Thursday, February 28, 2019

Problems and Prospects of the Chongming Dontan Ramsar Site

Name Su Zhelong UtasNum 144362 SOUNum 0991340 news show Count 1846 KGA 378 Long Essay Pressures, Problems and Prospects of the Chongming Dontan Ramsar Site I. Introduction From the pre-industrial period to post-industrial period, the problems caused by environment deterioration always come with the capacious economic harvest-festival and significant technical promotion. To equilibrate social festering and environmental wellness puzzles people all over the world at present sequence poverty still affect one fifth of human cosmos afterward the population explosion and accelerating urbanization.The contradiction typically occurs in the coastal zones, which ar down the stairs the pressure from population growth, contamination, over- operateation of resources and habitat degradation callable to these reachs hold approximately half of the worlds population. In china, the livelong country is fueled by powerful social and economic forces that be promoting individual development and shoot down reclamation (Yang, 1999 Yang et al. , 2001 cited in Zhao et al. , 2004). This author focussed on the Chongming Dongtan Ramsar Site as a case to discuss its pressures, problems and prospects in the development dilemma of the changing world.Chongming Is bestow is the third largest island in China(1200km2) and the largest alluvial island in the world that located in north of Shanghai city. As a migratory staging and wintering order for millions of birds and spawning and feeding grounds for 63 species of look for, Chongming Dongtan provides meaning(a) bionomic services with its extraordinary resources. (Zhao et al. , 2004) The essay used SWOT compend process to evaluate the ecological situation of Chongming Dongtan Ramsar Site, therefore, the name discussed this issue from four main aspects strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.II. SWOT Analysis Strengths The strengths of Chongming Dongtan Ramsar land berth can be reason out as three respects geogra phic advantages, abundant resources and biological diversity. Firstly, the Chongming Dongtan is the most large-scaled and well-developed tidal wetland and the mouth of the river. It is located in the easternmost Chongming Island that organize by the sediment accumulation from the runoff of Yangzi River. Moreover, the Dongtan is still increasing in size of it by about 500 ha annually to the East sea through the deposition of sand. (Zhao et al. 2004) This position, the coastal area in the center of Yangzi Delta, is the core along the only way that must be passed of migratory birds in Pacific Asia that umteen birds stop here to take rest and viands when they pass by in spring and summer. Besides, it is also a wintering site for millions of birds because of its moderate climate (Shi et al. , 2001). Secondly, the extensive tidal-flat area and hierarchical distribution take a shit the Dongtan rich in both in perfect and organic resources. The luxuriant aquatic plant and massive plan kton provide adequate food for birds and reptiles.As a habitat, curiously in winter, the widely flourishingly growing beating-reed instrument is very suitable to reside and hatch for birds. Lastly, the Dongtan site has amazing biological diversity that 63 species of fish including the rare animal which is on the verge of extinction Chinese sturgeon and 108 species of migratory birds. The add number of the birds aggregates three million which is the tenth of China and accommodate of Shanghai area. III. SWOT Analysis Weaknesses Since 1960s the Chinese, both government and civilians, started to exploit the Chongming Island, the total annual eco strategy service set in Dongtan keep declining until today.Especially after the reform and open, the fast industrialization and economic development accelerate the environmental degradation in Dongtan. Just between 1990 and 2000, the total ecosystem service values had reduced 62%, which was largerly attributable to the 71% loss of wetlan ds and tidal flats. (Zhao et al. , 2004) concord to relative research, the main reasons, also the weakness, of Dongtan are mostly from two aspects the depletion caused by overdevelopment and inning and the water discharge contamination. From 1964 to 2001, there were more than than 20 time of inning activity that occupied over 14198. hm. The inning activities becomes increasingly familiar and large-scaled that result in the wetlands/tidal flats shrunk from 12,432 ha in 1990 to 7915ha in 1997, and 3856 ha in 2000. In contrast, the orchard /plant nursery had increased from 80 ha in 1990 to 3863 ha in 2000. (Zhao et al. , 2004) The detailed situation of land structure changes had been listed in the following tables Tables from Zhao B. , Kreuter U. , Li B. , Ma Z. , Chen J. & Nakagoshi N. , 2004, An Ecosystem work Value Assessment of Land-use Change on Chongming Island, China, Land Use Policy, majority 21, pages 139-148.In addition, the reed regions area fell off from 2039. 78 hm to 810. 17 hm and the salt marsh area decreased from 539. 27 hm to 391. 43 hm. Influenced by the changes, numerous birds are forced to leave the master key habitat so that the total number of birds dropped with the tidal reduction. These irrational distributions of land use broke up the ecosystem eternal rest and caused high rate of environmental services loss that provide bring serious negative ecological consequences in long term. The shortsighted activities go away finally limit the development of the area and lead to economically costly outcomes.The other weakness of Dongtan site is the water quality degradation because of the cloaca discharge. There are 16 township enterprises use 166. 67 tidal lands to initiate ship disassembly factories, which produced serious water pollution with waste oil and Toxic chemic substances that make the large-area reed withered or dead. Particularly in the have concentrated cloaca discharge outlets, the water quality of both the intertida l and offshore was polluted by the heavy metal contamination and organic pollution (PAHs and LABs). Shi et al. , 2001) from almost three million m3 sewage per day is discharged to the coastal zone water body. Compared with the industrial centralized sewage discharge, the non-point pollution from urban runoff, agriculture and aquaculture contributes much more significant percentage of the total pollution. Despite these two factors, poaching activities and wetland grazing also wreck the environmental heath of Dongtan site in diametric degrees. IV. SWOT Analysis OpportunitiesIn 1992, the Chongming Dongtan had been ordain in the Chinese Protected Wetland Dictionary while it was brought into The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance and other international important wetland lists. The Dongtan sites undertake the functions of environmental damage resisting, environment purifying and maintain the biological diversity. Due to its great meaning for sustainable developm ent of multiple regions, the Shanghai City make decisions of constructing Chongming Island into the largest ecological island in China.The Chongming Dongtan Wetland Nature resistance Area, Chongming Dongtan Migratory Birds Nature Protection Area of Shanghai and Chongming Dongtan Wetland Park had been established in succession. The foundation of these certificate areas depart effectively retard the environmental degradation in Dongtan site and promote the environmental quality through policy and incorporated care. At the same time, in order to lighten the pressure of exploit on the wetland, the government has built a convenient communication network to puzzle the tourist industry and economic growth.The overall plan of Dongtan transport system development has four splits * Freeway traffic the G40 line, important part of national highway network that connects East China and North China, will cross the Chongming Island through Shanghai Yangzi River Tunnel * Rail transit the ther mionic vacuum tube 9th line will reach the Chengjia Town in Chongming Island across the Yangzi River * urine traffic dork construction along the south band of the Yangzi River * line traffic the parking apron for helicopter in the International fabrication Island, which is in the south of Dongtan Avenue, has been built already.To deal with the water pollution from sewage discharge, the Chongming ecological construction plan states that the wetland sewage treatment project is under building. This project aims to concentrate both industrial and sanitary sewage to be sick before discharge to improve the water quality of the area. Three of the 9 programmed sewage electric pig works had been accomplished and come into service. The total sewage treatment system includes sewage collection network, pre affect system and artificial wetland processing system. The treated water can be directly discharge into the cultivated land or irrigate plants.This sewage treatment system can embrace 6 million tons of water per day that is the biggest sewage disposal work in Chongming Island. V. SWOT Analysis Threats The last section is to compend the potential problems or threats to the future development of the Chongming Dongtan Ramsar Site. As the arguer had mentioned before, the Chongming Dongtan is formed by the sand sedimentation from the water flow of the Yangzi River. Thus the area of the wetland/tidal flats still keeps increasing because the sedimentation process continues to bring solidity matter.However, the water conservancy construction in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, like the Three Gorges Hydropower institutionalise and . projects to divert water from the south to the north, substantially diminishes the sediment charge of the afoot(predicate) while the water flow does non change. Less sediment submerging slows down the speed of wetland and tidal flats increasing. Corresponding, affected by the storm surge, many coastal areas have been widespread e roded. The problem will become more and more serious if no measures are taken.Every year, thousands of fishing vessels gather from different provinces to Chongming Dongtan to fish for eels. The massive fishery activity invades and occupies the habitat of birds and brings significant pollution like noise of motor and engine oil. The geese and ducks overwintering has been serious disturbed that they could not foraging and perch safely and peacefully. The frail ecosystem that is lack of unified solicitude has been wantonly destroyed from the sinful seining. (Yin, Jiang & Li, 2008)In addition, the local anesthetic anesthetic plants like scirpus mariqueter and reed provide necessary food and habitat for migratory birds. Notwithstanding, the invasive unknown quantity species like spartina is growing in extreme abundance and snatching resources from local plants while these invasive alien species cannot take place of the local plants functions. (Yuan et al. , 2003) Therefore, if the ree d has be instead of the invasive alien species, the species and quantity of the bird will sharply decrease thus the environmental services of tidal flats are not functioning properly.VI. Conclusion In conclusion, after the SWOT abstract of the Chongming Dongtan Ramsar Site, the author had summarized the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The pressures of the Dongtan mostly come from over exploit, resource depletion and human-made pollution from many aspects especially the sewage discharge. The reduction of wetlands/tidal flats caused by enclose tideland for gloss and less sediment concentration in water flow of Yangzi River and immoderate seining are the major problems for the protection area.However, a number of measures taken by the government of Shanghai City, for instance, the foundation of three natural protection areas, integrated high speed communication network and sewage treatment works, will make remarkable difference to the present situation. The author c onsidered the poor management of Dongtan site as the primary restriction to limit its development. Thus, applying the integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) will be a proper answer to develop and protect the Dongtan and its resources.By uniforming a common objective of national and local authorities, the ICZM will promote the way of coastal area using and balance the demands from natural, economic, cultural and social needs. (Shi et al. , 2001) VII. Reference O? Connell M. , 2000. , Threats to Waterbirds and Wetlands Implications for Conservation, Inventory and Research, Wildfowl, great deal 51, pages 1-15. Shi C. , Hutchinson S. M. , Yu L. & Xu S. , 2001, Towards a Sustainable Coast An Integrated Coastal Zone Management role model for Shanghai, People? Republic of China, Ocean & Coastal Management, Volume 44, pages 411-427. Tian B. , Zhang L. , Wang X. , Zhou Y. & Zhang W. , 2010, vaticination the effects of sea-level rise at Chongming Dongtan Nature Reserve in the Yangtze De lta, Shanghai, China, Available at http//www. sciencedirect. com/science/article/pii/S0925857410001709 Access at whitethorn fifteenth 2012 Yin H. , Jiang W. & Li J. , 2008, Simulation of Non-Point Pollutants Evolution in Coastal Plain Island-A character Study of Chongming Island, Available at http//www. sciencedirect. om/science/article/pii/S1001605808600530 Access at May 15th 2012 Yuan W. , James P. , Hodgson K. , Hutchinson S. M. & Shi C. , 2003, Development of sustainability indicators by communities in China a case study of Chongming County, Shanghai, Available at http//www. sciencedirect. com/science/article/pii/S030147970300063X Access at May 15th 2012 Zhao B. , Kreuter U. , Li B. , Ma Z. , Chen J. & Nakagoshi N. , 2004, An Ecosystem helper Value Assessment of Land-use Change on Chongming Island, China, Land Use Policy, Volume 21, pages 139-148.

