Maia (Beklan Empire 1)

"Oh, they come from all over everywhere these days, and pay him thousands to teach them; and he plays for the Thlela, of course. Anyway, Santil did give me a house, and whose d'you think it was? Whose?"

"Never mine?"

Oecuja nodded, smiling. Maia looked at her with tears in her eyes, but whether of joy or sorrow even she herself could not have told.

"You doan' mind, banzi, do you?" asked Occula, with a touch of anxiety.

Maia shook her head. "Does the pantry door still stick? Ogma never could remember to get it fixed. Used to drive me wild, that it did."

"Probably. But tell you the truth, I only lived there until the beginnin' of last Melekril. That was when I joined Shenda and gave up bein' a shearna. We'd both made fortunes, anyway, you see. We're livin' in what used to be Sencho's house: that's a laugh, isn' it? I've changed it completely, of course. You'd hardly recognize it if you went back."

"Oh, do tell me! Every last thing!"

Occula did so, at length and in detail. "Kantza-Merada was still in our old place under the floorboard in the bedroom where we hid her that night--the night of the killin'. Remember?"

Maia nodded. "I'm so glad no one else found her!"

"And I've got Lokris as my saiyett, although, as I said, it's Zuno who really runs the place--specially when we're not there. Only Shenda's been travelin' all over the empire this summer, you see--wherever Santil wants any bargainin' or mediatin' done. I rather enjoy it."

"I should just about think you would!" said Maia, recalling the triumphant figure riding through the streets that afternoon. "But what about our friends the shearnas, Occula? Do give my love to Nennaunir, won't you? She was always such a good friend to me."

" 'Course I will. She'll be delighted to hear I've seen you again. Well, she's given up bein' a shearna, too, >'cos she married Sednil, you know."

"I always hoped she would. Are they all right?"

"Oh, rather! It was really all along of that four thousand meld you gave the boy for findin' out where your Zen-Kurel had got to. D'you know what he did? He bought himself a share in Sarget's wine business, apd he's never looked back. He's prosperin'."

"Oh, that's just about fine, isn't it? But you mean Sarget really took him--a branded man?"

"Nan told Sarget how unfairly he'd come by the brand: and Sarget said any friend of yours was a friend of his. So you see, banzi, you've gone on doin' good even in your absence. Oh, yes, and that reminds me! Sarget's married Dyphna! What d'you think of that?"

"Dyphna? But Sarget was quite okl--all of forty and more, I reckon! I thought he'd never marry anyone."

"Come right down to it, I think it was the music. Dyphna's got a real feelin' for that, of course. And besides, she's so accomplished and sort of--well, impressive, isn' she? She always put on such a stately sort of act--not like us bouncy girls--you and me, I mean. I think Sarget had come to feel he needed someone classy to match the style of his establishment and do the honors. And I must say she does it very well. Otavis is still in business, though. By Airtha, she's goin' to end up really rich, that girl! She seems to get more beautiful everyday. Theyfairlyfightforher."

"I remember the Belishbans tossing her in a blanket at the barrarz. But Occula, do you know anything about dear old Brero, as used to pull my jekzha? He was always such a good friend."

"You mean senior tryzatt Brero, of the Beklan regiment? Well, do you know, banzi, I never even knew he'd been one of yours! That's because I was shut up in Fornis's house all those months, of course. Never really knew what was goin' on at all; well, only bits here an' there. Everyone who ever made a friend of you ended up lucky, didn'they ?"

Suddenly the door opened and Shend-Lador, magnificently dressed in a gold veltron with a scarlet cloak, came into the room, started to speak to Occula and stopped dead at the sight of Maia.

"Maia! Great Cran, wherever have you sprung from?"

They embraced, Shend-Lador laughing delightedly. He kissed Maia again and again, warmly admired the sleeping Zen-Otal and then inquired after Zen-Kurel (whom he had never met). When he had refilled the goblets and sat down, Maia was obliged to tell her story all over again.

"Poor MerisP'.said Shend-Lador, when she had finished. "But I'm not really surprised. And you say Terebinthia took sixteen thousand meld off you for the boat?"

"Yes, she did. After that I hardly had, anything left, 'cept for my diamonds. But there's no point in getting her into trouble now, Shenda. It's all done and over with."

