Waterborn

He grinned a little sourly and lied, though it was a lie twisted closely to truth. 'It did. I think this girl called me, the way a shaman calls a familiar or a man a dog, and I came. I have had a long time to think about this, however. She was able to call me—as opposed to some other person—only because of certain acts I committed on my own. Acts that, for me, demand … redressing. I have determined that finishing out this part of my destiny—answering this girl's summons—is the first step in my atonement.'

'Perhaps the last, as well,' Ghan warned him. 'What I will ask you to do is very dangerous.'

'I assumed as much,' Perkar said. 'You said you are familiar with our songs. Do you also know the meaning of the word Piraku?'

'I read those long ago, and memory betrays,' Ghan said, shaking his head.

'It means many things. Wealth, honor, glory. It means doing what must be done, even if death is the only reward. It is what my people live and die by.'

The Giant, Tsem, chewing his massive lip, suddenly erupted into speech. 'This is ridiculous. We can't trust him, Master Ghan.'

'If he is the man Hezhi dreamed of, we have no choice,' Ghan muttered. 'He may be of some help.'

'I believe I am he,' Perkar assured them. 'Though I have no idea of what task I must perform.'

'I will keep this story simple, too,' Ghan promised. 'I believe the girl you dream of is Hezhi Yehd Cha'dune, the daughter of the emperor of Nhol and its empire. As you say, I believe that she called you here to help her escape the city.'

Perkar looked from one to the other of the two men. 'Why must a princess escape her own city?' he asked.

Ghan shook his head. 'It is complex, and not something Tsem or I may speak of. Hezhi can tell you, later, when all is well. But she must escape today. I'm afraid you must agree or disagree on what I've already told you.'

Perkar nodded slowly. 'I don't know anything about this city,' he said. 'I don't see what help I can be.'

'Can you use that?' Ghan asked, pointing to Harka.

'Oh, yes,' Perkar said. 'I can use Harka.'

'Harka?'

'The god who dwells in my sword.'

Ghan lifted his eyebrows again, but did not dispute the existence of gods as the priest had.

'That may be your use. Frankly, I don't know, either. But Hezhi dreams of you, and I feel certain that there is a purpose to that.' His face worked around some unspoken thought, and he let out a long, weary breath. 'If only I could know,'' he groaned at last.

'I see her emerging from the River,' Perkar whispered, closing his eyes. 'The River is blood, and I am in it. The River is trying to swallow me, but it also offers me up, to her. She is weeping, and her tears are blood, too. She wants me to help her.'

He opened his eyes again, so that sunlight could clean away the remembered vision. Ghan and Tsem were staring at him. The Giant's eyes were narrow. Ghan was nodding.

'I see no other choice,' he said at last. 'This is all moved by her blood, Tsem. If we do not trust her, we cannot save her.'

Tsem almost snarled, but then his brutish face quieted. 'You are wiser than I,' he said at last.

'I doubt that,' Ghan answered. 'But I am more learned.' His face hardened with decision.

'Perkar of the Clan Barku, we will trust you. We will help you earn your… perku?'

'Piraku,' he corrected. 'But I have a single question for you.'

'Ask it then, quickly.'

'The enemies of this girl. Is one of them the River himself?'

Ghan and the Giant both stared at him before the old man, almost imperceptibly, nodded yes.

Perkar smiled faintly. 'I was told to trust no one in Nhol,' he replied. 'But I will do as destiny demands. Then perhaps my life will be my own again.'

'Perhaps,' Ghan allowed.

 

 

By now they had retraced their steps to the docks. Ghan led them through the maze of quays, out to a small, single-masted vessel. He called out, and a sharp, weasely-looking man poked his head from the cabin.

'Ghan,' he said, his voice pleasant-timbred, low, completely unweasellike.

'As we arranged,' Ghan told him. He turned to Tsem. 'Tsem, this is my cousin; you may call him Zeq'. He will take you and the princess down-River to my clan's holdings. I have prepared a letter for my family that contains both truths and lies—they would not help if they knew the complete truth. Have Hezhi familiarize you with its contents, so that what you say and know will be consistent with my story. My clan will then arrange overland transportation to Lhe. I have written another letter to the archivist there, whom I correspond with. I know that he will help us. In Lhe, Hezhi will be safe, and so will you.'

'I can read it myself,' Tsem rumbled. Ghan did not look as surprised as he might.

Ghan turned back to Zeq'. 'This is Perkar, an outlander,' he explained, though his cousin's suspicious stare made it plain that he had already ascertained that much. 'I will pay his passage, too. His sword may prove useful if trouble comes.'

Zeq' nodded at Perkar, doubt plain on his face.

'What of you, Master Ghan?' Tsem asked. 'It will go badly for you if your part in this is discovered.'

Ghan lifted his frail shoulders. 'If all goes well, my part will never be known.'

'Unless the priests question you. They can make you speak, you know.'

'I do know.'

'Then they will know where Hezhi has fled to.'

'No,' Ghan said. 'Because the priests will never actually question me. Trust me about that.'

Tsem regarded him thoughtfully. 'Without you, my mistress has no chance at all. I will trust you.' Tsem then turned his rugged features on Perkar. 'Know this,' he said softly. 'Hezhi is the most precious thing that lives. If harm comes to her through you, nothing will stop me from snapping your neck. Not that sword or a hundred. Do you understand me?'

'I understand,' Perkar said, holding his gaze steady on the Giant's own. Both of these men clearly loved this girl, were willing to give their lives for her. Could Perkar make the same commitment to a person in no way related to him, a person he had never met? The Giant didn't believe so, that was evident. And the Giant, of course, was right. Things were not as clear as he had hoped they would be; perhaps when he met the girl he would know for sure. In the meantime, how could he reassure the Giant without lying? For he did not want to lie to this strange, huge man, so like Ngangata.

'I have never met your princess,' Perkar said softly. 'But many good people—friends of mine—died because of me. I can never be redeemed for that, my friend. I have no love for this River; it hurts someone I love, it took my life from me. You imply that your girl—this Hezhi—has somehow turned the River against herself. I believe that she intends to steal from him, rob him. I once swore to kill the Changeling Rivergod, Giant. That was stupid, and it led to all of the deaths I spoke of just now. But if she and I can steal from him—especially if it is her life we steal—then I will feel that I have taken at least that much revenge against him. I have been willing to die for less noble things than saving the life of a princess.' Or killing one, if need be, he finished silently, though he felt a sudden, surprising guilt for the thought. But if what these men told him was true—if in saving this girl he was thwarting the River—then he would not betray his words. Only if he had been lied to would he have lied.

Tsem listened carefully, with narrowed eyes.

'I love her,' he said at last. 'Remember that, along with all of your other pretty words.'

Ghan took Tsem's massive elbow. 'Tsem, this is the time. You go back into the palace and get her. Dress her in those worker's clothes you told me about; cut her hair. Bring her down to the boat here, and Zeq' will do the rest.'

'And me?' Perkar asked.