The Gift
(Extended Version)
by Trystl
Chapter Two
1
Damian sat back in his chair; threw the rough draft of a legislative proposal he�d been reading onto the stack of papers on his desk. He listened. After a moment he heard another knock at the door.
�Come in,� he said peevishly. �It�s open.�
Slowly the door swung in, and Moraka, a short elderly woman, peered hesitantly around the lacquered molding. He glowered at her unmercifully, but there was a glint of amusement in his eye. He took a perverse pleasure in his ability to make the old woman uncomfortable. From the beginning of her service, he had been unreasonably demanding, and metered out severe punishment for her slightest errors in judgment. They had been together a long time now, and her errors were almost nonexistent. Still he liked to test her, to tease her with threatening looks that he was perfectly prepared to carry out.
Disturbing him in his study was to obvious a mistake. There had to be a good reason for it; it was just a matter of whether her reason would be good enough.
Damian wondered about that. �Well?� he barked, noting how Moraka flinched at the cold threat in his voice. �You know I�m not to be disturbed when I�m in the study.�
�Yes, I know my lord; I�m sorry. But I have a message from Tereesan!�
Damian raised his eyebrows appreciatively. This could indeed be news worthy of an interruption.
Encouraged, Moraka came timidly towards the desk, moving gracefully despite her reserved manner. Her advancing age, had recently become much more apparent in the way she carried herself, but he wondered if she would ever loose her dancer�s grace.
�So,� he said. �What does that Tabi healer want?�
Moraka shrugged. �He said it was about the proposal he sent you, my lord.� She held out an envelope �And that you would understand when you read his letter.�
�He said! You mean Tereesan brought the message himself?�
�Yes, my lord.�
�You�ve offer him something to drink, of course? Go tell him I�ll be out shortly.� Then almost to himself he mumbled, �But I mustn�t come to quickly to his call...�
�I�m sorry, my lord, but�� Damian looked up at her, his eyes blazing. Under his scrutiny she hesitated a moment; then with a helpless shrug said. �I invited him in, but... he said he didn�t want to impose. I�m afraid he�s already left, my lord.�
Already left!
Damian nodded, sinking deep into his own thoughts. With a distracted wave of his hand he dismissed Moraka, then turned his attention to the finely crafted envelope in his hand.
What could be so urgent that the healer would hand deliver a message, and yet would be more suitable to the medium of a letter than a personal confrontation. He turned the envelope over and over in his hands, setting his mind to notice every detail: the pattern of dark splotches on the rag cloth; the method used to fold and seal the seems; and the blot of wax, stamped with Tereesan�s official seal: an intricately detailed unicorn and her young.
Sometimes Damian found that examining a problem from a state of ignorance could provide insights that became clouded the more was known, so he thought now about what he already knew, trying to make some sense of the letter; as if it were a logic puzzle to be solved.
�It was about the proposal,� that was how Moraka had quoted the healer; and that could only mean it was about the legislative proposal, rough draft, that Damian was reading when Moraka had knocked at the study. He had wondered why Tereesan would send him such a thing. They were perennial opposites when it came to their views on the council. Why would he give Damian a proposal when it was still in the planning stages.
He sighed and turned his thoughts to the content of the proposal: that was equally as perplexing. It dealt with issues of water rights and the zoning along the banks of the Nydias River, east of Minzer Island, between the North Minzer Bridge and the West Jawls Bridge. There the river formed a shallow oxbow reservoir known as Slutin Lake.
At present, the laws of Essoria did not allow anyone to own land along the river bank below flood stage. That meant that during the dry season their was a stretch of land around the lake that was essentially ownerless.
Tereesan�s proposal would change that, making a persons property extend up to the edge of the water regardless of the season.
But why?
Since the first time he had read it, Damian had been rereading the proposal over and over again, pondering that very question.
Something in his devious mind sent up a warning that Tereesan�s proposal was designed to allow him to gain a monopoly on the river side property�but since the proposal strictly forbid property owners from obstructing the flow of water during the wet season, he couldn�t see what good it would do. And besides, Damian owned a good piece of land that the healer would need to gain such a monopoly.
The healer was a crafty man, he must have come up with a way to capitalize on the water; and he was hoping to buy the land from Tereesan that would make it a monopoly. But no... if that were his object, why would he give Tereesan the proposal to read before he talked to him about buying the land.
And how was he going to capitalize on that land!
Then again, could he even be sure that was the healer�s real aim? Maybe it was just a clever gambit to disguise another purpose.
Again he went over all the possibilities.
Slutin Lake went dry to quickly to be a valuable water source, except during the wet season when the river flooded, and overflowed into the channels of the wealthy estates, such as Damian�s, filling their private wells. These wells were Essoria�s only source of water when the rains ceased and the river went dry. They had always been adequate for their purpose, providing enough water to sell to the smaller landowners and merchants who could not afford, or did not wish, the major expense of digging their own wells. Even the peasants occasionally came to buy drinking water. Washing and cooking water they collected in barrels, mostly from the morning dew that dripped off their roofs, or from the hard but short bursts of rain that came infrequently.
And none of this explained why Tereesan had written his proposal. Still more curious, why did Tereesan want to discuss his proposal with Damian�unless it involved the land that he owned along the banks of the lake? It couldn�t be a need for capital, Tereesan was quite wealthy; and even if he weren�t, Damian would undoubtedly be the last person he would come to for money.
He sighed audibly.
He�d been speculating since yesterday, when the proposal came and it wasn�t getting him anywhere. Reluctantly he turned his attention back to the letter. Searching in his drawer he found his letter opener, sliced the envelope open, then unfolded the crinkly, white rice paper. The letter was written in an elaborate script, as if it had been penned by a scribe.
To Damian Hormilio, son of Masrond Hormilio,
the Honorable Council Member of Essoria.You are cordially invited to attend a personal business meeting to be held in the home of Tereesan Balipam concerning the proposal to be set before the council on the third day of Leemregh in the twelfth year of our Lord Emperor, Sandim Emir Roud Azolin. I am eager to be your hosts, and encourage you to join me in putting aside our political differences in an effort to obtain mutual financial gain. I would give more specific details, but it is not safe to discuss the nature of our business via the written word.
If the specified date is not convenient, choose an evening, at your leisure. Send a runner to let me know the date. For convenience you may join us in our evening meal. Attire will be very informal, as you please.
Sincerely hoping to see you.
Tereesan Balipam and Serria Balipam
Damian�s face hardened in a restless frown; his eyebrows flattened above his dark moody eyes.
The letter disturbed him.
He couldn�t help feeling that something dangerous had been set in motion! He wasn�t sure what, but he could feel it like a draft in the air�something lurking just below the surface of his consciousness, like a deceptive undercurrent, capable of dragging him down if he was careless.
And yet the invitation intrigue him, as he suspected Tereesan knew it would.
