Titans of Chaos

There was another eye-wrenching distortion, like a heat shimmer, and I could see HeadmasterBoggin standing beside the throne. He was wearing a flowing garment like a tunic, but backless toallow for his wide red wings, and his unbound tresses of fine rose red brushed his shoulders. Onlythe breadth of those shoulders and the thickness of his chest saved his appearance fromgirlishness. His shins and feet were bare, and I saw the green stone, jade-hued like Vanity's,winking on his toe.

With a whirl of wings, he jumped into the air and caught the falling flag before it touched down.

He landed and bowed to Mavors, and returned to his spot by the side of the throne.

"Why did you do that?" I asked Mavors.

He raised an eyebrow and glanced at Boggin, whose expression was mild and unreadable. Maybemost people on their hands and knees in the dirt before him did not ask curt questions. Lookingback to me, Mavors said, "I did not want your colors to touch the soil."

"Then you are a man of honor," I said.

"No farther than is practical," he allowed, with a slight inclination of his head. By this he meantthat dirtying my banner would have (in his eyes) obligated me to fight until I died.

I drew in a shivering breath. "And so you will understand why I must stand up, even if you kill mefor it."

Did I mention that I was scared? The hair inside my cap was lank with sweat, and my jacket feltclose. Even my scarf was strangling me. The knowledge that he had vowed to protect us childrendid not seem like a very solid comfort when I was looking in his eyes, and trying to find thestrength in my knees.

I expected the eyes of a murderer, pitiless and cold. Instead, his eyes were old with sorrow, wiseand ancient as winter. They were the eyes of a veteran, weary of war, but still iron-hard. Hewanted to go home, put down his red-hot sword, throw his heavy helm aside, and lay his head inthe lap of the glancing-eyed love-goddess.

And I was the obstacle in his way.

He let me get to my feet alive. That was something, at least.

Mavors spoke. "Your presence on my dead, war-slain world is unexpected. I can make no sense ofit. Why come here?"

I just shrugged, and said nothing. If he didn't understand, it wasn't my place to explain it to him.