Pegasus Part 15

Oh, no! she said before she thought. she said before she thought. I have only seen one corridor! A little of one corridor! I mean-whatever you say, great lord, srrrwa! But-I-please-sir! I have only seen one corridor! A little of one corridor! I mean-whatever you say, great lord, srrrwa! But-I-please-sir!

Lrrianay wrinkled his nose and flicked his ears. I see again why you and Ebon are so close, I see again why you and Ebon are so close, he said. he said. I wonder how much that closeness has to do with how much you were alike before you met? Very well. We will go on. I wonder how much that closeness has to do with how much you were alike before you met? Very well. We will go on. And then he turned away from her and led them on the way they had been going. And then he turned away from her and led them on the way they had been going.

She thought of the sky and the trees and the daylight. But she was not sorry she had answered as she had; she did not now want to turn around, even if the ceiling did seem to lean down toward her-as if it would stretch down a stony hand and smack her forehead. The pegasi's heads on their long upright necks were higher than hers, and they did not stoop. She squared her shoulders-such a human human gesture-and followed. gesture-and followed.

The corridor walls around her opened, and she was walking on gra.s.s under the sky with many pegasi all around her-white and cream-coloured, all the shades of golden from flaxen to dark honey, amber-red to russet-red, coppery and tawny and dark loam brown; silver to twilight-grey; and occasionally black. They were cantering past her, their wings half spread, the occasional pale feather in a dark wing catching her eye. Where were they all going? They streamed past her, hundreds upon hundreds of them; occasionally one would turn its head and nod at her, although she recognised none of them. They seemed to be going somewhere, and they seemed to be drawing her along with them: where her slow walking feet were taking her was ultimately where all their quick cantering feet were taking them.

Then the landscape, or her dream, changed, and there was a small round valley in the hill before them, and this was their destination. Or, no-this was her destination, for most of the pegasi ran on, parting around the way into the little valley and disappearing behind the shoulders of the hill. A few pegasi slowed to a walk and accompanied her.

But the moment she entered the little circle of the valley she wanted to go no farther; her feet slowed, dragged, and finally stopped. The pegasi with her quietly stopped too.

The valley, now that she was in it, was bigger than it had looked from outside. A group of perhaps twenty pegasi stood in the flat centre of the valley, and with them stood a group of perhaps thirty humans. Sylvi saw the humans with a shock like a blow: how graceless they were, both squat and elongated-how ungrounded and unbalanced-with their strange thin pawing arms and huge clutching hands-and she forgot again that she had remembered how to be human, and she grieved that she was one of them.

A few of the pegasi standing with the humans turned their heads and acknowledged the newcomers, but most did not. None of the humans looked at them. And now, with another shock, Sylvi recognised that the humans were wearing armour, worn, stained armour, and they wore it as if they were used to wearing it and had been wearing it for a long time. They had swords slung round their hips or over their shoulders, and two or three had bows and quivers, and she saw one with a short dagger and halberd; all their faces were tired and grim.

As she noticed these things it was as if the scene were building itself around her. She knew, suddenly, that there was an army camp on the far side of the hill; now that she knew it was there she could hear it, smell the smoke of its cook- and watchfires; there was even a sentinel standing on the brow of the little hill to her right. He could not have been there before-she could not have missed him? Surely she could not have missed him?

She glanced back over her shoulder. The land was empty and silent. All the galloping pegasi were gone, all but the few who stood with her, and the gra.s.s they had galloped across was a smooth unruffled sea. Pegasi ordinarily left little mark of where they had been, but there had been hundreds of them, and even if they had contrived to bend not a single gra.s.s-stem, her plodding human feet should have broken a path-and there was no sign of her pa.s.sage either.

She turned forward again. There was a small table, now, at the centre of the valley, around which the humans and the pegasi stood-or rather, on either side of which they stood, the humans on one side and the pegasi on the other. This distressed her; she wanted to walk forward and join the pegasi, or seize two of those ugly human arms with her own ungainly hands and draw them toward the pegasus side of the table. It was not good that they should stay so divided from each other. Was that not why she was here? To help end-to help soften-that division, between human and pegasus?