He leaned further back in his chair, and turned to look out the window of his study. Evening was still a few hours away, but the dark clouds, which threatened rain, made it seem later. For a few moments Damian sat, just looking out the window; feeling like an insect, sensing danger, but unable to avoid the spider web in its path.
What was Tereesan up to?
He couldn�t simply ignore the letter, that just wasn�t in his nature. But he would have to be very careful. It didn�t pay to underestimate an opponent; and he knew Tereesan would always be his opponent politically. They were on the far opposite end of nearly every issue that went to a vote before council.
He sighed and called for Moraka, although not loudly, for he knew she would be waiting just outside the door. As he guessed, she entered the room almost immediately.
�Fetch Braidon,� he said. �I must see him right away. Then fetch me a runner. I want a message delivered to Tereesan.�
2
When Braidon entered the room the two men did not exchange greetings�not even a formal greeting�he simply stood by the door waiting.
Damian didn�t waste time; he held the letter out to Braidon. �Read this,� he said.
The large Comilaun warrior read with his usual deadpan expression and set the letter on the desk when he was finished. �I assume you plan on going to this meeting,� he said.
Damian considered the question carefully. Braidon�s hair was turning white with age, but his mind was still as sharp as ever, and Damian trusted him with protecting his life and home for good reason.
�The letter is intriguing,� Damian admitted thoughtfully. �But as I�m sure you�ve guessed, I don�t trust Tereesan. He brought the letter himself, yet he gave it to Moraka and quickly left before we could meet. What do you make of that?�
�Rather curious... As if he wanted to avoid answering your questions.�
�I certainly have a lot of questions! But he�s managed to grab my attention.�
�The two of you have never seen eye to eye politically,� Braidon said. �Perhaps he felt curiosity was the best way to lure you into going. If he let you ask him questions you might have learned enough to decide you weren�t interested.�
�Perhaps it is as he says: purely a business mater.�
�Perhaps.�
�But you don�t think so.�
�I have no reason to believe him... I would say it is better to be cautious. This Tereesan is a Tabi healer and one should always be careful when dealing with Gazarri witches and Tabi healers.�
Damian was confused. �Tabi magic is the way of minerals and herbs; their preparation and uses.� He pondered his own remarks trying to ferret out Braidon�s meaning from these obvious facts, but despite his distrust of magic, Damian had never heard Braidon�s maxim said about Tabi healers. �Healing magic isn�t the only thing that comes from herbs,� Braidon explained. �Tabi knowledge can also be used for foul witchery; poisons, among other things...and there are certin poisons, that can take several days before they have any effect, making it very difficult to prove who administered the lethal dose. The emperor keeps several Tabi healers in his service, primarily for employing and countering that sort of thing...�
Damian thought about Tereesan: he was a balding, elderly man�effeminately gentle in his manner. It was hard to think of him as capable of killing anyone; yet it would not be wise to underestimate him.
Braidon seemed to read the meaning in Damian�s expression. �I don�t think he�s stupid, or desperate enough, to risk being incriminated by your death,� he said. �His attack would be very subtle... If it was from someone else, I would say the invitation would to incriminating�to easy to trace. But with a Tabi healer...� He left the warning hanging.
�Then you don�t think I should go?�
�I didn�t say that,� Braidon said quickly. �Simply that it could be dangerous! If you go, use every method available to protect yourself; for instance, I would strongly suggest that you take a human shield...�
�A human shield?�
�A taster,� Braidon said with a smiled. �There are several ways to kill with poison. The most obvious is by ingestion. If you take a companion with you, to taste everything he offers you, then your companion would also die if Tereesan were to give you poisoned food or drink. That would establish the link necessary to convict him; and if he�s sophisticated enough to know about the poison, he�ll be smart enough to know he can�t use it against you if you�re using a shield.�
�Why not just use Tereesan as my shield? If I only eat what he eats.�
�There are to many poisons that can be rendered inert by taking an antidote hours before ingesting them. And there are others one can build up and immunity to...��Alright,� Damian said. �I�ll take a shield. What else?�
�He may try contact poison. Wear gloves, and thick clothing to cover your arms and legs. Don�t leave your wrists exposed either, the poison may be on his hands. Or it could be on your plate or your glass. Have your shield drink directly from your glass and eat from your plate. There are also flying insects that can be injected with a poison that will be transferred with their bite, but these can be countered by covering your face and neck with an insect repellant...�
Braidon paused as the runner entered the room and stood waiting, but when Damian didn�t shift his attention, he continued. �There are other things as well. If you decide to go we will go over them, and I will drill you on other precautions you should take.�
�Very well,� Damian said with a nod of approval. �I�m going. I intend to write a letter, and send it with this runner. Do you have any suggestion for my reply?�
�Do you have any plans for this evening?�
�Nothing I couldn�t break,� Damian said cautiously.
�Then make the appointment for this evening instead of waiting until the last moment,� he said.
Damian frowned. Making it for tonight would make him seem much to eager. Braidon didn�t seem to notice; he was caught up in his own plotting.
�There are a few preparations that should be made for your safety,� he said. �but nothing that I can�t arrange by this evening. And there�s a small chance that we may catch this healer unprepared. I doubt he would suspect you to make the date so soon, since it will make you look to eager.�
After a moment Damian nodded and began drafting the letter. �Very well,� he said. �I�ll make it for this evening on the nineteenth hour.�
When he was done Damian turned to the runner, a young Podastion boy with pure blood. His straight blonde hair was cropped short; his blue eyes flashed nervously under Damian�s scrutiny.
�I want you to take this to the home of the healer Tereesan,� Damian said, holding the letter out for the runner. �He lives on Craals Road,� he said speaking slowly so that the youth would be sure to follow his directions. �Take Cartues South...go past New Shouden on your right...Craals will be the next road to the left.�
The runner bowed awkwardly, �Yes, my lord.�
As he left the room Damian turned back to the Com-warrior. �Tell me Braidon, how does a man like Tereesan become the richest man in Essoria?�
�I�m not sure what you mean.�
�How does a man who�s nearly squandered his father�s whole estate suddenly become the richest man in Essoria? In less than two years!� Damian shook his head. �I�ve done a little checking on him. His father left him quite an estate, you know; but he squandered most of it�giving charitable service to anyone who came to his door. Eventually they were coming to his door in droves. Even then, when he saw how they were destroying his trade and sapping his wealth, he was unable to turn them away! And the more they came to him the more tarnished his reputation became. Slowly those who were more able to pay ceased going to him for fear that they would loose face going to a healer who attracted mostly beggars and demimondaines.
�Now what do you make of a man like that? Why does a reclusive sort of man who�s never shown the slightest interest in politics, suddenly become one of the most active proponents of radical reform?�
Braidon shrugged. �Learning about the Tabi arts was part of my military training as one of the Emperor�s elite guards,� he said. �But about Tereesan in particular I�ve heard only rumors.�
Damian looked at him sharply. �I�ll take rumors.�
�It�s said that he has sympathetic connections with members of Leskral.�
�Of course he has!� Damian snapped. �It�s simply a matter of proving it!
