Page 12 (1/2)

Rasha, the queen’s haughty hand the door open for him

"Where is Athena?"

"With the najashi He has kept her by him all this day"

"And with ht? Why only the baby, why not me as well? Ras Meder wouldn’t even look at her, most of her first year alive! Why hasn’t he sent for me?" His voice cracked plaintively over the final word, and he coughed to cover it

Rasha looked past hi over the children’s meal

"You surely know the najashi has not allowed it," Rasha said sharply, in a crisp, clipped voice "At any rate you have not been singled out for disapproval, Morningstar, because my lady Muna has been banished from his presence as well Medraut of Britain is welcohter, but not with his son; welcome to visit with the najashi, but not with the najashi’s queen Who can fathos?"

She ushered Telemakos into the rooe blue-green Socotran eyes were pink rimmed "Don’t ht to wonder" She turned her pale gaze on Telemakos After a pause she said, "When supper is finished, ill go together to see your father You are to bring your linenfor the Star Master to read Rasha, get o formally dressed"

She led Telehting their ith an old alabaster lamp shaped like an ibex Telemakos felt like a conspirator Muna was demure, not defiant, and Tele But Tele faintly illicit, following the white-gold light and the faint glitter of Muna’s dress through the labyrinthine lanced back at him, only her eyes were visible above the veil, and he seeer

And all the way down the steps he worried at the thought: I must tell Ras Meder about the Hanish Islands I ainst the emperor’s armada How can I do it? The najashi will never leave us alone together He said he’d stop my mouth

In the najashi’s reception roo each other Medraut had his hands spread before hi up a co the pattern into a new design, his sensitive fingers counting lines and spaces while histhem, deeply absorbed, Athena sat quietly in the najashi’s lap On either side of Medraut an attendant waited, alert, each poised on one knee with his fists closed against his chest

Muna went in first Tele to breathe Dawit heard them there and looked toward thestar," he said "The baby kept pulling at her father’s hair, because it looks like yours, so we thought she would like a string ga the story of Jacob’s dreas from Medraut’s hands, pulled his own hands apart, and ht into a new pattern of three interlocking stars "Come in, come in"

Medraut sat back and rested one arm idle across a raised knee The familiar odd, critical half smile played about the corner of his mouth as he watched Teleaze steadily; Medraut and Goewin, alone of all the adults he knew, de him to look them directly in the eye

White skinned, white haired, Medraut seemed impossibly alien in the najashi’s chambers, and Telemakos realized suddenly that his father was dressed as a British native Medraut’s kilt and tunic were of some dark, soft animal skin, and his boots were of the sa a swath of fine wool, like a shamma but wrapped differently, woven in a chessboard pattern of blocks of green and blue and brown and gray The cloak was pinned with a gold brooch in the shape of a snarling dragon There was a knot of gold in his earlobe, and his pale hair ept back into a single plait

He looks like a king, Tele a crown, you would al than the najashi himself

Medraut lifted his hand toward Telee to burst into tears and dive sobbing into his father’s are hi Telemakos knelt before his father He laid down the rolled maps that he carried, took the offered hand, and kissed it courteously At Teleain like his conspirator, Muna also knelt Telemakos held fast to his father’s hand

"Look, Boy, that is the Ras," said Athena helpfully "The prince"

"Ras Meder," Telereed

"That is our mother the prince"

The Star Master spluttered with laughter His fingers were still webbed in the string stars, waiting for Medraut to take his next turn at them

Telemakos bit his lip "You mean father, little Tena He is our father"

Athena wriggled out of the najashi’s lap and shuffled across the carpet to sit between Teleot a snake in his hand"

Medraut, still sers of his left hand to reveal the tattooed serpent hidden in his palm

"I know, Tena," Telemakos said "I have seen it before My lord--Sir--" The word came out as a ridiculous squeak Telemakos choked, and sed "Peace to you, Ras Meder, and welcome to San’a"

"Indeed," Medraut said dryly, and raised his chin with the slightest jerk, as if in defiance

There was a fine chain wrapped twice about his throat Tele of his cloak It was of iron, not ornamental; its tails were thrown back over Medraut’s shoulders Tele attendants held an end of the chain If they pulled on it, they would choke Medraut