B’sheer made a formal bow to Salettin as the young man entered.
Tadessa watched from under her eyelids. Subdued, she refused to meet either man’s gaze, even though the prince’s presence seemed get under her skin. When she did dare to peek at B’sheer, he looked angrier than Tadessa had ever seen him. The prince simply appeared amused.
I can’t come to you right now, Grandmother. I’m being watched too closely today.
I know, My Heart. She felt Zilla’s frustration.
She glanced again at B’sheer.
He returned a hard stare of disapproval.
She swallowed, and took out another sheet from the stack on her desk. I’ve upset everyone today, my parents, my tutor, even my guards, she thought, keeping her shield impenetrable. Given enough time, I could probably offend that arrogant, sneering Xantis Tey prince. All I want to do is see Grandmother and have her help me work through this cloud of confusion. She also wanted to run to her room and cry, because nothing about today made any sense.
She stared at the stack of papers and stifled a sigh as she took yet another on off the stack. She considered answering the questions all wrong, no matter that there was no right or wrong to these evaluations, so she doodled in the corners and filled in spaces with her pen.
But as on each previous sheet, she also answered each question honestly.
While she worked on the papers, the two men talked in quiet tones. She listened to their surface thoughts to find out what they discussed. It seemed the prince wanted to know everything about her, including her favorite foods.
“She does like her sweets,” B’sheer said.
“The Xantis Tey do not like their women fat.”
Tadessa reviewed what her classes taught her about the Xantis Tey. True enough, the ruling class liked their women as thin as sticks, except when pregnant. Pregnant women came in all sizes. Female slaves, on the other hand, were often pictured as plump.
“Well, one can hardly call the young Mistress fat, Your Majesty. By our standards, she is perfect for her maturity level.”
“She looks like she’s twelve,” Salettin said. “I thought I had been sent an old holo.”
“The Krindarwee mature slowly. When she first arrived here, when she really was twelve, I thought she was nine. This spring she’ll be twenty.”
“Twenty.” He made a thoughtful pause. “And yet she graduated from Honir’weh’s Academy for Women. From what I understand, most graduate in their middle twenties. Could she be five years ahead of her class?”
“She is brilliant, which I discovered when I hoped to catch her up to Nevians her own age. I thought that since she had only attended Outer Area schools, and had never spoken any language except Irelli, she would be hopelessly behind, but to my surprise, she tested out of the Irelli Basic Education, even though she had attended only four of the seven years offered. So I tutored her in Nevian language and in necessary courses until she satisfied the Nevian Basic Curriculum. Then I entered her into Honir’weh’s. By that time she was fourteen, the youngest girl in her class. She took the eight-year General Studies curriculum in five years, but never chose a profession.”
After that, she shut them out entirely, especially that Xantis Tey prince. Although her classes in other Intergalactic races extolled the virtues of his race, she decided to be wary of them instead, especially after several peeks into the book Counselor B’sheer had given her. It seemed they specialized in mind control. She wanted nothing to do with those who would pervert Khaadi’s gift in that way.
Her thoughts turned to school. She never wanted to attend a boarding school. She wanted to live with her mother, but as she discovered, once her mother became Sector Five’s High Commissioner, Mama was never around anyway.
She remembered how hard it was. Naturally a little shy, in a new culture, with all her classmates five years older, she struggled. She studied. She excelled in her studies. She made no friends.
“Did you remain friendless?”
She hadn’t noticed the Imperial Prince standing over her.
“No.” She turned back to the next test she was working on.
He took it off her desk and pulled a chair next to hers.
“It doesn’t look like you got off to a good start at that women’s academy. What did you do to turn it around?”
“Give me my paper back.”
“You don’t want to do it anyway.” He wadded it into a ball and threw it across the room, causing it to land in the center of the wastepaper basket beside Counselor B’sheer’s desk.
Good shot, she thought. Still, she glared at him.
