Ikan sighed. The droning was still going on.

"These were her majesty words.... We humbly...."

Ikan reluctantly opened his eyes and gave the speaker his best languid pose.

But the speaker remained unfazed. His diplomat smile didn't waiver.
His voice mellowed a bit, while his beady eyes relaxed. "Your excellencies, the great and honourable Alamarian Assembly. It's important to for us to know that the gods above have seen it fit to appoint our two nations as the Masters of this world. Each to keep a side of the sea...."

Lies, lies, lies. Diplomatic fodder. Although, he speaks good Alamarian for a foreign. But any thug in an alley would pick out his accent.

"That's why , we praise the power of the Alamaria known from shore to shore, and your valour is undoubted. Once again I congratulate you on your victory."

And your defeat.

"We pray you to stay your enthusiastic hands by considering this hallowed task the gods have placed upon our nations-" What's this nonsense? "And consider our kind gestures towards peace. To maintain peace between our two great nations, a balance to the world! My lords, a task most noble."

You can't hide your defeat behind words.

Ikan made sure his sigh was heard, yet the emissary spoke on. "My lords, I ask you victorious ones to consider the humble terms of our gentle Queen-"

Story for the brainless.

Impatiently, he looked over the emissaries. They were the usual of the Thigian stock. The speaker at the centre of the chamber was sallow. The other at his right reminded him of the colour of the of mud sloughed over by several feet. The other seemed nearly as fair as a new Alamarian.
They were all in long and narrow hats with pointy tops that Thigian nobles wore attimes, black and billowing. They were all tall too, except the one speaking. What was his name again? Zaros or was it Zoros? What did it matter? He was too loud for a smallish man. See how he stretched himself to his full height as he spoke, a pity it wasn't much.

"To finish my message, let me borrow one of your proverbs. 'Let the eagle perch and let the hawk perch."

The one that refuses to allow the other to perch let its wings fail. Quote it in full and it sounds like a threat? What are you hinting at?

He had paused, looking around for some hint of approval. On getting none, he continued. If he thought he would impress them with that, he was wrong. "Let the great Alamaria hold the northern shores, let the humble Thigia hold the south as the gods have given us." His bow was most servile.

"You have given much to think of, mouth of Thigia. You speak most eloquently. Your words are well oiled like a hot and delicious soup." Ikan barely trying to stifle his yawn.

Zaros or Zoros smiled sheepishly at him. "As you wish, your Excellency."

Fool, give up. Ikan smiled back but abruptly took up a bland disposition. "You may leave us now. Let's think of what you have said to us. As our people say 'Gently, gently is the way to lick a hot soup."

Another bow, and the trio matched out of the chamber.

He eased himself back into his seat. He exhaled. The real work was about to begin.

Already Asila was waving his Assembly tab.

Here we go again.

"Yes, Asila. Go on and speak."

Asila shot up, energetic as ever.

This man just has more energy than he needs.

Asila shook his fists and spat emphatically. "This is it! Amis that witch is weak. Thigia is ripe like a sweet fat orange, waiting hopelessly to be plucked. This attempt to seek peace proves it. Let's strike without delay. They're afraid of us." Redundantly he concluded with a stump.

A wave of murmurs of agreement rose in the chamber.

Interesting but he knew he looked anything but interested, old habits.

Zick the Ozian with the shifty eyes raised his tab.

Ikan hastily motioned him to speak.

Let me watch another Orian and Ozian fight today.

"I support what my brother Asila said. Why should we settle for the dregs that Thigia offers us to placate us when we can take the whole jar of wine? I say we hit Hai, and head for Thigia itself!"

Ozians and Orians agreed! How disappointing.

Lately, they have been seeing eye to eye. Usually, when they concurred it was because of-

Instinctly, his eyes went to Emmeso sitting to his left. Our own Dike. He sat stiffly, his eyes set towards the Assembly.

Yes, he had bestowed that title on him, with his own hands he had elevated him once more. But it wasn't as if there was anything he could have done about it.

The Orians insisted, and out of the blue the Ozians supported and soon were the guilds. Everyone seems to go all crazy and fanatic whenever it involved Emmeso. It was because of those two that Emmeso got here in the first place!

The both families might be at each other throat, but it seemed that was an understanding between the heads. They shared a common puppet!

Now, the Assembly had concentrated highest military powers on a man who was already at its apex. Emmeso could- No, would have made a powerful enemy if he knew how to use his power.

But the Orians and Ozians wouldn't hesitate to use it for him. Kino. He sighted the wiry Orian Patriarch biting his old nails. Osai, his younger Ozian counterpart would be at the other side of the chamber, probably snoring as usual. What are you planning?

Several tabs waved like white talons.
Yet, he chose one.

