Nearly had I driven the male to his platform, the snarl of the hadat deep within my throat, desperation clear upon his features. I thought to leave him and hasten to the Crystals before the arrival of others, yet was I unable to do so. The male had kept my teeth from him, though his hand still grasped my arm, disallowing my return to the device, and I was unable to free myself. Resolutely, I sent my teeth to his hand, and with a howl of pain from him I was quickly released, yet had the time fled to naught. Two armed males, in leather and metal, rapidly appeared then to bar my way, and firmly was I taken and held between them. My attempts at struggle were in vain, the device secure from reach beyond their broad, muscled backs.
“Hold her!” gasped the aged male, his bitten hand held to him by the other. “In the name of the Serene Oneness, do not allow her to reach the comm! The empty-headed wench would throw her life away!”
With some difficulty the armed males drew me farther from the device, their hands upon my arms, their bodies behind mine, till we stood before the aged male, his disapproving eyes once more upon me. I breathed heavily from the struggle, yet was I still unbeaten. The Crystals lay not far from me, and my life was yet mine.
“Do not release her,” the aged male ordered, his eyes unmoving from me. “I ask again your name, wench, and your purpose in attempting the theft of the Crystals of power. Know you not the gates of the city remain locked against all departures?”
Full straight did I stand in the grasp of the males beside me, and disdained to answer. To accuse one of the Midanna of theft of the Crystals of Mida spoke of foolishness beyond the norm, and there was nothing I cared to say upon the matter. The aged male’s annoyance grew, and he nodded briskly.
“Very well!” said he harshly. “You may consider your reply till the new light, and then you may offer it to the High Seat! Place her in a retaining cell, and post a guard. The High Seat shall decide her fate!”
With nods the males pulled me from the room, and firm was their grasp upon my arms. I fully expected to be taken below, to the darkness in the ground; however I was forced to a new set of steps which we ascended. No cloth at all was to be found upon this next level, and the rooms were not rooms, but enclosures. The walls were unadorned stone of pink, the floors uncovered stone of gray, the doors not doors but lines of metal, enclosing rooms but leaving them quite open to view. Within such a room was I thrust, the light of a nearby torch casting shadowed illumination, and the metal door was closed behind, holding me captive within. The armed males grinned, and shook their heads before one took himself off, the other standing some paces from the room. The room itself contained only a narrow platform upon which was cloth somewhat like that of a platform called bed. I placed myself upon the gray stone of the floor, my shoulders against the pink stone of the walls, my head back, my eyes, closed. Once again had I failed Mida, yet would I continue in my efforts till my life and soul had fled, naught less to halt me. With the new light would I face Galiose, demanding the return of the Crystals, else demanding his life in their stead. Naught was there to halt my final efforts upon Mida’s behalf, for the Crystals must be freed. Perhaps then would my Hosta also be freed, to live as they had before my failure, for then would Mida be pleased. I sat beside the wall, my eyes closed, and awaited the new light.
18
Phanisar—and a fool’s tale
Sounds of footsteps came from beyond the doorway, and I rose to my feet, somewhat unsteadily, preparing myself for the confrontation with Galiose. Much of the darkness had I passed in sleep, and the demands of hunger had eased with the passing hind, as they are wont to do, and fully prepared was I to press my quest. The steps seemed to betoken the presence of three males or more, and I placed myself before the metal, to await their appearance. Earlier had the armed male been replaced, the new male coming to grin upon me, yet had none spoken or closely approached.
The steps resolved themselves to forms, and the forms halted before my enclosure, true anger to be seen upon the faces of three. Galiose, Telion, and Ceralt stood before me, two armed males in leather and metal, seemingly amused, behind them. All eyes were unblinkingly upon me, and those of Ceralt filled me with uncertainty, for their lightness was chilled to a large degree. With some small difficulty I looked from him, and gazed upon Galiose, called High Seat of Ranistard. This male’s brows were low with anger, and slowly did he shake his head.
“I should find little surprise at her presence within my Palace,” said he, “for surely has she been sent by Sigurr to plague me for my sins! How obedient to your will she has become, hunter!”
Ceralt said nothing to this comment, yet his face darkened.
I disliked his gaze in its entirety, and looked once more upon Galiose.
“The Crystals of Mida must be released,” said I to this male. “Neither they nor the Hosta are to remain in the grasp of city males, and Mida demands the release of all.”
“Indeed!” said Galiose, surprised. “I would know the manner in which this revelation reached you—for I see no reason for agreement.”
“All must be released!” said I quite sharply, my hands upon the metal of the enclosure, my gaze firm upon Galiose. “Should this not be in accordance with your wishes, gladly will I face you with sword in hand, and see the matter done when you have fallen.”
“When I have fallen!” Galiose shouted, his face suffused with rage. “Truly do you require a lesson in manners, wench!” he shouted. “I am a warrior with a warrior’s pride, and do not care to be mocked! Should you ever stand before me with naked blade, you shall quickly see who the fallen is to be!”
“You accept my challenge, then?” I asked, to the consternation of Telion and Ceralt. “To the winner belongs all, Hosta and Crystals alike.”
“No!” shouted Ceralt and Telion as one, disallowing a reply from Galiose. Galiose seemed annoyed, and I, too, felt so.
“There shall be no battle!” said Ceralt quite sternly, his eyes ablaze like Galiose’s. “A wench shall be punished, of that you may be sure, and no battle shall it be!”
“Jalav addresses Galiose,” said I quite evenly to Ceralt and Telion. “Is he not to be allowed to reply of his own?”
“The High Seat refuses your challenge!” said Telion, once more causing Galiose’s lips to part for naught. “Jalav shall not put hand to weapon, yet were she mine, she would find close acquaintance with the leather of punishment!”
“Have all now had their say?” inquired Galiose politely, looking from angered Telion to angered Ceralt.
“No other wishes to relieve me of the tedious chore of deciding upon my own actions?” Telion and Ceralt flushed at these words, and again attempted to speak, till Galiose’s hand raised to silence them. “Enough!” said he quite sharply. “Jalav addressed the High Seat, and to her shall the High Seat reply!” His eyes came to me once more, and a smile touched his lips. “Lovely Jalav,” said he, his tone soft. “A warrior may not, in honor, raise sword to a woman, even though she be a woman such as yourself. The Hosta and the Crystals shall remain in the grasp of—‘city males,’ and there is naught you may do to alter this.” Then did his smile slip away, and a hardness entered his tone. “Yet,” said he, “there is a matter which must indeed be seen to by you! I shall have you brought before your wenches, and you shall instruct them against continuing as they have done so far!”
I found no meaning in the words of Galiose, and Ceralt and Telion frowned as well. “What has happened?” asked Telion of Galiose. “I have heard of no difficulty.”
“Nor shall the word be spread,” said Galiose in annoyance. “You know of the curfew declared against the wenches?” Telion and Ceralt nodded, and those males behind Galiose attempted to mask some amusement. “There is considerable reason for the curfew,” continued Galiose, his eyes upon me. “Small packs of her females had taken to gathering at darkness, and by the new light were there many men of our city who had found themselves—persuaded—to please the females through the darkness! Yet the curfew has merely sent them to the shadows, and we have as yet to find the culprits! Jalav, their leader, shall order a halt to these doings, else shall she be punished in their stead!”