Richard Adams
MAIA
NOTE
Readers of Shardik will observe that the maps, included in this story, of the Beklan Empire and of Bekla itself differ from those in the earlier book. These maps are not, however, inconsistent with those. Certain places, e.g., Lak and Tissarn, shown on the Shardik maps have been omitted here, since they form no part of Maia's story. Conversely, other features, e.g., Lake Serrelind, Nybril and Suba, played no part in Shardik, and accordingly were not shown on those maps.
The events in this story ante-date Shardik by a few years.
"Maia" rhymes with "higher" (not with "layer").
LIST OF CHARACTERS
This list is in alphabetical order (not in order of appearance or importance) and is intended for the convenience of anyone wishing to be reminded, while reading, of the identity of this or that character. Minor characters appearing in a single episode are omitted. On the other hand, several characters are included (e.g., Drigga, Senda-na-Say) who, while they do not appear directly, are recurrently mentioned and relevant to the story.
Anda-Nokomis: ("The Dragonfly's Son") See Bayub-Otal. Ashaktis: A Palteshi woman, attendant upon Fornis. Astara: See Nokomis.
Bayub-Otaclass="underline" (otherwise known as "Anda-Nokomis") The dispossessed Ban of Suba: natural son of Nokomis by the High Baron of Urtah: half-brother of Eud-Ecachlon.
Bel-ka-Trazet: High Baron of Ortelga.
Berialtis: An Ortelgan girclass="underline" Ta-Kominion's mistress.
Blarda: A farm lad, brother of Clystis.
Brero: A soldier, attendant upon Maia in Bekla.
Chia: An Urtan girl, enslaved in Bekla.
Clystis: Kerkol's wife.
Domris: Proprietress of the Lily Pool in Thettit-Tonilda.
Drigga: An old woman, neighbor to Morca during Maia's childhood: a village story-teller, ballad-singer, etc.
Durakkon: High Baron of Bekla and nominal head of the Leopards.
Dyphna: A concubine of Sencho, later a Beklan courtesan or "shearna."
Elleroth: Son and heir of the Ban of Sarkid: commander of a force of irregulars with Santil-ke-Erketlis.
Elvair-ka-Virrion: Son of Kembri-B'sai, Lord General of Bekla.
Enka-Mordet: A baron in Chalcon: father of Milvushina.
Eud-Ecachlon: Son and heir of the High Baron of Urtah: half-brother of Bayub-Otal.
Fleiticlass="underline" A master-sculptor of Bekla (grandson of "the great Fleitil").
Fordiclass="underline" A master-musician of Bekla.
Form's: Daughter of Kephialtar-ka-Voro, High Baron of Paltesh: Sacred Queen of Airtha in Bekla.
Frarnli: Proprietress of "The Safe Moorings," a tavern at Meerzat.
Fravak: A Beklan metal-merchant; at one time Sencho's master.
Gehta: A girl working on a farm northwest of Bekla.
Genshed: A slave-trader employed by Lalloc.
Han-Glat: The Leopards' Controller of Fortifications: designer of the fortress at Dari-Paltesh.
Jarviclass="underline" Sencho's door-keeper or porter: later, Maia's porter.
Jejjereth: A half-crazy orator and self-styled prophet in Bekla.
Kapparah: A Beklan captain.
Karnat: King of Terekenalt.
Kelsi: The eldest of Maia's three younger sisters.
Kembri-B'sai: Lord General of Bekla: father of Elvair-ka-Virrion.
Kephialtar-ka-Voro: High Baron of Paltesh: father of For-nis.
Kerith-a-Thrain: A Beklan general.
Kerkoclass="underline" A small farmer.
Kram: A Suban youth.
Lalloc: A Deelguy slave-dealer in Bekla.
Lenkrit-Duhclass="underline" Baron of Upper Suba.
Lirrit: An infant, youngest of Maia's three sisters.
Lokris: Milvushina's maid in Bekla.
Luma: A Suban girl.
Maia: A Tonildan girl.
Makron: A Suban village elder, husband of Penyanis.
Malendik: A man employed by N'Kasit.
Megdon: A slave-trader employed by Lalloc.
Mendel-el-Ekna: A Lapanese captain, adherent of Randronoth.