"Yes, Isan Vona, address the
Assembly."

His youngest son rose to his feet. His face seemed drawn taut like leather that his skin was coloured like. What was he going to say? He was seldom composed whenever they spoke. He wouldn't tolerate any nonsense here.

"I have listened to my honourable brothers speak at length about the vulnerability of Thigia. But has anyone considered that this might be a trap? When I was a child my mother told me the story of Iku that came on land to devour cattle..."

Your mother. She did that?

"...and when it is wounded, it flees back into the sea, bleeding and wailing, thrashing as if to die, luring the eager hunter into the sea. But then the sea is where the Iku has its power and there it drops it act and swallows the hunter whole. What if the Thigians are playing the same game with us now? My capable brother had mentioned us crossing the Sea to retake Hai. Where else is Hai if not in the middle of the sea and where is Thigia strongest?"

He's composed today, he must be having one of those rare fits of courage.

And like that he saw the matter clearly. A curtain fell off his face. Of course his son had a point. This could be an elaborate trap. In fact he suspected that it most certainly was. Amis wasn't one to grovel and beg.
And here they were all excited about to descend on a choicest meat like eager dogs.

My son has done well. My blood doesn't lie. The calf really has been watching the mother cow chew.

He suppressed the urge to give him a smile. He wouldn't let him know how much it pleased him. Let him work harder to earn his approval.

Gasps and unorganized chatters rose as the Assembly contemplated this new possiblity.

Instinctively, he tapped the stony table for silence. The voices seemed to intensify. Then he tapped again and again until his rough tapping was all that was heard in the chamber.

He growled at everyone in sight.

Annoying things.

Asila's tab was up again. That man doesn't ever rest.

"Yes, Asila address us, again." He couldn't keep the gruff out of his voice.

Asila rushed into his argument. "I thank my young brother...."

Young? There was a way he said young as if he meant to say stupid, inexperienced and-He bit into his lower lip.

"You have raised a sensible issue," Asila went on, "However, I think it's clear that Thigian bitch is beaten. We have her strongest general. If Amis had the power you speak of, why doesn't she attack us already? Why....?" Because she's patient and waiting
"Instead she pleads for us to return her general. It's obvious that without Vaxes, she cannot do anything. Vaxes gave her Hai without her she will lose it!"

"All the more reason why we shouldn't give her back." Someone shouted out of decorum from the back.

"Exactly." Asila supported.

Isan was quick to reply. He didn't wait to be signalled.

"I think my Ozian brother
understimates the power of Thigia. Thigia didn't become renowned for relying on the strength of one man. Amis is not unlike the man in the proverb who begs his enemy to return his only knife while he hides an axe by the door. "

More tabs were flaying. It was Vano Filk that he chose. The morose man had many things to say to him these days. Mostly, about his nearly beheaded brother and Emmeso. Few were sweet.

"My brother from Vona makes a point. Amis is a woman known for her cunning. Isn't it said that she had heard three husbands? Yet none lasted a season and she remains ever youthful because she engages in witchcraft. I will count off such cunning from her.

Superstitious and stupid, but it helps our course. What will you say now, my son?

Isan furrows tightened in deep thought. It was Kai his hirscute nephew who he motioned to speak now.

"Brothers of the Assembly. The words of my brother are not without merit. These are dangerous days. It's well for us to be cautious. It's said that one who dances too well to the drum should take care that he doesn't pass his homestead. We should be careful that our victory doesn't make us bypass our common sense!"

Asila snorted, various voices exploded into disorders. That man!

Above the chaos the voice of Isau the scholar rang clearly, not stressed yet it filled the chamber. From his position upon the upper seats, he seemed to him a pale ghost in the grey tunics of councilmen of the freemen. He commanded attention and he like the rest listened.

"Brothers, let's reason with the wisdom that our fathers left us. I see that there are two opinions here at dispute whether to go to war or to not. Either opinion points directly or indirectly to the strength of our hands. The question is does the present state of our military encourage an invasion on Thigia or advise caution?"

Emmeso's eyes lit at that. His tab was up and soon was he. "Our brother has raised a issue that has long been running through my mind. My brothers! Let's us in our victory not forget how close the Thigians came out city. There was no out post to warn us. No fort stood in their way. We had grown confident and
complacent hence we turned our sights from the west.
It was only the gods that were wide awake that stopped them from taking this city. Before we agree on anything else we must make provisions to secure the west. We will build a fortress to guard the Throat. Our ships will patrol the waters of the Unknown Sea. There's so much to be done and even more if we agree to engage in this full scale invasion you speak of. We will need time to send word to the provinces, to raise men and money. And I can guarantee you that Amis will not be on her royal haunch waiting patiently for us to sail across the Sea and beat her bloody."

