'So she is alive...?'

'Despite what you may think, Corryn, I am not in the habit of killing queens or princesses.'

'Yes, and neither are you in the habit of saving them...'

Shame lit him. 'As I have told you, the death of Arielle has weighed heavy on me since I first learned of it. It is partly this which drives me to see Azura returned from Torrik's grip.'

Corryn didn't look convinced. 'Partly? So what is the other part? What is it you truly seek to achieve?' Theodan sat back slightly, eyebrows pinching together. 'What benefit is it to you or Leoth to put Calate's Princess on this throne? Because the Gods know you would not be doing it without one.'

He considered this, for the first time perhaps. What did Fara as queen of Azura mean to him? For surely it meant that one thing at least was certain: he could not be with her. Could not remain by her side as she learned how to rule. To play queenmaker was to make impossible the idea of a life beside her.

Was his role truly to be High Visier of Leoth, a messenger of his God, while she ruled as Queen of Azura? The notion left him empty, hopeless.

'According to blood rule she is the heir,' he said. 'She is what is right for this realm, and I have many wrongs to right...'

His old friend was silent for some moments, watching him.

'And you simply hope the king of Calate will abandon his pact with Zybar and back his sister's claim instead?'

Theodan nodded. 'He thinks her dead. When he learns she lives and is heir to Azura's throne he will back her claim - I am certain of it.' He also had a final, bargaining, boon to offer the king but that did not need to be discussed yet.

'Without Leoth's army, you have nothing.'

'I did not need an entire army to take Azura, and I shall not need one to take it back. Torrik has removed a large number of ships and men to Calate - for it seems he does not trust his new son in marriage either - and left but a small garrison behind to hold the city. Between us, we have enough skill and knowledge of this land to best them. By the time he learns of the ambush it will be too late. The city will be ours in a day.' He had told Fara she would need an army to take Azura, but not if he took it for her.

A light of anticipation lit in Corryn's black eyes; a glimmer of hope. The idea excited the warrior in Corryn Theodan saw, scented.  The thought of Zybar blood dripping from his axe in vengeance set his blood aflame though he hid it well.

'By the time Torrik realises he has lost the city, Calate's forces will be here to help us keep it...' he mused aloud.

Theodan nodded.

'And what of Leoth?' Corryn asked, focused again. 'Who commands her army? Who prepares it for this war with Calate?'

'It is my hope that it will not come to war. Zybar will need to rally her forces here to retake Azura from us, Calate will choose the most imminent threat, and this time Azura will have three armies to fight her cause and Torrik will barely make it from the sand.'

'How can you be so certain Valdr of Calate will not stand with his father in marriage?'

He hesitated. He knew the king of Calate not at all, but he had to believe that a king willing to go to war to avenge his sister's death was also willing to go to war to protect her throne. 'What I know for certain is that when the king sees his sister is alive he shall have no cause for war against Leoth.'

'And Leoth will simply... forget Calate's declaration of war?' Corryn gave a sardonic smile.

'Leoth is my concern,' Theodan said carefully. 'I have The Primed and The Visier's allegiance which will convince the council.'

Corryn, deep in thought, ran his hand over his mouth. 'I see but one flaw in your plan, Theodan, and quite a substantial one at that.'

Curious, Theodan tilted his head.

'The people of Azura will never accept the princess of Calate as queen. They blame her for the war. Torrik too of course, and Leoth, but if not for her the Crown Prince would have married the Zybar princess and all would have been well.'

Theodan scowled. 'You and I both know Torrik did not start this war over his daughter's honour. He has long coveted Azura's riches, her lands, her ports - it was but a matter of time. The betrothal itself was but a key to obtaining Azura peacefully.'

Corryn half-shrugged. 'And you and I also know that it does not much matter what the truth is; it matters only what people believe. And the people think Fara of Calate a whore who opened her legs and brought forth from her cunt an army which destroyed everything they had.'

He fought the low growl which sought to rise from his throat. 'The people know nothing.'

'Yes, this is also the truth. But it is less important.' Corryn stood and looked down at him. 'Come. I invited you to dine and I am hungry.

