Laella's question was in her eyes. She was always troubled when he arrivedhome off schedule. "They dismissed us early. Because of the new governorcoming in. Only have to work a half day tomorrow. They expect the wholeHerodian colony to have to assemble for speeches by General Cado and the newgovernor. His name is Sullo, I think."
"Why do they waste the time?" Raheb wanted to know.
"What?"
"Somebody's just going to kill him. They always do."
Startled, Aaron realized she was right. Eight civil governors in six years.
They killed them off within a few months every time. Qushmarrah spent moretime awaiting the arrival of new civil governors than she did being ruled by them.
He shrugged. That was a trouble for the Herodians. He squeezed Arif. The boysquealed. Aaron took a few steps. Stafa clung to his leg and giggled andproclaimed, "We've got you now, long-legged demon!"
"Decorum!" Aaron laughed. "What we need around this house is a little decorumand discipline."
Arif laughed and hugged his neck. Stafa repeated, "We got you now, long-leggeddemon." But Aaron's remark did not go over well elsewhere. Raheb grumbledsarcastic agreement. Mish's eyes sparked with rebellion. She muttered toherself. Laella looked put upon.
"Problem?"
Mish surprised him by answering. "Mother thinks I was flirting with a Dartarsoldier." She spoke each word almost as a separate sentence and loaded everyone with the infinite, weary exasperation of the very young.
"That's enough of that, Mish," Laella said. "Mother! We've been through italready."
"Dartar?" Aaron asked.
"You should've seen, Dad," Arif said. "There were hundreds of them. Thousands.
With camels and everything."
Stafa said, "Forty-three," which was his favorite number of the week and meanta lot instead of any specific number.
"Dartars? What is this?"
"They came this morning," Laella said. "A hundred. Maybe a few more. They putmen outside all the entrances to the maze and then they went in. They tookprisoners."
Raheb said, "And about time that cesspit was cleaned, too. Maybe those Dartarmaggots are good for something, after all."
Which led Mish to a caustic remark. Her mother responded. Laella snapped,
"That's enough of that! You're both old enough to know better." She pinchedher temples between thumb and forefinger. "I'm yelling at my mother and sisterlike they were kids squabbling."
"You need to get out. Let's go for a walk. Up to the Parrot's Beak."
"I haven't done the marketing yet. It was too rowdy out there while theDartars were here."
"Never mind. We'll manage. What happened to the Dartars?"
"After they were here a few hours messengers came and they all went awayagain."
"Probably because of the new governor. Come on. Let's go walk."
She saw it was important to him, so she collected her shawl.
"I want to go, Dad."
"Me, too." Stafa still clung to his leg, grinning, stubborn as a barnacle. Hedeposited Arif on the floor.
"You boys stay with Nana."
"Aw, that's not fair. You don't never let me ..."
"Yeah, you long-legged creep. I hate you."
Aaron rolled his eyes toward heaven. "Let's sell them both to the Turoks." TheTuroks were nomads who ranged south of the Takes, reputedly so ferocious eventhe Dartars feared them. Turoks seldom visited Qushmarrah. The only TuroksAaron had seen he'd been unable to distinguish from Dartars.
Selling the children to the Turoks was a family joke. Laella completed theritual. "The Turoks wouldn't take them. They're too mean. You boys behave forNana. Mish, you can make mountain bread. There're beans soaking in the crock.
There's cheese. There're odds and ends. Put something together."
Mish put on her martyr's disguise, filled the house with her agonizedadolescent sighs.
Raheb shook her head in disgust and took herself back outside to abort asquabble provoked by proximity.
"Are you going?" Laella asked, Aaron suspected more sharply than she intended.
"I still have this grinning goiter on my shin."
Stafa giggled.
Laella peeled him off amidst a one-child chorus of hate-you-moms and depositedhim amongst blocks Aaron had made from scraps from the shipyard. Arif observedsourly. Aaron hugged him. Laella twisted her shawl around her head and acrossher face and followed Aaron into the street. She said, "Give me time to relax.
Mom and Mish have been at it all morning."
He grunted. He had no intention of saying anything till he had relaxedhimself. In some way.
They did not exchange a word all the way to the Parrot's Beak.
The acropolis was crowded. The parade for the new governor was still breakingup, with soldiers moving back to their barracks or garrisons or duty stations.
They moved through the traffic and found a place in the shade of the Beak.
They settled. They remained silent. The breeze tugged at their hair andclothing. Clouds banking beyond the Brothers suggested some rain moving inlater.
Laella waited.
"I want to tell you about something. I don't really want to talk about it. Idon't want to answer a lot of questions." The trouble with talking with Laella was that she always asked a thousand questions that had nothing to do withanything, about half of them vaguely accusatory. Interposed would be two orthree questions that were too much to the point.