Secretly, I had expected and dreaded what would happen next. THE SUCCESS OF MY CHARIOTS AT ESNA, and the feeling of confidence that it instilled in us all, were short-lived. "The gods cannot desert this very Egypt now. "No" my mistress's voice shook with the force of her denial. "What, in the name of Horus, were you laughing about?" "You crazy old fool." He forced a grin at me. I tried to sit up, but my head ached abominably and I groaned, then clutched his arm as it all came back to me. Their horses are in the traces and they are coming on a cloud of dust, swiftly as the flight of the swallow. They swam the horses over as they did before, but this time there were none of our galleys ready to turn back their boats. The messenger stuttered in fear of his life, "Divine Majesty, while our fleet was busy at Asyut, the barbarian made another crossing at Esna. His fleet was superior in every way to the one which Salitis and Intef had assembled, but the battle they fought lasted for almost a week before Tanus destroyed or drove them back into the Delta. They are what they are, and I can't hate them for it.When it finally happened, and our spies on the east side of the river opposite Asyut warned us of the approach of this fleet from the Delta, Tanus rushed his own ships northwards to meet them. Do you think they've ever held the Orange Catholic Bible? It's not their fault. "The children can't help who they are, Paulus - they didn't ask to be born there, raised there, exposed to anything but proper teachings. Rhombur soaked up the experience of water and wind and sun, smiling. The Prince of Ix stood at the bow while Leto worked the controls. As the mariner assistants cast off the lines, one asked, "You can handle this yourself, m'Lord?" An Atreides burgee flew from the stern, snapping in the breeze. They are what they are, and I can't hate them for it."Īfter all preparations were completed, he and Rhombur boarded the wickerwood coracle. If you've never had paradan fresh from the sea, you're in for a taste treat.though the fruit's a bit salty for me." "If you want one, just reach over the side and take it. Looking overboard, Rhombur saw rafts of leathery-leafed seaweed and round gourdlike fruits that held up the plants like air bladders. But local coral gems were lovely, nonetheless. Because of the hazards and expense of containment, the gems did not support much of an off-world export market, given the more viable alternative of soostones from Buzzell. Coral gems were said to hold tiny living creatures that caused their inner fires to dance and simmer. These precious stones, found in knobby coral reefs, were popular pieces on Caladan, but perilous to handle. "Remember your rock collection? You and I are going to dive for coral gems." "Just keeping you out of trouble is, uh, effort enough," Rhombur countered.įinally, as Rhombur looked on with curiosity and trepidation, Leto clapped him on the shoulder. Should I feel sorry for them? I think not." Unswayed, she said, "In their pride, the people of Ix have broken the Law, and they have paid for it. On my honor and my word - there was no choice." "Is your wife's leg better, Jerrik? Did you finish the roof on your smoke shed, Dom?" Rhombur watched Leto treat these people as friends while they loaded the gear. Servants packed them a lunch while three mariner assistants checked all the onboard systems in preparation for a day-long voyage. "It's about time you started to earn your keep around here." We can dive without air tanks." He slapped Rhombur on the back. Then we can go diving." He opened a compartment and withdrew a sack and a small spatulaknife for each of them. "We'll anchor about half a kilometer away so we don't risk ripping open the hull. That choice will cost you and our House dearly." "You're the one who has made a choice here, Paulus. She lashed out at him with such vehemence that Leto took a silent step backward in surprise out in the shadowy hall. Unsettled, Leto crept away, his question forgotten, without waiting to see how soon they extinguished the lights. "Now it's my turn to show you around Caladan." "A perfect day," Leto said, realizing that his friend was homesick for the lost underground city of Vernii, probably tired of too much weather. The ocean spread out like a blue-green prairie, curving off to the distant horizon. THE NEXT DAY, a calm and sunny morning, Leto stood next to Rhombur at an open window, admiring the quays at the base of the promontory.
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