by Sharon Lee
"Nothing nearly so awe-inspiring," Val Con yos'Phelium said. "I see that you have come to no harm."
"Not the least bit," Yulie said. "We're a might peckish, though. I don't s'pose there's any of Mrs. ana'Tak's cookies 'round the kitchen?"
"In fact, there is an entire buffet in the breakfast room. Mrs. ana'Tak would have it no other way. I believe there are cookies, and also soup, and biscuits, wine and juice. If you will, let us show you the way."
He turned, sweeping an arm out toward the patio door, ushering the couple forward.
"Vertu?" Miri Tiazan gave her a grin. "That's you, too. Got rooms ready, too, 'cause if you don't mind my sayin' so, you're lookin' all done in."
Vertu managed a smile.
"It was a trying day," she murmured.
"All done now, though, right? This way –"
She turned, and Vertu followed, pausing just at the edge of the patio to look up – up into the now-cloudless dark sky, where a monumental shadow was silhouetted against the stars.
Scene Two
In the Hall of the Mountain King
Enter Joey
THERE WERE CATS. MANY cats. Cats of all colors. Vertu walked carefully, unwilling to step on a vulnerable paw in her storm boots, until she saw that the cats displayed a fine understanding of where she and her boots were, and that they were not so much a random mob, as an – escort down the hall.
"Hoping to get some handouts from the buffet," Miri Tiazan said from beside her. "Hear them tell it, all they got here is empty bowls."
Vertu smiled. She had left her coat on the hook by the door, alongside her hosts' jackets, and those of Yulie and Mary. It was pleasantly warm in the hallway; she was glad to be walking, no matter the comfort of her driving seat, and the cats, seen as escort, began to amuse her.
Perhaps a little too much, she thought.
"I am grateful for the House's care," she said, in Liaden.
Miri Tiazan slanted a look at her face.
"The House is grateful, to be able to extend its care," she answered, and her accent in the High Tongue was that of Solcintra. She jerked her chin slightly to the right.
"Here we are," she said, back in Terran.
Yulie and Mary were standing, struck, in the center of the room, while Val Con yos'Phelium was seen at the wine table, seeing to the filling of glasses.
"Driver Dysan," he said, not looking 'round. "Red or white?"
"Red, if you please," she answered, as their cat escort flowed around her feet, and one in particular – a large, fuzzy gray with black feet – marched forward with purpose.
"Joey!" shouted Yulie Shaper, and went down on one knee, arms wide. Vertu thought to glance at the wine table, but Val Con yos'Phelium's nerves were as steady as any Scout's might be. The glasses were intact, the wine unspilled.
The gray cat leapt, and landed in Yulie's arms. He rose, hugging it over his shoulder.
"But, Joey, what're you doin' here? Botherin' the Bosses?"
"Not at all," said the host, turning to offer Mary a glass of the white. "We believe that several of yours came up the hill when the storm became apparent, as support for our cats in-house."
"Well, that's a nice face to put on it," said Yulie, "an' I'm glad you kept 'em inside. But they start makin' a habit – or a nuisance – you send 'em packing."
"Sure we will," said Miri Tiazan. "You ever try to tell a cat what to do?"
Mary laughed.
"Yulie, your wine," she said.
"Hmm – oh, right. Thanks, Boss."
Joey slung over one shoulder like a furry towel, Yulie turned and took his glass.
Vertu stepped forward and received hers, with a bow of the head.
"My thanks," she murmured.
"My pleasure," he returned.
"I wonder," she said then, "if I might use the comm."
"Of course. I will show you."
Jemmie was pleased, though not surprised, to learn that Vertu was sheltering at the top of the hill.
"Road boss knows their bidness, always said so," she said in sum-up.
"When I come back down," Vertu said, "we will need to talk about the rogue cabs. We nearly lost a man to his own incompetence, and a failure to maintain an adequate machine. It is our place as the professionals to do something."
