perfume from lands above the sand sea. A white wrap around his head and under his chin, thin enough that I could see his skin. A white gown with a pattern of the millet plant, and over that a coat, coffee dark.
“Where is the girl?” I asked.
“Down some street, annoying some woman, because clothes remain something that fascinates her. Truly, old friend, she never ever seen the like,” Sogolon said.
The man nodded before I realized she was not speaking to me. He took a puff of his pipe, then handed it to her. The smoke from her mouth I would have taken for a cloud, it was so thick. She had drawn six runes in the dirt with a stick and was scratching a seventh.
“And how is the Tracker managing Kongor?” he asked, though he still did not look at me. I thought he was speaking to Sogolon in that rude way men who are rich and powerful can speak about you right in front of you. Too early in the day to make men test you, I said to myself.
“He not one for the Kongori custom to cover his snake,” Sogolon said.
“Indeed. They whipped a woman … seven days ago? No, eight, it was. They found her leaving the house of a man not her husband without her outer robes.”
“What did they do with the man?” I said.
“What?”
“The man, was he whipped as well?”
The man looked at me as if I had just spoken in one of the river tongues even I don’t know.
“When do we go to the house?” I said to Sogolon.
“You didn’t go last night?”
“Not to Fumanguru’s.”
She turned away from me, but I would not be flashed off by these two.
“This grand peace is walking on a crocodile’s back, Sogolon. Is not just Kongor and is not just Seven Wings. Men who don’t fight since the Prince was just born are getting word that they must reach for armour and weapon, and assemble. Seven Wings assemble in Mitu as well, and other warriors under other names. The Malakal you left, and the Uwomowomowomowo valley, both now gleam from the iron and gold of armour, spear, and sword,” the man said.
“And ambassadors roam each city. Sweat not from heat but from worry,” she said.
“This I know. Five days ago four men from Weme Witu come for talks, for all come to Kongor to settle disputes. Nobody see them since.”
“What they disputing?”
“What they dispute? Not like you to get deaf ears to the movement of people.”
She laughed.
“Here is a true thing. Years before this skinny boy’s mother spread her koo to piss him out, right before they mark the peace on paper and iron, the South retreat back to the South.”
“Yes, yes, yes. They retreat south, but not full south,” Sogolon said.
“The old Kwash Netu give them back a bone. Wakadishu after conquering it.”
“I was just in Kalindar and Wakadishu.”
“But Wakadishu never liked that arrangement, not at all. They say Kwash Netu betray them, he sell them back to slavery under the southern King. They been bawling for years upon years and this new King—”
“Kwash Dara looking like he hear,” she said.
“And all this movement up north making the South rumble. Sogolon, word be that the mad King’s head is again infected with devils.”
This was annoying me more and more. Both were saying things the other already knew. Not even discussing, or reasoning or arguing or repeating, but finishing each other’s thoughts, like they were talking to each other but still not to me.
“Earth and sky already hear enough,” Sogolon said.
“You talk of kings and wars and rumors of war as if anybody cares. You’re just a witch, here to find a boy. As is everybody, except him,” I said, pointing to the lord. “Does he even know why we’re under his roof? See, I too can talk around a man as if he’s not there.”
“You said he have a nose, not a mouth,” the lord said.
“We waste time talking about politics,” I said, and walked past them inside.
“No one speaks to you,” Sogolon said, but I did not turn back.
Upstairs one floor, the Leopard came towards me. I couldn’t read his face, but this was a long time coming. So let us have it out, with words or fists or knives and claws, and whoever is left let him have at the boy, you to fuck him, me to beat him with a shit stick, and send him right back to whatever thing shat him out. Yes,