“I’m getting mixed messages. You act angry, yet you approved my basket shot. Which is it?”
“Both. You’re insufferable.”
He inclined his head. “Thank you. I was beginning to think I had no effect on you whatsoever. Now, back to your misadventures at that women’s academy, what turned things around for you?”
“My sister.”
“S’ar Wenda? She’s your half-sister.”
“How do you know that? You only just got here today.”
He winked at her. “I’m all-knowing.”
“Then you already know the answers to your questions.” She took out the next sheet.
He replaced it in the stack. “Indulge me.”
Tadessa sighed. “S’ar followed a more traditional educational route. It turned out we were in the same school, if not the same classes. We both graduated this fall. When I was at school, she introduced me to a few people from some of the other families. I became a kind of kid sister to them.”
“So tell me about S’ar. How is it that you two are sisters? She’s culturally a Nevian and you’re, well, I don’t know what you are.”
“Like me, she was adopted into a Nevian family, but she was adopted at birth. We have the same biological father. The Irelli called him Snake.”
“Why?”
“It’s the closest interpretation to his real name, Tadellin, which means Greenware, a snake not found around here.”
“Are there any around here? Isn’t it too cold for snakes?”
“Crystal icesnakes make their homes in rat burrows. The poorest in the City follow them to do what the icesnakes also do.”
“What’s that?”
“Eat them.”
The prince made a face. “Have you ever…? His frown of disgust returned.
“No. Daddy Snake was a better provider than that.”
“Continue with your story.”
“Aunt Berita, S’ar’s mother, was abducted by Blades when she was very big with her baby. They kept her for a tenday or longer. No one knows. When the Blades got done with her, they left her for dead on the Mound. That’s the place the Area dead are taken.”
“Evidently S’ar didn’t die.”
“The Blades tore Berita’s baby from her belly. It was the baby’s cry that told a passerby that someone still lived. The passerby took both Berita and S’ar to the closest clinic, Sann’s Health Center, an abortion clinic, who managed to save the baby first. They were not sure about the mother. They allowed a Nevian family to adopt the baby, without even asking if other family members existed. The couple who adopted her named her S’ar.”
“I’m guessing your aunt lived through it too.”
“Daddy Snake tried to find his wife. By the time he did, his daughter had been adopted, and his wife was never the same again. Sann’s patched up Aunt Berita as good as they could, but she never could have children after that. Both Daddy Snake and Aunt Berita were devastated after losing their daughter. Forever prevented from having another child, Aunt Berita put on the scarf. That’s a public declaration that the woman has removed herself from all sexual relationships.”
“Even with her husband.” He studied her a moment. “But I understand. He would need children. She was right to withdraw from him.”
“F
rom that moment on, Daddy Snake cared for his wife as a sister, which was why I called her Aunt Berita. Later he met Mama, and they had me. S’ar grew up Nevian, while I learned the ways of the Krindarwee.”
“And yet you two Krindarwee maidens arrived in the same part of the City. How interesting. So, are you Nevian, Irelli or Krindarwee?”
She cocked her head to one side. His words were not asking the same question as his mind was, and she couldn’t understand what he meant.
Ah, so you heard the discrepancy. I’ll ask my question another time, then.
I am Krindarwee.
And what does that mean, to be Krindarwee?
More than you’ll ever understand.
He laughed, again with that double meaning.
She stared at him in confusion.
The Faj royal rose from his chair and jostled her elbow. He added a mental farewell and offered a listening ear, all without words. He was the first to have spoken to her in that way, even though she had spoken to others in a similar fashion.
She stared at his back as he left. B’sheer caught her gaze, but responded with no expression, not even his former displeasure. When he looked like that, he hid something. Mama called it an alien stare, not understanding the depth of the emotions involved. It seemed strange to Tadessa that although Mama was culturally Nevian, this one nuance escaped her. Tadessa could have pried into her tutor’s thoughts with a thread, instead she returned to her tests. Get them done, she ordered herself. Get out of here, walk to the Village, and take my place among my people. It was time.
