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~~*~~
4
His Third Home
His Third Home
~~*~~
“ANURAG?
ANURAG? Are you there?"
>>5<<
Anurag
stirred, lifted his head from his pillow.
"Anurag?"
He
sat up, wiped the sleep from his eyes.
"I'm
here," he called out.
"Do
you need help?"
Though
the voice was somewhat muffled, he could tell it was Dohbdy's.
"Be
out in a minute. Come aboard if you'd like."
He
got to his feet and stretched while he dressed. Last night's sleep was so deep
that it felt like only seconds had passed since he lay down. He glanced at the
clock on his desk. It was mid-morning. He yawned one last time and opened the
door to his cabin, stepping out into a bright blue day.
Dohbdy
was just mounting the stern stairs. She smiled when she saw him.
She
wasn't alone. A powerfully built young man followed her.
"I
woke last night to check on you, but you were gone," she said. "I
thought that delirium might have claimed you and that you were out, lost in the
fog. You were very ill. I am glad to see that you are up. How do you
feel?"
The
young man watched him, his face expressionless. Offhandedly Anurag considered
what it would be like to fight him. He looked like he would be a powerful
opponent.
Dohbdy
must've caught a whiff of his thoughts, because she said, "Oh. Forgive me.
This is my brother, Danhin."
He
gave Danhin a nod. Danhin remained still, imposing.
"He
does not understand the Coastal Tongue," said Dohbdy.
"How
is it you do?" asked Anurag.
"I
don't. I'm a Storyteller. Do you know what that is?"
"I
know another one," he said. Storytellers were individuals with unusual
abilities. Some could understand and speak foreign languages without any
training or prior exposure to them. Others were master tacticians and
strategists. Still others were soothsayers or empaths.
There
was a Storyteller somewhere on Aquanus who was a good friend of his and a
Courier and Insutalon like him. And he
could control the local weather. Anurag had seen him do it ...
"You
look much better," she said. "I guessed this was where you went. The
perversions have lost their hold on you. Are you hungry?"
It
occurred to him that he was starving.
His
face must've given him away, because she said, "Come back with us. We have
plenty to share at our camp."
"I'd
like that," he said. He did a quick mental calculation concerning the
Arrowsparrows. He still had plenty of time to make sure they were well fed and
rested before sending them off.
Dohbdy
turned to say something to her brother. She spoke Poet to him. Anurag could
understand the language, but only if it was spoken slowly. She told Danhin to
make room for him. Her brother turned and descended the ladder to the canoe
floating alongside the Selaki, where
he began moving items around. His task completed, he said, "Ki—" ("Ready—")
As
Danhin rowed, Dohbdy, sitting opposite Anurag, who offered to row as well,
said, "We have much to discuss. The ueto's
Elders would like to talk to you about what happened to you. Your story will
influence their decision as to whether or not we should remain south."
An
hour later, his belly full after a delicious breakfast of flame-kissed fish and
a mushy, spicy bean and root dish, he stood before them. There were three of
them, one woman and two men. The youngest was a man in early middle age, like
he was, the oldest an ancient, bent man. Dohbdy sat with them. She translated
their questions and Anurag's answers.
He
told them what he did, how he killed the Constable and most of the Tracluse
guards. He told them he was a shark Transform, and why he slaughtered them as
one.
"The
Constable wanted me to lead an expedition into the mountains to find the demon
that had gone missing. I wanted it to look like the demon had returned and for
some reason attacked them. The Constable had threatened my family and I wanted
to protect them. I knew his mother lived in Raretail Holm and I used that
information to force him to my will and to cover my tracks."
"You
wear the metal of constriction," said the youngest, pointing at his neck.
"How can you defeat it?"
Anurag
fingered the necklace, then brought the silver pendant out from under his
shirt. The dragon curling captive in the inscribed circle stared at him.
"It's
dead," he said. "I wear it for appearances only."
"A
Master of the Aecxis destroyed
it?"
He
nodded. "A very powerful one."
"A
traitor against the emperor?" asked the woman disbelievingly.