Descriptive Writing

Though not very big, my home is a correct where my heart is. My home is the most comfortable, warm and cozy quad where I live with my family and spend most of the time in. Entering the due east facing wood paneled front door of my home, I am welcomed by my pseudo German Shepherd. An off-white shoe cabinet in the foyer is neatly arranged with everyones shoes. In the foyer there is a gilded mirror which is set(p) above a half moon console table which is decorated with a bowl of fluorescent blooms and little round. Interior decoration being our forte, we still are thrill to step into the living room and see our artistic touch.The tray ceiling intentional with lights faces down on our Lorenzo leather armchair and divan sofa which we earn rescue hard to buy. Square shaped cushions quilted with floral designs are headspring arranged on the divan sofa. The polished wooden floor tiles, feels so cool under my feet. In front of the sofa, lays a Persian rug, a gift from my much travel led aunt on which the unique Kenshoma style coffee table lends a contemporary look. A collage of any my artwork from kindergarten to standard 6 takes pride of place above the flavourless screen Samsung TV.Across on the opposite word wall is the window lose the park. As we enter the doorway on the west wall, we pass into a well lit hallway leading to the bedrooms one on the in effect(p) and the other on the left, each with its own en suite. My sanctum sanctorum is on the left, with a pad of my very own in pastel colorize of Nippon-Lemon Drop and Golden Buff. Against the south wall by the window is my quartet poster mahogany bed with Laura Ashley sheets and quilt. The parted Laura Ashley curtains open onto a balcony which is opposite my bed.From the balcony, I can see and hear the rippling sea rolled away to the horizon. On the far wall of my room is the bathroom on the left and almost a bare walk-in insistence on the right. My few but elegant clothes from Nicole MNJ, Soda a nd Padini hang in the closet. My two pairs of Jimmy Choo shoes sits forlorn at the bottom shelf. My Prada handbag, not original of course sits proudly on display by the floral upholstered chair next to the period-style dressing table and mirror. Incidentally my walk-in wardrobe has a connecting door to the bathroom.Now let me take you through my bathroom, my succor best place of refuge, away from the heat. It is a small marvel of grump stain and modern fitting like rain shower. My toothbrush and faeces paper holders are from IKEA. My Johnson Suisse square vanity is above the off-white marble counter. Above the vanity, I have a dark wooden enclose mirror which was given by my grandfather. On the counter, I have placed three scented candles on ornate candle stands of wrought campaign which I bought from SSF, the home deco store. My room constantly smells of fresh lavender.It has soothing and quiet effects on me, especially on days when I have tough assignments. Light floods thi s small cubicle from a frosted provide window and two white down lights from the ceiling. To me, my home is the most restful place to stay. Almost all of my tensions become extinct just when I place my first foot in my home. My home is a place where if I had a chance, I would not want to leave for awhile. at last I would like to quote John Howard Paynes 19th light speed song Mid palaces and pleasures though we may roam. Be it ever so humble, theres no place like home. (John Howard Payne, 1823)

Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Payment system

Types of payment system They could theatrical role Commission Workers atomic number 18 paid a percentage of the products sales value this would be sufficient as it would impress staff to grass more(prenominal) as they confide on commission to earn money. They could use a bonus intrigue Workers must achieve pre-agreed sales tar acquires to earn the bonus. This would encourage staff to sell more which would increase the companys turnover and profits.They could offer sales staff a salary This would provide staff with financial security. However, it may not run Taft to sell more are the same amount Is pay distributively month regardless of performance. Performance related system where pay Is cerebrate to performance, with higher level of performance leading to Increased pay. Time or flat rate system In which pay Is expected as an hourly, weekly or annual rate. How it go staff? People flavor strongly about it.Pay helps to satisfy many needs (e. G. Security, esteem needs, reso urces to tail self-actualization) Pay is the subject of much important business legislation It helps draw reliable employees with the skills the business deeds for success Pay also helps nurse employees rather than them leave and perhaps Join a competitor For about employees, the remuneration package is the most Important part of a crinkle and certainly the most visible part of any Job offer.Effectiveness bills peck be used to impel employees across a bulky spectrum of Industries. In fact, according to the Personnel Systems website, a survey conducted by the American Compensation Association and the American Productivity Center showed that up to 89 percent of companies using financial incentives for staff were rated costive or really positive by more than 1,500 individuals taking the survey.Because everyone can use more money, this is by far one of the most common and effective shipway to motivate staff. Broad Options Another advantage of using money to motivate employe es is that a company has broad options in terms of the way to use it. From special bonuses to commission pay to gift certificates and cash rewards, money can be used In a variety of ways to get employees to strive for bigger and better goals.Moreover, companies have the option o transfer It up, depending on the specific goal In mind, so that cash Isnt everlastingly the best In which money can be used to motivate sometimes, It can be Increased benefits that save the employee money without the company needing to bring through a Money appeals to all demographics and can motivate the lowest seduce employee all the way to the CEO. This is another distinct advantage of using it to motivate staff because it appeals to all types of staff. The less an employee makes, however, the more he may be motivated by a few extra dollars in his block or incentive pay of some sort.

The Military in Art

The word propaganda has come to relieve oneself sinister overtones though this was not always the case. Propaganda today evokes images of sinister lies and obfuscations told by enemies of the state to post the minds of the citizens. Yet in a larger sense all cheat is propaganda to some degree and military art is propaganda on a stately scale. Art is designed to cause an emotional response in the attestant. end-to-end history artists have served the state, willingly or not so willingly, in an effort to further the aims of the government, be it republic or clan of elders. Those full treatment of art that are most effective are those that hit the viewer viscerally and cause a response that is near equal to the true event being depicted in the art work. The works mentioned present are like that.I served in the United States Air fierceness for six years as a military policeman. I have traveled to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Korea. I have seen artwork that has elicited emotion in m e and I have seen art that was truly mimetic of the events I have seen. James Dietz work, I Shall Defeat Them on the field, tail be found as a limited edition impress from the on outline gallery of the artist. The image size is 36 x 21.5 . It depicts the United States the States 75th Ranger Unit on the ground. This unit remains the forces premier special operations force capable of conducting a full spectrum of operations to include direct action raids and forced immersion operations (JamesDietz.com).Dietz depicts an action scene in a dim setting. In the background is the slantline of a city that was ancient in the long time when Christ walked the lands of the Middle East. The modern warriors, carrying firearms and dressed in body outfit seem incongruent beneath the palms and the domed edifices creating the negative space in the lower portion of the sky. An automobile is in the streets where camels would seem more at home, juxtaposed in contrast to the ancient city and th e modern warriors, signifying a delivery system of enemy fire.First Boots on the Ground, by William Phillips, is instanter available as a limited edition print, measuring 31 x 19 . It is a classic scene from the Viet Nam era, featuring a sky filled with helicopters and reminiscent of Apocalypse Now. The work depicts the 1965 battle of La Drang Valley, far-famed for its intensity. At 1048 the helicopter touches down, and Lt. Col. Moore, Sgt. Major Plumley, Capt. Metsker, Bob Ovellette, Al Bosse and Vietnamese translator Mr. Nik become the first boots on the ground at La Drang (OzarkAirFieldsArtworks 2005).This art is oblige and personal to me for it depicts the ultimate in warfare, that time when the soldier commits and becomes a weapon aimed at the heart of the enemy. He has remaining the relative safety of the helicopter. He no longer is behind the line depending on artillery or mortar fire, but rather advances, lay his life on the line as he moves inexorably toward the argue warrior.Charlene Coopers moving artwork, titled with the acronym B.O.M.B., signifying Blood of My Brothers, is a rough drawing in graphite and colored pencil. The intense blue of the flag is complimented by the red of the tear streaming down the face of the warrior. It appeals to me for reasons that would be crystallize to most combat veterans, as it shows the side of a soldier seldom seen or discussed openly.The man holds a folded American Flag as that individual(a) tear, executed in the red of blood, is seen to escape his eye. He shows the pent up emotion which soldiers rarely display and gives the viewer the understanding that he is a flesh and blood creature, endowed with all the sentiment and feeling of both other man. He is proud of the job he has done, but keenly aware of the price that was ultimately paid by so legion(predicate) of his friends and compatriots. I find Coopers work the most compelling of these three, for it appeals to a side of me that is most often hidd en from the view of others.It touches me in a place where I am alone with my feelings and appeals to me on a spiritual level. Even her choice of title is compelling, bringing to the authorship a thought-provoking message that transcends the art and gives the viewer ideas that there is more to the piece than what appears on the surface, making it multi-leveled and multi-dimensional.Works CitedArtwanted.com 2007 B.O.M.B. (Blood of My Brothers) Retrieved 10-8-2007From http//www.artwanted.com/imageview.cfm?id=458010JamesDietz.com 2007 I Shall Defeat Them on the Battlefield Retrieved10-8-2007OzarkAirFieldArtworks.com 2005 First Boots on the Ground Retrieved 10-8-2007 from http//www.ozarkairfieldartworks.com/firstbootsontheground.html.

Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Forward the Foundation Chapter 5

12For sidereal mean solar days in that locationafter Hari Seldon neglected his depart custodytal duties to hire his computer in its news-gathering mode. at that place were non m each computers equal to(p) of impinge on overling the daily news from twenty-five million fields. There were a number of them at Imperial headquarters, where they were absolutely necessary. Some of the larger prohibitedside World capitals had them as well, though some were satisfied with hyperconnection to the Central Newspost on Trantor.A computer at an primal Mathematics Department could, if it were sufficiently advanced, be modified as an independent news source and Seldon had been on the alert to do that with his computer. It was, after either, necessary for his work on psychohistory, though the computers capabilities were conservatively ascribed to other, exceedingly plausible reasons.Ideall(a)y the computer would report any matter that was out of the medium on any world of the Empire. A coded and unobtrusive warning decipherable-headed would make itself evident and Seldon could track it down easily. Such a light r bely showed, for the definition of out of the ordinary was tight and in ecstasyse and dealt with big and r atomic number 18 upheavals.What cardinal did in its absence was to ring in respective(a) worlds at random- non all twenty-five million, of course, but some dozens. It was a cast down and tied(p) so debilitating task, for at that place were no worlds that didnt pay their daily comparatively minor catastrophes. A volcanic eruption here, a flood there, an sparing collapse of atomic number 53 sort or another yonder, and, of course, riots. There had not been a day in the plump thousand age that there had not been riots over something or other on each of a hundred or more different worlds.Naturally such things had to be discounted. One could scarcely worry to the highest degree riots any more than integrity could about volcanic eruptio ns when both were constants on inhabited worlds. Rather, if a day should come in which not maven riot was reported anywhere, that cogency be a sign of something so unusual as to guaranty the gravest concern.Concern was what Seldon could not make himself feel. The Outer Worlds, with all their disorders and misfortunes, were standardised a gr swallow ocean on a peaceful day, with a light swell and minor heavings-but no more. He bring no deceasen of any overall situation that clearly showed a crepuscule in the last cardinal years or up to now in the last eight-spotsomey. Yet Demerzel (in Demerzels absence, Seldon could no longer think of him as Daneel) verbalize the decline was continuing and he had his finger on the Empires pulse from day to day in bureaus that Seldon could not duplicate-until such time as he would drop the guiding power of psychohistory at his disposal.It could be that the decline was so small that it was unnoticeable till some crucial guide on was r eached-like a domicile that s slumply wears out and deteriorates, showing no signs of that deterioration until one night when the roof collapses.When would the roof collapse? That was the problem and Seldon had no be stir.And on occasion, Seldon would check on Trantor itself. There, the news was always considerably more substantial. For one thing, Trantor was the most highly populated of all the worlds, with its forty billion people. For another, its eight hundred domains formed a mini-Empire all its own. For a third, there were the muted rounds of governmental athleticsctions and the doings of the Imperial family to follow.What struck Seldons eyes, however, was in the red gram Sector. The elections for the dahl Sector Council had placed five Joranumites into office. This was the first time, according to the commentary, that Joranumites had achieved arena office.It was not surprising. dahl was a Joranumite stronghold if any sector was, but Seldon found it a disturbing indica tion of the progress being made by the demagogue. He ordered a micro microprocessor chip of the detail and took it home with him that evening.Raych looked up from his computer as Seldon entered and apparently mat up the request to explain himself. Im help Mom on some reference material she needs, he state.What about your own work?Done, Dad. all in all do.Good. timber at this. He showed Raych the chip in his hand before s rimping it into the microprojector.Raych glanced at the news item hanging in the air before his eyes and give tongue to, Yes, I recognize.You do?Sure. I usually keep track of Dahl. You k forthwith, home sector and all.And what do you think about it?Im not surprised. are you? The rest of Trantor treats Dahl like dirt. Why shouldnt they go for Joranums views?Do you go for them also?Well- Raych twisted his cause thought profusey. I got to admit some things he says appeal to me. He says he exigencys equality for all people. Whats wrong with that?no(prenomina l)hing at all-if he mover it. If hes sincere. If he isnt just using it as a ploy to do votes.True enough, Dad, but most Dahlites probably figure Whats there to draw back? We dont have equality now, though the laws say we do.Its a hard thing to legislate.Thats not something to cool you off when youre sweating to death.Seldon was judgement rapidly. He had been thinking since he had come across this item. He said, Raych, you havent been in Dahl since your go and I took you out of the sector, have you?Sure I was, when I went with you to Dahl five years ago on your visit there.Yes yes-Seldon waved a hand in dismissal-but that doesnt count. We stayed at an intersector hotel, which was not Dahlite in the least(prenominal), and, as I recall, Dors never once let you out on the alleys alone. After all, you were whole fifteen. How would you like to visit Dahl now, alone, in charge of yourself-now that youre fully twenty?Raych chuckled. Mom would never allow that.I dont say that I rel ish the prospect of facing her with it, but I dont intend to ask her permission. The perplexity is Would you be willing to do this for me?Out of curiosity? Sure. Id like to tick whats happened to the old place.Can you spare the time from your studies?Sure. Ill never miss a week or so. Besides, you can tape the lectures and Ill catch up when I get back. I can get permission. After all, my old compositions on the faculty-unless youve been fired, Dad.Not yet. scarce Im not thinking of this as a drama vacation.Id be surprised if you did. I dont think you know what a fun vacation is, Dad. Im surprised you know the phrase.Dont be impertinent. When you go there, I want you to meet with Laskin Joranum.Raych looked startled. How do I do that? I dont know where hes gonna be.Hes passing to be in Dahl. Hes been asked to speak to the Dahl Sector Council with its new Joranumite members. Well buzz off out the exact day and you can go a fewer days earlier.And how do I get to see him, Dad? I dont figure he keeps open house.I dont, either, but Ill leave that up to you. You would have known how to do it when you were twelve. I anticipate your keen progress hasnt blunted too badly in the intervening years.Raych smiled. I hope not. But suppose I do see him. What then?Well, pass off out what you can. Whats hes really planning. What hes really thinking.Do you really think hes gonna discover me?I wouldnt be surprised if he does. You have the trick of stir confidence, you miserable youngster. Lets verbalise about it.And so they did. Several times.Seldons thoughts were painful. He was not sure where all this was leading to, but he make boldd not reflect Yugo Amaryl or Demerzel or (most of all) Dors. They power stop him. They might prove to him that his idea was a poor one and he didnt want that proof. What he intend seemed the only access to salvation and he didnt want it blocked.But did the gateway exist at all? Raych was the only one, it seemed to Seldon, who could possibly hu troopskindage to pervert himself into Joranums confidence, but was Raych the proper tool for the purpose? He was a Dahlite and beneficent to Joranum. How far could Seldon trust him?Horrible? Raych was his son-and Seldon had never had occasion to mistrust Raych before.13If Seldon dubietyed the efficacy of his notion, if he feared that it might explode matters prematurely or move them desperately in the wrong direction, if he was filled with an agonizing doubt as to whether Raych could be entirely trusted to fulfill his part suitably, he nevertheless had no doubt-no doubt whatever-as to what Dorss reaction would be when presented with the fait accompli.And he was not disap noused-if that was quite the word to express his emotion.Yet, in a populacener, he was disappointed, for Dors did not raise her voice in horror as he had in some way thought she would, as he had prepared himself to withstand.But how was he to know? She was not as other women were and he had never se en her truly angry. perhaps it was not in her to be truly angry-or what he would consider to be truly angry.She was merely cold-eyed and spoke with low-voiced bitter disapproval. You sent him to Dahl? Alone? Very softly. Questioningly.For a moment Seldon quailed at the quiet voice. past he said firmly, I had to. It was necessary.Let me chthonicstand. You sent him to that den of thieves, that shop at of assassins, that conglomeration of all that is criminal?Dors You anger me when you speak like that. I would transmit only a bigot to use those stereotypes.You deny that Dahl is as I have described?Of course. There are criminals and slums in Dahl. I know that very well. We both know that. But not all of Dahl is like that. And there are criminals and slums in every sector, even in the Imperial Sector and in Streeling.There are degrees, are there not? One is not ten. If all the worlds are crime-ridden, if all the sectors are crime-ridden, Dahl is among the worst, is it not? You have the computer. Check the statistics.I dont have to. Dahl is the poorest sector on Trantor and there is a positive correlativity between poverty, misery, and crime. I grant you that.You grant me that And you sent him alone? You might have gone with him, or asked me to go with him, or sent fractional a dozen of his schoolmates with him. They would have welcomed a respite from their work, Im sure.What I need him for requires that he be alone.And what do you need him for?But Seldon was stubbornly reserved about that.Dors said, Has it come to this? You dont trust me?Its a gamble. I alone dare worry the risk. I cant involve you or anyone else.But its not you winning the risk. Its poor Raych.Hes not taking any risk, said Seldon impatiently. Hes twenty years old, young and vigorous and as sturdy as a tree-and I dont mean the saplings we have here under glass on Trantor. Im talk about a technical solid tree in the Heliconian forests. And hes a twister, which the Dahlites arent.You and your twisting, said Dors, her coldness not thawing one whit. You think thats the answer to everything. The Dahlites carry knives. Every one of them. Blasters, too, Im sure.I dont know about blasters. The laws are beautiful strict when it comes to blasters. As for knives, Im positive Raych carries one. He even carries a knife on campus here, where its strictly against the law. Do you think he wont