Outside, the men gave a firm nod to their leader and a firmer grip on their swords as Theodan moved past them. Down into the main thoroughfare of the camp, he was struck again by how small it was: it could not be more than five hundred tribesmen, perhaps even less, many of them women and children. Was there another caravan hidden somewhere in the mountains? Or had Corryn's numbers shrunk so greatly in the years since he'd last been here? In his mind he had put their number closer to five thousand, maybe more. His heart sank a little. It may not be enough.

'Your number was larger when last we ate together,' he said, conversational.

'Many things were different the last time we ate together. It's best we don't dwell on them...'

They walked on in silence awhile, salutes and nods of the tribesmen as they passed, the broken muddied path meandering through the camp. Even at this hour with the moon high in the sky, women washed fabrics in large basins under the moonlight, men hauled rope-tied furs from pile to cart, some cooked around stoves, the smell of roasting meat and fish both pungent and appealing. Others merely sat around small cradled fires drinking of ale and joking easily. War had not reached Corryn's camp.

Finally, they came to a low-built circular tent with a weapon-stand erected outside. Several other weapons hung from it already. Corryn unhooked his axe from his belt and hung it on a curved post which seemed to be made especially for it. Then did the same with the short blades which hung at his hips, fixing them neatly to two shelves just below the axe.

He glanced at Theodan. 'We don't kill where we eat.'

'I'm certain my appetite would improve once I see Vala.'

'You'll see her soon enough. Now unarm yourself and come inside; I detest a meal gone cold.'

Of course, there was a chance this was a trap, and that inside this tent waited twenty of Corryn's men with blades raised and ready. But - and perhaps he was a naive fool for it - despite everything that had been said and done, he still did not believe him capable of it. If Corryn wanted him dead - and he was certain that a part of him did - then he would attack him from the front whilst wielding an axe.

He removed the blades inside his boots first. Then loosed the one at his hip, before sliding his blacksword from his back to rest it on the largest shelf of the stand.

Corryn studied it. 'Gods, I remember this sword well. A weapon forged of moonless sky it always seemed to me.' He reached out and smoothed his hand over the hilt, covetous. 'I remember you used to wield it as though it were part of you.'

'I still do.'

Corryn looked at him. 'Was that a warning?'

'A reminder.'

He followed Corryn by ducking low through the entrance, starting slightly at the sight that greeted him. Vala sat at a low table with three kinsmen. She appeared unharmed, no chains binding her hands or feet, no blood or bruising marring her skin. She gave him an inscrutable look.

Theodan frowned, confused.

'Take a seat,' Corryn said easily. He sat cross-legged at the head of the table and pointed for Theodan to sit at the foot.

Vala sat now to his right. 'I was made to believe you were hanging over a pit ready to be shot to your death at first light.'

Corryn gave him what appeared to be a warning glare as he adjusted his seated position. 'A flourish, you may not have come otherwise.'

'It certainly would not have been guaranteed... I'm half-surprised you came at all,' Vala muttered.

Theodan chose to ignore her. 'I would have come. You are the sole reason I am up here,' he said to Corryn.

'He means you,' Vala stated, glancing to the head of the table.

'Ah, you flatter me, Theo. You mean you are not here because your female was in mortal peril at the hands of an enemy?'

He and Vala spoke in unison:

'I am not his female.'

'You are not my enemy.'

Corryn smiled, sly, before reaching across to pile spoonfuls of fragrant stew onto his plate. The table was heavily laden: several covered bowls which steamed from small holes in the top, trays of large flat bread drizzled with seeds and butter, wide plates heaped with hot rice, jugs of wine. A brazier burned in one corner, candles on stands all around giving off a soft amber glow. It was almost welcoming. Corryn plucked out the stopper of the flagon, pouring his own first. Then he passed it around the table to his left.

'Might I say while we are on the subject, that you approach mortal peril as a peddler approaches a market square,' Corryn looked at her, impressed. 'You must tell me, how did you find my scouts?'

'With little difficulty,' Vala admitted.

'You mean you tell me you allowed yourself to be captured?' Theodan asked her, incredulous.