"A
king," he said. "From beyond the Edge of the world."
Dohbdy
gaped at him, then translated his answer. Their eyes went wide. They looked at
one another, then back at him. They spoke animatedly to each other in Poet.
The
ancient man raised his chin to speak.
Dohbdy,
translating:
"Our
legends speak of lands beyond the Great Arch. It is said that men are not
originally of this world, but of those lands. There are sacred scrolls that
tell us this, written long ago by those who say they were swallowed up by a
mighty storm and brought here. You have seen these lands? You have been
there?"
Anurag
nodded. The group goggled at him.
"A
storm took you there?" asked the woman.
"The
king took me," he said. "His Armada sails in the shadow of the Great
Arch, and beyond it."
"How
is that possible?" said the young man. "The emperor rules all."
"He
doesn't rule you, does he?" said Anurag.
Dohbdy
translated his answer. The Elders looked at one another, then back up at him.
"The
emperor is not concerned about the peoples or lands near the Edge, like
us," he said. "We are too few and too scattered to present a threat.
The Imperium only just discovered your existence, and only then by means of
their demons, which were preying on you. The king and his forces defeated the
Imperium at the Edge just when the invasion was coming north, this way. His
kingdom has waited many years to return."
"He
is from here? From Aquanus?" the woman asked.
"Originally,
yes. The mutineers of ten navies of ten nations of this world joined forces
with him during the invasion. They have been waiting for the right time to
return. That time is now."
Dohbdy
translated. The Poets talked among each other. The woman spoke to her. She
looked up at him.
"They
want to know where your allegiance lies," she said. "Is it with the
villagers or with the kingdom from beyond the Edge?"
"It
is with both," he said.
She
offered his answer. The woman seemed displeased by it. She talked to Dohbdy at
length.
"She
says that you probably made the ueto's
decision for them when you killed the Constable and his guards. A new Constable
will be sent, along with new guards and a new demon. If they believe one of
their own monsters massacred the perversions, they'll surely send troops into
the mountains to seek it out and destroy it. The perversions won't stop there;
from the stories she's heard, they never do. If they know of us they'll come
after us as well."
"That
was inevitable as soon as they learned of your existence," said Anurag,
holding on to his temper. "When the first demon killed one of your own,
all your lives were in danger at that point. The emperor may not find you
noteworthy enough to send his armies to destroy or enslave you, but that won't
stop the local Tracluse—perversions—from hunting you down, if for nothing more
than sheer sport."
Dohbdy
gave them his answer. The woman seemed unsatisfied by it. She shook her head
and spoke in very spirited tones to the ancient man, who eventually held a hand
up to quiet her. He looked to Dohbdy and spoke to her.
"He
wants to know how the king knows that it is the right time to return."
"Because
the emperor's destroyer has come," said Anurag, "as prophesied to the
king long ago by a Samanlainen Guardian, a Pier god."
This
news silenced the Elders for a good while. When again they spoke, it was in
furious debate with one another. It appeared the two men had sided against the
woman, who after a while threw her hands up in frustration and quit talking.
The
old man said: "The ueto would
like you to stay as one of us. Your knowledge and bravery would be of great
service to us."
"With
respect, I cannot," replied Anurag, offering a bow of gratitude. "My
duty now is to let others know of the king's return. There are many who have
waited to hear this news. It is my job to tell them. I must voyage to the Edge
to assist the kingdom upon its return. But I thank you all the same. I am
honored."
"Then
please stay with us one more day," said Dohbdy on her own. "We will
help you prepare. We will give you provisions for your journey."
"You
are very generous. Thank you," he said, bowing again. Dohbdy informed them
of what she said. The younger man spoke. The woman objected to what he was
saying, but the old man cut her off.
"Poets
have no lasting allegiance to kingdoms," translated Dohbdy. "But a
decision has been reached, and the Elders would like you to inform this king
that we of this ueto will stand with
him when the time comes. Will you tell your king this, Anurag?"
"I
will," he replied. "And I will bear the mark of your tribe upon my
vessel, if you would allow it."
