The Silver Sparrow

My Grand Design

"What do you think about Khodi?" Nazir asked on their way back from dinner with the chief of the northern camp, looking straight at the large moon that hung low on the horizon with an expression Hasheem found impossible to read. He was referring to the chief's firstborn son who'd joined them at dinner that night.

The meal, as casual as it had seemed, had definitely been held for several purposes. A good relationship with the chief of each camp was crucial in keeping peace within the kha'gan. To the chief, it offered a chance to introduce his sons and other family members to the next kha'a. To Nazir, it allowed him to check on any problem each camp may have to address them. That, and whatever purpose he'd had in mind to have brought Hasheem along. That purpose was about to be revealed to him now with this initialization of a rather dangerous question.

Where he came from, having the wrong opinion of someone could kill you.

"He seems very brave and honorable," Hasheem replied, thinking of the young man who'd appeared every bit a perfect representation of what a White Warrior should be, right down to the missing wrinkles on his zikh.

"He is," Nazir said. "But what do you really think of him?"

Hasheem resisted the urge to sigh at that. There seemed to be no way to step around this man when he wanted answers. "That would depend," he said, half stalling for time to decide how to respond, and half trying to read where Nazir was going with this.

"On what?"

"On why you need to know." Opinions changed under different circumstances. It was all a matter of perspective, and until he knew Nazir's motive, it wasn't considered safe to offer his freely.

Hasheem half expected a retort of some sort for his response. As khumar, it was likely and perfectly within his power to not explain himself. People in power rarely did. Nazir's thoughtful silence surprised him, so was the nod of agreement that followed.

"I will need my own council when I become kha'a," he replied easily, looking out to the horizon where the lights from the main camp could now be seen a short distance away. Nazir reined in his stallion at the sight, falling into step with Hasheem's mount that had been following close behind.

The reply unsettled him. It was a piece of information Hasheem wasn't supposed to know, a big piece for that matter. Nazir was already looking for figures to fill his future council using these casual dinners and late night drinking as an opportunity to measure his men. He was making plans, setting up the pieces on the doji board in preparation. Things were going to change quickly and substantially around camp should one word of it get out that he was already looking for candidates for his future council. No one would have guessed that he was already doing this. The kha'a was still in his prime and Nazir was still young, too young to be thinking of such things.

Unless, of course, he knew something they didn't. A disturbing thought, that, and one Hasheem preferred not to put to question.

"In which case," he said, wondering whether he should be impressed at how competent this young khumar was or be more afraid of him, "the man is arrogant and a fool who should never be allowed to handle big decisions." It was a big leap of faith he was taking, but not any bigger than what Nazir had just done by telling him his plans. It only seemed fair.

The corner of Nazir's lips lifted into a grin. "Out of curiosity, why?"

Hasheem smiled at the question he'd guessed would follow. Asking why was a sign of intelligence, and he had come to know how well equipped Nazir was in that department. "He took too much space at the table and adjusted the zikh one too many times. Only an arrogant fool would care more about his appearance than the fact that you'd actually brought me along as an opening for him to make a move." Or as bait, for that matter. "The younger brother, however, is a different story. That one would make a good strategist. If you want my opinion."