“So be it,” commanded Prelotta. He reached out both his arms and gave his hands a little forward flip, commanding his chieftains. “See to the thing! I want this column there by nightfall.”
They obeyed instantly. Strange he might be to his subordinates, in many ways, but Prelotta was a charismatic leader. Even Helga would admit as much, his stench notwithstanding.
When the chieftains were gone, the stench came nearer. A minute later, as the column lurched back into motion, Prelotta was riding next to Helga.
Instead of Adrian. That was surprising. Prelotta was always polite to her, even pleasant, but he normally didn’t pay much attention to her. As a rule, even among the chiefly class, the Southron tribesmen were easier going in their treatment of women than Vanberts—leaving aside the horrid practice of female circumcision—much less Emeralds or Islanders. But they still didn’t include women in their political or military councils, even if they weren’t kept secluded in their private homes the way noblewomen in civilized lands usually were.
“So tell me, Helga, what’s your opinion?” He had a sly little smile on his face. Helga thought it looked even more hideous than the grin. “Should I adopt the Vanbert or Emerald custom, when it comes to public bathing?”
Jesting, is it? She gave Adrian a sly smile of her own.
“Ha!” she barked. “You savages parade around in public all but naked anyway. So why in the name of the gods would you want to saddle yourself with that Emerald silliness? Separate the sexes in the baths? That means twice the number of baths—and twice the work.” With a sneer: “Only the damn Emeralds, who confuse simple arithmetic with ‘Mystic Number,’ would come up with such foolishness.”
Helga glanced at Adrian to see if she was getting a rise out of him.
Nope. Hard to do, that. Harder than with any man I’ve ever known.
Adrian was smiling also. “I agree, Prelotta. And the gods know I’d rather look at naked women than naked men. I’ve been in both, and Vanbert baths are just plain more interesting.”
Prelotta nodded, as solemnly as if they were discussing the fate of the world. Which, in a weird and twisted way, Helga realized, they might be.
“Done, then. I shall so instruct my people.” The solemnity was fleeting; the sly little smile was back. “And no doubt that will do much to reconcile my Vanbert subjects to their new status.”
Helga tried to picture a Vanbert public bath, men and women mixed together casually, crowded with virtuous matrons and . . .
Dammit, I’m going to giggle again.
Chapter 24
Two days later, Helga had no trouble at all to keep from giggling.
“The gods save us,” she muttered. From the top of the wagon where she was perched, she had a perfect view of the Confederate army. Tomsien might not have had her father’s flair for war, but he was an experienced and capable field commander. Even with a force as gigantic as this one, his Vanbert regulars were spreading out in the valley and taking up their positions smoothly and easily. It was more like watching a machine than men.
She turned her head toward Jessep, standing next to her. The ex-soldier looked as tight-faced as she suspected she did.
“Never seen it from this vantage point before,” said Yunkers softly. “Been in the middle of it, of course. Which, I can tell you, always gives a soldier a solid sort of feeling.”
Grimly, he watched the Confederate army continue its evolution. “From this perspective, though, it’s downright scary. If your man’s scheme doesn’t work the way he thinks it will . . .”
He left the rest unsaid. Confederate armies were almost always harsh toward defeated opponents, even civilized ones like the Emeralds. Toward barbarians—especially ones who had plundered the southern provinces as savagely as these had just done—they would be utterly merciless.
Granted, the infantry itself wouldn’t be able to butcher those who managed to flee the immediate area of the battle before being swept up. Confederate regulars would maintain their disciplined formations at all times, and, in the nature of things, a single man—especially if he’s mounted—can outrun a hundred moving together.