But where was she? She was walking in the Caves, the pegasus Caves, where no human had ever walked before. She was with Ebon and Lrrianay and Hibeehea. . . .

Where was she?

The armour the humans wore was unfamiliar to her. Old-fas.h.i.+oned perhaps-some of the poorer barons were still using armour their grandparents' troops had worn, and some of the bits and pieces still in use in the practise yards at the palace were older still-but this seemed to her more than merely that. These men and women did not carry themselves like soldiers in a held-together-with-string unit-nor would one of the poorer barons have twenty pegasi as members of his company.

She knew a little about armour; lessons with Diamon included learning about your equipment and its history. This armour was like nothing she had seen before, mostly leather and very little chain, and the chain curiously linked; they wore no chausses or greaves, and their gauntlets and gorgets were peculiarly cut, as were the panels of their leather cuira.s.ses. When one turned and spoke low-voiced to another, she could half hear the words, which seemed to be at least half known to her but strangely p.r.o.nounced, and the rhythm of the sentences was odd and outlandish.

The one who had spoken glanced up. There was something odd about him; something about him marked him out from the others . . . no, the man standing next to him was another like him. . . . But what was the oddness? Did they stand differently, move differently, was their skin a different colour, their armour a different kind? They were both wearing slightly shabby once-grand gowns over their armour, but so were several of the others. Nothing she could put her finger on but she was certain....

One of the two drew a short baton from under his surcoat, held it flat across his palms and offered it to the other one.

She'd seen that gesture at hundreds of rituals. They were magicians. And in the rituals she knew, that particular gesture heralded some confirmation, validation, agreement-although the baton was usually brought by a third, more subordinate magician. She looked round again. But the rituals she knew took place at the palace, or at carefully planned and organised festivals elsewhere. This was not a battlefield, but the battlefield was obviously nearby.

Two humans unrolled a large, long sheet of what, by its pliancy, must be pegasus-made paper. The humans, perhaps disconcerted by something so unlike stiff, crackly parchment, handled it uneasily and laid it-cautiously, warily, protectively, attentively-on the table. Everyone was staring at it. The two humans holding it touched it as if they weren't sure what sort of beast it was: was it an ally, was it hostile?

A battlefield alliance . . .

The strange armour, the language whose words were familiar but whose rhythms were not . . .

One of the magicians looked tired and worried and grim, like all the other humans.

The other one turned and looked at her . . .

. . . and for a moment he was Fthoom.

And she was walking in the Caves again, except that she wasn't walking. She was standing still, and her three companions were standing with her. Lrrianay and Hibeehea were gravely watching her, and Ebon had his nose on her shoulder.

You okay?

She nodded. And then, startled, looked around. They were no longer in the long corridor, but a huge room, the ceiling lost in shadows overhead. There were other pegasi here-three that she could immediately see-one of them was lighting a candle in a niche in the wall. There were candles all around the walls at irregular intervals, and as the niches were various sizes, so were the candles. In the centre of the room, a low table stood, a dozen tall lamps on it, blazing with light.

In the light she could see the walls.... Millennia of tiny, frail feather-hands, smoothing and scooping, carving and scoring the natural walls of the cave....

There were portraits of pegasi everywhere on the walls, walking and flying, standing, running, lying, bowing, pawing, dancing, rearing, and doing other things she had no names for, as when two stood face to face and clasped their feather-hands together; or when, again face to face, four stood in a four-pointed star, knelt and bowed their heads, and wrapped their wings over each other. The curves of one pegasus, the billow of one tail or the fall of one mane, became a curve or a billow or a fall of the next; and in the flicker of the light, the rounds and hollows of all seemed to move as if with life.

