He was not stupid. He seemed big and dull and slow but possessed an average intellect. He just had not learned to employ it.

Never mind. It doesnt matter. Im just being moody. He understood moody. He expected it. His wife and mother had been moody.

He did not have time now to think, anyway. He was too busy staying on his horse.

We returned to the barracks. There was another crowd looking for their loved ones. Narayan was handling them efficiently. They eyed me curiously. Not at all the way they had looked at Croaker. Him they had hailed Liberator everywhere. Me, I was a freak without the sense to know she was not a man. I would grow on them. Just a matter of creating a legend.

Narayan caught up with me. There was a messenger from the palace. The prince wants you to dine with him tonight. Someplace called the grove.

Oh? That was where I had met him first. Croaker had taken me. The grove was an outdoor place frequented by the rich and influential. Request or order?

Invitation. Will you do me the honor of, like that. Did you accept?

No. How could I guess what youd want to do? Good. Send a message. I accept. What time? He wasnt specific.

It would slow me down but I might accomplish something that would save fussing and feuding later. At least Id learn how much grief I could expect from the state. Im going to sketch out the camp I want built. Well send one company plus five hundred recruits to start. Pick whoever you think we should get out of the city. That mess outside. Hows it going? Well enough, Mistress. Any volunteers showing? A few.

And intelligence? Have you gotten anything started?

Lot of people want to tell us things. Mostly about foreigners. Nothing really interesting.

Keep at it. Let me do those sketches. After that Ill make a list to give the Prahbrindrah. After

that Ill make myself presentable. Around here somewhere would be my imperial getup, that Id worn last time, and my coach, that we had brought down from the north and had left here when we had marched on Ghoja.

Ram, before we went south I had several men help me make special armor. I need to find them again.

I went to work sketching and estimating.

The coach was not as impressive with a four-horse team but people did gawk. I had enough skill to make hooves strike fire and to set a glamor running the coachs exterior. The fire-breathing skull of the Company blazed on both doors. The steel-rimmed wheels and pounding hooves rumbled thunderously.

I was satisfied.