�It�s also said that his wealth was obtained by securing a large shipment of exotic goods from the fairie relms.�
Damian scowled. �I�ve heard that too, but I find it hard to credit. Forget that the major source of trade with the fairy realms comes from the Gazarri witches in Westeria, who won�t trade with Zanadian merchants at all...�
�They trade freely with Mersal...�
�But that�s located East in Krasaun. Free territory! And even their the Gazarri witches are notorious for their tight fisted manner of bartering. Even if Tereesan had traveled to Mersal, it would have taken his entire estate to buy a third of what it�s rumored he�s already sold.�
�The Gazarri also trade freely with the members of Leskral,� Braidon said. �And I�ve heard that they�re not so tight fisted with those Amorian creatures. If Tereesan has strong ties to Leskral, it�s possible they secured the merchandise for him.�
�In exchange for his feeble efforts in support of their movement before the council?�
�Perhaps, that among other things.�
Damian raised an eyebrow. He had to admit that it fit. All of Tereesan�s proposals�until this most recent draft, which was all the more perplexing for its neutrality�had been sympathetic to slaves, particularly women. Already he had managed to organize a small but growing faction of reformists. And if he ever began to have success changing the laws regarding Zanadian citizens then he could begin slowly redirecting his efforts towards the Amorians of Leskral and other non-humans races.
�It�s not hard to imagine that Leskral might even have sought him out,� Braidon mused. �...From what you�ve said.��Yes, I suppose a man like that would draw the attention of Leskral like sour milk draws flies.�
�And a man with those goals,� Braidon said. �Would have every reason to want you out of the way. Without you, the major obstacle to his reformist faction would be removed. Undoubtedly some council members who are presently deterred by your presence would begin to lean more heavily in favor of his reformist policies...�
�You really suspect some treachery then?�
Braidon shrugged, and glanced at the proposal. �I always suspect,� he said.
Damian picked up Tereesan�s proposal again, looking at it with renewed curiosity. He�d read it enough times to know that he wouldn�t find anything new. Thinking about it he realized that Braidon had had not really given him anything new either. These were all things that Damian had though of before, although never so clearly.
Braidon did have a way of quickly cutting through facts and getting to the core of a situation. If only he were more thoroughly versed in the intricacies of local politics. Still he might see something that Damain had missed.
�I want you to read this,� Damian said holding the proposal out to Braidon. �Tereesan told Moraka the meeting would have something to do with this. See if you can find anything to suggest what he might be up to.�
�Of course,� Braidon said nodding politely. �I�ll leave you alone, then.�
Distractedly Damian waved him away, and Braidon quietly took his leave.
3
The next few hours dragged by slowly for Damian.
Braidon returned with Tereesan�s proposal. It hadn�t given him any ideas; and so after discussing it briefly, they spent the next hour with drills on precautionary measures.
Damian was happy for something to keep his mind preoccupied.
�Well,� Braidon said when he was satisfied that Damian had absorbed what he�d been told, �I must excused myself, again, if I am to make arrangements for a tracker to follow you.�
�Of course,� Damian agreed. �And pick out a slave girl who you think will make a good shield. Have Moraka get her ready for this evening.�
As the Com-warrior left, Damian turned to his own thoughts. He didn�t like admitting it, even to himself, but he was nervous about the coming evening. He found it comforting that someone would be following him, yet it was disconcerting that Braidon thought that it was necessary.
He began pacing the floor infront of his desk. For a moment he thought of reconsidering, calling off the visit�but his pride and curiosity would not allow that.
He glanced at the time piece he keep on a small table in the corner. It was an elaborate dome-shaped glass, housing a complex of gears and springs and suspended weights. He glanced at the lunch Moraka had brought him. He had left it sitting nearly uneaten on a tray at his desk. Turning, he walked back towards the window, and looked out on the front yard and the drive that lead to the road.
There was a knock at the door. A soft, timid knock he knew was Moraka, without even looking.
�What is it?�
She entered, and greeted Damian with a curt little bow. �Another letter came from Tereesan,� she said.
He took it eagerly. The construction and material of the envelope were the same as the first letter, as well as the wax seal. He opened the letter, noting the same elaborate script.
To the Honorable Council Member,
Damian Hormilio, Son of Masrond Hormilio:This evening is quite acceptable, although you will have to excuse my humble hospitality, as that will not give me much time to have anything fancy prepared to eat.
I have taken the liberty of sending a runner to fetch a public carriage for your convenience. I offer this as a token of my good will; and hope that you will not find it presumptuous of me, but with the lateness of the hour I thought I should at least offer to provide the transportation. It is a commercial service not one of my own, so if you decide not to use it, please let the driver go, since, as you know, they work by the hour.
I look forward to seeing you.
Tereesan Balipam
�Moraka!� Damian called as he walked out into the hall, heading for his room. When she fell into step behind him, he said. �Fetch Braidon to my room at once.� �At once,� she said, turning away to search for the Comilaun warrior.
Entering his room, Damian went to stand in front of his closet. He thought of picking out a fine silk shirt to wear, but he remembered Braidon�s precaution to wear thick leather, and selected a suitable long sleeved tunic, pairing it with thick leather leggings.
Then, going to his armory cabinet, he turned the lock with one of the two keys that he keep about his neck. Inside was a wide array of weapons. From them he selected a pair of onji throwing spikes that could be concealed by his sleeves. To his waist, he strapped his finest sword. It�s sheath and handle were carved with the finery of a ceremonial blade, yet it was made with superior metal and excellent balance.
Damian smiled at himself in the full length wall mirror. His dress was appropriate: stylish, and protective without seeming more than formal. The sword would let Tereesan know that he was being cautious; but being ornate, it was not something that would give offense.
When Braidon came into the room Damian saw him in the mirror. �Have you finished with your preparations,� he asked holding out the healer�s latest letter.
Braidon nodded, and read the letter quickly.
�Do you think I should accept it,� Damian asked when Braidon had finished.
�I would still take the shield I�ve selected, just to be safe, but I see no reason not to use Tereesan�s carriage.�
Damian nodded his agreement; he had already come to the same conclusion. He turned towards Moraka who had entered the room and was standing just inside the doorway.
She bowed. �My lord, Tereesan�s carriage has arrived.�
�Already?�
He exchanged a curious glance with Braidon.
�Fetch the slave Braidon has selected to escort me, and have her meet me at the front door.� He turned to fetch his gloves.
When he had slipped them on he presented himself to Braidon for inspection. �Well,� he said. �Does this meet your specifications?�
Braidon grinned. �I�ll get the ointment for your face,� he said, walking to the door.
