Sakhalin cleared her throat. All fell silent. “My nephew assures me,” she said, “that the stone tents of Karkand are built in such a fashion that simple force, even using the archers, cannot overcome the walls.”
“Had we been forced to storm the walls of Qurat,” said Kirill, “we would have suffered severe losses. Sakhalin said that Karkand is better placed.”
“Then, as Zvertkov says,” replied Grekov, “we had better ride a ring around Karkand and cut it off from the rest of the country. Then the khaja can starve or surrender.”
Everyone nodded.
“If we take prisoners,” said Vershinin, “then when we do attack, we can drive them before us as we did at Tashmar—you weren’t there, Bakhtiian—up to the walls as the first wave.”
“There are other ways,” said Nadine suddenly, “to break a siege. The Prince of Jeds has an engineer with him who knows many tricks. I expect the prince’s woman soldier Ursula el Kawakami does as well.”
“What kind of tricks?” asked Bakhtiian.
“Well, if we can make the walls collapse, then they can’t protect the khaja army, can they?”
“I will think on this,” said Ilya. “Meanwhile,” he glanced up to survey the council, “as you say, Sakhalin ought to ride south to Salkh, once I arrive at Karkand, and Grekov, Vershinin, you will double your jahars in numbers and ride on west, to the cities beyond Karkand. Nadine.” He tapped a finger on her maps, but northward, now, at the edge where the Farisa city lay, the one the Habakar general had himself burned, at the northeastern boundary of Habakar lands where they bordered the plains. “You will return to Morava, to escort the Prince of Jeds back to me.”
“Uncle!” Ah, but she looked angry.
“That would be best,” said Mother Sakhalin smoothly, “since her husband is there.” Everyone knew what she meant: that it was long past time for Nadine to start having babies.
Nadine rarely sat still. She did so now, but it was a stillness brought on by fury, not by peace. “Uncle, what if the prince has already left Morava?”
“You rode the same route, there and back, both you and Feodor Grekov. You will go.” He set his hands, palms down and open, on his knees, and surveyed the council. “So will it be.”
Rather than reply, Nadine made a great business of rolling up her maps. She was angry, but what could she do? Bakhtiian had spoken. She rose, excused herself, and left. Bakhtiian rose to follow her. The council, dismissed, broke up into a dozen disparate groups to gossip and stretch their legs. Kirill came by to speak for a few moments in a low voice to Tess; then he strode away into the lowering twilight.
Tess leaned back. “Aleksi, Cara wanted to see you.”
“To see me?”
“About—don’t you remember?” She dropped her voice to a whisper. “As you watched her do with me. She wants to look into your body with her machines. To—to map it.”
Aleksi remembered. He wasn’t sure whether to feel honored or nervous, but Tess wished him to do this, so he would. “I’ll go,” he said, not one to hesitate once he had made a decision. He kissed her on the cheek, bade farewell to Josef Raevsky, and went on his way. Passing between his tent and Tess’s on his way to the hospital encampment, he heard Bakhtiian and Nadine arguing in Rhuian just out of sight behind Tess’s great tent. He paused to listen.
“What right has she to interfere?” Nadine demanded, sounding quite intemperate. “I know she convinced Feodor to mark me. He would never have done it otherwise. He would never have had the nerve.”
“Yes, and faced with the prospect of being married to you in this temper, Dina, can you blame him? In any case, you know very well what right she has to interfere. She is Mother of all the tribes.”
“Yes, but we’ve been to Jeds. We’re not bound by useless jaran customs. You and I should know better—”
“Listen to me, young woman. I know better, and I know that for
“Had we been forced to storm the walls of Qurat,” said Kirill, “we would have suffered severe losses. Sakhalin said that Karkand is better placed.”
“Then, as Zvertkov says,” replied Grekov, “we had better ride a ring around Karkand and cut it off from the rest of the country. Then the khaja can starve or surrender.”
Everyone nodded.
“If we take prisoners,” said Vershinin, “then when we do attack, we can drive them before us as we did at Tashmar—you weren’t there, Bakhtiian—up to the walls as the first wave.”
“There are other ways,” said Nadine suddenly, “to break a siege. The Prince of Jeds has an engineer with him who knows many tricks. I expect the prince’s woman soldier Ursula el Kawakami does as well.”
“What kind of tricks?” asked Bakhtiian.
“Well, if we can make the walls collapse, then they can’t protect the khaja army, can they?”
“I will think on this,” said Ilya. “Meanwhile,” he glanced up to survey the council, “as you say, Sakhalin ought to ride south to Salkh, once I arrive at Karkand, and Grekov, Vershinin, you will double your jahars in numbers and ride on west, to the cities beyond Karkand. Nadine.” He tapped a finger on her maps, but northward, now, at the edge where the Farisa city lay, the one the Habakar general had himself burned, at the northeastern boundary of Habakar lands where they bordered the plains. “You will return to Morava, to escort the Prince of Jeds back to me.”
“Uncle!” Ah, but she looked angry.
“That would be best,” said Mother Sakhalin smoothly, “since her husband is there.” Everyone knew what she meant: that it was long past time for Nadine to start having babies.
Nadine rarely sat still. She did so now, but it was a stillness brought on by fury, not by peace. “Uncle, what if the prince has already left Morava?”
“You rode the same route, there and back, both you and Feodor Grekov. You will go.” He set his hands, palms down and open, on his knees, and surveyed the council. “So will it be.”
Rather than reply, Nadine made a great business of rolling up her maps. She was angry, but what could she do? Bakhtiian had spoken. She rose, excused herself, and left. Bakhtiian rose to follow her. The council, dismissed, broke up into a dozen disparate groups to gossip and stretch their legs. Kirill came by to speak for a few moments in a low voice to Tess; then he strode away into the lowering twilight.
Tess leaned back. “Aleksi, Cara wanted to see you.”
“To see me?”
“About—don’t you remember?” She dropped her voice to a whisper. “As you watched her do with me. She wants to look into your body with her machines. To—to map it.”
Aleksi remembered. He wasn’t sure whether to feel honored or nervous, but Tess wished him to do this, so he would. “I’ll go,” he said, not one to hesitate once he had made a decision. He kissed her on the cheek, bade farewell to Josef Raevsky, and went on his way. Passing between his tent and Tess’s on his way to the hospital encampment, he heard Bakhtiian and Nadine arguing in Rhuian just out of sight behind Tess’s great tent. He paused to listen.
“What right has she to interfere?” Nadine demanded, sounding quite intemperate. “I know she convinced Feodor to mark me. He would never have done it otherwise. He would never have had the nerve.”
“Yes, and faced with the prospect of being married to you in this temper, Dina, can you blame him? In any case, you know very well what right she has to interfere. She is Mother of all the tribes.”
“Yes, but we’ve been to Jeds. We’re not bound by useless jaran customs. You and I should know better—”
“Listen to me, young woman. I know better, and I know that for
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