Moons' Dreaming (Children of the Rock) (36 page)

“
I
’
ve been to festivals,
”
she cut off his enthusiastic recital.

“
In Raisal?
”
he challenged her.

She stopped with her hand on her piebald
’
s saddle.
“
My legs hurt,
”
she announced.

“
It takes practice to ride with a saddle.
”

She rounded on him.
“
Do you have an answer for everything?
”

He smiled again.
“
Yes.
”

“
I thought so.
”

“
Come home with me, Feather.
”

Clumsily and with some effort, she pulled herself the long distance up onto the horse. Out of the corner of his eye, Sene saw that Felistinon had mounted and was keeping a watchful eye on the girl. Except for the brief flicker of annoyance that crossed her face, Feather did an excellent job of pretending the guard wasn
’
t there. Once in the saddle, she looked down at Sene, her angry expression turning to puzzlement.
“
Didn
’
t you used to have more hair?
”

He ran a hand ruefully over the undeniably smooth top of his head.
All right,
he told himself,
you wanted to jog her memory. If that means being reminded of your mortality, it
’
s worth it. I
’
m not really that old. Just vain. Besides, look around you. No one lives forever.
“
Yes, I did. In a few more years I
’
ll probably have none at all.
”

She made a face.
“
I wouldn
’
t like that.
”

“
Neither will I.
”
He untied the reins of his horse.
“
We can at least ride together. That is, if you
’
re going north.
”

“
I might as well. The ocean is supposed to be in the north.
”

“
And the Festival in Raisal? Music? Almond pastries?
”

“
Are you always hungry?
”

“
Yes.
”

“
You always have answers, and you
’
re always hungry. What else are you always?
”

He mounted his stallion. When he turned the animal
’
s head toward the north, Feather urged her own horse up beside his. As they started along the dirt track, he answered casually,
“
King of Sitrine.
”

“
Ah. That
’
s what I thought.
”

Damon leaned back in his heavily padded, carved oaken chair. It was not a throne. Not quite. The room that he used for meetings would never be mistaken for the great hall of the king. There was no dais, no wall-length hearth, none of the generous space required for a royal banquet. He didn
’
t need all that. Damon preferred to give people his personal attention.

He narrowed his eyes, glaring at the stubborn old woman before him.
“
I won
’
t have it, Vissa.
”

“
I don
’
t see that it
’
s your decision, Highness,
”
the Redmother countered.

“
Everything relevant to the smooth functioning of my father
’
s kingdom is my concern.
”

“
The spring festival
—”

“
The spring festival,
”
Damon interrupted her,
“
is an important ceremony of reunion and rededication after the hardships and loneliness of a long winter. There is no need to mar such a pleasant celebration with religious nonsense.
”

The woman
’
s careworn face darkened.
“
You think the gods are nonsense, Highness?
”

“
I said nothing of the kind. I have no opinion on the subject one way or another. My objection is to the public repetition of childish fables. The Story of Beginnings will not be told this year.
”

“
Your Highness cannot ask such a thing!
”

“
I do not ask it. I command it.
”

“
The story gives us our identity, as individuals and as Children of the Rock.
”
Vissa
’
s thin hands, folded in front of her, tensed.

“
It perpetuates an unnecessary division of the populace. It ties people to hereditary vows, hereditary roles.
”

“
They have to be hereditary. Heredity determines our capabilities.
”

Damon crossed one leg over the other.
“
Capabilities are a matter of training. You
’
d see that, if you hadn
’
t been blinded by your own myths.
”

“
Training? Are the gifts of a Dreamer the results of training?
”

“
Dreamers are aberrations,
”
he told her.
“
More dangerous than Abstainers. Don
’
t look so shocked, Redmother. I
’
m not alone in holding that opinion. They
’
ve never been more than a tiny fraction of the population, wielding power over the rest of us on the basis of old legends and a few magic tricks. It
’
s past time we stopped dignifying outdated myths with repetition. Have I made myself clear?
”

A log sputtered in the small fireplace as Damon watched Vissa struggle for words. He
’
d never spoken quite so bluntly to her before. She had an important place in the king
’
s court. Not all of the knowledge she retained in her vast memory was as useless to him as ancient folk beliefs in the Firstmother. However, accepting her value as a tool was one thing. Humoring her superstitions was quite another.

