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people for him at all times. The arrangement protects both the true master and
the servant, for killing the irrarrix when something is done that angers the
people accomplishes nothing
- the true master will simply replace him with another, and will carry on as
before."
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"You could call them puppets, I suppose," Ry said. "But you're right. I know
of no such word in
Iberish."
"You see how I can make this work, then?"
"If you stay hidden. But if you are hidden, how do you intend to enjoy the
fruits of your power? The irrarrix" - he stumbled a bit over the word, for the
double set of trilled r's threw him - "seems to me to be the one who benefits
most from the arrangement. Men may come on their knees and bow, but they will
bow before Greten."
"In public," Rrru-eeth said. "In public. What they will do in private is
something else entirely."
"I see."
"Do you?" Those delicate eyebrows rose and fell, and the little feathery wisps
moved in the breeze.
She studied him intently, and he could see no emotion on her face. "Perhaps
you do," she said at last. "You have no reason to love those who banished you.
Perhaps you can see your way to understand the need for revenge - the justice
in having it."
He smiled slowly. "I understand justice. With all my heart, I understand
that."
"Then you will join me? You will teach me? You will travel with me to
Calimekka and help me make
Greten a parata there?"
Ry glanced at Jaim and Yanth. "I follow you wherever you lead," Yanth said.
Jaim nodded. "You have my loyalty if you choose to sail with her."
"You have good men," Rrru-eeth said.
"I do."
"Then wear the ring 1 gave you," she said. "Carry the tree and the coin, as
reminders of who you once were and who I once was, and as a promise of who we
shall become. And . . ." - she held out the blue pearl and dropped it on the
table before him - "swallow that and swear you will be loyal to me."
He picked up the pearl and held it between thumb and forefinger. What a waste
of a perfectly good pearl, he thought. But he held it to his mouth, and as he
put it on his tongue, he thought, What if the tales have some truth in them?
He could not swear loyalty to Rrru-eeth; he intended to give her to Ian and
see her hanged for her treachery.
"I cannot swear loyalty to you as a woman," he said, taking the pearl off of
his tongue. "In that capacity, another woman already has my oath. And my
love."
"I don't want your love, and 1 don't require your body. 1 already have a
concubine, and while I
might lust for you in my bed, I can satisfy myself in other ways."
"Then I will swear my loyalty to your office as captain," Ry said, "because
that I can give freely, and honestly, and without reservation."
"As your captain, I will accept that oath."
He nodded, and swallowed the pearl. With it still smooth on the back of his
throat, he said, "Gods attend me." He stared into Rrru-eeth's fathomless eyes.
"I swear on my life my undying loyalty to the true and rightful captain of
this ship; I am your sword, Captain, to carry out your justice, and I
am the hand through which your vengeance will be meted out. I swear myself the
protector of your passengers, your crew, your honor, and your name." He spoke
his words to Rrru-eeth, but he held his half-brother's face in his mind, and
demanded that the gods hear that he had spoken only the truth; he owed his
honor and his life to the true captain of the Peregrine, and to its rightful
passengers whom these mutineers had betrayed - Ian, and Kait, and dead Hasmal,
and Ian's loyal men, now also dead.
Rrru-eeth watched his face, nodded stiffly, and said, "A sincere oath - surely
the gods heard you.
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But you should not swear before the gods more than is asked of you. You owe no
loyalty to my crew, nor to my passengers. You owe loyalty only to me, and need
work for justice only for me.
Greten and any passengers we may take on will just have to take care of
themselves." She smiled, but the smile was strained.
The pearl lay warm in his gut, and he thought he could feel that warmth
spreading out and flowing through his blood. It was connection where he would
never have thought to seek connection - Ian, who remained with Kait, now owned
a part of him as surely as did Kait.
Ian would laugh, he thought, if he could hear what I've just done. Sworn my
undying loyalty to him and the memory of the men who served him - I, who once
swore to see him dead by my own hand.
He turned away from his thoughts and back to the practicalities of the moment.
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