The Silence of Medair

The house was built against a small hill and rose to three levels. It seemed all balconies and windows to Medair. The obligatory twin stairs curved so drastically that they almost joined together again, like arms cradling a precisely perfect garden, exquisite in blues and whites with undertones of maroon. A weathered statue of a woman – Ibisian tall, of course – held central prominence in the middle of a stand of lavender, one hand held out from her side as if she moved to touch the purple-grey tips.

Ignoring the main entrance, they rode around one end of the house to a double row of stables incorporated into the side of the hill. Stable hands, alerted by the crunch of hooves on the drive, hurried to take hold of bridles. Medair thought this would be a suitably dramatic moment for Cor-Ibis to collapse, but he didn’t even deign to stumble as he slid from his horse and surveyed his tranquil estate.

"It never changes," Avahn said, with satisfaction. "It’s just like it was when I first came here."

Cor-Ibis glanced at him, but made no comment before turning to Medair. "Welcome to The Avenue, Kel ar Corleaux," he said.

"Thank you," she replied, though she felt impatient with the need to delay in this small city and then travel to Athere. "I’ve been wondering what reason you’ll give me now, not to free me from this geas."

She had managed to conjure that rare smile. An acknowledgment that the rahlstones would be whisked off, probably gone in the morning, and she would be hanging about this manicured cage until they could move on, as quickly as convenient.

"Perhaps it would be best not to offer you that reason," he said. Jedda las Theomain seemed inclined to add something, but he forestalled her with a glance, before returning to meet Medair’s gaze with unimpaired serenity. "I would be grateful if you would remain my guest, Kel. Until Athere. You have my word I will not keep you longer."

There was nothing to do but allow herself to be escorted inside. The house was uncomfortably like the spare, graceful palace-tent where the Ibisians had declared war five hundred years ago. Every line looked carefully drawn, every object judicially placed. In the bedroom she was given, windows made up of many squares of excessively clear glass overlooked the avenue of trees, and Medair stared out over the alien city to the familiar hills beyond.

Sighing, she sat down on the bed. There didn’t seem to be any way to force the issue, so she could only resign herself to making the room hers for the next few days. They were suspicious of her, curious about her satchel and her origins, and had no intention of letting her go without prying further. But the debt Cor-Ibis had acknowledged should tie his hands. He owed her for his life, his return, and the rahlstones. And had given his word. She could not imagine Cor-Ibis as valask, an oath-breaker.

She prowled about the room, trying not to look at the view or the graceful lines of the furniture, both of which threatened to overwhelm her with memories of the past. It was true that Athere was in the general direction she wanted, if several days off course. And, having spent five days in their company, she couldn’t honestly claim to find these Ibisians unbearable. The adept and his entourage were useful protection from the Decians, who might very well have followed across the border, "if she was as valuable as it seemed". Weighing against that was the delay, giving those same Decians a chance to plan any further attempts on her. Which did nothing to alter the fact of the geas. She was stuck.

-oOo-

At sunset Medair dressed in clothing marginally less casual than the kit she’d worn on the road and went downstairs. The outfit became barely passable when she saw the finery of Avahn and las Theomain. Even Ileaha had found a robe of patterned silk.

Avahn was playing host, in this place which would one day be his. He divided his energies between amiably showering Medair with trivialities she knew little about, being graciously polite to las Theomain, and insulting Ileaha. Since she wasn’t in the mood to make conversation, the only part of the meal which interested Medair was when Avahn questioned las Theomain about plans for the transportation of the rahlstones. It appeared that an entire detachment of troops was escorting the Keris to Athere.

"The Keridahl suggested you travel with me, Ileaha," las Theomain concluded. "Be sure to have your baggage prepared in time. We leave soon after dawn."

"Yes, Keris," Ileaha responded, only the way her eyes found her lap revealing any opinion of this arrangement. Avahn watched her a moment, then shook his head in disgust.

After dinner, Ileaha was given the task of showing Medair about the house, which Medair thought a good opportunity to satisfy her own curiosity.

"Is Avahn a first cousin of the Keridahl?" she asked. "A child of an aunt or uncle?"