He slid the door to one side and announced the slaves. The command for them to enter was given, and Septiem shooed them inside.
They found themselves in a colorfully lit room, the light coming through the large translucent door covered with a painting. On the walls hung carvings, tapestries, and paintings, all done in fine style, small and delicate. The floor was covered, in Tsurani fashion, with a thick pile of cushions. Upon a large cushion Kamatsu, Lord of the Shinzawai, sat; across from him were his two sons. All were dressed in the short robes of expensive fabric and cut they used when off duty. Pug and Laurie stood with their eyes downcast until they were spoken to.
Hokanu spoke first. “The blond giant is called Loh-’re, and the more normal-sized one is Poog.”
Laurie started to open his mouth, but a quick elbow from Pug silenced him before he could speak.
The older son noticed the exchange, and said, “You would speak?”
Laurie looked up, then quickly down again. The instructions had been clear: not to speak until commanded to Laurie wasn’t sure the question was a command.
The lord of the house said, “Speak.”
Laurie looked at Kasumi. “I am Laurie, master. Lor-ee. And my friend is Pug, not Poog.”
Hokanu looked taken aback at being corrected, but the older brother nodded and pronounced the names several times over, until he spoke them correctly. He then said, “Have you ridden horses?”
Both slaves nodded. Kasumi said, “Good. Then you can show me the best way.”
Pug’s gaze wandered as much as was possible with his head down, but something caught his eye. Next to the Lord of the Shinzawai sat a game board and what looked like familiar figures. Kamatsu noticed and said, “You know this game?” He reached over and brought the board forward, so that it lay before him.
Pug said, “Master, I know the game. We call it chess.”
Hokanu looked at his brother, who leaned forward “As several have said, Father, there has been contact with the barbarians before.”
His father waved away the comment. “It is a theory.” To Pug he said, “Sit here and show me how the pieces move.”
Pug sat and tried to remember what Kulgan had taught him. He had been an indifferent student of the game, but knew a few basic openings. He moved a pawn forward and said, “This piece may move forward only one space, except when it is first moved, master. Then it may move two.” The lord of the house nodded, motioning that he should continue. “This piece is a knight and moves like so,” said Pug.
After he had demonstrated the moves of the various pieces, the Lord of the Shinzawai said, “We call this game shah. The pieces are called by different names, but it is the same. Come, we will play.”
Kamatsu gave the white pieces to Pug. He opened with a conventional king’s pawn move, and Kamatsu countered. Pug played badly and was quickly beaten. The others watched the entire game without a sound. When it was over, the lord said, “Do you play well, among your people?”
“No, master. I play poorly.”
He smiled, his eyes wrinkling at the edges. “Then I would guess that your people are not as barbarous as is commonly held. We will play again soon.”
He nodded to his older son, and Kasumi rose. Bowing to his father, he said to Pug and Laurie, “Come.”
They bowed to the lord of the house and followed Kasumi out of the room. He led them through the house, to a smaller room with sleeping pallets and cushions. “You will sleep here. My room is next door. I would have you at hand at all times.”
Laurie spoke up boldly. “What does the master want of us?”
Kasumi regarded him for a moment. “You barbarians will never make good slaves. You forget your place too often.”
Laurie started to stammer an apology but was cut off. “It is of little matter. You are to teach me things, Laurie. You will teach me to ride, and how to speak your language. Both of you. I would learn what those.”
—he paused, then made a flat, nasal wa-wa-wa sound—”noises mean when you speak to each other.”
Further conversation was cut off by the sound of a single chime that reverberated throughout the house. Kasumi said, “A Great One comes. Stay in your rooms. I must go to welcome him with my father.” He hurried off, leaving the two Midkemians to sit in their new quarters wondering at this newest twist in their lives.