The Lake of Sorrows Read Online Free PDF Page B

Hanged? Put to the stake? Only the men? Thousands! And that is not counting the ones I had to order tortured.”
    He changed the subject abruptly again. “How much do you want for your pearls?”
    “Nothing. Nothing at all my Pasha. I offer them to you as a gift. And I will fetch you more. I want nothing more than your highness’ favor.” The merchant bowed again and again, his voice reedy and his eyes filling with tears.

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IX
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    “I have learned a new way to trade for jewels, one I think I shall enjoy often.”
    Alhi settled back on his divan, letting out a slight groan.
    Eminee, who was spending a rare evening alone with her husband in his private quarters, looked up from the worry-beads chainlet she was making. “Shall I have the servants fetch some more pillows.”
    “Peace, woman. It is just a touch of soreness after today’s hunt.”
    “Or the many nights spent on the slopes of the Kelcyre mountains?” She caught the flash of pricked pride almost before he felt it himself, and hastened to add a touch of honey. “While your enemies slept well and late and lost the morning’s battle because you surprised them.”
    He shifted again, then sighed contentedly, puffing his richly decorated
chibouki
pipe. “I was the first to see our prey, and the one who eventually brought it down. It is just that silly, gaudy saddle I have to use, because everything about a Pasha has to be so damned … impressive. I never had any pains from riding with my father’s old saddle, you know.”
    “You might get a few raised eyebrows if you used it now, my mighty Pasha husband.” Eminee chuckled with proper deference and returned her attention to the chainlet. For a time, Alhi watched her in silence. Two births past the elegance and allure of the woman he had married, and her black hair streaked with as much grey as his beard, the lady Eminee might no longer be a ravishing beauty - but whenever he looked at her hawk-like face, he would still feel as much at peace as a man like him was capable of feeling.
    He sighed again, reaching for small table beside him, laden with fresh fruit and sweet
halva
confections. “The tortures one must suffer for greatness!” He picked a butternut confection studded with pistachios and popped it into his mouth. “But at least I learned another way of hunting yesterday. And one does not even need a horse.”
    “Yes, I heard about your bartering with the Venetian merchant.”
    “He is no Venetian, my love, he is a man of Yannina. He just trades out of Venice instead of out of here. A kind of insult, really. To Yannina, and to me.”
    Eminee weighed her words carefully. “He is not the only one, my love.”
    “All the more reason to make an example of one of them. The Vassiliou house still trades out of Yannina.”
    “For now, yes. But it is said that the old Vassiliou spent most of his younger life at sea or in Italy. And his son has been doing the same ever since he inherited the business. He may yet move to Venice, too. If he goes, who will stay?”
    “Exactly, my dear wife. They need to be brought to heel, before they ruin my city.” Alhi was flicking the
chibouki’s
long stem as if it were a riding-whip. “My little game with that Levandinos fellow was not just an idle pleasure. I wanted to teach him a lesson, and got one for myself thrown into the bargain.” Alhi chuckled, reliving his victory. “A word or two about hanged men, about tortures, and then ‘All I want is your grace’s favor’. And the coward ran away like a rabbit, but he will come back like a well-beaten dog.”
    “I wonder how you can live like that.” Eminee took care to speak casually, keeping her eyes on her handiwork.
    “You speak as if it was something to be endured and not savored.” He picked another
halva
, this time one with almonds.
    “Without love? Breaking men to make them grovel. Never winning a heart to make it give? Instead of just tearing it out when it pleases you.”
    Alhi considered