by Shannah Jay
They must do more than just survive; they must prepare for victory.
Decision taken, full of deep satisfaction, Katia fell into a sounder sleep than she’d enjoyed for a while.
CHAPTER 6 THE PLAINS OF NETHERON
Herra walked slowly through the portal, last of them all. Dear Brother, but she was weary of these transitions! They didn't make her lose consciousness now, and the water portals had never been as bad as the rock portals, anyway, but they did still make her feel disoriented.
On the other side she looked around to check that her companions were safe. Ivo was sitting on the ground, his head in his hands. Davred was standing beside him, bending over to ask him something.
Sounds blared into a buzz in Herra's ears and for a moment she couldn't concentrate, then everything settled down to normal. Beyond Davred and Ivo, Alaran was squatting beside two, no three, figures lying on the ground only half conscious. The apprentices.
Even as she walked across to see if they needed her help, one of them stirred. Jiran, of course. Their Brother's fire burned strongly in him. At fifteen going on sixteen, he was a little older than a novice normally would be when chosen and was at that stage of a lad's development into manhood when he was extremely thin, like a thread drawn taut by his increasing height. There was definitely something
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special about him. Even if times had been normal, he’d have stood out in any group of novices.
She watched as Alaran helped Jiran to sit up. What a kind, loving person Alaran was! He had a gift for making himself liked by everyone, not because he flattered or was subservient, but simply because of his sunny nature. And even the dreadful things he’d seen hadn’t quenched that joyful spirit. She hoped nothing ever would.
Then she suddenly realised one person from their group was missing. She spun round, her eyes searching. The waters of the pool were still again, with barely a ripple disturbing the surface. An undulating rocky landscape stretched for as far as the eye could see. The ground was flat for quite a distance around the pool before the untidy piles of rocks began to thrust upwards. There was nowhere Soo could have hidden herself, nowhere at all.
Herra walked across to lay one hand on Davred's shoulder. 'Did you see what happened to Soo as we came through the portal?'
He swung round, instantly alert. 'Didn't she come through with us?'
'No.' Herra could hear how sharp her voice was, sharp enough to make Ivo turn round to stare at them.
'Is something wrong, Elder Sister?'
She forced herself to speak more calmly. No use alarming the others. 'I'm not sure. Soo isn't here.'
Ivo stood up and turned slowly, scanning the landscape, as she had done. 'She can't have come through the portal, then.'
'No.' Herra felt anxiety well inside her. Where was Soo? Brother of the World, let her not be stranded somewhere alone! she prayed. The Serpent cult was still gaining strength in the southern and central parts of the Twelve Claims and Those of the Confederation were particularly vulnerable to it. Soo wouldn’t survive on her own here.
'I was holding her hand as we stepped into the water,' Davred said slowly, frowning as if he were having trouble remembering clearly. 'Then - yes, then it slipped out of mine, not quickly, but slowly and steadily, as if she were pulling it away herself. It didn't occur to me to worry at the time. It wasn't a movement of panic and there was no violence in it.' He looked at Herra, 'Do you think the deleff transported her elsewhere as we passed through the portal? And if they did, why?'
Herra pursed her lips and tried to sense how things were. Brother, guide me! Her senses were steady now. There was no feeling of danger, no sense of anxiety about Soo. She began to relax a little. 'I don't feel as if she's in trouble.'
Davred was also standing looking inwards. 'Nor I. It must be the deleff, don't you think, Herra?
They're the ones who control the portals, not Those of the Serpent.'
'Yes. I agree. They wouldn’t find it hard to override what I was trying to do. I don't have good control of how we pass through portals and I'm particularly vulnerable during the transition itself.'
Davred's forehead was creased in lines of worry. 'But why? Why would they take Soo somewhere else when she’d been travelling with us?'
Herra took the time to think it through. 'I can guess why,' she said at last. 'And it may be the best thing, too, if they did take her to the High Alder with the miners. Soo was a weak link in our group, for she still knows so little about the ways of our world. I’d been worrying about her, especially now that we're entering the most dangerous part of our Quest.' As if the rest of it had been without danger!