Among the stone pegasi there were other things: trees and flowers and climbing vines, leaves and branches and blooms, saplings and bushes and forests-rabbits, deer, foxes, fornols, badgers, bears, birds-many, many birds, from the tiniest wrens to great raptors with wingspans nearly as great as the pegasi's own-spiders and beetles and b.u.t.terflies and bees. There was a stone stream near where Sylvi stood with several pegasi prancing in it: every drop of water was clearly and lovingly detailed.

And humans. Sylvi had been turning slowly round as if looking for something-and yet she did not want to see humans-see them here, surrounded by pegasi, to be forced to look again at the coa.r.s.eness and gracelessness of what she was herself. She wrapped her gawky arms around her clumsy body and hunched her shoulders.

Ebon saw where she was looking and said, Hey, don't worry. They're only stone. Hey, don't worry. They're only stone.

We're so ugly, said Sylvi miserably. said Sylvi miserably.

Ugly? There was a pause, as if Ebon were considering the matter; he was certainly looking first at the carved humans and then at Sylvi, and then back. There was a pause, as if Ebon were considering the matter; he was certainly looking first at the carved humans and then at Sylvi, and then back. I don't think so. I like the way it's all up and down with you, and no sideways. It's very-direct. Like you humans are. Although you're better-looking than that lot. I don't think so. I like the way it's all up and down with you, and no sideways. It's very-direct. Like you humans are. Although you're better-looking than that lot. He looked hard at Sylvi, seemed to make up his mind about something, and went on: He looked hard at Sylvi, seemed to make up his mind about something, and went on: When Dad first told me I was going to have to be your pegasus, I used to come here and stare at these guys. I'd only seen live humans a few times, when a crowd of us went to your palace for some big rite or festival or other, after I was big enough to fly that far. And then us kids were always kept well back and never went to the banquets. When Dad first told me I was going to have to be your pegasus, I used to come here and stare at these guys. I'd only seen live humans a few times, when a crowd of us went to your palace for some big rite or festival or other, after I was big enough to fly that far. And then us kids were always kept well back and never went to the banquets.

I never saw you, said Sylvi. said Sylvi. I'd remember, black is so unusual. I can hardly remember seeing any young pegasi, unless it was one of you being bound to one of us. I'd remember, black is so unusual. I can hardly remember seeing any young pegasi, unless it was one of you being bound to one of us.

Yes-well-you do have to be nearly grown to fly that far. Ebon was silent a moment, and then went on: Ebon was silent a moment, and then went on: You-you humans-saved our lives-and you go on saving our lives. The taralians and their friends would be all over us in a few generations if you left. And we'd just sit here and let them, because we wouldn't leave the Caves, and without the llyri gra.s.s we'd stop flying within a generation or two. We'd stop flying but our legs still wouldn't be tough enough to run like deer and horses run. Our shamans say the gra.s.s grows out of the stone that the Caves are made of, that's what makes our wings strong enough to carry us. Two thousand years ago the taralians found us-that's what the stories say-we could have run away, but we couldn't've either, right? You-you humans-saved our lives-and you go on saving our lives. The taralians and their friends would be all over us in a few generations if you left. And we'd just sit here and let them, because we wouldn't leave the Caves, and without the llyri gra.s.s we'd stop flying within a generation or two. We'd stop flying but our legs still wouldn't be tough enough to run like deer and horses run. Our shamans say the gra.s.s grows out of the stone that the Caves are made of, that's what makes our wings strong enough to carry us. Two thousand years ago the taralians found us-that's what the stories say-we could have run away, but we couldn't've either, right?

Taralians and norindours and ladons don't like our mountains much and don't like our Caves at all, but we couldn't stay here all the time. Did you know that we used to raise llyri gra.s.s where your palace now sits? That field of it your gardeners keep for us has been growing there for probably four thousand years. Even the barn where you keep it after harvest is where our old winter pavilion used to be. A roc knocked it down a century or two before you came.... That's pretty much when we pulled out of the lowlands.

Our shamans told us we'd get rescued at the last minute. And we did-you came. But something went wrong....