"Oh, no, Santil wouldn't want to get her into trouble, certainly. But she always was a daylight robber robbing in daylight, and I think it would do her a world of good to have a taste of her own medicine and have to give you back the difference between that and a fair price. What would you say the boat was really worth?"

Maia considered.

"Well, it was a good boat, Shenda. Fact, I'd go so far as to say it was a very good boat. It saved our lives. But it wasn't worth more than eight thousand at the very outside."

Shend-Lador nodded. "Where is your estate--Zen-Ku-rd's estate? Somewhere up towards the Blue Forest, isn't it?"

Maia told him.

"I'll see you're sent eight thousand meld within the next two months. We won't do anything to Terebinthia, though, so don't worry."

"Eight thousand meld! For me? Oh, Shenda, you are good! Thank you so much! I am grateful!" She kissed him again.

"Sounds as though you could do with it, banzi," said Occula drily.

"Well, 'course I can! What d'you think?"

"What do I think? What do I think?" Occula looked Maia very straight in the eye. "I think, 'Banzi, why doan' you come back?' "

Maia started, looking quickly round at Shend-Lador, who nodded, smiling.

"Come back? Why, whatever d'you mean?"

Occula had risen to her feet and was standing with outspread arms. "Bekla's not the same without you, that's what I mean. I'm not the same without you! Lucky, golden Maia! We all miss you; the gods' sweetheart! Your name's still a legend in Bekla and it always will be. They still drink to you and sing songs about you. The Thlela have created one of their sacred dances about your deeds and adventures: did you know that? The best thing that could happen to you and to Bekla would be for you to come back to the city you saved--the city you conquered--the city that's yours by right of the gods!"

Maia stared at her speechlessly. Tears were standing in Occula's eyes.

"Banzi, you doan' look all that well off. D'you think I can't price those clothes you're wearin'--the best clothes you've come up to Keril in? And you're obviously as happy as any steward's wife to be promised eight thousand meld-not that that isn't quite a slice, I'll admit. But the Serrelinda! The sacred luck of the city! A small baron's wife in up-country Katria! You'll end up dull as a cow in afield."

"Why, someone else said that to me once!" said Maia: but she did not say who.

"Is that where you want to live out your life and grow old? Your hands--they look like they did when I first met you in the slave depot at Puhra; when I beat up that bastard Genshed for you. You work along with your women, I'll bet, and more credit to you! But oh, banzi, what a waste! What a terrible waste!"

Still Maia said nothing.

"You could bring your baby, banzi. 'Course you could! And your husband--he was one of Karnat's personal officers, wasn't he? Santil would give him an honorable command and a house in the upper city. He'd be glad to have a man like that. Why doan' you come back?"

Maia took her hands. Every word had sunk into her heart. She recalled Selperron (whose name she had never known) filling her golden jekzha with flowers. She recalled the people cheering, the young armorers jostling for the privilege of helping to pull her up the hill to the Peacock Gate. She saw in her mind's eye the guests crowding forward at the barrarz, and heard again the sound of Fordil's leks and zhuas as she began the senguela in the Barons' Palace. She heard Elvair, yes and Randronoth, crying out So ecstasy in her arms. She saw the Barb glittering in the summer morning

and heard the gongs of the clocks as Ogma prepared her scented bath. She saw, too, her timber manor house in Katria and heard the hands calling to one another in their guttural Chistol as they dispersed after the day's work and Zenka came in to supper.

She put her arms round Occula's neck and kissed her. "Dearest, shall I tell you the truth--the real truth? I honestly and sincerely don't want to come back. It's not the baby, and it's not thinking what Zenka would want. It's truthfully what I want, for my own life. I want to stay as I am. I love it. But don't ask me to explain, 'cos I don't understand myself. Ask Lespa!"

She looked out the window at the sky. "It's late. I'll have to be getting back, dearest. Oh, I have enjoyed it so much! Dear, dear Occula! Cran bless and keep you both! I'll be round early tomorrow to see you again before you leave for Terekenalt."

She picked up Zen-Otal, who stirred, whimpered a mo-ment and then went back to sleep. Occula and Shend-Lador walked downstairs with her, chatting at the door while Florro had the jekzha brought round. In the spring night the town was very quiet. A dog barked, a watchman called from some way off. Maia, gazing up at the clear stars, was already thinking pleasurably of her return home, and of how Zen-Kurel was sure to be looking out for her and would run down to meet her in the lane beside the stream.