“Galiose, you cannot do so!” protested Ceralt, a tightness to his tone. “My wench has had no part in such doings, for she has constantly been with me!”
“So say each of the others!” snapped Galiose angrily. “They each would swear by the Serene oneness that their wench be innocent! For now, I care not who has done and who has not! I simply wish to see an end to the matter! Jalav shall speak with them, and they shall cease, else Jalav shall suffer!”
“Jalav may do naught,” said I with a shrug. “My Hosta have been taken from me, to serve the needs of city males, therefore may the city males see to their own safety. Am I to protect the servants of the thieves of the Crystals of Mida?”
“You dare to call me thief?” roared Galiose, beside himself with fury. His hands grasped the metal of the door, as though he would tear it from its place, and Telion closed his eyes as though in pain. Ceralt, I did not look toward, for I wished to use the High Seat’s fury, and the hunter’s presence disturbed me.
“Stolen were the Crystals and the freedom of the Hosta,” said I with another shrug. “Should Galiose feel the accusation too deeply, he may perhaps find the stomach to face me. How say you, O honorable warrior?”
Galiose seemed unable to speak, so deep was his anger. He stared upon me with furious eyes, then he pulled himself from the metal and strode away, Telion immediately in his wake. Much annoyed was I that my challenge had been scorned, and I grasped the metal in anger, yet did I find my wrist grasped in turn. My eyes moved to see Ceralt, his large fingers tight about my left wrist.
“I shall gag you myself,” he hissed, with eyes ablaze, “should I hear from you another word! You shall not face the High Seat in battle, even should he be willing to do so, for you belong to me, and I shall not allow it! Are my words clear to you?”
Clear were the words of Ceralt, and clear his disapproval, and I lowered my eyes and moved my right hand to touch gently the broad hand of him. Such strange feelings did he bring forth in me that I could not meet his gaze, yet was the sight of his hand upon mine no better, for his warmth reached through my skin and touched me deep. Dark was his hand, and dark the hair sprinkled upon it, so strong the fist, and almost smooth to my finger’s caress. His hand trembled slightly at my touch, and more tightly was my wrist held in his grasp.
“Jalav, I had thought you gone!” he whispered raggedly, his left hand reaching within to stroke my back. “Why did you run from me, and what do you do here?”
“I must recover Mida’s Crystals,” I whispered in turn. “Ceralt must not care for Jalav, for Jalav is bound to do Mida’s bidding—and belong to no male. Almost do I wish it were not so.”
“It need not be so!” he insisted, drawing me to him though the metal stood between us. “There is naught you may do to free the Crystals, and the Hosta do now belong to the men of Ranistard! You are mine, Jalav, and so shall you continue to be, though you run from me a thousand times!”
“It may not be so,” I sighed, “for Mida demands the return of her Crystals. May I—have my life sign when I am to face Galiose with blades?”
“No!” he shouted angrily, and the skin tautened upon the fist which held me. Again I sighed, for I had hoped that my soul need not be lost, yet did Ceralt still move to the bidding of Mida. My soul was to be the cost of my earlier failure, and naught was to change that. “No!” Ceralt shouted again, and his hand grasped my arm to shake me. “You shall not do battle, Jalav, therefore have you no need of your bit of wood! Do not speak of it again!”
My head lowered somewhat, knowing the futility of speaking of it again, and then footsteps reapproached. My eyes raised past Ceralt’s arm, and Galiose and Telion did I see, coming once more to stand before me. As I did not wish him to, Ceralt did not release me, and again did Galiose smile slightly.
“We must turn your interest to things other than battle,” said Galiose to me, “and I am pleased to see that that is not far from being done. Perhaps some words with Phanisar shall convince you that the Crystals of power may not be returned to the Hosta. Guard! Unlock the cell.”
Ceralt and I parted so that the enclosure might be opened, and I was pleased at this turn of events. Should Phanisar be the aged male in whose keeping were the Crystals, still might I find opportunity to seize them. Down the area from the enclosures did we walk, Galiose and Telion before us, Ceralt beside me with hand upon my neck, the two males behind us. Still amused did these armed males seem, and that was also pleasing. Should the need arise, their weapons would not prove difficult to take.
But one level lower did we descend, to the level of the Crystals; however, we were not to enter the room which held them. Another room did we enter, of polished wood and platforms, with blue cloth upon its floor, and blue silk seats beside one platform. To this platform of seats was I led, and the aged male whom I had seen with the Crystals rose from a seat and bowed to Galiose. Beside his seat, upon the platform, stood a pile of leather and cloth, and now I was able to see strokes of black upon the leather. But briefly did I glance at this, for to my disappointment, the armed males remained without the room, closing the door firmly so that it would not swing. Neither Crystals nor weapons were then within reach, therefore was the time to pass uselessly.
“Jalav, this is Phanisar,” said Galiose, gesturing toward the aged male. “You have, I believe, already met, though far less formally.”
“Indeed,” nodded he called Phanisar, a wry sharpness to his gaze. His hand showed itself to be wrapped about with white cloth, and gingerly did he hold the hand. “Jalav and I have indeed met,” said he, “yet was my acquaintanceship closer with her teeth. I trust the incident shall not be repeated?”
The males laughed somewhat at the comment, and Ceralt shook me by the neck. “I shall see to her behavior,” said he, “and I do, most sincerely, sympathize. Her teeth have almost the sharpness of her tongue.”
“Perhaps we may lessen her sharpness,” said Galiose. “Let us seat ourselves, and Phanisar may inform our war leader here of the true nature of the Crystals.”
All took seat upon the blue silk, and he called Phanisar placed his hand upon the pile of leather and cloth. “This, Jalav,” said he, “is a writing of the Early Times, a belonging of those who had for themselves the Lost Knowledge, for they were able to speak with the gods themselves. Within this writing is there spoken of the comm, and the Crystals of power as well.”
So sincere did Phanisar seem, that I said naught of the foolishness he spouted. All knew that lore was handed from mother to daughter and therefore never lost, and all knew as well that leather and cloth had naught of a tongue with which to speak. Addled with age was this male Phanisar, an object upon which a warrior was to look with pity.
Phanisar smiled and said, “The comm, Jalav, is a device which may be used to speak with the gods, to ask of them the questions which men may not answer. Many and many a kalod ago, long before the time of my father, and his father, and his father’s father, perhaps as much as three hundred kalod, the crystals were taken from the comm, so that men might no longer speak with the gods. The crystals hold within themselves a power which the device does use to reach the gods, a power without which the device is useless. For some mysterious reason is the power within the crystals painful to females, therefore were the crystals taken by females, and hidden away from the sight of men.”