Sylvi turned and walked toward the wall where the carved stone humans stood. It took her a moment to realise why the scene looked familiar. It was where she had just been, what she had just seen, although she was seeing it now from a different angle, as if the army camp was behind her, and the way she had come with the hundreds of pegasi in front of her. The humans were now on her left and the pegasi on her right. Even now that she could not hear them speak, the strangeness of the humans' armour drew her attention; even now that they were inanimate images on a wall she could see the tension of them, the set concentration of their faces.

And she could still pick out the two magicians although the baton was not visible. One of them looked as the other humans looked, fixed on the matter at hand but worried about its outcome. The other was the one who reminded her of Fthoom.

She knew he was not Fthoom; this man did not even look like him. But that sense of power, of power held for hidden purposes, held in a way meant to be intimidating so that the wielder of it can better judge the strength of any opposition-that was Fthoom. That inward look, the look of a miser always preoccupied with his private treasure, of the greatness of what was his and his alone, and of how to make it greater yet-that was Fthoom. She found herself thinking that this man even moved like Fthoom-except that she was looking at a sculptured wall. Perhaps the candlelight slid over him differently than it glinted over the others.

I don't like this one, she said. she said.

I don't like him either. He's ugly, if you like.

Ugly, she said. she said. Why did you come here? When you knew you had to be my pegasus. Why did you come here? When you knew you had to be my pegasus.

The skin over Ebon's shoulders s.h.i.+vered and he nodded his head once quickly, a sign of embarra.s.sment. Well. These are the only humans in the Caves. If I wanted to look at humans, these were it. That was a long time ago, okay? I was a lot younger, and I hadn't met you. Well. These are the only humans in the Caves. If I wanted to look at humans, these were it. That was a long time ago, okay? I was a lot younger, and I hadn't met you.

These are the only humans in the Caves? I'm surprised there are any, she thought. I'm surprised there are any, she thought. Why these? Why these?

Ebon looked at her in surprise-tall neck drawn up even straighter (how regal he looks, she thought), ears stiffly p.r.i.c.ked, just one wrinkle across his nose. That's the signing of the treaty, That's the signing of the treaty, he said. he said. I thought you'd recognised it. That's your king Balsin, and our Fralialal. And that's Dorogin, the ugly one, and Gandam. I thought you'd recognised it. That's your king Balsin, and our Fralialal. And that's Dorogin, the ugly one, and Gandam.

The signing of the treaty.

Sssha.s.ssha. History and . . . recollection. History and . . . recollection.

The motionless stone picture was taking place just after she had watched the living scene: the two humans were still holding the treaty paper flat against the table, but a pegasus-it would be the pegasus king-was holding one wing, with the first three primaries curiously spread, just above its surface. These were astonis.h.i.+ngly artfully done, for the shadows fell in such a way as to show, now that she was looking for this, the inked tips of those feathers. As the candlelight flickered she felt she saw him draw his feather-tips across the surface of the paper in the quick, graceful, triple stroke she had seen replicated on so many doc.u.ments, so many commemorative plaques and paintings at the palace. She thought of the mural in the Great Hall where, when she was younger, she had thought she could hear Fralialal stepping down from the wall onto the floor. That Fralialal was bigger, grander-more human. This one, here, on the wall of the Caves, this one was a true pegasus: smaller, finer, graceful as candlelight . . . exotic. Inexplicable. Unknowable.

The signing of the treaty.

She had just been standing on eight-hundred-year-old gra.s.s, smelling the smoke of the eight-hundred-year-old war that had given her people and Ebon's their Alliance. She had seen the treaty itself unrolled, when it was only a new piece of fine paper with some writing on it-she had seen it before it was signed, before it was the treaty, before it hung on the wall of the Great Hall, before Balsin's signature on it had become the reigning monarch's mark.

She had met Dorogin's eyes.

And Dorogin looked like Fthoom. In the mural at the palace, none of the human faces stood out: they were just humans. Only the pegasus king and the treaty itself had any reality.

No-she would not think of it any more. She would not think of the fact that she had been there, the fact that something about the Caves had made her imagine that she had been there. She would not think of it. But she could-she would-she must think about Dorogin and Fthoom.

