Chi marveled at the metropolitan Bardor Faire, where wooden stalls, bright linen tents, and mobile carts patchworked the mile-long plaza. There were eyans walking, riding lizard-back, and wheeling past on high-seated bicycles. The majority were clad in blues and whites or yellows and greens.
Brew pulled into a narrow space between a flower vendor and a glass blower. “Stay close,” He told Chi and Meredith. He pulled back his tarp halfway, showing the stores he planned to sell before they continued on to the capital of Nodae Eya.
An elderly woman stopped by to get a few bags of lavender from Brew. She craned her long neck to see Chi and Meredith. “Who is that?”
“Our lovely Xicon delegation! They go to the capital.”
Chi slid down from the bench. “Bright day. I am Chi Ming-Banister. I’m going to see my husband.” She put her hands behind her back to stifle the urge to shake hands, a sentiment reserved for intimate family and friends among the locals.
“Oh. Such a sweet dear. We heard there was trouble and you’re already on your way. That is good.” The woman bowed stiffly.
Chi blushed. “Thank you. You are very kind.”
As the woman walked away, she talked with others and whispers ran through the crowd. “Lady Chi to see her poor sick husband. Poisoned.” Another, “She must be a young bride. So lovely.”
A young girl with ginger fur bought a daisy from the flower vendor and brought it to Chi. Chi knelt and thanked her. “Daisies are my favorite.” It was a habit she’d learned from her mother in New Delhi. Every flower she was given was her favorite.
In barely over an hour Chi and Meredith were overwhelmed with armloads of daisies from well-wishers and Brew had sold half a cartload.
The next stop was Brew’s family farm. Fields of lavender swayed in the breeze, lending soft floral scents to the more pungent farm smells. They pulled up to the stables, and five children came bounding toward them chased by a woman in a blue layered dress with a white apron.
Brew hopped down from the cart, kneeling to allow himself to be swarmed by his kids. “Hey there. I missed you all. Have you been good?”
The woman laughed. “Busy making me run in circles. Bright day, Brew.” She stopped a few feet away from the cart and brought herself up to her full height. She stared at Brew, eyebrow ridge raised in question.
Brew looked up from his spot on the ground where his children hugged him and dug through his pockets. “Ah. Reysh my darling,” he said “these ladies are members of the Xicon delegation. I am taking them to the capital. Please welcome Lady Chi and Lady Meredith.”
Reysh relax just a little, but only said, “Shíw.” Yes. Chi knew this for an acknowledgment without agreement or introduction. A rudeness on Reysh’s part. The woman turned and strode back toward the domed home on a hill in the distance, tail swaying side to side, but with an occasional agitated twitch.
Chi counted out five of the daisies and slid down from the cart. She was nearly toppled over by the curious children who came to collect the gifts she offered. The oldest boy tucked a daisy in his overall pocket. The two smaller boys waved them like swords and lunged at each other, sparing.
Brew stood and dusted himself off. “Sorry about the misses. She’s got her hands full and doesn’t think we need any more mouths to feed.”
Meredith laughed from her high perch before the idea struck Chi that Reysh had thought he was bringing home more wives. Meredith replied, “We’ll take that as the compliment it is, friend Brew. Nothing to worry about.”
Brew changed out the oxen and tack for a massive lizard and his kit. The native ratsidzy, rock runner, was a curiosity that Chi and Meredith had never seen. This one was pale green with a frilly blue head crest. Strings of cobalt tassels gave the reptile a festive appearance. Extra straps were added to the seats. Chi and Meredith followed Brew’s instructions, strapping on harnesses.
Chi pulled her harness tight. She whispered to Meredith, “Nascar?” English of course, there was no translation.
Meredith shook her head but grinned. “Better. We’re borrowers in a gecko-drawn carriage.”
The ratsidzy who Brew called Ksin took off at a slow pace but accelerated like a pickup truck. Before long they were darting across the dirt roads between lavender fields, swaying along in an s-shaped path.
They arrived on the outskirts of Frey Province as the sun hung low on the horizon. Ksin veered off the path and Chi squealed as the cart bounced along in his wake. Ksin slowed and finally stopped along a dirt path where a line of two-inch-long purple worker ants were hauling food back to an ant hill visible in the distance.
Brew held up an arm. “Keep watch. These little beasts are poisonous, but they won’t break the line without cause.”
