congeniality. “If it’s true, this business of all men having been of one size before your accursed city was built, † that would mean that the creation of the Bane wasn’t the act of any god, yours
or
ours—wouldn’t it? That would mean that the Tall somehow brought it about themselves—wouldn’t it?” Heldo-Bah again puts his face very close to the youth’s. “That would mean you have a lot to answer for—
wouldn’t it?
”
The forager is interrupted by a louder cry from the shag steer, followed by a very unsettling sound that Veloc makes as he runs with his buttocks just inches from the dying animal’s thrusting horns, while Keera dashes alongside the animal once more.
Heldo-Bah frowns. “Well … I suppose I shouldn’t have expected anything else. This is the price of being a martyr to one’s digestion, Tall …” He grips the gutting blade (which is almost as long as his forearm) tight enough to
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