4
When Damian came down the stairs he saw a young girl with straw-blonde hair waiting at the door. He recognized her as one of the newer girls who helped Moraka around the house; and wondered why Braidon had picked her instead of one of the women he keep to entertain his important guests, or to accompany him on the formal occasions when that sort of thing was expected. She had the rounded face typical of Scoralion breeding, and although she wasn�t ugly, she was young and rather plain looking.
She glanced up nervously as Damian approached.
Smiling, he made a production of eyeing her critically. She wore a sheer, floor-length evening gown that revealed more of her than she was used to. Self-consciously she folded her arms in front of her; eyes darting around, but avoiding his.
Up close she was more attractive than she had appeared from a distance; and Damian decided that he was pleased with Braidon�s choice. She had a naive innocence about her that Tereesan would want to protect.
�What�s your name?�
�Leesha, my lord,� she said with a stiff bow.
He nodded. �We have a carriage waiting,� he said, turning to the door and leaving her to follow.
They walked down to the driveway.
The driver, a pale young Romastion girl, was sitting in the cabin of a large and elegant carriage, keeping warm by the brazier. She wore the light, fitted summer tunic with slit sides, common with the female drivers during the hot days of Leemregh. Damian didn�t think it was something the girl would have chosen to wear on her own since the weather was still fairly cool in the evenings. It was barely Spring in fact, with the earliest blooming leaves little more than buds on the trees.
He wondered if the tunic was company policy or if Tereesan had requested the dress, knowing it would appeal to him. He suspected the later, and yet it would be totally out of character for the healer, and that further aroused Damian�s suspicions.
As he came near, the girl stepped down; and the hoary, pubescent hair between her legs flashed from under the short cut of her reddish brown tunic. He recognized the commercial logo emblazoned along the leather hemline: The Brother�s Bromin and Kerodyn. They were a prominent force on the council in Solali, having numerous business interests there and through out the Zanadian territories on Meswitch. Their affluence rivaled Damian�s own, although fortunately their political interests had rarely been in conflicted with his.
Of even more importance than their politics, however, was the fact that the brothers owned very few slaves outside their own personal retinue. Instead, they hired workers, and paid them or their owners; thus avoiding the expense of housing a large workforce.
That meant it was possible Tereesan owned the girl and had hired her out as a driver.
If he had something devious planned, Tereesan would want the driver to be one of his own, so that he could quietly disposed of her: one less potential witness. Even Tereesan could not hope to rely on her loyalty if she were put to torture, as she very well could be if the authorities felt she was withholding information in a case as important as Damian�s disappearance would be.
Damian looked at the girl more closely. She was quite attractive. Something more than her persistent youthfulness�common to her Ramastion breeding�suggested that she was indeed young; and yet she was more shapely than most mature women who had her Ramastion white hair, and skin. That, Damian knew was explained by her green Srowidian eyes, which shone prominently from high cheekbones. Like the narrowness of her chin, those cheekbones suggested blood of the Clestion phylo.
The girl was pure mutt, but her Ramastion breeding was strongest.
�Damian Hormilio?� she asked, in a thick lower East accent.
Damian nodded. �And you must be the girl from Tereesan.�
�My lord,� she said with a slightly puzzled look. �I�m from Bromin and Kerodyn.�
�But you know where to go?�
�I was told you would know the way, my lord...�
She might have said more, but Damian cut her off. �Very well,� he said, pushing Leesha towards the coach.
He stepped up into the coach behind her and closed the door, taking the seat beside his escort. He pushed opened the large porthole the driver would have used for the reign if she had been permitted to sit inside the coach.
�Well don�t just stand there!� He barked.
�Yes sir,� the girl said, climbing up onto the outer perch and taking the reigns from their hook by the porthole.
Damian took an erratic route through town�cutting up one street and down the next, until the driver could not help but notice that she was driving in circles.
Even Leesha seemed confused as she sat staring out the window, trying to figure out where they were going. Damian didn�t speak to her. He was preoccupied with his own thoughts as he watched Shalis through the porthole, hoping to find some tell-tell clue in her manners.
Was she really from Bromin and Kerodyn? By the time they had backtracked several times, she was shivering quite noticeably; and when they came upon a dark, secluded woods they had already passed, Damian rapped on the forward wall. �Stop the coach!� he shouted.
The coach slowed and pulled to the side of the road.
He turned to Leesha and nodded for her to move to the rear seat, then he turned back to the porthole beside the driver�s seat. �Come down from there,� he said pushing open the coach door.
Shalis climbed down, and stood with her arms straight and close to her side; her legs pressed together. When it became obvious that Damian wasn�t going to say anything she cleared her throat to speak. �Is something wrong, sir?�
He grinned. She was afraid�wondering what he wanted. He made her wait, noting of how she relieved her tension by clenching her hand repeatedly. In the dim light, her chalky skin and white hair made her look rather ghostly.
After a moment he pushed the door further open. �Come a little closer,� he said, �so I can get a better look at you.�
�My lord, I...�
�Come closer!� he snapped.
She took a hesitant step into the glow of orange light from the brazier.�Ah yes,� Damian said, smiling warmly. �You�re pretty, aren�t you? Are you cold? Perhaps you�d like to join me inside the coach until you get warm.�
Shalis glanced at Leesha in the back seat; and her eyes narrowed cautiously. �I don�t think so, sir.�
Damian shrugged, sitting back in his chair. �As you choose,� he said smugly. �But I don�t intend to go on just yet.� He gave her a cold appraising glance, and was pleased to see her cheeks redden slightly. �You can keep me company inside where it�s warm, or you can continue to drive around until I decide I�m ready.�
�But my lord, my instructions were to drive you directly to Tereesan�s house!�
�You�ll drive me there when I�m ready to go!� He smiled hoping to take the edge off his words. �Come. Warm yourself beside me...or go back to the high seat if you�d rather. Make up your mind, though. I�m loosing my heat with this door open!�
Shalis hugged her arms to her chest and shiver, but she climbed into the coach. He closed the door behind her, putting his hand on her shoulder and guiding her to the seat beside him, closest to the brazier, and away from the door.
He gave her a moment to huddle over the warm glow.
�What�s your name, child?� he asked rubbing the coldness from her bare shoulders, and leaning close to breathe her clean, crisp scent. The smell of her was invigorating.
�Shalis,� she said without facing him.
�And how old are you, Shalis?�
She glanced at him, then looked away, rubbing her hands together over the orange glow of heat.
Damian waited patiently.
�I�m seven,� she said after a moment.
�Seven years old,� he said, pleased that, as yet, her adolescence had not changed her girlish figure. He brushed his finger against her chin, wondering if her Romasion blood would freeze her maturity, or if another phylo would express itself. He smiled as she fought an impulse to pull away from his caress. �On Lemar, the Zanadian homeland, you would be about fourteen or fifteen.�
She smiled slightly. �That makes me sound old.�
�Old,� Damian laughed. �Are you calling me old!�
Shalis turned to face him. �I didn�t mean...� She let it hang, her face burning bright.
