Pliocene Exile - The Adversary Part 87

"I doubt it. He's been deprived of his life's objective-or he will be if he accepts the rejection of his children. He will not be satisfied until he discovers the new work that is to take the place of the flawed dream. I would have told him-even given him the mitigator program that would have made the work possible. But I was a fool and tried to bargain with him."

Distracted, Elizabeth had no notion of what he was talking about. In the courteous way of metapsychics, he opened the deeper level of his mind in explanation, reprising the memory of his last meeting with Marc. The request. The refusal.

Bewilderment clouded Elizabeth's comprehension. "A new work for Marc?"

Creyn nodded. "The G.o.ddess has been pleased to give me the insight. But I was wrong not to pa.s.s it on to him freely. My only excuse is that I was a man desperate."

"You wanted Marc to apply Brendan's redactive programme to your mind?" She was incredulous. "But it would never work!

You're fully adult, burdened with the habitual thought-patterns of years-centuries! Oh, my dear, I'm sorry. You thought ... but even if such a redaction were possible, it could never change things between us."

"I know that now." He smiled rea.s.suringly. "Another insight vouchsafed by Tana, although tardily. And I had not then visualized your own role in the work, nor appreciated the significance of the inevitable duality. Again my emotions clouded my thinking."

She frowned. "You're speaking riddles, Creyn. What work?"

He showed her.

"My G.o.d!" she cried. "Are you mad?" Horror and revulsion poured from her mind before she sent her walls cras.h.i.+ng into place. She collected herself and said in a calm voice. "Your deep disappointment has affected your judgment even more seriously than you realize. I think you'll understand this yourself in a little while. But I must ask you-I want you to promise-you must never speak of this idea to anyone! Most especially not to Marc. Please, Creyn. If you care at all about me, you must promise."

His barriers lowered as a warrant of sincerity. "I promise. It's enough that you know."

"The entire notion is futile. Besides, we both know quite well what Marc will decide to do. As for the rest of it-" She shook her head. "You've been infected by the s.h.i.+pspouse's lunatic prescience, not touched by Tana's wisdom."

"Perhaps." He turned away. "Forgive me if I insulted you.

But as a solution, it displayed an elegant inevitability-"

"Don't mention it again. G.o.d knows I have enough to worry about."

There was a knock on the door, and Dedra's leading thought.

Elizabeth rose as the door opened and steeled herself to meet the mothers of the black-torc babies.

CHAPTER SIX.

Aiken came into the dark coolness of the Roniah City-Lord's sanctum, where the High Table members had gathered. Of those that had served the Thagdal there remained only Kuhal Earthshaker, Bleyn the Champion, and Alberonn Mindeater.

Celadeyr, who had been raised to the Table on the battlefield of the last Grand Combat and then attainted for his role in Nodonn's treason, was now finally adjudged worthy of reinstatement. He stood with the seven newly chosen Great Ones ready to take the pledge of fealty.

AIKEN: It's fitting that the High Table should be complete at this first Grand Tourney celebration so that our High Kingdom may present a unified face to the Foe. To this end I have nominated a full slate of Great Ones ...

ALL: [Surprised murmurs.] But two seats are unfilled!

AIKEN: A full slate, I say. But before receiving your oaths I command your commemoration of those High Table Members who have pa.s.sed into Tana's Peace since our last convocation at the Grand Loving: Aluteyn Craftsmaster, Second Lord Creator; Artigonn of Amalizan, Second Lord Coercer; Armida the Formidable of Bardelask.

ALL: To them be Tana's Peace.

AIKEN: And in compa.s.sion let us commend those who fell from My favour and forfeited their seats through treason: Thufan Thunderhead of Tarasiah; Diarmet of Geroniah; Moreyn Gla.s.scrafter of Var-Mesk.

ALL: To them also be Tana's Peace.

AIKEN: [Pain.] And the late Queen Mercy-Rosmar.

ALL: Peace to her.

AIKEN: And my most n.o.ble antagonist Nodonn Battlemaster.

ALL: Peace to him.

AIKEN: And finally, let us commend one who does not rest to the mercy of the G.o.ddess, that in her good time she may give him peace: Culluket the Interrogator, Lord Redactor.

ALL: [Dread.] Tana grant him release. [The Song.] (Silence.) AIKEN: Now let the sitting Great Ones reaffirm fealty.

MORNA-IA KINGMAKER + SIBEL LONGTRESS + BLEYN THE CHAMPION + KUHAL EARTHSHAKER + CONDATEYR FULMINATOR + ALBERONN MINDEATER + EADNAR OF ROCILAN + NEYAL OF SASARAN + LOMNOVEL BRAINBURNER + ESTELLA-SIRONE OF DARASK: Slonshal to the s.h.i.+ning One, Aiken-Lugonn High King of our Many-Coloured Land.

AIKEN: And to you Slonshal ... Let the nominated Great Ones here present pledge fealty. Celadeyr of Afaliah, Second Lord Creator.

CELADEYR: I swear by the torc.

AIKEN: Boduragol of Afaliah, Lord Redactor, and Lady Credela, Second Redactor.

BODURAGOL + CREDELA: We swear by the torc.

AIKEN: The city-lords Ochal the Harper of Bardelask, Parthol Swiftfoot of Calamosk, Ferdiet the Courteous of Tarasiah, Heymdol Buccinator of Geroniah, and Donal of Amalizan.

OCHAL + PARTHOL + FERDIET + HEYMDOL + DONAL: We swear by the torc.

AIKEN: And now I will fill the last two seats.

(Speculation. Wonderment.) AIKEN: We live in terrible and portentous times, greatly outnumbered by our ancient Foe and beset by outlandish menaces as well. Yet we are not without friends, some of whom are unable to publicly declare themselves. These friends have given Me good counsel and deserve to sit among the Great Ones by reason of the love they have for our land, the goodwill they bear toward its King, and their own sovereign dignity. They must for now sit at our Table in secret. Let them manifest themselves in simulacrum to take their pledge.

(Stupefaction.) KATLINEL THE DARKEYED AND SUGOLL: We swear by the love we bear one another and by our love for the land and its people that we will uphold King Aiken-Lugonn in all n.o.ble-minded endeavour. We vow our alliance in battle in the event of the Nightfall War, and repudiate our erstwhile va.s.salage to the Firvulag Throne. And thou, Teah, witnesseth.

AIKEN: Slonshal and Slitsal to one and all.

(Uproar) AIKEN: Does anyone dispute My right to seat these two?

(Silence.) AIKEN: Brothers and Sisters, desperate times call for desperate remedies. Sugoll and Katy have told me how King Sharn openly boasted of a scheme to touch off Nightfall at the climax of the Tourney.

CELADEYR: I knew it! And they called me an antiquated deathwisher!

AIKEN: Sharn has been drilling his stalwarts in metaconcert technique for months. And Ayfa's contribution is dinging the brains of the stubborn ones who cling to the old individualistic Way. The Little People have new tactics and new weapons.

They use cavalry and captured Milieu weapons-and even the blood-metal, since they're not as sensitive to iron poisoning as Tanu are.

DONAL OF AMALIZAN: But this is monstrous! Sharn and Ayfa must be insane to think of precipitating Nightfall. They're both young, with children, and Nightfall means the doom of both our races!