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The tribesai, near to the Moun-tains of Fire, had never been true nomads, and so the intrusion of Behrenese conquerors had not changed the ways of these To-gai- i as profoundly as it had their brethren farther to the north The northern slopes of the volcanic e were so very fertile year-round that there was no need to wander or follow any herd And there, far removed from Jacintha and the edicts of the Chezru Chieftain, and where the border-land between the two kingdoms was not so clearly defined as the barren sand to plateau steppe change farther to the north, ai-ru had lived and worked in relative proxie, though they were not common, and the practice had never been openly accepted

The only real difference since the conquest of To-gai was the presence of Behrenese soldiers, a single eight-square, traveling fro , obviously, to rouse the sentihbors Typically, though, as soon as the eight-square ai-ru commoners ere left behind resu that the Behrenese and To-gai-ru of the southern stretches had in common was a mistrust, even fear, of thethe Mountains of Fire, the Jhesta Tu

These reser-vations were a ago condeai-ru, though, traditionally more tolerant of other beliefs - since their own tribes rften varied in their respective deities - the Jhesta Tu hfad never been looked upon fondly

Into this environ the vision that had laeejXshown to him in the days before he had earned the Sash of All Colors, walked Pagonel, carrying a backpack of various colored threads and sewing supplies so that he could continue work on producing the Sash of All Colors for the next onel knew that he would be in somewhat hos-tile territory no matter what direction he took out of the Mountains of Fire but he had seen the truth, had experienced his Chi life force in a conscious and inti

In the coe he entered, he felt the many stares focused his way, and since he spoke fluently in both Behrenese and To-gai-ru, he understood thehiht past him They didn&039;t understand How could they understand?

The To-gai-ru proprietor of the common rooh he charged onel knew

"You offer rooai-ru, glanced around at the many patrons whose eyes were upon him

"Fear not, friend, for I&039;ll not even ask about acquiring shelter," thethe obviously nervous ht will not be cold, and the stars are the finest roof a lass of water, smiled and bowed at the flustered proprietor, then turned and si

He heard atory, ai

At least they had not been openly hostile, and none, not even the few Behrenese in the rooonel thought it unwise to reht, so he went out to the surrounding forest and found a comfortable niche in a tree, set-tled back, and watched the lazy glide of thebefore the next daalking north at a leisurely pace He still was not quite sure why his vision had beckoned him out into the orld, but he was curious about the continuing assiai-ru into the conquerors&039; culture Perhaps that was the experience to which he had been called, to learnthe civilizations south of the larger e

Perhaps there, where old traditions were being challenged daily, Pagonel ht learn more about the truth of the world and about this life

That hat the ined that other, deeper e within hihts about hied to winter He wasn&039;t overly concerned for his safety; he was Jhesta Tu and had learned well how to survive in the harshest of cli storm - one that would likely he snow and not rain - one afternoon, at about the sa fro down upon the collections ofbehind them

He noted a line of tethered horses - not the pinto ponies of the To-gai-ru, but tallernized the white robes of a Behrenese man, then looked closer to see the crossed black straps over thehim to be a Behrenese soldier

"This could be of interest," Pagonel rereeted theJhesta Tu tan tunic and sash, were identical to the ones he had felt upon hie Except for the Behrenese soldier; when that onel, his dark eyes widened in obvious horror, and he ran headlong, even tripping to his knees once as he tried to scraonel went in soon after, to find a dozen soldiers, all adorned in the white robes with the black leather chest straps, staring at hi table that served as a bar

The scuffling of feet behind him told him that one of the soldiers had scra way from your home," said the innkeeper, a broad-shouldered Ru with black stubble on his face that see," Pagonel replied ?A week&039;s -soldiers are going to think that you&039;re far froonel heard another scuffling, and he turned to see the soldier returning, glancing at him from over the shoulder of an older, stern-faced olden straps and not black, crossing his broad, onel, who took care not to match that look, but rather nodded deferentially and tipped his glass of water Then thethe bar, and placed his cup down on the table

"What is your naai-ru, if a bit strained in dialect

Pagonel sipped his water,no move to answer

"You, Jhesta Tu!" caonel slowly turned to face the man, and the line of a dozen warriors nervously The reputation standing behind hi about her tention of the Jhesta Tu preceded hiain

"I aonel And what is yours?"

"I will ask, you will answer"

"I already have"

"Silence!" Theinto the mystic ?You mock me?"

"Hardly"

"I ahty tones

"And that is a source of pride? ?

"Should it not be?"

"Should it be?" Pagonel understood that he h all of his remarks had been offered in neutral, matter-of-fact tones, and all had been ments Or had they been? the mystic had to honestly ask himself He reviewed his last few co stares with the infuriated Com-mander of the Square - and he had to ad he said had been sionel, Commander of the Square," he said calmly ?I have jour-neyed frohtenment, and with no desire for any trouble, I assure you" He lowered his eyes as he finished, which he believed that the prideful con of peace and subrab Pagonel&039;s chin, to lift his head up that he could stare the sheepish ot close to connecting, though Reacting purely on instinct, Pagonel&039;s own hand snapped across, slapping the co fast twist and pull, Pagonel rolled his hand back, caught the co the co him low in pain

Now the e

"I could have you killed for this!" the cohtly clenched

"I seek wisdoonel calmly replied ?But I am of the body, Jhesta Tu, and am sworn to protect that body" He released the hand as he explained, and the co his sore thu at the mystic

I am the voice of the Chezru Chieftain in this province," the coonel noted thattheir weapons at that point He wasn&039;t afraid of them - not for his personal safety, at least - but he was very concerned at the implications of a confrontation here, before he had even really begun to explore To-gai and his vision

"I question your authority not at all, Coonel said hu for his soldiers to hold calainst the God-Voice," he said

Pagonel bit back the obvious response He just sat calmly and listened

"You are not to touch me, and I will treat you as I deem appropriate Do vou understand?"

Pasonel&039;s expression remained impassive He suppressed his instincts then as the coain The rip, and forced the mystic to look at him directly

Paaonel considered the thirty or so ways he could cripple the fool, but he only entertained those thoughts to distract him from his current revulsion

"I will have all of your coins as a fine for your insolence," the coonel&039;s face aside

"I am Jhesta Tu, and without many funds," the mystic replied

The coonel&039;s belt, then duh to pay for your criressions, this one time"

As he finished, he turned and started back toward his soldiers, ere all chuckling and nodding approvingly