"We
would be honored," said the old man.
~~*~~
Dohbdy
watched as he readied his bow. He set it in a corner and then went down to the Selaki's cabin. She followed.
Poets
were busy on the deck of his singleship. They had arrived with food and fresh
water. Some busied themselves with sharpening his knives and broadsword; others
checked the boat's canvases and ropes and inspected the hull for holes or other
damage. It felt strange to be such a focal point of activity. But Poets, once
they accepted you as one of their own, were renowned for their generosity and
kindness.
"Please
thank them again for me," he said, listening to the sounds of footfalls
above his head. "If it weren't for you people, I'd be dead."
Dohbdy
smiled. "I will."
She
was a pretty young woman, and Anurag, only a few hours into his waking good
health, finally noticed. Her straight black hair hung to just above her
shoulders; her eyes, brown and wide, complemented full lips and a bright,
innocent smile.
"May
I ask if you have a husband?"
"I
will," she said, smiling. "He's above. His name is Generach. We're to
join later this month."
"He's
a very lucky man," he said, nodding away the disappointment. "My
congratulations to you both."
"Why
are you not married, Anurag?"
"It
seems pointless," he shrugged. "I can't see myself raising a family
in the shadow of the Imperium. I don't want to bring a new soul into such a
world. It feels wrong even to consider it."
"The
Imperium won't last forever," she said. "You told us yourself: the
emperor's destroyer has come."
"That's
true," he admitted. "And now you can help me tell the rest of the
world."
"The
world is a very big place. How can you tell all of it? Are you some sort of
Dreamcatcher god?"
"No,”
he said, laughing. One of the interesting things about Poets, he reminded
himself, was that they could not Transform.
"When
was the last time you saw a Dreamcatcher?" he asked.
"I
haven't," replied Dohbdy. "I have only heard about them."
"There's
a pen in the top drawer, and some small papers in a box. Would you get them for
me, please?"
"Sure
..."
She
opened the drawer and pulled out the pen and then the box of papers, studying
both intently. Anurag in the meantime had taken the cover off the bird cage.
The Arrowsparrows were all there, bunched together in a single nest. They'd
gone through nearly all the food he'd left them days ago; their water dish was
dry. They were probably very thirsty.
She
looked up. "Oh, how beautiful
..."
"They
need water," he said. “But they don’t look like they’re hungry.” He
grabbed the dish and hurried out of the cabin, returning moments later with it
brimming. He put it into the cage and watched as they crowded around it,
drinking.
"I've
never seen a bird of that type before. What are they?"
"They're
called Arrowsparrows. They're from the world beyond the Edge."
"Really,"
she breathed, fascinated.
"I'm
going to write on these papers," he said, sitting at the desk. "You
can get them more water—seawater—if they need it. They probably know it's time
to be on their way."
She
watched them drink. Anurag was caught by the enchantment that colored her eyes.
"All
that time on my back was probably good for them," he remarked, breaking
himself free. "They got plenty of rest. They'll need it."
"These
birds are how you're going to talk to the world?"
He
nodded.
She
stood over his shoulder as he wrote on the little papers. The pen had scarlet
ink that disappeared only moments after he finished writing.
She
stared.
"The
paper drinks your message, Anurag! How can the world read it?"
"The
ink is blood. The paper hides the message. It can only be revealed by those
whose blood is compatible with the blood of the pen."
"Your
blood is in the pen?" She appeared aghast at the possibility.
"No,
the king's," he said. "These pens will only write on this type of
paper.” He gestured at the box.
"What
is your message?"
"
'The Apprentice has come.' "
"
'The Apprentice' ... You mean the emperor's destroyer?"
He
nodded. Enthrallment returned to her eyes. He tried not to stare into them.
He
considered how sickly, even grotesque, he must've been these past few days. He
had lost count of the number of times he puked in her presence. And that was
while he was conscious....
"Finished,"
he said after another minute of work. Dohbdy had turned her attention back to
the birds. "Put your finger in the cage, and one will jump onto it.” He
noted her hesitation and added, "They won't hurt you. They know who is
good and who ..."
