by Shannah Jay
Herra's sing-song tone was one she’d often used when addressing the temple community and it brought tears to Cheral's eyes as she listened to that beloved voice, as well as a sudden fierce longing to return home to Temple Tenebrak.
Like tempered steel, those two shall learn
Through hardship, pain and woe.
No ease, no peace, though they may yearn,
Small respite from the foe.
Herra went on. 'Know that we have passed through many dangers and are becoming as tempered steel.
Know that our Brother's Quest lives on in us!' Her voice seemed to echo round the room. 'And know that you are now to become part of it. That you, too, shall help defeat Discord and banish the Serpent.'
A sigh ran round the room, a sigh of joy and acceptance, the sound of a community united with its God as few had been in the history of Sunrise - or of the peoples of the Confederation.
'And know that, like yourselves, my companions and I have changed so greatly that our Sisterhood is no more.'
The audience gasped and stilled in shock.
'Instead, dear friends, we have become a Kindred. Our men have joined us, as the men have joined you here. Benjan, let our friends know you. This, dear friends, is a man of destiny, who was the first Brother to join the Sisterhood. The triple denial still held, though he knew nothing of our ways, and our Brother's grace has lain upon him ever since. Know Benjan, called the Star-born.'
Benjan danced forward to join the small group in the centre of the spacious room, a man of solid iron against the slender height of Davred and the delicate grace of Katia, a tower of strength against the tiny figure of Herra.
'Galinna, and dear friends of the Fireflats, will you become a Kindred in name as well as deed? Will you too transform your Sisterhood and make union with all people of goodwill?'
Galinna's face showed relief as well as joy, and she didn’t need to seek her community's consent. 'We of Outpost salute you with joy, Elder Sister, and we shall be happy to become a Kindred, in name as well as deed.'
Herra gestured with one hand, the same gesture that had set the temple chimes ringing times without number. Here, it was a man who picked up the chased silver hammer to sound the chimes, but the melody and rhythms were the same. Here, the whole community rose to join in the temple dance, men and women threading past each other and clasping hands, but the steps were the same, the graceful movements that toned muscles and perfected balance and self-control.
In the outer circle, children made simpler patterns of steps, but none stumbled or fell. A grinning boy led Alaran and Erlic to join the outer circle, and a silver-fair girl took dark-haired Lerina by the hand, leading her with smiling gestures into the youngfolk's patterns.
And when the dance was over, everyone hugged the next person, and the next, passing the joy from one to another like a living flame. Light glowed in the unlit lamps, shadows flickered on the walls, dark wings outside beat out a distant rhythm, until -
'So!' called Herra, in a voice which echoed and re-echoed around the room. 'It is done. We are now united as the Kindred of the God. And just so shall you welcome all who come here for respite, Galinna. Just so shall you dance and so shall you end the dance by embracing one another. For Outpost is the first of the Seeding Places, and all here are chosen of the God to start transforming the Sisterhood into the Kindred.'
For a short time, silence wrapped about them, a silence not even the tiniest babe in arms tried to break, as they let these ideas permeate into their minds and welcomed them joyfully.
'And now,' Herra dropped the words softly into the silence, 'let us all gather, my dear Kindred.'
As they sank to the ground, the silence became charged with that special love which bound all the Kindred together. Those who could do so achieved full Gathering, and those who could not yet manage it enjoyed a peace deeper and more joyful than anything else they’d ever known. Even Jonner's face was alight with wonder, for when the Elder Sister of Temple Tenebrak led her Kindred, then even the Gathering was enhanced.
* * *
Later when Herra was strolling through the fields, enjoying the last long beams of fading sunlight, Jonner waylaid her.
'They've left,' he said with no preamble.
'Who have?' She was still lost in the beauty of the day, the sheer joy of holding the temple rituals once more.
'The deleff.'
She stopped in her tracks. 'What?'
He sighed in exasperation. It was always difficult to speak to the Elder Sister when she had that faraway look on her face, but he judged this to be too important to wait. 'The deleff have left us. They just - up and walked away.'
