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Chapter 43

In most of Lok, when winter arrived, battle stopped. Summer was for fighting. Winter was for surviving. But not in the north. Their temperate weather was considered a blessing, but Jagdish found himself wishing for the break of snow, because he was tired. His men had been victorious, over and over again, but it took more than the people’s adoration to sustain them. There came a point where even the fiercest warrior just wanted to sit on his balcony and drink beer without having to worry about another battle tomorrow.

In a proper house war, Vadal should have been able to defeat Sarnobat easily. Except a third of the army of Great House Vadal was now distracted dealing with Vokkan aggression in the west, and Harta had ordered away the other third to fortify Vadal City so it would not appear an easy target to this strange force that was coming from the Capitol offering help…which was an offer no one in Vadal believed to be real. That peculiar army was made up of paltans from all the other great houses and Capitol Orders, and was led by Devedas, formerly Lord Protector, who now bore the odd new title of Raja.

It was to discuss the threat of this Capitol army that Jagdish and many other phonthos had been temporarily called back to Vadal City. He hated leaving his men to fight the house of the wolf without him—and if Sarnobat’s bearer finally came out to fight while Jagdish was away that would be just his luck—but orders were orders, and Jagdish’s time in the east had earned him a reputation as a master strategist. He’d spent several days in staff meetings, as phonthos argued and arbiters asked them foolish questions, and they made plans and contingencies within plans…the usefulness of which would depend entirely upon what Raja Devedas’ true intentions were, and if he was coming to Vadal to be a savior or an invader.

The meetings gave him headaches, but there was one good thing about being back in the city for a time, and that was being able to see his daughter again. As long as they were at war, the younger children of the officers would be granted quarters in a lavish estate in the warrior district, where they would be well guarded and cared for. There was wisdom in his caste offering this, as leaders don’t lead as well if they’re distracted with worry for their families.

Jagdish walked up the stairs, calling out, “Pari, Baba is home.” From the other side of the curtains his daughter made a gleeful noise as she heard his voice. That giggle would always make him smile. “What a day it’s been,” he said as he entered, expecting it to be Raveena tending to Pari, but instead it was a different woman, who he had not met before.

“Greetings, Phontho Jagdish.”

An unfamiliar woman was seated on pillows, as Pari played with her dolls on the floor. She was perhaps a bit younger than Jagdish was, with some paint decorating her face, jewels in her hair, and wearing a fine dress cut to accentuate her—rather noteworthy—figure. The stranger was extremely beautiful, so much so that Jagdish was temporarily speechless, as that wasn’t the sort of thing one expected to find in his private quarters without putting in a request.

“I didn’t send for a pleasure woman. What are you doing with my child?” He looked around, saw no one else was there, then shouted, “Raveena!”

She seemed momentarily taken aback by his reaction, tilted her head to the side, as if confused, and said, “Your maid is in the kitchen helping your cook. She left little Pari in my care for a moment and I was happy to help. You have a very gleeful and energetic child, Phontho Jagdish. It is nice to meet you.”

Pleasure women were a common sight in any warriors district in Lok, but apparently those obligated to serve the highest rank and status in Vadal City were far lovelier than any he he’d seen before. “I apologize that you have wasted your time, miss. There’s been a mistake.”

“Oh, has there?”

“I’ve not asked for any female company.”

“Really? Do you not like females?”

“What?” Jagdish laughed rather than take offense. “I like females just fine, thank you.”

“Because for a man of your rank, a district of this quality wouldn’t discriminate in the services it is happy to provide with no questions asked…If it is not that, am I not pretty enough to suit you?”

“Oh no, you are exceedingly attractive.” In fact, he had only known one more beautiful in his entire life, but even the thought of Pakpa made Jagdish feel guilty for talking to another woman. He tried to think of how to put this gently, because he wasn’t the sort to insult anyone who was simply trying to do their job. “I am loyal to another.”

“I was told you were a widower.”

“Yes, I am.” And Jagdish left it at that. “Please give your masters my apologies, and my army will still pay for your time.”

“That’s kind of you.” The exceedingly charming pleasure woman nodded thoughtfully. “Clearly mistakes happen.”

Raveena swept into the room, drying her hands upon a towel. “Oh, Master Jagdish, I didn’t hear you get home. Dinner will be ready soon. I have prepared an extra place for Lady Shakti.”

Lady Shakti?”

Their guest shrugged. “I never said otherwise.”

Jagdish grimaced. Clearly, mistakes did happen.

She rose to greet him with a proper bow. “I am Shakti, daughter of Phontho Gotama of the Mukesh Garrison, and I am currently obligated as a warrior caste envoy to the Vadal City court.”

Jagdish returned the bow, and went extra low to show apology. “Phontho Jagdish, Eastern Border Guard.”

“Pardon, I thought you two had met already,” Raveena said. “Sorry, Phontho. Lady Shakti also has quarters within this estate. She asked if she could join us and—”

“Raveena, would you take Pari into the kitchen for a moment?”

“Of course.” Sensing the sudden awkwardness, she immediately swept Pari into her arms and carried her away, even as the poor girl squealed in protest because she’d clearly been enjoying playing with Lady Shakti.

