“I have brought that which you requested, Eistaa. The eggs lie safe in here.”
Saagakel moved with gratitude and pleasure. “Fafnepto, first among Yilanè of strength and wisdom, do you speak of the eggs of the okhalakx?” She signed pleasure unbounded at Fafnepto’s affirmative answer. The listeners echoed the pleasure, all except for Vaintè.
“You are not familiar with the okhalakx?” Saagakel asked.
“Apologies for ignorance,” Vaintè said.
“Lack of information, one day to be replaced by pleasure. It is one of the older animals, found in very few cities. Solid of body, strong of skull — and most important — tasty of flesh. We had a small herd, they grow slowly, but they were destroyed by disease. A tragedy turned now to a happiness by Fafnepto, for whom the city’s gratitude is boundless. Requests of any magnitude granted.”
“One,” Fafnepto said in a plain-spoken, rough but not impolite manner. She turned a penetrating eye on Vaintè. “I have been told that this visitor has great knowledge of Gendasi*, land across the sea. And of the ustuzou and other animals there. I have questions about them I would ask.”
“My knowledge is yours,” Vaintè said, and Saagakel was gratified by her loyalty and clarity of speech. Fafnepto signed her away from the group and they walked by the stream.
“The ustuzou I know are small and covered with fur,” Fafhepto said. “It is said that they are different in Gendasi*.”
“Some are just as you have said. But there are larger ones with branching horns that make the best eating. We kept them in the city for that. Then there are the others of some intelligence and much guile. Poisonous creatures, fit only to be destroyed. As they destroyed Alpèasak, though it grew again.”
“Those are the ones of which I heard. Are they yilanè?”
“No. It has been said that they converse with each other, but none can understand it. There was one once who was yilanè, a creature of great destruction.”
When she talked now of Kerrick Vaintè felt her body move with expressions of great loathing and hatred. So strong were these that she had to stop and force herself into silence to regain control. Fafnepto waited, patient and unmoving, until Vaintè could speak again.
“You have seen how I feel. That one ustuzou has destroyed everything that I have worked for.”
“I will kill it for you if I can find it.”
Vaintè felt a great warmth of feeling towards this stolid, scarred Yilanè and it shaped her speaking. “I believe you, strong Fafnepto, and thank you. I will tell you all that I know about the creatures and Inegban*, for they are different in many ways.”
Fafnepto was a good listener and asked only for amplification and clarification on points of particular interest. Vaintè spoke of things that she had not even thought about since returning to Gendasi*. This calmed her and made the speaking all that more pleasant. When she had finished she hesitated and Fafnepto caught the suggestion of question unspoken.
“If Vaintè has need of something — tell me.”
“Not need, curiosity that is more than curiosity. You, who are both of this city and of other cities, might speak to me of it. Yebèisk has made me welcome and I am privileged to talk often with the Eistaa. There is freedom of speaking — yet there is one thing that no one talks of. Something that if it is suggested to exist is rejected. Since this is a strong rejection I have not mentioned it here. May I speak of it to you?”
“Tell me what it is.”
“The Daughters of Life.”
The hunter signed for respectful silence even before Vaintè had finished speaking the name. She looked on all sides as she said it, saw that none were close enough to hear, then led Vaintè further away, to a sunny spot behind low hedges where the others were out of sight.
“We are here,” Fafnepto said, “so no possible interpretation can be placed upon body movements. You were right to come to me for none other here would dare speak of what happened. Do you know much of the Daughters?”
“Far too much. Endless trouble/pain caused by them. I wish them all dead.”
“As does the Eistaa. There were many here, imprisoned in a fruit grove to prevent their poison from spreading. Then more of the same arrived from outside the city and were also imprisoned. Their cause was taken up by one of science named Ambalasei. This is the one whose blood the Eistaa wishes to taste upon her teeth. Ambalasei freed them all and took them from here.”
“Not easy to do.”
“There was an uruketo. She ordered that without the Eistaa’s knowledge, took it and all of the prisoners and has not been heard of since.”
“Gone? But how?”
“That is beyond my knowledge. When no others were permitted to mention it, the Eistaa still spoke to me of the matter. In all the cities I visited I was to ask about the uruketo and its cargo. It has never reappeared. There is no trace.”
Vaintè was still with internal thought for some time, before turning to Fafnepto and speaking again. “I think that you have deep reasons under your other reasons for speaking with me. Is that true, Fafnepto?”
“It is.”
“You asked about the ustuzou of Gendasi*. And you search for an uruketo. Is it your belief, do you think it possible, that the uruketo has gone to Gendasi*?”
“I have searched and spoken to many. Now I believe that the uruketo has left Inegban*. If it has — where could it be?”
Vaintè thought carefully before she spoke again. “We ask each other questions. We swim around an answer but do not go near it. I will speak clearly. I think your uruketo has crossed the ocean. The only question remaining is — do you tell Saagakel of this? Or do I?”
“She has forbidden me to speak of the matter to her ever again.”
“Then the responsibility is mine for I have not been forbidden. Were you in the city when all this happened?”
“No.”
“I will need to know more of what occurred before I dare mention it to the Eistaa. Who will talk to me about it?”
“Talk to Ostuku. Behind the fat is a Yilanè of intelligence. She will aid you.”
They parted in friendship, leaving Vaintè with much to think about. She knew better than to hurry a matter as delicate as this one. By putting it from her mind completely she let none of her new knowledge color any of her speaking. But she was aware of Ostuku’s movements and one morning saw her opportunity. The Eistaa had been speaking to her advisers. After the conference Ostuku waddled from the ambesed. Vaintè left at the same time and was her friendliest.
“Ostuku closest to Saagakel. May I walk with you — or are you embarked on matters of great urgency?”
“Matters of importance but not urgency.”
“Then request of wisdom from one of greatest wisdom. With privacy of conversation.”
Ostuku considered this closely before she spoke. “The pleasure will be mine. There exists a garden grove of sunshine and shade where I take much comfort.”
“Gratitude magnified multifold.”
They strolled in silence to the grove which was indeed as Ostuku had said. Sunwarmed, ornately carved boards were there for sitting or reclining. Green grass and flowers surrounded the trunks of tall trees. They sought cool comfort in the shadows for the sun was getting high. When they were seated Vaintè went right to the point.