Meris: A Belishban, concubine of Sencho.
Milvushina: A Chalcon girl, daughter of Enka-Mordet.
Mollo: Elleroth's captain of pioneers.
Morca: Tharrin's wife.
Nala: The second of Maia's three younger sisters.
Nasada: A Suban doctor.
Nennaunir: A Beklan courtesan or "shearna."
N'Kasit: A Kabinese merchant dealing in hides, leather, etc., in Bekla.
Nokomis: ("The Dragonfly"; originally named Astara) A Suban dancing-girl, mother of Bayub-Otal by the High Baron of Urtah.
Occula: A black girl.
Ogma: A lame slave-girl.
Otavis: A Beklan slave-girl, later a courtesan or "shearna."
Penyanis: A Suban lady, wife of Makron.
Perdan: A slave-trader employed by Lalloc.
Pillan: Servant to Bayub-Otal.
Pokada: Prison governor in Bekla.
Randronoth: Governor of Lapan.
Santil-ke-Erketlis: A baron in Chalcon.
Sarget: A wealthy Beklan wine-merchant.
Sedniclass="underline" A young Palteshi: lover of Nennaunir.
Seekron: A Lapanese nobleman, adherent of Randronoth.
Selperron: A Kabinese merchant, friend of N'Kasit.
Sencho-be-L'vandor: High Counselor of Bekla: the Leopards' Chief of Intelligence.
Senda-na-Say: The former High Baron of Bekla, killed by Durakkon.
Sendekar: A Beklan general.
Sessendris: Housekeeper (or "saiyett") to Kembri.
Shend-Lador. A young Leopard, son of the castellan of the Beklan citadel.
Sphelthon: A young Tonildan soldier. Ta-Kominion: A young Ortelgan noble.
Terebinthia: Housekeeper (or "saiyett") to Sencho.
Tescon: A young Suban, adherent of Lenkrit.
Tharrin: Maia's stepfather.
Theclass="underline" A young Suban, adherent of Lenkrit.
Tolis: A junior officer in Elleroth's force: lieutenant to
Mollo. "Zai": Occula's name for her father (actually named Baru):
a jewel-merchant.
Zen-Kureclass="underline" A Katrian staff officer of King Karnat. Zirek: A pedlar.
Zuno: A young man in Lalloc's, later in Fornis's employ.
PART I THE PEASANT
1: THE FALLS
Three hundred yards downstream the noise of the falls, muffled by intervening trees and undergrowth in the crook of the bend, was reduced to a quiet murmur of pouring water, a natural sound more smoothly continuous than any other-than wind, insects or even night frogs in the marshes. In winter it might increase to the heavy roar of spate: in summer drought, diminish to a mere splashing among fern at lip and weed at base. It never ceased.
Below the bend the river ran strongly under the further bank, where its uneven bed of stones, gravel and sunken logs made the surface ripple and undulate, so that the tilted planes glittered in the late afternoon sun. Under the overgrown, nearer bank it was deeper and stiller, dully reflecting sky and trees. All about, on either side, masses of plants were in vivid bloom; some forming wide beds in the shallows, others lining the banks waist-high or trailing from the trees in festoons of saffron, crimson and greenish-white. Their honey-sweet or citrus scents filled the air, as did the hum of insects hovering and gliding, hunting prey or themselves darting in flight. Here and there a fish rose, gulped down a floating fly and vanished, leaving widening circles that died away on the surface.
Taller than the rushes and swamp-grass filling a marshy inlet on the further bank, a keriot-the green, frog-hunting heron of the Tonildan Waste-stood motionless, watching the few feet of slow-moving water around it with alert, voracious eyes. From time to time it would bend its long neck and stab, gobbling quickly before resuming its still posture.
At length, as the sun, declining, dipped behind the tops of the trees, throwing their shadows across the river, the keriot became restless. Wary even beyond the common run of wild creatures, it was alerted and made uneasy by such slight intrusions as the change of light, the movement of shadows and the breeze now sprung up among the creepers. Having taken a few restless steps this way and that through the plumed reeds, it rose into the air and flew upstream, its long legs trailing behind the slow beat of its wings. Flying directly up the line of the river, it was making for the still-sunlit falls.