Dragonlord of the Savage Empire

The huge Aventine bathhouse, built to serve an entire city, was almost untouched. It stood on^ the edge of the forum, empty, unharmed by the looting because there was nothing in it to loot. The baths were dry, but the spring that served them had been diverted to form the city's water supply. Clean, fresh water nimbled from a pipe at the side of the bathhouse into the beginning of the ditch that had replaced the overloaded sewer system.

Lenardo led his train through the streets to the forum and then pointed. "Sweep it out, scrub it down. Where's Sandor? Set up an infirmary and start processing the sick and injured. Call me if you can't see what's wrong." "But my lord-"

"Give a mental shout-I'll be Reading." He turned to the cook and her staff, who were looking considerably sickened by the mess. "Those people the soldiers are rounding up are hungry. There's no food in the city, and we have our own to feed as well. No fireplaces in the baths-can you clear a place on the front steps and cook over an open fire?"

"Aye, my lord," said the woman who had volunteered to head his cooking staff, and set her people to hauling buckets of water to scrub down a section of the forum.

Once started, Lenardo found it easy enough to give orders. There was so much to be done. It was well after sunset when Cook descended on him with soup, bread, and cheese. He realized that he hadn't eaten all day.

As he sniffed the soup appreciatively, Cook said, "It's vegetable."

"I know," he replied, and she blushed. "Sorry, me lord. I forget. But I didn't forget you don't eat meat."

"You didn't make special soup just for me?" "Of course."

"With everything else you had to do today? Now, you mustn't do that again until we're settled and you're cooking just for me and my… household.'' "Yes, me lord." But she was distressed. "Thank you this time, Cook. The soup is delicious. If there's any left, I'll have it tomorrow, but no fussing over me. From now on, just bring me anything you have except meat."

Arkus found him still sitting on the steps outside the bathhouse, finishing the bread and cheese. "What shall we do with the prisoners, my lord?" "What prisoners?"

"Why, all these people. We've rounded up over a thousand. Where are we going to put them for the night?"

"Let them sleep wherever they've been sleeping until we can create some kind of order."

"But they'll hide again."

"They'll come out for breakfast."

"Not," replied Arkus, "when they know the flogging starts tomorrow."

"Flogging?" Lenardo exclaimed. "What are you talking about?"

"They're thieves, my lord. They've stolen and destroyed your property. You must punish them, and since you're not an Adept, you can't do what Drakonius did."

"No, I'm not Drakonius," Lenardo murmured, recalling with a shudder the time he had observed, powerless, the Adept torturing Galen.

"Well, even Drakonius couldn't handle all the punishments himself. We always flog most of them."

"Not any more, you don't. Arkus, have you looked into the infirmary? There are over a hundred sick and injured people in there. Sandor's exhausted, and now you would deliberately injure a thousand more?"

"Sandor wouldn't have to heal them, and they must be punished," Arkus insisted stubbornly. "Do you want your people to think they can steal from you any time they feel like it?"

"No, but look around. There is an incredible amount of work to be done. Make them do it."

"I don't understaqd."

"Greg and Vona must burn the rest of the bodies to keep disease from spreading. Let the prisoners scrub down the streets. Then they can rebuild the houses they destroyed."

He could Read Arkus' grim disappointment as the young officer said, "What's the matter with you? You can't rule if you act like a country grandmother over a little bloodshed."

"I've shed my share of blood, Arkus. You've seen me fight when I had to. But consider this: how eager would you be to flog someone if you felt every stroke on your own back?"

Arkus's disappointment turned to dismay. "It must be a whole different world for a Reader. Are you not tired, my lord?"

Tired of explaining that Reading did not use up physical energy the way Adept powers did, he simply said, "No, are you?"

"No, I've hardly used my talent today."

"Just to save my life," Lenardo reminded him. "Have you the strength to move some clouds before you sleep?"

"Of course. Let me set the guard first. You know, people still aren't going to come out tomorrow, because they'll be afraid of flogging."

"Arkus, will you stop worrying? I can find them."

"Yes, my lord!"

"And Arkus-"

"Yes, my lord?"

"There are far more than a thousand people in the city. I think the others will show themselves when they find out they'll be fed and not flogged."

That night Lenardo slept deeply and dreamlessly on a pallet on the marble floor. He had left Josa and Arkus to draw the cloud bank he had found toward Zendi. By morning it was raining, but not on the city. Moist breezes refreshed the workers, but the city streets remained dry.