and kissed his forehead. "Just rest. You're a brave person, Tavi, and you think about others more than yourself, when hard times come. Always remember who you are." She rose. "There are some visitors coming, but I don't want you to talk to them for very long. Drink your water and then get some more sleep. I'll bring up some food later this evening, when you're ready."
"Yes, ma'am," Tavi said. He watched her walk toward the door, and just before she left, he asked her, "Aunt Isana? Who is Araris Valerian?"
Isana stopped in the doorway, frowning. She drew a breath. "He... he was one of the royal guardsmen. One of Princeps Septimus's personal bodyguards. A famous swordsman."
"Did he die with the Princeps?"
She turned to face him and said, very quietly, very firmly, "Yes, Tavi. He died. Fifteen years ago. Do you understand?"
"But-"
"Tavi." Isana sighed. "I need you to trust me. Please, Tavi. Just for a little while."
He swallowed and nodded. "Yes, ma'am."
Isana smiled at him, wearily. "Here are your visitors. Remember, don't talk for too long."
She slipped out. A moment later, Doroga ducked his head to slip beneath the doorway and strode into the room. The huge Marat headman was dressed in his loincloth, together with a cloak with a mantle of thanadent feathers and a garish, pale red tunic. Aleran boots dangled in his belt, though his own feet were bare, and rings decorated every finger. His left arm was in a sling, swollen and discolored, but he seemed in good spirits and smiled at Tavi, moving to his bed and crushing his hand in a friendly, monstrous grip.
Behind him walked Kitai, scowling, dressed in a loincloth and wearing an Aleran tunic carelessly stained with food and dirt. Her long, pale hair had been pulled back into a neat braid, revealing the delicate curves of her cheekbones and neck.
"Well, young warrior," Doroga said. "I have paid you back for saving my whelp-"
"Daughter," Kitai interjected. "I am not a whelp anymore, father."
"Daughter," Doroga rumbled, with an expansive smile. "You saved my daughter, and I paid you back for it. But then you saved me as well. I find myself still in your debt."
"I didn't do anything," Tavi said.
"You shouted a warning to me, Tavi," Doroga said. "Without it, I would have died." He squeezed Tavi's shoulders, and Tavi briefly thought something was going to break again. "Thank you."
"But what I did was small. You're the one who did all the big things. You led a horde against another horde, sir. A horde of your own people."
"I set out to repay my debt to you," Doroga said. "Finish what you set out to do. It is part of being a man." Doroga smiled at him and rose. "Kitai."
Kitai scowled.
Doroga frowned at her.
Kitai rolled her eyes and snapped, to Tavi, "Thank you. For saving my life."
Tavi blinked mildly at her. "Um. Sure."
She narrowed her eyes. "Don't think I'm going to forget it, either."
Tavi thought that it sounded a great deal more like a threat than a promise. "Uh. No. I don't think that."
Kitai's scowl deepened, though something around her eyes softened at the words. "I am going to learn to ride a horse," she stated. "If it is all right with you."
Doroga rolled his eyes and sighed. Then said, "We should go. Your headman wants to thank me tomorrow, and Kitai should wash her tunic."
Kitai snapped, "Whelps wear tunics. It is foolish to make me wear this one. I don't like it, I don't want it. Why shouldn't I wear what the rest of the Marat women wear?"
"You want to walk around here naked like that?" Tavi demanded. "Are you crazy? Dress like a normal person while you're here."
Doroga abruptly smiled at Tavi, his face stretching into a broad grin. "Good. That is good."
Kitai folded her arms and shot Tavi a look that could have crumbled stones to dust. Tavi sank a bit under the sheets. Kitai made a sound of disgust and stalked out of the room.
Doroga broke into a rumbling laugh and ruffled Tavi's hair in a gesture
peculiarly like Uncle Bernard's. "Doomed, young warrior. Doomed. But her mother and I started off that way."
Tavi blinked. "What?"
"We will see one another again." Doroga turned to go.
"What?" Tavi said again. "Her mother what? Doroga, wait!"
Doroga didn't slow, rumbling out a low laugh as he left the room. "Remember what I said, Tavi. We will speak again."