[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
land. Attack is always the best defense. The man you kill won't kill you. It's
always better to offer a stranger's blood to the gods that way you increase
your chances they won't thirst for yours.
The Krai of Kulchikan moved restlessly in his elaborate chair, looked down at
the group kneeling at his feet, turned to the thin dark man standing on the
dais beside him. "The tax?"
"Paid, ajja Kral."
"Did the Scholar say why he is traveling in these waters?"
"No, ajja Krai. Till now you have not required me to ask such things."
"Till now we've had traders and scum on the run. No need to ask them why
they've come." He waved his long hand and the hangfaced dogrobber moved into
the shadow behind the chair. "Scholar, I think you had better explain your
presence. We do not want to offend the Tanul Lumat. Someday we might even want
Page 115
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
to use its services, having an infant daughter with an inquiring mind. But the
Lumat is a long way from here and your companions are an odd lot, that you
must admit."
Pegwai composed his face into the smiling courtesy of his business persona,
laced his fingers together over the bulge of his paunch. "Travelers must go
where they can find ships to take them, oh Krai. Our project is the mapping of
the north shore of the Halijara Sea including the river systems inland, a task
we will not come close to completing ourselves, but the Lumat endures when man
succumbs to the frailty of his flesh; we will do our part and pass on the task
to others. We are in Kulchikan only to wait for a ship that will take us
south. As to the nature of our company, the Aggitj fetch and carry and serve
as guards; when we are beyond the amenities of city life, they'll hunt and do
camp work. The Skirrik lad earns his wedding jet working for us, serving as
translator when necessary, and most important, serving as go-between; everyone
knows the Skirrik and how far they can be trusted. The Chalarosh boy we
acquired by accident, a long dull story, but he too has proved useful. The Min
is the Seeker's friend and companion and also a scout; you will understand the
value of having a friendly Min along. We may seem an odd grouping, but it has
proved a useful one thus far. Is there more you wish to know, oh Krai?"
"You intend to stay in the Truce Haven?"
"Yes, oh Krai, it seems best. Our stay depends on the arrival of a suitable
ship. It might arrive tomorrow, we might be here a month." He gave the Krai a
broad genial smile.
The Krai looked thoughtfully at him. "Dine with me, Scholar. This evening."
His eyes flicked briefly to Skeen but he did not include her or any of the
others in the invitation.
"Honored, oh Krai."
"I wish to speak of the Lumat, Scholar, some questions about the young
sheltered there. Come prepared to discourse on that."
"With delight, oh Krai."
Every night after that Pegwai went to the Kralhus, making a face at Skeen each
time the escort came for him, shaking his head at Timka when she laughed at
him and wished his tongue two ends.
The Aggitj took the boy with them when they went out during the day to do a
little trading and pick up some coin by working at this and that. The Beast
was useful more than once, stopping trouble before it started when he opened
his mouth and showed his fangs. At night Chulji the Min-Skirrik went with them
and the Boy stayed to guard Skeen and Timka, contented with that assignment.
A number of ships arrived and left, many of them Balayar who were interested
in the vast Market at the center of Kulchikan, with no wish to venture further
along the Tail. A few others wandered in, but they were too small and too
scruffy. Not that Skeen demanded Balayar standards, but she wouldn't have
trusted any of those shipmasters with a mangy dog.
The ninth day came and passed. The Boy was getting nervous. No Chalarosh had
come off any of the ships, but time was beginning to work against him. He
began walking the walls at night, peering anxiously down into the streets
until Timka or one of the Aggitj came to fetch him. He said nothing about his
fears, but Skeen saw them and began worrying in her turn. Pegwai was getting
edgy, too; the Krai was looking at him with a speculation he had no trouble
reading. The Pallah was wondering whether he'd like having a resident scholar
about the place, someone to teach his sons and that daughter he was so proud
of. It would be the easiest thing in the world for Pegwai to vanish without a
trace into the Kralhus, with the rest of the party slipped into the sea to cut
off any chance of bother. Skeen started haunting the wharves, glaring out over
the polluted waters of the bay as if she could will the right ship into port.
She was getting increasingly irritable in this miserable place where she
couldn't even go out and get happily soused in a local tavern and maybe find
herself an energetic bedmate or two. No one to talk to nothing to do but sit
and brood. And she was brooding far too much about Tibo; she was about ready
to scream and claw at the walls in her need to find him and squeeze out of him
Page 116
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
why he'd stranded her. The easy answers weren't right. She felt that in her
bones when she let herself feel. But I could be wrong, Djabo's bloody claws, I
could be wrong, and if I'm wrong, everything I think about myself is wrong,
everything I thought I knew. Round and round and round, wearing ruts in the
floor, wearing ruts in her brain.
After another frustrating day at the wharves she was pacing back and forth
along one of the upper halls, cursing under her breath, filled with bursts of
nervous energy she couldn't wear out by working because there wasn't any hard
physical labor she could do. Pegwai came trudging up the ramp. She looked at
him. turned her back on him, and walked away. He came hesitantly along the
hall; his room was two doors from hers. She stood in the doorway watching him.
He came even with her. She went into the room and sat on the bed, leaving the
door open. He stopped in the doorway. She poured wine from a skin into two
mugs and sat waiting. Feet dragging, breathing too fast, he came in, pulling
the door shut behind him.
The eleventh day.
A large ship came in. The sleepy wharves came alive swarms of ladesmen came
out of the cracks, shouting her name: Maggi Maggi Maggi. Laughter, elbows
working in ribs, the strongest struggling for a place in the front ranks. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl wyciskamy.pev.pl
land. Attack is always the best defense. The man you kill won't kill you. It's
always better to offer a stranger's blood to the gods that way you increase
your chances they won't thirst for yours.