Meredith pulled off a shoe and held it up like a weapon. Chi pulled her feet up to her seat, ready to kick.
Ksin’s tongue whipped out in a blur, and an ant was missing from the line. It was so fast, the other insects seemed not to notice. Then the rock lizard whipped out its tongue, again and again, each time removing a purple ant from the line that marched toward the hill.
A pair of black antennae peaked over the edge of the cart next to Meredith. She waited until the ant’s purple head came into view, then slammed her shoe down. The ant squished and crunched.
Ksin swung around the side of the cart, pulling on his harness. His tongue whipped out and removed the ant from the side of the cart. But Ksin spun a back wheel of the cart over the line of ants, running over a couple and alerting the others.
Brew swore a word the humans didn’t recognize and clicked at the rock lizard, shaking the reigns. Ksin took off away from the ant colony, just as a swarm of purple began erupting from the ant hill in the distance.
Warrior ants with enlarged pinchers climbed over the worker ants and hurried after the cart. A chain of four warrior ants clung to the back of the cart as they sped away from the rest. The last ant crawled over the others, found a spot to brace, and the next one crawled forward.
Meredith grabbed her other shoe and loosened her harness. “I might get one or two, but I can’t take all four.”
Chi looked around in desperation, then pulled the thong out of her hair and wielded the silver rod which had held it in place. Her black hair fell out of the bun, unrolled, and whipped in the wind. Brew swore again as Chi’s hair whipped him in the back of the head.
The warrior ants climbed over each other onto the tarp covering Brew’s goods and ran forward. Chi stabbed and Meredith smacked. Two of the warriors crumpled, the other two bounced out of reach but immediately righted themselves.
Chi pulled the metal rod which held the tarp in place, planning to use it as a weapon. The tarp flapped, throwing the warriors back into the bed of the cart. Meredith pulled the other metal rod and the tarp came loose, flopping backward. The bags and crates of bottles that half-filled the cart slipped backward. The goods slammed into the tarp-wrapped warrior ants, crunching them.
Chi and Meredith cheered. They threw down their makeshift weapons and hugged each other. Chi cried, “Haan.” Yes. She was unable to think in eyan in the heat of the moment, and her mother’s voice came out.
Meredith shouted, “Pi ra.” Thank you. Probably not the right sentiment for the situation, but at least it was in the local language.
Brew shouted his appreciation. “Umeí!” Awesome!
At the Whittler’s Inn, Brew stabled Ksin in the loft above the oxen and then treated Chi and Meredith to a victor’s dinner, their small table piled with meat, cheese, fruit bread, local produce, and a mead spicy enough the leave Chi with dreams of breathing fire.
~ ~ ~
Marko eased Suvira onto the narrow bunk in his servant’s quarters, propping a couple of navy pillows behind her and under her injured leg, knocking the rest to the floor. “We can hide the cuts, replace the clothes, but you will have to walk with a cane for a while.”
Suvira growled. “If Ava wasn’t family, I would kill her in her sleep.” She clutched her ruined dress over her chest where the knife had slashed it open.
Marko shook his head as he eased the door shut. “As tempting as that might be, we are trying to protect Renz and restore your good name.” He dug through his trunk and tore a fine blue shirt into strips of fabric.
“What is my good name worth anyway. You see how my family treats me.” She’d never been ashamed to be Frey before.
“Never again,” Marko said in a low growl. He rubbed an anti-inflammatory cream into her knee, making the fur shiny and slick.
She kicked at him with her good leg. “I would call that gallant, but I’m not your charge.”
“That does not mean I want to see you hurt or humiliated. Now hold still.” Marko wrapped her swollen ankle with strips of expensive silk, careful not to bind too tight.
“As if you would even notice me if we were strangers,” she pouted.
“I would never approach you, but not for lack of notice, I assure you. You are quite stunning, Suvira. I am not used to female attention.” He kept his face on the job at hand, but he spoke with an honest smoothness he rarely used in the capital.
Suvira blinked. Her skin warmed under his touch. “Am I the first woman you’ve brought here? A handsome man like you?”
He ducked his head. “I would appreciate it if you didn’t repeat that.”
Suvira bit her lower lip. “Only if you don’t tell anyone you found me tied to a bed.”
“Your first cousin’s bed. Indeed. Let’s not let that get back to Lord Bardor.” First cousins were too close to be lovers or enemies. It would show poor judgment on both sides of the encounter.
