The Taleweaver
Gaz

They jumped.The strange sensation of nothingness followed by the shock ofsuddenly being elsewhere and Gring was certain they had arrivedwherever their captors intended them to. A jump tower this time, butas they all looked the same it didn't reveal their destination. Thenthe smell, the all too well known smell. She was home again, home inGaz. The thought carried little comfort, but also very little fear.She had done nothing to sully her honor. Someone had though, and shewanted to know who. She wouldknow who.

Somethingnew. Khraga plotting like oath breakers. Disturbing, but maybe notthe machinations of a Khraga after all. There were others in powerhere in Gaz. Mages, some of them terrible, but not all, far from all.Most were true to their word, and someone would listen to her.

Thetreatment of the taleweaver embarrassed her. Such lack of honordisplayed by one of her own. Things changing in ways she didn'tapprove of. Changes were inevitable of course, but they could atleast be honorable.

Gringgrowled. Kharg behaved like an oath breaker. He was like an honorless man driven by something, or someone, no human should pay anyheed. Gring couldn't understand how one of her own had sunk so low.It shouldn't happen.

Whatis it to be human if we start to behave like halfmen?

The questiondisturbed her even more, and she decided not to pursue it anyfurther.

She sniffed.Scents were different here. The presence of golden halfmen strong.The short lived ones smelled different. That meant they had arrivedat a palace rather than close to one of the large cities infestedwith dirt and disease.

Sweet whiffsof winter roses coated the air, and she knew they must have jumpedfar away from the outlying territories where humans ruled themselvesalmost independently and lived according to tradition. Here, in Gaz,they preferred some of the ways of the halfmen, at least thosevisible to prodding eyes. Mostly clothes and how to keep a house.Indeed the lure of a strange culture was what had once made her leavethe village where she was born and move to Gaz. Now she wasn't socertain of the wisdom of her choice any longer, but she was sincelong oath-sworn to the empire.

During thetime it took her to wander through her memories they were transporteddown from the jump tower they had arrived on. Gring threw a glancebackwards at the slender construction rising into the air. Goldenmage halfmen had made them a long time ago, and she knew of no morebeing constructed since. Maybe the knowledge was lost, or maybe theysimply decided there was no need of any more. She didn't know.

They wereled along a narrow road descending through a valley between lowhills. Kharg and two of his warriors escorted them and one of thehuman jump mages, the latter being the one who had jumped them here.

Gringfrowned at failing to recall his name. She ought to know the identityof a fellow mage, especially a human one.

The wind wasfunneled by the hillsides, and Gring briefly wondered if Arthur andChaijrild were cold. Even though the thought of freezing in the mildclimate appalled her, the two halfmen were still her responsibility,and so she had to be aware of their weaknesses. Now she had toprotect them from the possibility of human weakness as well.

She glaredat Kharg and made yet another attempt at feeling his reasons, but asearlier his mind was covered by a flexible yet strong blanket ofpower. She could read nothing more than his overt want for food andsomething to drink.

She hadstarted to try reading his thoughts after he proved his own dishonor.Anything else would have cast a shadow on the honor of her own. Shehad failed thus far. The strands of power surrounding him wereunfamiliar to her, inhuman and strange. It probably meant they weregolden in origin. Normal halfmen magic she recognized by now. She'dencountered it often enough during raids into Braka and even duringher training here in Gaz. Training years so far removed now sheaccepted she couldn't rely on her experience from them. She'd beenfar too unskilled at the time, and what she remembered might verywell be mixed up with what her mind wanted her to remember from heryouth. Only an idiot trusted childhood memories to be truerepresentations of the time when they were formed. An idiot, orsomeone blinded by a fanatic belief in any ideal acquired to replaceexperience and decent traditions.

Gring willedherself to look away from Kharg. The thoughts coming to her mind wereso strong he didn't have to be a Mindwalker to feel what she wasthinking.

Theystruggled on in silence broken by winds and the chirping of smallbirds only heard near farmlands, or at least a mansion where thebirds were fed.

Gring gazedahead of them trying to see the first signs of fences, planted treesor any other visible sign of what kind of community they were finallygoing to arrive at, but the hillsides still obscured her sight, andshe had to satisfy herself with a silent growl at one of their guardsto vent her frustration. She received a disapproving stare in returnfrom the warrior, but she didn't care and glared back.

All warriorswere taught what Mind walkers could do to their minds if they scornedthe weaker bodily strength of a mage. In war all weapons had to berespected, and more than one warrior had spent long nights plagued byconstant nightmares to teach them proper manners. Shooting Kharg anangry glance she decided not all warriors learned enough.