The Krai of Kulchikan moved restlessly in his elaborate chair, looked down at
the group kneeling at his feet, turned to the thin dark man standing on the
dais beside him. "The tax?"
"Paid, ajja Kral."
"Did the Scholar say why he is traveling in these waters?"
"No, ajja Krai. Till now you have not required me to ask such things."
"Till now we've had traders and scum on the run. No need to ask them why
they've come." He waved his long hand and the hangfaced dogrobber moved into
the shadow behind the chair. "Scholar, I think you had better explain your
presence. We do not want to offend the Tanul Lumat. Someday we might even want
Page 115
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
to use its services, having an infant daughter with an inquiring mind. But the
Lumat is a long way from here and your companions are an odd lot, that you
must admit."
Pegwai composed his face into the smiling courtesy of his business persona,
laced his fingers together over the bulge of his paunch. "Travelers must go
where they can find ships to take them, oh Krai. Our project is the mapping of
the north shore of the Halijara Sea including the river systems inland, a task
we will not come close to completing ourselves, but the Lumat endures when man
succumbs to the frailty of his flesh; we will do our part and pass on the task
to others. We are in Kulchikan only to wait for a ship that will take us
south. As to the nature of our company, the Aggitj fetch and carry and serve
as guards; when we are beyond the amenities of city life, they'll hunt and do
camp work. The Skirrik lad earns his wedding jet working for us, serving as
translator when necessary, and most important, serving as go-between; everyone
knows the Skirrik and how far they can be trusted. The Chalarosh boy we
acquired by accident, a long dull story, but he too has proved useful. The Min
is the Seeker's friend and companion and also a scout; you will understand the
value of having a friendly Min along. We may seem an odd grouping, but it has
proved a useful one thus far. Is there more you wish to know, oh Krai?"
"You intend to stay in the Truce Haven?"
"Yes, oh Krai, it seems best. Our stay depends on the arrival of a suitable
ship. It might arrive tomorrow, we might be here a month." He gave the Krai a
broad genial smile.
The Krai looked thoughtfully at him. "Dine with me, Scholar. This evening."
His eyes flicked briefly to Skeen but he did not include her or any of the
others in the invitation.
"Honored, oh Krai."
"I wish to speak of the Lumat, Scholar, some questions about the young
sheltered there. Come prepared to discourse on that."
"With delight, oh Krai."
Every night after that Pegwai went to the Kralhus, making a face at Skeen each
time the escort came for him, shaking his head at Timka when she laughed at
him and wished his tongue two ends.
The Aggitj took the boy with them when they went out during the day to do a
little trading and pick up some coin by working at this and that. The Beast
was useful more than once, stopping trouble before it started when he opened
his mouth and showed his fangs. At night Chulji the Min-Skirrik went with them
and the Boy stayed to guard Skeen and Timka, contented with that assignment.
A number of ships arrived and left, many of them Balayar who were interested
in the vast Market at the center of Kulchikan, with no wish to venture further
along the Tail. A few others wandered in, but they were too small and too
scruffy. Not that Skeen demanded Balayar standards, but she wouldn't have
trusted any of those shipmasters with a mangy dog.
The ninth day came and passed. The Boy was getting nervous. No Chalarosh had
come off any of the ships, but time was beginning to work against him. He
began walking the walls at night, peering anxiously down into the streets
until Timka or one of the Aggitj came to fetch him. He said nothing about his
fears, but Skeen saw them and began worrying in her turn. Pegwai was getting
edgy, too; the Krai was looking at him with a speculation he had no trouble
reading. The Pallah was wondering whether he'd like having a resident scholar
about the place, someone to teach his sons and that daughter he was so proud
of. It would be the easiest thing in the world for Pegwai to vanish without a
trace into the Kralhus, with the rest of the party slipped into the sea to cut
off any chance of bother. Skeen started haunting the wharves, glaring out over
the polluted waters of the bay as if she could will the right ship into port.
She was getting increasingly irritable in this miserable place where she
couldn't even go out and get happily soused in a local tavern and maybe find
herself an energetic bedmate or two. No one to talk to nothing to do but sit
and brood. And she was brooding far too much about Tibo; she was about ready
to scream and claw at the walls in her need to find him and squeeze out of him
Page 116
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
why he'd stranded her. The easy answers weren't right. She felt that in her
bones when she let herself feel. But I could be wrong, Djabo's bloody claws, I
could be wrong, and if I'm wrong, everything I think about myself is wrong,
everything I thought I knew. Round and round and round, wearing ruts in the
floor, wearing ruts in her brain.
After another frustrating day at the wharves she was pacing back and forth
along one of the upper halls, cursing under her breath, filled with bursts of
nervous energy she couldn't wear out by working because there wasn't any hard
physical labor she could do. Pegwai came trudging up the ramp. She looked at
him. turned her back on him, and walked away. He came hesitantly along the
hall; his room was two doors from hers. She stood in the doorway watching him.
He came even with her. She went into the room and sat on the bed, leaving the
door open. He stopped in the doorway. She poured wine from a skin into two
mugs and sat waiting. Feet dragging, breathing too fast, he came in, pulling
the door shut behind him.
The eleventh day.
A large ship came in. The sleepy wharves came alive swarms of ladesmen came
out of the cracks, shouting her name: Maggi Maggi Maggi. Laughter, elbows
working in ribs, the strongest struggling for a place in the front ranks. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]