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Playing tricks； like a。。。 why did you do that to her？ And to my father？〃
Mark heard his own voice quiver on the last word。 Somehow the accusation had ended more weakly than it had begun。
The Emperor answered him steadily。 〃I did it； I took her as you say； because I wanted to bring you into being。〃
〃I。。。〃 It was difficult to find the right words； properly angry and forceful； to answer that。
The man on the bench added： 〃You are one of my many children； Mark。 The Imperial blood flows in your veins。〃
Again Mark's injured riding beast began to give him trouble； turning restively this way and that。 He worked to control it； and told himself that if only he had his Sword he would have turned his back on this man and ridden away； gone back to join the fight。 But his Sword was gone。 And now as soon as the animal looked directly at the Emperor it quieted。 It stood still； facing the man on the bench and trembling faintly。
And is it going to be the same with me？ Will I be pacified so easily？ Mark wondered。 Already his intended fury at this man was weakening。
Mark said； 〃I have been thinking about that； too。 The Imperial blood。 If I have it； what does that mean？〃
The Emperor stood up slowly。 There was still nothing physically impressive or even distinctive about him。 He was neither remarkably tall nor short； and； to Mark's dull senses at least； he radiated no aura of magic。 As he walked the few paces to stand beside Mark's trembling mount； he drew Coinspinner and casually handed it up to Mark； hilt first。 〃You will need this； as you say；〃 he remarked； as if in an aside。
And then； as Mark almost dazedly accepted the Sword； the Emperor answered his question。 〃It means； for one thing； that you have the ordering of demons。 More precisely； the ability to order them away； to cast them out。 What words； what particular incantation you employ to do so matters little。〃
Mark slid Coinspinner back into the sheath at his own side。 Now he was free to turn and ride away。 But he did not。 〃The demons； yes。。。 tell me。 There was a girl named Ariane； who was with me once in the Blue Temple dungeon。 Who saved me from a demon there。 Was she。。？〃
〃Another of my children。 Yes。 Did she not once think that she recognized you as a brother？〃
〃She did。 Yes。〃 Now even weak anger was ebbing swiftly； could not be called anger any longer。 Now it had departed。 Leaving。。。 what？
Again the Emperor was smiling at him faintly； proudly。 〃You are a fit husband； Mark； for any Queen on Earth … or any Princess either。 I think you are too good for most of them … but then I may be prejudiced。 Fathers tend to be。〃 The man in gray stood holding on to Mark's stirrup now； and squinting up at him。 〃There's something else； isn't there？ What else are you trying to ask me？〃
Mark blurted out a jumble of words； more or less connected with the memorized version of Princess Kristin's formal request for an alliance。
〃Yes； that's what she sent you after me to do； isn't it？ Well； I have a reputation as a prankster； but I can be serious。 Tell the Princess； when you see her； that she has an alliance with me as long as she wants it。〃
There had been another alliance that Mark had meant to ask for。 But it was too late now。 〃Sir Andrew has just been killed。〃
〃I know that。〃
The calmness in the Emperor's voice seemed inhuman。 Suddenly Mark's anger was not dead after all。 〃He died not half a kilometer from here。 If you would be our ally； why aren't you fighting harder on our side？ Doing more？〃
His father … it was suddenly possible now to think of this man also in those terms … was not surprised by the reproach； or perturbed either。 He let go the stirrup； and stroked the riding beast's injured neck。 Mark thought he saw； though afterward he was not sure； one of the small wounds there wiped away as if it had been no more than a dead leaf fallen on the skin。 Mark's newly acceptable father said； 〃When you are as old as I am； my son； and able to understand as much； then you can intelligently criticize the way I am behaving now。〃
The Emperor stretched himself； a weary movement； then moved back a step and looked around。 〃I think this present skirmish at least is yours。 One day you and I will have a long time to talk。 But not just now。 Now that you have pleted your mission for the Princess； I would advise you to get your remaining people to Tashigang； and quickly inside the walls。 And warn the people in the city； if they do not already realize it； that an attack is imminent。〃