�I know what you meant!� Damian smiled, reaching out to her. His finger traced lightly down the front of her throat. She tensed slightly and closed her eyes, her breathing shallow and ragged, but she didn�t turn away.
Deftly he unknotted the laces at the front of her tunic.
She opened her eyes, glanced towards Leesha and swallowed loudly. Leesha stared fixedly out the window.
�Surely, at your age,� Damian said, reaching inside her tunic and cupping a small breast. �You�ve been with a man.�
Shalis�s porcelain white skin washed bright red.
Firmly he tweaked her nipple and she drew in a sharp breath. He tweaked her other nipple more gently and she closed her eyes again without answering.
�Well!� He pinched her nipple sharply. �Have you?�
�Yes!� she said trembling.
�How many?� he asked, not wanting to let the glow of her skin fade yet.
�Just one.�
�Just one!� He demanded, increasing the pressure on her nipple slightly.
�Just one!� She said.
How could her life really be that protected? He released her nipple and rubbed it gently. Her owner might intend to make her a free woman to take her as his consort. That would not be hard to believe�she was compelling. And attractive in the puerile way of Romastion breeding.
�Your owner?� Damian asked
�Yarvin,� she said nodding.
Damian kissed the lower lobe of her ear. �Do you know why I ask you these questions?� he asked softly.
She nodded.
�Why,� he said, licking her chin. �Tell me!�
She shrugged, her face turning a brighter shade of red than Damian had thought possible. �To see if I�m a virgin?� she said, but it was more question than answer.
Damian smiled, letting his hand trace lightly down the front of her tunic, along the length of her thigh. �Yarvin wouldn�t want me to spoil his virgin, would he? But your not a virgin!�
Forcing his hand up under her tunic, he grabbed a handful of skin. Her stomach muscles flinched and she let out a girlish squeal, which might have been delight or pain, as he rolled her flesh between his fingers, testing for an excess of fat�he did not find any. Her skin was smooth and tight.
�Your not ticklish, are you?� He probed her ribs more gently and she jumped, pulling her arms tight for protection.
�Very well then,� he said, giving her an encouraging slap on the side of the leg. �Stand up! That�s a good girl.� He pulled her to him, so that she stood in front of him facing away; and thrust her tunic up above her waist. She gasped; he clamped his hands around her hips and jerked her down on his lap positioning her so she sat on the very end of his left knee. He palmed her breast. With his free hand on her shoulder, he tilted her sideways, back across his right knee, until she was lying on her back across his leg. She winced as her head flopped back against the hard edge of the seat.
�Tell me about Yarvin,� he said.
She tried to sit up, but his hand caught her shoulder halfway, breaking her motion, then supporting her weight as he leaned over to kiss her full lips. Her mouth was warm and sweet. He felt the tingle of her Srowidian chemistry, like a feather�s lightest touch on his lips. Gently he pushed her back down on the seat.
That magical sex-lure disturbed him.
It was Just like Rodjuh�s kiss!
�Do you love him?� Damian asked stroking her thigh. Hooking her leg at the knee, he pulled it up on the seat beside him so that she lay more open to his advances.
Her breath caught in her throat, and by the look on her face she didn�t need to answer.
�And what of him? Does he love you?�
She blushed and shivered under his questing touch. Her eyes closed and she, tried to sit up again; but Damian braced her firmly by the shoulder, traced his fingers over her stomach; and tugged gently on her pale wisp of pubescent fur.
�Well, does he?� Damian asked, sliding his finger into the damp warmth between her legs, noting that her Srowidian chemistry had made her ready for him, just as surely as it fanned the smoldering passions in him.
�I don�t think so,� Shalis said, taking a shaky breath. Damian stroked her pleasure center. She drew in a sharp breath and closed her eyes. He could feel the tension slowly melting from her body. Her limbs went lax; and she became heavy on the arm that supported her.
�Your of mixed blood,� he told her, kissing the base of her throat. �But you�re pretty. Very pretty.� His finger strummed over her folds, bringing a moan to her throat. Her back arched over his arm; her stomach muscles stretching flat and taunt.
�Were you born here in Essoria?� he asked.
�No...TakisARN.�
�You were trained at their Center then?� He leaned over to sniff her scent and lick the velvety warmth of her stomach.
�No.�
Damian was surprised. Girls in TakisARN were sent to the Center at the onset of puberty, to be trained properly; and then paired with a suitable mate. Half-breed muts, like Shalis, would be sterilized, or sold as a mate for some lowly half-breed peasant. This insured that the pure bloodlines were maintained�it was not an option! The penalties for failing to send a young girl to the center were severe.
�How is it,� Damian asked, still working his fingers between her legs. �That you came from TakisARn without going through the center.�
�My mother...worked the caravans,� Shalis gasped. �I was promised to a customer...even before I was conceived.�
She shivered as he flicked his tongue over her stomach, finding the most sensitive spot and twirling his tongue in a circle over it. As she moved to push his head away, he caught her wrist, and with a calculated firmness, wrest her arm behind her back, pining it squarely with the same hand that helped to support her weight.
�Oh,� Damian said, licking her stomach. �That�s a risky business: smuggling. Difficult to catch though. And your mother: she was full blood then.�
�Romastion!� she gasped, twisting her body into a more vulnerable position to relieve the pressure Damian was applying on her arm.
He licked her stomach again, rubbing his tongue over her sensitive flesh until she began to sqirm. �And your father,� he asked.
�...never knew my father,� Shalis breathed heavily.
�You were resold when you were young?�
Her nipple hardened as he sucked it into his mouth. Catching it between his teeth, he chewed on it lightly. She cried out in pain, struggling to sit up again; but he wrentched her arm savagely. She clamped her eyes shut, stifling another squeal.
�Well,� Damian said. �How old were you?�
�Yarvin bought me when I was two,� she said hotly.
Damian sat back and studied her face�without removing his hand from between her legs. Her pout was attractive; her touch magnetic against his skin. Tears formed in her eyes, but they did not move him. Her body still surged in reluctant anticipation of his efforts.
�Your not sterile then?�
�No,� she breathed, her voice barely audible.
�Very well, then,� he said. �I�ll stop playing games...� He glared at her coldly, amused by her trembling and the unguarded look of fear that came to her face.
�Do you know a man named Tereesan?�
�The healer?�
�You�ve heard of him!� Damian was surprised.
�Of course, Yarvin uses him quite often.�
Damian�s eyebrows raised in surprise. �Does Yarvin provide services for Tereesan often.�
�I don�t know,� she said. �I�ve never driven for him.�
�But you know the way?�
�No, I�ve never been to his house.� Damian slowly increased the pressure on her arm. �I�ve never I swear! Yarvin sent Riona for the healer when Melion was sick during her pregnancy... I�ve never been there!��Good,� Damian said. He pulled her up suddenly and shoved her off his lap. �You can take me to Tereesan�s now.�
She turned on him, her eyes wide with surprise and anger.
