Dedicated to: AvatarAiris- for her support and encouragement from the start. Now both of us can find out what the Elders have to tell Kira… Well- at least some of it.
Chapter 7: The Council
Kira grasped the old woman's hand, curtsying over it.
"Thank you, my Lady."
"My Lady?" She laughed, a light, trembling sound that made Kira smile wistfully. "I'm no Lady, my dear. My name is Amita- and this," she said, gesturing to the man next to her, "is my husband, Arvind." Kira wondered at the strange names, but said nothing about it.
"It is an honor to meet you."
"I'm sure it is." Her eyes shone with suppressed laughter. "Come, my child. Let's get you out of these clothes, and away from the likes of this young reprobate."
Kira glanced at the reprobate in question; Raiden gestured at her to go with the old woman.
"Go- my mother will take good care of you."
Kira followed the woman out of a doorway opposite the one she and Raiden had used- and was glad to leave the presence of the tattooed man who still sat glaring at her.
This passage was better lit than the one she had used via the simple device of small holes that had been carved into the wood at intervals. She wondered if she should assist the older woman, but when she looked at her, she seemed in no need of it. In fact, she seemed to move with greater steadiness than Kira did. She attributed this to familiarity, and thought no more of it.
The old woman broke the silence when dawning light revealed that they were not far from the entrance.
"Kalden tells us that you are Kirana, of Blackbrier manor?" She nodded- it would do her no good to deny it. "Pardon this old lady's curiosity, but why do you not carry your father's surname?"
"I do- I just don't like to use it."
"Why not?" She shrugged.
"I just don't." The woman looked at her, wondering, but then they emerged into the sunlight- and the gathered crowds- making further private questioning impossible.
Kira examined the people before her- most of them her own age or in their early twenties. A few bore tattoos as did the man inside, but these were as diverse as his were simple. Most of them were dressed as she- in tunic and pants, though these tended towards the oranges, greens and browns of the trees around them- causing her to wonder, again, at the cause of his displeasure. Perhaps, she thought, he just didn't like outsiders?
"Mi Yun?" Anita said softly. A beautiful young woman stepped forward. She was tall- taller than Kira- with waist- length black hair, clear grey eyes and even features. She bowed slightly.
"Yes, Amita?"
"Show this young woman to my home. She'll be staying with me for the duration of her stay."
Mi Yun glared at her. Kira suspected that, through no action of her own, she had made an enemy there.
"Yes, Amita." Amita nodded, and watched as the girl led Kira off. After a few seconds, Amita sighed and walked much more briskly back to the Council chamber.
Mi Yun was silent at first as she led Kira across the rope bridges that led from platform to platform. Kira was glad for it, for the sight before her eyes seemed out of one of her old books. The sunlight streamed in dappled waves, reflecting off and highlighting the leaves of the trees that created the village. The building on various levels- some spanning the entire circumference of the tree, others just a square or semi-circle- seemed to grow out of the bark. The only thing was the height- she was never very comfortable with heights, and was grateful for the tick foliage below them that shielded the village from eyes from the ground- and blocked her sight of exactly how far up they were. That, and the looks of the people, peering out of doorways and windows as she passed- with the entourage of youths that followed them. Once or twice, she caught a glimpse of wolves along the same platforms, or lying around the houses. Young children peered out or doorways- a couple of times, one curious youngster emerged from the house- and was hauled back in by an older presence. It seemed none of these people liked strangers.
This was going to be harder than she thought. If the people refused to talk to her, how would she ever find out about Mara?
She sighed, and began to consider what should have been obvious- if she was to stay with these people, as much as a threat she could pose to them, it was obvious that she'd need to tell them everything to gain their help. She was not looking forward to it. Thinking of this reminded her of the Guilds- and she pulled up short. Mi Yun had also stopped before a house not far from the one she'd just been in, with clay flowerpots covering the half of the platform not taken up by the small home.
"You'll be staying here," the girl said briskly, and turned to leave.
"Mi Yun?" She paused. "It's Mi Yun, right?" The girl turned.
"Yes. What is it?"
"Can I ask you something?" The girl remained silent; so did the others around them.
"Why do you fear me? I can't pose any threat to you- there's no way I can even find this spot again to lead the Guild here if I leave."
Mi Yun's unfriendly glare darkened, and she left without a word. The others soon followed, and Kira was left alone to open the door and enter the home she'd be staying in.
Kira looked around the room she'd been given. It was semi- circular; one large room with no partitions but for a door at one side of the smooth tree trunk that sprung up through it. On the opposite side from the door were three sleeping pallets; opposite was a table and a few chairs. The single shelf lining the wall was bare but for a few eating utensils. On opening the door on the far side, she saw grooves carved into the floor leading to a hole at the rear, a bucket full of water and lye that showed the room's purpose- a bathroom. On exiting, she noted something that had not been visible before: behind the main door stood a pole about five feet in length, smooth and shining with the glow of much handling. A knock sounded at the door; she opened it to a girl of about then, who gave her a bundle of clothes and ran off. Grateful, she went back inside, locked the door, and washed off the dirt of her journey. In the clothes the child had brought for her, she lay down on the pallet to think.