Davred grunted. 'Yes. I'd worried about her as well, but I wish I knew for certain that she was safe.
Soo's like a sister to me.'
Herra decided it was better to act briskly, to distract him both from his longing to be with Katia and his worry for his friend. 'Well, we'd better pull ourselves together now. We can't do anything about Soo but pray that our Brother will watch over her. What we have to decide is where we are and what we should do next.'
All three novices were now sitting up, looking as if they felt dizzy. She moved across to them.
'You’ll recover more quickly, my young friends, if you lie down again and concentrate on your breathing. Breathe in very deeply and slowly - like this. Yes, Daranna, exactly like that. No, Purvil.' She bent to lay one small firm hand upon his diaphragm. 'Now try again . . . '
Davred exchanged wry glances with Ivo. Trust Herra to turn the moment into a lesson! The Sisters were all like that. 'Where do you think we are, Ivo?'
'Probably on the Plains of Netheron.' Ivo turned to stare at the desolate landscape. 'I'd guess we're in the Central Barrens. It's very arid, so there aren't many settlements there, and the roads are appalling.
My father always tries to avoid the area, so I've only travelled around the edges of it.'
'I wonder why the deleff brought us here.' Davred stared at the tumbled rocks in bewilderment. 'If we have no wagon, how are we to travel on?'
'We'd die of thirst within a day or two if we set out walking without a wagon and supplies of water,'
Ivo said. 'There's not much water to be found in the Barrens, or so other traders say.'
Herra turned, showing that she had been listening to them. 'Then we'd better stay here by this pool, hadn't we?'
'We have no shade,' Davred felt impelled to point out. 'There are only low plants growing here.
We'll get badly burnt by the sun.'
'Our Brother will provide.' Her voice was calm and serene again. 'And anyway, it's nearly nightfall.
We won't get sunburned now.' She didn't admit she could control her own skin against burning, for none of the others could do that.
'I think we should gather,' she decided. 'We need to ask our Brother's help and to reaffirm our own inner strength and being.' Increasingly she longed to return to the Sisterhood rituals which had threaded her life.
Carefully she showed the three novices how to meditate and thus bring themselves ever closer to the ability to gather, which was the thing that showed a novice's readiness to become a Kinswoman or Kinsman-Elect. 'Come! Form a circle with me,' she commanded.
Sometimes, Davred thought, she was very autocratic. Sometimes, it would be nice just to sit quietly and do nothing. But that was alien to Herra's way of thinking. She made the most of every moment and even resting was an art with her. You couldn’t spend time in her company without being moulded a little, changed slightly - and usually for the better. New skills, new thoughts, new ability to control your own body. He took her hand and resolutely banished all stray thoughts.
The circle moved slowly round in one of the gentler temple steps. Dust was kicked up to mist the air around them, but as they sank to the ground to gather, none of them noticed that. Daranna and Purvlin were trying too hard to remember Herra's instructions, Ivo was trying to increase the skills he’d started to learn, Davred and Alaran were a
ble to lose themselves in the Gathering, while Jiran - Herra
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opened her eyes for a moment in astonishment as Jiran meshed with them into the full melding that marked the ability to gather.
Joy filled them all. For to be present when someone gathered for the first time was to taste the most intense delight.
Herra was unaware that she was surrounded by a haze of golden light; Davred noticed nothing except for the peace and beauty of the moment; the other novices were too engrossed in their own meditations and the strange but wonderful feelings they were experiencing.
At the sight of Herra and the glowing nimbus around her, the people wriggling on their bellies across the bare earth towards the pool stopped dead and stared at one another uncertainly. They’d thought to find a group of unwise travellers, who’d tempted fate by crossing the Barrens; instead they had found something they did not understand. What was causing that light? Who were these people?
The way they were behaving looked like a Gathering, and no one had seen one of those for years.
Before they could retreat and discuss what to do, Herra broke the circle, turned to Jiran and said,
'Child, you’ve just gathered fully. If we were in a temple, that would make you my Kinsman-Elect.'
