paint.”
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Rozea pushed through the door. A platten waited in the alley. The two guards climbed onto the seat next to the driver. Rozea gestured for Emerahl to join her inside. Emerahl glanced to either side as she climbed in. Main Street was empty but for a few sleeping beggars. Nobody was going to witness her “disappearance.” Not even her landlord, which wasn’t a bad thing.
At an order from the driver, the arem pulling the platten started forward, carrying Emerahl away.
The sky was the blue-black of early evening. Stars blinked and shivered all around, but the cause of their disturbance was only visible when looking west, where hundreds of winged forms could be made out against a sky still aglow from the sunset.
These forms glided down to the Open, to the level area at the middle of the rocky slope known as the Flat. Fires had been lit in a large circle and their light set the faces of the Siyee aglow.
Auraya recognized many of these faces now. She had talked to Siyee of all ages, positions and tribes. Not far from her stood the trapper of the Snake River tribe who had described how his people had been driven from their fertile valleys by Toren settlers. Farther away stood the old matriarch of the Fire Mountain tribe who had shown Auraya the forges her people used to make arrowheads and knives from the abundant mineral deposits in their homeland. Landing now were three young men from the Temple Mountain tribe who had approached her to ask what they must learn to become priests.
“There has never been a Gathering this large in my lifetime,” Speaker Dryss murmured to her, “and I have attended them all.”
She turned to regard the old man. “Speaker Sirri explained to me that only Speakers or those chosen to represent them are required to attend a Gathering. I am not surprised more have come, however. What you decide tonight could change your way of life. If I was Siyee, I’d want to be here to hear their decision.”
“True, but I’m sure a few are here just to catch a glimpse of the Gods’ Chosen,” he replied, chuckling.
She smiled. “Your people have been welcoming, Speaker Dryss. I confess I’m half in love with this place, and wish I did not have to leave.”
His eyebrows rose. “You do not miss the comforts of your home?”
“A little,” she admitted. “I miss hot baths, mostly. And my friends.”
He opened his mouth to reply, but at that moment Speaker Sirri turned to the line of Speakers.
“It is time, I think. If we wait for stragglers, the night will end before we do.”
The others nodded in agreement. As Sirri stepped up onto Speakers’ Rock the Siyee below stopped talking and looked up expectantly.
Sirri lifted her arms. “People of the mountains. Tribes of the Siyee. We, the Speakers, have called you here tonight to hear the words of Auraya of the White, one of the Gods’ Chosen. As you know, she has come to us to discuss an alliance between Siyee and the Circlians. Tonight we will hear her words and voice our thoughts. In seven days we will gather again to make our decision.”
Sirri turned and looked at Auraya expectantly. Stepping forward to stand beside the woman, Auraya looked down at the Siyee people. Since she had arrived she hadn’t needed to read their minds to discover their doubts and hopes. They had spoken of them openly. Now she let her mind skim over theirs.
They were hesitant, sure that there would be a penalty whether they agreed to an alliance or not. They were a timid people, who rarely resorted to violence. They were also a proud people. While they did not want to go to war, where it was likely some would be killed, if they did they wanted to be seen as valuable and effective. It was this pride that she must appeal to now.
“People of Si, Huan’s creation, I have come to your land at your invitation to learn about you, to tell you something of my own people and to explore the possibility of an alliance forming between us.
“I have learned much about you and have come to admire you for your tenacity and peaceful ways. I find myself no longer unbiased - I would dearly love for there to be a link between my people and yours. I am dismayed by the Siyee deaths at the hands of landwalkers. I can also see many ways we may enrich each other’s lives through trade and an exchange of knowledge. I find myself thinking, selfishly, that an alliance would be a wonderful excuse to neglect my duties as a White and visit Si more often than needed.”
This brought smiles to many faces. She paused, then made her expression serious.
“An alliance requires agreement on several issues, and the first I will address is war. If we, the White, have an agreement with you to protect your lands, we can end this incursion of settlers without bloodshed by demanding the King of Toren take action to stop it. For such assistance, we ask for your promise of help in return, should we and our allies be threatened by invaders.”
She saw grim expressions on all faces, and nodded. “I know you do not believe you can be of much assistance in war. It would be as ridiculous for Siyee to engage landwalkers in hand-to-hand combat as it would be for me to do so. My strength is in sorcery, yours is in flight.
“Your ability to fly makes you more suitable as scouts. You can report on the positions and movements of enemy troops and warn of traps and ambushes. You can carry and deliver small precious items - cures or bandages for the wounded, messages to fighters who have no priest to relay orders to them.”
The mood of nearly all Siyee was the same now. They had responded well to her words, some with enthusiasm, some with a cautious acknowledgment that she was right. She nodded to herself.
“It is difficult to ask something of you that may one day bring death and grief to your families, just as it will be difficult should I ever have to ask the sons and fathers of my own people to fight in our defense. I hope never to see the day when a threat forces such terrible choices upon us.
“So you may wonder, then, how this alliance will benefit your people in times of peace. We can offer you trade, knowledge, and access to the Circlian priesthood. Many of you have expressed doubt that you have anything of value to sell. This is not true. You manufacture unique items that will be of both practical and artistic value outside Si. You have deposits of minerals that could be mined. You have rare plants that have curative properties. Even the soft blankets in the bower you have built for me would fetch a high price in Jarime. These commodities are but those that I have noticed in the few short weeks I have been here. An experienced trader would see more.
“Then there are the benefits that come with the exchange of culture and knowledge. We have much to learn from each other. Your methods of governing and of resolving disputes are unique. The Circlian priesthood offers education and training in healing and sorcery. In. return we only ask you to share your healing knowledge with us so that we may better help our own peoples.”
Auraya paused and let her gaze run over the hundreds of faces. “I hope that our lands may be united in a pledge of friendship, respect and mutual prosperity. Thank you for listening, people of Si.”
She stepped back from the edge of the outcrop and looked at Sirri. The Speaker smiled and nodded, then raised her arms again.
“The Speakers will now talk with their tribes.”
Auraya watched as the line of Speakers broke. Each leapt off the outcrop and glided down to their people, leaving her alone. She sat down and watched as the crowd separated into tribes.
Once again, she let her mind touch those of the Siyee, listening in as they argued and debated. Though they had been stirred by her words, they were still naturally cautious.
The changes she had spoken of both excited and frightened them.
She was surprised at the strength of the protectiveness she felt. It had been only a few weeks since she had