Suvira traced the wave pattern on the pillow under her leg. Blue from one of the coastal provinces. Waves without other symbols usually meant Bardor province. “Relative of yours?”
Marko became very still. “Not anymore. He asked me to disappear.”
Suvira had struck a nerve. Interesting. “So here you are, a nobleman playing manservant. Is this the end goal or is there a greater plan?”
“I do what I’m told. When my debts are paid, I will reevaluate my options.” He ran a gentle hand down her calf, felt her shiver. “I am in no rush.”
It seemed they were equals in their families’ disfavor. Rebels. Suvira slid to the edge of the bunk. “Good. We can keep each other company.”
~ ~ ~
Brew thumped loudly on the Soza service door, with a case of wine bottles clutched to his side. Zusa opened the door wide. “Another case so soon? The Xicon delegation will spoil us all.”
Brew laughed, passing the case to her. “That’s not all I have this trip.”
Behind him, Chi and Meredith came forward with their travel bags and armloads of flowers.
Zusa leaned on the door frame. “Welcome, ladies. You are Xicon?”
Meredith nodded. “We are. I am Meredith Brandt from the University and Chi is Doctor Banister’s wife.”
Zusa looked behind her and whistled. Myra came running. “Take the ladies to the sitting room, water the flowers.” To Chi and Meredith, she added, “Welcome to Nodae Eya. We are at your service.”
Myra curtsied and then ran forward, taking a bag and bundles of daisies more quickly and forcefully than human nerves expected.
~ ~ ~
Renz bent over his desk, rubbing his temples. Marko approached from the service entrance and asked, “Are the headaches any better?”
Renz shook his head and grimaced. “The world doesn’t stop turning just because I’m ill. Something new on the agenda today?”
Marko walked behind Renz. “Stiff back?” When Renz nodded, Marko began to rub his shoulders. “Suvira attempted to learn how the poison got through the Frey compound. She has a limp for her trouble. She seems to think her cousin Ava and this wedding business are somehow connected.”
“Well, she’s right.” Renz confirmed and pulled a sheet from the bottom of the stack in front of him. “First Diplomat of Xicon, Doctor Renz Banister and Chief Engineer of Xicon Joseph Ryan, also of the Steelworker Guild, are cordially invited to witness the marriage of Lord Mardon Kannar and Ava of Frey. Let us lay our misunderstandings aside at this happy time. Your ardent admirer, Lady Frey.” He pulled out a second letter. “This one is from the court: We understand you are dropping your charges against the noble Lord Kannar, deeming the miscommunication a matter of minor inconvenience. If this be the case, then no further action will be taken on your behalf.” Renz slid them back to the bottom of the stack.
Marko growled. “They sent a retraction for you after their attempt on your life? Make it clear to the court you have no intention…”
“Tó.” No. Renz stopped Marko in his tracks, firm and unwavering. “If I challenge them, I will not wake up in the morning. They made me an offer. In my bed. In the middle of the night. I take this deal, or they kill me.”
Marko bent over and hugged Renz, resting his chin on Renz’s shoulder. “You should have said.”
Renz patted Marko’s arm. “I had to tame my own anger first.”
The door to the suite opened and Myra skipped in carrying a vase of daisies. Immediately behind her, Chi set down her medical bag and strode into the room.
Myra set the vase on Renz’s desk, curtsied, then ran back out the door.
Renz blinked, but the sight didn’t change. “I may still be hallucinating.”
Marko straightened. “Then so am I. You know this hallucination, Doctor?”
Renz stood, pushing Marko backward more roughly than he intended. “The most gorgeous creature in the galaxy. My wife, Chi.”
She laughed, but only for a moment. “I’m so glad you’re alright.”
Renz rushed around the desk to reach her, but his head spun and his legs gave way. Marko caught his arm. Chi hugged him and held him up a moment while he sorted out his balance.
“You alright?” Chi pulled a light wand from her pocket. “Look up. Left. Right. Follow the light.”
Renz obeyed and then pushed it down and kissed her. “I’m better now that you’re here.”
“Yeah? Why are you out of bed? Have you eaten today?”
Marko and Chi led Renz back to his desk and he lowered himself onto the bench. When Renz was settled, he waved them back. “I’m not going to get stronger laying on my back. I had eggs and toast. It’s almost teatime.”