With an obvious effort, she found her voice.
“
Quite clear, Highness.
”

“
Good. You may go.
”
He lifted one hand to the bell pull suspended beside his chair, signaling the end of the interview to the guard outside, who swung the door open just before Vissa reached it. As soon as she was gone, the dependable figure of his captain filled the doorway.

“
You wished to see me, Highness?
”

“
Have you implemented my plans for the festival?
”

Dael nodded once, his thick gold hair sliding over his shoulders.
“
The guards are pleased at the chance to display their skills, Highness. There will be maneuvers by patrols and squads in the market pasture, followed by the march round the castle, as you suggested. It will take several hours. I only hope we attract enough of a crowd to give us the attention we deserve.
”

“
Oh, I expect the entire town will be present,
”
Damon said. Doubt clashed with his captain
’
s usual unquestioning acceptance of orders, providing an interesting display of confusion across the man
’
s features.

“
The entire town, Highness?
”

“
They
’
ll have nothing better to do. I
’
ve just arranged it with Vissa. Neither she or any other Redmother will be filling people
’
s ears with old tales at this festival. I expect my subjects to consider the lessons of the present, not the past.
”

Dael
’
s perplexed frown gave way to an expression of cautious concern.
“
That
’
s a significant change in tradition, Highness.
”

Damon had encouraged his father to choose this particular captain for the king
’
s guards because he was the best
—
the best swordsman, the best strategist, the best leader, the best thinker
—
of any Keeper Damon had ever met. In addition, Dael
’
s reactions to Damon
’
s plans provided a reliable indication of how the populace as a whole would respond. Damon found such foreknowledge invaluable. It enabled him to refine his strategies and counter the arguments of those who might disagree with him. At times, by anticipating an area of concern, he could invalidate objections even before they were raised.

“
It
’
s an elimination of a complete waste of time,
”
Damon said.
“
Vows of service should go to the king, not to the mythical founders of a dead society.
”

“
People do cling to their traditions.
”

“
They
’
ll have to be encouraged toward greater flexibility.
”
Damon leaned forward in his enthusiasm.
“
I suggest you reserve two squads from the maneuvers. Instruct them to pass through Edian after the noon feast and guide any s
tragglers to the market pasture
.
”

“
Yes, Highness.
”

“
You may return to your duties.
”

Dael inclined his head respectfully before departing. After the captain let himself out, the door guard stepped into view.

“
No one else is waiting, sir. Orders?
”

“
Send to the stables for Second Groom Palim.
”

“
Yes, sir.
”

Alone, Damon got up, stretched, and sauntered over to the fire. So many plans to put into motion. They
’
d lost too much during the long plague years to be able to afford to continue as they had for centuries. Admittedly, there had been a few benefits from the loss of population. For one thing, the Dreamers were all but extinct. For another, the plague had eliminated entire Shaper families. The centralization of control in the three largest remaining population centers had occurred out of necessity and over the course of several decades.

What was needed now was even greater centralization, greater efficiency, useful innovations
—
such as the entire population in the service of one king.

He turned at a muffled rap on the door.
“
Enter.
”

“
Good day, Your Highness.
”
Second Groom Palim was a barrel-chested, taciturn man a few years older than Damon. His rich brown skin, hair, and eyes indicated an origin along the warm northern coast. The same characteristics that had made him unfit for the plodding life of a fisherman made him one of Damon
’
s most valuable tools.

Damon clasped his hands behind his back.
“
What shall we discuss today concerning the horses?
”

“
Frog
’
s healing on that three-year-old filly. Ought to resume training before the end of the nineday.
”

“
Do so. That
’
s the content of today
’
s conversation.
”
Damon resumed his seat and beckoned the other man closer.
“
Now, on to business. What progress on infiltrating the court at Raisal?
”

“
No chance. Wizard scares most off. Rest I wouldn
’
t trust near Sene.
”

“
If you don
’
t trust them you shouldn
’
t be using them.
”

Palim shrugged.
“
Sitrine court
’
s too small. Folks are too content.
”