His face was a blaze of delight. 'Is that what it was?'
She laid one hand on his shoulder. 'Welcome to the Kindred, Jiran.' For a moment, he just stood there, then he frowned. 'I don't feel worthy.'
Herra and Davred exchanged quick glances, then Davred said gently, 'No one ever does.'
But Jiran shook his head and turned to Herra. 'Elder Sister, how can someone as young as I be worthy of becoming a Kinsman? I know so little.'
'Kinsman-Elect,' she corrected. She said nothing more, just stood watching him, waiting.
'I can't believe it.' He looked around him. 'And I'm not worthy.'
Then Herra laughed aloud and swept him into her arms for a quick embrace. 'Child, you have just made the Triple Denial, which is a sign that you are truly ready.' Then she turned round and called,
'And why don't you come closer, my friends out there among the rocks? In fact, come and join us. We are in great need of your help.'
With an oath one of the men sprang to his feet, knife at the ready. The others, wiser in the ways of the Barrens, remained where they there, half protected by low-lying pieces of rock, watching carefully to see what this strange woman would do next.
What she did was to walk across towards Methlos, who’d recently acquired the nickname Methlos the Angry, and snap her fingers, causing him to drop his knife. When he tried to pick it up another snap of the fingers stilled him, so that he couldn’t bend down. Herra turned to the others and said, with a hint of Compulsion, ' Stand up, my friends. Let us talk together. '
Timris, always called the Wise, stood up even before the Compulsion took effect. There were times to get angry and fight; times to wait patiently to see what happened; and times to talk openly. In any case, what could a small group of travellers like these do against the Barrendi on their own territory?
'Who are you, travellers?' he asked, keeping his voice polite.
Methlos found he could move again and bent down quickly to retrieve his knife. This time it skittered away across the dusty earth and he gasped as he jumped back.
'I don't like people wielding knives,' Herra said calmly. 'Leave it where it is.'
'Then, Lady,' said Timris, just as calmly, 'we shall not pull our knives out.' He turned to stare at Methlos. 'What are you trying to do, you fool? Who is attacking you that you need to brandish your knife?'
Methlos made an angry noise, but stood still.
Timris walked across to join Herra and her companions, giving them a graceful bow as he came up to them. 'Who are you and how did you get here?'
She hesitated. How much should she tell him of the deleff?
'Ah.' He nodded his head up and down at the sight of their damp garments. 'The deleff brought you.'
'Yes.'
'Then you are not of the Serpent.'
'Most definitely not. Do the deleff often bring people to you here?'
'Not often, no. It only started happening recently. First the spring began trickling at a much faster rate and filled up a pool of fresh clean water where no water ever lay openly before - for which we were very grateful - then the deleff began to arrive.' He shrugged his shoulders, not trying to explain the deleff, because no one could do that. 'The water grows turbulent sometimes and then the deleff just - appear. They always bring injured people with them. We take care of them. Some stay with us, most move on. We can’t feed many here, even with the new water.'
He stared at her, remembering the light that had glowed around her earlier. It hadn’t been a trick; it’d come from something inside her. A special woman, this, clearly. 'Are you hungry, Lady? Would you share food and water with us?'
She gave him one of her glowing smiles. 'We’d be delighted to do that. We’d also like to beg your advice.'
'I am Timris, whom people call the Wise. If I can help you, I shall.'
'I’m Herra, whom people call Elder Sister.'
He sucked in his breath. 'Herra of Tenebrak?'
'You know of me?'
'The whole of the Twelve Claims knows of you, lady. Those of the Serpent say that you’re dead, and at the same time offer a reward for your capture.'
She smiled. 'As you can see, I’m not dead. And not captured, either.'
'Our Brother be thanked.' He inclined his head.
'You follow our Brother's ways?'