The valleywidened and she could see they were indeed heading for a countryestate. The property of a wealthy golden halfman by the look of it.None of the sturdiness coming from the wish to make an impregnablefortress such as those the oath breakers preferred to live in. Thegolden were almost as trustworthy as humans, and maybe they didn'tneed to protect their lies as readily as other halfmen.

A garden hidbeneath a thin layer of snow with bare splotches where winter rosesgrew. Gring guessed it continued behind the mansion as well. Longrows of fruit trees grew as protection against the wind as much asfor their more obvious use.

This waspart of what she called home, yet it still was more strange to herthan the plains and mountains where her brethren lived by their ownlaws. A discomforting thought. Disturbing in a way she hadn'texpected. She growled in resignation. The visit to the human villagehad brought too many memories from childhood to her, and thosememories made her homesick, longing for a way of living she'd chosento discard. She was still growling when they were led inside andlocked in.

Arthurhardly had time to take in what he saw as they were forced throughhalls, up a few stairs and into a room with bars but no panes in theonly window. At first it seemed better than the cell where they'dbeen kept earlier, but he soon noticed there were no beds here and itwas almost as cold inside as outdoors. Someone had brought straw toodirty to be left in a stable and the meaning was all too clear tohim. They were less than creatures to their captors. A way to conferan insult he'd never encountered before, but he was too tired tocare.

Thecontinuous lack of food made him tired as well as cold, and he knewhe slept much more than he would normally have done. Anything toconserve strength he guessed, but he didn't complain. Sleeping meantless time spent feeling miserable, and if there ever came a chancefor escape they would need all the strength they had.

Arthurcurled up in the straw and prepared to wander between waking dreamsand an uneasy sleep when Chaijrild started crying. He turned awaywishing she would stop, but as her sobbing continued he sighed andmoved so he could see her.

"Whatis it?" he asked. He was surprised at how irritated he sounded.

"I'mcold."

Well, hewasn't the only one angry then. "So am I."

"AndI'm hungry."

"I'msorry, but I have no food."

"Idon't want food."

"Whatdo you want then?" Did Ireally ask that question?

Of courseshe wanted the same as he did. To be away from here and among friendsagain. Chaijrild just stared at him, and he almost expected her toslap him, but she just sunk back and looked down at her feet.

"I'mafraid. I want this to stop," she said in a small voice.

Suddenly ata loss for words Arthur caught himself feeling next to useless. Hehadn't been able to do much since they were caught, and now Chaijrildexpected him to make their problems vanish.

"If youhave nothing more important to discuss I'm going to rest my gift now.It's draining and we need to be strong." Gring's voice. Alwayspractical and always just a little bit too void of emotions for himto really understand. Now she'd managed to make him embarrassed. Hedidn't know her powers were taxing. She'd never told him -- he'dnever bothered to ask.

He turned onthe dirty straw and tried to sleep, but sleep didn't come to him. Hewas cold and miserable from long days of neglect. Wet as well. Thedamp excuse for a mattress didn't agree with him at all.

Chaijrildstirred beside him.

"Whatis it?" he whispered. De Vhatic was less awkward to use now.

"I'mafraid."

Arthuralmost admitted he was afraid himself, but something told him shedidn't need to hear that now.

"Comehere. Everything will be fine." He didn't know what else to say.

Chaijrildcrept closer and together they were warm enough to get some sleep.

Arthurdreamed. Home, in his winter cottage, and happy, and his wife besidehim. They were strong together, always able to handle whatever lifethrew at them, and she was beautiful. He accepted his need for her, aneed emotional as well as physical, and now it was definitelyphysical. His desire grew strong. He held her close, moving with her,caressing her to wake her passion as well. He rolled on top of herand pulled down his trousers. She smelled so good, so close. His needgrew. When he felt her feet on his back he pushed forward and down.They moved together, rhythmically. He looked down and met her eyes,Chaijrild's eyes, not his wife's, but desire was too strong and hecontinued moving inside her until he was spent with release.

Arthurlowered himself, resting on his elbows. Too long, it had been toolong since he'd been with a woman. Woman? The girl wasn't even halfhis age. At the moment it didn't matter, and he was content lying ontop of her, still inside, listening to her breathing in his ear.

She wasstill hugging him close to her when he tried to roll over, afraid hewas too heavy on the thin layer of damp straw. She rolled with him,apparently not satisfied yet, and with but a small pang of shame helay with her again. It had truly been far too long since he last laywith a woman, and his needs were greater than his conscience.

I'llregret this, but not now. Once again he drifted intosleep, this time curled up in an embrace as if he was afraid ofletting go.

Waking upwas an embarrassment for them both. Arthur felt relaxed in a way hehadn't in years, but as revelation of what he had done washed overhim shame filled him as well. He could see Chaijrild's eyes mirroringwhat he felt and turned away. Gods! What a thing to do. He could aswell have raped her. Forcing himself on a sleeping child. What had hebeen thinking?

