“Make sure they have water available while they’re standing there,” he cautioned. “And food, from time to time. Make sure where they’re standing, the piss can run away from their feet. Make sure someone scoops up their shit and carries it away immediately, and don’t let anyone but a Doll give them anything to eat. Especially don’t let them get apples.” That would be a disaster. He rather doubted the Emperor wanted to be assailed by horse farts.

“Yes, my Lord,” the Doll said. “It will be done.”

He couldn’t tell from that response if they’d already been given orders along the same lines or not, but this way he was certain his boys would be treated properly—and wouldn’t do anything to annoy the Emperor.

“My Lord—” the Doll said then, hesitantly.

“Yes?”

“These horses are not inclined to . . . chew on . . . things. Like a Doll. Are they?” It paused. “Some horses here are.”

“No. I trained bad habits out of them,” he replied. And it was true. He hadn’t known about the Dolls, of course, but he’d trained them early not to mouth cloth or, worse, chew on it or play with it. Too many horses that got into bad habits like that ended up dead, with guts full of inedible things they could not get out of their stomachs.

“This is good to know,” the Doll said, then ventured closer to the stallions and put up a tentative hand to touch the cheek of the nearest. The horse snorted at the unfamiliar object, but when Kordas said, “Steady,” it relaxed and let the Doll touch it, then rub it, then leaned into the scratch.

“This one enjoys working with horses,” the Doll said. “They are kindly natured.”

“More kind than humans,” Kordas replied, and sighed. “And I would be happier if I could spend the rest of my visit here.” Reluctantly, he gave the huge necks a final pat, and straightened his shoulders. “But I can’t. So it’s back to my duty. And—I’m glad that you enjoy your time with the horses.”

“Good fortune, my Lord,” said the Doll as he walked away.

I’m going to need it, was his parting thought.

13