'Not exactly, but we respect the Sisterhood. We have our own ways here in the Barrens.' He led the way into the rocky area, twisting and turning to find a path invisible to the newcomers. After a while, the ground began to slope downwards. In the well concealed hollow were some tents, made of dun-coloured material that blended so closely with the land that you wouldn’t have noticed them if you hadn’t known to look for them. Each tent was a slightly different shade to the next, as if nature had chosen the colours and no dyer's art been used. However, there were no people to be seen anywhere around the campsite.
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Timris stood on the edge of the hollow and called loudly, 'I invite you to visit our home, strangers and friends.'
Methlos grumbled under his breath. Timris grinned at him. 'Did you think me foolish enough to do anything but welcome Herra of Tenebrak?' he inquired in a quiet voice that nonetheless had a hard edge beneath it. 'We share a common enemy with this illustrious lady.'
'You usually test folk before you invite them to be our guests,' Methlos said, glaring at the novices.
'You're a fool!' Timris said scornfully. 'As well test myself as the companions of this lady.' He raised his voice. 'Six visitors we have! All most welcome.'
People began to come out from behind the rocks. Like Those of Quequere in the Sandrims, they wore clothing that blended with the rocky landscape and thus helped conceal their presence. The clothing was made of light loose material in shades of beige, patterned irregularly. Everyone had head coverings, so that faces were shaded. Nothing about these people seemed open.
Two women immediately went across to Herra and Daranna, touched their arms, bowed and gestured to them to follow.
'Elder Sister, is it wise for us to separate!' Davred asked in a low voice.
She smiled, as relaxed as if she were in a meeting house. 'I shall be quite safe here, Davred dear.'
Timris, too, smiled. 'We don’t harm guests. Indeed, we Barrendi pride ourselves on our hospitality.
Once the invitation to be our guests has been given, we would die protecting you.' He turned to Herra.
'Lady, may my rash friend here go and retrieve his knife now? Such implements are costly.' He fixed a stern gaze upon Methlos. 'He won’t brandish it again.'
She nodded and Methlos went back the way they’d come. But the glances he cast back over his shoulder weren’t friendly.<
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'He is very suspicious,' Timris said, watching this. 'But I ask you to forgive him. His wife and son were taken last time they travelled to visit her family. He’s been angry ever since.'
Davred ignored the group of people around them. 'I mean no disrespect, Timris, but Herra is very precious to us. I’d feel better if our little group stayed together.'
Timris pursed his lips, managing to look unhappy, apologetic and determined all at the same time.
'It is our custom for women and men to tend their bodies separately.'
Herra laid one hand on Davred's arm and gave him a very enigmatic smile. 'Be at ease, Davred. Our Brother is watching over us.' Then she turned and followed the women, with Daranna trailing behind them, looking anxiously from side to side as she walked. Daranna didn’t need telling that it was now her responsibility to keep an eye on Herra.
Davred, Ivo and the two young male novices were gestured to go in another direction, and were accompanied by four men and Timris.
'You’re very fond of the Elder Sister,' Timris commented.
Davred nodded. 'I love her as a mother. But what is more to the point, she’s the most important person in the Twelve Claims. Only she can bring about the defeat of Those of the Serpent.'
Timris lost the easy smile. 'You really think she can do that?'
'I'm sure of it.' He was sure, Davred realised with surprise, as sure as any novice who trusted blindly in the Elder Sister's powers. Or perhaps he just knew it. Perhaps their Brother had whispered it in his ear.
Timris looked thoughtful. 'We must talk further about this, then. We, too, would be happy if the Serpent didn’t control our land. Poor as it is, it's ours and we prefer to keep our own ways.'
When they met again in a large communal tent, whose walls were tied up to let in the breeze, Timris announced loudly, so that all his people could hear, 'I shall offer you sleeping space in my own tent, and Herra and the girl shall sleep with my own wife and daughters.'
From the way he said that, it was a special honour. Herra inclined her head. 'We thank you, friend Timris.'
'And, if you permit, I shall send out messengers tonight to ask our scattered people to assemble here. If you can truly help us against the Serpent, then we have much to discuss and a full Clan Sharing would seem appropriate.'
