How soft the words had been, how gentle the hand which came to stroke my hair. I felt the smooth, warm floor cloth beneath my feet, the unyielding wall which was again at my back, and also the chill of my flesh which overrode an awareness of other, lesser things. At last had my thoughts ceased whirling in all directions, for no longer were there thoughts left within me. No more than the pain of great hurt was there within me, a pain I had no true understanding of. I looked down upon hands which remained unmoving at my middle, feeling no desire to seek my lost thoughts, and again the same hand came to stroke my hair.
“You are upset now, I know, therefore shall I spare you the need to speak of your agreement,” said he. “I will speak of it for you, and once you are in the midst of it you will no longer be upset. Have no fear, sister; all will surely turn out for the best.”
He turned about and took himself toward the others. I stood by the wall alone. Deep within I now felt a hollowness where earlier had been pain, a hollowness which would never again be filled. There was the place where one called brother had dwelled, one who had betrayed me with the word I, myself, had given him so that the bond between us might not be shattered. How great a fool is the warrior who believes there might ever be such a bond between warrior and male, herself and a reasonless, honorless male. No other than Midanna would from then on call me sister, and I—never again would I speak the despicable word brother.
3
Inspection—and a cause for challenge
I had little stomach for walking about with those males, yet had it come to me that I had bought back my word with the agreement which had been forced from me. I stood beside the wall for no more than a moment or two, hardening myself to the necessity, only to discover that the males were not yet prepared to depart. Ceralt and Mehrayn had apparently failed to feed earlier, and now saw to the omission in company with Lialt, Telion and Chaldrin. At the doors to the hall stood only Galiose, Aysayn and S’Heernoh, and the first of them looked upon me with a mixture of satisfaction and annoyance as I came up to them.
“I congratulate you upon having learned at last to bow to reason and necessity,” Galiose said to me, his tone somewhat dryer than I cared for. “Had the thing occurred sooner, surely would there have been far less difficulty between us. Now there is but one further matter I must remark upon, and that is the dagger you continue to wear in your leg bands. As we, your guests, must walk about unarmed, I consider it no more than fitting that you do the same.”
“The dagger shall remain as it is,” said I, stiffening somewhat at the reminder of the weapon—and the life sign wrapped about it. From Mida and Sigurr had my altered life sign come, and truly had it proven itself a device of the gods.
“For what reason do you refuse to remove the dagger?” asked Galiose, eyeing me in a curious manner. “Do you perhaps contemplate ridding yourself of a certain number of unwanted guests?”
“The life sign wrapped about it must be touched by none save myself,” I replied. “It was given me by the gods as a sign that I ride in their names and is capable of performing wonders, yet is it also capable of performing horrors. No other must be allowed to touch it.”
“Such is foolishness, girl,” replied the male with an amused snort. “There are none about with signs from the gods, therefore do you merely seek to excuse the reason for retaining your dagger. If this were not so, you would need do no more than replace the life sign about your neck, where it was worn when you resided in my city. Give over the dagger now, and no further foolishness from you.”
“It is scarcely foolishness,” said Aysayn where he stood, a sobriety upon him which Galiose clearly had not expected.
“The lady war leader may not give up possession of the sign, nor may it be demanded that she wear it,” said S’Heernoh to a now-frowning Galiose, his manner as sober as Aysayn’s. “The sign of the gods is a jealous possession, allowing no other to touch it, keeping the war leader in its thrall when she wears it. It would be best to allow it to remain as it is and speak no more about it.”
“S’Heernoh’s words are true, Galiose, ” said Aysayn. “We who have seen this truth wish we had not, therefore must you consider yourself fortunate that you continue in skepticism. Allow the dagger to remain as it is.”
“Very well,” said Galiose with a sigh, scarcely pleased with the need yet unwilling to press the matter. “I understand naught of this, yet shall I say no further about it. We shall depart as quickly as the others have seen to their hunger.”
I turned as he did to look upon Ceralt and Mehrayn, yet was I filled with considerably less satisfaction than he. I had no wish to continue in their presence, but I had to rid myself of a more restrictive circumstance. When once the walk was done my oath to Chaldrin would be done as well, and I need not give heed the while to the maunderings of the two males. Should they continue as they had earlier done, I knew the thing would not be difficult; to that moment, I had not the least idea of what they had attempted, nor the reason for it. Indeed are males strange, and truly is that strangeness best kept well away from warriors.
I had expected Mehrayn and Ceralt to indulge in a leisurely feeding, yet did they heal their hunger quickly, and seemingly with careful scrutiny of one another. Neither of them looked upon the other directly, yet they were done at nearly the same instant, quickly swallowing the daru they had poured. It was clear all were at last prepared to depart, therefore did I move to the doors and begin that departure without further delay.
There was little to be seen upon the floor which held my chamber, therefore did I lead the males to a stairway which led below, yet not to the nearest stairway. It had come to me that much time might be spent upon no more than moving from place to place, allowing Galiose to look his fill at empty halls, and then would I have fulfilled my commitment to accompany the set. I had little wish to take those males among warriors, most especially as my sword remained behind me in my chamber. In honor I could not refuse them guest-protection, and that despite the fact that should need of it occur, it would likely be brought about by their own actions.
“What has become of the slaves who are meant to see to guests upon this floor?” asked Galiose, his gesture indicating the abandoned platform once surrounded by slave females which stood in the corridor near to the stairway. “Also were they absent upon our arrival.”
“What slaves remain likely have duties elsewhere,” said I with a shrug, then did I recall something. “Earlier was a slave sent to me by Aysayn, none came to offer you their services?”
“The servant who came was male, as was the slave who passed my door in search of Aysayn,” said Galiose, his gesture this time discounting those he spoke of, his eyes upon me rather than upon the steps we descended. “I would know what became of the collared wenches once to be found here, the slave females who served men. Your own wenches would have little need of them, I know, therefore do I find myself curious as to their—disposition.”
The male looked upon me with little expression, yet were his dark eyes anticipating my response with something akin to upset. Galiose clearly considered it possible that the slave females had been done away with in some manner, perhaps put with the former High Seat in that place called dungeons. Truly were city males without the least concept of honor, for what true warrior would do such a thing to so low and helpless a creature as a slave female?
“The slave females have been freed,” I informed Galiose stiffly, attempting to deny the insult I felt at thoughts which had been, in truth, unvoiced. “You must recall, male, that Midanna are warriors possessing honor, not males who steal forever the freedom of others. Sooner would we give the kindness of death.”