Once the worker was away, Jagdish sucked the air through his teeth, before saying, “Ah…My sincere apologies about the mistaken identity. I was not expecting a guest.”

Surprisingly, rather than take offense, she laughed at his discomfort. “I’ve been called worse things than a pleasure woman.”

“So you’re Gotama’s youngest?”

“That’s me.”

Which meant she was an unmarried woman of high status, visiting a widower without any sort of proper introduction or chaperone. He’d almost gotten into a duel with Gotama once, and he rather liked the old man now, so he’d hate to do it again over something stupid. “Where is your father?”

“Back on the border as far as I know. Stuck between the wolf and all the refugees from the fires in the Goda. Somebody who actually knows what they’re doing has to mind the line while you’re away getting raked over the coals by panicking first casters with no concept of how to fight a war.”

“And your escort?” A woman of her status was bound to have a bodyguard or two.

“They’re somewhere. They’re used to me escaping their clutches by now. May I sit down?”

“I don’t know if that would be appropriate—” Except she had already done so. “Or not.” Jagdish adjusted his sword belt so that he could sit as well. “What can I do for you, Shakti?”

“Well, I wanted to meet the legendary Jagdish Wizard Slayer, without all of that pomp and carrying on that surrounds official proposals. People are never themselves at such things. They’re very stuffy. A woman has to do her research. You can’t just take anyone else’s word about someone’s character. You have to see for yourself.”

“I don’t know what proposal you’re talking about.”

“Arbiter business. Mere formalities.” She waved that away as if that was nothing.

Gotama hadn’t spoken much about his family, but he had described this one as precocious. Thus far that seemed an understatement.

“I’ve been looking into you, Jagdish. You’re a very interesting man. Father said you fought with great courage and skill on the Night of Ten Thousand Demons.”

“Is that what they’re calling it now?”

“They are. The first songs that went around the warrior district called it the Night of a Thousand Demons, but that lacked the gravitas, so they multiplied the demons by ten.”

“It was daytime, and there were still probably more demons than that.”

“Of course, but Father said they were very small demons, and ‘night of a hundred thousand demons’ is too much a mouthful for a proper chorus. Have you not heard the songs?”

“I’ve not. I’ve been busy.”

“It’s rare a warrior gets songs written about him for more than one event. I could sing you one of the new ones. I have an excellent singing voice.”

What a curious woman…“I don’t doubt that at all.”

“Let the men have their drinking songs, I say. The pillar of fire terrified everyone. In the aftermath of something so inconceivable, they need something to rally around, and who better than a man who was already a legend? More importantly, though, Father told me you’re a good leader. You always do what is best for your men, and they love you for it. There are plenty of strong warriors. There are very few who have good hearts.”

Jagdish was baffled where she was going with this. “I try.”

“No, I don’t think you do. From everything I’ve heard you don’t have to try because being honorable comes naturally to you. You are loyal to a fault, and your weakness is that sometimes that loyalty is even extended to criminals and fanatics.”

He couldn’t take offense at someone stating the obvious. “The Sons of the Black Sword were what they were. Those fanatics were some of the finest men I’ve ever led into battle.”

“See what I mean? That attitude is why they keep writing all those songs about you. My father tried to marry me off to strong—but uninteresting—men before. So I thwarted those attempts. There are as many ways to sabotage an arbiter’s marriage arrangement as there are to raid a town.”

“Hold on now.” Gotama had only mentioned that idea in passing, and he had done so while Jagdish had a great many other worries on his mind. “Lady Shakti, I’m sure your father has your best interests at heart, and I don’t know what plans he has set into motion, but trust me, I’m not a good candidate for marriage right now.”

“On the contrary, I know the politics involved far better than Father does. What do you think I’ve been dealing with every day to pass the time while trapped in this dreadfully boring city? Harta Vadal praises you in public, but seethes against you in private. You’ve made yourself too valuable to him to ruin. Obviously, allying my family with yours would still be a gamble, but I think your legend will outlast our Thakoor’s animosity. The lower ranks of our caste look to you as everything it means to be a warrior, and they aspire to live in your image. You have replaced Ashok in their hearts.”

“No one can do that.”

“You underestimate the sting of betrayal. However, I neither met nor traveled across the continent with the Black Heart while fighting all manners of evil. So I suppose if I let Father go through with his plans, I would just have to settle for a legendary war leader who has won our people’s highest award for valor, and who has a potentially bright—or disastrous—future. You’re no bearer-Protector, but some girls would still think you’re quite the prize.”

Jagdish couldn’t help but laugh.

“What’s so funny about my scheming? I’ve put thought into this.”

“I feel like I’m a prize horse being evaluated before an auction.”

“Don’t you realize? You very much are.” Shakti just stared at him for a moment, and Jagdish realized there was great cleverness in those eyes. “I speak of your future as a gamble, as you’re clearly headed toward greatness or utter failure. There is no in-between. You are of such status and potential that some family will inevitably take that bet, but if they recognize your vulnerabilities, they’ll only offer up one of their dumber, expendable daughters, so that way if you do fall, they’re not out much.”

