Broken World Book Two - StarSword (29 page)

"Not me," Talsy
averred. "He has the manners of a peasant."

"Now, now. He's
a nice boy. Why do you insist on driving him away?"

"He annoys me.
He's too sure of himself, too..." She shrugged. "I don't know."

"Intimidating?"
Sheera supplied.

"Perhaps."

"That's because
he's a warrior, silly girl, not some callow youth. If you want one
of those there are plenty amongst the chosen."

Talsy thought
of the gangling, pimply boys and shuddered. "No, definitely not. I
know who I want."

"The one you
can't have."

"Don't you
start."

Sheera glanced
at her. "All right, have your dream, but don't forget there are
more pretty girls amongst the chosen."

"He can have
them," Talsy growled, frowning. "I have one far better than
he."

"Then why is he
not by your side, helping you as Kieran was trying to do?"

"Because he's
busy!" Talsy said, but at the same time anger boiled in her at
Chanter's neglect. Sheera was right, why was Chanter not walking
beside her? He did not need to be so far ahead. In her anger her
steps became unwary, and her foot slipped on an icy root hidden
beneath the white blanket, twisted her ankle and sent her tumbling
into a deep drift. Sheera tried to help her up, but Talsy shook her
off.

"Chanter!" Her
bellow shattered the forest's icy hush, and the chosen ground to a
panting halt, staring at her as she sat red-faced in the snow.

Within moments
Chanter appeared, running like a deer, and Sheera retreated.

He knelt beside
her. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

She nodded. "My
ankle hurts."

With gentle
hands he examined the joint, the brief flash of Shissar barely
noticeable as he healed it. "Only a sprain. Better now?"

Talsy gripped
the front of his leather tunic, pulling him closer. "Stay with me.
It's hard to walk in this snow, I need your help."

He glanced past
her. "I thought Kieran was helping you."

"I don't want
his help. I want yours."

The Mujar
cocked his head. "What's the difference?"

"I don't like
him."

"Then ask one
of the soldiers, I need to -"

"No!" Talsy
tried to shake him, biting her lip as bitter tears stung her eyes.
"Do I mean nothing to you now? When we were alone you carried me on
your back, now I must struggle without you?"

The Mujar
looked confused and contrite. "No, of course not. I'm sorry, my
little clan." He stroked her tangled hair. "I'll stay with
you."

Talsy smiled as
he helped her up, shooting a smug glance at Sheera and Kieran.
Neither looked impressed, but she did not care. She clung to his
arm, content to have his help as she slipped and stumbled through
the snow.

"Where are we
going?"

"To find more
chosen, and then to the gathering."

"Where is the
gathering?"

Chanter glanced
around, but the chosen were out of earshot. "On the Plains of
Redemption, beyond the inland sea where once the Staff of Law
dwelt, and the Lake of Dreams."

"Why
there?"

"That's where
the great wingless silver bird that brought you lies, which is why
the gods have chosen it."

"Back to where
we started from."

He nodded.

"Tell me about
the silver bird."

Chanter sighed.
"Over a thousand years ago, a silver bird came out of the void. For
a long time it circled this world high above, then finally it came
down. Because it had no wings, it fell like a stone and smashed on
the great plateau. The gods were curious, but all within it were
dead. So they took the pieces they found and created the creature
that was written within the flesh."

"Truemen."

"Yes. They
created six, male and female. The gods looked into their memories
and saw the creatures these people knew, and created them too, so
they would be happy. The six built houses, bred their animals and
had many children. The gods found them interesting, different from
their creations, which they hid away, for Truemen killed and ate
animals. The tribe grew in number, then split into two tribes that
warred with each other. The bloodshed didn't please the gods, so
they moved one tribe to another continent. For a while there was
peace, but as the Truemen multiplied, they split and fought again.
The gods tried to keep the peace, but soon it became impossible,
for there were too many people to keep them apart."

Talsy glanced
at him as he paused. "So what did they do?"