When she opened her eyes, it was dark. Wondering what had woken her up, she lay still, listening- and heard the whispers of conversation outside her door.
"I know, Ryung. But there's a chance she may not be."
"Of course, you'd say that, Amita! You're determined to live with your head in the dirt. I've said it before: it's past time we-"
"Yes, yes. Time we returned. But we haven't gotten any signal yet, Ryung. It may not be safe for us."
"It's been so long! Do you really think-" He suddenly stopped talking. "Arvind."
"Ryung," a third voice said, "are you bothering my wife again? It's late, old one- time for us to get our rest."
There was silence for a couple of minutes, then Kira heard the door creak as it opened. A short figure was outlined in the moonlight as she entered and softly sighed. Kira lay still to avoid discovery- and soon fell asleep.
Thus, Amita went unnoticed as she crossed the room and reached up on the shelves to an object that had gone unnoticed by Kira- a staff similar to the one leaning behind the door, but much shorter. Amita moved it from shelf to table, and sat staring at it for a long time. Finally, she closed her wrinkled hand over it, bowed her head and silently wept.
When Kari opened her eyes, it was to behold a pair of bright blue eyes watching her. Eventually, she took in the tanned skin around those eyes, shoulder-length blond hair, slightly chubby features- and a particular inquisitive expression that reminded her strongly of Raiden. Before she could move, the child started chattering.
"Hi- I'm Soo Yun. Chapal said Raiden brought you here. Do you like it? Are you hungry? Cause Alima made a huge batch of apple pies, and I got a couple for you! I like them, but they're not as good as grandpa's custard pies. And we have goat's milk, and berries, and grandma still has bread, and…
The child kept going dancing around as Kira got up, washed up and changed into yet another set of clothes that had been left for her. She looked over at the table- it was indeed covered with the food Soo Yun described. Noting the object of her attention, the child stopped her monologue on being eight years old, and learning how to make custard pies properly.
"Grandma said you're to eat and… and…" the little face scrunched up in concentration, then brightened with pride. "Oh yea- go to the Council Room!" She beamed.
"Thank you, Soo Yun." Taken with the child, Kira leaned towards her.
"I'm not sure how to get there- will you help me?" If it was possible, her face grew even brighter. She nodded. "And since this is waay to much food for me- will you help me eat it?"
Thus, when Mi Yun appeared- again with what Kira was beginning to think of as her entourage- she found the two of them laughing about Kira's first attempt to make a custard pie- it ended up all over the kitchen walls.
"Soo Yun, stop making a nuisance of yourself- you have lessons to go to." She turned away towards Kira, and thus missed Soo Yun's pout, and the tongue she stuck out at her. "I'm to escort you to the council." She waited impatiently as they cleared up breakfast and Soo Yun bade her farewell. She turned left; Mi Yun and her escorts led Kira right. Once again, in complete silence, they left her in front of the Council's chambers- where she was met by a grim Raiden and led inside.
Like Mi Yun, Raiden was silent as he led her to the Council- and it started to piss her off.
"So now you can't talk to me, then?"
He looked over his shoulder at her, then turned back round. Dawning light ahead showed that they'd almost arrived.
"I have one piece of advice- be honest, and tell them everything." At that, they emerged into the council chamber.
The scene was the same as the day before: except for the fact that the wolves weren't there, and neither was Kalden. Raiden once again brought her up before them, and Arvind spoke.
"Now that you've rested, we need to understand why you're here. You are Kirana Woodson, of Blackbrier manor, correct?"
"No, sir- I'm Kirana, formerly of Blackbrier manor." Arvind and his wife smiled.
"I see. So, Raiden tells us that you left in the early hours of the morning, entered the forest… and followed him for two days for the prospect of sleeping in a bed?" She squirmed.
"Yes, sir- but that isn't all there was to it."
"Please- my name is Arvind. So what else was there, Kirana?"
She took a breath, tried to relax, and began to open up. "I overheard Raiden identify himself as a Wanderer to the guards who had been sent to look for me, so I went with him. You see, I was looking for you."
The tattooed councilman, silently disapproving till this point, suddenly sucked in a breath.
"I knew it! She's one of those Guild members- and you!" He spun on Raiden, furious. "You led them straight to us!"
The other councilman jumped in. "Calm down, Ryung. They weren't followed here- Kalden and the others saw that. Plus, I don't think even you can say that he led them straight here." He smiled; Kira took it as confirmation that Raiden had, indeed, been leading her in circles.
"I knew it!" She glared at him. "We were going in circles!"
"Almost," he answered, "but not quite."
"Let's get back to the issue here, Kirana," interrupted Amita. "Why were you trying to find us? And why did you run away?" Remembering Raiden's advice- and her reflections earlier that day- she took a deep breath and plunged in.
"The answer to both is one thing: I'm looking for a woman called Mara." The men flinched; Amita just waited. "She's my mother."
Ryung burst out laughing.