At first, Jagdish had been confused by all this, but now he was intrigued. “You are rather analytical.”

“I enjoy this sort of thing.”

“I can tell.”

“Our caste is very good at making gains on the battlefield, and then losing those gains in the courts. There is a certain cunning required in the courts that most of our caste lack. I believe your greatest vulnerability is a lack of political savvy. That’s what I would bring to our alliance. The two strongest garrisons in the east would be united by marriage, and you would gain a guide in the area in which you are most vulnerable.”

This was all very sudden, and Jagdish leaned forward, suspicious. “And what benefit would you get out of this deal?”

“Spoken like a man whose first arranged marriage was to seal a contract for the delivery of bread.”

“It did, and being married to Pakpa turned out to be the most fortunate thing that ever happened to me. I’ll tolerate no unkind words about my family.”

“I would never.” Shakti seemed sincere on that. “You truly loved her, didn’t you?”

“Very much.”

“I am glad for you. I’d hope for such fortune myself, but happy marriages are rare for those of our status. We get what we are given, and that I can’t abide.”

“There is no freedom. Everyone has their place,” Jagdish quoted the familiar saying. “Does the Law not apply to you too?”

“Asks the one man in Vadal who seems to violate the Law whenever his honor required it, and yet somehow survives.”

Shakti had him there.

“I would rather choose my place than take the one that’s forced on me, Jagdish. That’s why I keep ruining Father’s carefully laid plans to marry me off. If I’m ever to love a man, I suspect I would have to pick him myself.”

“That’s the one advantage of having no status. Nobody cares who you wed.” Jagdish chuckled, as his marriage to someone of the worker caste had been meant as a punishment, and oh, how wrong they’d been. “It’s the nature of high birth that you be used for leverage to bring prosperity to your family.”

“Your duty to your house will require you to wed someone eventually. Why settle for a dreary dullard? Even someone politically astute can yearn for happiness.”

That was true…Jagdish knew his caste would order a marriage eventually, but he had kept pushing that thought aside. He had a war to fight. A daughter to raise. When his house needed a warm body of sufficient status to seal some trade deal or peace agreement, he would do as he was told. Thinking about another marriage as anything other than fulfilling his obligation made him feel like he was being unfaithful to Pakpa.

“You ask what do I get out this potential arrangement, Jagdish? For the last year I’ve heard tales of this humble soldier who did his duty only to be dishonored for events beyond his control, who then did the impossible to regain his name. A hero who has seen the incredible and lived to tell the tale, yet also a man who loved his wife no matter her status, a father who is noted for how much he adores his daughter, a master who has never raised an angry hand against a servant, and a commander whose men would follow him across the sea to fight the host of hell…How could I not be intrigued?”

Jagdish blushed at such flattery. “You’re good at painting pictures with words, Shakti. But those are just things people say about me. I’m merely a soldier, same as many others. Don’t mistake those tavern songs for reality. For all you know I’m an angry drunk who kicks dogs for amusement.”

She had a very pretty smile. “And you underestimate how thorough I am. I study politics like you’ve studied war. Intelligence is valuable in both. When you mistook me for a pleasure woman, you were surprised, because despite your newfound wealth you’ve not requested the company of a single one since your wife passed. I know of your arrangement with the smuggler Gutch, how you were willing to shelter a wanted librarian from our own Thakoor, and how you were smart enough to tell stories to warriors across Vadal to pressure Harta to spare such a heroic life. Over and over you demonstrate loyalty, pragmatism, and wisdom. Marry me, and in ten years you’ll be head of the warrior caste.”

“Oceans, woman…” Jagdish didn’t know if he should be offended or impressed. “How many of Gotama’s marriage contracts have you ruined?”

“I’ve lost track. At least five or six. I’m a practically ancient twenty-five years old now, so the poor man has nearly given up hope of ever being rid of me.”

“No wonder his hair’s gone white.”

“Notably, you’re the first candidate Father actually respects. Which is an impressive endorsement. At least enough of one to inspire me to look into you more.” Shakti smoothly rose. “Well, I must be going now.”

“You won’t stay for dinner?” Jagdish stood as well.

“No. I think I hear my bodyguards frantically calling my name as they search the compound, thinking I’ve been kidnapped. Clearly this scandalous meeting never occurred.”

“Of course…” Jagdish considered his next words carefully. “I will await your family’s proposal.”

“While you wait for the official letter to arrive, you will surely ask around about my character, as I did with yours. No need to be embarrassed, it’s what I would advise you to do.”

Jagdish opened the door for her. “Good evening, Lady Shakti.”

“Farewell, Phontho.” She brushed past him on the way out, and that soft touch was the closest he’d been to a woman in a very long time. She even smelled nice. “Now that I’ve spoken with you in person and you’ve met my expectations, I shall refrain from setting the arbiter’s correspondence on fire.”

After Jagdish closed the door behind her, he stood there feeling a little flushed.

“Dinner is ready.” Raveena returned to the sitting room. “Did Lady Shakti leave? She seems so nice.”

“Nice yet frightening.” That union would be like picking up an ancestor blade. It would either end in glory or a terrible demise. “I believe I might be getting married again.”


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