The Children of the Sky

Finally, thank the Powers, Amdi segued into the finale, the pseudo-impromptu invitation for the audience to come down and be introduced “paws-to-tentacles” to the marvelous creatures from beyond the sky. Prince Purity said something from his box, and the packs queued up for the privilege. These people were more orderly than any they had run into before. Maybe it was the armed guards that materialized from the side streets. There were more of those than they had seen before, too. Prince Purity’s operation looked more like tax collection than salesmanship.

Jefri cut across the square to be next to Ravna. For the petting zoo part of the performance, they were always together. Tonight … Ravna grabbed his arm. He stepped close, put his head close to hers: “What happened?” he said, almost whispering, somehow guessing that they mustn’t be overheard.

Ravna put her lips by his ear and spoke as quietly as she could. “Keep watch on the prince’s box. What do you see in the back?”

“Ah.” Jefri didn’t look up immediately. Arm in arm, they strolled back to the center of the square, to Amdi and the beginning of the “reception line.” Partway there, Jefri casually looked back over the stands, at the prince’s box. “The prince is still up there,” he said in conversational tones. “I’d hoped he would come down for the petting zoo.” And then very quietly: “I don’t see anything else.”

And then they were overwhelmed by the meeting and greeting. More than ever before, there were packs who wanted to faux chat, repeating Ravna’s Samnorsk back at her. This far north, maybe they had heard rumors about the Domain; if Prince Purity wasn’t already dealing with humans, he soon would be. Ravna looked out at the crowd, and suppressed a groan; even if second visits weren’t allowed, this could last as long as the show at Winch Bottom.

Or maybe not: the prince’s guards were bugling.

Amdi looked up at the royal box. “Prince Purity has announced the end of the public performance. He’s going to bless us with a personal audience.” The packs who had already paid were allowed through, but the guards encouraged them to trot quickly past the humans; there was no more extended chitchat. Ravna noticed more than one head looking nervously at the prince’s box.

Ravna noticed Jefri signing to Amdi, out of sight of the royal box. Amdi’s eyes widened in surprise. He waved to Screwfloss to take Ritl further away. “She’s not going to mess me up with the prince.” Amdi spread himself out into the newly vacated space, and looked very attentive as Prince Purity came down his private staircase one by one.

Jefri stood tensely beside her; he was looking at the prince, actually looking over his members. From here, they could see further into the royal box than had been possible standing right in front of it. And when the last of Purity came down the steps, there was no one standing between them and whatever mystery lurked within.

“Nothing as tall as a human is standing there,” came Jefri’s whisper.

No, but there was something, and now it moved partway out of the shadows. She still didn’t have a clear view, but this looked like a singleton. Unlike the prince’s members, this one’s cloak was very dark. The creature didn’t follow the prince down the stairs.

Ravna glanced at Jefri and he gave her a little shrug. If that singleton had been up in the box the whole time, it should have been difficult for the prince to keep his mind on the show. “Different customs?” he said softly. “Or maybe this prince is just personally kinky.”

As the prince came across the square, the last of the commoners were cleared away. None were left in the stands either, but a number of packs still clustered on the streets that led into the square, standing as close to one another as packs could comfortably come. Others looked down from tiny windows that faced the square. Their audience was still large, but somewhat subdued, almost as if trying to pretend that it did not exist. Ravna noticed Amdi surreptitiously playing with the lamps, making sure the spotlight followed the prince across the plaza. Hopefully, this looked like an honor—but one that would also remind the fellow of powers beyond his ken.

No commoner clothing for Prince Purity. His capes and jackets were sewn from the pelts of hundreds of weasels. Ravna had seen such pieces in the Domain, but only for leggings and singlecapes. The fur-dressing process created a white that Tines prized for its purity—though to human eyes it was more a pale and grubby puce.

As the prince advanced, two guard packs circled wide around Amdi and the humans. Amdi was forced to close in on himself, but the guards didn’t approach Jefri and Ravna. That privilege was reserved to the autocrat. Purity walked to within a few meters of them, visibly squinting in the spotlight. The creature was a fivesome, mostly overweight except for one puppy that stayed behind the others, its beady eyes just visible over their rumps. The four adults sat for a moment, heads bobbing in a pattern that Ravna took for a cocky smile. Unlike some in their audience tonight, the prince could not fully overcome his uneasiness about two-legs. Instead, he sent a couple of his members to walk close to Jefri and then Ravna. The two brushed around the humans’ legs, tasted at the fabric of their clothes. Then as they retreated, the two gave Ravna a coordinated shove. Jef’s hand kept her upright.

Amdi squawked a “Hei now!” chord.

The prince gobbled something back. Amdi started translating even as the autocrat spoke. The voice he chose for the prince was smarmy and sly: “No harm intended, Circus Master. I must say, these tottering creatures can scarcely keep on their feet.” The prince’s forward members continued to circle Ravna and Jefri, but just out of arm’s reach.

Amdi puffed up, managed to look indignant despite the armed guard packs standing around them. His Tinish reply was overlaid with a Samnorsk translation: “We are honest performers, Sir. Have we not provided you with profitable entertainment?” Amdi poked a head meaningfully at the bags of loot that the prince’s fee collectors were now counting into strongbox wheelbarrows.

Prince Purity hooted softly, a chuckle that Amdi didn’t bother to recast into human mouth noise. He gobbled on. Amdi’s overlay was: “Of course. My people enjoyed every minute of it and they’ve paid handsomely. But you held my center square here for hours. No traffic could pass. We are a trading town, my circus-minded friend. We can’t ignore the damage that loss has caused to the market folk displaced.”

Amdi gave an indignant squeak, dropping out of Magnificence for an instant. Meantime, the prince rattled on. Amdi’s voice-over hurried to catch up: “You shouldn’t be surprised that there are additional fees involved here.”

“Um, perhaps we could contribute part of our agreed-upon payment to cover these expenses.”

“Good, good!” Amdi’s Purity voice got even more snotty. Somewhere under all the deadly tension, Amdi was having a good time mocking this villain. “I’m sure we can work something out. These laws after all—I make them. We will talk more on the problem tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? But milord, if you will recall, the whole point of performing tonight was to pay for supplies and be on our way before morning.”

“Oh, I’m afraid that will be impossible. You are far too valuable to simply disappear into the night.”

Amdi dithered a moment. What could he do? From under the pavilion, Ritl started squawking. It wasn’t the focused sonic mayhem of a pack, but she was screeching louder than any human could shout. She bounced out to the end of her leash, blasting imperatives. Was that support for her fellow circus members or something more like “Stop thief!” and “Seize them!”

Amdi was looking off in all directions. The commoners had moved back from the wide streets. Some of them were bumping into each other, competing for space under awnings and doorways. Heads pointed upwards, and to the south.

Amdi spread out, actually invading the space of the two guard packs. After a silent moment, a knowing smile spread across his aspect. “I showed you my letter of safe passage, my lord.”

Prince Purity emitted a dismissive noise. If he knew they were fugitives, that safe passage would count for nothing.

But Amdi continued, “I also mentioned to you that I had the protection of the Domain of Woodcarver. That nation may have seemed far away before now—but the sounds you heard over your principate just last night, that was the magic flier of Queen Woodcarver. You laughed when I mentioned our protection. You laughed when I suggested that her airship might come back to find us. Now please reconsider.” And then Amdi shut up, as if he had made some stunning, winning play.

In fact, Purity didn’t have any zippy reply. He was grinning much the same masterful smile as Amdi. He too had spread out, almost doubling his area on the ground. For a moment they looked like two frauds trying to out-bluff