I cleared my throat, swallowing hard.  "I can understand you." I said slowly, imagining every word before I spoke.  "What do you want with me?"

 

Big Man looked pleased.  "You see, Tabazus?  He can speak."  Again, he knelt on one knee, watching me keenly. "We are a civilized people," he said, voice rising.  "We honor those of great courage and skill, even though they are our enemies."  He paused, looking around where there must have been more gathered whom I could not see.

"I brought you from the water because of these things," he continued.  "You will see that men like you will be rewarded for their efforts.  You will be grateful I have let you live."

 

I said nothing but met his eyes with a frank stare.  The big man laughed.

 

"Tabazus, I don't think he believes me!"

 

"I wouldn't, if I were he," replied Tabazus.  "Cyrus the Persian usually promises only death."

 

Cyrus was the big man,  I presumed, and he looked genuinely puzzled.

 

"Nothing more than they deserved, Tabazus, you know that.  This man, on the other hand-" and he pointed at me, "-this man deserves better."

 

"Well," said Tabazus shortly, "we have no room for him here.  Best put him ashore.  Perhaps you can reward him there?"

 

Cyrus stood tall again, stretching himself to his full height, a magnificent warrior.  "Tabazus, I'll do better than that.  I'll introduce him to one of his own kind, more or less.  I'll let Demaratus see that courage actually does exist outside of Sparta."

 

"He'll be hard pressed to see that," said Tabazus. "From what I've been told, Demaratus thinks courage, honor, discipline, even warfare itself were invented in mighty old Sparta."

 

"We shall see," replied Cyrus, who turned away.  "Feed him something.  He'll need his strength."