My name is Hwilli. Her words seemed to come out of the black crystal, yet at the same time he heard in the normal way her speaking in her unfamiliar tongue. Whats your name?
Rhodorix, and my brother is Gerontos. He aped her mannerism and spoke directly into the crystal.
What strange names! Yet her smile made the comment pleasant. My master has asked me to talk to you and for you, because you and I are both children of Aethyr.
Children of what? My apologies, but I dont know that word.
The word doesnt matter. She smiled again. Lets just say that you and I are more alike than were like his people.
Thats as true as it can be! Rhodorix thought. Aloud, he said, Then my thanks. Can my brothers leg be saved?
It can, though I doubt me if itll heal perfectly straight. Still, he should be able to walk without pain.
Tears of relief welled up in Rhodorixs eyes. He brushed them away, then repeated the news to Gerontos. Gerro grinned so broadly that his smile was all the thanks that anyone needed. The healer patted him on the shoulder, then spoke to Hwilli, who in turn spoke to Rhodorix through the crystal.
Your brother needs to rest. Give him plenty of water whenever he asks. And make sure he eats, too, will you?
I will, and gladly.
In a little while a servant will come to lead you to the bath house. Others will help your brother get clean here. Um, your people do bathe, dont they?
Whenever we can. Rhodorix ran one hand over his stubbled face. We shave, too.
Ill tell the servant that. Ill leave this piece of stone with you. If you need something, give it to the servant and ask through the black one.
Very well. One last thing, though. Whats in that stuff you smeared on his leg?
Wine, honey, and egg whites. It stiffens the linen as it dries.
So I see, and my thanks.
Hwilli set the white crystal down upon the table. The healer and his retinue left, talking among themselves. Much to Rhodorixs surprise, he could pick out three words that he understood heal, leg, and water words Hwilli had used when she spoke to him through the pyramid.
A bath, a clean tunic, and a good bronze razor went a long way to making both Rhodorix and Gerontos feel like men again. Later that day Hwilli returned with a flock of servants and a litter. She put the crystals into their basket, then gave orders to the servants. Rhodorix followed as they carried Gerontos to another chamber, this one with a bed that sported a straw mattress and blankets, big enough for the two brothers to share. Once theyd got Gerontos settled, Hwilli dismissed the servants. She handed Rhodorix the black pyramid and took up the white.
Youre a fighting man? she said.
I am that. He hesitated, then decided that she neednt know of his shame. So is my brother. We know swordcraft.
Good. Our rhix needs swordsmen. Will you fight for him?
It would gladden my heart to repay you for the aid youve given us, but truly, who is your rhix? Is he the head of your clan? Ive never heard of him or this dunum until Evandar said its name.
She stared at him slack-mouthed, then laughed. You must come from very far away.
We do. We were fleeing the Rhwmanes.
Ah, so thats what you call them! Master Jantalaber thought your tribe might have been trying to escape them. The master is the man who set your brothers leg, by the by. The rhix is Ranadar of the Vale of Roses, cadvridoc of the Seven Cities, Master of Garangbeltangim.
My thanks. Id not heard of him before this day.
I see. Master Jantalaber mentioned that Evandar favoured you.
Well, he saved my brother and me from death.
A sign of favour, sure enough!
For the first time it occurred to Rhodorix to wonder why the god had come to their aid. Perhaps he wanted them to join this clans warband. Doing the will of the god, in that case, looked far better than either killing himself or returning to his own clan and facing his fathers outrage at his blunder over the ambush.
Is your rhix fighting those white-skinned savages?
He is.
Then it will gladden my heart to serve him. He glanced at Gerontos, who was listening intently, at least to Rhodorixs half of the conversation. Evandar brought us here to help the rhix whos the master of this dunum. His names Ranadar.
Then as soon as I can stand, Ill fight for him, Gerontos said. I owe these people my life.
So do I. Rhodorix returned to speaking into the crystal. It will gladden our hearts to swear loyalty to your cadvridoc.
Splendid! Hwilli said. Ill tell the master of arms.