〃I will。〃 Mark heard himself accepting orders from this man； the same man he had sought for days； meaning to confront in accusation。 But this change was riot like that brought about by the Mindsword's hideous warping pressure。 This inward change； this decision； was his own； for all that it surprised him。
His revitalized mount was already carrying him away。 His father waved after him and called： 〃And you can give them this encouraging news as well … Rostov is bringing the Tasavaltan army to their aid！〃
Chapter 13
The little column of refugees was posed for the most part of cumbersome carts and loadbeasts； and for several days it had been moving with a nightmarish slowness over the appalling roads。 Now and again it left the roads； where a bridge had been destroyed or the only roads ran in the wrong directions； to go trundling off across someone's neglected fields。 In this manner the train of carts and wagons had made its way toward Tashigang。 The people in the train； all of them villagers or peasants who had been poor even before the war started； were fearful of the Dark King's cavalry； and with good reason。 Behind them the land was death and ruin； under a leaden sky hazed at the horizon with the smoke of burning villages。 The wooden…wheeled carts groaned with their increasing burden of people who could walk no more； and of the poor belongings that the people were still stubbornly trying to keep。 The loadbeasts； in need of food and most of all of rest； uttered their own sounds of protest。
Riding in the second wagon were four people； a man named Birch and his wife Micheline； along with their two small children。 The man was driving at the moment； urging on their one loadbeast that pulled the wagon。 In general he kept up a running stream of encouraging ments； directed at the animal and at his family indiscriminately。 He was not getting too much in the way of answers。 His wife had said very little for several days now； and the children were too tired to speak。
Just now the train of wagons was ing to a place where the poor road dipped between hills that had once been wooded； to ford a small； muddy stream。 Most of the trees on the hills looked as if they might have been individually hacked at by a hundred axes； then pulled apart by a thousand arms； of people needing firewood or wood for other uses； quite likely someone's army had camped near here not long ago。
The little train of half a dozen wagons and carts now stopped at the ford。 All of the travelers wanted to let their animals drink； and the people who were not carrying fresher water with them in their vehicles drank from the stream too。 Birch and his family did not get out of their cart。 At this point they were not so much thirsty as simply dazed and exhausted。
While the pany of refugees was halted thus； a patrol of the Dark King's cavalry did indeed e into sight。 Those who were sitting in their wagons or standing beside them held their breath； watching fatalistically。 But the patrol was some distance off； and showed little interest in their poor pany。
They were greatly relieved。 But hardly had the cavalry ridden out of the way when one of the women stood up in her wagon screaming； and pointed in a different direction。
Over one of the nearby hills； studded with its broken trees like stubble on a tough chin； the head and shoulders of a god had just appeared。 There was more nearby smoke in the air in that direction； from some farm building on the other side of the hill burning perhaps； or it might have been a haystack or a woodpile smoldering； and the effect of seeing the god's figure through this haziness was somehow to suggest a truly gigantic figure kilometers away； moving about； at the distance of an ordinary horizon。
Birch； the man in the second cart； froze in his position on the driver's seat。 His wife； Micheline； who was sitting beside him had clamped a painful grip upon his arm； but he could not have moved in any case。 Behind them； peering out from where they had been tucked away amid furniture in the large two…wheeled cart； their two small children were frozen too。
Birch could tell at first glance that the mountainous…looking god ing over the hill was Mars。 He could make the identification at once by the great spear and helm and shield of the approaching being's equippage； even though the man had never before seen any deity and had not expected to see one now。
Mars was almost directly ahead of the people in their wagons； advancing toward them from almost the same direction that the train was headed。 And the War…god had certainly taken notice of them already； Birch thought for a moment that those distant eyes were looking directly into his own。 Now Mars； marching forward out of the smoke； appeared as no more