d to replace the governments of
all the cities near Siena with rulers favorable to us."

Daoud thought he understood Lapo, gauging him as a man who had little
experience of war but who enjoyed bloodletting. He was probably
disappointed that the city might surrender without a battle, without an
excuse for looting and massacre. He might be hoping, as a substitute, to
find someone who could be put to death publicly in some hideous way to
demonstrate his power over the city.

"Of course you have come here to impose your will on Orvieto," he said
quietly. "But be grateful that you do not have to fight your way up the
mountain. If d'Ucello were to choose to resist, your army would be
months taking Orvieto. Let us be glad the podesta was sensible and
surrendered. Orvieto is a beautiful city. Its people will be eager to
show their gratitude to a conqueror gracious to them. The ease with
which you win their hearts will in turn impress your own Sienese people
with your statesmanship. Of course, Orvieto was richer when the pope and
most of the cardinals were here. A pity you could not have marched your
army here sooner."

_It would have been easier on me too._

Lapo's thick eyebrows went up. "I heard that you were tortured by this
podesta. And I can see you have been badly hurt. You want no revenge?"

Daoud fixed Lapo with a hard look and slowly shook his head. "Revenge
does not interest me."

"Just what does interest you, Messer Trader?" The heir of Siena glowered
at Daoud from under his heavy eyebrows. "I do not trust a man who does
not care about revenge."

Revenge? Was not his presence at the heart of Christendom a kind of
revenge for nearly two hundred years of Christian invasions of Muslim
lands? Did it not make revenge all the sweeter that God's chosen
instrument was a descendant of those very crusaders who had been sent
against Islam? This dense young nobleman could not conceive of the
fantastic forms revenge could take.

"I act in the interests of King Manfred," Daoud said. "It is in his
interest that Orvieto be part of the chain of Ghibellino cities in the
north that limit the power of the pope. It is not in his interest--or
yours--that Siena waste lives and money capturing Orvieto. The town can
be taken without a struggle if you come to terms with d'Ucello. And I
recommend that you leave him in place as podesta of Orvieto."

Lapo shook his head. "How can I trust a man who would betray his own
city?"

Daoud