'Ah!' she said softly. 'So we are meant to stay here for a while. That's good news, Jonner.'
'Good? How can it be good? What if they don't come back? What if no others come to replace them?
We'll want to travel on again one day, won't we?'
'Of course we will, my friend.'
'Well then,' he said as patiently as he could manage, so slow was she at understanding his fears, 'if we haven't got any deleff, we can't travel anywhere. So what if no others come to replace them?'
She shook her head. 'They will come, my friend, when we need them. Until then, they seek alignment with the High Council, for they too need to renew their inner forces.' She started walking away, her expression still so other-worldly that he didn’t follow her.
'But will they?' he demanded of the air. 'Will they ever come back?'
* * *
The next day was spent lazily, the Kindred revelling in the chance to simply relax and do nothing except enjoy being alive and out of danger.
For the first time, Alaran, Erlic and Lerina discovered the meaning of the word fun, as the young people of Outpost took them to a warm spring-fed pool for a swim, then introduced them to a variety of childish games. And if the village youngsters treated Erlic with instinctive respect for the strangeness that showed in his silver eyes, still they made him welcome for Alaran's sake. Alaran had the Gift of Friendship in abundance and would always draw people to him wherever he went.
In the afternoon, Herra and Cheral walked over to the meeting place and stood alone in its cool polished cavern. 'You need to undergo a Renewal, Sister mine,' said Herra.
'You always could tell that before anyone else,' smiled Cheral. 'Is there time?'
'Oh, yes.' A shadow passed over Herra's face.
'What is it?' asked Cheral, anxiety replacing the peace in her face. 'There's something wrong. I can tell.'
'Just a whisper from our Brother, the God.' Herra stood motionless. 'I can't understand it clearly.
Sometimes it's like someone speaking too quietly in the next room.'
'What has he whispered to you?'
'That our troubles haven’t ended, that we mustn’t forget our Quest.' Herra's face cleared. 'We do need this time, though. You're not alone, Cheral. We all need some sort of renewal.'
They moved over to the doorway and stood enjoying the tranquil scene. Herra smiled as she caught sight of a figure checking out the wagons, a figure whose shoulders drooped and whose every action was slow and weary. 'Even Jonner is in need of a rest, if he will only allow himself a respite. But later - ' she paused, as if she didn’t wish to continue.
'Later?' prompted Cheral.
'Later we must all face other trials. I can't understand clearly what we shall be facing, but the God whispers that we must each face our own truth.' She sighed. 'What does that mean? Brother, why cannot you speak to me clearly in our time of need?' But the voice whispering in her ear was silent, and she could only shake her head in frustration.
'Well,' said Cheral at last, with her usual practicality, 'let us just enjoy this respite, then, and use it to our best advantage.'
'We don't need to tell the others about our future trials,' cautioned Herra. 'Not yet, at any rate. Let them have a time of undiluted joy. Let them not feel the need to keep looking over their shoulders.'
'I shall
say nothing,' agreed Cheral.
'I can always rely on you.' Herra banished her own fears resolutely. 'But now, before we do anything else, let us arrange for your Renewal, dear Sister.'
* * *
Six months later, four young deleff came out of the Tanglewoods and walked across the plain to the village. Herra and Cheral stood side by side watching them. The two older women had spent a lot of time together, sharing memories old before the others were even born.
'So. It starts again. I shall be sorry to leave.' Cheral sighed. 'The children here have been learning the Disciplines so well. Never have I had such willing and gifted pupils.'
'I too shall be sorry to leave,' said Herra. 'But at least we've had this time of peace.'
Jonner, beaming all over his face, advanced to meet the deleff and bow to them. 'Give you greetings, honoured deleff,' he said. 'Do you come to draw our wagons?'
The great heads tossed and four beasts snorted their agreement.
Jonner laid his hands on the head of each creature in turn, as traders always did with new deleff. 'I greet you, Rilesh, deleffal of this group,' he intoned.
