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Tuan looked up, startled.
Inside the cave, Gwen shrugged. “He is, in all truth—and Catharine’s an empress.”
“Sure,” Rod agreed. “It just hadn’t hit him before.”
A thunderous cheer split the air.
“I’d wager Yorick hath but now told them that he will rule as viceroy,” Brom said drily.
Rod nodded. “Logical guess.”
There was a pause, and they could hear Yorick’s stage whisper: “A speech might be appropriate, my liege.”
The pause lengthened; then Tuan cried out, “I am thy new ruler!” and Yorick bellowed the translation.
The crowd cheered again.
“Now they know it won’t be a real conquest,” Rod murmured.
Tuan went on, with frequent pauses for translation. “I am thy new ruler and will never forsake thee. Yet, since I ca
“He does it well, don’t you think?” Rod said softly.
Brom and Gwen nodded. “He ever hath,” said the dwarf. “Yet wilt thou, I wonder?”
Rod frowned. “What do you mean? I don’t have to do any speechifying!”
“Nay,” Brom agreed, “but thou’lt now have to be the mainstay of two nations, the power behind two thrones.”
“Oh.” Rod’s mouth tightened. “Yeah, I know what you mean. But honestly, Brom, I don’t know if I can handle all that.”
“Aye,” Gwen sympathized. “The two lands are more than thirty leagues apart!”
“I know,” Rod said heavily. “And I can’t be in two places at the same time, can I?”