"...
is a perversion.”
She
gently reached a hand into the open cage. An Arrowsparrow gave a quick tweet
from the middle of the bunch of them crowded in the nest and leapt onto it. She
cooed gently at it as she slowly pulled her hand out.
"Oh,
Anurag ... they're so beautiful ..."
He
had rolled the message tightly and secured it with a thin tie. "Bring him
down here.”
She
lowered her hand very cautiously. He expertly tied the scroll about the bird’s
right leg. He tapped the scroll three times.
The
Arrowsparrow began to sparkle. Dohbdy looked like she was about to scream. Her
eyes were as wide as they could go, her mouth open and slack.
"It's
okay ... just keep your hand up. Watch," he said.
The
sparkles quickly overwhelmed it, which gave one last tweet before disappearing.
When that happened the sparkles lengthened. They brightened for a moment,
coming together to form a single bright shaft of light before abruptly dying
out.
His
hand was under the arrow that fell from Dohbdy's. He caught it, held it up.
"Arrowsparrow ..." she said, gawking.
He
held it out to her. She grasped it as one does something very fragile.
"It's light as a feather," she said, spellbound.
"Pun
intended."
She
laughed absentmindedly. "It even has its colors—silver-blue and gold
..." She examined the arrowhead. It was sleek and metallic and sharp.
"Let's
get another," he said.
Minutes
later he held a quiverful of Arrowsparrows.
"Let's
get them on their way."
She
followed him up to the deck of the Selaki.
He
grabbed the bow, fixed an Arrowsparrow to it. He aimed almost directly
overhead, pulling back. The Poets stopped to watch.
He
released it. The Arrowsparrow streaked into the sky. But instead of arcing and
falling, this one continued on its trajectory, disappearing quickly into the
high blue.
The
Poets talked animatedly among each other.
He
released another one. It followed the first.
"How
do they know where to go?" she asked. "You're shooting them in the
same direction. And the others want to know what powers the arrows."
"Speaking
of Dreamcatchers, there's one beyond the Edge of the world who can answer those
questions." He shrugged away his ignorance. "All I know is it has something
to do with aecxes and sea horses and
how they communicate with one another and with people."
"Sea
horses?" she blinked.
"And
now you know as much as I do.”
"The
Arrowsparrows can read your mind, decipher your wishes?" she asked after
translating his answers to the Poets, who had stopped what they were doing and
now crowded around him. He shot the remaining Arrowsparrows into the sky, then
turned to answer them.
"Yes.
I've always wondered why Poets don't use sea horses. Why is it that I've never
seen a Poet on the back of one?"
She
smiled. "You will learn in due time, now that you're one of us."
"But
you're not going to tell me just yet, right?"
"When
you return. You are going to return, aren’t you, Anurag?"
He
looked in her eyes and felt something very lonesome tug at his spirit.
“I
don’t know,” he said, choosing the honest answer over the hopeful one. More to
tear himself away over the disappointment that came over her gaze than any real
curiosity, he glanced briefly at the men and women aboard his singleship and
asked, "Which one is Generach?"
She
turned and stroked the arm of the tall, skinny young man who had just come
within range. She spoke to him. He extended his hand, which Anurag shook. It
was a truly generous gesture: Poets did not greet people by shaking their hand.
Generach
spoke to her.
"He
would like to fix the ueto's mark on
the bow of your ship," she said.
"I'd
be honored," said Anurag, nodding at him.
"I'm
concerned that the mark will be illegal," she said after another quick
aside with her betrothed.
"Tell
Generach that the Imperium can kiss my ass. Illegal is my middle name. Besides,
where I'm going there won't be many of their warships, if any."
She
told this to Generach, who gave him a knowing grin. He shook his hand again,
then left the singleship to his canoe, where he began painting the ueto's mark on the Selaki's bow.
