The guards left slowly, and when they were gone, Tal opened the door to Natalia’s apartment. A blur of motion caused him to duck, and a dagger bounced harmlessly off the wall. Tal called out, “Please don’t throw anything else, Natalia!”
He looked to the far corner of the room, where Kaspar’s sister waited, another dagger in her hand. “Tal!” she cried, her voice revealing a mixture of relief, happiness, and uncertainty. “Kaspar said you were imprisoned.” Then she saw his right hand and added, “And maimed.”
Tal walked slowly toward her. “I managed to survive it all.”
“What now?” she said. “Is Kaspar dead?”
“No, he’s my prisoner,” said Tal.
“Your prisoner? I thought we were being attacked by Kesh and Roldem.”
“You were, but in support of my attack on the citadel.” He sat on the bed, and motioned for her to come closer. She approached slowly and he took her hand. “It’s a very long story, and I’ll tell it to you, but I have many things to do before we can discuss those details. Right now I wish to tell you that you are safe. No harm will come to you, and I will ensure that your status here is respected.”
“As what?” said Natalia. “Am I your trophy, Tal?”
He smiled. “You would be a very special one, I’ll admit.” He stood up and took her other hand in his left, and said, “I would be lying if I said I had no feelings for you, Natalia, but I would also be lying if I told you I loved you with all my heart.
“Moreover, your future is now even less your own than it was before Kaspar was taken. For then you were but a tool for his diplomacy. Now you are much more.”
“What do you mean?”
Tal said, “You are heir to Olasko. Your brother’s removal leaves a deadly political vacuum in the region. Kesh will ensure that the Isles don’t try to claim your nation, and the Isles will keep Kesh and Roldem at bay, but others nearby may see this as an opportunity to install their own vassals on Kaspar’s throne. That can’t be allowed.”
Natalia nodded. “I understand.” She looked at Tal. “What of my brother? Is he to die?”
Tal said, “Only a few people know this of me: I was born in the mountains of the Orosini. Kaspar’s orders destroyed my race. I am perhaps the only male survivor, and the day I knew I would live, I vowed to have vengeance for my people.”
Natalia said nothing, but her face grew pale and drawn. “I would like to be alone now if you don’t mind, Tal.”
He bowed and left. When he got outside he saw that a pair of his own soldiers had replaced the Olaskons who had surrendered. “Guard this door and protect the lady inside. I’ll have someone relieve you after a while.”
They nodded and took up position on either side of the door.
Tal moved quickly along the hallway, back toward the throne room. There was much to be done yet, but the thing he felt the most need for was a meal. Then perhaps a hot bath. For whatever decisions needed to be made, they didn’t need to be made until the next morning.
The day wore on, and before Tal knew it, evening was falling. The entire early part of the day had been devoted to disarming Opardum’s garrison, paroling the soldiers, and directing them to billets outside the citadel. Natalia would need them back soon, but some of those who had served her brother would not be invited to reenlist.
Administration of the government was given over to Barons Visniya and Stolinko, who between them could take care of the short-term needs of the city and surrounding countryside.
And a great deal of need was evident, for while the invasion of the city had been completed swiftly, it had been harsh. As Tal had suspected, the retreating Keshians had taken anything of value they could find, and burned many buildings out of spite when they found nothing. Still, Tal instructed the barons to establish a curfew and enlist some men into a provost to protect the citizens from any further looting and violence.
A message from one of the chirurgeons informed him that Alysandra would live, but it had been a close thing. Tal sent a message to the magician’s room to Pug conveying the good news.
As the day wore on, Tal found himself becoming more anxious. He had won, a victory that seemed easy if one considered only the military costs. Tal knew what price he had paid over the years to achieve this victory. And his tasks were not over yet. There were still two men alive—one now an ally—who were responsible for the destruction of his nation.
The one thing that really vexed him was Amafi. The traitorous servant had somehow managed to escape during the battle. He had given a clear description of the man to many of his officers, but Amafi was not among the dead or captured. Those prisoners who knew him said that he had vanished from Kaspar’s side only a few minutes before the final assault on the throne room had begun.
Tal cursed himself for a fool, for Amafi must have used the same servants’ passages to escape that Tal had used to take the citadel. Someday, he knew, if he had the chance, he would find Amafi and make him pay the price for his betrayal.