So it began . . . at the beginning, she said slowly, she said slowly, what went wrong. what went wrong.

She held her hands out-her human hands-and looked down through them at her single pair of human feet. It's a good thing I didn't . . . know all this. Or I'd've been too frightened to come. It's a good thing I didn't . . . know all this. Or I'd've been too frightened to come.

Eah. I'd be the same.

You would not, she thought.

I'd be the same, but I'd do it anyway, just like you would.

Well, I'm here, she said slowly, staring at the wall-at Dorogin's stony eyes watching her. she said slowly, staring at the wall-at Dorogin's stony eyes watching her. What am I going to tell my father? What am I going to tell my father? She wasn't sure if she'd said that so Ebon could hear it, and she moved nearer to him, and twisted her fingers in a handful of his long mane as it spilled down his shoulder. He turned his head, and his nose rested for a moment on the back of her hand. The glow from the bead that hung round his neck haloed him. She wasn't sure if she'd said that so Ebon could hear it, and she moved nearer to him, and twisted her fingers in a handful of his long mane as it spilled down his shoulder. He turned his head, and his nose rested for a moment on the back of her hand. The glow from the bead that hung round his neck haloed him.

They turned together, and found Lrrianay and Hibeehea standing at a little distance, watching them-letting us talk together privately, Sylvi thought in surprise. Before she lost her nerve, she let go of Ebon's mane and stepped forward quickly, ahead of him. What can I tell my father? What can I tell my father? she said. she said.

What have you seen, child? said Hibeehea. said Hibeehea. What do you want to tell your father? What do you want to tell your father?

You know what I saw, she said. she said. Didn't you send me? This is more of what I'm here for, isn't it? Sssha.s.ssha, that humans don't understand? Is there any more you haven't told me? That you're going to throw me into without telling me? Well, I have heard-and spoken-and seen, and perhaps I understand-a little. But even if my father believes me, he will say, What can we tell our people? Our people, who think the pegasus sssha.s.ssha is a bard's fantastic tale? How is a picture carved on a wall anything but a picture carved on a wall? Didn't you send me? This is more of what I'm here for, isn't it? Sssha.s.ssha, that humans don't understand? Is there any more you haven't told me? That you're going to throw me into without telling me? Well, I have heard-and spoken-and seen, and perhaps I understand-a little. But even if my father believes me, he will say, What can we tell our people? Our people, who think the pegasus sssha.s.ssha is a bard's fantastic tale? How is a picture carved on a wall anything but a picture carved on a wall?

And how will you answer him?

She took a deep breath. I will say, because I was there, and I saw them. Why did you bring me to the Caves and not him? He is the king. He is the one you have to convince. And he loves you-you pegasi. He would listen to you. He envies me coming to the Caves. But he let me come-alone-because that is what you wanted. And this is why you brought me, isn't it? I'm already half in your-your world, because of my friends.h.i.+p with Ebon-because I can talk to Ebon. Because-and now I can talk to all of you, all you pegasi. I went there- I will say, because I was there, and I saw them. Why did you bring me to the Caves and not him? He is the king. He is the one you have to convince. And he loves you-you pegasi. He would listen to you. He envies me coming to the Caves. But he let me come-alone-because that is what you wanted. And this is why you brought me, isn't it? I'm already half in your-your world, because of my friends.h.i.+p with Ebon-because I can talk to Ebon. Because-and now I can talk to all of you, all you pegasi. I went there- she gestured at the stony Alliance- she gestured at the stony Alliance-I went went there. I walked into that scene. I saw them breathing. I smelled horses and campfires and human food cooking and human sweat. Did you send me because you could not send him? there. I walked into that scene. I saw them breathing. I smelled horses and campfires and human food cooking and human sweat. Did you send me because you could not send him?

There was a little pause, but Sylvi was too angry and shaken to think about how she was addressing the king and his shaman.

