Page 120 of Tashama
“Well, there’s no wonder. Being female isn’t worth…”
“We treat our women with great respect.”
Tashama frowned. “You would think with so few females, you would share equal status with them.”
Aleron shook his head. “You have more latitude as you are a princess who’s entitled to rule a country, but our women are satisfied to have us take care of them.”
“And they take care of you too.”
Listra considered her words, but was not sure how to take them.
“Well, I may need to go more slowly about the task, but there will be great changes I do foresee.”
Tashama leaned over to the window and pulled the flap aside. Several of the officers looked in her direction, and she said, “Tell General Karam, Princess Tashama wishes to speak with him at his earliest convenience.” She sat back in her seat as Aleron considered her.
He shook his head again. “You are a gem in our country, Tashama. No doubt about it.”
The party rode for another twenty minutes, then the carriage was halted. Boots clomped on the ground as they approached the coach while the occupants all watched the door. Then, as it was thrown aside, the soldier said to Tashama, “Come with me.”
She stood partway in the cramped conditions, and Aleron said, “I must go with her.”
“You, stay. The Karthlander woman is the only one the colonel has asked for.”
“Not General Karam?” Tashama hesitated to leave the carriage.
The soldier grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the carriage. As Aleron tried to follow, a man poked a spear at his chest. “Return to the carriage and remain there.” Another shoved the door closed while Tashama was led away in the dark.
She was soon brought to a campfire where cavalry officers gathered as they drank their evening mugs of ale. Her eyes searched for signs of the colonel, then, seeing him watching her from across the campfire as the flames cast twisting fingers of light across his stern face, she crossed her arms.
Handing his pewter mug to a junior officer, the colonel stood taller. “Her Royal Highness vanished without a trace.”
“With Balthazar.” Tashama nodded. The men grew quiet, and she could hear their doubts scattered in their thoughts.
“She would be twenty-three now.”
“Yes,” Tashama said.
“And eligible to marry and rule her people.”
Tashama took a deep breath, then nodded.
He shook his head. “She is lost to us. Loran rules in her place and Valmor beside him.”
“I am she and vow to eradicate this plague on our people, whom we know as Loran. There has been too much killing. The war will end.”
Stifled laughs followed, but Tashama’s eyes kept unbroken contact with the colonel’s. “The general is not here,” he said in response to her unspoken query.
Again, without speaking a word, Tashama asked the colonel,“Where is he?”
“He is leading our men in a charge against Oshon’s cavalry as we speak on the Plain of Doredon.”
One of the senior officers broke in, “Sir, should we let this woman know our plans?”
Tashama concentrated on the colonel further.“Send word to him at once that I want to speak with him,”her mind relayed to his.
The colonel turned to a lieutenant. “Send our swiftest messenger to General Karam. Give him word that Princess Tashama wishes an audience with him.”
“But, sir,” the senior officer said, “do we know this woman is truly Princess Tashama? There is no proof, and she’s been found with Maldovians. Could she be a spy?”
