He nodded at Rana Sanga. “And you, King of Rajputana, will serve as my only bodyguard at the parley itself. That should be enough, I think, to protect me against foul play—and will be enough, I am certain, to assure Belisarius that he has nothing to fear. Not once he has your word of honor, whatever he thinks of my own.”
The frown faded, somewhat, from Sanga’s brow. But the quick glance which the Rajput king gave Narses still carried a lurking suspicion.
Damodara chuckled again. “Have no fear, Rana Sanga. Narses won’t be within miles of the place.”
“Not likely!” snorted the eunuch.
* * *
A week later, Damodara’s dispatch rider returned with Belisarius’ response.
“The Roman general wrote it out himself,” the Rajput said, as he handed over the sealed sheet. The man seemed a bit puzzled. Or, perhaps, a bit in awe. “He didn’t even hesitate, Lord Damodara. He wrote the reply as soon as he finished reading your message. I watched him do it.”
Damodara broke the seal and began reading. He was surprised, but not much, to see that Belisarius’ message was written in perfect Hindi.
When he finished, Damodara laughed.
“What’s so amusing?” asked Narses.
“Did he agree?” asked Rana Sanga.
Damodara waved the letter. “Yes, he agreed. He says we can pick the location, and the time. As long as Rana Sanga is there, he says, he has no concerns about treachery.”
The Rajput’s face was stiff as a board. Damodara smiled, knowing how deeply Sanga was hiding his surge of pride.
He transferred the smile to Narses.
“As for the amusement—Belisarius did add a stipulation, Narses. He insists that you must be at the parley also.”
The eunuch’s face almost disappeared in a mass of wrinkles. Damodara’s smile became an outright grin. The Roman traitor, in that moment, was not even trying to hide his own emotions. That great frown exuded suspicion, the way a glacier exudes chilliness.
“Why me?” demanded Narses.
Damodara shrugged. “I have no idea. You can add that to your list of unanswered questions.”
Chapter 20
ADULIS
Summer, 532 a.d.
Seated on his throne, in what had been the viceroy’s audience hall at Sana, Eon stared down at the crowd. Other than the dozen or so sarwen standing guard against the walls, and his immediate advisers—Antonina, Garmat and Ousanas—the people who packed the large chamber were all Arabs. The Arabs were gathered in clusters. Each cluster consisted of several middle-aged or elderly men, a middle-aged woman serving as a chaperone, and—
“Christ in Heaven,” muttered Eon, “there’s a horde of them. Did every single Arab in Mecca bring his daughter?”
Garmat, standing at Eon’s left hand, whispered, “Don’t exaggerate, King. That’s not a horde of young women. Merely a large mob. As to your question—what did you expect? There are many tribes in the Hijaz, and each is comprised of several clans. They couldn’t agree on a single choice, so every one of those clans sent its favorite daughter.”
Eon’s jaw tightened. “This is no time for humor, old man. How am I supposed to choose one? Without offending the others?”
Garmat hesitated. From Eon’s other side, Ousanas whispered: “Have Antonina make the choice. She is from Rome. The Empire is very respected, but also very distant. The Arabs will accept her decision as being impartial.”
Standing next to Ousanas, Antonina’s eyes widened with startlement. Before she had time to register any protest, however, Garmat weighed in with his concurrence.
“That’s an excellent idea. And because she’s a woman, she can spend time alone with the girls before making her choice. That gives better odds of making a good selection than for you to just guess, looking at a sea of veils.”
Eon looked up at Antonina. Whatever protest she might have made died under the silent appeal in those young brown eyes. An appeal, she realized, which was as much personal as political. So soon after the loss of his two beloved concubines, Eon was in no mental state to select a wife.
She nodded. “If you wish, King of Kings. But I would like to have several days to make the decision. As Garmat said, I can spend the time getting acquainted with the girls.”