The Desert Spear (75 page)

'Lies have always been bile on your lips, Ahmann,' Abban agreed, with a bow that seemed equal parts deferential and mocking.

'So how do I claim this woman'' Jardir asked. 'I saw her eyes upon me. Do you think she has the liberty of
dama'ting
to choose her husband, or should I approach her father''

'
Dama'ting
have their liberty because their fathers are not known,' Abban said. 'Mistress Leesha made a point of introducing us to her father, and then gave you the cloak, a clear sign she is open to courting. An ordinary maiden might give a fine robe to a suitor, but her gift is one worthy of the Deliverer.'

'So it should only be a matter of arranging a dower with her father,' Jardir said.

Abban shook his head. 'Erny is a hard negotiator, but he will be the simple part. I would be more concerned that the Damajah might oppose the match, and the
Damaji
support her.'

'I will kill any
Damaji
who defies me in this,' Jardir said, 'even Ashan.'

'What message will that send to your army, Ahmann,' Abban asked, 'when their leader kills his own
Damaji
for the sake of a
chin
woman''

Jardir scowled. 'What does it matter' Inevera has no reason to oppose it.'

Abban shrugged. 'I only suggest it because the Damajah may find she has difficulty dominating this Northern woman as she does your other
Jiwah Sen.
'

Jardir knew Abban was right. He had always thought Inevera the most powerful woman in the world, but this Leesha of Deliverer's Hollow seemed to rival her in every way. She would not play the role of a lesser wife, and Inevera would tolerate nothing less.

'But it is that very indomitability that I must have beside me, if I am to lead the
chin
to Sharak Ka,' Jardir said. 'Perhaps I can marry her in secret.'

Abban shook his head. 'Word of the union would reach the Damajah eventually, and she could cancel it with a word, which Leesha's tribe might take as an unbearable insult.'

Jardir shook his head. 'There is a way. This is Everam's will. I can feel it.'

'Perhaps'' Abban began, twisting his fingers through the curl of his oiled beard.

'Yes'' Jardir asked.

Abban was silent a moment, but then shook his head and waved his hand dismissively. 'Only a thought that did not hold water when filled.'

'What thought'' Jardir asked, and his tone made it clear he would not ask again.

'Ah,' Abban said, 'I had only wondered, what if the Damajah were only your
Krasian Jiwah Ka
' If that were so, there might be wisdom to appointing a Northern
Jiwah Ka
as well, to arrange marriages to
chin
in the green lands.'

Abban shook his head. 'But not even Kaji ever had two
Jiwah Ka.
'

Jardir rubbed his fingers together, feeling the smooth scars of the wards cut into his skin as he pondered.

'Kaji lived three thousand years ago,' he said at last, 'and the sacred texts are incomplete. Who is to say for certain how many
Jiwah Ka
he had''

When clever Abban did not immediately reply, Jardir smiled. 'You will go tomorrow to the house of Leesha's father to settle your debt,' he commanded, 'and to learn what dower he asks for her.'

Abban bowed and turned to go.

Abban smiled to the greenlanders as he limped through the village on his camel-headed crutch. They stared at him, many mistrustful, but while his crutch was an invitation for violence against him in Krasia, it seemed to have the opposite effect among the
chin.
They would be ashamed of themselves to hit a man who could not properly defend himself, just as they were ashamed to hit a woman. It explained why their women took such liberties.

Abban found he liked the green lands more and more as time went by. The weather was neither unbearably hot nor unbearably cold, whereas the desert held both extremes, and there was abundance in the North like nothing Abban had ever dreamed. The possibilities for profit were endless. Already his wives and children were making a fortune in Everam's Bounty, and most of the green lands were as yet untapped. In Krasia, he was wealthy, but still only considered half a man. In the North, he could live like a
Damaji.