"Yanno, I been thinking the same. We'll talk about it when you get back home. Might need to take it up with the Bosses – but that's later, Vertu. Right now, you call your big man an' let him know you're safe, fed, an' about to tuck up. Then you go and tuck up, hear me?"
"I hear you, Jemmie," Vertu said softly. "Thank you for your care."
"Funny to be thanked for something comes so nat'ral. Now, you hang up this call and get with that man o'yours."
"SO, YOU GOT UP TO THE house all right, then. They taking good care of you?"
Someone who was not as familiar with Cheever McFarland's voice might have thought him unconcerned, even bored. Vertu heard otherwise, and smiled into the phone.
"Indeed, we have arrived safely, all twelve of us."
"Twelve of you! How'd that happen?"
She smiled, took a sip of her wine, and told him.
Sometime during the telling, she felt something soft land in her lap and glanced down to find one of the ubiquitous cats sitting on one knee and kneading the other, while purring. Loudly.
"What's that, a motor?"
"A cat," Vertu told him. "This house is full of cats, and apparently this one has seen an opportunity to claim a comfortable lap for itself."
"What color cat?" Cheever asked.
Vertu frowned.
"All the colors," she said, after a moment. "Brown, orange, grey, white, black... The two front feet are white; the two back feet are black."
"Got a real looker, there," Cheever said. "So, what're you gonna do about the wild cabs?"
Vertu laughed. He knew her so well.
"Jemmie and I will talk about it, when I am back home."
"Good idea. Let me know if you need any help putting together a presentation for the Bosses."
She shook her head. The cat continued to purr and knead.
"Jemmie also thought we'd have to get the Bosses involved," she said.
"Road Boss at least," said Cheever. "Might be best to bring it up to all of 'em, though. Surebleak's gonna be needing associations and formal rules sooner more'n later."
"I fear you are correct," she said, "though I would not want to see Surebleak become Liad."
"Nobody wants that!" Cheever said in mock horror. "Now, you get yourself something to eat and some downtime. I got the house covered. Snow clearin' crews are already out, so you should be able to get back down into the city tomorrow in time to meet me for lunch at the Emerald."
"Excellent," Vertu said cordially. "I will see you then, Cheever." She hesitated. "Thank you for your care," she added.
"You bet," he said after a small pause. "You take care now, hear?"
"I will," she said, and resolutely cut the connection.
The cat was curled tightly in her lap. She sighed, and carefully slipped her hands under its dense, furry body, and moved it carefully to the bench. She then stood, picked up her wine glass and went back to the breakfast room.
Anna and Rascal had joined Mary and Yulie. The hosts were not in sight.
"Left us to ourselfs," said Yulie, "so we don't feel we gotta do the polite. Once Anna's finished eating, we'll just say we're ready to retire an' somebody'll come along to show us the way. Got it all set up with Nelirikk for him to take us over to my place tomorrow morning, by snow machine. So, we'll be saying good-night and bye-for-now, Miss Vertu."
"Thank you," she said. "You were wonderful passengers."
"And you were a wonderful driver," Mary said, smiling. "We were fortunate, that it was your cab that we saw, and decided to wait."
"Good-night, Miss Vertu," said Anna, coming to stand at Mary's side, Rascal cuddled in her arms. "Good driving!"
"Thank you for your help," Vertu answ
ered. "Without your Sight, we would have missed the other cab, which would have been very bad."
"Yes," Anna said, and yawned widely.
"I think that's our cue," said Yulie. He bent and picked the fuzzy grey cat from the chair where it was napping. "C'mon, Joey, you're worn right down to bones and claws. Best get to bed."
A shadow moved in the door, murmuring.
"This way, please. We have prepared rooms."
The three of them marched out, and Vertu turned to the buffet to make herself a plate.
She poured another glass of wine, carried it and the plate to a small table, and sat down. She felt something land in her lap, and looked down to see the same multi-colored cat in her lap, looking up in to her face with wide green eyes.