We cannot send you or anyone-we cannot send ourselves, or each other, said Hibeehea. said Hibeehea. But we can recognise those who may be able to go themselves. It is an unusual talent. Most of those who have it become shamans. I am one of them. We don't know what that talent would look like in a human-we have never seen a human who has made us wonder if they might carry that talent. But we can recognise those who may be able to go themselves. It is an unusual talent. Most of those who have it become shamans. I am one of them. We don't know what that talent would look like in a human-we have never seen a human who has made us wonder if they might carry that talent.

But we have wondered about you a great deal since Lrrianay came back from your binding to say that you and Ebon could speak to each other.

And then Ebon came to us with his mad idea of bringing you here as what he called a birthday present, said Lrrianay, smiling, but he held his head low and worried. said Lrrianay, smiling, but he held his head low and worried.

What is it you humans say? That we backed into their hands? said Ebon. said Ebon.

Played into their hands, said Sylvi, and curled her fingers into fists. She turned around quickly and looked again at the signing: and she was sure-except that she knew it was nonsense-that Dorogin's eyes moved to meet hers and his mouth turned up in a gloating sneer, a sneer that said, There's nothing you can do. said Sylvi, and curled her fingers into fists. She turned around quickly and looked again at the signing: and she was sure-except that she knew it was nonsense-that Dorogin's eyes moved to meet hers and his mouth turned up in a gloating sneer, a sneer that said, There's nothing you can do.

I don't know what I can do, she said, because silent-speech had become her ordinary way of speech; and then she added aloud, as if for Dorogin's benefit, "But I will do something." The vibration of her larynx felt strange to her, and she uncurled one of her fists, and put her long nimble fingers on her throat. she said, because silent-speech had become her ordinary way of speech; and then she added aloud, as if for Dorogin's benefit, "But I will do something." The vibration of her larynx felt strange to her, and she uncurled one of her fists, and put her long nimble fingers on her throat.

CHAPTER 15.

Usually there were other pegasi with them, or nearby; in all the big chambers they entered there were sculptors working, with their tiny knives and brushes and picks and whisks and rubbing cloths, and they were in some of the smaller rooms and alcoves too, and occasionally in the corridors. She was told she might watch them, if she wished, so long as she did not speak to them or touch them or their tools or otherwise disturb them. But once one spoke to her.

Welcome, small human child, daughter of the bond-friend of our king, and bond-friend of our king's son.

Oh-I'm sorry-I'm not supposed to- You did not disturb me, said the pegasus. said the pegasus. I disturbed myself, that I might speak to you. So it is true-you can speak to us, I disturbed myself, that I might speak to you. So it is true-you can speak to us, and he laid his brush down and turned fully round to look at her. She had to stop herself from blinking or fidgeting under that steady regard, but there was nothing hostile in his look or his posture. His neck was gently arched, his body relaxed, tail lying flat, and when he laid his brush down, he folded his wings only loosely. He nodded his head in an acknowledgement not unlike the similar human one and then held it down longer in an almost-bow and said, and he laid his brush down and turned fully round to look at her. She had to stop herself from blinking or fidgeting under that steady regard, but there was nothing hostile in his look or his posture. His neck was gently arched, his body relaxed, tail lying flat, and when he laid his brush down, he folded his wings only loosely. He nodded his head in an acknowledgement not unlike the similar human one and then held it down longer in an almost-bow and said, I am honoured to meet you, little girl, king's daughter. I am honoured to meet you, little girl, king's daughter.

She didn't mean to, but thoughts and silent-speech still got confused, and she said so that he could hear her, I am I am not not little. little.

His laugh started with the nose-wrinkle smile and ran in ripples all the way to his hindquarters. He was a dappled brown, and his dapples twinkled as he laughed. He was smaller than Ebon or Lrrianay, but not so small as Hibeehea. I beg pardon, I beg pardon, he said. he said. When I was younger, I went several times to your palace, and I have seen a few humans, and they were great clumsy creatures. You are not. You are smaller than I was expecting. Smaller and neater. When I was younger, I went several times to your palace, and I have seen a few humans, and they were great clumsy creatures. You are not. You are smaller than I was expecting. Smaller and neater.

