‘Dear sir!’ Tehol called out. ‘Please, come in!’
The half-blood hesitated. His pale eyes flitted among Shand, Rissarh and Hejun. ‘There’s… three of them,’ he said.
‘Three of what?’
‘Women.’
‘Yes, indeed,’ said Tehol. ‘And…?’
Ublala frowned, lips drawing together into something much resembling a pout.
‘Don’t worry,’ Tehol invited with a wave of a hand, ‘I promise to protect you from them.’
‘Really?’
‘Absolutely. Come in, Ublala Pung, and be welcome.’
The huge man pushed the door back further and edged inside.
Ublala’s belongings did not, it was clear, include trousers or loincloth. He was as naked as he had been down at the canal. Not that clothing would have much disguised his attributes, Tehol concluded after a moment of despondent reflection. Well, never mind that . ‘Hungry? Thirsty? Relax, friend. Set your bag down… yes, there is just fine. Sit down – no, the bench, not the chair – you’d end up wearing it, which, now that I think on it… no, probably not. Ublala, these women require a bodyguard. I assume you accepted the offer from Shand-’
‘I thought it was just her.’
‘And that makes a difference?’
‘Makes it harder.’
‘Granted. But, most of the time you’ll be here…’ Tehol’s voice trailed away, as he finally noticed that Shand, Rissarh and Hejun had neither moved since Ublala’s arrival, nor said a word. Oh, now really…
Nisall had been the King’s First Concubine for three years. No official power was accorded the title, barring what the personality of the woman in question could achieve. There had been considerable variation throughout history, often dependent upon the fortitude of the king at the time, as well as that of the queen and the chancellor.
At present, there were six concubines in all, the others young, minor daughters of powerful families. Potential investments in the future there as much to capture the prince’s attention as the king’s. Like the queen’s four consorts, they were housed in a private, isolated quarter of the palace. Only the First Consort, Turudal Brizad, and the First Concubine were permitted contact with anyone other than the royal personages themselves.