Chi looked up at Marko. “Bright day. I’m Doctor Chi Ming-Banister. Please call me Chi.”
He gave a low bow. “Bright day, Lady Chi. I am Marko. I serve the Soza family and your family. If there is anything you need, please let me know.” He stepped away and disappeared through the service entrance.
Chi sat down next to him. “So. The strange man who was hugging you. Did he know you were married?”
Renz blushed. “He did. He does. He’s concerned about the assassin.”
Chi glared at him. “Another attempt? We can take the next train home.”
“No. A deal.” Partial truth, anyway. “I stop threatening them, they stop threatening me. A mutual standing-down.” He leaned his head on Chi’s shoulder. “I accepted the deal. I hope that will be the end of it.”
Chi held him a moment before replying. “Hope doesn’t mean believe. You sure you’re safe here?”
“For a while. They have a wedding to plan. Large and public to save face and bolster public opinion. Not that I’ll gain any favors for bringing a date that far outshines the bride.” He brought her hand to his lips.
Chi’s face softened, worry lines thinned, but her voice was stern. “Why would you go to their wedding?”
“Bygones. Part of the deal. Let the past stay in the past. I don’t suppose you brought Joe a date?"
The corner of Chi’s lip twitched. “Meredith Brandt insisted on joining me.”
Renz laughed. “If anyone can keep Joe in check and still work a room, it’s Meredith.”
~ ~ ~
Joe returned to his room after the railroad committee meeting to find Marko packing. Joe’s best suit was laid out on his bed.
Joe smoothed the silk brocade vest. “What’s the occasion? Am I graduating?”
“From the children’s wing? Yes. The Xicon delegation is growing and luckily Zusa was already preparing another suite.”
“Excellent. Does that mean I’ll have roommates?”
“If I am understanding the situation, you will be sharing with another diplomat from the Xicon University. First, teatime leading into an early welcome dinner. Soza and Xicon only. Formal but no fanfare.”
“Sounds great. But this suit doesn’t go with my hat.”
Marko snatched the feathered fool’s hat off Joe’s head and placed it on his own. “I am the bigger fool today.”
Joe sat to unlace his boots. “You’re challenging my reign? Do tell.”
Marko ducked his head. “Trouble with two women. One caught me off guard this morning. I was happy to oblige. The other caught me fawning on her husband. They meet for the first time in a few minutes. If they talk, I need the hat to hide my face.”
Joe patted his arm. “You’ve earned it, man. I wouldn’t mind a little girl trouble. It’s been a while.”
Someone rapped on the main doors, loud and firm.
Marko strode to the service exit behind the lavender curtain. “Careful. Trouble answers when you call.”
Joe padded out to the main doors of the children’s section and swung open the right door. Suvira leaned on a glossy oak walking stick with a snarling dragon’s head. He bit his lip to avoid saying ‘speak of the devil.’ She’d box his ears if she thought it was an insult. And he didn’t even know if they had devils. “Bright day, Suvira.”
“Bright day, Joe. You’re not wearing that?”
He looked at his feet and wiggled his toes in his socks. “To the tea party? No. Just getting ready.” Joe ducked back into the boy’s room for the last time and changed into his suit.
As they walked to the dining room, Suvira told Joe, “Two delegates showed up at the service entrance with Brew’s delivery. At least Renz had sent notice of intent, so Zusa had time to arrange details. She was caught off guard. Quite rude.”
“Why the rush?” Joe asked.
“I think Lady Chi was worried about the assassination attempt.”
“Chi? Renz’s wife is here?” Was that the wife Marko was talking about? No. Don’t want to know. Plausible deniability. That’s the ticket.
Suvira nodded. “She came with the delegate from the University. I believe you know Lady Meredith?”
“Um. Yeah. The Dean of Arts and Sciences. Powerful woman.” And Joe’s boss.
“I expect so since her arrival makes her the Xicon Second. You don’t mind being shifted to third in line?”
Joe shook his head. “More time to work on the railway and the observatory? Kind of a relief, actually.” But Joe was supposed to room with the new delegate. He hoped Zusa understood that he and Meredith weren’t an item.
Renz and Chi met them by the dining room door, Renz in a black satin shirt with his honey-wine vest and trousers and Chi in a sleeveless black gown with gems spread across like the stars of the Milky Way. With Joe and Suvira in their honey-wine finery, the four made a stunning entrance. The clicking of Suvira’s cane insured they had everyone’s attention.
