The elemental looked at him with grudging respect. (I will. You understand, though, why I did not—)
(Of course. You weren't sure whether I lay within the Pact or not, and who wants to be bound when it's not necessary? But I'm within it, by intention at least; and if that's not enough, there's ancestry.)
(Oh?) It understood him, but there was some slight confusion about some of the nuances he had applied to the thought, and Herewiss didn't know which ones.
(Yes. I am descended from Ferrigan Halmer's daughter of the Brightwood Line; she walked between the worlds, or so our traditions say. My father is presently Lord of the Brightwood—)
Sunspark stared at Herewiss, and emitted a wave of total shock and incredulity. (Your progenitor is still alive??)
(Uh — yes. My mother is dead, though—)
(Well, of course. Why two different concepts for your progenitors, though?)
Herewiss was becoming more than slightly confused himself. (One of them is a man, and the other was a woman—)
There was a brief silence. (You are a hybrid? Well, such matings aren't unheard of in parts of the Pattern—)
(Uhh — no. 'Man' and 'woman' are different forms of the same creature.)
(Oh. Like larval and pupal?)
Herewiss was shaking his head in amazement. (Well, uh, not really—)
The elemental was bewildered, but still intrigued. (This is too hard for me,) it said finally. (I cannot understand how your 'father' is still extant after union. But whatever -there are patterns within the Pattern, and no way to understand them all. No matter. Your 'father' was a master of energies, you said—)
(I did? Well, yes, you could say that, though how you mean it and how I mean it is—)
(Later. What does his mastery have to do with you?)
(Well, among other things, when he dies, I'll inherit the Wood—)
(Well, of course. How can it be otherwise, but that progeny shall take their progenitors' energy unto them?)
(Uh-right.) (I think I see. Are you seeking to bring your progenitor to his ending that you may have his energies?)
Herewiss said, too puzzled to be angry, (No. I am traveling to find a friend who is being held against his will, and to release him.) Herewiss kept the thought as simple as possible, feeling that this was no time to go into the political ramifications.
He could feel Sunspark pondering the whole thought curiously, taking it apart. (Oh. This person is your mate?)
Herewiss said, (Uh — my loved, yes.)
Sunspark looked with interest at the concept 'loved'. (Your mate. And you will unite and engender progeny? You seem a little young for it . . .)
(It, ah, it doesn't quite work that way. You see, we are both men . . .)
(Yes?) It waited politely for the explanation. Herewiss sagged against the wall, looking for the right words.
(Well — see, Sunspark, in this world, 'progeny' are -well, there are many ways to achieve union, but there is only one way to have a child. The women bear the children, always; and though men may know men in, uh, union, and women may lie with women, a child only happens if a man lies with a woman. There have been times when babies were supposed to have happened when women lay together — but it's hard to say, because men had been sleeping with the women too.) Herewiss, to his utter surprise, was becoming embarrassed. Even Halwerd at four years of age had not been as completely confused about sex as Sunspark obviously was. (My loved and I are both males and cannot have 'progeny' of our own.)
Sunspark digested this. (Yours is not a fruitful union? Yet you pursue it? Such behavior is not survival-oriented for a species.)
Herewiss laughed. (No, it isn't really. That is why the Goddess gave our kind the Responsibility. When we come of age—)
(Oh. You come into heat too? Well, there is one similarity, anyway.)
(Uh, not really, I think. But. When we come of age, or soon after, we must have union in such a manner as to reproduce ourselves at least once — one union for a man, two bearings for a woman. After that, union is our own business, and we may love whom we please.)
The roan stallion stood there and mused over this.
Sunspark was fully recovered now, and it looked truly magnificent, like the mount of a king — its hide was a true deep crimson, bright as blood, and its mane and tail glittered like wrought gold even in the subdued light from the door.
(How very strange,) it said. (Union again and again, it seems, without consummation. And even without progeny! — So your 'loved' is in durance?)
(Yes.)
(And you are going to free it?)
(Him. Yes, and then go back to my work.)
(This is definitely too much for me,) Sunspark said. (You will go to your mate — and not unite — and then go do something else?)
(Well, we may, uh, unite, but- yes.)
(What else could you possibly want to do?)
Herewiss sighed. (I have, mmm, a certain kind of Fire within me—)
(Yes: that's why I was heading in this direction, as well as because the rain felt less over here. I could feel the fire, and I thought we might be related — though I didn't understand how you could not be distressed by the water. I see that we aren't relatives, though, except in a rather superficial manner.)
(That's for sure,) Herewiss said. (At any rate, I have this Fire — but not control of it. With the Flame, one must have a tool, a focus with which to dissociate it from one's self, or it won't work. I'm looking for such a focus. It would be a shame to die of old age and never have had use of the Flame at all . . .)
(Excuse me. 'Die'?)
(Uh . . . cease to exist?) Herewiss said, and Sunspark jumped a little from the suddenness of the thought.
(That is an impossible concept.)
(. . . pass on? Go through the Door into Starlight?)
(Oh, you mean leave your present form,) Sunspark said. (I see. Why the time limit, though? Is it a game?)
Herewiss shook his head slowly, not knowing what to say. Sunspark sensed his bemusement, and fell silent.
(Where are you headed?) Herewiss asked.
(I have been roaming — like all the rest of my kind. I am condemned to restlessness. But you have bound me to you by the Pact, and I must pay back your favor in kind.)
Herewiss thought for a moment. (Well enough, then. If you'll keep company with me until you have opportunity to save my life, I'll consider the favor paid. With the things I'm going to be doing, it shouldn't be too long . . .)
(Done, and done,) Sunspark said. (Shall we match off energies to bind the agreement? It is in the nature of my kind,) Sunspark continued, (to match off energies whenever possible. The loser's energies are bound to the winner's, so that when the winners come to mate, their progeny are more powerful than the parents. I think you would probably consider it as something of a social exchange.
Like—) it slipped a little further into his mind to find an analogue — (like clasping hands?)
(With a little knuckle-work,) Herewiss said, grinning. (I hear a certain air of permanence in the thought, Sunspark. Are you looking for a way to make an end of me accidentally, and so be free of our agreement?)
(Make an end? Oh, I see, force you to change form.) Sunspark chuckled softly, with innocent savagery. (I told you I was probably going to be trouble for you,) it said.
(Yes,) Herewiss said, laughing himself. (Trouble indeed. Sunspark, I am minded to try my strength with you. I would like to engage in a social exchange with you; I'd sooner have a friend than someone whom I could never trust, and that's what you'd most likely be without this—)
It looked askance at the concept 'friend'. (You want to mate with me?) it said incredulously. (How perverse. And how very interesting—)
There was a sudden smile in its voice that made Herewiss wary. (I didn't say that,) he said. (Never mind it now, Spark, there seem to be differences in our ways of looking at things, and with a little luck we'll have leisure to discuss them later — How are these matches usually handled?)