Hours
later, the Poets left. Anurag left with them. The blue sky had since been
swamped by windy fog, which was quickly replaced by dark, driving rain and
booming thunder. He voiced his concern that Generach's work would be lost to
the weather, but Dohbdy assured him that the paint was durable and would hold.
Once back at camp, he helped the ueto
secure the teepees against the storm, which now blustered and boomed at full
strength.
He'd
gotten the Arrowsparrows off. That was all that mattered. They would fly
nonstop to their respective destinations. The storm couldn't stop them. Four of
them had to cross almost the entire face of Aquanus before landing, a trip that
would take them less than two Aquanian-days to complete. It was why the
Arrowsparrows were created in the first place. Two days to cross the face of
Aquanus was virtually instantaneous communication. As he lay in bed later he
smiled. The Arrowsparrow that was sent to Raretail Holm had already made it to
its recipient.
The
news was rapidly spreading. The
Apprentice has come.
They
would reply when preparations at their end allowed them to. That could be days,
even weeks away.
In
the morning he checked on the Selaki
by Transforming and swimming out to her. Even here in the cove the waves were
still quite substantial; as a shark he had trouble navigating due to the murky,
churning water. He climbed aboard (he'd left his clothing behind with
Generach); shivering, he did a quick, sweeping check (the ueto's mark, a red-and-white cursive U with an odd squiggle through the center, was fine) before leaping
back into the water and hurrying back to shore. The water was frigid, even as a
shark. Generach handed him a towel and his clothes as they stood under the
fragrant high canopy of fennaca
trees. Anurag shivered as fitfully as he had while sick.
Back
at the ueto, he warmed himself next
to a fire and then ate, then helped to resecure two tents after they blew over,
slightly injuring a child and two men.
"The
Elders think this is an Edge storm," said Dohbdy to him later. "It's
been two years since the last one. That one killed hundreds of Poets. They're
concerned. If you had left earlier, Anurag, you'd probably be dead now."
He
nodded knowingly. "Are they thinking of moving the ueto?"
"Not
yet. They think the cove is safer than venturing back into the mountains. We're
sheltered here by the trees, and high enough from the water to avoid the tide.
The mountains ... they have floods. And mudslides."
"And
demons that kill other demons. You don't know if something that powerful won't
come looking for you."
"Yes.
So here is where we'll stay," she declared unsurely. "If the storm
strengthens we'll have to reconsider our decision."
Anurag
thought of Orion and his mother, of Brinkley and Tal. He hoped they were all
right. Edge storms were fearsome.
A
double dose of inspiration alighted on him that moment, and he smiled against
his worry.
"What
is it?" she asked, puzzled at his look.
"I've
got something I'd like to give to the ueto
before I go. Something that will protect you. And I’ve got a favor to ask
you."
"Against
Edge storms? What is your favor?"
He
shook his head. "I’ll tell you later. I’m talking about another kind of
storm. Much more evil than this."
"What
can be worse than an Edge storm?"
"What
indeed," he answered.
"You
have given us valuable information, Anurag. You have given us more than we
could ask for. You need give us nothing else."
"I'd
like to return someday. I'd hate to leave knowing I could've done more to
protect you than I did. Please ..."
She
looked into his eyes as though probing them for something; then, reluctantly,
she nodded. "You are a very interesting man, Anurag."
"De
Bouchard."
"I'm
sorry—?"
"My
full name. Anurag de Bouchard."
"Anurag
de Bouchard," she said. "I thought your middle name was
Illegal."
They
laughed.
"I
will pray for you on your journey back to the Beyond Kingdom
~~*~~
The
storm didn't strengthen, but it did last four more days, which brought Anurag
to believe that it wasn't an Edge storm, just a very strong gale. Edge storms,
as fierce as they were, generally did not last longer than a day or two. The
camp seemed to agree with his assessment. In their tents they waited, eating
and napping and telling stories.
Poets,
he noted, rarely let their hands stay idle. Always they employed them to sew
new clothing, or to carve wooden toys for the children, or to gesticulate
enthusiastically while telling a story. Few ever raised their voices loud
enough to be heard beyond their immediate circle (in direct contrast with
Anthtreeans), and few ever spoke more than they had to. They were a quiet
people, very reserved, very thoughtful. As the storm gradually cleared he
considered how much he would miss them. Especially Dohbdy.
