headdress, the scarred Fox turn to whisper to the bearded Badger, while just behind him the squat Western Wolf frowned – at her!
‘That so many of my friends
are
here in the city warms me. That so many of you have come here to the city to offer me your support speaks to me of the unrest throughout Nevèrÿon because of the injustices marring our nation. The difference between the number of you here yesterday and the number of you here today tells me of the growing power that informs our cause. Yesterday, I left you with a question: Would I be able to get a hearing at the High Court to present my case? Today, I bring you a gratifying answer: Yes.’ A murmur rose over the water’s rush, then fell. ‘I received the news earlier this afternoon – and went to walk in the city. while it rang in my head, while it afflicted my eyes, till the city itself seemed wondrous and new, and the market, where I so frequently go to hear the harmonies of labor and commerce, seemed a new market, ringing with new music, a market in which I had never walked before.’ Again Pryn turned to look up. Mostly what she could see was a large knee obscuring the face and a rough elbow that moved behind its gesturing hand. ‘The High Court has agreed to give me an audience with one of its most powerful ministers, Lord Krodar!’
Amidst the approbations, one woman called, ‘Why won’t they let you speak to the Child Empress herself?’
‘ – whose reign is monstrous and monotonous!’ called a man.
Coming from a place where such things just weren’t said, Pryn was as startled as she had been by the sight of the Fox and the Wolf. But others laughed. Hearing that laughter, she decided she liked the feeling of freedom it gave – and remembered flying.
‘My plans are prudent and practical,’ Gorgok countered, which brought more laughter with it, ‘monstrosity notwithstanding. I am satisfied with this as a beginning. You come from all over Nevèrÿon,’ Gorgik’s voice echoed on. ‘You come with your different reasons, your different gifts. This young woman at my feet comes with no more than curiosity.’ Pryn looked up again. The face – what she could see of it beyond the knee – smiled before it looked back up. ‘I accept that; and I am as happy to have her with us as I am anyone here. You there – ’ Over Pryn’s head the great hand went out. ‘You hail from the foothills of the Argini, am I right? I can tell by the leather braiding about your arm. Once, when I passed through your province, I saw a low stone building with seven sharply pointed triangular doors, the stone head of a different animal at each apex. When I asked what the building was, I was told a phrase in your language …?’
‘“
Ya’Kik ya Kra Kyk!
”’ a heavy man with close-cropped hair called out.
‘Yes,’ answered Gorgik. ‘That’s it! And can you tell me what it means?’
‘It means the House of the Goddess who Weaves Baskets to Carry Grain to Women, Children, and Animals.’
‘And is she a goddess of freedom or slavery?’
The man frowned. ‘She’s a goddess of prosperity …’He raised a hand to tug self-consciously at the leather braids looped on his fleshy biceps. ‘She’s a goddess of labor. So I
guess
she’s a goddess of freedom …’
‘Good!’ called Gorgik. ‘Then she might smile on us and our cause, here, even though there are few women among us and, today at any rate, only one child …’
The laughter, friendly enough, made Pryn look up. Beyond his blocky knee, the Liberator looked down at her, while Pryn wondered at her demotion from young woman to child. She looked out again at the Red Badger, who, with his big mouth, missing teeth, and new beard, had gotten her into the first trouble of her journey.
‘It is important for all of us to learn about, and learn to respect, the customs over all our land. You there – ’ This time he pointed toward the barbarian woman who, again, had leaned to whisper to a
‘That so many of my friends
are
here in the city warms me. That so many of you have come here to the city to offer me your support speaks to me of the unrest throughout Nevèrÿon because of the injustices marring our nation. The difference between the number of you here yesterday and the number of you here today tells me of the growing power that informs our cause. Yesterday, I left you with a question: Would I be able to get a hearing at the High Court to present my case? Today, I bring you a gratifying answer: Yes.’ A murmur rose over the water’s rush, then fell. ‘I received the news earlier this afternoon – and went to walk in the city. while it rang in my head, while it afflicted my eyes, till the city itself seemed wondrous and new, and the market, where I so frequently go to hear the harmonies of labor and commerce, seemed a new market, ringing with new music, a market in which I had never walked before.’ Again Pryn turned to look up. Mostly what she could see was a large knee obscuring the face and a rough elbow that moved behind its gesturing hand. ‘The High Court has agreed to give me an audience with one of its most powerful ministers, Lord Krodar!’
Amidst the approbations, one woman called, ‘Why won’t they let you speak to the Child Empress herself?’
‘ – whose reign is monstrous and monotonous!’ called a man.
Coming from a place where such things just weren’t said, Pryn was as startled as she had been by the sight of the Fox and the Wolf. But others laughed. Hearing that laughter, she decided she liked the feeling of freedom it gave – and remembered flying.
‘My plans are prudent and practical,’ Gorgok countered, which brought more laughter with it, ‘monstrosity notwithstanding. I am satisfied with this as a beginning. You come from all over Nevèrÿon,’ Gorgik’s voice echoed on. ‘You come with your different reasons, your different gifts. This young woman at my feet comes with no more than curiosity.’ Pryn looked up again. The face – what she could see of it beyond the knee – smiled before it looked back up. ‘I accept that; and I am as happy to have her with us as I am anyone here. You there – ’ Over Pryn’s head the great hand went out. ‘You hail from the foothills of the Argini, am I right? I can tell by the leather braiding about your arm. Once, when I passed through your province, I saw a low stone building with seven sharply pointed triangular doors, the stone head of a different animal at each apex. When I asked what the building was, I was told a phrase in your language …?’
‘“
Ya’Kik ya Kra Kyk!
”’ a heavy man with close-cropped hair called out.
‘Yes,’ answered Gorgik. ‘That’s it! And can you tell me what it means?’
‘It means the House of the Goddess who Weaves Baskets to Carry Grain to Women, Children, and Animals.’
‘And is she a goddess of freedom or slavery?’
The man frowned. ‘She’s a goddess of prosperity …’He raised a hand to tug self-consciously at the leather braids looped on his fleshy biceps. ‘She’s a goddess of labor. So I
guess
she’s a goddess of freedom …’
‘Good!’ called Gorgik. ‘Then she might smile on us and our cause, here, even though there are few women among us and, today at any rate, only one child …’
The laughter, friendly enough, made Pryn look up. Beyond his blocky knee, the Liberator looked down at her, while Pryn wondered at her demotion from young woman to child. She looked out again at the Red Badger, who, with his big mouth, missing teeth, and new beard, had gotten her into the first trouble of her journey.
‘It is important for all of us to learn about, and learn to respect, the customs over all our land. You there – ’ This time he pointed toward the barbarian woman who, again, had leaned to whisper to a
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