Some of the words she spoke in her own language, those he heard as an echo to the words from the crystal, made sense to him, he realized. Somehow the crystal was teaching him her speech at the same time as it transformed it into his own. I wish wed had these in the homeland, he thought. It would have made learning that wretched Rhwman tongue easier. As the eldest son of a clan head, hed been expected to learn Latin in order to speak to the conquerors and a little Greek as well in order to bargain with merchants.
Rhodorix and Gerontos received their chance to swear to Ranadarix, as they called him, when the prince himself came to their chamber. His retinue, six men with spears, four with swords, marched in first. They all wore polished bronze breastplates, each inlaid with a red enamel rose, over their tunics.
The prince followed, unarmed, wearing no armour, though a glittering belt, inlaid with gems in a pattern of overlapping triangles and circles, clasped in his rich red tunic. Around his neck he wore an enormous sapphire, as blue as the winter sea, set into a gold pendant three fingers wide. He was a tall man, dark-haired, with lavender catslit eyes and the strange furled ears of his people. Behind him came a child, dressed in a simple white tunic, who looked so much like him that Rhodorix could assume him to be the princes son.
A swordsman picked up the white crystal and handed it to the prince. Rhodorix took the black, then knelt on the floor in front of the cadvridoc.
I understand that youve chosen to join my warband, Ranadarix said.
We have, honoured one, Rhodorix said, in gratitude for the aid your people have given my brother. We both can fight on foot with swords or on horseback with javelins.
On horseback? The prince suddenly grinned. Well, now, this is a welcome thing! None of my men can do that. Horses are new to me and my people.
Rhodorix stared, his mouth slack, then remembered that he was talking to a cadvridoc and a rhix. Forgive me, honoured one. That surprised me, about the horses, I mean. Well be glad to show you what we know.
Splendid! Then you shall be weaponmasters and serve me doubly. He turned and beckoned one of the swordsmen forward, a pale-haired man with deep-set green eyes. This is Andariel, the leader of my personal guard. In the morning, hell fetch you, and hell show you what horses we have. Obviously your brother needs to rest.
So he does, honoured one. If Andariel approves of my skill, then Ill teach your men everything I know.
Ranadarix repeated this to Andariel, who smiled and nodded Rhodorixs way. Ranadarix set the white crystal down, then turned and walked out with his son and the guard following. Rhodorix got up from his kneel and sat on the edge of the bed to talk with Gerontos.
So he does, honoured one. If Andariel approves of my skill, then Ill teach your men everything I know.
Ranadarix repeated this to Andariel, who smiled and nodded Rhodorixs way. Ranadarix set the white crystal down, then turned and walked out with his son and the guard following. Rhodorix got up from his kneel and sat on the edge of the bed to talk with Gerontos.
Whats so surprising about the horses? Gerontos said.
He told me that they were new to his people.
New? Thats cursed strange!
So I thought, too. Well, its good luck for us, though. If we prove ourselves, well be weaponmasters and have some standing here.
Splendid. Gerontos abruptly yawned. Ye gods, I tire so easily! But truly, Evandars brought us good fortune. This Ranadarix must be as rich as a Rhwmani propraetor!
And a lot less corrupt.
Huh! Who isnt?
They shared a laugh, interrupted by the boom and clang of gongs from the towers outside. When Rhodorix went to the window and looked out, he saw that the sun had reached zenith.
Servants appeared, carrying food, which they silently put on the table, then bowed their way out. While they ate, Rhodorix found himself thinking about Hwilli. If he and his brother became weaponmasters, hed have the standing he needed to keep a woman. She appealed to him a great deal more than the longeared people who ruled this dun. When he considered their cat-slit eyes, he wondered if they were truly human. He doubted it, but as long as they treated him and his brother so well, he would serve them as faithfully as he could.
Since they kept the herbroom locked, the scent of the pharmacopeia lay heavy in the air. When Hwilli walked in, she could smell a hundred different tangs and spices. Master Jantalaber was standing by the marble-topped study table. He was turning the pages of a small leather-bound book, but when he glanced up and saw her, he shut the book and shoved it to one side. Hwilli glanced at it but saw no name on the plain brown cover. Beside it on the table sat a basket of dried plants.
A good morrow to you, child, he said.
I am not a child. Hwilli drew herself up to full height. By your own reckoning, Ive seen seventeen winters.