The tables had been pushed to the wall, the chairs and family busts removed. Tea service was laid out and attendants brought out vegetables, meats, and cheeses.
Meredith handed off a half-empty glass of wine and strode across the room to meet them, stark and confident in her black pantsuit. She hugged Renz tight. “Glad you’re alright. We were worried sick.”
Renz hugged her back. “Thank you. I didn’t mean to drag you all the way out here, but I’m glad you came.”
Chi hugged his arm. “You couldn’t have kept us away if you tried.”
Meredith embraced Joe as well. “Good to see you. Keeping out of trouble?”
Joe grinned. “Not if I can help it.”
Suvira took a step back, giving them room.
Joe rolled up his sleeve to show off his brand mark. “Call this one a bar fight turned guild recruitment. Steelworkers. Making a name for myself with work on the railway expansion.”
Lady Ravda Soza came to get a better look at Joe and Meredith. “They are close?” she asked Renz.
Renz nodded. “Mostly business, but yes. Humans often hug or shake hands when they meet. Exchange news.”
“Like a large and intimate family. Interesting.” The lady moved away to scold Uncle Max who was pestering staff to bring out pitchers of ale. “Max, darling. It’s not that kind of party. Here. The wine is quite strong, I assure you.”
Renz caught sight of Marko near the door and left Chi asking Suvira about the dragon head on her cane. “Marko, a moment.”
Marko nodded and leaned close, having to adjust the feathered hat as it slipped. “How can I help?”
Renz glanced back at his wife. “I don’t want Chi to think there is any real danger here, but I would be a fool to believe it. I know it’s a lot to ask but could you guard my room tonight? Make sure we’re not disturbed?”
Marko bowed slightly. “Tonight, and any night you might be in danger.”
Renz shook his head. “I don’t want…”
Marko held up a hand. “You are not asking. I am telling. I will sleep now and see you after dinner.” He left abruptly.
Meredith was making quite the impression, taking time to speak to everyone. There wasn’t a topic that could shock or stump her. She had a wonderful collection of stories from Earth. From French architecture, to DaVinci, to Swiss chocolate.
Renz leaned against a wall and took a deep breath. Chi came to his side and he gave a weak smile. “Just a touch of homesickness,” he whispered.
Chi pouted and pulled him back toward the center. “Come now. No brooding. Why don’t you tell us about the research project in Punjab?”
That got him talking. Animated. The culture in the heart of India’s Sikh community, the flow of the language. The sambhar deer with their pronged horns and hairy necks. The families he’d met. The stories he’d encountered about the partition, the division of British India into the two independent countries of India and Pakistan. It had been the hundred-year anniversary of the partition when Renz had worked in Punjab. The year was 2047. He’d talked with an elder who had seen the post-partition riots as a little boy.
Lady Ravda gravitated toward Renz. She asked encouraging questions. When the party started to wind down, she’d led him to a salon he hadn’t seen before. Renz was thankful to get off his feet. Ravda relaxed for the first time in the human diplomat’s presence. With more food and wine, Ravda told Renz about the tribal divisions and conflicts before the current era. “There had been more families. Some destroyed and some absorbed in the turmoil. Much blood in the soil. My ancestors took to the land least fought over. With the lake below and the lake above, the mountains were a harsh haven. Rough and wild. We named ourselves after the water. Soza.”
A soza she’ki was a pond of fish. Renz smiled. “Modest, considering the size of the water.” Each of the lakes was huge. They were great lakes. “Did the modest name discourage interlopers?”
Ravda tilted her head. “Yes, actually. At least until the family was well established and had defenses in place. Your people did something similar?”
Renz nodded. “A cold but lush land called Iceland and beyond it a huge but mostly glacial land called Greenland. We call it a bait and switch.”
~ ~ ~
Zusa walked Chi back to Renz’s suite where a guard opened the door wide for them to pass. Inside a tray with mugs of spiced milk were set out on the massive desk with a couple butter cookies. “Is everything satisfactory, Lady Chi?” Zusa asked.
Chi brushed the velvet curtain across her cheek. “Lovely, but so dark. Could we get more light in here? During the day, I mean.”
Zusa answered, “Of course. I’ll make arrangements. Lord Von Soza preferred the dark. Easier on his sensitive eyes. We kept him as comfortable as we could.”
“He was old?” Chi asked.