She looked at him and smiled. 'I decided the Sun Kin's company would be preferable to yours.'

'I thought you less foolish than this.'

'It is lucky then that I no longer consider your thoughts of me to be of import.'

'By the Gods, you two really must fuck like animals...'

Vala: 'We no longer fuck at all.' She gave him a withering stare and turned her head.

Theodan bit his tongue.

'Ahh, well perhaps that explains a few things,' Corryn mused.

The table swelled into silence while Corryn ate heartily. The other men did not move to fill their plates. They merely continued to stare with open hostility at Theodan, gazes heavy with threat and absent of fear. He was thirsty but as he had resolved not to touch his wine until he'd seen Corryn do the same, he sat still, waiting.

Apparently realising this, Corryn lifted his cup to wash down a mouthful. Then, in Azura's tongue, he directed his men to do the same. Still glaring at Theodan with murder in their eyes, they lifted their drinks and threw them back. Then they began to fill their plates.

'My Raksha here do not like Leothine, so you must forgive their reluctance at having to meal with you.' In response, Theodan lifted his cup and raised it toward the men, then drained it. This amused their leader who smiled, then spooned another generous helping of rice onto his plate. 'So Vala, tell me, what think you of Theodan's great plan?'

'I could not say. He has told me nothing of it.'

Corryn looked genuinely surprised. 'Then why are you here? By his side?'

The question embarrassed her, he could see.

'She's here because I gave her little choice,' Theodan interjected.

Vala glared at him, thankless. 'I had a choice.'

'What are you doing, Corryn?' Theodan asked, turning to him, irritated now. 'What is this?'

'I merely wish to know how much support this plan of yours has amongst your warriors—if they believe it has merit. For I simply cannot fathom why you would risk your soldiers to put a Calatian princess on a foreign throne. I would not risk mine for such. There is something I cannot see and I will embark upon no journey half-blind.'

He saw the shock flit across Vala's face. Felt her blood chill, her heart speed.

'That is why we are here?' She whispered, incredulous. 'To make her a Queen?'

He would finally lose Vala to this, felt it as sure as he felt the dawn clawing at his bones. 'We are here to stop a war, to ensure Zybar is unable to destroy another realm for an eternity.' It was as though a wide chasm had opened up before him, black and bottomless. They would not make it across it together, she would no longer trust him to get her to the other side of it. He considered his next words carefully. 'I have so much to put right and I need your help to do it.'

'My brother rots in the Balck Rock because of my loyalty to you,' she said.

'No, Vala. He rots in the Balck Rock because Paeris has long wanted his seat for himself.'

Her fist came down hard on the table as she leaned across it toward him, teeth bared.

'Tell me this plan is for the good of Leoth or by the Gods, I shall tear open your throat with my teeth.'

He took a breath and spoke more calmly than he felt. 'Vala, please,' he cautioned. Her anger would cause her to say too much, reveal too much. It already had. 'We shall discuss this and you will see its merit, I promise you.'

It was as though she didn't hear him. 'Mor and I were put in chains for you, for this. Jhaan - ungrown - risks his life even now as the Menodice hunts them to the ends of Leoth. Draden you have made a traitor of the realm, while Elyon you have all but sent to his death. And all of it for her? So you could make her a queen?' Her tone was viperous in its quiet. 'Gods you are a fool.'

He could feel the eyes of Corryn and his men burning into him as Vala glared at him, cheeks pinked from anger. He knew there was nothing he could say that would calm her or convince her in this moment. All he could do was hope her fury had burned itself out so she would say no more, reveal no more.

Finally, as he had hoped, she let out a breath and turned to Corryn. 'I assume I am no longer your prisoner?'

Corryn shook his head. 'You're free to go. I'm sure he shall follow you soon enough.'

She did not look at Theodan again as she strode from the tent, violence spilling from her every movement. Of course it was Corryn who broke the silence: with a tired-sounding sigh.

'So then it is as I suspected, you don't quite have the loyalty in numbers you would have me believe.' He tore off another large corner of bread and returned to mopping up his meat stew with it. 'What else have you misled me about, friend?'