"They sent
Mujar to test them."

"Why?"

He smiled.
"Because they didn't like the Truemen's ways. The wars you fought
from greed and hate, your destructiveness and cruelty. They wanted
to see if Truemen could be led from their path of evil and
savagery, taught to love this land and its creatures, learn the
benefits of peace and compassion. So we were sent amongst you,
given your form and language to see if you would learn from our
example and become like us. They made us immortal so those who
tried to could not rid themselves of us by killing us, for that is
a Truemen's answer to anything he does not like. But they found
that they could get rid of us by throwing us into the Pits
instead.

"The gods are
wise, and they gave us the powers and perfection that would bring
out the best or the worst in Truemen. Some, they thought, would
admire us and earn our favours by following our example, while
others would envy and hate us. Thus they sought to separate the
good from the bad, then destroy the evil ones and bring forth a
race of gentle, caring Truemen."

"But it didn't
work," Talsy pointed out, fascinated.

"No, not at
first. For a while there was hope, then the Truemen's hatred for us
grew and they threw us into the Pits, tortured and ill-treated us.
A few people befriended Mujar, but they all wanted something in
return. They expected friendship, and to be given help when they
asked for it, or companionship or love. None were able to give
unselfishly, expecting nothing in return. When there were only a
few Mujar left, the gods decided that the time of testing was over
and unleashed the Hashon Jahar."

He glanced at
her, his eyes twinkling. "Then I found you. The gods were angry at
first, for the time of testing was over and the Hashon Jahar
unleashed. But they could not go against their own laws, so if one
Trueman was truly worth saving, then all those who could be taught
our ways had to be saved too. They changed their plans, bade me
find those who could be moulded and lead them to the
gathering."

She stumbled,
saved by his strong hand. "Surely there must have been others? I
can't be the only one who's good enough."

"There may be,
but you're the first one to be tested and found worthy. You are
able to love and admire a Mujar without any selfish reasons for
doing so. By throwing us into the Pits, Truemen sealed their fate
and threw away their chance for redemption."

"But why didn't
you tell people?" she demanded. "Why didn't you try to teach them
the right way, instead of making them hate you by being so
difficult and uncaring?"

He shook his
head. "We were not sent to teach you, only to find those who had
unselfishness and compassion. Had we told people of the gods'
plans, they all would have pretended to be worthy, lied and cheated
to save themselves."

"There were
children in those cities the Black Riders destroyed. Innocent babes
who couldn't possibly be guilty of hating Mujar."

"Unfortunately,
yes. Their parents condemned them. There are children amongst the
chosen too, who have been saved by their parents, for they are too
young to be judged. The parents who mould the child. Remember King
Garsh's son?"

Talsy nodded,
shuddering at the memory of the vindictive little boy, and Chanter
went on, "He was not born thus, but his father taught him to be so.
Do not grieve for them; they will be reborn into their next lives
with parents who will teach them the right way."

"You didn't
know all of this when I met you, did you?" she asked.

"No. I knew
nothing to begin with, but I had strange urges, which I didn't
understand. Like longing for good food and shelter, clothes and
company, none of which a Mujar needs. Now I know that these
longings were to make us seek out people and live amongst them,
otherwise we would have stayed in the forests. All I knew was that
I could not help someone who had not first earned it through
kindness and generosity. It did bother me. I felt guilt and
remorse, but I knew that it was forbidden."

Talsy looked
confused. "But what about the clan bond? Why was that different?
Why did you enter into it? Surely helping people in return for
comforts was against the rules?"

He chuckled.
"That depends on which way around the helping was done. If I went
to a village and they asked for clan bond, then told me to dig a
grave to earn my comforts, I would have left. When I entered into
clan bond with the hill tribe, I lived amongst them for a week
before they asked me to do anything, you see? When I entered into
clan bond with you, it was after you had freed me from the gold,
which earned you a large Wish.

