It’s ironic. For a century the gods have spread the lie that we immortals encouraged people to worship us as gods, and now it appears that in my absence my people have begun to do just that.
They’d get over it, he thought. It is not my people I’d need to worry about, it is the Pentadrians. So far what I’ve seen has been encouraging. No Dreamweavers here have been able to think of more than a few conflicts between Dreamweavers and Pentadrians in the last few decades, and those were only about money.
Discovering that a powerful sorcerer with influence over the Dreamweavers had settled here might make the local Pentadrians feel threatened, however. He needed to know what they would do in response, and there was a way he could find out.
Dream linking was not banned in Southern Ithania. Even so, he would have to ensure he wasn’t detected. He would hardly endear himself to the Pentadrians if they discovered their dreams were being spied upon and manipulated.
Rising, he took his empty plate to the kitchen then ascended to his room. Before he could undress there was a familiar knock on his door. He smiled.
Dardel. I could ignore her, he thought, but she’ll be disappointed and I’m not in that much of a hurry to go dream hunting.
Hours later, as Mirar sank into the dream state, he let his awareness of Dardel’s weight and warmth slip away. Sending his mind forth, he found other dreaming minds. He sought their identities then planted the idea of his return into their thoughts.
Their responses were varied, but generally favorable. Some were suspicious of anyone who had power, but none imagined themselves taking action to get rid of him. Most others didn’t care what happened so long as their lives weren’t adversely affected. A few found the idea heartening. They appreciated the Dreamweavers’ skills and thought the return of Mirar could only improve them even further.
Hours passed and he felt excitement growing. He could do it. He could stop hiding and guide his people again. Yet one night of searching dreamers’ minds wasn’t enough. He must do this every night for... weeks? Months?
Then he remembered The Twins. They skimmed the minds of people everywhere, every day. They might already know how Southern Ithanians would greet the news that he had established himself in one of their lands.
He’d linked with The Twins only a few times before. Since he hadn’t met them, he had a more formal relationship with them than Emerahl had. He only contacted them when he had something important to discuss, and he suspected they treated him like the rulers, wisdom seekers and academics who had once sought their advice, long ago - with polite interest.
While he’d found their advice sensible and insightful, he was not as trusting of them as Emerahl was. Just because they were fellow immortals didn’t mean they would always be allies. There was one small oddity that bothered him. All of the joined twins he had ever encountered had been identical. Clearly Surim and Tamun weren’t. They weren’t even of the same gender. Emerahl had dismissed this, pointing out that immortality and the abilty to skim minds were just as uncommon. Still, it bothered him that The Twins might have been lying to her.
:Tamun? Surim? he called.
:Mirar.
It was Tamun. Her response was disturbingly prompt, as if she had been close by.
:How are you both? he asked.
:The same. Little changes here. I am skimming alone today. Surim is out hunting again. Her mind-voice always brought an image of a sharp-witted, wiry old woman to mind, despite Emerahl’s assurances that Tamun looked like a young woman.
:I have a question to ask.
:Wait a moment. I’ll see if I can get Surim’s attention.
:Isn’t he hunting?
:It’s more the sort of hunting you were just indulging in. He always falls asleep straight after... ah, there he is.
:Are you watching me again? Surim accused.
:Of course not. Mirar has a question for us, Tamun replied.
:Mirar! Surim exclaimed. How is life in Dekkar?
:It is good here, Mirar told them. Better than I expected.
:Yes, Pentadrians are a more tolerant people in some respects than those in the north, Tamun agreed.
:I’m tempted to reveal myself - to reclaim my position among the Dreamweavers again. How do you think the Pentadrians will react?
:If you’re expecting a parade, you’ll be disappointed, Surim said. Although I doubt the Voices will come after you with execution in mind either, though they will probably want to meet you just to make sure you’re not a threat to them.
:So long as you don’t challenge their authority or start converting Pentadrians, they’ll leave you alone, Tamun added. But you aren’t known for keeping silent when you disagree with those in power, Mirar. Could you stand by and not protest if you did not like the way they ruled their people? Or your people?
:I’ve just spent a hundred years being someone who did. I’ve learned caution and patience.
:You learned to run when you used to fight. That is not the same, Surim pointed out.
:No, he agreed. I’ll be aiming for somewhere between run and fight.
:You’ll compromise and negotiate? Surim sounded amused.
:If I have to.
:It is a risk to yourself and your people, and a change that you cannot easily reverse. What will you gain from it? What will the Dreamweavers gain? Tamun asked.
:They will have my knowledge to call upon and I think my return will give them hope and courage, especially in the north.
:They may expect too much of you. They may think your return will bring about the empowerment of Dreamweavers everywhere, Tamun warned.
:Dreamweavers do not seek power, and from what I have seen, they still don’t.
:We agree. There is another matter you should consider, Surim said.
:Yes?
:While we believe the Pentadrians will not object to you establishing yourself there, they are still not to be trusted. Have you heard from your own people regarding the attacks in Jarime and the Pentadrian involvement?
:No. What happened?
:Some of the Dreamweaver attacks and murders were organized by a Pentadrian group. They knew Circlians would be blamed for the violence, and took advantage of people’s disillusionment to recruit new followers.
:That is alarming.
:Yes, but the Pentadrians were not motivated by hatred of Dreamweavers but a ruthless practicality. In Southern Ithania there is no need for Pentadrians to harm Dreamweavers in order to find converts, but that does not discount the possibility they may use your people in other ways.
:That would always be a risk.
:And there is one more matter you should consider, Tamun added.
:What is it?
