‘What is it that you find of such interest in my furnishings?’ she finally asked the golden Dragon.
Kija raised her head, her eyes dreamy and distant. ‘They sparkle,’ she replied in mind speech.
Emas frowned. Many of the cushions were embroidered with gold and silver thread which glinted softly in the setting sunlight.
‘Lady Emla and Lady Lallia had many such things,’ Kija added. ‘But theirs didn’t sparkle.’
Emas had no idea who these ladies might be, but she lifted one cushion and went closer to Kija.
‘It is called embroidery. We women do a lot of such work, mostly during the long winters. Some we keep and some we trade. This one I made years ago, but it has kept its colours well.’
Kija’s prismed eyes whirred with interest. ‘You made these things? But how?’
Emas marched back to the door. ‘Wait right there,’ she commanded, and then realised she was speaking to a very large Dragon.
She raced down the inner passage to her tiny workroom, snatched up a piece of fabric she was working on, and sped back out to Kija. She sat on the edge of the verandah, under the Dragon’s nose.
‘See. I drew this picture onto the cloth, and now I am sewing over it.’ She held the material up for Kija’s close inspection.
‘I see marks and I see some colours, but what is this sewing?’
Emas had left her needle in the side of the work and now she waved it at Kija, a thread of silver hanging from it. ‘Watch.’
Kija’s head came closer and she watched Emas sew tiny stitches along a mark in the cloth.
‘That is extraordinary.’ Kija’s tone was reverent.
Emas laughed. ‘No, that is sewing.’
Kija extended her forearm and Emas saw the three fingers and thumb on the Dragon’s hand, each finger the same size as all of hers together. Kija clearly saw that there was no way a Dragon hand could do such delicate work. Emas had been amused by Kija’s deep interest in the rugs and cushions but she was suddenly aware of the sadness in the Dragon. Able to appreciate these beautiful things, yet quite unable to make them herself.
Emas glanced at the heap of cushions beside her and picked one out. It depicted the village by moonlight with stars gleaming above the snow covered houses. She held it out.
‘Would you like this one to keep?’ she asked impulsively. ‘If you describe a picture, or perhaps you could mark one out, I would be glad to make one just for you.’
Kija’s head drooped lower, staring into Emas’s face. She took the proffered cushion with immense gentleness and lifted it to her chest. ‘I am in your debt, Lady Emas.’ Kija leaned forward, her brow pressing against the woman’s.
‘Oh no my dear. It is a gift; there is no debt.’
Inside, in The Bear’s den, there was quite a crowd gathered. Gold Wing of the Eagles was present with her mage and three warriors. The Chief of the Stoat Tribe was seated beside her, alone of his people. The Chief of the Mountain Cat Tribe sat in front of Tika and Sket. Representatives of the Mad Goats across the room spoke with Favrian and Garrol. Gossamer Tewk was studying the endless painting along the circular wall while Essa sat on the floor near The Bear’s carved chair with her brother Menagol and their tiny foster brother, Theap. General Whilk sat silently, lost in thought, while Jemin talked to Kestis and Lessur over his head.
The chatter ceased when The Bear got to his feet. Tika realised just how huge the man was: she’d thought Essa was the biggest person she’d ever seen but beside her father and her brother, the Sergeant looked quite delicately built. The Bear nodded round the room, his dark honey eyes acknowledging every person there.
‘The Kelshans were defeated,’ he announced, his voice a deep growling rumble. ‘Not without cost. We have about eighteen hundred Kelshan guards who surrendered without raising weapons against us, and it must be decided where they are to go.’
Inna, Chief of the Mountain Cats, rose. ‘They must not remain in the high lands,’ she said softly. ‘Lest they be tempted to risk the mountain passes and return to Kelshan.’
Arkov of the Mad Goats also stood. ‘I agree. They must go to the middle plains at least or some to the coasts. Let them choose to a certain extent, but they must be far from these border lands.’
Heads nodded throughout the room.
‘And the horses?’ Gold Wing asked.
Lord Favrian inclined his head. ‘We will take them, but we offer trade for them to you who captured them.’