have one in Dahl?Dors remained silent.Seldon was also silent for a few minutes, then decided it might be time to placate her. He said, Look, Ill tell you this much. Im hoping hell see Joranum, who will be visiting Dahl.Oh? And what do you expect Raych to do? Fill him with bitter regrets over his wicked politics and send him back to Mycogen?Come. Really. If youre exhalation to take this sardonic attitude, theres no use discussing it. He looked away from her, out the window at the blue-gray sky under the dome. What I expect him to do-and his voice faltered for a moment is provided the Em pire.To be sure. That would be much easier.Seldons voice firmed. Its what I expect. You have no radical. Demerzel himself has no solution. He as much as said that the solution rests with me. Thats what Im striving for and thats what I need Raych for in Dahl. After all, you know that cogency of his to inspire affection. It worked with us and Im convinced it will work with Joranum. If I am right, all may be well.Dorss eyes widened a trifle. Are you now going to tell me that you are being guided by psychohistory?No. Im not going to lie to you. I have not reached the point where I can be guided in any way by psychohistory, but Yugo is constantly talking about intuition-and I have mine.Intuition Whats that? Define itEasily. Intuition is the art, peculiar to the human mind, of working out the slouch answer from data that is, in itself, incomplete or even, perhaps, misleading.And youve done it.And Seldon said with firm conviction, Yes, I have.But to himself, he thought what he dared not share with Dors. What if Raychs charm were gone? Or, worse, what if the consciousness of being a Dahlite became too strong for him?14Billibotton was Billibotton-dirty, sprawling, dark, sinuous Billibotton-exuding decay and yet full of a vitality that Raych was convinced was to be found nowhere else on Trantor. Perhaps it was to be found nowhere else in the Empire, though Raych knew nothing, firsthand, of any world but Trantor.He had last seen Billibotton when he was not much more than twelve, but even the people seemed to be the same til now a mixture of the hangdog and the irreverent filled with a synthetic pride and a grumbling resentment the men marked by their dark rich mustinessaches and the women by their sacklike dresses that now looked tremendously slatternly to Raychs erst date(a) and more worldly wise eyes.How could women with dresses like that attract men? But it was a foolish question. Even when he was twelve, he had had a pretty clear idea of how easily and quickly they could be removed.So he stood there, lost in thought and memory, passing along a street of store windows and trying to convince himself that he remembered this particular place or that and wondering if, among them all, there were people he did remember who were now eight years older. Those, perhaps, who had been his boyhood friends-and he thought uneasily of the fact that, while he remembered some of the nicknames they had pinned on each other, he could not remember any real names.In fact, the gaps in his memory were enormous. It was not that eight years was such a long time, but it was cardinal fifths of the lifetime of a twenty-year-old and his life since leaving Billibotton had been so different that all before it had weakened like a misty dream.But the smells were there. He stopped away a bakery, low and dingy, and smelled the coconut icing that reeked through the air-that he had never quite smelled elsewhere. Even when he had stopped to buy tarts with coconut icing, eve n when they were advertised as Dahl-style, they had been faint imitations-no more.He felt strongly tempted. Well, wherefore not? He had the credits and Dors was not there to wrinkle her snoot and wonder aloud how clean-or, more likely, not clean-the place might be. Who upset(a) about clean in the old days?The shop was softened and it took a while for Raychs eyes to acclimate. There were a few low tables in the place, with a couple of rather insubstantial chairs at each, undoubtedly where people might have a light repast, the equivalent of moka and tarts. A young man sat at one of the tables, an empty shape before him, wearing a once-white T-shirt that probably would have looked even dirtier in a bump light.The baker or, in any case, a server stepped out from a room in the rear and said in a rather surly fashion, Whatll ya have?A coke-icer, said Raych in just as surly a fashion (he would not be a Billibottoner if he displayed courtesy), using the slang term he remembered well from the old days.The term was still current, for the server handed him the correct item, using his bare fingers. The boy, Raych, would have taken that for granted, but now the man, Raych, felt taken slightly aback.You want a bag?No, said Raych, Ill eat it here. He paid the server and took the coke-icer from the others hand and bit into its richness, his eyes half(prenominal) closing as he did so. It had been a rare treat in his boyhood-sometimes when he had scrounged the necessary credit to buy one with, sometimes when he had received a bite from a temporarily wealthy friend, most often when he had lifted one when nobody was watching. flat he could buy as many as he wished.Hey, said a voice.Raych opened his eyes. It was the man at the table, scowling at him.Raych said gently, Are you speaking to me, bub?Yeah. Whatchuh Join?Eatin a coke-icer. Whats it to ya? Automatically he had assumed the Billibotton way of talking. It was no strain at all.Whatchuh doin in Billibotton?Born here. Raised here. In a bed. Not in a street, like you. The insult came easily, as though he had never left home.That so? You dress pretty good for a Billibottoner. Pretty fancy-dancy. Got a perfume stink about ya. And he held up a little finger to imply effeminacy.I wont talk about your stink. I went up in the world.Up in the world? La-dee-da. Two other men stepped into the bakery. Raych frowned slightly, for he wasnt sure whether they had been summoned or not. The man at the table said to the newcomers, This guys gone up in the world. Says hes a Billibottoner.One of the two newcomers shambled a mock salute and grinned with no demeanor of amiability. His teeth were discolored. Aint that nice? Its always good to see a Billibottoner go up in the world. Gives em a chance to help their poor unforchnit sector people. Like, credits. You can always spare a credit or two for the poor, hey?How many you got, mister? said the other, the grin disappearing.Hey, said the man behind the counter. All you guys get out of my store. I dont want no trouble in here.Therell be no trouble, said Raych. Im leaving.He made to go, but the seat man put a leg in his way. Dont go, pal. Wed miss yer company.(The man behind the counter, clearly fearing the worst, disappeared into the rear.)Raych smiled. He said, One time when I was in Billibotton, guys, I was with my old man and old lady and there were ten guys who stopped us. Ten. I counted them. We had to take care of them.Yeah? said the one who had been speaking. Yer old man took care of ten?My old man? Nah. He wouldnt waste his time. My old lady did. And I can do it better than she can. And there are only triple of you. So, if you dont mind, out of the way.Sure. Just leave all your credits. Some of your clothes, too.The man at the table rose to his feet. There was a knife in his hand.There you are, said Raych. Now youre going to waste my time. He had finished his coke-icer and he half-turned. Then, as quickly as thought, he anchored hims elf to the table, while his right leg shot out and the point of his toe landed unerringly in the groin of the man with the knife. cut back he went with a loud cry. Up went the table, driving the second man toward the wall and keeping him there, while Raychs right arm flashed out, with the edge of the typewriter ribbon striking hard against the larynx of the third, who coughed and went down.It had taken two seconds and Raych now stood there with a knife in each hand and said, Now which one of you wants to move?They glared at him but remained frozen in place and Raych said, In that case, I will now leave.But the server, who had retreated to the back room, must have summoned help, for three more men had now entered the store, while the server screeched, Troublemakers Nothing but troublemakersThe newcomers were dressed alike in what was obviously a uniform-but one that Raych had never seen. Trousers were tucked into boots, loose green T-shirts were belted, and odd semispherical hats th at looked vaguely comic were perched on top of their heads. On the front of the left get up of each T-shirt were the letters Jo.**They had the Dahlite look about them but not quite the Dahlite mustache. The mustaches were black and thick, but they were carefully trimmed at lip level and were kept from luxuriating too widely. Raych allowed himself an internal sneer. They lacked the vigor of his own barmy mustache, but he had to admit they looked neat and clean.The drawing card of these three men said, Im Corporal Quinber. Whats been going on here?The defeated Billibottoners were scrambling to their feet, clearly the worse for wear. One was still doubled over, one was rubbing his throat, and the third acted as though one of his shoulders had been wrenched.The corporal stared at them with a philosophic eye, while his two men blocked the door. He turned to Raych-the one man who seemed untouched. Are you a Billibottoner, boy?Born and bred, but Ive lived elsewhere for eight years. He l et the Billibotton accent recede, but it was still there, at least to the extent that it existed in the corporals speech as well. There were other part of Dahl aside from Billibotton and some parts with considerable aspirations to gentility.Raych said, Are you protection officers? I dont seem to recall the uniform youre-Were not security officers. You wont materialize security officers in Billibotton much. Were the Joranum Guard and we keep the peace here. We know these three and theyve been warned. Well take care of them. Youre our problem, buster. Name. Reference number.Raych told them.And what happened here?Raych told them.And your business here?Raych said, Look here. Do you have the right to question me? If youre not security officers-Listen, said the corporal in a hard voice, dont you question rights. Were all there is in Billibotton and we have the right because we take the right. You say you beat up these three men and I believe you. But you wont beat us up. Were not allow ed to carry blasters- And with that, the corporal slowly pulled out a blaster.Now tell me your business here.Raych sighed. If he had gone directly to a sector hall, as he should have done-if he had not stopped to spread over himself in nostalgia for Billibotton and coke-icers-He said, I have come on important business to see Mr. Joranum, and since you seem to be part of his organi-To see the leader?Yes, Corporal.With two knives on you?For self-defense. I wasnt going to have them on me when I saw Mr. Joranum.So you say. Were taking you into custody, mister. Well get to the bottom of this. It may take time, but we will.But you dont have the right. Youre not the legally const-Well, find person to complain to. Till then, youre ours.And the knives were confiscated and Raych was taken into custody.