The
demons preyed upon them, and that infuriated him. On day five, as he stepped
out into a windy but rain-free morning, he resolved to make good on the gifts
he wanted to give them.
He
went back to the cove. The storm had broken many of the limbs of the fennaca
trees; two or three had fallen on their neighbors. The cove's shore had eroded
substantially and was clogged with debris. Beyond, the leaden water looked just
a degree or two from freezing over. He stepped out of his clothes, securing
them under a newly fallen limb, then tiptoed into it.
He
swore richly. The water was indeed just above freezing. He took a deep breath
and plunged forward, flashing immediately.
His
great shark bulk fought and wriggled against the storm-tossed sand, but
eventually he got free and ventured out to deeper water. Minutes later he stood
on the deck of his singleship, which looked like it had weathered the gale with
no problems.
Under
the dash, in the dark, were the sprigs of Antarctic Cottonwood. He took the
smaller one out, closed the dash, and then hurried down to his cabin where he
grabbed one of the little rectangular papers he used to send messages with
Arrowsparrows. Back on deck, he jumped over the Selaki's railing into the sea, flashing in mid-air, the items in
his grip held tightly to his chest.
The
aecxal principle of rendan non ar complet a ne duinus was
what allowed soldiers to flash into seabirds or whatever and then flash back,
their clothes and weapons still on their bodies. Like the Arrowsparrows and how
they knew where to go, how they knew how to find their targets, Anurag did not
understand fully how rendan non ar
complet a ne duinus worked. He did not need to. When the sand started
grating against his shark tummy, he Transformed back to human. He still held
the sprig of Antarctic Cottonwood and message paper to his chest, which was as
a human under water. Struggling to shore, he lay them on drying sand and put a
rock over them to keep them from blowing away, then hurriedly dressed. The air
was as frigid as the water, and he looked forward to a warm fire to sit next
to. He grabbed the sprig and paper and marched quickly back to the ueto.
With
the Elders and Dohbdy seated around a fire with him, he held up the sprig.
"This
is from a tree that is both from this world and from the kingdom beyond the
Edge," he said. "It has very strong protective properties. You can
use them to shield yourself from the perversions and demons once they return.
To keep it alive you need merely place the bottom of it in seawater. It doesn't
need much light, and it can go many weeks without drinking, which will serve
you while you camp in the mountains. More than two months without, though, will
probably kill it. Over time it will grow into a full tree. You can plant it
where you will, even many misons from the ocean. It doesn’t require seawater to
survive after it is planted, and any seawater you give it it will convert to
drinkable freshwater. It is very hardy."
Dohbdy
translated. The Elders nodded.
The
community tent was crowded. Everyone listened quietly.
"It
turns saltwater into freshwater? Did I hear that right? What protections does
it offer?" asked the woman Elder, who with this gift seemed to warm to
Anurag considerably.
"It
Transforms seawater into fresh, yes. If the rains cease for too long, you can
still drink and water your plants and animals if you are near the sea. As for
protections, it can make you and your entire camp invisible to outsiders, to
name just one," he said.
This
news excited the camp greatly, who whispered among each other.
The
ancient Elder held up his hand, quieting them. They looked to Anurag to
continue.
"There
are many ways to get it to work for you," he said, "but I believe the
most direct route is the best in this case ..."
Very
carefully, he removed the smallest of the five leaves on the Antarctic
Cottonwood sprig and gave it to the woman, who held it in her palm at eye
level, inspecting it carefully.
"You
must decide amongst yourselves who will eat this leaf. For this to work, it
must be the man or woman whom you believe loves this camp the very most, and is also its fiercest protector. You
need to decide that right now."
Dohbdy
translated.
The
Elders talked. Several from the camp spoke up. What appeared to be a heated
argument between three of the ueto
and the young Elder ensued.
Anurag
interrupted. "This isn't a competition, so don't make it one."