Damian smiled smugly. �Perhaps later I�ll have an opportunity to continue your education,� he said pushing the door open. �But for now we must go to Tereesan�s house. I�ve keep him waiting long enough.�
A few blocks before they arrived at Tereesan�s home, Damian closed off the air vent to the brazier, allowing the FireStones to suffocate into extinction. By the time the coach stopped, the stones were quite cold; and after he and Leesha stepped down from the coach he left the door open.
Shalis was shivering, but faced stubbornly forward on her perch, trying not to look at him, but stealing a glance now and then from the corner of her eye.
�I shall require that you wait for me,� Damian said.
She glared at him as if he were a food that left a bad taste in her mouth. She said, �Might I ask how long you�ll be?�
�You might,� he said smiling. �But I don�t know. It could take all night, or I might be finished in five minutes!�
�I see,� she said, making it clear by the tone of her voice that she was not happy, but would not leave unbidden. She turned away, waiting for him to leave so she could get down out of the wind, and into the cabin where she thought it would be warm.
�I have a witness for my meeting with Tereesan,� Damian said nodding toward Leesha. �But if you would rather escort me inside than wait out here, I wouldn�t mind having another. The discussion might not interest you, but it will be warm and there�ll be food and perhaps entertainment.�
�I�d rather not, sir.�
�I want you to!� Damian said, realizing that it was true. �leave the horses in Tereesan�s stables. Let his chattel take care of them�that�s what slaves are for!�
�I said, I�d rather not, sir!�
Damian spread his hands in an open palmed gesture, tilting his head heavily to one side. �Very well, I wont force you to change your mind, but it may interest you to know that I�ve extinguished the FireStones.�
Shalis�s face flared with shock and outrage.
�That�s right,� Damian laughed. �And without a fire you�ll be unable to heat them again.� He extended his hand, and smiled warmly. Take the coach to the stable and have them light the stones, then come back; and on the way home, I�ll let you drive inside the coach. It could get very cold by the time I leave. Look at yourself, Shalis. Your already shivering.�
It was true. Shalis was unable to stop shaking, but still she hesitated.
�It�s senseless to make yourself sick,� he said.
�Alright,� she said at last. �Just let me drive the coach to the stables.�
The door promptly opened when Damian knocked.
�It�s good to see you, Damian,� said a woman with the purest traits of Mordian blood. He didn�t have the slightest idea who she was, and her familiar tone of voice angered him.
She must have been waiting.
He acknowledged her with a slight nod. The perfection of her pedigree breading did not impress him. She had the classic Mordian beauty: long tassels of dark, curly hair neatly framing an aristocratic face. The torchlight glow from the hall accented her hair with glowing red highlights. The simple dress she wore clung to her waspish waist, and gave stiff support to her large breasts. Her huge brown eyes sparkled as she bowed formally, further revealing her cleavage.
She turned to Damian�s escorts, including them in her welcome. �And the two of you, dear children. Tereesan and Serria are waiting for you in the great hall.� She lead them down the hall to the first set of doors, and threw them open with a sweeping gesture.
Damian walked into the room guiding Shalis by the arm while Leesha trailed behind them, nearly forgotten.
Three young dancing girls entertained from a raised platform dominating the center of the room. They wore traditional dresses: conservative whites to contrast with their dark hair and complexions. Tereesan and a woman, wearing a black silk skirt, with the slit-sided cut reminiscent of a slaves tunic, and a matching low-cut sweater, were watching the dancing from a divan piled high with pillows.
The Mordian woman announced Damian, and Tereesan rose to his feet to greet him. �Welcome, Damian!� he said pointing to the woman on the divan. �I don�t believe you�ve meet my consort, Serria.�
Damian studied Serria�s face for a moment, trying to figure out what bloodlines had produced her. He could not distinguish any dominant phylo elements. Her blonde hair hinted at Podastion or Aroenian breeding, yet if she was either, her breeding was so muddled that none of the other dominant features were any longer recognizable. Still, if her breeding made her market value negligible, she was , none the less, pleasant to look at. Indeed, sitting with her long legs crossed to one side she was quite provocative.
When she saw how Damian looked at her she smiled. There was a sensuous confidence about her: it seemed to say, �I know I�m not pure blooded, but I�m a noble breed none the less.�
He noticed how the red choker she wore was set with a blue stone, cut in the shape of an �S� for her own name instead of a �T� for Tereesan. It was customary for a free woman to wear her liegelord�s initial on her choker to show that she owed allegiance to him: for while she was technically free, he was responsible for her every action and utterance, and thus she answered to him. If a free woman broke a law, (except for the most severe crimes,) her lord and liege was responsible for overseeing her discipline�but any fine or imprisonment was imposed upon him, not her.
By using her own initial, Serria indicated that she owed allegiance only to herself. It was the strongest form of insult Damian could imagine from a woman; and Damian found himself taking a strong disliking to her, while his opinion of Tereesan sank even lower for allowing such a thing.
Tereesan took Shalis pale hand in his. �And you, child,� he said, raising it to his forehead in a greeting befitting the escort of royalty. �It�s a pleasure to see you again.�
Shalis blushed brightly, but Tereesan seemed not to notice.
Damian�s eyes narrowed with suspicion then widened with surprise when the healer turned to Leesha and greeted her the same way.
�And you, my dear,� he said. �What is your name?�
Leehsa looked at Damian uncertainly.
�Her name is Leesha,� he said coldly.
Apparently Tereesan was accustomed to granting women more than they deserved. He turned to Damian, and motioned towards the divan beside Serria.
When they were all seated, Tereesan asked. �Would any of you care for something to eat?�
Damian bristled at Tereesan�s lack of deference. As the escorting male, he should have been asked if the women could eat. Only free women were asked directly. However, both Shalis and Leesha had enough training to knew better than to speak for themselves. After a long pause that stressed their silence, Damian answered for them, �We would indeed enjoy that meal you promised.�
�Very good.� Tereesan turned to the Mordian woman. �Savyn dear,� he said. �Bring us some food.�
Savyn bowed gracefully, and hurried from the room.
�Do you enjoy the dance arts?� Tereesan asked, looking towards his dancing girls. �They�re young but well tutored. True Bremarian bred. Of course, two of them have flaws that technically keep them from claiming full-blood on their papers.�
�I prefer a less artistic interpretation, I�m afraid.� Damian said. He pulled Shalis close to his side, griping her leg possessively in his hand, while he monitored the reaction of his host.
The healer paused for a second, glanced uncertainly towards Serria, then nervously looked away. Although he hadn�t seen it, Damian got the impression that Tereesan had been looking to Serria for some cue. He tried to take her lead and ignore the interplay between Damian and Shalis.
