He smiled sadly. 'I understood that long before you were born, Keeva, and I respect what you say. Now you had better return to your duties.'

Yu Yu Liang was not a happy man. A little distance away the arguments were still raging among the dozen survivors and Yu Yu struggled to hear what they were saying. His understanding of the round-eye tongue was merely fair, and he found that many of the words and phrases sailed by him before his ears could catch them and his mind translate them. He was concentrating hard, for he knew it was only a matter of time before someone pointed an accusing finger at him.

Sitting on the rock, his stolen sword in his lap, the former ditch-digger did his best to look silently ferocious – like the warrior he pretended to be. Yu Yu had only been with the group for three days. In that time he had heard many fine promises from the now dead leader, Rukar, about life on the road, and the riches to be made from passing merchants. Instead Rukar had been cut down by the Rajnee and Yu Yu had moved faster than ever in his twenty-three years to escape the swinging swords of the charging horsemen.

Truth to tell, he felt a little stab of pride that it had been a Chiatze who had cowed them – a true Rajnee. Not a fraud with a stolen blade. Yu Yu shivered. Six years of training before a Rajnee could own a blood-tempered blade, and a further five years of philosophical study before he was allowed to fight. But only the very, very best were allowed to wear the grey robes and black sash sported by the man who killed Rukar. As soon as Yu Yu had seen him he had carefully eased himself to the back of the second group and was primed to flee the moment the horsemen charged.

The reality was that Rukar had been a dead man from the moment the Rajnee approached him.

'One little swordsman,' someone said, 'and you all run like frightened rabbits.' Yu Yu understood the word rabbits and guessed the moment of truth was approaching.

'I didn't notice you standing up to him,' another man pointed out.

'I was caught up in the rush,' the first responded. 'It was like being in a stampede. If I hadn't run I'd have been crushed to death.'

'I thought we had our own Chiarze Rajnee,' put in a third voice. 'Where in Shem's balls was he when we needed him?'

Here it comes, thought Yu Yu Liang miserably. He turned his bearded face towards the twelve men in the group and glowered. 'Well, he ran past me like his arse was on fire,' someone observed. A ripple of laughter sounded.

Yu Yu rose slowly to his feet, his double-handed sword glinting as he swept it left and right in what he hoped might look a menacing fashion. Plunging the blade into the ground dramatically, he drew himself up to his full height. 'Any man think me afraid?' he asked, lowering his voice. 'Do you?' he thundered, leaping forward and stabbing his finger at the nearest, who, surprised by the suddenness of the move, fell backwards. 'Or you?' No one spoke. Yu Yu breathed an inner sigh of relief. 'I am Yu Yu Liang!' he shouted. 'Feared from Blood River to shores of Jian Seas. I kill you all!' he bellowed.

In that instant he saw their faces change, from surprise to stark horror. It was very satisfying. Suddenly one of them scrambled to his feet and ran towards the south. Immediately the others followed, leaving behind their meagre possessions. Yu Yu laughed and threw his hands in the air. 'Rabbits!' he shouted after them. He expected the men to retreat a little distance, but they carried on running. Surely I cannot have been that terrifying, he thought. Must have been the firelight glinting on the muscles of my arms and shoulders, he reasoned, looking down and clenching his fists. Ten years of ditch-digging had honed his upper body beautifully. This warrior life is really not so hard, thought Yu Yu. Bluff and bravado could achieve wonders.

Even so, their reaction was unusual, to say the least. He squinted into the distance, looking for signs of their return. 'I am Yu Yu Liang,' he shouted again, keeping his voice gruff. Then he laughed, and swung back to where he had left his sword.

Standing quietly in the firelight was the little grey-garbed swordsman.

Yu Yu's heart skipped a beat. He leapt backwards, his heel landing in the fire. He swore and jumped forward, then scrabbled for the sword, yanking it from the ground and waving it furiously back and forth, while at the same time shouting a battle cry. It would have been more impressive, he realized, had it not burst forth in a shrill falsetto.

The Rajnee stood very still, watching him. He had not drawn his sword. Yu Yu, still holding his sword aloft, glared at him. 'I am Yu Yu Liang . . .'he began, this time in Chiatze.

'Yes, I heard,' said the swordsman. 'Are you left-handed?'

'Left-handed?' echoed Yu Yu, bemused. 'No, I am not left-handed.'

'Then you are holding the sword incorrectly,' observed the Rajnee. Moving past Yu Yu he glanced towards the south.

'Are you going to fight me?' Yu Yu asked him.

'Do you wish me to?'

'Isn't that why you came here?'

'No. I came to see if the robbers were planning another attack. Obviously they are not. Where did you find the sword?'

'It has been in my family for generations,' said Yu Yu.

'May I see it?'

Yu Yu was about to hand it to the man. Then he jumped back again, slashing it through the empty air. 'You seek to trick me?' he shouted. 'Very clever!'

The Rajnee shook his head. 'I am not trying to trick you,' he said quietly. 'Farewell.'

As he turned away Yu Yu called out after him. 'Wait!' The Rajnee halted and glanced back. 'I found it after a battle,' Yu Yu said. 'So I took it. The owner didn't care. Most of his head was missing.'

'You are a long way from home, Yu Yu Liang. Is it your ambition to be a robber?'

'No! I want to be a hero. A great fighter. I want to strut through the market towns and hear people say, "There he is. That's—"'

'Yes, yes,' said the Rajnee, 'Yu Yu Liang. Well, all journeys begin with a single step, and at least you have mastered the strutting. Now I suggest you follow me.' With that he walked away.

Yu Yu sheathed his sword, and looped the baldric over his shoulder. Then, grabbing the carrysack containing his meagre possessions, he ran to catch up with the departing Rajnee.

The man said nothing at first, as Yu Yu marched along beside him, but after walking for almost an hour the Rajnee paused. 'Beyond those trees is the camp of my master, the merchant Matze Chai.' Yu Yu nodded sagely and waited. 'Should anyone recognize you what will you tell them?'

Yu Yu thought about this for a moment. 'That I am your pupil, and you are teaching me to be a great hero.'

'Are you an imbecile?'

'No, I am a ditch-digger.'

The Rajnee turned towards him and sighed. 'Why did you come to this land?' he asked.

Yu Yu shrugged. 'I don't really know. I was heading west when I found the sword, then I decided to swing north-east.'

Yu Yu felt uncomfortable under the man's dark gaze and the silence grew. 'Well,' he said, at last, 'what are you thinking?'

'We will talk in the morning,' said Kysumu. 'There is much to consider.'

'Then I am your pupil?'

'You are not my pupil,' said Kysumu. 'If you are recognized you will tell the truth. You will say you are not a robber and that you were merely travelling with them.'

'Why was I travelling with them?'

'What?'

'If they ask.'

The Rajnee took a deep breath. 'Just tell them about your desire to strut.' Then he strode away towards the campfires.