Infall Ch. 07

She had washed and braided Zen's hair, bathing him, which he'd enjoyed, his eyes closed and only opening when she kissed him, and his hair was long when it was free, Indya running her fingers through it and plaiting it. Then she did the same with Kythe, whose hair wasn't as long but as beautiful, putting it in the ball he liked, neat.

Their people still didn't talk to her, but a few men had sent glances her way, small smiles, more friendly, surprising her.

"They know you were punished for running away, nina," Zen said, seeing her notice. "They got tired of chasing us to the sea and all through the woods. They respect that you took your stripes so well."

"I am strong," she said, nodding. Saba was feeling full of himself this morning, his tail up and his feet high, jostling her butt, bouncing. "Stop it, Saba, you forget you're between my legs," Indya said."

Zen grinned, looking away again, Kythe laughing.

She looked around at the deep green hills, mist drifting among the tall trees, the colors intense, the outlines of things somehow more crisp. It was spring, the sky heavy with clouds. "I like this place."

"We will be at the city gates today. Averdine isn't far from our eastern border," Zen said.

Indya drew in her breath and looked down. "What if you father don't like me? He is being angry, maybe, you don't be marry this daughter of the Coveralis ruler you are promise since you are being boys."

"Who told you that, alea?" Kythe said.

"Mavia. She saying everyone knows."

"Once our father knows you, then he will love you like a daughter. Our father will treasure your beauty and your spirit, as we do."

"How do I showing this? You are thinking this when you meet me, both of you."

"We want to talk to you about that, alea," Kythe said. "We have already spoken with our father and said to him all the things you've told us. We've shown him the earpiece and explained about your mechanisms the best we could. We've given him the far-see, and the close-see, and he knows how you have helped the men with the little animals, and he has seen the map. He believes you are of value to the Matisi and he sees our decision as not only the choice of our hearts but also that it's wise. He will pay for any insult to the Coveralis lord. He will want to speak with you while he's wearing the earpiece, to reassure himself and understand you better. Just be honest and tell him the truth."

"All right," she said, feeling nervous.

"As for everyone else," Zen said on her other side, looking tense when she turned to him. "There's a test. I don't believe in it. Kythe doesn't, and our father doesn't. But our people, some of them are superstitious. You don't have to do this. The people don't have to agree for us to marry you. But if you pass this test, many of them will be reassured that your beauty is of this world and not another."

"It's too far to go to other worlds," she said. "I telling you that. What is the test?"

He hesitated. "Our people believe that a noita hides her true form and has shame because she's evil and ugly under her beauty. She doesn't like the daylight and drapes herself in tattered robes. To prove you are not a noita, you will appear in front of the people without your clothes, riding up the main streets of Averdine and then walk to the Throne Room where our father waits in the alzar."

"That's it?" she said. "I thought maybe I am answer hard questions or sitting on a mountain with no eating."

They laughed, their deep voices.

"No, nina," Zen said. "Will you do this?"

"Yes. When?"

"When we reach the gates, alea," Kythe said, becoming serious, his eyes searching her face.

She shrugged. "All right," she said, facing forward.

* * *

They called them villages, but Indya had never seen so many people, all of them lining the streets and greeting Kythe and Zen, looking at the ground and staring at her and talking among themselves. The closer they got, the more people there were. She didn't know Averdine was so large. If she didn't know better, she would think they had come to the city already.

"Mavia!" Indya said, riding up behind the cart, following it. Mavia stuck her head with her white hair out of the back briefly, Zozo doing the same because he liked to rest and ride sometimes. He stumbled, swaying. "Zozo, you be careful you don't falling out, you crazy dog. Mavia, you ride with the driver to see it. We coming to Averdine, your dream."

Mavia's head retreated. "You don't worry about an old woman--" came from the back of the cart.

"You stopping your silly words, friend Mavia," Indya scolded. "Get your rear end off the bags and out of the back where you don't be seeing nothing and sleeping as we go. Soon I am riding the horse everywhere naked. You are riding with the driver and watch the city."

The old woman's raspy laugh came. "Are you really going to do the noita's test, child?"

"Why not? They don't seeing a woman's body before, like half of them don't look in the mirror and the other half don't watching them do it. They think maybe I have three breasts. Now they knowing I'm like them and noitas are to be stories. You want to come with me? We take your clothes away and you can be riding behind me on Saba. I make him trot and we will bounce down the road under us."

