So Kassu walked with Palla, resentfully. Palla’s nervousness had evidently returned, as well it might, being within striking distance of a heavily armed cuckold. But he had composure, Kassu saw, you had to give him that.

They both walked behind the broad back of the Rus.

‘I can’t believe we’re dealing with these people,’ Kassu said. ‘Taking bread from the mouths of our own children and giving it to these northern brutes, who killed our King. And are we really going to keep feeding them until the spring?’

Palla dared to smile. ‘That’s what the opponents of the policy ask, even in the presence of the Tawananna herself.’

Kassu gaped. The Tawananna was Queen Hastayar, widow of the murdered Hattusili. It was the Hatti way that she retained power and influence after her husband’s death. ‘You’re saying this is her idea?’

‘Her and her advisers.’

‘But the Rus struck down her own husband!’

‘What choice is there? Look at the reality of it, Kassu. The Rus and their Scand allies are here. They aren’t going anywhere, certainly not until the spring. And even then they won’t be going back north. This party is just a vanguard. The whole of their people are on the move. Those trading cities they have on the rivers stretching back north are all abandoned now, everybody fleeing south, young and old, healthy or not. Because winter has got their northern lands in its grip and it doesn’t look like it’s going to let go.

‘So here they are on the northern bank of the Simoeis, less than a day’s march from New Hattusa. Yes, it feels unacceptable to deal with an enemy that has tried to decapitate us. But what if we didn’t feed them? Surely even you can imagine the consequences.’

‘Your condescension, priest, is going to get you killed.’

‘I apologise.’

‘How come you know so much anyway? Why was it you who talked to the Rus? How do you know his dog’s bark of a tongue?’

‘Well, it has been the priests who have always dealt with the Rus, ever since they first brought their dragon boats down the rivers to the Asian Sea, and began to plunder our coastal cities. My predecessors brought the word of Jesus Sharruma to them. We sought a syncretism between Teshub Yahweh and their own great god Odin.’

‘A what?’

‘Never mind – a philosopher’s term. The point is that followers of Jesus are less likely to go to war with each other. We began to trade with them rather than fight. And we taught them to read and write. Did you know that? We actually devised a written language to represent their tongue and taught it to them. And all this against a drumbeat of war. That is how I know them, Kassu. Some would say that civilising the Rus is a great achievement of the Church.’

‘You brag a lot for a priest, don’t you? What would Jesus think of that?’

Palla actually blushed. ‘I don’t mean to be immodest.’