Vertu smiled.
"I suppose you're hungry?" she said.
Scene Three
The Tree Court
IT WAS WARM IN THIS place – the Tree Court, according to Jeeves, who had brought them here – and the air smelled of mint and green growing things. There were gloan-roses, just like those at home – on the side of the enclosure opposite the Tree. There was no snow on the short, velvety grass, though the ground was disturbed by humps and hillocks made by the roots closest to the surface.
Toragin hesitated at the edge of the space, basket of cats cuddled against her chest, shivering slightly.
Her anger – her anger on her own behalf – was gone. But for Chelada, and her kittens, she found she could yet be angry.
And so she hesitated, wondering of a sudden if a prudent person would bring anger into this place, or confront the presence that filled this place, like a – well, like a god was said to fill a place holy to her.
She received the idea of gentle laughter, and a sense of soft denial. The Tree was no god, though the Tree had met gods, years and universes gone.
She received the idea that she should come forward, to the Tree's massive trunk, and that she might present her companions.
Careful of her footing among the roots, Toragin did go forward, and knelt in a soft patch of grass at the Tree's base. She settled the basket, and lifted the blanket, glancing up into the leaves.
"This proud mother is Chelada," she said softly. "She gave birth to these four fine kits as we were on the final step of our journey to see your promise to her fulfilled today. They were born in the midst of adventure, but they seem none the worse for it. I have not yet had a chance to do a thorough examination..."
She received the thought that the kittens were beautiful, healthy and free of deformity. After a moment, another such thought inserted itself into her head, that Chelada was likewise beautiful and healthy, and also wise. It put Toragin in mind of one of the elder uncles, who depended upon compliments and charm to rescue him from any social faux pax he might make – and he made many.
"You failed to keep your promise," she said sternly.
What arrived this time was not so much a notion or a thought, but an emotion – dismay, thought Toragin, embarrassment.
Sorrow.
"If you will allow," said Jeeves, the robot who had escorted them to this place. "I am empowered to translate the Tree's – communications – into speech. I offer because the conversation will move more quickly, which you may find desirable, as you are – forgive me – hungry and weary after a very trying day. The Tree would by no means prevent you from enjoying the hospitality of the House, but it wishes to have this matter that lies between it, and yourselves... Balanced as quickly as may be."
"Yes," Toragin said, aware of a grittiness in her eyes, and a certain feeling of ... uncertainty in her thoughts. "Let us by all means come into Balance. Chelada and I had treasured our connection on the homeworld. We had thought we had mattered to the network, that our work was of value. In particular, Chelada had valued the promise that her kittens would be born undertree. To find everything swept aside, without one word, with, so it seemed to me, no thought given to promises made..."
"Precisely," said Jeeves. "The Tree acknowledges its error. It wishes you to know that it is sorry – profoundly so – for failing to honor its promises, and also for its failure to properly appreciate work well-done. It would make amends, but it does not know what would be appropriate.
"It asks if you would view some specific action or object as being – or perhaps representing – amends."
Toragin settled back on her heels, considering the kittens in the basket. She listened for Chelada's voice without very much hope – and thus was surprised.
"Chelada wishes the original promise honored in broad outline," she said slowly. "She would stay, with her kittens – these kittens – undertree and safe until I find a suitable establishment in the city for us. She would also have it that the last-born will remain as her representative to the Tree, to remind it to honor its promises."
There was a small silence before Jeeves spoke.
"The Tree will make these amends and so return to Balance with Chelada."
Toragin inclined her head, realized her eyes were drifting shut and sat up straighter
"And you, Toragin del'Pemridj, what would you have as amends?"
"Consideration for a place in the cat welfare network the Tree has undoubtedly built here, on Surebleak." She squared her shoulders, shook her hair back and stared up into the branches.
"Understand me! I do not want to be given a position – I want fair consideration for a position. Neither I nor Chelada mean to return to Liad. I wish to be of use, which I will never be on Liad. If I cannot be of use to you, I will find something else!"