Not for the first time, Abban wondered at Ahmann's true thoughts. Did he truly believe himself the Deliverer, and that such things as marrying this woman were Everam's will, or was that just a pretense for power'

If it were any other man, Abban would have thought the latter, but Ahmann had always been na'vely true about such things, and might well harbor such delusions of grandeur.

It was ridiculous, of course, but the belief in his divinity shared by almost every man, woman, and child in Krasia gave Ahmann such tremendous power that it almost didn't matter if it was true or not. Either way, Abban served the most powerful man in the world, and if they had not returned to their old friendship, they had at least fallen into its patterns.

But there was a new thread to the pattern now, the Damajah, and Abban was far too skilled a manipulator not to know another one on sight. Inevera twisted Ahmann to her own ends, and those ends were opaque even to Abban, who had made fortunes on his ability to see the desires in others' hearts.

The Damajah had some unknown power over Ahmann, but it was tenuous. He was Shar'Dama Ka.
Dama'ting
or no, if he commanded it, the people would not hesitate to tear her apart to please him.

Abban knew better than to come between them, of course. He had survived too long to make so foolish a mistake. The moment Inevera sensed his disloyalty to her, she would crush him like a scorpion beneath her sandal, and not even Ahmann could stop it. Abban was as far beneath the Damajah as she was below Ahmann. Farther.

The only man who can truly handle a woman is a woman,
Abban's father had said to him many times before he died. It was good advice.

Leesha Paper would shake the very foundations of Inevera's power, perhaps freeing Ahmann of her entirely. And the best part was, the Damajah would never see Abban's hand in it.

Abban's smile widened.

Abban was pleased to learn Erny was as formidable a haggler in person as he had been through his Messengers. Abban had contempt for anyone who could not haggle. He excluded only Ahmann from that rule, because it was less that Ahmann
could
not haggle than that he
would
not.

The result was a fair price, but after Abban tripled it as Ahmann had commanded, it was a sizable sum. Erny and his wife seemed quite pleased as Abban counted out the gold.

'Stock's all here,' Erny said, putting the box of Leesha's flower-pressed paper on the counter and lifting off the lid.

Abban ran his fingers lightly over the top sheet of the colorful paper, feeling the imprint of the artfully arranged flowers embedded in the weave. He closed his eyes and inhaled. 'Still smells sweet after all this time,' he said, smiling.

'Keep it dry, and it will last forever,' Erny said, 'or close enough for mortal men.'

'Your daughter seems touched by Everam,' Abban said. 'Perfect in every way, like a Heavenly Seraph.'

Elona snorted, but Erny glared at her and she fell silent.

'She is,' Erny agreed.

'My master would like to purchase her as a bride,' Abban said. 'He has empowered me to negotiate her dower, and will be most generous.'

'How generous'' Elona asked.

'It doesn't matter!' Erny snapped. 'Leesha isn't for sale like some horse!'

'Of course, of course,' Abban said, bowing to buy himself some time to consider the situation. Erny's reaction was unexpected, and it was difficult to tell if Abban had given honest offense, or if this was just a haggling tactic to drive up the price.

'Please forgive my poor sense of words,' Abban said. 'Your language eludes me at critical times, it seems. I meant no offense.'

Erny seemed mollified at that, and Abban drew his face into the smile that had beguiled thousands of customers into thinking he was their friend. 'My master understands that your daughter leads your tribe, and is not some common piece of merchandise,' he said. 'He intends her and your tribe great honor, mingling your blood with his own. At his side, your daughter would be first of all the women in the North, and wield influence in both the Deliverer's court and bed to prevent unnecessary bloodshed as my master comes north.'

'Is that a threat'' Erny demanded. 'Are you saying your master will come kill us to take her, if I don't sell her to you''

Abban's face heated. He
had
given offense, and deeply. The Par'chin had always told him the Krasians were quick to temper, but it seemed the Northerners were no less so if one spoke to them too truly.

