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 cannot abide here with thee, I give to you a viceroy to rule in my stead. Thou hast called thyselves the People of the Kobold… and did worship a goblin… calling it thy god. This god was false… and the mark of it was… that it demanded thy worship, which should go to the One True Unseen God only. I shall not demand such worship… only fealty and loyalty. An thou wilt be loyal to me and my viceroy, I shall be true to thee.”

“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?”