Notthinking at all, Arthur admitted sourly to himself.

"Ittook long enough for you to couple," Gring said suddenly, andwhen he looked at her he could swear he saw amusement in her eyes.

Arthurblushed violently, sharing the sudden coloring with Chaijrild. IfGring wanted them to feel warm she'd succeeded all too well.

"Youheard?" Chaijrild gasped.

"Howcould I not? You skinless are not silent like decent humans."

Arthur knewhe must be blushing enough for the red to show through the dirt inhis face, and embarrassment competed with shame. No matter whichfeeling would win out in the end it was an internal struggle he wassure to lose.

"Ididn't know she was in season," Gring continued unabashed. "Shedidn't smell as if in heat."

"Stop!"Chaijrild cried out.

Arthurcringed at her outburst, but silently he shared her sentiment.

"Honestly,I didn't." Gring persisted. "I'm very surprised. I usuallynever fail to smell when a female is ready for mating. Very odd."

Arthurglared at her with embarrassment slowly mixing with surprise."Please, no more. We hum... halfmen don't have mating periods,"he added as an explanation when he saw she was on the verge of sayingsomething more.

Gring gavehim a nonplussed look but kept her silence to his relief

They werefetched some time after that. How long after, Arthur didn't know.He'd been drifting in and out of sleep and he was no longer certainif days or hours had passed. Guards led them down the stairs they hadclimbed when they were brought here and then Arthur found himself ina hall that at first reminded him of an ancient cathedral. Columns ofstone soared into the air supporting a roof impossibly high abovethem. The pillars should have been crushed under their own weightalone, but Arthur had seen impossibilities in Verd before. This wasanother place built with magic.

Magic,always magic instead of engineering. He wondered which was mostefficient. Memories of roads and towns outside of Keen made himdecide in favor of engineering. He didn't care if he was unfair.Hell, he wasn't bloody obliged to care. He was hungry and afraid, andbeing transported from place to place without a single word ofexplanation made him angry as well.

Arthurdidn't even know why they were being held prisoners. Well, thatwasn't really true, but they hadn't been told the real reason. Unlessof course Gring wasn't some kind of traitor to the Khraga, but Arthurwas more and more certain that the one named Kharg played a game ofhis own.

They wereled across the grand hall, and as they walked it opened up even widerat the far end. Someone waited for them there, someone who lookedhuman. They were still too far away for Arthur to see any distinctfeatures. He grinned. Maybe now they would meet someone sensible. Atleast they'd get to know why they were here. Knowledge was one formof comfort, small as it may be, but Arthur desperately grasped foranything making their situation look a little brighter. He knew hewas clinging to straws of hope, but he didn't care any longer.

The marchover the floor lasted for an eternity, or so his tired legs tried totell him as he sluggishly forced himself forward. He was so verytired, and now he slowly felt the last remains of dignity slippingaway. Maybe that was what their captors had wanted all along. He wassoon brought out of his indifference though. Struggling forward likean automaton he caught sight of the face watching them. Arthurstopped dead in shock. The man had yellow eyes like a cat, and therewere lines in his face, silvery, like spider webbing, and strangelyinhuman.

He bowed andspoke. "My name is Vailinin ad Rhigrat. I am a truth seer and ajudge."

"I amGring ghara Khat and I would know why we have been brought here."Gring took up position beside Arthur.

"Youwill, as will the one you follow and the other following him."

"He isArthur Wallman, halfman taleweaver, and he's been treateddishonorably by Kharg dhara Braugdi, our captor."

Vailininshot Kharg a quizzical look. "Is that so?"

"That'swhat she claims. I say the oath breaker is a mage and a tricksterwho's blinded her with his lies."

"Youknow that is not so. He Wove when you were present," Gringbristled, defiance radiating from her like an extra layer of donnedarmor.

"Heplayed some pretty tricks, yes, but I don't know that he did indeedWeave," Kharg shot back.

"Haveyou no honor? You know that's not true."

"Interestingand disturbing. A lying Khraga. I didn't think that was possible,"Vailinin interrupted.

Hell,does he never show an expression? He's not human, that's for certain.

"Khargis the dishonorable one," Gring spat.

"Thatis beyond my knowledge. What I do know, however, is that you, Gringghara Khat, is a renegade and a traitor," Vailinin responded.

Gring took astep forward as if to attack, but at the last moment she restrainedherself. "I am not."

"Butyou are. Mindwalker, search your own mind for once. Use the powersgiven to you on yourself and you will replace that what I say is true."

Uncertaintyspread over her face, and in the end something that could only be amixture of shock and despair.

