insure good relations between our two groups. That she is a magician’s daughter will add somewhat to her value when I sell her on her seventh yearday, but a daughter is only a daughter and not worth the air wasted discussing her.”
“Uh, yes,” said Purple. He was obviously disturbed about something. “Just one question. Are all your women’s pregnancies so long?”
“What do you mean ‘so long’? Two hundred and fifteen days is the proper length of a pregnancy.”
“Two hundred and fifteen —” Purple began counting again.
Thirteen and a half months,” he said. “Oh.” He began mumbling to himself. “Well, I guess such a thing is not impractical — probably the extra four and a half months are needed because conditions here are so unstable. It gives the developing infant an extra length of time to grow and be more ready for a hostile world. Yes, yes, I can see why such a thing —”
Gortik and I exchanged a glance. I said, “I see he still talks gibberish to himself.”
“Not as much as he used to,” Gortik replied. “He hardly uses the demon tongue any more.”
“Ah, that’s good. How can a man be civilized if he does not speak a civilized language?”
To Purple, I said, “Actually, we have come here to talk about something much more important.”
“Yes,” put in Gortik. “Have you any ripe
Purple scratched his hairless chin, which was gray with many tiny black dots. How odd. He said, “I think I might be . able to spare some.” He rummaged through his herb patch, then decided against it and disappeared up into his nest in-stead.
He returned almost immediately with a basket of tubers.
“Here, these have already been cured. Take what you need.”
Gortik slung the whole basket under one arm. “Thank you, Purple. This will do nicely.”
Purple looked a bit askance, but said nothing. I found myself wondering what kind of a magician this was who was treated little better than a common cropmonger. Did Gortik have some strange kind of power over Purple? No such a thing was not possible — or was it instead that Gortik knew that Purple would not use his vast powers against him. But why?
The thought crossed my mind — perhaps the only reason Purple was allowed to endure here was because he was unkillable. Otherwise they would be rid of him in a minute if they could. No wonder Gortik was so eager to accept my offer to remove their magician for them. Purple was worse than inept — he was a dangerous fool.
And they were stuck with him just as we had been a quarter of a cycle ago.
No wonder Gortik treated him so shabbily — he was hoping to drive Purple away with his rudeness.
H’m, he would not try that with Shoogar, I thought. Shoogar would curse him hairless without even blinking.
Gortik handed me a
We started to wander back toward the village when abruptly I remembered something. I caught Gortik’s arm and turned back. “Oh, Purple,” I called.
He looked up, “Yes? What is it, Lant?”
“I almost forgot to tell you. I and my tribe will be settling in this area — but we cannot do it if you and Shoogar intend to duel.”
Purple looked puzzled, “I have no intention of dueling with Shoogar.”
You don’t?”
“Of course not. Dueling never accomplished anything.”
I looked at Gortik, “You see why we thought him mad?”
Gortik returned the look, “You think you are pointing out something we have not already noticed?”
To Purple, I said, “I am overjoyed to hear that. Shoogar will also be glad.”
Purple nodded thoughtfully. He said, “Lant, it seemed to me that I saw my seeing pieces hanging from a string around Shoogar’s neck when he came to the conference.”
“A trophy of the duel,” I explained. “Although under the circumstances —”
“I will exchange an oath of peace for those devices, Lant. I need them to see.”
“Um,” I said. “I don’t know. Shoogar regards that trophy quite highly. He would not be eager to give it up —”
“No seeing pieces, Lant, no oath of peace.”
“— but since you put it that way, I’m sure he will be delighted.”
“Not half so much as I.” said Purple.
Well! It had been easier than I had thought. I was overjoyed. Expansively, I offered Purple a piece of
His mouth full, Purple nodded his agreement.
“I don’t think so,” said Gortik. “You really should ask for more.”
I frowned at him.
“There is really nothing more that I need,” said Purple. “except perhaps —”
“Perhaps what?”
“No, it is nothing. There is no way you could help me.”
“But if we at least knew, perhaps we could offer some suggestions —”
He looked at us as if we were children. “Don’t speak foolishness,” he said. “There is no way either of you could help me get home.”
“Huh-!!” Gortik and I exchanged a glance. Why, he was asking for the very thing that both of us wanted. We practically tripped over each other in our eagerness to answer. “But we will do anything to help you, Purple, anything! We only wish the same as you — that you can return to your home as soon as possible.”
He sighed, That is very generous of you, but I am afraid there is no way. My flying egg is destroyed. I have no way to lift into the sky.” He sighed again and fingered a device on his belt. “I have the means to call down the mother-egg, but the call signal will not work this far south.”
“The mother-egg?” I found myself choking on a piece of root.
“The egg that Shoogar — sank, that was only a small vehicle for exploring the contours of a world. I left the larger vehicle in the sky.”
Nervously, I looked upward.
Purple laughed, “No, you need not fear, Lant It will not fall — not unless I call it down. But I am too far south to do that. If there were some way I could return to the north —”
“You mean you would leave us?” Gortik was astounded.
Purple misinterpreted it. “Oh, my friend Gortik, I know how it must hurt you, but please try to realize — I yearn to return to my home in the sky, to converse, confer and otherwise hobnob with my brother wizards.”
Gortik danced a little jig of grief.
Purple continued, “But, alas, there is no way. I cannot travel north overland because the sea already covers everything. And I dare not attempt it by boat. I am told that it will be all whirlpools and dangerous uncharted reefs. There is no path by land, and there is no path by sea. I am marooned, marooned.” Purple sighed and sat down.
I sighed with him. “If only there were a path through the air — but nothing goes through the air but birds and eggs.” He sighed again and nodded. “If you had been willing to teach Shoogar your flying spell,” I pointed out, “perhaps today you might not be in this predicament.”
“Flying spell?” he said. A strange look came over his face.
Gortik looked at him curiously, looked at me, looked at Purple again. “What are the two of you talking about?” The magician was muttering curiously to himself.
“No, no — the whole idea is preposterous. It would never work. Yes, it would —” He trailed off into the demon’s tongue. He shook his head impatiently as if trying to thrust that thought away. But it wouldn’t go — that peculiar look kept returning to his eyes, and he argued frantically with himself in words not know to men.
Suddenly he leapt to his feet. Yes, it must be tried,” he shouted. “It must be! It must be! It is the only way!”