She heard Kythe and Zen laughing, more laughter from the men behind them, and Mavia emerged again from the back, holding on, her raspy laughter filling the air all around.

"The things you say, child," Mavia said, catching her breath. "I'm too old for such adventures. But I will ride in front with the driver and watch you instruct the people of Averdine about how many breasts you have."

"This is all I ask you, friend Mavia."

They came over a rise and she saw it, massive gates rising many times above her head, attached to walls that were as tall all around, people standing on the walls, many tiny people with weapons in their hands, more men. Behind that she saw the roofs of so many buildings.

And well before that on the field in front of the city were two tall buildings of stone looming over them that they would ride between, men watching them from the windows.

"They are the watchtowers of Averdine, nina," Zen said. "Our first line of defense."

She looked at Zen riding beside her, and then Kythe. "I didn't know this, that the city for your father rules is having so many peoples. I don't see many peoples all my life."

"How many live on your ship, nina?" Zen said.

She shrugged, making her hand wave, converting the number in her head. "Three thousand."

"So few?" Zen said.

"We don't allowing too many people be born. We are living on a ship in a sea of nothing to make our own food. How many peoples is in Averdine?"

"About a hucszak," Kythe said.

She was still remembering numbers in Edion and she thought maybe she'd heard wrong, staring. "A thousand-thousands, Kythe? This is the city on the world before the sun storm."

Kythe nodded. "Averdine has aqueducts and it's made us strong. We are the largest realm in this part of the world. We have fresh water for drinking and toilets that flush and carry the waste away. Our people made the roads. We can heat our homes when it's cold, a fire under the house in tiles that rises to a hole--"

"A hypocaust," she said in her language,, nodding.

"I don't know this word, alea."

"I know what you say, how you making heat."

"We have regular trade and currency, the coins we use. We have ways we feed people who can't work. Our people who are accused of a crime, we don't punish them unless we can prove their guilt and someone argues for them. We have a system for messages through the city, with many people who can write to do that work."

"You must think I'm crazy, I thinking the camp is where you are living," she said, laughing. Indya looked forward and her gut fell out from under her.

Alons was at the tall gates, waiting for them, on a horse. Indya saw him and she remembered that she didn't like him, breathing fast, remembering her hurt and his scornful manner. Kythe and Zen had gone quiet, Kythe raising his fist and stopping their line when they got to the gates.

Indya looked at Zen. "You don't fight, Zen? No violence?"

"I'll do my best, nina," Zen said.

Alons looked at the ground and up again. "Rí," he said. "I heard that you found your salvoronella who ran away. I came to congratulate you."

"Cousin," Kythe said, expressionless. "You came to learn if we had found her and what she had said to us. The nah-lí has told us that you tried to make her believe we had betrayed her. Because of this, she almost died."

"The nah-lí?" Alons said. "I'm happy she's safe, of course. I thought she was just your savoronella, Rí. I didn't know better at the time, if you'll remember--"

"And your offer to marry her if she would come to your bed? Was that because she was our savoronella?" Zen said.

Alons went pale. "I didn't say that. She has enchanted you as she did me. I was not in control of my actions. I am loyal to the rí. She is a noita, evil, only appearing good and beautiful to our eyes, but under she's ugly and a hag. This is what I have told my uncle, your father."

Indya's mouth fell open. "How do you say this?"

"Because I would like to kill you for almost killing her, our father will hear you when we arrive and decide your fate," Zen said. "Take him. Gag him. He can speak again when he stands in front of the one who will judge him."

"No," Alons said as men got off their horses and came from behind. "No! Rí. I didn't know. Look at her. How can she be anything but a noita? Look at her eyes."

Their cousin's eyes were darting to the men approaching him, and then he got off his horse.

Kythe approached her horse, leaning in. "You don't have to worry about Alons anymore, pretty alea. Now is the time for the test. It's good you're going to do it. It will calm any fears that Alons has raised in the city."

She looked after Alons, her nose flaring. "Why he saying that to your father?"

"He fears punishment for what he's done. My father will form his own judgments, and he knows Alons has a jealous nature. Are you ready?"

"Yes," Indya said, getting off her horse, her hands going to her short coat.

Kythe was beside her, and then Zen.

"Let us do it, nina," Zen said.