The Bear and Gold Wing exchanged satisfied smiles. Their tribes lived in the very highest lands, and faced great hardship if the winter was too long and harsh, or their crops failed in the brief growing seasons. They would accept supplies in exchange for the horses, of dried foodstuffs to store against such times of hunger. Favrian turned to Daylith first then to Tika.
‘This gathering would hear what you learnt of the Crazed One in Kelshan.’
Tika met Daylith’s eyes and got reluctantly to her feet.
‘I felt nothing at all. Until Daylith opened a gateway into the Citadel, to Kerris’s room. Almost at once, I felt blackness creeping towards us.’ She frowned, trying to find words to adequately describe what she’d sensed. ‘It felt – hungry.’ She shook her head impatiently. ‘No. Not hungry. Envious? I don’t know what it was, but it wanted us, it wanted us desperately.’
A breeze riffled through the room and Tika saw hands reaching for talismans and charms as the beautiful Ferag appeared right beside her. She swallowed hard, unable to prevent herself taking one step back which brought her up against Sket’s chest. Ferag’s red hair writhed over her shoulders and her skirts twitched and undulated. Ferag was displeased. She stared down her nose at all those in the room.
‘Have you any idea how busy I’ve been? Not one of you had the good manners to inform me that there would be quite such an influx to my Realm. And most of them were deeply unpleasant and disgracefully rude.’
‘Ferag, it always takes a while for a soul to realise, let alone accept, that its body has been killed. You know that very well.’ Favrian’s voice was a soothing murmur in the room, where most people seemed to be holding their breath.
‘Of course I know that, but this lot were truly awful. I had to use considerable power to subdue them.’ Ferag frowned. ‘And then,’ she continued with petulance. ‘So many ghosts arrived I was almost overwhelmed.’
Tika let out an inadvertent gasp. Ferag swung to face her, the lovely eyes narrowing. ‘You know of these ghosts?’
‘Do they come from Kelshan?’ Tika’s voice shook slightly.
‘They did indeed.’
‘They said they would try to protect us while we – collected someone, using a gateway.’
Ferag paced forward and the people ahead of her took instinctive steps backwards. But Ferag seemed not to notice. She looked back at Tika.
‘They were in shreds, poor dears, exhausted, but full of – pride.’ She tilted her head. ‘What were they guarding you against?’
‘The Crazed One, or at least, one of his servants.’ Tika could barely whisper the words.
Ferag’s eyes glittered. ‘In Kelshan? I felt nothing of him when I was there. I spoke with many ghosts then, but I didn’t recognise them when they arrived in my Realm.’
Ferag vanished as silently and abruptly as she had appeared.
Although Tika’s knees felt shaky, she remained on her feet. ‘Lord Favrian, how is it that your people know of this creature and its Splintered Kingdom? Why have you deliberately chosen not to warn any other peoples of this world?’
Favrian regarded her steadily. ‘We could not defeat this evil. Do you believe any others could?’ There was no arrogance in his question but a genuine curiosity.
Tika bit her lip. ‘Perhaps not. Not individually that is. But if you’d told the rest of us what might lie in wait for all, maybe someone could have thought of something. Perhaps, if we all combined our different kinds of power, we could achieve some success? But you haven’t given us that chance.’
Her words dropped into a silent room. Favrian bowed his head.
‘You may well be right,’ he admitted quietly. ‘We were so damaged, so weakened, we wanted only to find sanctuary in which to heal.’
‘The people of Malesh fought a great battle. I suspect now that it was caused by this creature. Thousands of their people died. It seems to me that you are not the only ones to suffer horribly in this cause. I have been told that although you keep yourselves hidden away in these lands, you know a great deal of what happens elsewhere. Your people can travel through gateways and spy on others. Do you think we are all too inferior to know of you, or to offer our help against a creature that seems set to destroy us and our world?’
There was an even longer silence. It was broken by Favrian’s sigh.
‘Again, you could well be right Lady Tika. Much must change I think, and perhaps our roads should have joined long before this.’
Tika sat down abruptly. ‘Lord Favrian, I come from lands where it was believed that all things must be held in a constant balance; light against dark, joy against sorrow, heat against cold. But in my journeys, I have discovered nothing changes if a balance is always maintained; nothing grows, nothing is learned. When the balance is held thus for generations and suddenly it tilts, there is panic, chaos, no one knows what to do. Because no one has bothered to think of other ways to do things.
