Heir of Iron

Chapter 29: Navran

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"The imperial guard will withdraw from the valley, as far north as the horizon," the red-clad emissary said. He stood at the north gate in a semicircle of the Red Men with the sun above his right shoulder, facing across the stone threshold of the city at Sadja, Navran, Mandhi, and a guard of Sadja's militia.

It was mid-morning. The smell of smoke and blood wafted from the city, and Sadja's guard watched the inner alleys with as much apprehension as they watched the plains. A grim and pathetic spectacle greeted the emissary, and the black odors settled like a melancholy grime over Navran's heart.

"Only Ruyam and his manservant will remain on the field before the gates of the city," the emissary went on. "Thudra and his militia will withdraw likewise until the exchange has been made. Once the Heir is in the power of Ruyam, Ruyam and the Red Men will return to Majasravi, and Thudra will reclaim the city. Sadja and his forces will withdraw from the interior of the wall but will remain encamped on the field to ensure the agreement is respected and the Uluriya are unharmed. Is this agreeable to all?"

"The Uluriya will be held blameless," Navran said. "By Thudra and Ruyam. After I go over, there won't be any more retaliations, purges, or punishments."

The emissary made a dismissive gesture. "Ruyam's hunger will be sated once he has the Heir. As for Thudra, you'll have Sadja to watch him."

"And Ruyam told you his hunger would be sated?"

"I heard his words with my own ears."

Navran looked over at Sadja, who nodded. Mandhi's jaw was clenched in an impassive glare, but her eyes suggested a smile. She, at least, was getting what she wanted. And the Uluriya would survive. Even if Ruyam betrayed his word---and Navran had no confidence that Ruyam would keep it---he had gained the Uluriya extra days to flee before the Red Men would return to the city, and he had bequeathed Manjur's ring to a new Heir. It was all he could have hoped for.

Well, he might have hoped not to die.

"I agree," he said. That was the price, and he would pay it.

The emissary bowed. "The Red Men will begin their retreat immediately. Thudra will send a few men to guard the Heir and escort him to Ruyam, while the rest of them remove to the west field to receive the city tomorrow. Tonight, the Heir will come to Ruyam."

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The last pale streaks of sunlight died in the west. Navran huddled in the north gate and looked out across the empty field, where the fires of Ruyam and Thudra had burned the night before. A single tent waited there now like a cast-off ember of a great fire, with a dim glow lighting its red fabric from within.

Sadja stood next to him, and Thudra's guard of four men fenced them. Sadja's expression was grim, and he kept looking down and running his hand through his hair with a heavy sigh.

"I came here to save you, not to hand you over," Sadja said. "I can't say that I'm happy about this."

Navran watched the red tent. Its very loneliness was ominous, as if the darkness had claimed its victims save one there on the field. Navran shook his head to clear the thoughts. Very quietly, below the hearing of Thudra's militia, he said, "Mandhi and her child will escape. We would have gotten less than this without your help."

Sadja murmured. "They should be preparing now. And I need to return to them." He set a brightly lit oil lamp into Navran's hands and looked at the guards. "Is it time?"

Their captain shrugged. "Close enough to dark. No use waiting."

Sadja put a hand on Navran's shoulder and kissed his cheek. Navran murmured in surprise. His touch lingered for a moment, looking at Navran with a mixture of pity and admiration, then he turned and left. The guard prodded Navran forward, and they descended from the gate.