“You intend, for once, to pleasure me fully?” Ilvin asked with a look of delight, and then did the leer return to her. “Indeed is such a doing more than past time, for in all other respects you appear quite hardy. Afterward, when you find yourself unable to walk, I will even fetch provender to you.”
“Perhaps a short taste of the leather first,” said Chaldrin against further laughter, his tone now musing. “An insolent wench fairly begs for taming, and I am not a man to ignore the pleas of a female. At darkness, then, eh, wench, and in a place none will disturb us?”
His dark-eyed gaze rested fully upon Ilvin, and she, despite the continuing laughter all about her, forbore to reply. She knew not whether the male spoke in jest, and behind her own gaze undoubtedly lay the memory of the strength of Chaldrin’s arm, yet her words of provocation had been spoken and could not be recalled. I saw the question come into her eyes upon the wisdom of also speaking words of apology, yet that decision would not be easily made by her. If she truly desired the use of Chaldrin, which she had not had in some feyd, she would find it necessary to meet with him at darkness. At that time would she either speak in apology or accept what punishment he gave, and I knew not which she would chooses—or whether she would not choose another thing entirely. The matter lay between two warriors, and between them would it be seen to.
The next moment saw Ennat returned with my provender, and full welcome was it to the hollow within me. Mehrayn growled out his disgust with me for not having seen to the need sooner, for the manner in which I fell upon the provender spoke eloquently of how great that need was, and Ennat fell again to frowning. The Keeper seemed outraged that a male would speak so to Mida’s chosen, yet merely did she swallow daru till I had fed my fill, and then did she suggest that I be allowed a time of uninterrupted rest. To my annoyance all those who sat with me agreed at once, and before I might voice another preference, the last of them was gone through the tent flap. I had little interest in either rest or solitude, yet it seemed I was destined to have both. I took up my pot of daru and leaned down to one elbow upon the sleeping leather, unsure of whether I felt annoyed or amused. When I finished the daru I would leave the tent, and then would all of those who followed me see how little need I had for rest.
“My lady war leader.” The soft words spoken at the tent flap drew me to sitting once again, for S’Heernoh had entered with as little sound as he ever made. He smiled when he saw the greeting in my eyes, and bowed his curious bow.
“Once again you have returned to health, and once again I am well pleased,” said he. “Are you in great need of rest, or may I speak with you?”
“My need for rest exists only in the minds of those who have just departed here,” I replied, gesturing with the daru. “Come and sit with me, S’Heernoh, so that I may thank you once again for your aid.”
“I believe I have already said that thanks are unnecessary,” said he, coming forward to take seat not far from me. “I would not have interfered, save that the meaning of what I had seen upon the Snows came to me then, and I had no doubt as to the proper course of action.”
“You saw—all this—upon the Snows?” I asked, dismayed. “For what reason did you not speak of it sooner?”
“For the reason that I had no understanding of what I saw,” he replied, his now unsmiling face giving indication that once again he felt the weight of responsibility upon his shoulders. “There were two female hadat, and flames through both of them, and truly did I believe that the black-rimmed golden glow which moved from one to the other indicated an event of pure symbolism. In such a manner are certain events hidden from us, cloaked in symbolism we cannot hope to penetrate. Only at the last was I able to see that the black-rimmed golden glow—your life sign—must be returned to you, else would the flames consume you as well. One path showed as much, a path I had only caught a glimpse of before being forced to return. I had spent too long a time studying the main path, you see, attempting to make sense of it.”
“And this, I have no doubt, was that which I was kept from seeing myself,” I said with a nod of understanding. “Had I seen to female hadat, I would have at once suspected another Midanna in the thing, and known that the black-rimmed golden glow could only be my life sign. Black for Sigurr and gold for Mida, and in no manner would I have allowed the thing to occur. Were you able to see the reason so foul a happening was necessary?”
“I saw naught of such a reason, yet it might well be too soon for it to be seen,” said he, spreading his hands in a gesture of helplessness. “Also might the reason be clearly before us, such as the manner in which these wenches now follow you without question. Upon the Snows such a reason is at times regarded as sufficient, no matter the manner in which mortal men regard it.”
“I dislike such soulless lack of feeling,” said I with a grimace of distaste. “We must make an effort to disassociate ourselves from the Snows, to remove the hold they seem to have upon us.”
“Remove the hold of the Snows?” he echoed, seemingly taken with great confusion. “Jalav, the Snows have no hold upon those of this world, rather are they shaped by the doings to be found here. The Snows are no more than the times coming to be, an advance reflection of that which we, ourselves, will cause. They have no strength to shape our lives.”
“Then what of those things that are so firmly fixed that no other paths appear at that point?” I demanded, beginning to grow annoyed with the lack of understanding in the male. “What of those things which are shielded from us so that we may do naught to avoid them? It is this which we must disassociate ourselves from, this slavery to the will of the Snows!”
“Lady, I have no words with which to speak to you,” said the male with his faint, odd smile. “My words or lack thereof are entirely irrelevant, for I will certainly follow where you lead. I have no desire to do aught else. Would you have me tell you of what else I saw upon the Snows?”
“Indeed,” said I, curious as to what this might be. “It was my understanding that you had not the time to remain and see what more there was.”
“This I saw but a short time ago,” said he, “when you lay in the sleep of healing. I walked the Snows to be sure no other pitfalls lay in your path, and saw the place we travel to from here. Large is that city, and filled with many more of your wenches—and when we arrive there it will also be surrounded by many men.”
“Males?” I frowned, looking sharply upon the Walker. “What males? In what numbers?”
“Many men in large numbers, yet not so large a number as you now lead,” said he, his voice attempting to be soothing. “Some are led by a blue male gando, and more are led by a large white lanthay. The lanthay is accompanied by a red flame and a winged revro.”
“Galiose?” I asked in shocked disbelief, knowing the blue gando might be none other than he. “And Telion and Lialt and—Ceralt?”
In a whisper did the last name come from my throat, and I sat unmoving as my hands trembled about the pot of dare I held. My warriors in Bellinard were to be besieged by Galiose and Ceralt? And I was to appear with greater numbers and end the siege? By attacking? Ceralt?
“Jalav, your war leaders press for an opportunity to speak with you,” said Ennat from the tent flap, her frown now for S’Heernoh. “They would hear more of the gods we soon ride to do battle with.”
“Gods?” I echoed, so deeply awhirl that I knew not what she spoke of. “We do not ride to do battle with gods, merely with strangers from the skies.”
“These strangers are enemies of Mida, are they not?” she asked, looking upon me with puzzlement. “What other thing than gods might be those who come from the skies and are enemies to a god? Would our aid be necessary against mortals?”