Chronicles Of The Warlands - Warlord Part 8

wrist. It reminded me of the old cheesemaker in Water's Fall. Suddenly Keekai's talk of her 'misery'

made perfect sense.

I leaned over and took another piece of meat from Keir. I popped it in my mouth, and spoke around it.

"I want to see the dancing. We don't have anything like pattern dancing in Xy."

Keekai nodded her agreement, her mouth full. "This game called 'chess'. That is of Xy, yes?"

"Yes." I gave Keir a fond look. "I taught it to Keir, and some of the others."

"It is a form of battle, that requires quick wits and careful planning," Keir added, taking a bite of some of

the fry bread.

Keekai's mouth quirked. "Ah. That must be why the warrior-priests have not yet learned it."

Keir threw his head back and I joined in their laughter. Then Tsor leaned forward, and asked Keekai of

the news of the Heart, and they started to talk of people and places that I had yet to know. A s.h.i.+ver of fear ran down my spine suddenly. There was still so much I didn't know about these people, still so much that was strange and new. Could I really leave Keir in the morning?

I stared at my kavage. I'd first tasted it in the healing tents, with Rafe and Simus and Joden. I'd learned to enjoy its bitter flavor, especially in the morning when the day was dawning clear and cold.

I looked at the gurt on my platter. The little white pebbles looked innocent enough, but for some reason, I'd never get used to their dry, bitter taste.

I gathered up some of the gurt on my platter, and added it to Keir's as I took another piece of meat from

his platter. He was talking to one of the warleaders, but s.h.i.+fted enough so that I could reach it easily.

I was afraid. That was the truth. But I'd been afraid when I'd walked the halls of the castle, to kneel at Keir's feet for the claiming ceremony.

I snagged the last of the heart meat from Keir's platter, and he gave me a grateful look. I could do this.

"Who will dance?" Keir stood tall, at the front of the platform. The food had been eaten, and the warriors had settled around the dancing area.

To my surprise, Rafe stepped forward. "We would dance the elements, to thank them for their gifts. We have covered ourselves to honor the Warprize and her ways." Prest, Ander and Yveni came up to stand behind him.

I raised an eyebrow at their idea of 'cover'. They all had the barest of sc.r.a.ps for loincloths, and Yveni

had tied a strip of leather over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Still, I smiled and nodded my head to them.

"Dance!" Keir commanded, and they bowed their heads and moved to stand an arm's length apart, form ing a square and facing each other.

A warrior sat nearby, and placed a drum before him. The crowd grew silent as the drumbeat sounded, a slow steady beat.

"Earth!" Ander called out, and a warrior walked out of the crowd, bearing two bowls filled with dirt.

"Air!" Yveni cried out as well. She received two bowls as well, filled with something that gave off a steady stream of white smoke.

"Water!" Rafe called out, and was handed two bowls filled to the brim with water. "Fire!" Prest was the last, and his bowls held flames that leaped and burned.

I leaned forward, eager to see what form this dance would take. I a.s.sumed it was another form of pattern dance. To my joy, it was and it wasn't.

Together they started to move, slowly, raising the bowls above their heads and stepping out a pattern to gether, moving as one. I held my breath, for what was easy with a bowl of dirt, was not easy to do with a bowl of water.

They lowered the bowls, now starting to move their bodies, bending and twisting down, only to work their way back up to a standing position. It was amazing to watch Prest, his body gleaming in the light, sweat glistening all over, as he moved. And while Ander and Yveni had the easier dance, with air and earth in their bowls, they still had to match the movements of Rafe and Prest. I could see the tremble in the muscles of Rafe's arms as he fought to make sure that not one drop of water spilled from his bowls.

After a few minutes, one stepped in the center, and the other three formed a triangle around the single dancer. I realized that they were mimicking their elements. Ander's movements were slow and steady, like the earth that he held in his hands. Yveni, when she took the center, moved as the wind moves, first one way and then the other, with no real set pattern. Rafe was as fluid as water. Prest was fire, first still and quiet and then bursting out in action as the flames in his bowls grew higher.

Finally, they stood there, facing each other, their bodies gleaming and their chests heaving from their efforts. With not one bowl spilled.

Ander held up his bowls. "Death of fire, birth of earth." He tipped one of his bowls into one of Prest's, dousing the flame.

Prest held up his other bowl. "Death of air, birth of fire." He tipped the burning coals into Yveni's bowl, and placed the bowl on top, smothering the smoke.