So he's against war. Though for all his faults he's wise in matters of war. There's more sense in his words than Asila nagging.

Ikan tugged his attendant at his sleeve. "Get me water, my throat is drier than firewood." Then he addressed the Assembly.

"I agree with my brother councillor. It's only a mad man who pursues a rat while his house is on fire. No farmer leaves his seeds open to the birds and pursues the mice. I say we take his advice and right our house first. Wise brothers, don't you think so? Is it necessary to put it to vote?"

It took a while but Vano got to his feet. "It's not so. A wise man knows wisdom when he sees it. The Filk family agrees."

Tiki Hond wasn't too far in following.

"The Hond Family agrees too."

"So do the Ozians." Osai sighed.

That leaves you, old tortoise, Kino.

"And yes us Orians agree. We are not blind to good reasoning." Keso finally got his feet. "No, we see clearly, very clearly."

Ikan felt his greying eyes upon him as Keso flashed a toothless grin.

For a moment Keso with his sagged face and few teeth reminded him of the old wizards that his mother told him stole children in the dead of the night to feast on their livers to extend their unnatural lives. It lingered in his thoughts for a chilly second and then it was gone.

"The scribes agree."

"So do the builders."

"And the sailors."

"The farmers too!"

"Then, there's no one who thinks otherwise?" He felt it was needless to ask.

There was no answer. "Then, let's continue. Now, just because we are giving into peace doesn't mean that we will accept Avex's proposals. We are the victors here, if there's going to be any peace it would be our peace, on our terms. To our own advantage. Now, I have some suggestions to make...."

It nearly two hours later when they recalled the emissaries.

The sallow one was still giving his annoying smile. Did he know that his teeth were browner than a dog's shit?

Wait until you see what we have prepared for you.

"Mouths of Thigia, we the Assembly have thought much on what you have told us. There's much wisdom in what you have said. Your queen is a woman full of wisdom ever prudent in her actions. May songs be sang of her."

"As they're already sang of you, great councillor. Even across the Sea, words reach us of your capable governance."
Zaros gave another bow, his smile deepened. Zaros obviously thought he had warmed up to him.

Oya, let's see how you take this.

Leisurely, he began "As you earlier said it's important that we great nations of the centre maintain the peace and balance of the gods. We are so eager for the peace that we have made some modest demands to content ourselves with. No price is too big for peace. For instance the island of Hai. My brothers and I feel that our Thigian brothers have kept our Hai for us for long enough. We would be grateful to have it back in the spirit of peace."

He derived great pleasure in watching the envoy's mask of a face chatter as he lost composure. He was shocked, good.

"Your Excellency-Your Excellency- The Island of Hai is in the dominion of the Thig-"

"And has been ours for near a century. We allowed you to hold it for us for awhile. Now, we say thank you, now hand it back to us."

"Your Excellency. It was won in war. It's only fair-"

"War? And here I thought we were talking about peace? I thought we were discussing a peaceful resolution. To take Hai by the sword, is that what you are telling us. To take it back from you by force if we can as you took it? Did your queen send you to declare war?"

"No-No-your excellencies" His feet were quaking.

He suppressed a guffaw at the envoy's obvious panic. "You look unwell, is it well with you?"

Zaros dabbed his distraught face with a purple cloth. "I'm fine, sir-very fine."

Well, you like you're going to shit on yourself.

"Oh and yes, we have decided to return your general Vantu to you, as well as every single prisoner we have taken."

"Thank you, your Excellency."

"Vantu will be ransomed with fifty thousand Alams, ordinary soldiers shall be 500 Alams, per head! Officers a thousand."

"Fifty thousand!"

"What's the matter? Are the lives of your soldiers not worth it?"

"My lord, you have said much that is beyond me to reply. As you said I'm only the mouth, but not the full body. I must carry all you have said to the queen for her give you a favourable answer...." Zaros' voice disappeared with an exasperated whimper. He was sweating.

He was the one grinning last now. "Good, now I believe our negotiations are over. We will prepare comfortable accomodations for you and treat you to our hospitality."

It's was the bronze toned one that spoke. "The kindness of our visitors has not gone unnoticed but as my brother said we are only the mouths of the queen, humble messengers that must hastily report as we have been sent."

"You wish to leave today?" Fine by me.

"Yes, your Excellency." Zaros said too fastly.

"Ah, you wound me, my guests. I was hoping to enjoy your sweet conversation more. We don't eat people here. But if you must go, go."

It was not long after that the Assembly was dismissed.

