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balcony window? I paid court to his wife. A pretty young thing she is, full-breasted and never happier than when on her back, legs spread.”
    “I do not appreciate coarse language,” I told him sternly, “especially when speaking of a lady.”
    “I shall bear that in mind, bard. Now, where was I? Oh, yes. I met her in the marketplace. She was looking at some Frankish jewelry. I spoke to her, and we struck up an instant friendship. One of the pleasures of life is striking up instant friendships with women. Anyway, I walked her to her home and noted, as a man will, that several large trees grew close to the south of the house, their branches touching the walls at many points. The house itself was stone-built. Not exactly a palace, but there were many ornate carvings in the stone. That evening I climbed into thehouse and found my way to her room. Her husband was absent. I woke her and declared—as one must—my undying love for her and enjoyed a fine night.”
    “You are in love with her?”
    “Did I say I was?”
    “That is what you told her.”
    He smiled and leaned back in his chair. “I see you are not a man of the world, bard. Have you never slept with a woman?”
    “That is a singularly intrusive and impertinent question,” I told him.
    “Then you have not. I see. Is it boys, then?”
    “It is not! How dare you?”
    “Oh, I am not criticizing, man. I was merely trying to ascertain your knowledge of affairs of the loins. There are rules, you see, governing all things. If you wish to bed a lady, you must first declare your love. If you wish to bed a peasant, you must first declare your wealth. You understand? Well, this one was a lady. So I told her I loved her.”
    “And she believed you?”
    “Of course. She wanted me in her bed. I knew that from the first moment in the marketplace.”
    “What happened?”
    He sighed. “Women play by different rules. She decided she wanted to run away with me, to live in some distant place where we could walk naked among the flowers or suchlike. In short, she became boring. So I left her.”
    “And then?”
    “It always happens. Her love turned to anger, and she told her husband about me. It is partly my fault—I should not have taken all her jewelry. But I had gambling debts, and anyway, I think I earned some reward for the pleasure I gave her.”
    “You stole her jewels? What kind of a man are you?”
    “I thought we had decided that question. I am a thief.”
    “It sounds to me as if you broke her heart.”
    “I never touched her heart,” he said with a chuckle. He stood and walked to the window, gazing out over the city. “This will not last long,” he whispered, his voice losing its lightness of tone.
    “What do you mean?”
    “Ziraccu is finished. The war will come here. Siege engineswill sunder the walls; armed troops will rampage through the streets.”
    “But this is not a battlefield,” I said.
    “The Ikenas have a new king. Edmund, the hammer of the Highlands, he calls himself. He says he will not rest until the northern kingdom is overcome. I believe he means it. And that will mean new rules of engagement.”
    “How so?”
    “A lot more death, bard,” he said cheerfully. “You can forget about set battles and ransomed knights. This Edmund believes in victory, and he’ll not stop until all his enemies are worm food. Mark my words. He’ll attack the cities and raze them. He’ll end the Angostin Wars once and for all. But I’ll not stay to see it. I have no wish to be trapped here like a rat in a pipe.”
    “Where will you go?”
    “Somewhere where the women are warm and the gold is plentiful.”
    “I wonder if there is such a place,” I said, forcing a smile. “But tell me, how did you know I received two gold coins as a reward?”
    “Bellin’s wife whispered it to me just after … but you don’t want to hear about that.”
    “His wife?”
    “Yes. Nice woman. Very open. But I’d love to have her and the daughter in the same