She fought tears.
By the time she finished, hours after lunch, she nodded to B’sheer, then left the study. In her mind she planned what she intended to wear to keep out the winter cold. Here in the Upper Third Level, she rarely needed more than slippers on her feet, but she owned some sturdy boots, plus a very nice fur-lined coat. Although overdressed for the Area, at least they would keep her warm while she made the two-day trek to the Village at the far southern end of the City.
Her guards followed, as usual.
She wanted to run from them, to fly free, to soar into the winter wind with no regard for anything besides her freedom. Why do my guards make me feel so confined when they never did before?
“We never go anywhere without guards, do we?”
Startled, she spun toward the speaker, and found herself facing the Xantis Tey prince again. Behind him two white and gold guards stood.
“You missed my early-morning workout, so I decided to take you to the training hall and watch me work.”
How arrogant, she thought, clenching her jaw. “I have better things to do than…”
“What is it that you need to do? Follow me.”
She glared at him, angry that just because all her appointments happened much later this afternoon, he dared to organize her afternoon for her.
“I need some private time. Now, if you’ll excuse me…” Besides, she needed to get rid of him so she could gather her things and leave.
He touched her hand. “I insist,” he said, wearing his disarming grin.
The touch electrified her. She jerked away, surprised at how warm she felt.
“What could it hurt, just to watch?” he asked. “Afterwards, you can snub me, and tell me all kinds of unfavorable things.” He laughed.
She followed, standing at the perimeter, trying to appear disgruntled while he entered the lockers to change clothes. She spied her mother, still in her black silks, her hair in disarray from her own recent workout.
For the first time she watched her mother’s personal bodyguard, Colonel Motz, train a small group of men in the finer points of As’wendi Yom. She had never seen him work martial arts before. Being a Normal, the colonel’s paces seemed to move with exaggerated slowness. When he finished with the group in maroon silks, he gestured to several young men in dark blue silks to stand in line for their training as well. She never knew he trained the D’ey Sol guards.
It made sense, she realized when she noticed her father with a group of his elite, all Talented. Motz trained the Normals, and A’nden worked with the Talented. A’nden’s elite spread before him using the Ken’di form, their poles fanning before them like dancers’ skirts. She had never watched those in training before, not at all interested in men’s sweaty bodies, until today.
Her father fought, his face wearing a determination as hard as stone, fighting off all his elite by himself. Other than their early morning daily exercise, she had never watched him perform any martial arts on the exercise floor before. Not one of the five men who faced him, even though all of them were Talented, connected their poles to the general’s body. His skill amazed her.
As she watched her father, she felt both her mother’s and the colonel’s eyes touch her. She found them gazing in her direction, noting her presence. To her relief they ignored her. For some reason she found it important that no one knew she stood watching just because Salettin wanted her to.
As Colonel Motz finished with his team, Salettin entered, his white silks edged in gold flowing around him like a waterfall. He gestured toward Motz, inviting himself to take over the training. Motz made a bow of respect, and backed to the perimeter, gesturing for another five to take their places.
Salettin picked the poles, throwing one to each guard. With Salettin being Talented, the guards could never hope to defeat him, but the prince measured his movements so as not to harm any of them while challenging each man’s skill. Salettin showed no arrogance this time. He fought well and with respect for the Normals in front of him.
When they finished, her father motioned the men away and faced Salettin. “Let us give you a challenge, shall we?”
She stared at her father. Something hard and angry churned inside him, as if he challenged the young man to his death.
They bowed.