There was another silence, slightly longer than the first. Jeeves spoke again.
"If you are determined not to return to Liad," he said slowly. "The Tree has a proposition for you..."
ACT NINE
In the Hall of the Mountain King
VERTU DRIFTED SLOWLY toward wakefulness, there being no alarm to insist upon her arising. She smiled, sleepily, and turned her head on the pillow, seeking after the surety of the Tree – just there, on her left, its presence as strong as she had ever felt it.
More, she felt a steady return regard, amused, and oddly tender.
Vertu Dysan, the thought came into her head. Good morn, neighbor.
"Good morn," she murmured, and stretched, noting that her left foot was was slightly stiff, which was odd. She would have understood it, had her driving foot been complaining, after yesterday's demands, but this was not her driving foot.
She stretched again – and heard a sneeze from that quadrant.
Carefully, she sat up.
The multi-colored cat was lying half on her foot among the bedclothes. It opened its eyes as if it had felt Vertu's attention, then deliberately squinted them shut.
"I see," she said. "Good morn to you, also, cat. I will be rising in another moment, and dressing, and going to find some tea, and news of the road. It has been pleasant, sharing a bed with you, but all pleasures come to an end."
The cat yawned, showing a wide dainty mouth full of pointed teeth.
Vertu arrived at the breakfast room to find Toragin before her, sipping tea and eating an egg muffin.
"Good morn," she said. "Are the rest of us still abed?"
"Yulie, Mary, Anna, and Rascal left an hour ago, on a snow truck driven by the very large man who is a medic," Toragin said. "Jarome is resting still. The hosts were in, and promise a return after certain of their morning business has been resolved. In the meanwhile, there is news on the comm."
She used her chin to point.
Vertu poured a cup of tea, and approached the comm, being careful of the multi-colored cat, weaving between her feet.
"If you trip me, we will neither escape injury," she said to it.
"She is trying to convince you of her devotion," Toragin said. "She is looking for a quieter place, with a convivial companion, and believes that you will do very well for each other."
Vertu eyed her.
"If you speak cat, please allow – her – to know that my house i
ncludes one other individual."
Toragin inclined her head, and murmured. "She does not find that objectionable. I am desired to say that she is a very good hunter, and knows all of the songs for sleeping, and healing, and heart's ease."
"That is an impressive list of accomplishments in one I believe to be quite young. Has she a name, I wonder?"
Toragin smiled slightly.
"She will accept a House name from you."
"Ah," said Vertu, and turned to the news.
"It would appear," she said after some study, "that I may safely return to the city this morning. May I offer you a ride? Or do you and Chelada guest with Korval?"
"Chelada and the kittens guest with the Tree," Toragin said. "I – I have been offered a position, which I am inclined to accept, it being work I enjoy, and which I do well. I will not live here, however, but will need my own establishment, in the city. Might you advise me?"
"I would be honored," said Vertu. "You should know that finding a suitable place may take some time." She hesitated; she remembered the many empty, echoing rooms in her own house.
"If you wish it, you may stay with me while you look for a more pleasing arrangement. I have recently purchased a house, which was once several apartments. There is, right now, myself and occasionally my lover, but that is not enough to keep the house happy."
"That is very generous," said Toragin. "I will accept, and thank you."
"We assist each other," said Vertu. "Neighbor work, as Yulie would have it."
"Yes. I wonder –"
The comm buzzed, and Vertu turned back to it, even as a mellow voice spoke from the vicinity of the ceiling.
"Call for Vertu Dysan, routed to the screen in the breakfast room."
She touched the accept button, and Cheever's face snapped into sharp focus.
"I knew it," he said. "Sleeping in."
"Indeed," she answered with a smile. "Tell me you would do differently."
"Not me. Just callin' to let you know the roads are cleaning up fast. Temps are up and the sun's as bright as can be. You can come on down soon's you're awake."