"I can undress myself, Zen," she said.

"We would like to do it, alea," Kythe said. "It's a part of the test, that you be strip--that we take your clothing off."

She shrugged, "All right."

Zen went down on one knee, unlacing her boots as Kythe took her tail and released the tie, her hair coming loose all around her. Kythe pulled off her short coat, wool and warm, putting it over his arm, and then he was undoing the fastenings on the back of her dress. When Zen straightened, Indya smiled at him.

"Are you not nervous at all, nina?" Zen said, looking at her face.

"To meeting your father? I am nervous."

"Don't be," Zen said, smiling wider, leaning down to kiss her, his eyes full of humor.

Kythe drew her dress off, Indya stepping out of it, and then her undergarments.

"I like to see your body in the sunshine, alea," Kythe said, putting a blanket on Saba's back, a big thick blanket in many colors.

"I'm not so cold as I worry, but I'm being glad for the blanket. I do think you say I don't ride a saddle and I worry because Saba has a bony back."

Kythe grinned and she heard laughter from behind her, the men hearing, the whole line of them seeming to ripple and murmur, her comment making its way to the back. "We won't go fast because I know you haven't ridden without a saddle before."

"That's good," she said. "I don't want to fall off in front of one thousand-thousands people."

"This is something you left behind," Zen said, pulling the purple ball jewel out of his pocket, the necklace, and putting it around her neck.

She looked down at it resting between her breasts, touching it. "I am happy see it. It's a beautiful gift. Thank you."

"One of our men will ride ahead," Zen said. "We will ride with you on either side. They have stopped all carts and horses and carriages in the city for us to pass. There will be many people and they will make a great deal of noise, but you are safe with us."

"I understand. I am not worry," she said, turning and waving, seeing her, going on her toes. "Mavia! It's good you coming out for the back, because we going to Averdine now like your dream."

"Yes, child," Mavia said, waving back, her raspy laugh. "I'm sitting with the driver to see everything."

"She's a good person, driver. You be nice to her."

"Get on the horse, nina," Zen said, smacking her bare butt.

Indya yelped, the men behind laughing again. "You don't do that to me, Zen, taking advantage for my being naked so I'm not a noita."

More laughter. Zen laughed with them and lifted her, Indya's leg coming over, and then she was perched, Kythe handing her the reins.

She waited, sitting straight, her hair everywhere down Saba's sides, messy, Kythe and Zen looking up at her. "I should maybe brush my hair."

"No, Indya. You're beautiful as you are," Kythe said, his eyes traveling all over her. "You are so beautiful."

"What for are we waiting? You forget the way?"

"No woman in our memory has done the noita test in Averdine, our capital city," Zen said. "We are savoring it. We'll go now."

One of their people rode from behind, looking at the ground briefly, his eyes sliding to her, a quick sweep of his eyes over her body. She smiled at him and he grinned, facing forward and getting ahead of them, his horse trotting.

"I think your people like me better now, a little," she said to Kythe, who had caught the exchange.

Kythe smiled. "Yes, the men like you fine."

The city was marvelous, everything she had dreamed of in a primitive surface city. In contrast to Atlantis, it was crude, the materials out of which it was made delicate and impermanent, stone that would crumble in only a few hundred years, but there was art here that made her heart sing, and gardens she would have liked to have walked through, her neck craning, and colored tile. And people, people lining the streets as far as she could see around herself, so many of them.

At first, the people were quiet, staring at her. The only sound was the slow clop of Saba's hooves and the hooves of the other horses that went with him.

She leaned in to Zen. "I thought you say they are being loud?"

"They haven't seen one like you before, Indya," Zen said, smiling at her, his eyes dropping to her body. "You surprise them. They will know how they feel in the next few streets. I like to see you on a horse. I would like to take you on a horse."

"You taking me on a horse."

Kythe snorted laughter, Zen looking away.

"I would like to have sex with you on a horse, nina," Zen said when he returned, grinning.

"It would be rude to Saba to have sex on his back," she said.

There was talking in the great crowd that had come, Indya looking at them and smiling, waving, seeing children and old people, women and men. A few waved back. Yes, they were getting louder.

"Will we see the gardens soon, maybe, Kythe?"

"Yes, alea," he said at her side, raising his voice a little.

"I told you I liking a garden? We are having gardens on Atlantis."

"Yes, I remember you said, Indya."

