"I know," John said. He remembered the wet heat of Dayyid’s blood gushing over his hands. John stood and kissed Ravishan lightly. Ravishan wrapped his arms around John and for a moment they held each other in silence. John pulled back a little.
"We’d better get dressed for dinner." John handed Ravishan a pair of his pants and a shirt. He took the second pair of pants for himself. "You’re the guest of honor, you know."
"Yes, unless they decide to skin me and eat me." Ravishan pulled on the dark gray pants.
John’s clothes were loose on him and a little too long. He rolled the cuffs of the pants up. John quickly buttoned his own pants and grabbed a pair of socks.
"They’re not going to skin you." John handed Ravishan a belt. "They’re really pretty normal people. You must have noticed that while you were watching from the Gray Space."
"A little, but I wasn’t here all that often. The wards kept me away."
"Where were you?" John asked. He tugged the dark wool socks onto his feet.
"South of Amura’lisam. I spent the better part of the last three days trying to find a way through the wards at Umbhra’ibaye."
"And?" John looked up questioningly. For just an instant he allowed himself to think of Laurie and hope. Ravishan shook his head.
"If the entire thing were burned to the ground I might be able to get in." Ravishan pulled a dark red sweater over his head. The rich color made his skin appear ashen. "I’m sorry."
"It’s all right. Umbhra’ibaye will fall," John said. "Ji has seen it. When it comes down, we’ll get Laurie and your sister out."
"Has the demoness really seen Umbhra’ibaye fall?"
"Sabir’s forces in the south will bring it down. I don’t know when or how but apparently they will do it," John assured him. "Ji says she’s seen you there as well."
"Do you think the issusha’im have seen the same things?" Ravishan asked.
"Probably," John said.
"They must be trembling up in the Black Tower."
John nodded, though he suspected that the holy men in the Black Tower weren’t likely to simply accept their fate; these were the same men who were willing to release the Rifter against their own people to ensure their continued rule.
Still the idea seemed to hearten Ravishan. A wicked delight flashed in the smile he turned upon John. Though, his suggestion was simple enough.
"Let’s go get something to eat," Ravishan said. "I suddenly feel like I want to meet more of these Fai’daum."
John escorted Ravishan to the huge dining hall. People poured in around them. Some paused to glance curiously at Ravishan but looked away quickly when he met their stares. The warmth in the room intensified as hundreds of people filled the benches surrounding the long tables. Children chased each other around the rows of benches while their mothers waved commands and threats at them.
John led Ravishan to the table where he normally sat with Ji’s other students. Tanash waved them over next to her. Kansa frowned at them but said nothing.
Ravishan stared at the vast gathered population. The great hall in Rathal’pesha was neither as large as this dining hall nor as full.
"There’s an entire city down here," Ravishan whispered. "The Payshmura cannot win this war."
"Certainly not with you on our side," Tanash whispered back.
Ravishan looked startled at Tanash’s intrusion into the conversation, but he smiled briefly at her.
Women from the kitchen wheeled in serving carts. They passed steaming bowls of goat stew and baskets of taye bread down the tables. After that came pitchers of goat milk and watered wine as well as drinking bowls.
As soon as Ravishan saw that other people were eating, he wolfed down his stew and bread. Tanash tasted her stew and then dunked a large piece of taye bread into it. She pushed it back and forth with her spoon.
"I can’t wait for summer," Tanash commented. "This northern winter fare is so monotonous."
John shrugged. At least the stringy goat meat and bitter greens were flavorful. Though, he still couldn’t keep from longing for some Tabasco.
"Here, have a little wine. It’s quite good." Tanash poured wine into Ravishan’s cup and then filled John’s and her own. Ravishan tasted it.
"It’s not very strong," Ravishan said.
"No, but it tastes nice," Tanash replied.
Ravishan agreed, and after he finished his first, he poured himself a second cup.
"So what will I be expected to do for my initiation?" Ravishan asked.
"Ji will introduce you and then you’ll join her up on those raised steps." John pointed to the low dais at the far end of the dining hall. "Then Giryyn will tattoo you and you’ll swear allegiance to the Fai’daum."
"The same red tattoo you have over your heart?" Ravishan asked. "That red snake?"
John nodded.
"That’s not so bad." Ravishan drank a little more wine. He seemed more relaxed now. John supposed the yellowpetal salve and wine were taking the edge off his pain.
"The women who join are tattooed a little lower on their ribs." Tanash lowered her voice further. "You know, so that they won’t have to bare their breasts in front of everyone."
Ravishan frowned at Tanash and for a moment she looked worried.
"Hand me some bread, will you?" Ravishan asked.
"Oh. Yes, of course." Tanash quickly passed the remains of a loaf of bread to Ravishan. He tore off a large piece and ate it.
John finished his stew. Afterwards, he gazed at his empty bowl. Second courses wouldn’t be served until after Ji had arrived and made the evening announcements. He took a piece of bread from Ravishan and ate that.
A few minutes later Ji and Giryyn arrived. They walked to the dais. Ji yawned, showing her white teeth. Instantly, the soft hiss of whispers and the clatter of dishes stopped.
"We have two matters to announce tonight." Ji barely raised her voice but it carried easily through the silence of the dining hall. "A recent desertion within the ushiri’im has set back the Payshmura’s plan to send out the Kahlil. Right now their leaders are in confusion, and for the moment, their oracles have lost their grasp of the future.
"Sabir feels that this is the time to make our push for the south. If we move fast, the Payshmura won’t know what hit them. By the time they attempt to mobilize their ushman’im and ushiri’im we will have broken the Great Gate of Umbhra’ibaye and freed the issusha’im from their enslavement."
John felt a sudden rush of hope. He stared at Ji as if she were offering to fulfill a magical wish. He wasn’t the only one, he realized. Not only was Ravishan staring at Ji with an expression of elation, but so were many others among the Fai’daum. John suddenly wondered how many of them had daughters, sisters, mothers or wives among the issusha’im.
"This offensive must be fast." Ji’s low voice rolled through the chamber. "Sabir’s forces are going to require everything we can give. That means that the metal shops will be on double duty, and we’re going to be moving weapons and men through the railways in Gisa. It also means that many of you who have been training as reserve troops will be called up for duty. If you are not sent south, then the ground commanders will assign you to one of the small, elite units that will be striking everywhere between here and Amura’taye, keeping the Payshmura distracted from any happenings in the south."
Ji’s gaze lingered on John for a moment.
"You should expect to get your assignments in the next week. You’ll leave immediately after that. If you have any unfinished business, I advise you get it done before the end of the week."
Ji stood in silence for a little while longer as the full implication of her words moved through the gathered people. John watched hand signs flash. Some couples briefly embraced. Some kissed or suddenly caught and hugged their children.
"Now," Ji went on, "I would like to present you with the man who has made all of this possible. Ushiri Ravishan, will you join me?"
Ravishan rose. Everyone in the hall watched him as he walked to the dais. Younger children stood up on the benches to see Ravishan as he strode past. He held his head high and kept his eyes fixed on Ji.