Priestess of the White

swooped down and landed beside her.

Auraya smiled. “This is Sirri, Speaker of the Bald Mountain tribe and Head Speaker for the Siyee.”

Juran stepped forward and made the two-handed sign of the circle. “Welcome, Speaker Sirri, and all Siyee. We are pleased and grateful that you have come so far to help us defend our lands.”

Auraya turned to the other woman and uttered a string of whistles and sounds. Translating, Danjin realized.

As Sirri replied, Auraya translated for the benefit of the audience. Danjin examined the faces of the people around him. Most were staring at the Siyee. Some looked fascinated, others amused. The Dreamweaver adviser looked as uninterested as ever, while Lanren Songmaker was all suppressed excitement.

The Siyee were reacting to this scrutiny in different ways. Some eyed the humans warily, others kept their gaze on their leader and the White. Danjin noted the similarities and differences in their garb and realized they were standing in groups - each one was probably a different tribe.

The exchange ended with Juran raising his voice to speak to the Siyee in their own tongue. Danjin smiled crookedly. It almost annoyed him that a simple Gift bestowed by the gods could make irrelevant a skill he might spend years learning.

As the Siyee began to move away, following their leader along the thoroughfare to make camp, Auraya stepped forward to join the White. Her eyes shifted to Raeli, who stared back expressionlessly, then she looked at Danjin and smiled.

:Hello, Danjin Spear.

:Welcome back, he thought at her.

:Thank you. We’ve got a lot of catching up to do.

:We have indeed. I have to warn you, Juran has a habit of forgetting that mortals need food or sleep. We may have trouble finding time to do this catching up.

:Then I’ll have to make sure he remembers.

Once the Siyee moved away to make camp, Juran invited all into the tent. Lanren Songmaker watched as the hierarchy of power asserted itself. The White’s leader looked to the King of Genria first, as the man was the only royal personage present. Then the Somreyans entered, as the Moderator was the closest to a ruler that his country had. The two Dunwayans followed, as representatives of their country. Lanren was eagerly waiting to see how the King of Toren would fit in, since the two kings were of equal position. Guire was. a sensible monarch, but Berro was known for being rude and troublesome.

Next the advisers entered the tent, in no particular order. The White discouraged them from behaving as if one was more important than another, yet Lanren still felt it wise to give way to the White’s personal advisers. They were much closer to the White and had been working for them far longer.

He followed Danjin Spear to the tent entrance. Lanren had found the youngest of the Spear brothers an intelligent, well-educated, cautious man - nothing like his brothers in regard to the latter. Danjin had seemed a bit lost so far, and Lanren guessed this was because Auraya had been absent and the adviser had no more knowledge of war than history books might offer.

In matters of strategy and fighting, Lanren was the “expert.” He felt he was hardly that, but there were few other choices. Nobody could be an expert on war when there had been no more than a few minor confrontations in Northern Ithania for the last hundred years. He had studied war and strategy since he was a child, witnessed most of the small skirmishes or uprisings that had happened in the last fifty years, lived in Dunway some years in order to study their warrior culture, and spent a few months in Avven over a decade ago, during which time he had observed the military cult of the Pentadrians - albeit from a distance.

As he entered the tent he noted that everything was arranged the same way it had been each night before. Around the room, several chairs of equal size and plainness had been arranged in a rough circle. A large five-sided table stood in the center of the room. On it lay a beautiful map. It was a fine work - the best he had ever seen - painted in rich colors on vellum.

Juran looked at Auraya. “The Dunwayan forces have reached their southern border and await our decision. Before you arrived we were discussing what they should do: join us or remain in Dunway.”

She looked down at the map. “I was considering this question during my journey. Either choice is a risk.” She glanced at the Dunwayan ambassador. “As I understand it, Jen of Rommel, if the Dunwayans join us on this side of the mountains they will leave Dunway vulnerable to attack should the Pentadrian army veer north. It seems unfair to ask your people to leave their borders unprotected in order to help us.

“From all reports,” Auraya continued, “the Pentadrian army is enormous. Dunwayan fighters are famed for their skills in battle, but our spies have reported that these Pentadrian warrior sects also produce exceptional soldiers. We know from our encounters with these black sorcerers that they are more powerful than any in Dunway. Even if all the Dunwayan fighters remain to protect their home, I fear the land would still fall.”

The Dunwayan ambassador frowned as he nodded in acknowledgment.

“If they did remain at home,” Auraya added, “and the Pentadrians did not fight them but continued through the mountains, there is the possibility that our army will be no match for the Pentadrians’ trained warriors. I must pose this question: if this army fell, how long would Dunway stand?”

“So you would have us cross the mountains?”

Auraya nodded. “Yes, but...” she paused and looked at Juran “... perhaps not all. Perhaps leave some Dunwayans at home. If the Pentadrians invade Dunway, your warriors can slow their advance, giving us time to cross the mountains and engage the enemy.”

Those people will make no difference, Lanren thought. But... I think she knows that. She simply wishes to allow the Dunwayans to feel a little safer. It won’t work, however. They’re too well versed in warrior lore to deceive themselves into believing such an illusion.

Juran glanced at Lanren and shook his head. “A few fighters would not slow an army of the size of the enemy’s.”

“He is right,” the Dunwayan ambassador agreed.

“May I make a suggestion?” Lanren interjected.

Juran looked at him and nodded.

“We know that the Pentadrians are not far from the mountains,” Lanren said. “The more time we have to reach and fortify our position in the pass, the better. If the Dunwayan army should come through the mountains, they can set traps along the way, slowing the Pentadrians’ progress.” And they’ll enjoy doing it, Lanren added silently.

Juran smiled. “Indeed, they might.” He looked at his fellow White. Each nodded once. He turned back to the Dunwayan ambassador. “Please convey our assessment and suggestions to I-Portak. Tell him we would prefer it if he joined us here, but respectfully acknowledge the risk that would entail. We leave the decision for him to make.”

The ambassador nodded. “I will.”

Juran looked down at the map, pursed his lips, then straightened. “This evening’s reports on the Pentadrians’ position have not yet come. Let us have an early meal, then return to consider our journey to the pass. I would like to include the Siyee in that discussion.”

Many of the room’s occupants looked relieved. Lanren suppressed a wry smile. While none had walked more than a few steps of the journey from Jarime, they were all tired. They had had little sleep each night, since discussions usually continued long past midnight. Lanren was not the only one who had adapted to sleeping while sitting upright in a rocking, jolting tarn.

As always, Lanren hung back and noted who left the tent with whom. He saw Auraya catch Danjin Spear’s eye. The man already looked a little less lost. Then something small dashed into the tent and launched itself at Auraya.

“Owaya! Owaya!”

All turned to see a small gray creature run up Auraya’s circ and onto her back. He began to race from one shoulder to another, panting with excitement.

“Hello, Mischief,” Auraya said, her eyes bright with amusement. “I’m happy to see you, too. Here, let me - I’ll just - will you stay still for a moment?”

He dodged her hand, then paused to lick her ears.