A child waved at her and Indya smiled and waved back and it made people happy.

"They making up their minds?" she yelled to Zen.

"Yes, nina," Zen yelled back, smiling at her. "They like you very much. They like your spirit. Be careful. Saba is nervous with all the noise."

It took a long time to get to the largest building at the end of the long road, and it was grand and a sweeping white stone coming alive in the light, purples and oranges, formed in pleasing shapes, waves in the stone like liquid and images of animals and people carved into its surface and covering places were colorful tiles in intricate patterns.

They went through tall gates into a courtyard and left the people behind, Indya turning and waving at the last ones. "I am so nervous to meet your father."

"We'll go through the alzar to the throne room," Kythe said, coming and pulling her off the horse and setting her on her feet. "Once we're there, we'll dress you."

"All right."

She looked around. Mavia and the cart were just coming in, but all the men were gone except for the driver and the one who had been in front of them. "Where are your people?"

"The men from the outpost went to the garrison, nina. We're home. They have their families to return to. They don't live here at the alzar."

"I don't say goodbye," Indya said. The one who had gone in front of them walked away from them, leaving. "Hello," Indya said, stepping forward, the man not pausing, Indya calling after him, talking to his back. "I know you don't talks to me. You will say to these men I say goodbye?"

"Captain Lopin," Zen said, the man stopping and returning, impassive, not looking at her.

"Rí," the captain said, looking at the ground briefly.

"You can answer the nah-lí."

Facing her, the captain stepped forward and offered his hand, Indya smiling at him and taking it. He leaned and touched it to his forehead, dropping it, a smile tugging on his mouth. "I can speak for the men, Nah-Lí. They would say that there is no woman better suited to be wife to the Rí of Matise. I will give them your greeting."

"Thank you," Indya said, smiling. "Goodbye."

The captain gave a soft laugh, shaking his head and leaving.

Indya walked to the back of the cart, Zozo bursting out when the back came up and almost falling, Indya grabbing him, grunting. "Zozo! How I am getting a clumsy dog? You're crazy. Are you coming, Mavia? We are going for to meet the kah-rí of this big place."

Mavia laughed a little from the back, slowly climbing out, Indya moving to help her, steadying her.

"Go slow. You be careful, friend Mavia."

"I'm fine," Mavia said, breathing a little fast. "Goodness, Indya, they still haven't given you clothing?"

"No. Soon. Do you want to come to meet him?"

"No, child. I'd like to rest a little."

Zen gestured and a man whom Indya hadn't even seen stepped forward from the shadows. "Take the nah-lí's chaperone to her chambers next to ours. Let her rest and bring her food and a bath, fresh clothing and items she will require. Indya will see you tonight after she has met our father, Mavia."

"Thank you, Rí," Mavia said.

"Rí," the man said, looking at the ground and then at Mavia, his face polite. "If you will come with me, lady."

Mavia's brows went up and then she laughed, a raspy sound, following the man.

"Are you ready, nina?" Zen said.

Indya took a deep breath and released it, nodding. "I am ready."

* * *

Characters/Pronunciation Key:

Ashka OSH-kuh Zen's dog

Danela Dan-ELL-uh Indya's friend

Disemond DIS-eh-mund engineer for the kah-rí

Etien EH-tee-en a man from Jassa

Indya IN-dee-ah Woman from Atlantis

Jae Jay Indya's brother

Kythe KYT-uh A rí of Matise

Mavia MAH-vee-uh Indya's friend

Olavine OLE-ah-veen Indya's friend

Pavel PAH-vel Indya's would-be lover on Atlantis

Saba SA-buh Indya's horse

Zen Zen a rí of Matise

Zozo ZO-zo Indya's dog

Alcon al-KONE language spoken on Atlantis

Chusa CHOOS-uh Eastern people, Chusans

Echtha EK-thuh large coastal realm on southern coast, allies to Matise

kah-rí kah-Ray King of Matise

lí LAY the wife of the prince of Matise

Matise MUH-tees A realm on the coast, the largest in the region

Metas MAY-tus the planet's name before the flare

nah-lí nah-LAY the intended of the prince of Matise

Odien O-dee-en language spoken in Matise

Revestin REV-es-tin travelers, wandering people

ri RAY prince

salvoronella SAL-vor-uh-nell-uh The rí's concubine in Matise