Yveni turned with her other bowl. "Death of water, birth of air." She tipped her other bowl's contents into Rate's, sending up a burst of steam from his bowl.

Rafe held his other bowl high. "Death of earth, birth of water." With that, he turned to Ander, and poured out the water onto his remaining bowl.

Keir jumped up, and the crowd rose with him, screaming their appreciation. I was up too, amazed that my bodyguards could dance so well.

Rafe, Prest, Ander, and Yveni turned in their places, and bowed to each of the four directions. Then they were running, their smiling faces proof enough of their joy. They disappeared into the crowd.

We all settled back, except Keekai, who stood and called out, "Where is Joden?"

There were many cries, and people's heads turned, until finally Joden stood before us. "I am here, Keekai of the Cat."

Keekai laughed. "Well and true but why are you not singing, Singer-to-be? Why not sing of the hunt?"

There were many calls to this, as people s.h.i.+fted so that they could see Joden clearly. He was seated next to a warrior-priest. I was fairly certain it was the one that had claimed to heal Iften.

Joden shook his head, his broad face gleaming in the light. "The song of this hunt will take time to make, Keekai. But I would sing, if you wish."

"I wish it so!" Keekai laughed out loud. "A song of your choosing, Singer."

Joden shrugged off her compliment, looking around at his fellow Firelander. His gaze drifted over to where I was sitting with Keir, and I felt Keir tense beside me. I turned my head slightly and raised an eyebrow.

Keir looked at me ruefully, then leaned forward just enough to whisper in my ear. "He who can praise can also mock."

I turned back to see Joden glance at us. It seemed to me that he knew Keir's concern. The warrior-priest next to him leaned over and made some comment for Joden's ear alone. I bit my lip. Would he . . .?

Joden drew a deep breath, and walked forward. He turned in a circle raising his right hand, palm to the sky. "May the skies hear my voice. May the people remember."

The response rose from the crowd. "We will remember."

Joden lowered his hand, took a deep breath, and then he laughed, a deep strong laugh, and spread his arms wide. "The sun is rising and I have slept well. The day calls to me-but my belly rumbles. What shall I have for breakfast?"

Everyone laughed, delighted, and started to s.h.i.+ft their positions, sitting with their legs crossed, and patting the ground next to them. Keir relaxed, and got into position as well, his smile catching my eye. "You will see."

With that Joden started the first verse, about a root found growing by streams. The verse told us what to look for, and how to peel the bark back and sc.r.a.pe out the soft white insides. I laughed, for this was clearly a teaching song, but the tune was infectious and everyone joined in on the chorus. Keir started clapping, slapping his hands on his thighs, and then on the ground beside him.

Everyone started following that pattern as well, slapping their thighs and lifting their hands to sway to the music. It was like dancing except no one got to their feet-instead everyone swayed to and fro, laughing and chanting. It didn't take me long to follow along.

Joden started the next verse and sung about berries, red berries that were sweet, green ones that had to be boiled first. And a warning to avoid the white berries, for they would make the s.h.i.+t run down your leg!

Joden hunched over, wrapped his arms over his lower belly, and groaned. He swayed back and forth, groaning aloud, and repeated that verse.

The warriors laughed, and followed right along. I laughed and clapped as well, but stopped when Keir rose from his seat in the middle of the song.

"A dance, Warlord?" Keekai smiled at him.

"A dance, Elder." Keir looked at me with his eyes half closed. He reached out and stroked my cheek. "For my Warprize."

I smiled at him, but Keekai grunted. "Afterwards, you will teach me chess."

Keir turned his head so only I could see, and rolled his eyes. But then he looked at me with eyes that burned, even as he answered her. "After I dance, Elder."

I blushed, and looked away, biting my lip. He chuckled, low and deep, and I watched as he left the platform and disappeared into the crowd.

Chapter 5.

The warriors stamped their feet and raised their voices, demanding more from Joden. So he sang two more songs after the breakfast song. One was a rousing song about a troublemaker named Uppor, and how he stole something from each element to create horses for the Plains. The crowd loved it, especially the part where they all joined in the chorus.

The last was about traveling at night, under a full moon and a sky full of stars. Joden's voice soared above us, making my eyes travel up to see the stars that were spread out over our heads. The song seemed to hold us all spellbound. It took my breath away.

I wasn't the only one. There was a profound silence when Joden's last note quivered in the air. He bowed and walked back into the crowd, with Keekai's grateful thanks. Neither song had been about Keir, so I'd relaxed, grateful to my friend for staying neutral. Whatever his doubts about Keir's plans to unite our peoples, I couldn't see Joden being unfair or cruel.