Their first movements tested each other, a strike here, a block there, a double strike and successful blocks. Slow at first, the tempo increased. Within minutes their bodies blurred as they fought each other. Salettin’s pole connected first. But her father recovered in the next breath. Then his pole caught Salettin’s shoulder and thigh in two quick moves. Salettin retaliated with a blow to her father’s temple and another to his shoulder. All at once, her father doubled his speed, striking multiple times before Salettin recovered. Salettin, realizing that his opponent’s intent rampaged past mere sparring, renewed his efforts, a slight mocking smile to his lips as he brought her father to his knees.
A’nden’s elite stood ready to defend their master, but the Lady Commissioner strode across the floor, obviously intending to stop them.
Before she reached them, A'nden lashed out with his pole, tripping the young prince.
As they both stood, Mama stood between them. “I don’t know where you planned to go with that,” she said, her voice so low Tadessa needed to read her surface thoughts to hear her, “but you will cease immediately.” She looked first at her husband, then at Salettin.
A’nden glanced at his elite and made a small gesture. His elite lost the tension in their bodies, and Salettin bowed.
“An excellent workout, General. I found it a good reminder: never expect the expected.”
A’nden bowed low, but said nothing. He turned on his heel and left for the showers.
Deep in thought, Tadessa slipped away before either of them noticed her. Before her guards realized it, she pulled Null around her. It was time to leave.
When she reached her rooms, she sighed in relief to find them empty. She entered her closet and pulled out a fur-line coat, a pair of boots, a long wool skirt and a sweater, placing them on the bed. This time she sent out several threads before she approached the corner where she had hidden her box.
No one approached, she noted as she moved the end table and peeled back the carpet. She loosened the floorboard and pulled out her box. She dialed the combination, opening t
he lock, and gave a sigh of relief when she stared at the odd mix of things she collected, hiding them away from her Nevian father. A long time ago he insisted she get rid of the mementoes. She made her hiding space for them instead. These were the things she had shoved in her pockets the day Motz took her mother and her away from Daddy Snake.
Remember who you are, she said, as she always did when she touched these special items. She pulled out the ball of string, caressing it as she would a dear friend. She placed it back in the box, examined the stubs of candles and lighting sticks, wondering if she should take them with her. She wanted to take everything, the ornate hair clips that hid their purpose as lock pick within their design, the beautifully carved knife Daddy Snake had carved for her, the knife belt, sheath and real knife he gave her when she graduated from the toy. Most treasured, however, was her flute. With it she could, while in Null, contact her grandfather. Neither of them knew why it was possible. Null should have removed every trace of them, even from each other. He, hidden by Nulls with the rest of his village, and she while hiding in Null, should never be able to connect with her, but they did when she played her flute.
As she studied her things, she decided to take it all, even the top and string toy she used to carry around with her everywhere.
Just as she decided to empty the box on the bed with her clothes, she felt people approaching. She extended her Null field to include the top of her bed along with her box of things, and sat very still while she sent out a thread. Mother, she noticed, with Colonel Motz and her father beside her. Salettin walked behind them, with two of his own guards. Her day guards, Lance and Brint also followed. She gritted her teeth.
Can’t I be left alone for even half an hour?
Keeping Null around her, she waited. Her mother entered first. “Darling, if you’re in here, please make yourself visible. This isn’t the day…”
“Maybe she found out,” her father whispered to Mama.
Salettin entered next. “Only if you told her. All shielding is intact. I’ve been checking.”
Neither parent acknowledged his statement.
A worm of fear crawled inside her. She stood perfectly still while they roamed through her rooms. Even though she hid any sounds she might make while within Null, she held her breath. Her field wasn’t large, but it covered herself, the things she placed on her bed, the night stand, and the gap in the flooring. She still held her box.
Her father edged around to her side of the bed. If they touched, he would feel her presence, but there was no place for her to go if she wanted to keep the clothing on her bed hidden.
“Did you tell her?” Salettin persisted.
“No,” her father said.
“Then why is she running from me?”
“Did you ask her?”
“She said she wasn’t.”
“Then you heard the truth. The Krindarwee don’t lie.”
