“You’ve trusted me once to come down,” he said restrainedly, “and once to come here. At no other time have I asked you—”
“Oh, it’s believeme, trustme, I know what I’m doing, every time I draw a breath, Bren! I trusted you into that damn party. I trusted you into that interview. Well, where in hell is the ocean?”
“You’ll have to trust me again.”
“I believed you enough to come down here! Do you know how many parachutes, Bren? Did you notice how many parachutes? The first chute failed, Bren!”
Jase outright ran out of breath. And seemed to want something in reply. He saw Jase’s eyes fixed on him as they’d not steadied on anything in the chaos of the trip up.
“I know,” he said. “I sawthat. I’m glad you made it. I’m personally glad you made it. If that needs to be said.”
“Personally glad.”
“I wouldn’t have wanted you to die.”
“That’s kind of you.”
“What do I need to do? Name it for me. What would satisfy you?”
“An expression. Have an expression on your face. Tell me the truth for once.”
The remark about his lack of expression stung: it was probably true. But it clarified the source of objections, too. “I’ve tried,” he said with labored patience, “to teach you a language and a way of dealing with this world. And you ignore my lessons. Your repeated insistence on questions I’ve pointedly ignored is rude in atevi eyes, and on such points of misunderstanding with atevi we began a war that killed a great many people. Doyou understand that?”
“Then cure my misunderstanding. Why in hell are we on this hilltop, in this place?”
“For a good time. Which we will have. Relax.”
“What are we down to? Trustme? Trustme, one more time?”
“Yes!”
“God.” Jase ran a hand through his hair and walked to the window. Stark daylight painted him in white as he stood there staring out. And as he stood straight, as if he’d seen the devil. “There are mechieti out there!”
Atevi riding animals. Jase had had that experience on his first hour on the planet.
“Doing what, nadi?” he asked Jase.
“Eating the grass. Inside the wall.”
“That’s fine,” Bren said. “They’re the dowager’s.”
“What does she need them for?”
“Getting down to the sea, maybe.”
“I’m not riding!”
“I think you’ll do what she says,” Bren said calmly. “Whatever it is. She’s a lord far higher than I am. And this is, in all important senses, her land.”
“Bren—” Jase turned, became a shadow against the white light of outdoors. There was a moment of silence. Then: “All right. All right. Whatever you say.”
“We’re here to enjoy ourselves. Make an effort at it. And get your wits about you. Complain to me in private if you must. Don’toffend her. This is not a lesson. This is not an understatement. This is by nomeans a game.”
Prolonged silence from the shadow in front of the light.
Then, coldly: “Oh, I don’t take it for that, nadi.”
It was sunset outside. The hilltop felt the chill of evening. But the fireplace functioned, the long table had a white cloth and the benches had folded blankets to keep the splinters from ruining clothes. There was crystal, there were candles, there was the aiji’s banner, red and black, and the banner of Malguri, red and green, within the candle and firelight, and there was a respectable, even a splendid dinner in front of them. Ilisidi sat in the endmost seat; Banichi and Jago and Cenedi were seated, privilege of rank; Tano and Algini were seated but on duty, even here, so Banichi said; and the paidhiin were seated, one on one side, one on the other.
No one sat endmost to match Ilisidi. But then, no one ranked that high in the Association but the aiji himself.
There was pastry, there was a vegetable course—immense quantities disappeared, which Bren helped, and Jase discovered a vegetable dish he favored, clearly, while it remained a wonder where Ilisidi put the quantities she tucked away; certainly it wasn’t evident on her spare and (for an ateva) diminutive frame.
It must go into sheer energy, Bren decided. For a while there was no discussion, only food, and then the main course arrived, the seasonal fare, which was fish, and a delightful tart berry sauce.
“So,” Ilisidi said, “did you settle your disagreement, you two?”
The woman missed nothing.
“Jas-on-paidhi?”
“Nand’ dowager, I am told not to talk except the children’s language. I apologize for my inability in advance.”
“Oh, risk it. I’m not easily shocked.”
God, Bren thought. “nand’ dowager,” he said. “Jase-paidhi is at a great disadvantage of vocabulary.”
“As the nation heard.” Ilisidi tapped her glass and a servant poured. “Water. Pure spring water. Perfectly safe.—But, do you know, Jase-paidhi, I would have bet against your learning the language so quickly. Yolanda-paidhi, on the island, of course, had no such requirement.”
“No, nand’ dowager.”
“And she’s been turning over the precious secrets—at a greater rate of speed?”
Pitfall, Bren thought and opened his mouth and didn’t dare say a word.
“Not so, I think, if you please, nand’ dowager. Engineering diagrams are the same with both the island and Bren-paidhi.”
“One hears also of sad news from that quarter. One regrets your loss, Jas-on-paidhi.”
Jase ducked his head. “Thank you for your good will, nand’ dowager.”
“And how isnand’ Yolanda? Is she faring well? I get nonews from my reprehensible grandson.”
“I believe she is well, nand’ dowager.”
“You believe she is well.”
Jase looked toward him, disturbed, likely not sure he’d followed her around that corner or used the right word. He had.
“He doesn’t understand, nand’ dowager,” Bren said. And didn’t add, thinking of those illicit radio transmissions, Nor do I.
“Oh, well. How do you find the fish, Jas-on-paidhi?”
“The fish is very good, nand’ dowager.”
“Good.—Such an innocent. What’s it like on the ship, Jase-paidhi? Tell me. Satisfy an old woman.”
“It’s—a lot like being indoors.”
“Oh, well, boring, then. Give me the open air, I say. Do you like it there?”
“I hope to go back there. When the ship flies, nand’ dowager.”
“And when will that be?”
“I’d say sooner rather than later, aiji-ma,” Bren said, anxious to divert Ilisidi from her stalking and probing for reaction, one damned jab after another. She was noton her best behavior and she was enjoying every second of it.
“Another damned machine roaring and polluting the fields,” Ilisidi said, and had a bite of fish. “Now, one could make a ship to go beneath the sea and see the wonders there. Have you ever thought of that, nand’ paidhi?”
“It could be done,” Bren said, and broke every law on the books.
“You might persuade me to go on a ship like that. I’m less sure about this spaceship. What do you think, nand’ Jase?”
“About what, nand’ dowager? I’m not sure I follow.”
“Do you think I’m too old to fly on your ship?”
“No, nand’ dowager. You ride. I’m sure you could fly.”
“Wise lad. Flattery is the essence of politics. One wondered whether ship-folk are as wise as Mospheirans. Possibly they are.”
“They can learn,” Bren said, before Jase could think of words. “Don’t you say yourself, aiji-ma, that he’s quick?”