18
THERE WAS a commotion on the other side of the courtyard, men’s voices yelling somewhere near the entrance which was obscured from Mikandra’s view because of the crowd.
The music stopped. A male voice yelled a few words that sounded like an order in keihu. The light under the balcony behind Mikandra went out. A number of people, mainly Pengali, pushed between the tables, into the shadow of the overhanging balcony. A number of them went up the stairs.
A group of about ten men came into the courtyard. The golden curls gave the leader away as a Mirani Nikala, and although he was not in uniform, he walked like a soldier, held himself like a soldier and gave orders like a soldier. The others in the group were mixed: some Pengali with matted dreadlocks—Mikandra shivered—some keihu and a fe
