01 Taxilas Children

TAXILA'S CHILDREN
born. He didn't have much time to think in the short time it took to reach the overlord's house.
He knew that the arrival of Hara was going to complicate matters considerably.
They entered the gloom of the courtyard, there had been no conversation during their
return. It said something for the loyalty of Danyk's men that they hadn't rebelled in the face of
the events. Danyk led Steve and Hara to his own apartment and then made himself scarce.
Steve appreciated the gesture.
"What have they done to you?"
He stroked her neck and she started to weep again. He didn't have to be told, he knew.
She quietened down and he was able to piece the story together. They had treated her well
until they had tried to move the Bole. Then, when a few of them had been thrown around by
the sting it had delivered, they held a great debate. Jabez had held forth about the device
being an instrument of Shaita. By extension, to possess such a device meant that Steve-Holt
had to be a servant of the same dark god. Hara was defiled of Shaita and was nothing better
than a common whore. Then they came for her and she had fought them. She was pathetically
determined to assure Steve that she had fought them until her strength was gone and she
could resist no more.
Steve rocked her in his arms, as she sobbed into his chest. He considered many ways of
having revenge on every man in that community, whether they had touched her or not. She
fell into an exhausted sleep and he laid her on Danyk's bed. The flickering light of the oil
lamp wouldn't disturb her but her dreams did, she jerked and jumped in her sleep and
moaned.
It was a while longer before Danyk appeared in the doorway. He contemplated Steve
warily and flicked a glance at the Bole, which had been placed in the centre of the outer
room.
"My father has returned, the Thane calls you before the Council."
It sounded very official, Steve nodded and looked at Hara.
"She will not be disturbed and will sleep until you return."
There was nothing more to be said. Danyk led him through a maze of halls, corridors and
anterooms. The architect must have decided to be as confusing as possible. Abruptly they
entered a larger space, a broad balcony that ran around the walls of a centre room. They
descended a broad stairway to the lower floor. A great table occupied most of the length of it,
with backless benches on each flank of the table. Two great chairs stood at one end. The room
was high, occupying at least two stories of the house, with roof beams bridging the width
holding up a slab stone ceiling. The walls were the same peculiar honey coloured stone. On
them, was hung at regular intervals, tapestry like curtains. They were not very pictorial, just a
medley of designs and shapes, which made little sense - perhaps that was the idea.
Danyk led the way into another chamber, it was still impressive but much smaller. Steve
didn't bother himself with the details, instead he concentrated on the group of aliens who
silently watched his every move, as he entered. He had thought 'aliens', he had to remind
himself that this was what they were and that he was in their hands.
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