�What of you, Shalis?� Damian said, his voice thick with sarcasm. He inched his hand up the girl�s leg. �Do you prefer the dance art, or secular dancing.� He tugged on a few of her fleecy-white, pubic hairs, twining them about his fingers. �Perhaps Tereesan would allow you to dance for us.�
He looked at the healer, daring him to deny his request.
�I would love to see Shalis dance.� Tereesan said with only a slight hesitancy. �Perhaps her and Leesha...�
�Just Shalis,� Damian said firmly. He reached out and pulled Leesha closer to him. �I want to keep Leesha beside me. You understand?�
Tereesan didn�t say anything.
�Please sir,� Shalis whispered, pressing her head against Damian�s arm. �Don�t make me do this! I don�t know anything about dancing.�
Damian kissed her on the head, and whispered. �I don�t expect perfection, little pet. I just want to see you dance.�
The healer turned to Shalis, and there was kindness and sympathy in his eyes. �Would you like to request a musical accompaniment,� he said in an intimate tone that excluded Damian from answering.
Inside Damian raged, but outwardly he remained calm, and when Shalis looked at him beseechingly�hoping that he might remove his request�he intentionally misinterpreted her gesture, and spoke for her. �I would like them to play the Horl-festival-chant.� He choose the ritual dance for its difficult and suggestively sexual nature. �Are your musicians familiar with it?�
Tereesan glanced at Shalis.
�But sir, I�ve never danced before!� she objected.
�Perhaps, something less challenging,� Tereesan suggested, coming to her aid. �My musicians, I�m afraid would not do such a piece justice.�
�Shalis could entertain us with a secular dance set to one of the themes from Morlain�s lament,� Serria said, speaking for the first time. �Morchir�s-duet is easy to move to, but it holds quite an erotic mood.� She looked at Damian, her half nod asking if he approved.�Yes,� Tereesan added enthusiastically. He turned to Damian. �One of my dancers could accompany Shalis�I think Jolnima and her would make a striking pair in Morchir�s duet!�
�By all means,� Damian said coldly.
Tereesan clapped his hands, and the dancing girls left the center stage�dropping to their knees, in a motionless little row, with their heads bowed.
�Jolnima is my prize.� Tereesan said, clapping his hands quickly twice and then once.
The tallest of the girls sprang to her feet, bouncing on her toes towards Tereesan�s place on the pillows. She gave a sprightly curtsey: the wispy tassels of her dress flew into the air as she sank toward the floor, and bounced back up. Then she fell to her knees two arm lengths from Tereesan.
�I won Jolnima from the Royal Palace on a sporting bet,� Tereesan said. �She had not finished her training then, so I can not claim that she is Royally trained, but she comes from a long line of Royal Dancers.�
Tereesan turned to the dancing girl and addressed her personally. �Our dear guest, Shalis, has agreed to perform to Morchir�s-duet,� he said. �Would you accompany her, Jolnima?
The dancer nodded and sprang to her feet, taking Shalis by the hands. She took Shalis under her arm, shuffling her away towards the stage, whispering instructions but never loosing her fluid sense of the dance art. When they reached the other girls, Jolnima quickly doffed her dress, while the other dancers helped Shalis slip her tunic over her head. Morchir�s-duet, like many other dances, was traditionally performed nude.
�Ah,� Serria announced the Mordian woman�s return. �Savyn has brought our food.�
Three women, of mixed breeding, marched behind her carrying silver platters laden with foods. They spread the platters on the floor before the divan as the musicians struck up the first few eerie notes of the duet�s introduction. Jolnima quickly positioned Shalis on the stage, whispering words and holding her arm up so that she would know how to pose. Then Jolnima stood with her back pressed against Shalis�s back: two naked bodies, dark beside pale.
�Shalis really is quite a pretty child.� Serria remarked as she leaned forward to snare a handful of pickled acorns.
Savyn gave Damian and Leesha plate, but he smiled handed it back to her. �Leesha and I will share a plate.� He turned to his slave. �Take what you want,� he said. �I�ll just take a few things from your plate.�
Serria was smiling, but she made no comment.
Damian turned back to watch the girls dancing. �Do you think she�ll retain her youthful figure,� he asked. �Or will her Romastion blood give way to characteristics of another phylo?�
�Shalis wont loose her girlish figure.� Serria said with total assurance. She bit into another acorn and drew it into her sensuous mouth. �Are you considering a bid to buy her.�
Damian looked at her sharply. He had not believed his thought so transparent.
�I find her innocence tempting,� he said. �And the awkward method of her dance is appealing.�
They watched her dance: she was not fluidly graceful like Jolnima, but there was a quality about her body and the self-conscious hesitancy with which she moved that was indeed alluring.
�Please,� Tereesan said motioning to the platters of food. �We�ve plenty to eat.� He picked out a biscuit with bits of meat and vegetables. Another platter was laden with fruit salad, spiced with herbs and sweetened with thin, a light-brown syrupy probably made from the sap of a sweet tree; another platter held pickled vegetables, served in a minty sauce; another held peppers, tomatoes and other cooking fruits stuffed with minced meats and topped heartily with Rolavian white cheese.
Damian took a few acorns from Leesha�s plate, then turned his attention back to the girls. Shalis watched the way Jolnima moved and tried to copy the dancer. Her hips were not quite as loose, and her body was not as limber, but Shalis improved as the dance progressed. As she relaxed, her charm became less awkward and more sensual.She was definitely marketable.
Serria casually placed her hand on Damian�s knee. �Yarvin is rather fond of the girl,� she said with a smile. �You may find it difficult to convince him to part with her.�
�I could speak to him for you,� Tereesan said. �If you�re really interested in the girl. He owes me a favor or two: perhaps I could persuade him to part with her.�
�In exchange for...what?� Damian took another handful of acorns, and studied the healer as he popped them one at a time into his mouth. �Surely you don�t expect to buy my support so easily.�
�Of course not,� Tereesan said with a laugh.
�The music is ending,� Serria said. �Perhaps we should have a drink before we talk business.�
�After you,� Damian said.
Serria smiled, her eyes sparkling. �Of course,� she said. �Is Kumiss and vitriol all right?�
�A gentle drop of Golden vitriol would be fine. Is it local Kumiss or is it Zylomian phydmilk?�
Serria shook her head. �I�m sorry, but Tereesan and I do not approve of Zylomian methods. You�ll have to settle for a local variety.�
An amused smile playing across Damian�s lips as he acceptance of the less expensive substitute.
�Savyn,� Serria said. �Pour us all drinks, please.�
Tereesan turned to the dancing girls and clapped heartily as they stepped down from the stage. Slipping back into her tunic Shalis returned to the divan and sat down.
Savyn had prepared four drinks and set them on a tray; she presented them to Damian. He took one and offered it to Shalis. �You must be thirsty after so much dancing,� he said.
�I am,� she said, taking a deep swallow.
