“Yes, but we can not. We are barred.”
There was another notion. “You are barred by the present society. By the despots.”
“By the animus!” Nona said.
“And the anima. We are barred regardless, because we lack magic.”
“True,” Nona agreed.
“Not true! You don’t lack magic,” Darius said. “You have a different kind of magic, as I do. I can’t do illusion, but I can conjure. You can’t do illusion, but you can change your shape. The despots can’t do that.”
“Shape-change is not magic,” she protested. “We all do that. You also mind-talk.”
“Seqiro mind-talks. He does not call it magic either, but you do. It is a matter of definition. All you need is an adjustment of attitude. Maybe because I am not from this world I can see what you do not. You are being barred for no reason. And maybe we can do something about that.”
There was a murmur of interest throughout the cavern. The rabble were picking up on this.
“What can you do?” Null-Pussy asked.
“We can change the definition. Nona is going to bring the anima, and when she does she will be queen, with authority to do that. Then you can be free to return.” He looked at Nona for confirmation.
“But shape-change isn’t magic,” Nona said.
“Who says that? The despots?”
Her eyes widened. “If the despots lose their power—”
“Then you will make the definition,” he said. “You will declare shape-changing to be a type of magic, and open the gates. We have seen that the rabble are not evil folk; they have treated us fairly by their conventions. They will make reasonable citizens of surface Oria. The rabble have good reason to help you, and to let you return to the surface so that you can complete your mission.”
“You would do that?” Null-Pussy asked.
Nona considered. It was evident that she had never addressed this question before: what she would do as queen. “I don’t know. There are so many of you down here, and if you all came out—”
“Free four thousand,” Stave suggested. “Instead of the breedings. They will be able to breed on the surface, with anyone who likes their magic.”
“Four thousand, spread across the surface,” Nona said, appreciating the parallel. “That might be all right.”
“Four thousand,” Null-Pussy agreed. “Instead of the breedings.”
“Then it is agreed,” Darius said, relieved. “You will free us, Nona will bring the anima, and will allow four thousand of you to return to the surface.”
“Almost,” Null-Pussy said. “We must have assurance that this will be done.”
“You will not accept her word?”
“We can not accept her word. She may be killed before she brings the anima. She may leave Oria. She may change her mind. The others may not allow it. We must be sure of our breedings if she defaults. We must keep some of you here.”
“But Nona may not be able to do it alone,” Darius said. “The despots will be after her; they are already on watch. I must go to help conjure her to safety, and Seqiro must go to keep us in mind communication. We can not understand each other without him.”
“Then Stave,” the woman said. “He must remain to do the breedings.”
“I will do it,” Stave said, surprised.
“All four thousand?” Darius asked, amazed. “But I thought—”
“Oh, Stave!” Nona exclaimed, horrified.
“We will accept them all from one of you,” Null-Pussy agreed. “But it will take longer.”
“It will take eleven years,” Stave said. “If she does not honor the agreement. But Nona does not want me, and if I can’t have her, I might as well do her a favor she will truly appreciate. It is not as if the labor is arduous.”
Nona’s mouth opened and closed without sound. It was evident that she did not want Stave to do this, but saw no better alternative. Finally she managed to speak. “I—I had not decided about you, Stave. You are a fine man. I must not ask you to sacrifice yourself in this manner—”
“Beware,” Darius murmured. “Three of us free—it’s a good compromise.”
“But he will have to—it is so—every day a different—suppose I fail to bring the anima? Eleven years—”
She views that much breeding with horror.
Darius realized that some finesse was required here. “Stave is doing this for you, Nona,” he said. “To enable you to complete your destiny. Of course you will bring the anima, and honor the deal with the rabble, and he will then be free.”
“But the risk—”
“To make it easier for him, the women can assume your likeness,” Darius said. “He might almost forget—”
“But I don’t want him to forget!” Then, startled by her own admission, Nona tried to come to terms with it. “I don’t want to give you up, Stave. But I think I must. If I fail to bring the anima, I will be dead, and you deserve what comfort you may find with women of my likeness. If I succeed, then perhaps we—”
“Of course,” Stave agreed, realizing that his best chance to win Nona’s love was coming about because of his commitment to breed with other women.
“Then it is agreed,” Null-Pussy said. “The three of you are free to go when you choose.” She turned to Stave. “You are not. You must breed today, and every day until we know what is to be. You may choose from among us. Will you choose me first?”
Stave glanced at Nona, who averted her face. “Yes, you,” he agreed.
“Then come with me,” she said, going to catch his arm in almost predatory fashion. She intended to make sure that her chance did not slip away again. “What likeness do you prefer to have me assume?”
“Nona’s,” he said.
“That is easy, for I have done that one before.” She was changing as they left the dais.
Darius took the real Nona in his arms, to forestall her objection to what Null-Pussy-Nona was doing. “It is best this way,” he said. He hoped the rabble woman would not think of the Colene likeness; he would feel uneasy about that. He did understand this aspect of Nona’s objection.
“I will remember Stave’s sacrifice,” Nona said, burying her face against his shoulder.
THE next few days were easy. The rabble made no demands on them, and were friendly. Food was provided, and a chamber for them to share. Though Nona showed no romantic inclination toward Darius, she preferred to sleep close to him and Seqiro, to avoid any possible confusion of identities. For now a number of the rabble had assumed the likenesses of Darius, Nona, and Stave, and these were encountered randomly. It seemed to be a passing fashion.
Keli approached them. She had been the one who originally tried to seduce Stave. “I have not been able to get close to him, because of the press of supplicants,” she said. “But I feel I have a right to breed with him, because I came to know him first. Will you intercede for me?”
“What?” Nona asked, shocked.
Again, Darius saw that diplomacy was best. “Perhaps Nona will, if you give her something she appreciates.”
“I will do anything!” Keli said.
Darius turned to Nona. “You know Stave must be with a different woman each day. It may be better to have him with a known one than an unknown one, to the extent feasible.”
“I have nothing to do with this,” Nona said stiffly.
“I was thinking that we do not yet know the extent of your magic,” he continued. “You have abilities you yourself do not yet know. Perhaps there are new things you could do, if you had guidance.”
She looked at him. “You are thinking of something,” she said suspiciously.
“The magic of these rabble: that might be an excellent talent for you. Then you could conceal yourself on the surface without resorting to illusion. Since the despots can penetrate illusion—”