Thats true. He smiled at her. I call you child out of affection, you see.
I Hwilli felt her anger spill and run like water from a broken glass vessel. Im sorry.
Come now, I know it must be hard on you, living here, so far from your own kind. But you have a mind, Hwilli, true wits, something Ive not noticed much among your people, and you belong with us.
Who has the leisure to grow their wits? We work too hard growing crops for your kind to gobble up. Aloud, she said, Thank you. I know Im lucky to be here.
And someday, after youve passed over the great river and seen the black sun rise in the otherworld, youll be reborn as one of us. I know that deep in my heart.
Tears filled her eyes, hot tears of rage at a promise, oft repeated, that seemed utterly empty to her, but she mumbled another thank you. When the master turned his back to arrange the dried plants on the study table, she wiped the tears away before he noticed them. He set the empty basket down on the floor.
Before we start our lesson, I want to ask you about those strangers, Jantalaber said. Have they ever told you where they came from?
Only that its very far away. Their name for the Meradan is Rhwmanes, though. Roseprince told me that much.
Roseprince? Is that truly his name?
Well, thats how the crystals translate it. It sounds like Rhodorix in his own tongue. His brothers name is Oldman, or Gerontos.
Ah, I see. The crystals find the root meaning of words.
Yes. The strangers word for prince seems to be rhix, but I have the feeling it doesnt mean quite the same thing as our word. Hwilli considered for a moment. The words that come from the crystals have odd echoes to them. Im afraid I cant explain it any better than that.
The whole thing is very odd, but then what else would one expect from the Guardians?
They shared a smile.
Every now and then, Hwilli continued, Rhodorix uses a word that sounds familiar to me, one that my own kind would use, I mean.
I see. No doubt his people are related to yours somehow, then. You see, thats what I mean about your wits. You observe things, youre precise.
Thank you. Hwilli could barely speak. The master rarely praised any of his apprentices. He smiled as if he understood her confusion.
Now, youve studied very hard, and youve learned remarkably fast. Im going to put you in charge of healing Gerontoss broken leg. You can always ask me for advice, of course, but the decisions will be yours.
Do you truly think Im ready?
Yes, I do. In a bit you can go to his chamber and take a look at him. See if hes feverish or ill in any way beyond the pain of the break. Report back to me when youve finished. Now, however, lets look at our plants. These five are all vulneraries.
When Hwilli returned to the sickroom, she found Gerontos sitting up. His colour looked normal; his forehead felt cool; the skin on his thigh above the cast looked normal as well.
Youre doing as well as we can expect, she said through the crystals. The Rhwmanes smashed the bone, Im afraid, and there are chips.
Gerontos blinked at her, then spoke to his brother. Rhodorix laughed and took the black crystal from him.
The Rhwmanes arent the white savages, Rhodorix said. Our homelands across the great ocean. The Rhwmanes conquered it, so we left with Evandars help. We wanted to be free, you see, not their subjects.
I do see, Hwilli said. Now.
Rhodorix grinned at her. He had an open, engaging smile that made her feel pleasantly warm. His dark blue eyes, so different from the ice-blue common to her people, intrigued her. She liked the way he moved, too, with the muscular grace of a wolf or a stallion. One of my own kind, she thought. Its a relief, to see a man of my own kind after living here so long. So, Hwilli said, your homeland lies to the west, then?
Well He hesitated, and his eyes narrowed in puzzlement. It must. Except, when we left, we sailed west, you see, toward the setting sun. But then when we arrived at the harbour up north, we were sailing east, toward the rising sun.
That doesnt make any sense.
I know. Thats why Im puzzled. He frowned at the floor for a long moment, then dismissed the problem with a shrug and looked up. But here we are.
Indeed. I didnt know there was a harbour up north.
I think it was north. The way everything changes direction around here, who knows?
They shared a laugh.
The white savages, he continued, had some villages near the harbour, anyway. What do you call them?
Meradan.
Very well. Meradan it is.
Hwilli was tempted to linger, chatting with him, for a while more, but the master had asked her to return to the herbroom when shed finished with her patient.
Ill be coming back often, Hwilli said, to keep an eye on your brothers progress. But if he shows the least sign of fever, call for a servant and have them come tell me immediately.