Damian smiled and wrapped his arm around her waist as she helped herself to some of the stuffed vegetables. When she had taken several bites, he speared some for himself with his fork.
�You don�t think we would try to poison you?� Tereesan said, raising his glass in a solo toast then draining it dry. He gave his glass back to Savyn. She refilled his glass and he took another long drink before setting it off to the side.
�If it would make you more comfortable, I could sample yours myself?� Serria said sweetly.
�That wont be necessary,� Damian said taking another sip. The liquid seemed to rush to his head. �A fine vintage!� he said, raising his glass. �And now should we discuss business?�
�Of course,� Tereesan agreed. �I assume you�ve read my proposal.�
Damian nodded, sipping at his drink.
�I�ll be frank, then.� Tereesan paused as if reconsidering, then cleared his throat. �I want to excavate enough earth from Slutin lake to make it a useful reservoir during the dry season.�
Damian raised an eyebrow. �An interesting idea,� he said. �But I fail to see how such a project could be profitable. Unless you can get the water to the channels...� he shrugged. �Besides, the important wells hold water enough for all but the driest years. How would a river reservoir be more useful than the cisterns we use now?�
�Water enough for those who have the wells, perhaps! But what of those without access to a viable water source?�
�I don�t aspire to solving the problems of the poor!� Damian snapped. �You said this discussion would involve a profitable matter, not throwing my money away on charity. If this is the best you can do then I think it�s time I should be going.�
Tereesan eyes widened in alarm, but when he saw that Damian had not moved to carry out his threat of leaving, he relaxed a little�even smiled tentatively.
�You�re right!� he said, talking quickly now. �I promised a way to make money�and I agree that enlarging the lake seems to be prohibitively expensive at first glance; but that�s the beauty of it, because the real kicker isn�t going to be the money�oh, don�t get me wrong, there�ll be plenty of that to be had�but the real profits will be a new level of political power. And that depends on a complete monopoly of access to the water.�
�That�s where I come in?�
�You do own a large track of land along the river. If the proposal I showed you were to pass that land would be extended to the river. That should be more than enough to convince the other aldermen that you are acting solely in your own interest. I also have some land that would be extended, and between the two of us we casually buy up the rest. The fact that we have always been political enemies, will keep anyone from suspecting that we are gathering a monopoly between us. I could never hope to gain such a monopoly alone: even if no one could figure out what I was doing with the water, they would see the monopoly.�
Damian nodded. �I�d already figured that much out myself. But spending a lot of money just to compete against the well owners doesn�t make much sense...so I assume you have something more in mind?�
�Indeed I do. What I have devised is a plan to take water from the river directly to the homes of those who need it. My primary target will be the wells and holding tanks of private citizens, especially the poor who can not afford larger cisterns.�
�And how do you think they will pay for it?�
�With volume,� Tereesan said holding up his hand to silence Damian�s protests. �Please, let me explain. You know that even in the wettest years, the poor who can not afford more than a small holding tank, must turn to the larger cisterns of the wealthy. But even these are severely taxed during a dry year. And the well owners charges more than a poor family can really afford, and make them carry the water home themselves, so of course the family buys the least amount that they can live on.�
Damian sighed impatiently, but he didn�t interrupt.
�Imagine how many of those same poor would be willing to pay you for water during a dry year if you could deliver it to their home, and give them more water for the same price in the bargain. And think of the businesses, like the paper mill, that shut down part of the year because they use so much water they can�t keep their cisterns full even though they have some of the largest in the city.�
�Yes,� Damian nodded. �I can see the profit potential. What I don�t see is how you intend to get the water from the lake to those homes and businesses. How are you going to make that affordable? Not to mention the exorbitant expenses involved in a project the size of changing the shape of a river!�
�The water will be carried in wagons made water-tight with an inert resin. Someone trained in Earth magic could fix up an efficient design with a little experimentation. Porcelain would be most effective, but there isn�t a kiln big enough to fire the bed. However liquid rock could also be used. Poured very thin and reinforced on the outside with spongewood to prevent it from breaking, I think it would be ideal.
�Of course,� Tereesan continued. �The wagon would have to be large enough to hold a significant amount of water. And a simple yet efficient way of downloading the water would have to be devised: perhaps something similar to those ceramic spigot you see on water toilets, you know, the kind that can be closed in between uses. The drain spout could be fashioned into the body of the wagon so that the water could be directed into the cisterns with some measure of flexibility. And a simple system of siphons could be designed for those homes with overhead holding tanks.�
�You�ve obviously given this a good deal of thought,� Damian said, without any hint of sarcasm in his voice. �How would you get the water from the lake into the wagon? Would you siphon that as well?�
�Perhaps, but with the distances enforced by the bank of the river and the changing water levels�such a system might not be effective. But a floating water wheel run by leg power could be the solution to that problem. It could be made relatively inexpensively and run by a team of slaves. Or if you prefer�use your trade connections with the Zylomians to buy a Cordobion. With their leg strength, it should cut the number of slaves we would need in half.�
Damian agreed with a heavy nod of his head. �A Cordobion or two could prove worthwhile,� he said, surprised that his lips felt oddly thick as if he�d drank to much. �They�re widely used on Eapar,� he said. �Very affective...very manageable.�
�Then you�re interested?� Serria asked.
�What sort of arrangement did you... have in mind?�
�I have the plan; you have the political means to back it up. I figured we�d split expenses and profits roughly fifty-fifty.�
Damian nodded his head heavily. �What about the lake?��I think that with the proper public relations work we could recruit the services of a sizable number of the towns people. I�m sure they would be willing to work in exchange for the promise of an abundance of water at greatly reduced prices.
�An interesting aside, if your interested, would be to start a plumbing trade, making holding tanks, sinks and the like more affordable. With affordable water, more people would be willing to buy plumbing supplies, if they were also affordable, and that in turn would increase our water business.
�Of course, for it to work, we must have sole access to the lake water when the river runs dry. That means owning the land next to the water. That�s why the proposal has to pass! So that we can purchase the property.�
Suddenly Damian realized that he was more than just a little tired. He felt his mind drifting, and his eyes becoming blurred. In alarm he shook his head, trying to brush off the unnatural fatigue. For a moment he felt his head begin to clear, but then the fatigue struck again with renewed strength, as if a constricting force was trying to blot out his consciousness.
Tereesan leaned closer. �Are you alright, Damian? You look a little pale.�
�I think I better go home now,� Damian said with desperate effort. He tried to stand but the room began to spin. The blackness was closing around him, shrouding his vision in a heavy fog. Frantically he strained to see, and saw that Leesha had already slumped over on the divan.
The healer was trying to kill him!
His mind cleared slightly, as a surge of adrenaline ran through him. He lurched forward, reaching for the onji throwing spikes in his shirt sleeve, but he stumbled�still reaching for the spikes as he fell forward into Tereesan�s arms...and sank into oblivion.