The mystic moved up beside her and did not disagree. ?Why do you dis-tinguish between this place and all of the others that have fallen before you?" he asked.
Brynn looked at him and smirked, well aware that he was testing and teaching her. With his typical distance, he was asking her the question so that she could ask it of herself, so that she could formulate her own answers.
"If I sack this place, then I will have to answer to those historians cen-turies hence," Brynn answered at length. ?They will speak of the To-gai in-surrection as a dark time, instead of the glorious time it truly is."
That answer brought a smile to Pagonel's lips. ?You are wondering how you will be viewed long from now, when you are dust."
"I wish to ensure that the To-gai-ru are not noted as savage barbarians."
"And once again, you show why you are a great leader, my friend," the mystic replied. ?There is more at stake here than the immediate freeing of your people. There comes with your actions a reputation that will follow the To-gai-ru for centuries."
'Then let them know us as fierce enemies," Brynn said grimly. ?But let them know us as decent and honest warriors."
"Which side of that description does the hanging of Yatol Grysh fall upon?"
The question stung, but Brynn steeled herself against those black wings of guilt, ?We will treat the Behrenese civilians with fairness - as much as is possible," she quickly added, seeing Pagonel's frown, for indeed, the re ports of rape and murder had followed the army through Dharyan and into Pruda. Brynn and those about her were working hard to minimize the cost to the civilians, but this was a tricky road to walk. Her warriors were out there, miles and miles from home, in fierce combat and likely to die, and most of them, like Brynn, had watched family members slaughtered by the invading Behrenese.
The conversation was interrupted then, as a small and wiry Behrenese man, dressed in the flowing white robes of a library scholar, came rushing out of the building, waggling a long and crooked finger at the pair.
"You leave it alone!" he cried, rushing forward to stand right before Brynn. ?Fight your battles as you will, but the Library of Pruda does not belong to you, or to any man... er, woman! This is a place of the ages, and for the ages, and - "
"Enough," Brynn interrupted. ?Your library will stand."
"Well, good enough then!" the fiery little scholar yelled back at her. ?Then just be on your way." He ended by waving them off with his hands, but neither Brynn nor Pagonel budged.
The mystic turned to Brynn, as did the scholar, looking to her to lead the way.
She stood there for a long while, chewing her lip, considering her options and weighing them carefully, then began to nod slowly. ?In conquering Pruda, I became the keeper of this library," she explained to Pagonel.
The little scholar scoffed. ?Chezru Chieftain Douan will have it back soon enough!" he declared.
Brynn called to some of her men nearby, motioning for them to join her. ?Empty the library," she instructed when they arrived. ?Clear it to its stone, and take everything from the city."
"What?" the scholar cried, hopping up and down frantically. ?You can-not! I will not have it!"
He finished abruptly, as Brynn's sword flashed out and thrust ahead, coming to a stop with its tip firmly against the man's throat.
"Be well aware that the hand you force holds a sword to your throat," she warned. ?Take care as to which direction you force it."
The scholar blanched and fell back a step, but Brynn paced him, keeping the sword tight against his throat.
"You will go and tell your fellows that they are to stay out of our way, and beware, any who hoard even a single parchment will suffer my wrath!"
"Barbarian!" the man squealed.
"Never forget that!" Brynn shouted back at him, her eyes going wide and wild, and with a yelp, the little scholar ran off.
r vnn sheathed her sword and turned back to Pagonel.
"T do believe that you would have killed him," the mystic remarked.
Rrynn only smiled and shrugged.
"I must enter the library before your warriors commence their work in f. I] Our friend over there" - he nodded toward Merwan Ma, who was off the side, sitting and with a pair of soldiers closely guarding him - "has hinted that there is something unusual going on in Jacintha, though I have