offers came from distant Goriah in Armorica, where Aiken Drum was consolidating his position, offering high status and nches to any rootless Tanu who rallied round, and a golden torc to any human fighter who pledged fealty to Lord AlkenLugonn Alken had sent his persona] farspoken invitation to Elizabeth herself, promising her complete autonomy "under his protection " She had declined with cool thanks
Dionket Lord Healer and other surviving members of the Peace Faction went off to join Minanonn the Heretic in his remote Pyrenean enclave, where the erstwhile Tanu Battlemaster presided over a tiny population of Tanu, Firvuiag, and a few free humans, all dwelling together in Spartan amity Dionket had urged Elizabeth, for her own safety, to go with them But she knew, even without metapsychic foresight, that pacifistic withdrawal could never be her destiny in the ManyColored Land Later, n had been more difficult to tell Chief Burke and Basil Wimbome and Sister Amerie Roccaro that she could not accompany them to the Lowlife center at Hidden Springs She required an isolated retreat, where she could stay for the immediate future, recuperating and meditating upon the new role she had freely chosen
"And so," Elizabeth said, rising from the luncheon table, smiling as she brushed crumbs from her black gown. 'the fatal moment is almost upon us Shall we go and explore the balcony? I think it goes all around the chalet "
Creyn was out of his seat and opening the half-glazed doors before the others could stir The Tanu had put off his rough traveling clothes for the meal and wore again the scarlet and white formal robes of a high-ranking redactor As he followed the others into the sunlight, his pupils shrank to pinpoints, the inses within his deep eyesockets becoming an unearthly, opaque blue His fair hair had been cut short for the exodus, and he towered behind Elizabeth like some attenuated El Greco seraph, looking both worldly and vulnerable He was six hundred and thirty-four years old, and he was prepared to stay at Black Crag Lodge for the rest of his life, if need be, acting as the senior servant of the human woman whom Brede Shipspouse had called "the most important person in the world "
Basil leaned on the railing, affecting to admire the eastern panorama "I should think this place would suit you admirably, Elizabeth'" His voice was too hearty "Isolation, security, d magnificent natural setting, and our friends at Darask on the
THE POSTDILUViUM
43
other end of the lake near enough to keep you comfortably supplied Lady Estella-Sirone was quite right The lodge is a perfect hermitage It's an Odin-seat' A perch for scanning the world'"
All of them laughed at the mental image he projected, except torcless Amerie, who growled, "Not another damn mindreaders' in-joke'"
"A funny picture " Elizabeth took the nun's arm "Imagine a third-rate production of a Wagner opera A plaster mountain with a lot of strobe lightning and tinny thunder And me as a Nordic goddess, posed on top of my fake Asgard, wearing a winged helmet and a tembly portentous expression as i survey Middle Earth down below If I spot any mortal jiggery-pokery, I have this handy basketful of thunderbolts to smite with "
"Except, you don't," Amerie said
"No "
"And therein lies the bloody rub " Peopeo Moxmox Burke spoke fiercely, even resentfully, all the while trying to shore up the inexpert mental screen that decently veiled his emotions from Elizabeth Damn the golden torc' !f it weren't necessary
Good old Basil caught wind of his floundering, the impending gush of anxiety and maudlin sentiment that was going lo make things even worse for Elizabeth and all the rest of them And with hih donnish tact. Basil bespoke Creyn on the intimate mode
Help him Help us all put a lid on it.
There was no overt sign that the Tanu had heard But immediately the two human men found that it was possible to rein in their misgivings and present a civilized front, both externally and in the
Dionket Lord Healer and other surviving members of the Peace Faction went off to join Minanonn the Heretic in his remote Pyrenean enclave, where the erstwhile Tanu Battlemaster presided over a tiny population of Tanu, Firvuiag, and a few free humans, all dwelling together in Spartan amity Dionket had urged Elizabeth, for her own safety, to go with them But she knew, even without metapsychic foresight, that pacifistic withdrawal could never be her destiny in the ManyColored Land Later, n had been more difficult to tell Chief Burke and Basil Wimbome and Sister Amerie Roccaro that she could not accompany them to the Lowlife center at Hidden Springs She required an isolated retreat, where she could stay for the immediate future, recuperating and meditating upon the new role she had freely chosen
"And so," Elizabeth said, rising from the luncheon table, smiling as she brushed crumbs from her black gown. 'the fatal moment is almost upon us Shall we go and explore the balcony? I think it goes all around the chalet "
Creyn was out of his seat and opening the half-glazed doors before the others could stir The Tanu had put off his rough traveling clothes for the meal and wore again the scarlet and white formal robes of a high-ranking redactor As he followed the others into the sunlight, his pupils shrank to pinpoints, the inses within his deep eyesockets becoming an unearthly, opaque blue His fair hair had been cut short for the exodus, and he towered behind Elizabeth like some attenuated El Greco seraph, looking both worldly and vulnerable He was six hundred and thirty-four years old, and he was prepared to stay at Black Crag Lodge for the rest of his life, if need be, acting as the senior servant of the human woman whom Brede Shipspouse had called "the most important person in the world "
Basil leaned on the railing, affecting to admire the eastern panorama "I should think this place would suit you admirably, Elizabeth'" His voice was too hearty "Isolation, security, d magnificent natural setting, and our friends at Darask on the
THE POSTDILUViUM
43
other end of the lake near enough to keep you comfortably supplied Lady Estella-Sirone was quite right The lodge is a perfect hermitage It's an Odin-seat' A perch for scanning the world'"
All of them laughed at the mental image he projected, except torcless Amerie, who growled, "Not another damn mindreaders' in-joke'"
"A funny picture " Elizabeth took the nun's arm "Imagine a third-rate production of a Wagner opera A plaster mountain with a lot of strobe lightning and tinny thunder And me as a Nordic goddess, posed on top of my fake Asgard, wearing a winged helmet and a tembly portentous expression as i survey Middle Earth down below If I spot any mortal jiggery-pokery, I have this handy basketful of thunderbolts to smite with "
"Except, you don't," Amerie said
"No "
"And therein lies the bloody rub " Peopeo Moxmox Burke spoke fiercely, even resentfully, all the while trying to shore up the inexpert mental screen that decently veiled his emotions from Elizabeth Damn the golden torc' !f it weren't necessary
Good old Basil caught wind of his floundering, the impending gush of anxiety and maudlin sentiment that was going lo make things even worse for Elizabeth and all the rest of them And with hih donnish tact. Basil bespoke Creyn on the intimate mode
Help him Help us all put a lid on it.
There was no overt sign that the Tanu had heard But immediately the two human men found that it was possible to rein in their misgivings and present a civilized front, both externally and in the
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