“It’ll be okay,” Kindalana whispered in their ear. “You don’t have to wear grief ash. Your mother will come back okay. I promise she will, Tau, and I’ll keep trim with you, to be sure.”

No! How hideously embarrassing! Kindalana thought Tau-indi was upset because mother Tahr had gone away. Little Tau-indi, afraid to be alone!

“I’m not worried about Tahr,” Tau-indi said, quite regally, and then they said the words that would accidentally ruin the next years of their life. “I’m concerned for poor Abdumasi, left behind when we go. We shall have to tend to him. He will require our most special care.”

Kindalana put her feet on their thighs and pushed away. “Really?” She had opened herself to Tau in comfort, and Tau had pricked her pride, so of course she had to look disdainful. “You’re grieving for Abdu?”

“I think he needs more from us,” Tau said. “We have each other as Princes. We must do all we can for him. But of course my ash isn’t for him. I’m simply sad I can’t go abroad with mother, and do my work as a Prince.”

“You want to go to sea? Weeks on a ship? A narrow smelly ship with a bunch of oars?”

In the distance Abdumasi whooped and put up two fists full of two protesting frogs.

“What do you mean, go to sea?” Tau-indi asked. “Mother’s gone to Kutulbha in Segu, and she said she was going by road.”

“You don’t know?”

“Kinda, what are you talking about?”

“The summit at Kutulbha decided to send a fleet to hunt down the Falcresti pirates.” Kindalana paused, but she couldn’t ever pass up the chance to prove she knew best. “And your mother’s sailing with them. She’s left the waters of the Mbo. She’s gone with the war fleet to rebuke Falcrest.”

Mother gone to … Falcrest? Where was Falcrest? Wasn’t it in that story about ancient Tahari, Tahr’s namesake, and the narwhal horn? Hadn’t it been blown up or something? Wasn’t it ruled by a mad king who bred people like dogs? Or possibly an octopus?

“Why?” Tau-indi cried.

“She’s gone in your place, since you’re not old enough.” Kindalana sculled back a little. “Didn’t she tell you? Didn’t she write to you? I heard through the traders who come to visit the Abds, and I thought you already knew.…”

She’d heard through the Abds! Why, this matter was between Princes! Abdumasi should have nothing to do with it! Tau-indi was so furious and ashamed and confused that they said, “I think you should be sure Abdumasi is all right,” and stalked ashore.

Kindalana called after them in sorrow. “Tau, I didn’t mean to surprise you! Tau!”