Shadow's Son by Shirley Meier, S.M. Stirling and Karen Wehrstein ...

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"Ha-a-a-a-a-alt!" They'd arrived at tonight's resting-place; time to fall out and set camp, and Sova
should be with Shkai'ra. Megan answered the girl with an affirmative grunt, then reached up to hug her
head. "That's food. We'll talk more. You know, you're outgrowing me, daughter." She smiled. "Go on
with you."
"O my sons, my precious pooooor sonnnnns!"
As Dimae, thesolas goddess, female counterpart to the Steel-Armed One, Megan put on her bestsolas
accent, and overacted shamelessly. "Like flies you die, all in a doomed cause! Sweet innocent souls,
deluded by fools, believing your Steel-armed God favors this cause after so many clear omens! O my
babes, wasted, flung away, like dust, O woe, O woe, O wo-o-o-o-oe!"
Chevenga laughed so hard he fell off his cushion.The only person in the world , Megan thought,who
could maintain his dignity rolling on the floor of an office-cart . She liked making him laugh.
"Fabulous," he said. "Stunning. The prize of the play festival for you… we're planned then?"
She nodded. "We're planned,kras ."
"So fast, we've barely spoken two words." He swung back up to sitting. "Stay for a bit?"
She'd been hoping he'd let her linger this time, and had brought a suitable inducement; they knew each
other well enough now that he wouldn't take it as trying to buy his favor, she knew. She hadn't expected
an invitation. "Certainly. I understand—I've heard from one of the most comprehensive of sources—you
have a taste for this." She drew out the small flask of Saekrberk.Shkai'ra and I never got around to
drinking it ourselves , she'd thought,so why not ?
"Well, yes…" His lips pursed, as if he were searching for a polite way to say something awkward.Shit ,
she thought.Of course —security. She held the flask up, showing him the waxen Benai Saekrberk seal
affixing the cap. "It's been in our possession all the way from Brahvniki, my word and oath on it. Well
and good in our possession, in a hip-pouch by day, in the bottom of our bedroll at night—we didn't want
some scruff stealing it."
He grinned then, teeth flashing gold. "Good enough. The most comprehensive source first introduced me
to that, as he told you. It's a little early… well, maybe not for justone . To toast… the gods of Arko, who
are so just?"
Megan smiled. From the lowest drawer of the cabinet he drew two small cups, handing one to her; the
jiggling of the cart made it unwise to put them down to pour. "To the gods of Arko, who are so just,"
they said together. "Korukai." By ancient tradition, both emptied their cups in one draught.
The Saekrberk burned its familiar way across Megan's tongue; she licked the green sweetness off her
lip. "I never thought I'd be a theater player. Truly, I'm not that… how would you say it… out-flung? No:
outgoing."
"The audience will be too busy pissing themselves to give critical opinions," he said. "You keep to
yourself; that's your way, or your nature, so be it."
"Tell me,kras : I'm in only affecting a handful of people each time. Do you think it's making that much of