Zusa shook her head. “Oh, no. Barely twenty. One of the last to pass from the sickness.”
Chi cringed. The last tenant had been a lord who’d died from the landing sickness. Unfortunate. She bit back an “I’m sorry.” It wasn’t the right thing to say, but Chi had never found anything adequate.
Zusa bowed slightly. “If you need anything, please ring the bell and let Marko know.” Zusa showed Chi the hidden cord. “He’ll be available at any hour.”
Chi nodded. “Thank you.” Chi waited for Zusa to leave, then pulled the cord.
Marko appeared from a hidden door in seconds. “Lady Chi.” He bowed while scanning the room, nearly losing his ridiculous hat, which he set on the desk. “How may I help?”
Chi smiled. “Hello Marko. Grab some pillows. We’re going to sit and talk. Tell me what happened since my husband arrived in Nodae Eya.”
Marko settled Chi with a mug of milk before he sat in front of her. “Your husband makes strong first impressions. Not always good impressions.” He explained what he’d heard of the meeting with Mardon Kannar at Bardor Faire and how the gentleman had felt his life threatened. He explained Renz’s chastising of Ava Frey the evening of his arrival, then his demand for Joe to be removed from servant’s quarters at breakfast the next morning. “It is unusual for someone newly arrived to make a fuss even over the greatest of slights, knowing the amount of scrutiny they will be under. Renz gained an instant reputation for temper and possessiveness. And several enemies. But he gained respect from Soza staff as he did so, and greater respect from many elders after a time. He defended both a tribesman and a veritable stranger with the passion a mother shows her children. He is an inspiring figure.”
“So, was it this Kannar gentleman he threatened that sent the poison?” Chi asked.
Marko nodded. “Partially. Renz had Mardon up on charges and Ava afraid to be seen in public. Apparently Mardon and Ava plotted together, both interested in vengeance for their slights.”
Chi pursed her lips. “And this is the wedding I am supposed to attend, pretending everything is fine?”
Marko nodded slightly. “Well, yes. They must have bonded while plotting against a common enemy. Slighting them further would be dangerous.”
“And the guard at the door? Am I supposed to believe that’s just a precaution?” She didn’t believe her own question.
“Yes, that is Renz’s intent. He does not want you to worry. But he has tasked me with guarding your room this evening so you cannot be disturbed. He cares more for your safety than his own.”
Chi shook her head. “Well, he’s going to have to learn that it’s mutual. No one is getting to him without going through me.” She thought Marko looked doubtful, but he nodded.
“Soza staff will be loyal to Soza family first and Xicon second. Should the winds shift, you may be Renz’s last line of defense.”
“And you? You are Soza staff.” she asked.
“I owe a debt, not loyalty. Soza staff have a generational history which links them to the family. Some like Zusa are literally kin. When I get in their way, I will be removed.” Marko’s ears shifted and he turned toward the entry. A second later, Chi heard the door.
Renz arrived, jittery. He paced between the desk and the door. “Finally! Lady Ravda wants to see Joe and me tomorrow afternoon. About the land deal.”
“That’s great,” said Chi. After all that was the reason he was in the capital, wasn’t it?
He clapped his hands together. “Now we’re in business.”
~ ~ ~
Zusa let Joe and Meredith into a suite adjacent to Renz and Chi’s suite, nearly as large and similarly furnished. A table near the bedroom door held a tray with two glasses and a bottle in a bucket of ice.
After the door shut them in, Joe pulled at his tight collar. “Uhm. I hope they didn’t give us the honeymoon suite.”
Meredith peaked into the bedroom. “Well, the bed isn’t heart-shaped, but there’s only one.”
Joe kicked at the pillows along the wall, finding the softest ones and pulling them out.
Meredith poured a glass of chilled zenfande’. “What are you doing, Joe?”
He shrugged. “No couch, so I guess I’ll take the floor.”
“Alright. We’ll talk about arrangements tomorrow when we’re sober. Just us. Don’t embarrass the staff.”
“Shíw.” Yes. Acknowledgment, not agreement.
~ ~ ~
Meredith sat on the bed and squeezed pillows until she found a soft one to tuck under her head. Her eyes drifted shut as she lay down. She barely heard the whistle of a steam train in the distance. A tea kettle kind of a sound. She’d been drinking tea as the Lexicon approached the brightest blue-green world in the Chordas System which she now knew as Eydan.
