An awkward silence ensued.
"Highness," interrupted Borla finally, "if I may speak of important matters pertaining to the camp. I have made my morning rounds. A foraging party was sent out, and has just returned with unfortunate news. Two of the men in their group departed from the main party to go off on their own in search of better fare. They were surprised and set upon by a most fearsome-looking creature with great saber-teeth. Both of them perished. Utterly torn asunder. Unfortunately," Borla concluded, "it seems that the hunters became the hunted, for their lack of vigilance."
He went on, "Nevertheless, they were only seeking provisions for the camp, and I gave permission for an honorable burial to be made."
"Ah, yes. Is not vigilance ever and anon, a most curiously wanting virtue?" pronounced Emperor Euphrates. "Well done, wise Borla."
"The wisdom of your judgements exceeds that of all men, Highness," Borla said in unthinking self-deprecation. "I also ordered a man to be executed, a foot soldier who vowed he had forsaken all other gods, in favor of the Invisible God who hates idols."
Si'Wren jerked to her feet suddenly and stood before them both, her tormented eyes beseeching them disbelievingly that she had heard wrong this accursed man's words.
At this, Borla turned his head toward her as if not realizing quite why she had reacted so violently, whereas Emperor Euphrates merely observed her with inquisitively raised eyebrows and a certain unexpressive watchfulness.
Glancing away from Si'Wren, Borla inclined slightly to Emperor Euphrates with a thin smile of the very finest and most cultured cordiality, and said with an exaggerated mildness, "I only seek ever to do your will, Highness, but it seems another has perhaps—found fault?—"
Borla shifted his slyly conniving eyes innocuously back to Si'Wren's grieving, outraged countenance.
She stared up at him, having just finished a quick inscription, and held it up with no small measure of anger and impotence for him to read.