Protests and disappointment came from everyone as I got to my feet before finishing the golden wine in my goblet, but none of them was seriously thinking about trying to stop me. They hadn’t missed the fact that I’d given Leelan nothing in the way of orders or instructions about ruling, knowing as well as I that if she didn’t do it right, no one would. They told me sternly that I had to come back to visit the country that was mine on an often, regular basis; I assured them solemnly that if I had any choice in the matter I would do exactly that, and then Leelan made her first decision as my stand-in. ,
“We cannot allow our Chama to walk about in torn outlander clothing as though she had naught save that to wear,” she announced, frowning at the light brown uniform which was the only thing I had to wear. “Before you leave us, Terril, you must dress as befits your station, else shall those who see you pity our country for being bereft of all dinga. Would you have others think of us in such a way’?”
All those pairs of eyes in the room were suddenly on me, so I sighed and gave in without an argument. If I didn’t want everyone to think Vediaster was penniless, which they would if they saw me, I had to go along with the suggestion. It was hardly an unreasonable request, and wasn’t likely to take too long in the seeing to.
Which it didn’t. It was only a matter of minutes before I was being led into the Chama’s rooms, and seeing it told me immediately what had bothered me so about Kel-Ten’s apartment. The large chamber was decorated heavily in gold, just like the First Prime’s surroundings, and there was something about the place that depressed me. I couldn’t quite remember what the source of the depression was, but that didn’t really matter. In another few minutes I would be out of there, and that would take care of the problem.
I was brought an outfit of trousers and shirt and sandals in gold and green, and while I got into it a couple of female servants packed four or five spare outfits-as well as the old stuff I got out of-into leather pouches to take with me. It felt odd having a wardrobe like that, one that belonged to no one but me, one that had been earned through efforts of mine. Back on Central I had a much more extensive wardrobe, supposedly earned by my being a Prime, but for some reason it wasn’t the same. I tucked the soft green shirt into the tight, clingy, gold cloth trousers, and felt a satisfaction unlike anything I had experienced when dressing on Central.
“Now do you appear much more presentable,” Leelan said as she stopped beside me, having come back after inspecting what the servants had packed. “Should your memabrak find this clothing less than satisfactory, however, you must gently recall to him that this is the custom of those of Vadiaster. As you are now ours as well as his, he must strive for understanding and acceptance.”
“Leelan, I have no memabrak,” I said, finding a large amount of instant annoyance at the thought that someone else would try telling me what I could and couldn’t wear. I’d had enough of that at the complex to last a lifetime, and wouldn’t have let it happen again even if I had to get nasty. “You were unable to comprehend a good deal of my conversation with that l’lenda, I know, therefore allow me to assure you that he was clearly told of my lack of interest in him. His departure was a considerable relief to me, and it seems highly unlikely that he will approach me ever again.”
“Ah, Terril, to be bereft of one’s memory is a greater loss than I had ever thought it,” she said with a sigh, her blue eyes looking down at me with compassion. “The l’lenda Tammad is indeed your memabrak, and will not so easily give over what is his. This I tell you as one sister to another, so that upset will not claim you when you discover yourself mistaken. In time shall you recall him and the love that was between you, and then . . .”
“And then shall I likely be too advanced in age to be overly concerned,” I finished for her, looking around to see that there was nothing left to do that would keep me there. “You have my thanks for the interest you show on my behalf, sister, and may be certain that the bond between us is a thing I shall never forget. Will you and the others favor me with your accompaniment to the conveyance which awaits me?”
For a moment Leelan looked as though she wanted to add to what she’d already said, but with the other women assuring me that the honor of seeing me off was theirs, she changed her mind and simply added her own agreement. Ashton, who had been standing not far from the door silently watching everyone and glancing around, also seemed to have something to say, but she did the same about joining us in leaving without turning the need vocal.
It was a faintly regretful but well-enough satisfied group that stopped at the foot of the transfer slip’s ramp, raising hands in farewell while Ashton and I continued on up. When I turned to wave a final good-bye, I saw that the pouches containing my clothes had been given to one of the transport crewmen standing to either side of the ramp, a man who made no effort to tell the big, armed w’wenda who gave him the things that it wasn’t part of his job to handle passenger luggage. He’d had the urge to say something like that at first, but then he seemed to remember where he was and who he was about to say that to. The urge was squelched quickly and firmly, and then he and the other were following us up the ramp.
“You may think that was funny, but you can bet that crewman isn’t taking it any way but seriously,” Ashton said in a low voice as she led the way into the slip, obviously having seen and felt what I had. “He’s never had to face a w’wenda, probably never even met one before today, but it didn’t take him long to see what most people do: you don’t mouth off to one any more than you would to a l’lenda. You wanted to know why we were so happy to have the bunch of them agree to be with us when we attack the complex? If what just happened doesn’t give you a hint, you’ll never know.”
She walked away from me then to find a seat around the outer edge of the circle of the slip, but she hadn’t left anything behind that still needed saying. I’d been so close to those women—and they’d been so close to me-that it hadn’t occurred to me how others would see them. They were warriors, dangerous, deadly fighters you’d have to be insane to want to start up with, and the gentle way they’d treated me didn’t change that. I shrugged inside myself, knowing there was another reason Ashton hadn’t yet mentioned as to why she and the others wanted the w’wendaa, but if no one brought it up in a reasonable amount of time I would simply ask. I had other things to think about right then, and I preferred leaving the subject of the w’wendaa of Vediaster for an occasion when I would not be distracted.
Which certainly didn’t apply to the time right then. It wasn’t until I had taken a seat of my own not far from Ashton’s, that I noticed there were only four of us in the slip, not counting the two people flying it. I looked around in a very blank way, then turned to Ashton.
“What happened to Murdock and the others?” I asked, silently congratulating myself for being so observant that I hadn’t noticed there were people missing until the slip was already lifting from the ground. “Have they decided to settle in Vediaster, and just forgot to tell me?”
“The slip took them over to the community, then came back for us,” she answered without looking at me, a faint amusement turning her lips up in something of a smile. “It’s so close to this city we could almost walk—if you could get to the community by walking. My brother will be delighted to hear that you actually missed him enough to ask.”
Her eyes moved over to me with that, the laughter in them matching her smile, but her attempt wasn’t fooling me in the least. She was trying to distract me from where we would soon be by giving me something to get angry over and argue about, but it hadn’t the faintest hope of working. Instead of answering her I left my seat to activate a view port, and tried to think about nothing but looking out.