For an awful, heart-stopping moment she thought-He's guessed about Ebon and me, he knows about the flying!-and she clutched that thought to her as she might clutch an escaping puppy, all legs and wriggle, that the sculptor should not hear it too. I am sorry, I am sorry, she said. she said. I have always been . . . among humans I am too small I have always been . . . among humans I am too small. She thought-and pushed that thought forward, toward the dangerous speech boundary-of the years she had spent sitting on cus.h.i.+ons so she could eat supper with her family, and the fact that she still used a child's sword in the practise yard.

You are not too small here, he replied. he replied. Here you are just right. Here you are just right.

She couldn't help smiling. Thank you, Thank you, she said, but her eyes drifted to the wall, where the pegasus had been working. Sometimes the walls were sculpted only, but here there were colours too: yellows, browns, umbers, dark reds and blues and greens. She thought she saw tree shapes, and if they were tree shapes, she thought she saw bird shapes among their branches. she said, but her eyes drifted to the wall, where the pegasus had been working. Sometimes the walls were sculpted only, but here there were colours too: yellows, browns, umbers, dark reds and blues and greens. She thought she saw tree shapes, and if they were tree shapes, she thought she saw bird shapes among their branches.

It is the Forest of Areeanhaaee in autumn, said the pegasus. said the pegasus. Where we hold our main harvest festival, and the birds sing so loudly you cannot hear the sound of hundreds of us running the great rune-sign that is laid out as a path among the trees. Where we hold our main harvest festival, and the birds sing so loudly you cannot hear the sound of hundreds of us running the great rune-sign that is laid out as a path among the trees.

There is so much I-we-humans don't know, she said sadly. she said sadly. I do not know the Forest of Areeanhaaee, although Ebon has told me something of your festivals. I do not know the Forest of Areeanhaaee, although Ebon has told me something of your festivals.

You know more now, said the pegasus. said the pegasus. And you will take it home with you, and tell other humans, and you will tell it well, because you have been to the Caves and spoken to its sculptors. You will find the Forest and the festival on many other walls here, till it is more familiar to you than if you had been there-because that is what happens in the Caves. And you will take it home with you, and tell other humans, and you will tell it well, because you have been to the Caves and spoken to its sculptors. You will find the Forest and the festival on many other walls here, till it is more familiar to you than if you had been there-because that is what happens in the Caves. He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment, and then unfolded one wing, and tapped the bead that hung round her neck with a tiny feathery finger. He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment, and then unfolded one wing, and tapped the bead that hung round her neck with a tiny feathery finger. That is nicely done, That is nicely done, he said. he said.

Ebon made it for me, she said proudly, and looked round for him. He was standing with his father, but as if he felt her gaze on him he immediately looked toward her. He made a tiny, curiously stiff bow of acknowledgement to the sculptor she stood with, and looked away again. Surprised, she looked at the sculptor, who was smiling. she said proudly, and looked round for him. He was standing with his father, but as if he felt her gaze on him he immediately looked toward her. He made a tiny, curiously stiff bow of acknowledgement to the sculptor she stood with, and looked away again. Surprised, she looked at the sculptor, who was smiling.

He works hard, said the pegasus. said the pegasus. The extra burdens on him must make him weaker or stronger, and they have made him stronger. We are all bound by what fate chooses for us. I am proud of him. I am proud of you too, not-little Sylvi. The extra burdens on him must make him weaker or stronger, and they have made him stronger. We are all bound by what fate chooses for us. I am proud of him. I am proud of you too, not-little Sylvi. And he turned away from her, and picked up his brush again. And he turned away from her, and picked up his brush again.