'I greet you, Filleran, Tormass, Sillafer.'
He led them towards the wagons and they sniffed the aromatic wood and poked their great snouts into the rear compartments, which now contained more trade goods provided by the villagers. The deleff nodded and snorted, for all the world as if giving their approval, then they let Jonner lead them to the grassy patch next to the hot springs. Rilesh then nudged him back towards the wagons.
'Elder Sister!' he called, running towards the others, face alight with excitement. 'Did you see that? The deleff have come back.'
'Yes, we saw that.'
'These are very young ones,' he said, brows creased. 'I've never had such a young team.'
'Youth is no sin,' smiled Herra.
'No, but still, it's unusual. Anyway, I think they want us to leave Outpost now.'
'I think so too. Will you tell the others for me, Jonner?' Herra laid a hand on Cheral's arm to prevent her leaving. 'Cheral and I have something to discuss, then we'll be with you all.' She stood watching him go.
'Jonner at least will not be sad to leave,' she remarked quietly.
'I will, though,' said Cheral.
'I, too,' agreed Herra. 'But now, we must tell the others that we have more trials to face.'
'Must you tell them that?'
'I must. There is no gain to evading the truth.'
'Shall you also tell them exactly where we're going?'
'Of course. I think Katia will be in ecstasies at the prospect of seeing her grandfather and her beloved pine forests again, don't you?'
Cheral rolled her eyes but smiled. 'I think she's never stopped missing the High Alder during all the years she's spent in the Sisterhood.'
Herra frowned. 'Then why do I not feel happy for her? Dear Brother, surely you will let her go home for a while now?' But the sense of unease persisted.
CHAPTER 26 BEYOND THE FIREFLATS
The two wagons pulled slowly away from Outpost. One of the village youths walked ahead to show them the only safe path through the Fireflats, which changed according to the time of year and even the time of day. Nim, now shoulder-high and almost fully-grown, paced gracefully beside Katia's wagon.
'No outsider can find the way through here,' the boy told them proudly. 'That's why we're safe in Outpost.'
'Then how do you know when someone wants to visit you?' demanded Jonner.
'They send the homebirds with a message attached to the leg. Then we go to meet them.'
'And what if it's a trap?' Quinna asked, interested.
'We creep through the Fireflats at night and check things out first. We're not stupid, you know!'
Cheral sighed. 'I sometimes think we're the ones who are stupid.' She caught Herra's eye and shrugged.
'Well, here we go again!' Since her Renewal, she had seemed gentler and more tolerant.
By nightfall, the hills of Peneron had come into sight, showing through the short breaks in the thermal haze of the Fireflats. The hills blurred in and out of their vision for a while, then the haze around the group died away completely and their guide stopped.
'We usually rest in this travellers' hut while someone checks the land ahead. There's water and dry food supplies here. I'll go and check things for you before dawn, then you can set off first thing in the morning.'
By dawn the deleff were blowing through their nostrils and making impatient noises.
The youth came back, whistling happily. 'Everything's clear. The road is straightforward from here, at this time of day, anyway. Just follow that path and don't turn aside. And may our Brother go with you on your Quest.'
'May he stay in all our hearts,' responded Herra and watched as the youth walked jauntily away and disappeared into the heat haze.
'Now,' said Jonner, rubbing his hands together gleefully, 'we can really start trading.'
'Well, I shall be glad to leave this heat behind,' snapped Cheral. 'Do you think of nothing but trading, Jonner?'
Herra frowned. Her Sister was on edge this morning. What was wrong with her?
The road led across a fairly featureless plain and for several days they saw only isolated farms, whose inhabitants were sullen and unwelcoming, refusing point blank to allow Nim into their houses or barns. They did grudgingly agree to sell fresh food or to buy small items from Jonner's wares, but they offered no hospitality, beyond water from their wells.
At some of the gateways, Herra would shake her head and say sadly, 'The people here are of the Serpent,'
so the two wagons would pass by without attempting to do any trading, to Jonner's great disgust.
