unable.”
“Also, because of stray arrows?” Hsin asked with a smile, he raised his hand before Cheng could speak, “I would do exactly same in your place, Cheng. I count it as an honour.” Hsin bowed low to Cheng.
“Shall we go?” Cheng asked with a small chuckle.
The guards led them from the room and through the castle corridors, up a flight of stairs and on to the roof of the central keep. The view was incredible. In the mountains the view of the horizon was generally restricted by close proximity of yet more mountains, limiting the scope of vision. At the edge of the parapet, he placed his hands on the stone and lent forward, letting his eyes wash across the vista before him. On the far horizon, a slight grey smudge that hinted at the mountains of his home but, before it and all around the city walls, as far as he could see, were the flat grassland plains of Yaart. If they had been a uniform green the sight would have been pleasant enough but, instead, there were shades of green, browns and yellows. Here and there, small woods rose above the grass and from some, wisps of smoke rose towards the blue skies, little hints of habitation. Roads stretched away from Yaart in the four cardinal directions.
Zhou knew that the road he had followed to get here petered out as it reached the disputed plains. It had once run all the way to Yaart, but when the war began both sides had destroyed it to prevent the other from moving heavy concentrations of troops easily. Wubei had gone even further, using black powder they had caused avalanches to block the major pathways and passes through the mountains to their city from here. The only path out, the one they had taken to get here, was wide enough for a single wagon and no more. There were guard posts and traps set all along it. The city and its surrounding area were as much a jail as an impregnable fortress for Wubei. But here, with his vision not constrained by mountain crags and steep valleys, he could see and feel the freedom of the plains. He felt dizzy and had to steady himself on the defensive wall of the Yaart castle.
“Perhaps we have seen enough from up here?” Cheng enquired politely.
“Indeed, most impressive,” Hsin replied.
“Incredible,” whispered Zhou.
They returned to the stairs and began to descend. The guards leading, then Cheng, followed by Hsin with Zhou last. He found it hard to tear himself away from the view but forced himself into the tunnel of stairs. Immediately, he felt trapped and saddened.
“You were looking in the wrong direction,” Hsin sent back up to him in hushed tones. Zhou puzzled over that comment as they descended. What had he missed?
“Let us show you the troop training yard. I imagine it is similar to your own but, for some reason, tours for visiting dignitaries must always include the more martial aspects of a castle.” Cheng apologised with a smile. “Though, if you prefer, the duke does have a fine collection of paintings that he is happy to have you view.”
“Honoured Cheng,” Hsin said as they walked. “I was interested, as we came to your great city, in the tents and people just outside. Has that always been there? Our old records mentioned nothing of it when I prepared to make the journey here.”
“It is... a relatively recent addition to our city,” Cheng answered, though Zhou was certain the pause had not been on purpose.
“Really? That is sad. Still, I suppose every city has its poor. It is strange to see them outside the walls,” Hsin said lightly. Zhou tried but could not detect any tone that might give a clue to the line of conversation the Senior Diplomat was taking. “A beautiful day though. I am glad we had a chance to get outside. May we see the gardens?”
Hsin, without warning, took a different corridor from the guards at the next junction. Zhou, surprised, almost walked into Cheng’s back as everyone came to halt and hurried to re-adjust their path. Zhou turned first and already, Hsin was
“Also, because of stray arrows?” Hsin asked with a smile, he raised his hand before Cheng could speak, “I would do exactly same in your place, Cheng. I count it as an honour.” Hsin bowed low to Cheng.
“Shall we go?” Cheng asked with a small chuckle.
The guards led them from the room and through the castle corridors, up a flight of stairs and on to the roof of the central keep. The view was incredible. In the mountains the view of the horizon was generally restricted by close proximity of yet more mountains, limiting the scope of vision. At the edge of the parapet, he placed his hands on the stone and lent forward, letting his eyes wash across the vista before him. On the far horizon, a slight grey smudge that hinted at the mountains of his home but, before it and all around the city walls, as far as he could see, were the flat grassland plains of Yaart. If they had been a uniform green the sight would have been pleasant enough but, instead, there were shades of green, browns and yellows. Here and there, small woods rose above the grass and from some, wisps of smoke rose towards the blue skies, little hints of habitation. Roads stretched away from Yaart in the four cardinal directions.
Zhou knew that the road he had followed to get here petered out as it reached the disputed plains. It had once run all the way to Yaart, but when the war began both sides had destroyed it to prevent the other from moving heavy concentrations of troops easily. Wubei had gone even further, using black powder they had caused avalanches to block the major pathways and passes through the mountains to their city from here. The only path out, the one they had taken to get here, was wide enough for a single wagon and no more. There were guard posts and traps set all along it. The city and its surrounding area were as much a jail as an impregnable fortress for Wubei. But here, with his vision not constrained by mountain crags and steep valleys, he could see and feel the freedom of the plains. He felt dizzy and had to steady himself on the defensive wall of the Yaart castle.
“Perhaps we have seen enough from up here?” Cheng enquired politely.
“Indeed, most impressive,” Hsin replied.
“Incredible,” whispered Zhou.
They returned to the stairs and began to descend. The guards leading, then Cheng, followed by Hsin with Zhou last. He found it hard to tear himself away from the view but forced himself into the tunnel of stairs. Immediately, he felt trapped and saddened.
“You were looking in the wrong direction,” Hsin sent back up to him in hushed tones. Zhou puzzled over that comment as they descended. What had he missed?
“Let us show you the troop training yard. I imagine it is similar to your own but, for some reason, tours for visiting dignitaries must always include the more martial aspects of a castle.” Cheng apologised with a smile. “Though, if you prefer, the duke does have a fine collection of paintings that he is happy to have you view.”
“Honoured Cheng,” Hsin said as they walked. “I was interested, as we came to your great city, in the tents and people just outside. Has that always been there? Our old records mentioned nothing of it when I prepared to make the journey here.”
“It is... a relatively recent addition to our city,” Cheng answered, though Zhou was certain the pause had not been on purpose.
“Really? That is sad. Still, I suppose every city has its poor. It is strange to see them outside the walls,” Hsin said lightly. Zhou tried but could not detect any tone that might give a clue to the line of conversation the Senior Diplomat was taking. “A beautiful day though. I am glad we had a chance to get outside. May we see the gardens?”
Hsin, without warning, took a different corridor from the guards at the next junction. Zhou, surprised, almost walked into Cheng’s back as everyone came to halt and hurried to re-adjust their path. Zhou turned first and already, Hsin was
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