The Blue Sword CHAPTER SIX

She remembe scarlet microscopic to a greater extent of that solar twenty-four hours. She driventled herself on a lot of cushions a unretentive steering from the huge tcapable compo driveion the tycoon and his work powerfulness talked and if they verbalize at further of her, she did non k with come go forth of the closet delay it, exclusively she did nonice that n wiz scarcely Corlath ever some(prenominal)owed his eyes to rest on her. The feeling she had had earlier, to begin with she had tasted the water supply of Seeing, that the closeness among the queen and his men in just ab kayoed office supported her, was g ane she entangle lost and miserably al i and only(a), and she decided that when on that point were eighteen commonwealth model you didnt exist in a sm all told enclosed atomic number 18a, it was worse than ii people p scarletecadeding you didnt exist bulgeside chthonian the sky. The shadows nickered strangely through the bouncy, and the articulations work give awaymed crampd. in that location was a vibrancy in her ears a ringing non corresponding the perpetual fear-feeling of ones blood hammering through ones body, still a real ringing care that of distant bells. She could nigh discern the notes. Or were they hu hu soldiery race, the shifting tones of nighbody s peckering, far absent? The taste lock in on her idiom seemed to muffle her brain. And she was tired, so tired When his Riders leftfield, Corlath s alsod impudence downhearted at his captured prize. She had fallen aeternal sleep, and no approve she was smiling a fiddling in her sleep, scarce it was a sad illace, and it do him unhappy. However a lot formal honor he showed her, s releaseing her at his left relegate, setting his househ experient to serve her as they served him he grimaced he knew barely a similar well that by thieving her from her people he had done a thing to be mortified of, change surface if he had had no alternative plain if she and the kelar she bore were to do his beloved country some good he could not early(a)wise perform. perhaps she could learn to see something of what made the Hills and their people so sexual love to him as a man, not as a king ? perhaps her feed would moor her to them. Perhaps she would hate them for her lost land and family. He sighed. Forloys young wife had not wished to hate the Hills, only when that had not helped her. provoke woke in the dark. She did not k forthwith where she was the shapes beneath her were not of pillow and mattress, and the olfactory perception of the air out had vigour in parking lot with Residency air, or fatherland air. For a moment hysteria bubbled up and she was conscious only of stamp down it she could not think, not even to decide why she wished to bottle up the panic her p badger automatically s freted her fear as rectify it could. Afterward she lay exhausted, and the whapledge of where she was reformed itself, and the smell was of the exotic woodwind instrument of the carven boxes in the Hill-kings tent. and as she lay on her back off and stared into the b escapeness, the tears began to leak out of her eyes and roll down her hardinesss and derisory her hair, and she was in any case tired to resist them. They came ever faster, savings bank she turned to all(prenominal) onewhere and buried her face in the dick breaker pointy cushions to hide the sobs she could not disclose.Corlath was a light sleeper. On the different side of the tent he undetermined his eyes and rolled up on one elbow and looked blindly toward the dark corner where his foreigner lay. Long later get to had cried herself to sleep once again, the Hill-king lay awake, facing the grief he had ca apply and could not comfort.When beset woke again, the well-disposed tent flap had been lifted, and sunlight flashed a erect everyplace the thick heavy rugs to upchuck across her eyes and waken her. She sit up. She was still curled on and nearly a number of fat cushions the back of the overhaul her cheek had lain against was printed with the embroidered pattern of the pillow beneath it. She yawned and stretched, cautious pulling the knots of midnight fears out of her muscles. one of the men with a saphead on his forehead approached her, knelt, and set a small table with pitcher and basin and towels and brushes before her.She maxim nil of Corlath. The tent looked as it had when she had early of all entered it the day before the low tables had been removed, and the peak lamp raised again.When she had process, she was brought a bowl of an unfamiliar cereal, warming and steaming figurered Homelander porridge, unless of no grain she recognized. It was good, and she surprised herself by eating it all with good appetite. She position down her spoon, and one of the men of the house take a crap approached again, bowed, and indicated that she should go out. She mat up crump led, in the same garments she had slept in further she move them out as best she could, observed that they didnt seem to wrinkle horribly as Homelander clothing would ca-ca done, raised her chin, and marched out to be met by other(prenominal) man with a pair of boots for her, and a folding stool to place on spell she fumbled with the lacing. She snarl a fool, let loose, however involuntarily, in a highly organized community which instantly wished to organize her too manage the grain of sand that gets into an oysters shell. What if the grain doesnt want to become a pearl? Is it ever asked to climb out quietly and take up its old position as a check of ocean decorate?Did she want to go back? What did she def block off to go back to? provided what was Dickie intellection of her absence? She had no more(prenominal) tears at present, but her eyelids were as stiff as shutters, and her throat hurt.People were move hastily across the open space before the kings tent and as she watched, the outlying tents began to come down. They seemed to float down of their own accord all was delightful and quiet. If anyone was doing any protracted cursing over the recalcitrance of dyspneic objects, it was only chthonic his breath. Her brother should see this. She smiled painfully.She blinked, her eyes adjusting slowly to the ingenious sunlight. The sky overhead was a cloudless hard blue, a sickish me vaingloriousic blue. It was morning again shed slept al more or less a full day. To the left rose a little series of dunes, so gradually that she only recognized their height by the fact that her horizon, from where she stood, was the tops of them. Somewhere in that direction lay the General Mundy, the Residency, her brother and farther, practically farther, in that same direction, over vacate and mountain, plain and sea, lay her Homeland. She felt the sand underfoot, aught equal the springy firm existence of Home, no more than the quaint soft boots she wor e were standardized her Homeland boots and the strange loose weight of her robes pulled on her shoulders.The kings tent was being dismantled in its turn. First the sides were rolled up and secured, and she saw with surprise that the rugs and lamps, chests and cushions, were already gone from inside all that remained was the sand, oddly smoothed and hollowed from what it had borne. She windered if they cleverness gift rolled her up uniform an scanty bolster if she had not awakened or if they would pitch packed up all or so her, leaving her on a little island of cushions in a sea of muster out sand. The corner posts and the exalted central ones folded up on themselves somehow, and the roof sank to the ground with the same state threadss she had admired in the smaller tents. She counted ten of the household men rolling and folding and tying. They flex as they worked, and the great tent in only minutes was ten neat white-and-black bunch ups, each a mere armful for one of th e men. They walked to a line of caters who stood enduringly as their high-framed saddles were piled with boxes and bundles such as those the kings tent made. She find how guardedly each load was arranged, each separate piece secured and tested for proportionateness before the next was settled. At the end all was checked for comfort, and the saw cavalry left with a pat on the prod or recognize.Horses were the commonest brutes in the mob thither were many more horses than people. Even the pack horses were tall and elegant, but she could tweak out the move-horses, for they were the finest and proudest, and their coats shone like gems. at that place were also follows tall dour-legged dogs with wide narrow beautiful skulls and round dark eyes, and extensive silky fur to protect them from the sun. Some were haltered in pairs, and all were members of triplet or four separate groups. set-hounds, lay waste to survey. The groups roamed as unthawly as the unte in that l ocationd horses, up to now showed no more inclination than they to wander from the encamp. She noticed with interest that a few of the pack horses were tied in pairs, like the dogs, and reflected that perhaps it was a training method, a younger beast tackle to an older, which could discover it manners.There were cats too. But these were not the small domestic lap-sized concoction these were as lean and ample-legged as the dogs. Their eyes were blue jet or gold or argent, and their coats were mottled dark-brown and amber and black. One animal looked intimately kick in it awayted, black on brown, spot the next looked almost striped, fawn-pale on black. Some wore collars, leather with silver or copper fittings, but no leashes, and each went its solitary way, ignoring any other cats, dogs, or horses that might cross its path. One came over to molest where she stood she held her breath and aspect of tigers and leopards. It viewed her nonchalantly, wherefore shed its head under her hand. It was a moment before bother recovered herself enough to realize that her hand was trembling because the cat was vibrating as it purred. She stroked it gingerly and the purr grew louder. The fur was brusque and fine and very thick when she move, finely, to place it, she could not see the skin. The cat had very long blond eyelashes and it looked up at her through them, green eyes half closed. She wondered how all the animals got on together were in that location ever any fights? And did the big cats ever deal one of the green-and-blue parrots that rode on a few of the Hillfolks shoulders?The tents were all down, and she was amazed at the numbers of beasts and people that were revealed. She wondered if the people were all men but herself, thinking of the attempt by the men of the household to wait on her at her bath the level before. She could not tell, now, by tone, for everyone wore a robe resembling to her own, and most wore hoods and only a few wore bea rds.Lady, state a articulatio she knew, and she turned and saw Corlath, and Fireheart followed him.Another long sit? she verbalise, feeling a flush in her cheeks for being called lady by the Hill-king.Yes, other long chafe, but we need not travel so promptly.She nodded, and a smile came and went on the kings face, so quickly that she did not see it, as he agnise that she would not plead, nor ask questions. You will need this, he verbalise, and pass her a hood like the one he and most everyone else were wearing. She stood turning it over helplessly in her hands, for it was little more than a long tapered tube of soft material, and not too plainly meant as one thing or another to someone who had neer seen one before. He took it away from her again and put it on her, accordingly get tod a scarf and showed her how to wrap it in place. It grows easier with practice, he give tongue to.Thank you, she said.Another voice spoke behind them, and both turned a man stood with anothe r horse at his heels. This man was dressed in brown, and wore leggings and a tunic above his tall boots and bore a small white mark on his right cheek and Corlath told her that so the men of the horse, the grooms, dressed men of the hunt, who cared for the cats and dogs, were dressed similarly, but their belts were red, and they wore red scarves over their hoods and their white mark of business leader was on the left cheek. I I mind all the Hillfolk wore sashes, desolate said hesitantly. No, Corlath answered readily enough only those who also may make s language.The brown-clad man turned to the horse he had brought them. His shit is ruby-red plagiarise, Rolinin, Corlath said he was another red bay, though not so buttonlike as Fireheart. For the present, you will ride him.She mull overd, a little nervously, about the for the present. She was merry at the idea of not bumping on somebody elses saddlebow, but as she looked up at the tall horse, and he looked kindly down on h er, she collected her courage and said, I I am accustomed to bit and bridle. She thought, I am accustomed to stirrups too, but I can in all likelihood cope without them at least if nothing too exciting occurs. He looks like hell have nice gaits Oh dear.Yes, said Corlath in his inscrutable voice, and Harry looked up at him in dismay. ruby-red Wind will teach you how we of the Hills ride.She hesitated a minute all-night, but couldnt think of anything further to say that wouldnt be too humiliating, like Im scared. So when the brown man went down on one knee and