'We can't refuse to sell to Those of the Serpent,' he protested. 'We'd be marked instantly for trouble if we did that.'
'We'd be uncomfortable even stopping at places where Discord is so deeply ingrained,' replied Herra.
'Don't worry, Jonner. There'll be plenty of opportunities later for trading in the towns and villages - and you'll soon be able to renew your personal fortune, given your skills.' For Jonner could pluck trading goods from the very thickets and meadows they passed by, it seemed.
'That plant will sell quite well in Beldrian,' he said one day, stopping the leading wagon by a small stream.
'We should gather about a sackful, no more. Get your great paws out of the way, Nim!' He rubbed the great cat behind the ears as she flopped down beside him. They had all grown fond of her.
'The flowers of that plant make a herb drink much favoured by pregnant women in Garshlian,' Jonner said another day. 'We should gather all we see. I always sell out of it.'
The youngsters piled out of the wagons and clambered up and down the sloping bank, vying with each other as to who could pick the most. Outpost has done them good, thought Herra, watching, given them at least a brief taste of childhood.
Nothing was too small to escape Jonner's attention. As a master trader who had lost his whole rig in Tenebrak he was determined to build up a trading route and a fortune again.
'Didn't you lay money aside in case of trouble?' asked Cheral. 'You seem to have been very improvident, Jonner.'
He wriggled uncomfortably. 'Well, yes, of course I did. But it's a long way away. And I don't want to turn up at home in Jan-Halani looking poor and unsuccessful. My brothers would help me, but they'd never let me forget it.' He decided to change the subject. 'Where exactly are we heading at the moment, Herra?'
'Eastwards.'
'Yes, but where exactly in the east?'
'Setheron eventually,' Herra replied. And surely, she thought, the boy will still be there. He must be. Our Brother will be watching over someone so important to the Quest.
'Not my favourite place, Setheron,' Jonner said pointedly. 'Those of the Serpent are strongest of all in Setherak. We'll be lucky to keep our skins whole there.'
'We're not going to the city of Setherak.' But beyond that she wouldn’t be drawn.
Th
at night they camped on rocky ground in a broad pass between low hills and were woken just before dawn by the ground rumbling beneath them. Everyone leaped out of their sleeping rugs, but the earthquake seemed very slight. When the rumblings had died down, they were all wide awake and decided to make an early start. They were on the road in time to greet the dawn.
The next day they made their way down the gentle slope at the other side of the pass, intending to keep well south of the city of Penerak.
'The less we have to do with the cities,' said Cheral firmly, 'the better. Those of the Serpent are strongest of all there.'
That night the earth again rumbled beneath them and the deleff were very uneasy as they set off the next day.
'What's got into them?' demanded Jonner. 'They don't seem to want to go very fast and they look worried.
If there were another road, I'd say we should turn off on it - in fact, we will turn off as soon as we can. Those deleff, young as they are, can definitely sense danger.'
'Well,' said Herra cheerfully, 'we never expected a trouble-free journey, did we, my friend?'
Benjan came to walk alongside her. 'Trouble ahead, lady?'
'It seems so. Better tell everyone to be prepared.'
'At least,' called Cheral from the second wagon, 'I have my good frying pan back again. I feel better with that to hand.'
Later that day, the deleff found a turning and took it without prompting. 'Hey! Not down there!' yelled Jonner. 'It's only a side road.' But the deleff just plodded on.
Nim stopped ranging ahead and came to walk right beside Katia's wagon.
'I'm not sure where this road leads,' said Jonner, 'but it doesn't look well used, so I doubt we'll get much chance to trade. I don't know Peneron as well as the eastern claims.'
A little later, he called Benjan over. 'I don't like this. The road seems to be leading us back up into the foothills.'
'I doubt you'll get the deleff to change their mind,' said Benjan. 'You know how stubborn they can be. And maybe they know something we don't? Maybe they're leading us to safety.'
