sounded angry and defiant." Rton gestured nervously. "I mounted, and we moved off but there was no pursuit."
"Our orders are, we meet resistance, we retreat and report." Tant spoke up quickly, almost defensive. "So we circled round the walls and came back at a run."
"How many warriors were on the walls?"
Tant and Rton exchanged looks. Tant shrugged. "Didn't see any, Warlord."
Rton nodded his agreement. "They never exposed themselves to us."
"This wall," Iften spoke up. "How is it made?"
"Stone at the front and around the gates." Rton spoke with confidence. "Wood to the sides and back. They've built wooden structures inside, that sometimes take the place of a wall."
"Easily overcome?"
Tant nodded. "Easy enough, Warleader."
"Shouldn't we talk to them first," I argued, "before you make plans to destroy the village?"
"What else can this be, but defiance of the Warlord?" Aret asked.
"So much for their pledges and honor. Typical." Iften's voice was scathing.
Yers spoke, his face reflecting his conflict. "If they have defied the Warlord and broken their oaths they must be punished."
Keir looked grim. "Is there anything more to report?" Ortis shook his head, and Keir dismissed the two scouts. When they were beyond the leaves, he spoke. "Joden, what say you?"
Joden sighed. "Warlord, your path is clear. If this is defiance, and a breaking of their vows, they must suffer the penalty. But we know from experience that the different languages can cause problems of understanding." He gave me a look, and I nodded in return, sharing the mem-ory. Joden continued. "I say, be on a war footing, but approach the village again with a speaker of their tongue. Be sure of the offense before dealing punishment."
"I agree." Keir glanced over at me. "We will give them a chance to explain their actions. But if they have shattered their vows, we will be ready. Ortis, what chance of ambush?"
"The scouts all report no activity, Warlord."
Keir turned to Iften. "Ready a warforce, Iften. As many as you think you need. If we are denied again we will attack, and raze the village to the ground. Any other truths we need to address?"
"A discipline problem, Warlord. The warrior Gils-" Iften scowled, but Keir cut him off.
"Now is not the time for a discipline problem, Iften."
"Especially when the man is my responsibility and not yours." Yers chimed in.
Keir stood, and we all stood with him. "The senel is over. Prepare to move out."
I moved closer to stand next to Keir, biting my lip. The warleaders left swiftly, as Iften called for them to get organized. Once the area was clear, I turned to Keir. "Keir—"
"No." He didn't even look at me.
"Keir, it has to be someone who speaks Xyian. It should be me. I am a Daughter of Xy. Queen of Xy."
"And touched by the moons if you think I will allow you to approach those walls." Keir focused on me, his gaze intent. Marcus, Epor and Isdra were glaring at me. Even Rafe and Prest, who entered the shelter of the tree once the warleaders had left, were glaring at me.
I smiled sweetly at them.
"This is going to be a problem, isn't it," Keir asked.
"Yes," the others chorused.
Keir growled. "Lara, if the village is rebelling, and if this is an organized response, they will try to pull others to their cause. Who would they want to kill first and foremost?"
"You," I answered promptly.
That stopped him, but he gave me one of those patient looks. "And after me?"
"Iften."
"No." He frowned, upset. "Do not play with me, Lara." He put his hands on his hips. "Perhaps the best answer would involve chains and a tree."
I glared right back at him. "Keir, you need someone who speaks Xyian. I am the best choice."
"You are not. A warrior, someone who speaks Xyian and can defend himself is. You would have me send a boy to do a man's job."
I flushed, but he held up his hand. "It's a saying of my people, Lara. Send the right person for the task the first time. I will send a speaker of Xy. We will give the village a
"Our orders are, we meet resistance, we retreat and report." Tant spoke up quickly, almost defensive. "So we circled round the walls and came back at a run."
"How many warriors were on the walls?"
Tant and Rton exchanged looks. Tant shrugged. "Didn't see any, Warlord."
Rton nodded his agreement. "They never exposed themselves to us."
"This wall," Iften spoke up. "How is it made?"
"Stone at the front and around the gates." Rton spoke with confidence. "Wood to the sides and back. They've built wooden structures inside, that sometimes take the place of a wall."
"Easily overcome?"
Tant nodded. "Easy enough, Warleader."
"Shouldn't we talk to them first," I argued, "before you make plans to destroy the village?"
"What else can this be, but defiance of the Warlord?" Aret asked.
"So much for their pledges and honor. Typical." Iften's voice was scathing.
Yers spoke, his face reflecting his conflict. "If they have defied the Warlord and broken their oaths they must be punished."
Keir looked grim. "Is there anything more to report?" Ortis shook his head, and Keir dismissed the two scouts. When they were beyond the leaves, he spoke. "Joden, what say you?"
Joden sighed. "Warlord, your path is clear. If this is defiance, and a breaking of their vows, they must suffer the penalty. But we know from experience that the different languages can cause problems of understanding." He gave me a look, and I nodded in return, sharing the mem-ory. Joden continued. "I say, be on a war footing, but approach the village again with a speaker of their tongue. Be sure of the offense before dealing punishment."
"I agree." Keir glanced over at me. "We will give them a chance to explain their actions. But if they have shattered their vows, we will be ready. Ortis, what chance of ambush?"
"The scouts all report no activity, Warlord."
Keir turned to Iften. "Ready a warforce, Iften. As many as you think you need. If we are denied again we will attack, and raze the village to the ground. Any other truths we need to address?"
"A discipline problem, Warlord. The warrior Gils-" Iften scowled, but Keir cut him off.
"Now is not the time for a discipline problem, Iften."
"Especially when the man is my responsibility and not yours." Yers chimed in.
Keir stood, and we all stood with him. "The senel is over. Prepare to move out."
I moved closer to stand next to Keir, biting my lip. The warleaders left swiftly, as Iften called for them to get organized. Once the area was clear, I turned to Keir. "Keir—"
"No." He didn't even look at me.
"Keir, it has to be someone who speaks Xyian. It should be me. I am a Daughter of Xy. Queen of Xy."
"And touched by the moons if you think I will allow you to approach those walls." Keir focused on me, his gaze intent. Marcus, Epor and Isdra were glaring at me. Even Rafe and Prest, who entered the shelter of the tree once the warleaders had left, were glaring at me.
I smiled sweetly at them.
"This is going to be a problem, isn't it," Keir asked.
"Yes," the others chorused.
Keir growled. "Lara, if the village is rebelling, and if this is an organized response, they will try to pull others to their cause. Who would they want to kill first and foremost?"
"You," I answered promptly.
That stopped him, but he gave me one of those patient looks. "And after me?"
"Iften."
"No." He frowned, upset. "Do not play with me, Lara." He put his hands on his hips. "Perhaps the best answer would involve chains and a tree."
I glared right back at him. "Keir, you need someone who speaks Xyian. I am the best choice."
"You are not. A warrior, someone who speaks Xyian and can defend himself is. You would have me send a boy to do a man's job."
I flushed, but he held up his hand. "It's a saying of my people, Lara. Send the right person for the task the first time. I will send a speaker of Xy. We will give the village a
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