But zooming in, she and the rest of the bridge crew saw signs of civilization. Cities and towns linked by roads and rails.
Meredith railed against the idea of landing on an inhabited world. “It’s tempting, yes. But we have no idea what is down there or what our presence will do to the local ecosystems. The least we could do is orbit and observe while we learn more.”
Captain Harding crossed his arms and listened to the immediate dissenters.
Paul was the most coherent. “There are systems in place that show intelligence, ingenuity, industry. If we land here on the northern shore,” he tapped the map on the northern edge of the main continent of the northern hemisphere, “we’ll be out of reach of the road system and have time to test the environment before meeting the locals.”
The captain nodded, his face the firm mask he wore when he was afraid. “We’ll observe for a week or two. Gather information. Help the Bhatkal set up the space station before we drop into a gravity well without boosters to get us out again.”
The dream drifted away, leaving Meredith in slow, spiraling blackness. Morning came too soon but she lay in bed for a while as Joe puttered around the front room and then left.
~ ~ ~
Joe grabbed the stack of clean clothes Marko left for him and snuck off to the baths, in no hurry for an uncomfortable conversation with Meredith about their sleeping arrangements.
He waved down Marko in the hallway and snatched the feathered hat back. “You were right. I shouldn’t have asked for trouble.”
“Your women are formidable.” Marko gave a quick bow and rushed off.
Joe wasn’t sure what Marko thought of his sleeping on the floor, but he was sure it didn’t translate as gallant. Not that it mattered. Meredith was untouchable. And maybe that would be good for her reputation.
~ ~ ~
When Renz and Chi returned from breakfast, they found Hojon and Zusa pulling down the curtains with the help of several tall teenagers. Pillows disappeared by the armload and the clock was removed from the door.
The removal of the curtains revealed the hidden service door, but also a pair of glass balcony doors that made an arch. Light dispersed through the room, brightening the darkest corners. Images of birds were etched into the pink-tinted glass. Frightful razor-beaked gulls. Zusa explained, “The etchings keep the real birds from flying into the windows.”
Renz grabbed a pair of neat folders off the desk and rushed off to meet Joe to prepare for their conference with Lady Soza.
The new curtains came a few hours later. Saffron velvet spiraled over pale yellow. They pulled back with tasseled cords framing the glass doors. One of the doors was opened a couple of inches to allow fresh air into the space. New pillows stacked along the walls in a variety of yellows and oranges. Silver trinkets were replaced with brass and gold ornaments. The space felt warmer and fresher.
~ ~ ~
The meeting with Lady Ravda Soza lasted three hours, while Renz and Joe explained what they needed and what they had to offer. Lady Soza asked how much Soza forged steel they might need for construction, how many jobs they would create, how they would feed the facility. She absorbed every detail. “Shíw.” She acknowledged their plan and nodded but agreed to nothing.
At the end of his patience, Renz asked, “Do you think we can work out a deal?”
Lady Ravda shook her head. “Oh, you are well prepared, and I see a lot of potential. I’m not sure you will tempt my sister with your offer, but you are certainly welcome to try. I will clear you for passage to Soza Castle to make your case to Lady Vida Soza in person.”
Joe heaved a sigh. “So, we make another long trek to have this conversation again on location."
“ú az.” Agreed. Lady Ravda nodded, the sarcasm lost on her and their frustration ignored. “Anything to do with the land near the castle is strictly Vida’s domain. Great ideas, very demanding. I am sure you will find her more – interactive.”
Renz took a slow breath, dizzy from his effort not to suck in air and shout at her for wasting their time. “Thank you, Lady Soza. We will make our arrangements.”
Renz and Joe bowed out. Renz turned toward the kitchens, going in search of tea and a kind word. Zusa was happy to oblige and escorted Renz back to his rooms with a pot of tea and a fresh apple tart.
~ ~ ~
Joe shuffled his feet on the way back to his rooms. He was relieved to find Meredith had left a note and was next door with Chi. Joe also found his rooms somewhat altered. The curtain behind the desk was pulled back to reveal a pair of arched windows and pale pink glass let a lot of natural light into the front office.
In the bedroom, the bed had been moved to a different wall. The wall curtain was parted with tasseled cords and a door was now visible where the bed had been.
“Curiosity…” Joe whispered to himself. His weakness. Joe pulled open the door to find another room beyond. A bed was piled with new yellow and orange pillows, a closet stood open where his clothes hung, and the pieces of a drafting table lay on the floor with a page of instructions.
