For all its plumpness, Damodara’s hand moved like a lizard on a hot rock snatching an insect. The emerald disappeared into his own tunic. Sternly: “These counterfeiters! Shameless criminals! I shall report this latest outrage to the appropriate bureau in Kausambi upon my return.” Again, the waving hand. “Whichever it is. I believe the Ranabhandagaradhikara’s office in the treasury handles counterfeiting. Perhaps the police Bhukti. One of those small departments, buried somewhere in the Grand Palace. Staffed by somnolent dullards.”
The Rajput King’s protest was cut short.
“It is done, Rana Sanga! Finished. That is all.”
He rose. Sanga rose with him. The short Malwa commander stared up at the Rajput. He did not flinch in the least from the taller man’s anger.
“My name is Lord Damodara,” he said softly. “And I have reached my conclusion.”
Still without moving his eyes from Sanga’s hot gaze, Damodara leaned over and scooped up another pastry. Popped it in his mouth.
“These are truly excellent,” he mumbled. “Please give my compliments to your baker.”
Sanga was still glaring. Damodara sighed.
“Rana Sanga, so far as Malwa is concerned, the truth is clear. Belisarius escaped—with his men—to the south. The royal couriers who were to have alerted the port garrisons were all ambushed along the way by savage Maratha brigands. So the wicked foreign general and his accomplices were able to make their escape on an Axumite ship waiting in the harbor. By predesign, undoubtedly. We have—had—a clear description of one of those accomplices from a naval officer who failed to stop the ship. A vivid description.” Coldly: “For his failure to capture that ship, the naval officer has been executed. Along with the commander of Bharakuccha’s garrison.”
Sanga snorted. Damodara, expressionless:
“Impaled, both of them. At Lord Venandakatra’s command, as soon as the Goptri arrived in Bharakuccha.”
Damodara, his face as blank as ice:
“Upon my return, upon my demand, the officer in charge of the unit from which the Ye-tai murderer deserted will also be executed. For dereliction of his duty.”
He looked away. “I will not demand impalement. Beheading will suffice.”
Sanga’s face twisted.
Damodara murmured, “It has been done, and it will be done. Do not make those—sacrifices—vain exercises in murder, Rana Sanga. Please. Let it be.”
He laid a hand on Sanga’s arm.
“Now, I have news myself. I have been appointed head of the northern army for the upcoming Persian campaign. Lord Jivita, of course, will be in overall command.”
The Rajput glanced at him, stonily. Looked away.
“I have requested—and my request has been approved—that most of the Rajput forces be assigned to my army. You—and your cavalry—in particular.”
Now, Sanga’s eyes came back. Fixed.
Damodara’s lips quirked. “My official argument was that my army will be operating, more than any other, in broken country. Hence—so I argued—I require the bulk of our best cavalry units.” He shrugged. “The argument is valid enough, of course. And it spared me the embarassment of explaining to Lord Jivita that I do not share his faith in the invincibility of gunpowder. Personally, I want good Rajput steel guarding my flanks, on the backs of good Rajput steeds.”
Sanga almost smiled. Not quite.
Damodara’s hand gave Sanga’s arm a little shake. “I need you, Rana Sanga. Alive, healthy, and in command of your troops.” He dropped the hand and turned away. “I will leave now. I have kept you from your family long enough.”
Rana Sanga escorted Damodara all the way to the courtyard. As he waited for his horse to be brought around, Damodara murmured his last words:
“Do not fret over Belisarius’ escape, Rana Sanga. Let it go. Leave it be. We will be seeing him again, anyway. Soon enough—too soon, for my taste. Of that I am as sure as the sunrise.”
“So am I,” muttered Sanga, after Damodara left. “As sure as the sunrise.” A rueful smile came to his face. “But, unfortunately, not as predictable.”
He turned back to his home. His wife and children were already rushing out the door, arms spread wide. All other emotions vanished, beyond simple joy in their loving embrace.
A week later, on his way back to Kausambi, Lord Damodara and his escort came to the Jamuna River.