‘You call me Lady, yet I was born a slave. A slave I should still be, but the balance moved. I found the courage to run away and now I’m here, in a land I didn’t even know existed.’
‘You give me a great deal to think of, Lady.’ Favrian turned to Garrol and began to speak quietly.
Conversation welled slowly through the room and The Bear sat down, his eyes fixed on Tika. He said something and Theap got up and approached Tika and Sket.
‘The Bear would like to speak with you Lady,’ said Theap. ‘When the crowd thins out a bit.’ He gave her a grin she couldn’t help but respond to.
‘I do hope I haven’t offended anyone too much?’
Theap laughed aloud. ‘You’ve probably given a lot of them nightmares,’ he confided. ‘Do them good, too.’
The sound of drums came from outside and most of the tribes’ representatives headed for the door.
‘They will celebrate tonight,’ Theap explained. ‘There is food and drink, and dancing outside for everyone.’
Sket licked his lips. Theap leaned closer. ‘Food and drink will also be served in here soon. Tea, or beer?’ His brown eyes sparkled although his expression was solemn.
Tika dug her elbow into Sket’s ribs. ‘Decisions, my friend!’ she teased.
‘I might try both,’ Sket replied with dignity. ‘Those stars damned gateways make me thirsty.’
‘I thought they made you sick,’ she retorted.
A woman stopped in front of them and Tika tried to remember if she knew her name. She was dressed in plain grey leathers and her hair was done in several long braids of a slightly lighter shade of grey. The woman smiled.
‘I am Inna,’ she said. ‘I’ve been told you are sister to the young blue Dragon, and daughter to the golden one. I am intrigued to know how this might be. Perhaps you could spare time to talk before my people return home tomorrow?’
Tika nodded. ‘Of course.’ How many more little talks might be requested of her, she wondered in resignation.
The woman inclined her head and left with her warriors, joining another woman near the door.
‘That was the Chief of the Mountain Cats,’ Theap explained quietly. ‘And the one she has just left with, was Gold Wing, of the Eagles.’
Men and women entered with plates and dishes and jugs which were passed among the few guests still in the den. With most people gone, Tika saw the room more clearly with its brilliant rugs and furnishings, the gleaming paint on the walls. She saw there were no windows in this room which was why so many lamps were lit. She also saw that The Bear still had his eye on her, so she moved across to stand by his chair, feeling even smaller beside him than she’d ever felt by Gan or Sergeant Essa.
‘You spoke well Lady.’
Tika sighed. ‘Please. I am not really a lady and I’d much prefer you just called me Tika.’
The Bear nodded slowly. ‘A strange name to me – Tika?’
‘It was given to me by the Dragons.’ Her chin came up. ‘It means small one in their ancient tongue.’
The Bear’s mouth twitched and she glared at him.
‘Take no notice of father.’ Essa’s purple teeth seemed even brighter in the lamplight. ‘He likes nothing better than to drive you mad with his teasing.’
An enormous hand rested on Essa’s head and The Bear growled at her. ‘This is my son Menagol,’ he said.
Tika studied the man’s face. Identical to Essa’s, the light blue eyes, the broad nose, wide mouth and thick eyebrows. His hair was in dozens of short braids where Essa’s was cut quite short. But then he smiled. Tika swallowed. His teeth were stained a brilliant crimson making it seem as though he had a mouthful of fresh blood.
‘Are you twins?’ she asked.
Menagol seemed surprised by the question. ‘For sure. Most Bears are twins.’
Tika looked back to where Theap and Sket were sharing a jug of something she hoped was tea. ‘Is Theap a twin then?’
‘Yes.’ The Bear’s rumble was soft. ‘His sister died in the womb as his mother died, moments after Theap had emerged from her body. He was my son from that time.’
Tika heard the note of pride in The Bear’s tone when he spoke of Theap, as when he spoke of his own two children.
‘Theap’s mother ailed during her pregnancy,’ he went on. ‘Her husband died of a fall some time before the babes were ready to be born. He will be mage trained this year, late though he’s left it.’