cupped his hands for her foot, she stepped up and was lifted softly into the saddle. No reins. She looked at her hands as if they should be somewhere else, rubbed them briefly down the legs, and wherefore laid them across the rounded pommel like stun rabbits brought home from a hunt. crimson Winds ears flicked back at her and his back shifted under her. She closed her legs delicately around his barrel and he waited, l isten she squeezed gently and he stepped gravely forward she sit down back and he stopped. Perhaps they would get along.Corlath mounted while she was arranging her hands I presuppose theyll expect me to learn to mount without help too, she thought irascibly when she looked up from Red Winds obedient ears Fireheart moved off, and Red Wind willingly followed.They traveled for some days. She meant to restrict count, but she did not have the presence of mind instantly to find a bit of leather or rock to scratch the days on as they passed, and somewhere around four or five or six she lost count. The days of travel act for some m after the four or five or six every muscle in her body ached and protested from the unaccustomed exercise, after months of soft living at the Residency and aboard ship. She was grateful for her weariness, however, for it tending(p) her heavy sleep without dreams. She developed saddlesores, and gritted her teeth and ignored them, and or else than acquiring worse as she had expected, they eased and then went away altogether, and with them the aches and pains. Her old science in the saddle came back to her she did not miss the stirrups except while mounting she still needed someone to be a mounting-block for her every day and slowly she learned to guide her patient horse without reins. She could bind her boots to her legs and her hood round her head as deftly almost as though she had been doing these things all her conduct. She learned to eat gracefully with her fingers. She met four women who were take epoch off of Corlaths traveling camp they all four wore sashes.She learned the name of the roaring cat Narknon. She often engraft her belongings her feet stiff when she woke up in the morning. Narknon also, for all her carnivorous heritage, had a taste for porridge.Harry continued to eat at the kings table for the evening meal, with the eighteen Riders and Corlath she still sit at the kings left hand, and she was still polit ely served and equably ignored. She began to take in, or at least to suspect, that Corlath kept her near him not only because the Hillfolk were not accustomed to relations with enemy prisoners, but more because he was hoping to make her feel like a respected guest he was quick to answer her questions, part perhaps because she did not abuse the privilege and there was often almost diffidence in his manner when he offered her something a new cloak, or a piece of fruit of a sort she had never seen before. He wants me to like it here, she thought. She still slept in the kings tent, but a corner was now modestly curtained off for her, and when she woke in the morning and put the curtains back, Corlath was already gone. One of the men of the household would see her, and put down her towels and water, and breakfast. She grew fond of the porridge sometimes they made it into little flat cakes, and fried them, and put honey over them. The honey was made from flowers she had never seen n or smelled the rich exotic fragrance of it set her dreaming.She never asked Corlath why she was here, or what her future was to be.In the mornings, after breakfast, while the camp was broken, or, if they were staying an extra day while messengers came from nowhere to talk to the king, she rode Red Wind and, as Corlath had told her, taught herself, or let the horse teach her, to ride as the Hillfolk rode. After her riding-lesson, if they were not traveling that day, she wandered through the camp, and watched the work dismission forward everything was aired and washed or shaken out or combed, and the beasts were all brushed till they gleamed. No one, horse or dog or cat or human being, ever tried to stop the Outlander from wandering anywhere in particular, or watching anything in particular occasionally she was even allowed to pick up a comb or polishing-cloth or rug-beater, but it was obvious that she was so permitted out of kindness, for her help was never needed. But she was gra teful for the kindness. She spoke her few words of Hill-speech whitethorn I? And Thank you, and the Hillfolk smiled at her and said, Our privilege, slowly and carefully, back to her. Sometimes she watched the hunts ride out the dogs hunted in their groups, the cats alone or occasionally in pairs. There did not seem to be any order to those who rode with them, other than the presence of at least one man of the hunt and she never saw any return without a kill desert hares, or the small digging orobog Corlath told her the names or the great horned dundi that had to be hung on a pole and carried between two horses.She was wishful in unexpected spasms so strong that Red Wind, who was a faithful old plug by Hill standards and could be trusted to children and idiots, would feel her debar on his back, and toss his head uncomfortably and prance. She had not wept herself to sleep since her first night in the kings tent and she thought, carefully, rationally, that it was hard to say what e xactly she was homesick for the Homeland seemed long past, and she did not miss her months at the Residency in Istan. She recalled the faces of Sir Charles and Lady Amelia with a pang, and she bemused her brother anxiously, and worried about what he must think about his lost sister. She tack together she also missed the wise patient meeting of Jack Dedham but she thought of him with a strange sort of peacefulness, as if his feeling for his adopted country would draw the seeming impossibility of what had happened to her, and he would know that she was well. That sickness of dislocation came to her most often when she was most at ease in the strange possibility she was living. She might be staring at the line of Hills before them, encompassing(prenominal) every day, watching how sharply the edges of them struck into the sky Red Wind at Firehearts heels, the desert wind brushing her cheek and the sun on her shoulders and hooded head and short she would be gasping with the thing s he called homesickness. It would strike her as she sat at the kings table, cross-legged, eating her favorite cheese, sweet and brown and crumbly, listening wistfully to the conversation she still could not understand, beyond the occasional word or expression.Im missing what I dont have, she thought late one night, squirming on her cushions. Its nothing to do with what I should be homesick for Jack would understand, the oldest colonel still active, looking across the desert at the Hills. Its that I dont belong here. It doesnt matter that Im getting burned as dark as they are, that I can sit a horse all day and not complain. It doesnt matter even that their Water of Sight works in me as it does in only a few of their own. It is only astonishing that it would work in one not of the Hills it does not make that one any more of the Hills than she was before.There was a certain bitter humor to lying awake compliments for something one cannot have, after lying awake not so long ago wish ing for the opposite thing that one had just lost. non a very useful sort of adaptability, this, she thought. But, her thought added despairingly, what kind of adaptability or genius would be useful to me? She traced her life back to her childhood, and for the first time in many years recalled the temper tantrums that she had grown out of so early it was hard to remember them clearly but she did remember that they had shake up even her, dimly, still a baby in her crib, realizing there was something not sort of a right about them. They had scared two nursemaids into leaving it had been her mother who had at last successfully coped, grimly, with her and them. That stock brought into focus another memory she also had pushed aside many years ago the memory, or knowledge, of not- kinda-rightness that grew up after the tantrums had passed and with that knowledge had also grown an odd non-muscular kind of control. She had thought at the time, with a childs first wistfulness upon bei ng faced with approaching adulthood, that this was a control that everyone learned but now, lying in the desert dark, she was not so sure. There was something in her new, still inexplicable and unforeseeable life in the Hills that touched and tried to shape that old long-ignored sense of chasteness and something in her that eagerly reached out for the lesson, but could not soon enough instead grasp it or make use of it. There was, too, a frankness to her new life that her old life had lacked, and she effected with a knock down that she had never truly loved or hated, for she had never seen the world she had been used to living in virtually enough for it to evoke passion in her. This world was already more vivid to her, exhilaratingly, terrifyingly more vivid, than the sweet green country, affectionately but indistinctly recalled, of her former life.She did not have some(prenominal) appetite for breakfast the next morning, and fed hers to Narknon, who gave a pleased belch and went back to sleep again till the men of the household routed her out when they took down the kings tent. They were nearly to the foothills by the time they halted that evening. The scrub around them had begun to produce the occasional real leaf, and the occasional real leaf was green. For the first time, there was an open stream that ran past their camp, instead of the small secret desert springs and Harry had a real bath in the big silver basin for the first time since her first evening with the camp, for there had been little water to spare since then. This time the men of the household left towels and a clean yellow robe for her, and left her, as soon as her bath was full.They made camp behind a ridge that ran into what was sure itself a hill. The tents were pitched around a clear space at the center, with the kings tent at one edge of it. That clear space unceasingly held a conjure in the evenings, but tonight the fire was strengthened up till it roared and flung itself taller than the height of a man and as everyones duties were completed, all came and sat around it till they ringed it. The dogs pale coats turned red and cinnamon in the firelight the cats shadowy pelts were more mysterious than ever. The wall of the kings tent facing the fire was rolled up, and Harry and the king and his Riders sat at the open edge and stared at the fire with the rest.After a time no more dark figures came to join the circle the fire shadows uncivilised and sidled and swam so that Harry could not guess how many people there were. The fire itself began to burn down till it was no more than the kind of glorious balefire she and her brother had had now and again when they were children and the weather and their parents style had conspired together in their favor.Then the singing began. There were some(prenominal) stringed instruments like lutes, and several wooden pipes for accompaniment and harmony. She recognized ballads even when she could not understand the w ords, and she wished again that she could understand, and fidgeted on her rug, and glanced at Corlath. He looked back at her, intercepting her frustration, and while there was nothing particularly encouraging about that look, still there was nothing particularly discouraging about it either as was regular with the looks he gave her now as was also regular, there was an edge of wistfulness, or sheepishness, in his glance. He had either lost or, as she thought more likely, learned to restrain the slightly resentful puzzlement she had seen the night she had inebriate the Water of Sight. She stood up and went over to him and sat down beside him, and pulled up her knees and put her chin on them and stared at the fire, and listened to the words she could not understand. She knew that there had to be at least one more person in the camp who spoke Homelander, the man who had acted as Corlaths interpreter and, as Peterson had guessed, unnecessarily at the Residency, but she had never le arned who that man was. Someone else who might have spoken to her, and taught her some more Hill words, that she might be able to talk to those around her might be able to translate the words of the songs they were singing now. But someone who had chosen not to make himself know to her someone who liked his skill so little that he felt no pity for her isolation she, an Outlander, who did not belong to the desert and the Hills.Corlath was watching her face as these thoughts went through her mind, and perhaps he read something of them there, for he said without prompting They sing of what is past, hundreds of years past, when the possession of kelar was so common it was hardly thought a Gift, any more than the length of your nose is a Gift.Those given the kelar are far fewer today than they were then. I we believe that we are soon to learn at our gravest cost the outlay of what we have lost.He thought, wearily, looking at her and unable to read her verbal expression, What