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This here is a deserted island. There's a beach, some jungle, and some forested mountains rising up behind the easily-accessible jungle. It looks like a *small* island; she can see the curve of the beach at the horizon.
A few birds fly up with cries of startlement at her appearance.
A large silvery-green feathered dragon across the courtyard yawns a huge yawn, and spits a trail of venom out, acid smoking as it hits the stones in front of him.
"Whichever is knocked out of the sky first, I think," Hammond says, a little anxiously. "Not necessarily to the death, although..."
"I've got a healing spell but it won't work on dead and separately I really, really don't like how fast I'm going through my paper without any plans to get more."
Hammond holds a brief conversation with one of the dragons next to them, then turns back to May. "They don't have paper here, as it's a smaller city with few humans, but we may be able to find some once we're in Cusco. ... I'm sure De Guignes has some, at least, though he may be reluctant to share anything of much value with us. Perhaps if you don't mention quite how important it would be to you."
"If it should be needed for Iskierka, I am quite sure we would make it up to you any way we possibly could."
"It will not be needed for me," Iskierka objects. She is being approached by attendants with gold ornaments, which are apparently part of the ceremonial duel. "Perhaps we ought ask Manca how much paper he could get us to heal him with, after I have beaten him."
Temeraire snakes his head around to talk to one of the dragons attending Manca -- he has apparently learned enough Quechua to be functional in it already.
"I do not think they believe me about the healing," he reports. "And Manca says he will beat Iskierka, anyway, which I am quite sure he will not," though he sounds a bit uneasy.
Manca and Iskierka, once dressed in the ceremonial outfits, circle each other and take several passes. Iskierka, bizarrely, doesn't use her fire breath... until near the end, when she feints toward Manca and then catches him out with it from another angle, making it clear that surprising him with it was her plan all along.
He sinks and falls into a stream below them.
Granby and the rest of their party breathe sighs of relief. Iskierka has a few injuries, but nothing serious.
The crowd cheers hugely, while attendants go to help Manca.
The governor looks impressed.
Iskierka preens, and takes a victory lap or three, breathing fire again for the entertainment of the viewers.
Probably! No one seems to be wailing with grief or anything. He is able to slowly limp out of the stream, with help.
Some of the dragons and the few humans are setting up various beasts to roast on a spit, for a feast celebrating Iskierka's victory.
"Certainly. Though, you truly mean to give Taruca away, and not keep him? If you really mean that, you may as well leave him here; I would take him in my ayllu. There is no sense in dragging such an old man halfway across the country for such a foolish quest."
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