I looked at the lady and even I could tell she was in pain. ''May I bespeak you ?''
She nodded, and Kédra said for her, "She is called Mirazhe."
I concentrated. ''I am Lanen. Lady Mirazhe, do you permit me to assist you?"
Even truespeech seemed an effort, but she managed it. ''I have not been told all the truth about you Gedri,'' she said and her mindvoice was gentle despite her pain. "If you have the Language of Truth, who knows what might be possible. Yes, try what you can. Ahhh!''
I cringed at her pain in my mind. She was in a bad way indeed. And she was obviously not moving from where she was. I barely stopped to think. I took off boots and cloak, heavy tunic and shirt, and stepped into the water in leggings and my shift—and found it warm, almost hot.
It felt wonderful.
At first.
I do not recall much about the rest of what happened. The sun was setting. It grew darker and darker and I had to rely more on feel. Mirazhe spoke with me when she could in true-speech, and I got her to nod or shake her head to let me know what helped or hurt. It kept her from having to speak, which seemed incredibly hard for her.
The worst moment was when I first tried to put my hand in the birth canal. I thought I would faint from the pain. I drew it out instantly and let the water of the pool wash it. It still burned, though not as badly, but what could I do?
I got Akor to tear my cloak, my beautiful green cloak, in half; and so concerned was I by then for Mirazhe and her child that I hardly cringed at its passing. I wrapped each arm, shoulder to fingertips, in one half of the wool. That was much better; its thick double weave was like so much soft annour. I could manage for a long while. When I had finally got the kitling turned, though, I had to use my unprotected hands to pull. I think I screamed as loud as
Mirazhe when the littling came out.
But I will never forget the moment when I lifted the small, soft head above the level of the water for its first breath. All pain left me as there in the pool I held, for a second, a newborn Dragon in my arms. It was not much larger than a colt fresh from its mother. Its eyes were open and it looked at me, almost as if to speak its thanks. I laughed aloud in delight, then turned it towards its mother. It started to make sounds not unlike a human child just born.
Mirazhe nuzzled it.
My hands were terribly burned, and once free of the spell of that greeting I climbed out of the freshwater pool and hurried to the open sea to quench the fire, shaking off the rags of wool that had been my protection. The shock of very cold water on the rest of my body was a great relief, though I could feel nothing on my arms at first. That coldness was all I had sought.
Then I looked down and saw great lumps of skin in the water. Then I realised they had come off my arms.
I screamed once and fainted.
We all gasped when the youngling came out, whole and hearty. I saw it look at Lanen and smiled to myself. This was likely to be quite an interesting addition to the Kindred.
Mirazhe would not be able to speak for some time, but the way she bent to the youngling and greeted it I had no fears for her. Her soulgem, brilliant now, shone a glorious sapphire even in that light.
Shikrar and Kédra were wholly taken with mother and child. I followed Lanen as she went to the sea. "Littling, the Winds bless you, you have saved them."
She did not answer and I could not see her face, but I did not have to. She screamed then, once from her gut, and fell over.
''Lanen!''
When I lifted her from the water she was limp, she could not hear me, and her arms—her arms were horrible. I could not hear her thoughts. I was terrified. My little knowledge of the Gedri disappeared like the wind, I could not help her and I knew she needed help desperately.
I could think of no other course. I must take her back to her people. They would surely know what to do for her pain. My heart turned cold, but there was no other way.
I gathered her in my arms and leapt into the sky, crying out in truespeech even as I flew. "Shikrar, Kédra, someone, quickly! Fly before me to the place of the Gedri. Call out to them however you must, bring the Merchant, or better a Healer. Have them meet us at the place of Summoning. Fly on the Wind's wings!"
Shikrar was beside me before I had finished.
"Shikrar, I fear for her, she barely lives. I take her to her own people to find healing, I will go from thence to the Great Hall when she is in their hands. The Council must wait upon me so much longer.''
His greater wingspan took him ahead of me, but I sped after as fast as ever I had flown. I bespoke my dear one constantly, on the chance that she might wake and be fearful. I would not have her feel alone. I held her gently, keeping her close to me for warmth, but she did not stop shaking. I had to hold more tightly than before, since she could not grip with her poor burned hands.
In my passion I overtook even Shikrar, cried aloud to him to follow and flew fast as fear to the Gedri camp. I did not take the time to seek out the pass; instead I clasped my dear-ling to me and flew up, up into the thin cold air, crossing the mountains in a straight line to my destination.
Lanen never moved.
It was deep night when we reached the place of Summoning. If I had the time, I might have noticed that I still held the mood that Lanen had brought to me the night before, where hours were as years and all of life seemed to take place in a day.
I cared not who heard me. I shouted as loudly as I could.
I had the whole story from Rella later.
"Those of us who were here and still awake were just settling to a bite of food when a voice the size of all outdoors rang through the night. We could tell from the first word something
was terribly wrong.
" 'Marik! Merchant Marik! Bring a Healer, come here to the Boundary. It is the Guardian who calls!' No one twitched a muscle, we were that shocked. We couldn't believe it, but in seconds it came again. 'Come swiftly, Gedri, or I shall come to you!' it cried. For something that big it sounded amazingly desperate. And angry.
" 'About then we saw a long streak of light, Marik it was, running hotfoot through the clearing towards the Boundary. His men ran beside and behind—mostly behind—with torches. And we all got up and followed.
"When I got there I saw Marik at the Boundary, standing .in front of this huge silver head leaning over the fence, speak-ing as quickly as it could. 'Merchant Marik, I require your consent. I have need of assistance only your people can provide. May I cross the Boundary?'
"Marik stood there speechless with wonder. The Dragon leaned closer and spoke again, fangs glinting in the torchlight 'Quickly, Merchant, your consent!'
"Give the man credit, he's the cockiest beggar I've ever heard tell of. Not only did he find his tongue, he found something to do with it. 'And what do you offer in return, O great one?' he says, bold as brass. Ah, but he got his comeuppance, There was another voice from the shadows behind that hissed. 'He offers you life, small-souled one. I suggest you take it. lest I take it for you.'
" 'I consent,' squeaks Marik, stepping back. He needn't have bothered. As soon as he spoke there was a sudden wind, loud in the ears, and behind us all settled the Dragon. He was huge and terrifying, silver all over, and he was carrying something limp in his claws.
" 'This is Lanen, called Maransdatter. She is in great pain, and there is some thing else that ails her as well. She shakes like a tree in a high wind and cannot stop.' He set you down and leaned towards you for a minute, I don't know why. Maybe to see if you were still alive."
I stopped her. "You know, I think I remember that.'' Perhaps I roused a little when we landed, for I remember seeing him in a kind of haze when he leaned down and bespoke me.
"Lanen, dearling, I must leave you in the care of your Kindred. Forgive me, dear heart, I cannot help you in this. I will watch with you as I may, I will hear your lightest thought. Call if you have need of me and I will be with you."