They walked farther and farther into the labyrinth of the Caves, and while Lrrianay went always in the lead Sylvi was glad of the presence of the shaman, even when that shaman was Hibeehea-although she could not have said why she was glad, nor why she knew that Lrrianay depended on him too. Sylvi also knew by the third time they stopped to rest and eat that they would not leave at nightfall, that they would sleep in the Caves. But her fears of the morning seemed long ago, almost as long ago as the last time she had seen her father. By that third stop-leaning against a wall with a candle in a niche just over her head, a piece of bread in one hand and a handful of dried plooraia in the other-she had already watched the signing of the treaty and spoken to the sculptor; nor had her sense of ssshuuwuushuu ssshuuwuushuu left her. She was still aware of the weight of the mountain over her head-and it was by this that she knew that they were going farther in-but she also sensed Cuandoia looking out over his domain, and felt no apprehension. left her. She was still aware of the weight of the mountain over her head-and it was by this that she knew that they were going farther in-but she also sensed Cuandoia looking out over his domain, and felt no apprehension.

They slept in special chambers that the pegasi had hollowed out or closed off from the surrounding Caves for this use. These were small and plain, but Ebon taught her to recognise them by the small low doorways and the scatter of single flowers carved round the openings-and in each there was a strong draught of fresh air, like opening a window before you went to bed in your bedroom. (There were equally mysteriously well-ventilated little water-closets at irregular but frequent intervals along the corridors, awkward but not impossible for a small human to use, and with sweet-smelling rushes scattered on the bare floors; there seemed always to be one close to a bedchamber.) At their first evening halt she was missing the prospect of hot food very badly-if it was evening, and if it was the first and not the fifth: the breadth and balance of sshuuwuushuu sshuuwuushuu or no, Sylvi was so exhausted that she was occasionally putting a hand against a corridor wall to push herself upright. Some weary longing for sky and gra.s.s and trees had also crept into her consciousness, and she was cold and stiff and feeling her most homesick and alien, but she was careful to say (and think) nothing about it, and tried not to let her drooping spirits be too visible to her companions. or no, Sylvi was so exhausted that she was occasionally putting a hand against a corridor wall to push herself upright. Some weary longing for sky and gra.s.s and trees had also crept into her consciousness, and she was cold and stiff and feeling her most homesick and alien, but she was careful to say (and think) nothing about it, and tried not to let her drooping spirits be too visible to her companions.

But she was tired enough that the moment they walked into one of the little rooms and there were a few of the familiar bags and panniers of her journey with the pegasi waiting for them, she sat down at once, as if her knees had given way. Ebon dropped down to lie beside her, and put a wing round her, and she felt more relaxed and a good deal warmer immediately. She leant back against his shoulder and sighed. You should stuff mattresses when you moult, You should stuff mattresses when you moult, she said. she said. You'd make a fortune selling them to us. You'd make a fortune selling them to us.

What would we do with a fortune? said Ebon. said Ebon. Our old feathers go with the rest to fertilise our fields. But I'll save you some if you like. They'll keep you a lot warmer and softer than dumb old duck or goose. Our old feathers go with the rest to fertilise our fields. But I'll save you some if you like. They'll keep you a lot warmer and softer than dumb old duck or goose.

Lrrianay and Hibeehea were still standing, and she tipped her head back to look up at them. Pegasi didn't stand up as much as horses did, but they didn't immediately sit or lie down when they were tired the way humans did either. She still had to listen carefully to understand pegasus speech, and it generally had to be addressed to her for her to understand it; two of them speaking quickly and emphatically to each other made a musical, if in this case somewhat edgy, noise in her head, but was entirely untranslatable. The one thing she thought she could pick out was that Lrrianay and Hibeehea's body language declared they were not happy with each other.

She felt the ripples running along Ebon's skin and realised he was laughing. What? What? she said. she said.

It's about how we're going to sleep, Ebon said. Ebon said. You're such a little bit of a thing anyway- You're such a little bit of a thing anyway- I wish everyone would stop calling me little, she muttered. she muttered.

Little bit of a thing, repeated Ebon firmly, repeated Ebon firmly, and you haven't even got any hair to speak of, let alone feathers, and bony- and you haven't even got any hair to speak of, let alone feathers, and bony- I am not bony! she said. she said.