Abban bowed deeply, spreading his hands. 'Please, my friend, let us begin again. My master makes no threats and wishes to give no offense. Among our people, it is the father's duty to arrange the marriages of his daughters. Part of the arrangement is that the groom's family provide the father and bride with dower symbolic of her value. I was given to understand that Northerners shared this custom.'

'We do,' Elona cut in before Erny could reply.

'Some folk might do that sort of thing,' Erny corrected, 'but that's not how I raised my Leesha. Your master wants to marry my girl, he 'll have to court her just like anybody else, and if
she
decides she wants him, then he can come and ask my blessing on it.'

It seemed backward to Abban, but it made little difference. He bowed once more. 'I will make your terms clear to my master. I expect he will begin to court your daughter immediately.'

Erny's eyes widened. 'I didn't'ow!' he cried as Elona dug her nails into his arm most unsubtly. Abban noted the move with interest. His wives were by no means docile, but they would never dare unman him so in front of a customer.

'Ent hurtin' anyone, he comes bringin' flowers,' Elona said. 'You said yourself it's Leesha's choice.'

Erny looked at her a long moment, then he sighed and nodded. He took the box cover and slipped it back over Leesha's paper.

'It's a heavy box,' he said. 'You want me to get a boy to carry it for you''

Abban bowed. 'Please.'

'I think the boys are all busy,' Elona said, 'and I could use a stroll. I'll carry the paper.'

Again Abban was confused. In Krasia, it was expected that women do such labor, but from the way Erny goggled at his wife, Abban could tell he was shocked.

He watched Elona as she came around the counter, taking in her beauty, even with her youth fading. Perhaps she was a pillow-wife, given light work to be kept close at hand should her husband's lust be aroused. Many Krasian men kept such, but Abban had never tolerated that sort of laziness, expecting his youngest and most beautiful wives to work as hard as the rest.

As they walked down the isolated path from Erny's shop, Abban turned to her. 'I pray to Everam my misunderstanding of your ways gave you and your husband no lasting offense.'

Elona shook her head. 'We ent much different from you, only here, fathers
approve
marriages, but mothers
arrange
them. Erny ent blessing anything until the dower's set.'

Abban stopped short, finally understanding. 'Of course. I regret that my master's mother, Kajivah, is still in Everam's Bounty with his wives. May I negotiate in her stead''

Elona nodded, but she raised an eyebrow. 'He has other wives''

'Of course,' Abban said. 'Ahmann Jardir is the Shar'Dama Ka.'

Elona frowned. 'Tell him if he's wise, he 'll never so much as mention his other wives to my daughter. Girl gets jealous like a thundercloud.'

Abban nodded. 'I will be sure to advise him, thank you. I assume your daughter is a virgin''

'Course she is,' Elona snapped.

Abban bowed. 'Please, take no offense. In Krasia, a man's First Wife will inspect prospective brides personally, but if that is not your custom, your word will suffice.'

'It sure as the Core ent our custom to let anyone but husbands and Herb Gatherers look between our legs,' Elona said, 'so don't you or your master go getting any ideas about sampling the milk.'

'Of course,' Abban said, nodding and smiling now that the haggling had begun.

Jardir paced his pavilion like an animal, waiting for Abban to return.

'What did he say'' he demanded the moment the
khaffit
entered the tent. 'Is it done''

Abban shook his head, and Jardir took a deep breath to embrace the disappointment and let it pass through him without harm.

'Mistress Leesha is more like
dama'ting
than I thought,' Abban said. 'She has liberty to choose her own husband, though you must still pay a dower for her father's blessing.'

'I will pay any price,' Jardir said.

Abban bowed. 'So you have said,' he agreed, 'but I, your humble servant, have nevertheless begun negotiations to minimize the impact on your treasury.'

Jardir waved his hand dismissively. 'So I may approach her directly''

'Her father has given you permission to court her,' Abban said, and Jardir smiled, snatching up his spear and pausing to check himself in a silvered mirror.