The Seascape Tattoo by Niven Larry & Barnes Steven

Author:Niven, Larry & Barnes, Steven [Niven, Larry & Barnes, Steven]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Adventure
ISBN: 9781466863354
Amazon: B0191JTYNE
Goodreads: 28235838
Publisher: Tor Books
Published: 2016-06-28T07:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-TWO

Lord Kang

It seemed to Aros that the sun had been beating down on them from directly overhead since dawn, and the orb deliberately and maliciously refused to set. Through the running, fighting, wrestling, archery—all of it—he was glad that it was still not as fierce an orb as that which blazed in southern lands.

In the distance, behind a wall sectioning off another part of the grounds, came explosions, varying between deep and low or sharp and fast. With them came cheers and laughter from the men who were preparing themselves, practicing with tools Aros had never dreamed of and seen only in flashes.

Despite his growing relationship with the general, there were places he was not as yet welcome. Sights that were not for his eyes. What were these strange devices? From whence had they appeared? He didn’t know but reckoned that the answers were behind the wall that sealed the mountain pass behind the castle. Before this affair was over, he intended to see what was behind the wall.

He wasn’t certain he would survive the experience.

Despite the fact that it had been a hard day, the men had been buzzing for the last hour with the notion that the king himself was due to inspect the troops. His Majesty was rarely seen outside the castle anymore, and it was a cause of speculation.

There was a disturbance at the gate to the training ground, and a line of horses entered. In the midst were two huge men, bodyguards no doubt, flanking an aged man in silvered armor, his gray-streaked beard flagging. For all his years, the man seemed to Aros an odd combination of alert and somehow intoxicated. He sat horse beautifully, like someone trained from infancy, but swayed a bit out of rhythm with the jouncing.

Odd.

The general rode out to meet the king, bowing from horseback. “Your Majesty honors us.”

Silith received the faintest of royal smiles in return. “Well, General—you will be leading our forces out for another border skirmish.” He leaned closer to the general. “I believe you will be using your fascinating toys against these mountain people. Is that right?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Oh my, would that I could accompany you!” He stroked his beard, combing it with his fingers. “You know, when I was a lad, my father sent me out on patrol with his troops. He thought it would be good for my character.”

“I’d say he was a wise and prudent man, Your Majesty.”

“Ah! Weeks in the saddle, under the sun! The adventure, and the … the…” He suddenly grew vague, as if struggling to remember where he was or what he was doing there.

“Your Majesty,” the general whispered. “You wish to inspect the troops.”

The king’s withered forefinger lanced into the air. “The troops! Yes!”

“Troops! Gather in formation!”

The men, tired as they might have been, ran to take formation and stood at attention.

“A fine body of men, General,” the king said vaguely. “And these are the new soldiers?”

“Yes, Sire.”

The king waved his hand in their general direction, as if in a half-remembered ritual.

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