As weary Assembly men tumbled out he turned to Emmeso "That was a good plan, he said to Emmeso,"If Amis is really baiting us, we will force her to show her hand by demanding Hai. And if she's really desperate for peace she will give us Hai. We win either way. As for the ransom, it will show us how much she values Vantu and her men. Naturally, she would want to abandon them but think of what the people of Thigia would say: That Amis hoards up her riches and doesn't care for her soldiers or their families. It will not inspire loyalty at all. Tsk Tsk. If she decides to pay the ransom we still gain. She wouldn't give in in that easily though. She will send more envoys, haggle and buy for time. We will used that the time we to get ready too."

Emmeso chuckled. "You're wise, Mzee." And that was it, he bowed and left.

No strength to talk?

Several hands came over to shake him and fawn. Talking about how clever his plan had been, how wise.

Unexpectedly, even Kino came over. "Well done," he had simply said.

What are you up to, old man?

It was nearly the third hour of Idem when he got ready to leave.

He found Isan still sitting in the nearly empty chamber. "Come"

They got outside and stood beneath the fluted pillars of the portico overlooking the courtyard.

The dismissed assembly had scattered across the courtyard in groups, chattering and definitely in no hurry to reach the gates.

"You spoke well. How I wish you would be like this everyday." He began.

"Thank you!" He spat quickly and averted his gaze.

You don't want to talk to me, is that it?

"Your idea is what I expect of any son of mine. Sharp reasoning. Tell me, how did you think of it?" He flattered him more.

"Ah..Father it just came to me." He dragged his tone, looking everywhere but at him.

He can't even look at me like a man and he has seen a score harvests.

"How's your wife?"

Isan stiffened at that. That always gets to you. Inwardly, he sighed.

"She's fine, papa. I will tell her you asked about her." His tone said he didn't wish to talk more but he wasn't done with him.

He exhaled. "Is she? And I wonder why is it then that she's yet to get pregnant? It's nearly a year since we married her for you."

Isan face flushed. He was happy for his sake that nobody was nearby. I don't hate you my son. But you must harden to survive.

"Tell me is the problem from the hammer or the wood? Let's know where we can help you? Are you not performing?"

Isan face sank even more. "No sir, there's no problem. We are waiting... waiting-"

"Waiting? Beki the proverbial travaller would have gone to Cos at the edge of the world, back and again in this time we have been waiting. The only thing keeping me from marrying a second wife for you is that I don't want the trouble of too many women under my roof but I'm seriously considering it. Another girl, younger. Let's test your manhood-"

Then he flared. "No"

"Did you say something?" Then for the first time in his life, his son glared at him, teeth gnashing. It was an image he wouldn't forget. It was his own face that he saw: the eye bulging rage, popping veins in his temple beneath the neatly combed undercut, the teeth bitting down on the lips in a silent fury-Isan's face.

"No, Papa I said no. I don't need a second wife. My wife and I wait on the gods, they alone give children."

"Atleast you are man enough to say that to my face. Take my advice, you're to attached to that wife of yours. She's making you softer than you ever were. Why can't you be more like your brother Kene?"

He tightened his fists. "Thank you Father, can I leave?"

He sighed. He felt his rage surge. No, he couldn't explode here. He wouldn't disgrace Isan before unfriendly eyes.

"I forgive you your insolence. Go, run to that wife of yours."

Briskly, Isan moved down the stairs and through the courtyard.

He sighed after him. He wouldn't have made a good Patriarch even if he was born first. He wasn't ready to do what needed doing. A man shouldn't tie himself to his wives, or in his case as he refused to marry another wife. But that was hypocritical of him. He had once loved too much.

Kasia, how many years has it been since you left? What would you say about our son? All I have done, I have done for our house, what would you say?

He sighed again and again. Things were in motion now. The time was drawing near. The waters were steered, it was time. There was no going back. A man was bound to his chi. There was no other way. It must be done. This is my sacrifice.

A bird alighted on the gigantic statue of Kino the liberator who had over thrown the last king, in the middle of the courtyard. From his stony head, it screeched, glaring like stony Kino on all things below.

I pity for that statue, birds shit on it all day.

Just then, the wind picked up, causing his robe to flutter behind him.

The bird screeched again and dived.

That's funny. I think it's heading towards me.

Like an arrow on a furious path, it came at him. It screech was horrible like everything evil in the world speaking, its eyes were black beads of concentrated hate.

Fear griped him treacherously. He stumbled backwards and just it then, it veered left, wings beating in mad fury into the sky.

His attendants rushed to raise him. His heart raced with his breathing. "An ill omen." One of them was saying. "Where did such evil bird come from? Evil ones are at work. It was-"

"A vulture. I saw its bald head." Its disturbingly bald head, he repeated to himself as he wiped the sit of his thobe absent mindedly. It means death, how funny!