Examining the walls, Joe found two more doors. There was a service entry coming from the opposite direction from Marko’s office, a curving ramp downward Joe bet led directly to the storage next to the baths. “Not comforting, but useful,” Joe mused. Joe had easy access to the baths and knew how to get to the kitchens from here without alerting staff.
There was also a cabinet door set into the wall with a heavy lock and key, fully invisible when the curtains were in place. The key squealed in the lock as Joe turned it and the lock clicked open. The cabinet was a hidden dumbwaiter. “Well, I’ll be,” Joe whispered. An odd phrase in eyan that meant I am in good health. Joe didn’t know a word for eureka.
Joe examined the hand pulley system, which seemed to be in working order. But rather than going down toward laundry or some other service, this was the bottom level. The dumbwaiter could go up from here. “Curiouser and curiouser.”
Joe closed and locked the cabinet for now, but he was already forming a plan to investigate. First, he needed to put together the drafting table, in case it was a test.
~ ~ ~
Suvira would have been creeping around the Frey corridors, listening for gossip, but the cane announced her presence everywhere she went. Instead, she organized an invitation tea party with members of the tribes who were currently on the outs with their families. Only a couple had responded, but that was for the best.
Ravan Bardor was the first to arrive, Marko’s older brother. His platinum fur had faint hints of orange on his face and hands, and his braid was a pale wheat color.
Suvira greeted him like family. She offered her hand and complimented his exquisite broach, a mother-of-pearl spiral that reflected hints of rainbow. “Ravan. Welcome. I am so glad you’re here.”
“Darling Suvira.” He took her hand without hesitation, stroked the back of her fingers. “What a joy. And such a fierce cane you have there. I would hate to see the other party to such a fight.” He had noticed her limp but had turned it into a compliment. He was dangerously suave.
Suvira smiled with familiarity she didn’t feel. “My knee will heal. Her reputation will not.”
Ravan was curious then. He couldn’t keep it from his face, but he let the subject drop for now. “What a gorgeous spread. Quite tempting.”
Suvira led him to the table. Ravan’s particular family trouble involved gambling. He hadn’t lost too much, but quite the opposite. He had gained an unwieldy amount of influence and resources. He had become too conspicuous, a situation the Lord Justice Bardor could not abide.
But it was precisely the kind of connection Suvira was looking for. “Help yourself,” she offered, her voice silky as she poured the tea.
Ravan selected a jam pastry and took a delicate bite. “Are you otherwise enjoying your time in the capital?”
“Oh, I am.” Suvira replied. “Though I wish I could avoid the wedding of the year.” She rubbed her injured knee.
Ravan’s eyes widened. “Ava is not gentle with her playmates. That’s a shame. Family should outweigh outside rivalries.”
Suvira nodded. “If only she’d been born with your good sense, she wouldn’t have gotten herself into this mess in the first place. But she’s found herself a likeminded soul.” She wanted to ask about his family next, but the door opened again.
Mae Forra arrived, wearing a simple peach play dress and flowers woven through her cream-colored mane. Mae was five years older than she played at, refusing talk of rank or relationships. She did not wish for her future to be arranged for the family’s political gain.
Suvira greeted her as such. “Bright day, sweet one. Join us for tea?”
Mae curtsied and flounced to a stool opposite Ravan. “Thank you, Suvira. This is lovely. Bright day, Ravan.” Suvira didn’t miss the furtive glances Mae made across the table. And she hadn’t needed to make introductions. Perhaps Mae was growing weary of her disguise.
“I would love to take you shopping in the capital, Mae.” And her family would be so thrilled they would buy Mae anything she desired. “Would you like that?”
“I would like that very much,” Mae agreed.
Ravan nodded. “That sounds like fun. I’ll send you my tailor’s name.”
Mae was giddy. When they had finished with tea and treats, she had hugged Suvira and rushed off to make plans for the next day’s shopping trip.
That left her alone with Ravan. Suvira gently shut the door and leaned against it. “Now,” she said. “Tell me about your kin.”
Ravan stood and held out his hand. “We should continue this where there are fewer ears, I think."
Suvira took a slow, deep breath. She forced herself to lower her lids a little, rather than open them wide with the dismay she felt. How dangerous was this brother of Marko’s? “If that’s an invitation, I agree.”