"I could not
grant it unless I stayed with you, and I had to grant it, for you
had more than earned it. The Wish of protection was too little for
the favour you had done for me. A Mujar may not refuse a Wish to
someone who has earned it, and the size of the Wish depends upon
the size of the favour. When you freed me from the gold, you could
have asked for almost anything, riches beyond your wildest dreams,
which is usually what Truemen want."

She grinned up
at him. "You mean, I could have asked for a tonne of gold?"

"Not gold,
that's impossible. Gold does not exist on this world. It's an alien
metal that Truemen brought with them on the silver bird. Any other
creature of this world would die from its touch, but Mujar cannot,
though its effect is almost as bad as death for us."

Talsy stumbled
through a deep snowdrift, supported by Chanter's arm. Her mind
whirled with all the things she had learnt, while her legs ached
and her lungs burnt in the frigid air. Sensing her exhaustion,
Chanter called a halt, and the weary people sank down in the snow
where they stood, gasping clouds of steam. Talsy sat and rubbed her
aching legs, Chanter settled beside her.

After they had
rested, the chosen moved to a nearby glade, gathered wood and
lighted fires to heat their food and make tea. Talsy stayed with
Chanter, leaning against him for warmth. Despite the terrible cold,
the Mujar still wore only his leather tunic and trousers. It left
his arms and some of his chest bare, yet the cold did not affect
him, and his skin was wonderfully warm.

She looked up
at him. "Will you stay with me tonight?"

"You know I
can't."

"Because of the
Dolana?"

"Not only that.
I could sit beside you, but I must go ahead and find the next city,
as well as keep watch for the Hashon Jahar."

She sighed.
"When will it all end?"

"After the
gathering."

"Then what will
happen?"

"Those who pass
the final test will live in paradise." He glanced down at her.
"Don't worry; you'll be one of them."

"Some will
fail?"

He nodded.
"Many will."

"What's the
final test?"

"I don't
know."

"I think you
do," she accused. "Before, when I asked how Truemen came to this
world, you said you didn't know, but you did, for you've just told
me."

"Mujar don't
lie, little one. The gods gave me that knowledge when I chose you.
Since that day I have learnt all that I have just told you
gradually, like memories coming back. Before that, I didn't know.
As I learn more, I'll tell you."

"Oh," she
frowned, chastised.

Chanter glanced
around at the gathering dusk and rose, helping Talsy to her feet.
Through the trees, the glimmer of the chosen's fires shone like
golden beacons, throwing dancing light on the snow. The Mujar led
her to them and sat with her beside Sheera and Shern, joining them
in a meagre meal and a cup of steaming tea. Kieran sat with Roth
and some soldiers at another fire, the Queen and her women shared
their own. Seven campfires lighted the glade, and the chosen
huddled around them, ready for the rock shelter Chanter would
create.

After he ate,
the Mujar rose and walked into the gloom without a word. Talsy
watched him leave, taking with him the comfort of his presence. As
soon as he vanished into the darkness, she missed him. She turned
to smile at Sheera as the old woman placed a blanket around her.
Moments after his departure, she sensed the chilling hush of Dolana
as he invoked it.

The ground
trembled and the snow parted. Stone pushed upwards in shimmering
walls all around them. It formed another shelter over them, joining
into a sloping roof, complete with smoke hole. The warmth of the
fires filled it, and many shed their blankets, laying them on the
snow as pallets for sleepy children. Only Talsy continued to stare
out of the cosy haven at the forest's icy darkness, into which
Chanter had vanished.

Chapter Twelve

A wolf's wild,
mournful howl wafted through the dark forest outside, making many
shiver. Talsy listened to the call and the distant answer of a
pack. Chanter would run with his wild brethren soon, sharing their
freedom and the magic of the cold starry night, which she had
shared so briefly when he had restored the burnt forest. She longed
to join him and run free with the wolves over the sparkling virgin
snow, instead of huddling around a fire with weary, unwashed
Lowmen. The warm shelter penned her in, trapped and stifled
her.