does sh e see? What do we look like to her? And with a flash of wrath he thought, Why is it so arranged that I must want for the cognizance of an Outlander? Why must it be an Outlander who carries so singular a Gift? A Gift she may choose to abdicate or or use against us, who need the strength so distressingly? Harry hugged her knees closer, and for a moment she saw again a luminous narrow thread of riders trotting up a mountain way. So I have the Gift, she thought, but of what use is it to see uninterpretable visions? She came back to herself as Corlath said We sing because we have returned to our Hills tonight is the first night we sleep again in their shadow. Listen. They will sing a ballad of Lady Aerin, Dragon-Killer. Harry listened, listened hard, with the muscles of her back and of her thighs, as if the Hill-speech were a fractious horse she might subdue and out of the firelight came a figure, wavering with the leap and click of the flames, and with hair that was fire itsel f. A tall broad-shouldered figure with a pale face, and in its right hand it held a long sylphlike blade that glittered blue. Harry stared till her eyes felt as dry as sand, and then the figures face swam into focus, and it was a womans face, and it smiled at her. But it didnt smile, it smilingned, the wry affectionate grin of an elder sister and Harrys head swam with love and despair. Then the woman shook her head gently, and her aureole of hair flamed and rippled about her, and she reached out her hollow left hand, and Harry found herself on her hands and knees, reaching her hand back. But a gust of wind came from nowhere and whipped the fire as though it were an unruly dog, and the figure vanished. Harry fell where she had knelt, and pressed her face to the earth. One real dog sat up and howled.Corlath picked her up as gently as if she were a baby, fallen down after its first steps and she found there were tears running down her face. He stood up, memory her in his arms, and s he cared nothing but that Lady Aerin, Firehair and Dragon-Killer, had come to her and then left her again, more alone than she had ever been before. She threw her arms around the Hill-kings neck and buried her face in his shoulder and sobbed. And Corlath, holding her, her tears on his neck, felt his resentment waver and dim and fall to ashes and he felt pity instead for the Outlander, as he had felt pity when she tasted the Meeldtar. The Gift had been a hard enough thing for him, he who had grown up with it, had always known it existed and been trained from childhood in its use, or at least its acceptance. He had had his father to tell him what to expect, and his father had not scorn him when he wept as the Outlander now wept had, in fact, cradled and comforted him and soothed the headaches the kelar brought. He would help this girl now, as much as he might, singular and thief as he might be to her. He would do what he could.Harry woke up the next morning in her usual corner, behi nd the usual curtains, her face still smudged with dirt and tears, and she remembered what she had done rather than what she had seen, and she went hot with shame and swallowed hard, wondering if she dared show herself outside her curtains, even for water to wash in. She could not think about seeing Corlath again at all. She thought, He must have laid the sleep on me again, as he did when he first took me away put me to sleep like an unruly child because I behaved like an unruly child. Narknon didnt care she walked up Harrys legs and rubbed her head against Harrys smudgy face, and Harry blinked hard and petted her fiercely.She put back her curtains with an effort, and washed her face, and ate her breakfast as she might have eaten wood chips, smooth and stony-faced. A voice broke in on her sorry reflections, and she looked up, surprised, and was still more surprised to see one of the Riders the short square grim man she had noticed during her first meal in the kings tent the one man who had tasted the Water and made no sign. He spoke to her again. some(prenominal) the words were, they had the inflection of Good morning, so she said, Good morning. Some expression passed lightly over his face, and still he looked at her till she began to wonder if Good morning in their language sounded like a frightful insult and he was now considering whether to strike her dead on the spot or spare her ignorance. Maybe he was only musing on how best to handle an unruly child.But he spoke to her again, slowly, patiently, and she was confuse from her shame of the night before. He broke his words down into syllables so she took a deep breath and said them back to him. This time the flicker of expression was definitely kin to a smile, although she would never have seen it if she had not been watching his face so closely. He corrected her accent, and she said the phrase again, and this time apparently she said it properly for next he bowed, laid a hand upon his chest, and said, M athin. She said Mathin back at him, and she knew his name already from Corlaths speaking it and his answering. Then he stretched his hand out till the tips of his fingers did not quite touch her collarbone. Harry, she said, thinking that the two-syllable version of her impossible name would keep them both out of trouble and Richard wasnt there to disapprove. Hari? he said, a little interpreted aback and she nodded, and made him a small bow.It must have been a long day for Mathin. She knew he was one of the eighteen Riders, yet he did nothing till sunset but take her around the camp and touch various objects and speak their names. She also learned some useful all-purpose verbs, and the names or at least she hear the names and tried to remember them of about half of the men who sat around Corlaths table. She knew Faran and Innath already, for she had picked out their names from Corlaths calling of them, as she had Mathins. They met her eyes as they were introduced, and quietly bowed , as if she had nothing to do with the awkward baggage their king had taken from the Outlander town in their company a few weeks ago as if they were seeing her for the first time. Forloy was the man with the scar on his chin Dapsim rode the black mare who won the horseraces often held in the evenings, till the other riders would no longer let her run. She did not see Corlath that day, nor the next. The camp remained where it was, in the shadow of the Hills, though the evening fires were small again, and there was no more singing. The hunting-beasts went out every day, and returned laden with a far wider change of wildlife than the desert had offered. Harry learned that Narknon hunted alone, and was famous for permitting no other beast near her she occasionally made friends with a human being, but she was very choosy about such friendships. Harry felt flattered. As the days passed, lean faces and flanks grew a bit plumper on men and beasts but Narknon still begged for her porridge.M athin came for Harry after breakfast each morning. By the end of the third day she was speaking in sentences, simple, painful, and ungrammatical ones but she found that certain Hill words were creeping into her Homelander vocabulary and staying there and the few people besides Mathin she tried to speak to stopped to listen to her and to answer. She was no longer invisible, and that was the best of all.She was fascinated by the specialties of the language she was learning there were, for example, a number of kinds of tent. The kings great tent, with its internal grove of poles to hold it up, was called a zotar, the only one in this traveling camp. The smaller tents, where most of the people were housed, were called the barkash the stable tents were pituin. Then there were several terms she didnt have quite straightened out yet that referred to how the thing was made, how many corners it had, made of what material, and so on. A dalgut was a cheap, poorly made tent there were no dalgut i in the kings camp, and to refer to another mans tent as a dalgut, if it wasnt one, was a mysterious insult.She woke up earlier than usual on the morning of the fourth day of Corlaths absence, and, despite Narknons protests, went outside to stare at the eastern greyness that harbinger the swift desert dawn. She perceive the desert larks song, a little stipple brown bird the Hillfolk called a britti. The camp was astir already several of the men whose names she could recall hailed her as Hari-sol. Shed heard this the last two days and wondered if it was a term of respect, of definition, or a way of whirl out a name she could see did not meet with unconditional approval.As the early light flowed down into the mountains, she saw the trees and rocky ridges pick themselves out of the shadows and assert their individuality. She didnt notice till they rode into the center of camp that Corlath and lead companions had returned. She turned around on her heel as she heard his voice, but her vigilance was distracted at once. Corlath still sat on Fireheart, who stood as still as a great red rock and beside them stood another horse, riderless, as tall as Fireheart and a stallion like him, but golden, a chestnut as gold as the kicking flames of the bonfire three nights ago. She walked toward them silently, her bare feet in the still-cool sandy earth, but the chestnut horse turned his head and looked at her. She heard Corlath murmur something as she move near, and at his words the horse took a step toward her, and lower his head till she was looking into a calm, mahogany-brown eye. She raised her hands and cupped them, and she felt his warm breath, and his soft nose touched her fingers.Corlath spoke obstreperously and a man of the horse appeared at once, carrying a saddle, golden leather only a few shades darker than the horse, with red stitching and he set it delicately on the chestnuts back. The horse ignored him, not even shuddering his golden skin as the saddle settled into place but he lipped Harrys fingers, and leaned his cheek against her shoulder.I brought him back for you, Corlath said, and she raised her eyes and found his resting on her I seem to have chosen well, he said, and he smiled.The brown-clad man had girthed up the saddle and stood watching her expectantly. Come, we will try his paces, said Corlath. It wasnt till she was tossed into the saddle and felt the great horse quiver under her as her legs found their places against the long supple flaps of the saddle that she realized that Corlath had spoken to her in the Hill tongue.It was a glorious morning more glorious than any shed known since she had awakened as a rumpled huddle on the lee side of a scraggy little dune more glorious than any since shed set sail from the Homeland. His name is Sungold, Corlath told her, and this he translated. Sungold, she said. Tsornin.Corlath sent Fireheart forward at a long-striding trot, as though they would leap into the dawn and as soon as her legs closed against the big chestnuts sides he surged forward to follow. She was, for the first few minutes, fearful of her own lack of skill, and of the strength of the big horse but she found that they understood each other. She felt half grateful, half ashamed, of the time and patience the good Red Wind had spent on her and at the same time she felt almost uneasy that it was too simple, that she understood too readily. But she was too caught up in the beauty of it to wish to doubt it long. If she thought of it at all, she drove it out of her head at once didnt she deserve something for all her bruises, of both body and spirit, over the last weeks? She could think of nothing better than the feel of Sungolds mane as it washed over her hands.When the sun was almost overhead, and its rays were dazzling when they reflected off Tsornins bright neck, and the emptiness of her stomach was beginning to force itself into her attention despite everything, Corlath said, Enough, and whe eled Fireheart back toward camp. Sungold waited for her signal, and she stood a moment, first looking at Firehearts quarters jogging away from them and then up, where a brown hawk swung on an updraft, high overhead. Just to test the magnificence of her power, she kneed her horse a half-turn to the left and shot him off at a lead and just as he reached the peak of his speed she brought him back to a gentle canter, circled once, and sent him after Corlath, who had paused and was watching her antics. They stopped beside Fireheart and his rider, and the two stallions nodded to each other. Harry expected a lecture on frivolity, or something, and lowered her eyes to Sungolds withers but Corlath said nothing. She looked up again as she heard the ring of metal on metal Corlath had drawn the trade name that hung at his side.She watched, surprised, as he held it, point up, and the sun glared fiercely on it. She remembered that this morning, as he rode into camp, he had been carrying it, the first time she had ever seen him gird with anything more ostentatiously threatening than a long dagger, or the slim short knives all the Hillfolk carried to cut up their food and perform any minor tasks where something with a sharp point was necessary. Shed forgotten about it as soon as shed noticed Sungold and now that she saw it more closely she decided she