"Buthe's a taleweaver. They are sacred to us. There can be nothing wrongin protecting one."

"Whetherhe is a taleweaver or not remains to be seen. Kharg claims he is notand you that he is. That is irrelevant though. If he is, you areright in what you say, but you are not merely protecting him."

"Inorder to protect him I had to..."

"No,you chose to. For a different reason as well. You had no right tofollow him. He is not of us but of Keen, our shared enemy, no matterwhere he originally comes from."

Gringlowered her head in shame when Vailinin finished. There was no doubtwhatever the yellow-eyed man had said somehow rang true to her.Arthur couldn't let it pass.

He coughedloudly to get the attention of all present. "If you excuse, butI'm not from Keen. I'm a visitor there as well as I am here."

"Thatis not true. Here you are a prisoner, not a visitor. As for Keen youceased being a visitor when you decided to embark upon this journeyof yours. If you search yourself do you not admit that returning tothe world you claim as your own hasn't been of great importance toyou."

Arthur couldfeel those eyes seeing straight through him.

"Thecaravan is a matter of importance to Keen, and your involvement in itmakes you a matter of importance to Keen as well. Do you deny that?"Vailinin continued.

Arthur wassilent. Technically Vailinin was right. Damn it, more thantechnically Arthur admitted to himself. He could hardly deny heunderstood there would have been no caravan at all if it hadn't beenfor his gold.

"Myinterest is economical. I'm an investor," he offered.

Vailininsmiled. "Now that is false as well as true. You may be aninvestor, but you have no interest at all in the money. Isn't thatso?"

Arthur bitback a heated retort, but he realized there was no keeping the truthfrom the man he faced. It wasn't as if he knew what Arthur wasthinking, only if what he said was true or not.

"Myreasons are still personal. I don't care for Keen," Arthursulked.

"Thatis true, but personal or not your reasons for your deeds don't makethose deeds less a part of what Keen wants, and that makes you one ofKeen. At least for now."

Arthurshivered involuntarily. A bloody politician who knew what he wastalking about. This man was dangerous. Not in the way Kharg was. TheKhraga was muscles, but this one was brains only. At least Arthurhoped it was brains only. Anything else would be too much.

"I'm ataleweaver though," he protested sullenly.

"Now,that is true."

Khargprotested, but Vailinin silenced him with an angry glare.

Vailininturned his attention to Gring. "The punishment for treason isdeath, but as you never intended treachery you will not be strippedof honor."

"Ithank you for your mercy," Gring answered, head still hanging inshame.

Arthurcouldn't believe what he was hearing, but as he was about to cry outa protest Vailinin continued as if he had never noted Arthur'soutrage. "As for you two things are more delicate. The woman isof little concern and will suffer the same fate as Gring, but youpose a problem."

Chaijrildsobbed loudly at the death sentence but Vailinin continuedmercilessly. "No one may lay hands on a taleweaver," Arthurcould hear Kharg growl in protest. "but it's Gring who's beenproved a traitor, and thus I am forced to rule that she is the liar,"Vailinin continued.

"I saidso!" Kharg exclaimed jubilantly.

Vailininwhirled, rage streaming from his face like an icy wind. "Silenceyou dirty creature! Something foul covers your entire being. Nothingbut great danger can come from threatening the taleweaver, and youknow that as well as I do. He speaks the truth when he claims to bewhat he is, and yet the scent of rottenness that covers you preventsme from putting the lie to your filthy words!"

Kharg didn'tanswer. He radiated triumph. He wouldn't take any chances now when hehad got what he wanted.

Gring spoke,and suddenly Arthur no longer understood what she said. He cursedinwardly, but there was no way he could force her to use her powers.He could only stand there and listen to an argument concerning him.Frustration at not knowing what it was about filled him until heforgot the graveness of their situation.

"If youtalk about me you bloody well let me in on it!" he yelled.

It was likeshouting at a wall, and Vailinin, Kharg and Gring continued their ownshouting match as if he didn't even exist.

EventuallyGring fell silent with a grin that could almost have been a smugsmile, and they were led away. Behind them Vailinin and Khargcontinued shouting at each other. There was a feeling of finality toit, especially as Gring had withdrawn her magic during the end of theyelling. Maybe she was trying to spare him, or maybe it was for thebenefit of Chaijrild. Arthur guessed the latter.

He couldhear loud shouts in the distance, as if people were cheering. It wasgetting warmer as well. Unasked, visions of Earth came to his mind. Adarker Earth, over a thousand years ago, when cruelty was still atool in the hands of rulers. They had feared magic then, and huntedpractitioners of the art. Witch hunts and fires. Somehow he knew hewasn't to die, but thoughts of watching Gring and Chaijrild in flameswas almost worse than the prospect of sharing their fate.