Priestess of the White

They stood in a rough circle beside the platform that had been built for the White to address the army from. Their attention was on something or someone in their midst. As Danjin reached them he saw that Rian was talking to them. He stepped into a gap in the circle.

“Adviser Danjin Spear.” Rian glanced at him, then around the circle. “Now that you are all here there is someone I must introduce.”

Rian glanced over his shoulder, then stepped back. To Danjin’s surprise, a Dreamweaver woman stood a little apart from the group. Rian beckoned and she stepped forward, her gaze wary.

“Dreamweaver Adviser Raeli. She replaces Dreamweaver Leiard, who has resigned in order to dedicate himself to training his student.”

The advisers nodded politely, but the woman did not smile or return the gesture. She met Danjin’s gaze and he realized he had been staring at her out of surprise.

“Then I wish him well,” Danjin said to her. “I found him a useful and reliable fellow adviser.”

The woman acknowledged this with a shallow nod, then looked away. Danjin glanced at Rian. Did Auraya know of this turn of events? She hadn’t mentioned it last night, when she had spoken to him through the ring. He considered asking Rian, but the White had turned abruptly to stare in the direction of the platform. A crowd of high priests and priestesses had gathered before it. Beyond them were the rest of the priesthood. Beyond that was the army. Danjin could just see the plumes on their helmets - blue for the Hanians and red and orange for Somreyans.

“I must leave you now,” Rian stated. “We are nearly ready to begin.”

He made the one-handed gesture of the circle, which all advisers apart from the Dreamweaver woman returned, then hurried away to join Juran, Dyara and Mairae at the platform. After a brief exchange of words, the four White ascended the stairs.

The crowd immediately began to quieten. The White formed a line. As the third strongest, Auraya would normally have stood in the middle of that line, Danjin noted. Was she watching now?

Of course she is, Danjin thought. But she will be linking with the other White. They’d have the best view from up there. It must be quite a sight.

Juran stepped forward and raised his arms. When the last few voices had dwindled to whispers and murmurs, he let his arms fall to his sides.

“Fellow Circlians. People of Hania and Somrey. Loyal friends and allies. I thank you all for answering my call to arms.

“Today we will set forth for the Plains of Gold. There we will meet with the forces of Genria, Toren and Si. We will form a vast army. It will be a sight to inspire awe. Never before have so many nations of Northern Ithania united in one single purpose.

“It will also be a terrible sight, for what brings us together is war - and not a war of our making. A war brought to us by a foolish and barbaric people, the Pentadrians.” He paused. His voice had been dark with contempt when he had spoken the name of the heathen cult.

“Let me tell you what I know of these Pentadrians. They claim to worship five gods, as we do. But these gods are false. The Pentadrians must enslave and seduce men and women into worshipping them, and they have set forth for Northern Ithania with the intention of forcing us to do so as well. But we will not!” His voice rang out, strong and angry.

Several voices in the crowd rose in reply, shouting denials.

“We will not exchange our gods for these corrupt sorcerer priests!” Juran continued.

“No!” came the reply.

“We will drive them back to their heathen temples.”

“Yes!”

“We will show them what it is to worship real gods, with real power.”

The crowd began to cheer. Juran smiled and let them yell their enthusiasm for a while before speaking again.

“The gods have entrusted us, the White, with great power in order that we can protect you. We have called together an army of our own. We Circlians are not a violent people. We do not relish bloodshed. But we will defend ourselves. We will defend each other. We will defend our right to worship the Circle of Gods. And we will win!”

He raised a fist and shook it at the crowd. The response was deafening. Danjin resisted a smile. With the sun shining and Juran’s confidence infecting all, it was hard to imagine them losing this battle. Not that I can imagine us losing the battle anyway, he mused. How can we fail, when we have the gods on our side?

“Follow us now!” Juran called over the cheering. “Follow us to war!”

He stepped off the platform and mounted his Bearer. The other White followed suit. They urged their magnificent white reyer toward the crowd. High priests and priestesses stepped back to allow their leaders through.

Gradually, everyone began to follow. Danjin edged toward the platform, then climbed a few steps so he could watch as the great mass of people shuffled inward to become part of a column marching out of the Temple. Hearing a distant roar, Danjin looked over their heads. The White had just passed through the archway into the city. He took another step up, and saw that the streets beyond were lined with people.

The stairs vibrated from another’s steps. Danjin looked down to see Lanren Songmaker, one of the military advisers, climbing toward him.

“We should move closer,” the man murmured. “I doubt the army will wait for us if we aren’t ready to step in behind the priests.”

“Yes,” Danjin agreed. He descended to the ground and joined the other advisers. As the last of the priests and priestesses joined the column, Lanren ushered them forward to take their place.

Auraya looked at the remains of the previous night’s meal and grimaced. She liked fish, but the only species she had been able to catch last night was woodfish. They were notoriously bland and she had found no spices or herbs with which to add flavor. She had resigned herself to this tasteless fare only to be tormented by impressions of the fine feast Danjin was enjoying during their mental conversation last night.

If I had known I’d be camping on an uninhabited cliff top for days I would have brought a bit of food with me. And some soap.

She had just washed herself in a small pool of rainwater she’d found the day before. Her circ was far from its former dazzling white, though she used her Gifts every day to help remove dirt and stains. Sometimes it seemed the only use she had for magic was everyday chores.

Well, apart from flying and reading people’s minds, she amended.

Moving to the cliff edge, she looked out toward the islands of Borra. She had returned there every day for the last four days. Each time her request to meet with the king had been denied. Yesterday, however, the message the courier had memorized had been different.

“Tell her that I will meet her only if she comes to the palace.”

Was he afraid she was trying to trick him into emerging from the safety of his underwater city? Surely the Elai who had seen her would have reported that she had always come alone. Or had he made the condition out of spite, thinking that she would not be able to reach the city, or would drown in the attempt?

She smiled and leapt off the cliff. While she could easily enter it via the secret path to the lookout, that was no way to earn their trust. If she was to meet the king’s challenge she must enter by the underwater way. Her arrival would generate as much curiosity as fear. They’d be as interested in knowing how she had managed to get to their city without drowning as frightened that a stranger had reached their home.

While waiting for Elai messengers to deliver her request for a meeting to the king she’d had plenty of time to think about how she would get to the palace. She had watched these strange sea people, noting how quickly they could swim and for how long they could hold their breath - which was not as long as she had expected. They could remain underwater for only about three to four times as long as a landwalker. They could swim remarkably fast, however. Her experience of swimming had only ever been a little paddling in a quiet bend of the river near her