Page 119 of Tashama
“A Karthlander woman who presumes to speak for a caravan of Maldovians.”
“Bring her here.”
The officer yanked Tashama toward one of the horses.
She glared up at the rider. “I want to see…”
“Silence, Woman!”
Tashama fumed. She could see ruling Karthland would not be an easy task after all, even if she could oust Loran from his throne.
He studied her for some time as she remained silent. “What is she doing with the Maldovians?”
“They are a wedding…,” Tashama said.
The cavalry officer interrupted, “If she speaks again, have her gagged.”
“They appear to be a wedding party, Colonel Sorel,” one of the officers said.
The colonel’s eyes never left Tashama’s. “But not this one.”
“And the man she shared the carriage with carried a jewel-encrusted sword.” The foot soldier held up the sword for the cavalry officer to see.
“He’s a cavalry officer of some importance,” the officer said.
“The sword was a gift for…,” Tashama said, but the colonel waved his hand at a junior officer, who pulled a cloth from his belt and quickly tied it to Tashama’s mouth.
As she tried to free the cloth from her mouth, two of the soldiers grabbed her arms to keep her still. The colonel said, “Release the carriages. Wait. What else is in the third?”
One of the soldiers grabbed the carriage door and jerked it open, causing Listra to scream out. “She appears to be just another female Maldovian with the wedding party, Colonel.”
Listra was pulled out of the carriage to join Aleron, and the colonel considered the three of them, then shook his head. “We’ll take them all with us. Release the others. Return these to their carriage and hold them.”
As the soldiers hustled Aleron and Listra back to the carriage, the colonel turned to Tashama. “Is she linked?”
The junior officer grabbed her hand and examined her fingers. “No, my lord.”
“With a tongue like hers, I can certainly see why not. Return her to the carriage with the others.”
After Tashama was pushed into the carriage, she tried to remove the gag. Aleron reached over and untied the cloth for her. “I’m sorry, Your Highness.” She threw the cloth out the window. Some of the men who rode near the carriage chuckled.
“She’ll be giving the Maldovians grief now!” one of the officers shouted for all to hear.
“What were you thinking back there, Tashama?” Aleron’s mouth twisted in annoyance.
“I’ve seen this come to pass. We could do nothing further. No matter what I said or could have done, we would have all three been taken. The red sash around the officers’ waist is the same as the one General Karam wears. These are some of his officers. I wasn’t sure when I first saw the foot soldiers.”
Listra’s eyes shimmered with tears. Tashama moved over to sit beside her and wrapped her arm around her shoulder. “Dear Listra, do not fret. No one will harm you.”
“But King Aleron…”
Tashama smiled. “They will not harm him either.”
“You must mind your tongue, Tashama, around these men.” Aleron locked his arms together. “Soldiers, most of all, cannot abide a woman’s unheedful tongue.”
“They will have to get used to it.” Tashama squeezed Listra with a gentle embrace. “Women can do so much for your people if you would only give them half a chance. When half of your society is kept down…”
“A third of our society is female.”