Dohbdy,
raising her voice, translated. The camp halted, staring at him.
After
more discussion—more peaceful discussion—the woman handed the leaf to the
youngest Elder. The camp, for the most part, appeared pleased with this
decision. The Elder held up the leaf, studying it, then abruptly stuffed it
into his mouth, chewing.
From
experience Anurag knew it would be very bitter. But the Elder did not show it.
He swallowed, then looked to him, ostensibly for more instructions.
"Wait
two days," said Anurag, speaking to him. "In that time you must be
totally focused on this ueto and why
it means so much to you. You must focus on your love for it. Let nothing
distract you. Let others from the camp present themselves. Look at them—" he pointed at his eyes then out at the
others—"I mean, really look at
them. Touch them. Hold their hands. Kiss their cheeks. Do this with all your energy,
all your focus, because what you touch will fall under the influence of the
Antarctic Cottonwood leaf that is now part of your flesh and blood."
Dohbdy
translated as he spoke. The young Elder nodded in understanding.
"Those
you touch have things and fellows they love and cherish, too. It's by those
means that the influence of the Antarctic Cottonwood will grow and spread its
spiritual roots that will eventually encompass the entire camp, not just the
people but also their belongings." He held up the sprig.
"Indifference and apathy among you and towards this kills this," he
said warningly. "Love and water, fresh or salt, will nourish it. Never
forget that."
"If
the Elder should die, will that destroy the leaf's effects?" asked Dohbdy.
Anurag
shook his head.
She
translated her question and his response to the ueto.
The
ancient man spoke.
"We
love many things, Shark Warrior, not just our camp. Not just our own. Is it
possible that we can make all our land invisible?"
Anurag
shook his head. "Not the land, no. But all you cherish that lives or
stands on it, sure. Use this sprig and its leaves with great discretion."
"Would
an enemy be able to see us up close?" said the woman Elder.
"He'd
never see you coming,” he said.
The
camp murmured.
"Can
we make ourselves visible again?" asked Generach, who stood directly
behind Dohbdy.
"Freshwater
consciously sprayed upon the sprig’s
leaves will render your ueto
invisible. Remember: consciously,
with attention and intention. But beware: seawater that
touches the leaves, by conscious intent or not, will render it visible once
more. You’ll find however that fully matured trees can be sprayed with seawater
and yet still retain the cloak of invisibility, provided certain conditions are
met first, ones you need not concern yourself with at this point. You will
discover that there are ways of 'nesting' invisibility so that some of your
camp can be visible while others remain invisible. You will discover those
means in due time, I'm sure."
He
gazed at the young Elder. "Two days. Understand?"
Dohbdy
translated. The Elder nodded solemnly.
The
woman Elder spoke.
"This
is a great gift," she said. "When the new Constable and his
perversions come, we will be free of them. The demon, too. Please ... when you
return, seek us out. You are no longer a guest. You are one of us now."
Dohbdy
translated, then asked, "But Anurag ... won't we be invisible to you as
well?"
"Only
if you want to be. Please tell the Elder thank you, and that I'm honored by her
words."
Dohbdy
did her part, and the woman gave him a rare smile, which he returned.
~~*~~
He
mounted the stairs of the Selaki.
Dohbdy and Generach stayed behind in the canoe.
"You
have a long voyage ahead of you," she said. "We will keep you in our
prayers, Anurag de Bouchard."
"I
will send an Arrowsparrow when I arrive at the Great Arch," he said.
"The sea paper ... you don't need the king's blood to respond. You can
send word back as I showed you. And don’t forget: Claire de Bouchard. The
lighthouse."
“Claire
de Bouchard, lighthouse,” she repeated. “I won’t forget, Anurag.”
“Thank
you for everything, Dohbdy. And please thank the ueto again for me.”
She
nodded and smiled, and then she and her fiancé rowed the canoe out of the way
of the Selaki as he pulled up anchor.
Looking back as he left the hidden cove, he saw them waving at him. He waved back.>>5<<
~~*~~
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