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ting for him； because he was looking at Mark as if he had been expecting him and no one else。
The man on the bench was pactly built； of indeterminate age； and wrapped in a gray cloak of quiet but now somewhat dusty elegance。 His face； Mark thought； was quite calm and also quite ordinary； and he sat there almost meekly； unarmed but with a long empty scabbard at his belt。
Coinspinner pointed straight at the man。 Then the Sword seemed to leap and twist in Mark's hand； and he could not retain his hold upon it。 The man on the bench had done nothing at all that Mark could see； but the Sword of Chance was no longer in Mark's grip； and the scabbard at the Emperor's side was no longer empty。
Even apart from Coinspinner's evidence； Mark had not the least doubt of who he was facing。 He had heard descriptions。 He had heard enough to make him wonder if； in spite of himself； he might be awed when this moment came。 But in fact the first emotion that Mark felt was anger； and his first words expressed it。 They came in a voice that trembled a little with his resentment； and it was not even the taking of the Sword that made him angry。
〃You are my father。 So my mother has told me。〃
The Emperor gave no sign of feeling any anger in response to Mark's。 He only looked Mark up and down and smiled a little； as if he were basically pleased with what he saw。 Then he said： 〃She told you truly； Mark。 You are my son。〃
〃Return my Sword。 I need it； and my troops need me。〃
〃Presently； they are managing without you at the moment。〃
Mark started to get down from his riding beast； meaning to confront the other even more closely。 But at the last moment he decided to hold on to whatever advantage remaining mounted might afford him … even though he suspected that would be none at all。
He accused the seated man again。 〃It was a long time afterward； my mother said； before she realized who you really were。 Not until after I was born。 You were masked； when you took her。 For a while she thought you were Duke Fraktin； that bastard。 Playing tricks； like a。。。 why did you do that to her？ And to my father？〃
Mark heard his own voice quiver on the last word。 Somehow the accusation had ended more weakly than it had begun。
The Emperor answered him steadily。 〃I did it； I took her as you say； because I wanted to bring you into being。〃
〃I。。。〃 It was difficult to find the right words； properly angry and forceful； to answer that。
The man on the bench added： 〃You are one of my many children； Mark。 The Imperial blood flows in your veins。〃
Again Mark's injured riding beast began to give him trouble； turning restively this way and that。 He worked to control it； and told himself that if only he had his Sword he would have turned his back on this man and ridden away； gone back to join the fight。 But his Sword was gone。 And now as soon as the animal looked directly at the Emperor it quieted。 It stood still； facing the man on the bench and trembling faintly。
And is it going to be the same with me？ Will I be pacified so easily？ Mark wondered。 Already his intended fury at this man was weakening。
Mark said； 〃I have been thinking about that； too。 The Imperial blood。 If I have it； what does that mean？〃
The Emperor stood up slowly。 There was still nothing physically impressive or even distinctive about him。 He was neither remarkably tall nor short； and； to Mark's dull senses at least； he radiated no aura of magic。 As he walked the few paces to stand beside Mark's trembling mount； he drew Coinspinner and casually handed it up to Mark； hilt first。 〃You will need this； as you say；〃 he remarked； as if in an aside。
And then； as Mark almost dazedly accepted the Sword； the Emperor answered his question。 〃It means； for one thing； that you have the ordering of demons。 More precisely； the ability to order them away； to cast them out。 What words； what particular incantation you employ to do so matters little。〃
Mark slid Coinspinner back into the sheath at his own side。 Now he was free to turn and ride away。 But he did not。 〃The demons； yes。。。 tell me。 There was a girl named Ariane； who was with me once in the Blue Temple dungeon。 Who saved me from a demon there。 Was she。。？〃
〃Another of my children。 Yes。 Did she not once think that she recognized you as a brother？〃
〃She did。 Yes。〃 Now even weak anger was ebbing swiftly； could not be called anger any longer。 Now it had departed。 Leaving。。。 what？
Again the Emperor was smiling at him faintly； proudly。 〃You are a fit husband； Mark； for any Queen on Earth … or any Princess either。 I think you are too good for most of them … but then I may be prejudiced。 Fathers tend to be。〃 The man in gray stood holding on to Mark's stirrup now； and squinting up at him。 〃There's something else； isn't there？ What else are you trying to ask me？〃
Mark blurted out a jumble of words； more or less connected with the memorized version of Princess Kristin's formal request for an alliance。
〃Yes； that's what she sent you after me to do； isn't it？ Well； I have a reputation as a prankster； but I can be serious。 Tell the Princess； when you see her； that she has an alliance with me as long as she wants it。〃
There had been another alliance that Mark had meant to ask for。 But it was too late now。 〃Sir Andrew has just been killed。〃
〃I know that。〃
The calmness in the Emperor's voice seemed inhuman。 Suddenly Mark's anger was not dead after all。 〃He died not half a kilometer from here。 If you would be our ally； why aren't you fighting harder on our side？ Doing more？〃
His father … it was suddenly possible now to think of this man also in those terms … was not surprised by the reproach； or perturbed either。 He let go the stirrup； and stroked the riding beast's injured neck。 Mark thought he saw； though afterward he was not sure； one of the small wounds there wiped away as if it had been no more than a dead leaf fallen on the skin。 Mark's newly acceptable father said； 〃When you are as old as I am； my son； and able to understand as much； then you can intelligently criticize the way I am behaving now。〃
The Emperor stretched himself； a weary movement； then moved back a step and looked around。 〃I think this present skirmish at least is yours。 One day you and I will have a long time to talk。 But not just now。 Now that you have pleted your mission for the Princess； I would advise you to get your remaining people to Tashigang； and quickly inside the walls。 And warn the people in the city； if they do not already realize it； that an attack is imminent。〃
〃I will。〃 Mark heard himself accepting orders from this man； the same man he had sought for days； meaning to confront in accusation。 But this change was riot like that brought about by the Mindsword's hideous warping pressure。 This inward change； this decision； was his own； for all that it surprised him。
His revitalized mount was already carrying him away。 His father waved after him and called： 〃And you can give them this encouraging news as well … Rostov is bringing the Tasavaltan army to their aid！〃
Chapter 13
The little column of refugees was posed for the most part of cumbersome carts and loadbeasts； and for several days it had been moving with a nightmarish slowness o