Century of the Soldier by Paul Kearney

Author:Paul Kearney [Paul Kearney]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy, Science Fiction
ISBN: 9781907519086
Amazon: B004WLOB62
Goodreads: 8421031
Publisher: Solaris
Published: 2010-08-31T00:00:00+00:00

WHEN HERIA HAD returned to her suite in the austere old tower, she let her maids disrobe her passively, sitting upon her dressing-stool like a sculpture. Her evening robes donned, she dismissed them all and sat alone for a long time, utterly still. At last there was a knock at the door.

"My lady," Shahr Baraz said. "Are you all right?"

She closed her eyes for a moment, and then said calmly: "Do come in, Shahr Baraz."

The old Merduk looked concerned. "His displeasure is like a gale of wind, lady - soon over, soon forgotten. Do not let it trouble you."

She smiled at that. "What do you think of Mehr Jirah's findings?"

"I am surprised no-one else has noticed such things in the five centuries Merduk and Ramusian have co-existed."

"Perhaps they have. Perhaps the knowledge was always buried again. It will not be this time, though."

"Lady, I am not sure if you wish to set us all at each other's throats, or if you are genuinely crusading for the truth. Frankly, it worries me."

"I want the war to end. Is that so bad? I want no more men killed or women raped or children orphaned. If that is treason, then I am a traitor to the very marrow of my bones."

"The Ramusians also do their share of killing," Shahr Baraz said wryly.

"Which is why the monk Albrec must be released and allowed to return to Torunn. They are sitting on this information there as they would like to do here."

"Men will always kill each other."

"I know. But they at least can stop pretending to do it in the name of God."

"There is that, I suppose. I would say this to you, though: do not push Aurungzeb too far."

"I thought he was a gale of wind."

"He is, when he is crossed in what he thinks is a small thing, but he did not become Sultan by sitting on his hands. If anything threatens the foundation of his power, he will annihilate it without regret or remorse."

"Including me."

"Including you."

"Thank you for your frankness, Shahr Baraz. It's strange - since coming to live among the Merduks I have met more honest men than I ever did in my life before. There is you, Mehr Jirah, and the monk, Albrec."

"Three men are not so many. Were folk so dishonest in Aekir then?" Shahr Baraz asked with a smile.

Her face clouded. She looked away.

"I'm sorry lady. I did not mean to -"

"It's nothing. Nothing at all. I will get used to it in time. People can grow accustomed to all manner of things."

There was a pause. "I will be outside the door if you need me for anything, lady," Shahr Baraz said at last. He bowed and left the room, when what he wanted to do was take her in his arms. As he resumed his post outside her door he scourged himself for his weakness, his absurdity. She was too fine to be a Merduk brood-mare, and yet he thought there could be a core of pure steel behind those lovely eyes.

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