Menagol gave a ghastly red smile. ‘He’s still resisting that idea father.’
The Bear winked at Tika, unseen by his son. ‘And you will be married this winter,’ he said mildly.
Menagol scowled while his sister chuckled.
‘I am in service to the Dark,’ she said quickly before any such fate could be suggested for her.
The Bear gave a shout of laughter and clouted both his offspring on their skulls. Such an affectionate blow, Tika reflected, would probably leave her unconscious for days. The Bear peered around the room.
‘Where’s your mother got to?’
‘I think I saw her when I came in – she was talking to Kija,’ Tika replied.
Just then, Shea and Kerris arrived, Kerris wearing trousers and shirt to her obvious glee. She headed straight for Essa and pirouetted in front of the Sergeant.
‘A lady found these for me. Don’t you think they’re good?’
Before Essa could answer, Kerris was swept onto The Bear’s lap. Tika saw Shea’s eyes widen and moved closer to her.
‘What’s wrong?’ she whispered.
‘We’ve never been allowed to sit on people,’ Shea whispered back.
Tika had thought her life as a slave child had been about as bad as it got. But she could remember having scrapes and bruises kissed better, and the comfort of someone’s arms and lap when scary stories were told before bedtime. Over Shea’s shoulder she saw Essa and Menagol, their pale eyes watching them, clearly having heard Shea’s words. They looked more alike than ever, brows drawn down to form a single line above those eyes.
Tika heard a burst of laughter and saw Sket settled with General Whilk, Theap and Shield Master Garrol, exchanging tall tales no doubt. The small woman who’d greeted her arrived, a thoughtful frown on her face. The frown was replaced by a scowl.
‘Does no one in this family remember their manners?’ She gestured at Tika and at Gossamer Tewk, who had worked her way half round the painted wall. ‘Have you been offered tea or food? Of course you haven’t.’
Tika was astonished to see Essa and Menagol climbing to their feet and rushing to collect cups and plates from various tables. Emas folded h
er arms and waited while her children offered round cakes and bowls of tea to Tika and Shea.
‘Are those my honey cakes Emas?’ The Bear growled.
An entire plateful of cakes was taken into his custody which he then proceeded to share with a laughing Kerris and a slightly more wary Shea.
‘These are wonderful,’ Tika mumbled through sticky crumbs.
Emas’s frown vanished. She drew Tika to a couch. ‘I have been with Kija,’ she said without preamble. Tika waited. ‘I gave her one of my cushions.’
Emas blushed and Tika wondered why ever Kija wanted a cushion. Emas reached behind Tika and held out a cushion for Tika to look at.
‘Kija said it sparkled.’ A small finger traced the lines of gold thread.
Tika smiled. ‘Dragons collect sparkles.’ She looked into pale blue eyes exactly the same shade and shape as Essa’s and Menagol’s. ‘Anything that sparkles – coloured stones, rain drops, bits of metal, and snow. They collect them in their Treasuries. They love them for their bright glitter not for any value you or I might place on them.’
Emas sat back and tucked her feet underneath her. ‘I showed her how I sew the pictures and she was very interested. So I gave her one. She seemed to find the idea of a gift something unusual.’
Tika finished a third cake and sucked honey off her fingers before she answered.
‘Kija would not understand the idea of a gift. The people we met in Malesh, they gave me some new clothes – trousers and shirts, that one of the women sewed. Just for me.’ She met Emas’s eyes. ‘I’d never had a gift given to me before. It is an odd feeling.’ She put her plate aside. ‘I’ll go and see her for a minute Lady Emas, and explain.’
Theap saw Tika leave the room and looked across to where Emas still curled on the couch. Excusing himself, he went over and perched beside her. He leaned forward, a finger as small and slender as Emas’s own, wiping tears from beneath her eyes.
‘What is it, mama?’
She caught his hand in both of hers. ‘They don’t know what gifts are Theap,’ she whispered. ‘Someone gave Tika her first gift only recently. The golden Dragon didn’t even understand what a gift was.’
Dark Realm: Book 5 Circles of Light series Page 27
