guards, six, who stood facing us. They all had two swords and one spear and showed their faces, which were all a dark black-blue. Their hands as well. And the people who moved about the great hall, even those covered in colourful robes, still had the darkest skin I have seen since the Leopard when he moved like a cat. Guards stood on our landing as well, two of them. I wanted to see the make of their swords. This hall had gold on every pillar, and running through the trim of every armour, but gold would have been a terrible metal for a sword. The hall floor sunk lower than our platform, but the throne floor rose the highest, a pyramid that was all imperial seat, with a ledge or step all around on which several women sat, and above them, the actual throne and the actual Queen.
Her skin, like her men, a black that came from the deepest blue. Her crown, like a gold bird had landed on her head and wrapped her wings around her face. Gold also lined her eyes and glimmered from a small spot on both lips. A vest of gold straps hung loose from her neck and her nipples peeked out when she leaned back.
“Listen to me now,” she said. Her voice was deeper than the hum of monks. “Rumors I already hear them. Rumors of men the colour of sand, some even the colour of milk, but I am Queen and I believe what I wish. So I did not believe they lived. But look at the one before us.” The Dolingon tongue sounded like Malakal’s. Sharp sounds spoken in the quick, and long sounds that linger on purpose. Mossi already furrowed his brow.
He nudged me. “What does she say?”
“You don’t speak the Dolingon tongue?”
“Certainly. A fat eunuch taught me at four. Of course I don’t speak it. What does she say?”
“She talks of men she has never seen. You. I am almost sure of it.”
“Should I call him sandman?” she said. “I shall call him sandman, for I find this a funny thing …. I did say I find this a funny thing.”
The entire hall broke into laughter, clapping, whistling, and shouts to the gods. She flashed a hand and they quit in a blink. She waved Mossi over, but he did not understand.
“Tracker, they laugh. Why do they laugh?”
“She just called you sand boy or sand person.”
“This amuses them?”
“Is he deaf? I had bid him come over,” the Queen said.
“Mossi, she speaks of you.”
“But she said nothing.”
“She is Queen, if she said she spoke, she spoke.”
“But she said nothing.”
“Fuck the gods. Go!”
“No.”
Two spears poked him in the back. The guards started walking and had Mossi not moved, their blades would have pierced his skin. They went down the steps of our platform, crossed the vast floor and the women, men, and beasts of the court, and stopped at the foot of the throne floor. She beckoned him to come up, and the two guards blocking the steps shifted away.
“Chancellor, you already go to more territories than they write in all the great books. Tell me, have you ever see such a man as this?”
A tall slender man with long and thin hair stepped out of the floor, to speak to the Queen. He bowed first.
“Most excellent Queen, many time and here is the thing. He—”
“How come you never purchase one for me?”
“Forgive me, my Queen.”
“Are men even lighter than this?”
“Yes, Most Magnificent.”
“How frightening, and how delicious.” Then, to Mossi, “What is your name?”
Mossi stared at her blankly, like he truly was deaf. Sogolon said he did not know their tongue.
A guard came forward and gave the chancellor Mossi’s sword. The chancellor looked at the blade, examined the handle, and said in Kongori tongue, “How come you by such a sword?”
“’Tis from a strange land,” Mossi said.
“Which land?”
“Home.”
“And that is not Kongor?”
The chancellor, facing the Queen, said to Mossi, “Clearly somebody did name you. What is it? The name, the name.”
“Mossi.”
“Hmm?”
“Mossi.”
“Hmm?”
The chancellor nodded and a spear poked Mossi’s side.
“Mossi, most excellent Queen,” Mossi said.
The chancellor repeated to the queen.
“Mossi? Just Mossi. Men like you fall from sky and just pick up names? Where do you hail, master Mossi? What house?” the chancellor asked.
“Mossi from the house of Azar, from the lands of the eastern light.”
Chancellor repeated in Dolingo tongue and the Queen bleated out a laugh.
“Why would a man east of the sea live in these lands? And what is this