"Ah! The battle dance!" Keekai gestured and I followed her arm to see a group of warriors taking the field, with wooden swords and s.h.i.+elds in hand.

Keekai turned slightly. "Your pattern, Marcus?"

Marcus said nothing, but he came to stand behind me, cloaked as always, his arms crossed over his chest. I looked at him, and he gave me a slight smile from the depths of his cloak. With a nod, he turned my attention back to the dancing field.

Two groups of warriors faced each other, lined up on either side. Keir stood before the one group, dressed in his black leathers, but without his cloak. Yers faced him from across the field. Both held a wooden sword and s.h.i.+eld, as did each of the warriors behind them.

Keir raised his arms. Yers raised his in response, and silence covered the crowd. Then they dropped their arms together.

At the signal, both groups leaped forward, charging, swords high, yelling blood-curdling war cries.

They came together with a clash, and I would have jumped to my feet had Marcus not put his hand on my shoulder. "Watch."

There was a wild burst of drumming and only then could I see a pattern to the confusion. Each warrior faced another, exchanging blows with their swords, defending themselves with their s.h.i.+elds. It was a fight that was also a dance. I relaxed slightly, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from the sight of Keir and Yers trading blows.

For all that it was a dance, it was clear that the warriors were giving it everything they had, from the sounds of grunts and the crack of wooden swords against s.h.i.+elds. For all that it was a pattern, it held a fierce wildness that I'd not seen before. Each pair moved about the other, striking wherever they could, the cracks of wood on wood adding to the beat of the drums. Keir was intent on his dance, his body moving with all the power and grace he was capable of.

My mouth went dry at the sight.

A weapon cracked and splintered, and a warrior threw herself down on the ground to lie 'dead'. I feared an injury for a brief moment, until it was clear that she'd been taken out of the dance by the loss of her weapon. Her opponent turned to engage another, even as another warrior dropped.

My heart pounded with the drums as warriors dropped 'dead' on the field, the dancers now forced to avoid their bodies even as they continued their fight. Keir felled Yers, and then moved to another warrior with the barest of pauses. As I watched him move, I realized that he'd been holding back with me, holding back the wildness within, probably to protect me. A flash of physical heat went through my body as my heart beat faster still. I wanted that wildness, wanted to provoke that power within him.

At last, with a final blow, Keir was left standing among the 'dead'.

The drums beat once more, then cheers rose, as did the 'dead', to congratulate the dancers. They laughed and embraced each other in celebration of the dance. One woman warrior hugged Keir, and an ugly flash of jealousy pierced my soul. These people knew nothing of marriage, and while we'd pledged ourselves to each other, that woman was strong and had b.r.e.a.s.t.s the size of- Keir gave her the briefest of embraces, and then turned to look at the platform, searching for me. His eyes found mine, and he grinned, his teeth flas.h.i.+ng. He strode through the crowd of dancers, headed for me. Keir seemed to glow, the black of the leathers contrasted by the bronze of his skin. But as much as he glowed, his eyes gleamed even brighter. They were like sparks, flaring with joy and love.

I couldn't help myself. I left the platform and ran to meet him. His smile lit his face, and he swept me up, lifting me high by the hips, and spinning us in a circle.

I laughed, all my fears washed away by the look in his eyes.

He set me on my feet, and kissed me hard, his hands slipping down my back to press my hips against his. I wrapped my arms around his neck and returned the kiss, greedy for his mouth. It was only a lack of air that forced us apart. Well, that and Keekai calling out to us, "Keir, you promised to teach me chess."

Keir's eyes never left mine. "With all due respect, Elder, ask Marcus." Keir called over his shoulder, sweeping me up into his arms, "I've promised this night to my Warprize."

Laughter rose around us, and I laughed as well, even as I blushed. Keir strode toward our tent. Keekai called something out, but we ignored her, focused only on each other.

Once in the privacy of the tent, Keir gentled, setting me softly on my feet. But I'd have none of that, attacking his leathers, trying to wrest them from his warm, sweaty body. But the material clung, and I had to tug to peel the leather off his arms. Keir chuckled, letting me have my way, but offering no help. I growled, and finally stepped back in frustration, and huffed out a breath.

Keir arched an eyebrow, but said nothing, although his laughter was there in his eyes. He made no move to disrobe.

Two could play that game.