“About anything?” The prince eyed her father with suspicion.
“Anything,” her mother said. “So if she’s running, it’s not from you. It’s for another reason.”
“Whatever could it be?”
“I have no idea.” Mama took one last look through the apartment. “She’s not here. See for yourself, Prince ba Tir.”
Salettin looked through each room, each corner, except the one where her father stood, right in front of her, watching everyone, but not taking part in the search.
Finally they all left, all except her father, who appeared to still be looking for something. “If you’re in here,” he whispered, “I can’t advise you to remain hidden. Neither can I advise you to seek out Zilla.”
With that cryptic comment, he also left her suite. A flood of questions followed. Was he telling her to disappear and run to Zilla? What was it that everyone else seemed privy to except her? A cold fear touched her skin that added itself to the constant edge she had been feeling ever since her early morning workout with her father.
She waited until she heard their footsteps go down the hall, then sent out a thread to make sure all of them were gone. Satisfied, she let out a long breath. Then she took everything out of the box and shoved all the items in the pockets of her winter coat. She rushed into her winter clothing, making sure she hung up her yellow day gown. Leaving it on the bed would alert Sentille, who would tell her mother.
Satisfied, she placed the unlocked box back in its hiding place, replaced the flooring and the end table, and left her rooms.
She got as far as the elevator doors when she noticed the wavering of an energy field. Someone stood in shadow right in front of the doors. Probably waiting for her, she decided, heading for the stairs instead. She touched the panel with the most recent code. To her surprise, it flashed red, refusing to unlock the door. The code changed once a mooncycle, usually.
No other way out remained except the elevators. She glanced back at them, noticing, to her relief, the energy field was no longer there. Just as she charged back to the elevators, eager to escape this place of secrets, almost desperate to evade the gathering storm that seemed to permeate her thinking, she bumped into someone.
Startled out of Null, she found herself face-to-face with the ba Tir prince.
He grinned at her. “I think it’s time for a late lunch, and I want you to dine with me.”
Her eyes blinking in confusion, she stared back at him. Just as she started to push past him to enter the elevators, he pulled her back.
“I need to see someone,” she said, attempting to push past him again.
“Not today,” he told her. “Let me escort you back into your suite so you can put up your coat.”
She looked into his blueflower eyes, waiting for harsh words, for a reprimand, something to let her knew that he didn’t approve of her leaving him, but he stared back at her in humor, not accusation. “Mistress Chalatta, it has eight been hours since breakfast. Aren’t you the tiniest bit hungry?”
She was, very hungry, in fact. When he began walking she found herself walking alongside of him, and wondered at that. What if your enemy came at you in smiles, with charm and persuasion? What if this person wanted, not your death, but your subversion? her father had asked. Was Salettin an enemy? She knew her father hated him, and might have killed him on the training floor earlier today, had Mama not intervened, but as she looked at him, she refused the idea that he meant them harm.
“Why were you running from me?” he asked as he stopped outside the door of her suite.
“Not from you,” she told him. “I need to see someone, as I said.”
“Why today?”
Because today my emotions are out of control, she wanted to say. What should be easy, is hard, because events are happening that confuse me, such as why this prince cares where I go, because people seem to want more from me than I am willing to give, because I want to flirt with my bodyguards, because I’m getting angry for no good reason, because there is something foreign in the air that colors everything with fear and desperation, and mostly because Zilla wants me to see her.
Tadessa said nothing aloud, but entered her suite to put her coat in the closet. Instead, however, she returned to Null and crouched down in the back of her closet and wept. She kept asking herself what was happening, and no matter how she analyzed the strangeness of the world around her, she could come up with no answers.
Zilla!
I know, My Heart. I know. She sounded resigned. Hang up your coat and go with him. The opportunity to flee from there has passed.
By the time Tadessa joined the young prince, no tears remained, but her stomach fluttered.
9
The duties of a life weaver