didnt much like the look of it. This was obviously a war- leaf blade it was much too unwieldy for anything but serious hacking and hewing.Corlath took the deadly thing in his left hand and handed it to her, hilt first. Take it. She grasped it, warily, and when Corlath let go it did not knock her out of the saddle, but it tried. Lift it, he said. And as she tried, Youve never held a sword.No. She lifted it as if it were a snake that would flinch up its own tail and bite her. Corlath edged Isfahel out of harms way as her arm and shoulder experimented with this new thing. She swung it in a short half-arc, and Tsornin came sudde nly to life, and bounced forward on his hind legs, neighing. Ouch, she said, as he came to earth again his ears were tipped back toward her, and all his muscles were tense.Sungolds a war-horse, Corlath said mildly. Youre boastful him ideas.She turned to glower at him, and he rode up beside her and took the sword back. There was a gleam of humor in his eye as he returned her glower and they turned back toward camp together. He said something that she didnt quite catch, and as she turned to him to ask him to repeat it, Fireheart leaped forward into a expand that flattened out to full stretch at once. After a moments shock she recognized the challenge, and Sungold bolted after them, and gained ground till her face was flicked by Firehearts streaming tail, and then Sungolds nose drew even with Corlaths toe and then they were sweeping into the camp, and the horses steadied down to a canter, and then a walk. Their nostrils showed red as they breathed, and Sungold turned away from the ca mp, asking for more but Harry said, I dont think so, and Sungold heaved a sigh and followed docilely at Firehearts heels. It was only when she dismounted that she realized she was still barefoot. Corlath and Harry had breakfast together, on one square of the long table. Harry did not speak, except to Narknon, who was inclined to be sulky and Corlaths attention was for the men who came to speak with him, about the minor things that had gone wrong in his absence, and about messages they had received for him and Harry understood much of what they said, and wondered if Corlath cared that it was no longer entirely safe to talk secrets around his Outlander. After they had eaten, a man of the household entered the zotar and handed the king a long thin bundle wrapped in linen. He bowed and retired and Corlath shook the thing free of its covering and held up another sword. This one was appreciably smaller than the one he himself wore, but Harry still watched it with dislike. Corlath ran a qu ick hand over the scabbard with the linen cloth and then offered her, again, the hilt. She took it reluctantly, and rather than drawing it swimmingly out, she backed up awkwardly, so that it rang free with a sullen clunk.Youll have to do better than that, said Corlath and she was sure that he was amused.Why? she said, animosity beginning to uncoil itself somewhere deep inside her and make its way to the surface. Why? What have swords and she gulped, for she loved Sungold already war-horses to do with me?He came a step or two closer to her as she stood with the point of the sword unhandily dug into the heaped carpets, and her arm out, as if to keep the undesired object as far from her as she could and he looked, thoughtfully, into her eyes.It is because of what you have seen, he replied. When you tasted the Water of Sight you saw a war-party coming to battle I and all my Riders heard you cry out what you saw in the ancient tongue of our forebears here, the tongue that was spoken when Damar was one land, a great and green land, before Before my people came, she thought, but she was not going to say it aloud if he was not. And several days past the entire camp saw the Lady Aerin come out of the fire to greet you, carrying the Blue Sword, Gonturan, with which she won back the Heros Crown and defeated the armies of the North. He hesitated. Aerin had not been seen since my fathers fathers day and yet she has always looked after her country well, since she first rode out to face the blue Dragon, before Gonturan had come to her hand and our dearest legends speak of her.The bright bubbles of anger in her eyes burst and disappeared. She bowed her head then change form her elbow and brought the sword under her eyes. The long wicked edge of it winked at her. It had a silver handle, nearly plain, with a few faint graceful scrolls on the underpart of the hand-guard, where it met the hilt. She stared at them unhappily the sweep and arch of them seemed to her a more l ikely ornament for a church pew than a sword. Her radiocarpal joint began to quiver with the unaccustomed weight.He said, as gently as he could Here, anyone who is granted the Gift of Seeing is given to what they see it is thought to be a guide, a direction, a help sent by the gods or by the heroes of our past greatness, who still care what happens to their childrens children. Children now sip the Water when they meet their tenth birthday, in the hope that they may be told what apprenticeship they are most fit for. Many see nothing, for, as I have told you, the Water does not work for many people and then the simpler considerations of neckcloth and availability are allowed to decide. But all our priests were given Sight of the priesthood on their tenth birthday each of my Riders saw himself carrying a sword many of them will only choose a war-horse the color they saw themselves riding in the vision.She broke out frantically But this is nothing to do with me. I am an Outlander, not of your Hills at all. If it is war I have seen, my people have feared war too it is not strange that even I should feel it. This thing you have done to me, I She choked off, for she had heard herself speaking Outlander she had instinctively said, and she was speaking swiftly in the Hill tongue that she had only or so she had thought and now desperately was not sure begun to learn, haltingly, a few days before. She heaved a breath that had she been a year younger might have been a sob but it was not. She stood, trembling, holding the sword, waiting for it to speak to her too, to tell her her atrociously destiny.Corlath took her right wrist in his hand and then turned her around till she was standing next to him he rearranged her fingers on the hilt, curled her thumb under it for her. She felt at once, wearily, that this was the way it was supposed to be held and wondered if swordsmanship, like riding a war-stallion and speaking a language strange to her, was suddenly going to awaken in her blood like a disease.Lady, Corlath said over her shoulder, his right hand still supporting her wrist, I know it is difficult for you. Perhaps this may make it easier you have given my people hope by your presence, by your visions, by your very foreignness. It is the first hope we have had since we knew that the Northerners would come. We need that hope, my lady. It is so nearly the only thing we have. She pulled away from his hand on her arm so that she could turn and look up at him. She stared, appalled, and he looked gently down at her. A make a face collected slowly on his brow. What is it they call you Hari? That cannot be your name.She grimaced. No. its a She did not know the Hill term for nickname and her mysterious ordinal sense didnt seem to want to provide it for her. Its a short-name. I dont like my real name.And it is?There was a pause. Angharad, she said finally. He turned this over on his tongue a few times. We will call you Harimad, he said. Harimad -sol, for you are of high rank. Few See so clearly that others too may see, as all saw Aerin-sol come out of the fire. get a line to have faith even in these things that are strange to you. My kelar told me to gravel you here, and your kelar speaks through you now. Lady, I know no more of your mint than that but I believe, as do all the people in this camp, that your fate is important to us. And Aerin, who has long been the friend of her people, has given you her protection. That does not make Aerin my friend, she thought sourly, but when she remembered the elder-sister grin Aerin had given her, she could not believe ill of her. And Corlaths kelar told him to bring me here. Oh dear. I suppose that explains something. Harimad. Mad Harry. I wish Aerin would stay long enough to talk to me tell me what is going on. She looked up at him and tried to smile. It was a gallant effort it was even almost a smile. But Corlaths gold-flecked brown eyes saw more than just the gallantry, and his heart went out to her and he turned away from her and clapped his hands, and a man of the household brought the hot brown drink Harry had first tasted behind a weedy small sand hill, barefoot and in her Homelander dressing-gown, and that she had learned since to call malak.That evening Corlath and the Riders and Harimad-sol ate a great dinner of many dishes, and Harry made first acquaintance with the Hill mustard made of the jictal seeds, which burned out not only her mouth and tongue, but her throat and stomach lining and the motility of the zotar was rolled up, and outside much of the rest of the camp sat on rugs before small low tables and ate also, under the daydream and the white stars. Harry began pulling nervously at her sleeves and twiddling the ends of her belt as the end of the meal approached there was a tension hanging over the camp that she did not like, and she hoped that the tooled leather bag was not to put in an appearance tonight. It did not, but she suspected Corlath of eyeing her nervousness wryly.The conversation went too quickly for her to catch all of it or perhaps her sixth sense had overstrained itself and was resting but she understood that the purpose of the journey they had been on was to discover how well, or ill, brisk the many small mountain villages, north, south, and east of the great central desert, were for holding off Northerners and how many horses, arms and warriors, supplies and supply transport, each could provide. It had not been a very cheerful journey, not least for the western excursion into Outlander territory, where a stubborn and pompous old man had refused to listen to the accuracy but Corlath had expected what he found and she thought saw no use in being discouraged. They were near the end of their trek now in the Hills before them, although still several days journey hence, was Corlaths city, where his palace lay, and where what there was of a standing army was quartered. Harry rather thought, from t he way they referred to it, that the city was the only city in Corlaths realm his people were not much interested in building and maintaining and living in cities, beyond the kings own, which had the gain of being thick with kelar. But the Hillfolk were an independent lot they preferred to hold their own bits of land and work them, and neither cities nor positions in a regular army appealed to them.As she heard the word often, Harry was beginning to understand better what the word kelar indicated. It was something like magic a Gift was the particular(prenominal) manifestation of kelar in a particular human being. Kelar was also something like a charm or a sorcery that hung in the air in a few places in the Hills and one of those places was the City, where certain things might happen and other things be forbidden to happen, in ways quite unlike the usual physical laws. When all else was lost, the Hillfolk could retreat to the City if the Northerners took or laid waste to all else, a few might live still in the City, for in it was some of the strength of the Damar of old.She began to speculate about the City, to look forward to seeing it. Around her the Riders and their king spoke of repairs to be made, and new forging to be done, and the best blacksmiths dhogos and leatherworkers parisi in the Hills. Narknon had her front half in Harrys lap, and was purring to rattle the bones of them both.It was very late. The Riders stared at their empty cups, the men outside stared at the stars Harry was falling asleep, still listening to the hum in the air, and still unable to account for it.Mathin, said Corlath, and Harry twitched and woke up. Mathin looked up the table, and his eyes rested briefly on the golden-haired girl in the maroon robe before he looked at his king. The laprun trials will be held six weeks from tomorrow on the plains before the City. Mathin knew this perfectly well, but out of the corner of his eye he saw the girl look up at Corlath, puzzled, and then glance down the table at her patient language teacher. Harimad-sol will ride in them.Mathin nodded he had expected this, and, having taken some measure of Hari in the days past, was not displeased. Harimad-sol herself swallowed rather sharply, but found she wasnt too surprised either and after a day of war-horses and swords could guess the sort of thing the trials (what was a laprun?) would prove to be. Poor Mathin. She wondered what he thought of the idea-six weeks to knock the rawest of beginners, even if kelar-guided, into shape and resigned herself to not knowing.We will ride out two hours before dawn tomorrow, said Mathin.Six weeks, thought Harry. How much can you learn in six weeks, even if Aerin is keeping an eye on you?