A/N: Sorry this is short, but its rather hectic at the moment (choir
concerts, orchestra concerts etc). I won't be updating for a couple of
weeks cos I'm away on a Berlin exchange, but I have NOT ABANDONED THIS
STORY, so keep with me.
Hassam left with Martin the next day, now that he was thirteen. The Eagle did not like people fawning over him because of his abilities, and was much happier on the open road. They were planning to join Prince Jerlan, picking him up in Tyra. The prince was now going to Tortall.
Liam planned to go to Corus too, but wanted first to visit the Bazhir in the Southern Desert. The day after they'd departed, he shouldered his pack once more and set out along the familiar trail.
It was somewhat odd to be travelling completely alone, when he was used to being constantly in the company of Hassam or Prince Jerlan, but Liam was perfectly happy with the dusty road under his feet and the freedom to go wherever he chose. Liam skirted the city of Tyra and continued up along the Great Road South.
After days of trekking through featureless desert, he arrived at the place where the camp of the Bloody Hawk tribe was supposedly located. A sentry stopped him as he approached.
"I'm the Shang Dragon," Liam told him. "If this is the tribe of the Bloody Hawk, I have messages for you from my former master, Hassam the Eagle."
"Then you are welcome in our tribe warrior. It has been long since he came this way. Come, I will take you to our headman, Halef Seif."
Liam was led past tents of curious tribemen to the larger tent where Halef Seif lived. The young sentry put his head through the loose tent flap and announced him.
"A Shang warrior is here, Halef Seif. He has messages for us from Hassam."
"That's good, show him in."
Liam came in, dumped his pack informally on the floor and pushed back the large hood of his burnoose with relief, now that he was out of the sand for a while. The old headman smiled.
"You are the youngest son of the Woman Who Rides Like A Man, are you not? The one who went to be trained as a Shang like our brother, Hassam."
"Aye," Liam affirmed. He held out his hand, palm up, to confirm his status. "Here, these are from Hassam. He's well and is travelling at the moment to Corus with the Crown Prince of Tyra. He hopes to come here in a year with his present apprentice."
"Thank you Dragon. Will you stay the night with us? It would be an honour."
Liam thought about it.
"I can only stay for a few days, thank you. I'm going to Corus too, but I've only just gained my Shang rank, and wanted to travel alone for a bit while I decide if I actually deserve it."
"That is understandable, you have great responsibility for one of your age. You're sixteen aren't you?"
"Yes sir."
"Come, there is a place you can have in the shamans' tent. They will be happy to have you."
"Thank you."
"Its only your due, you are a member of the tribe, through your mother."
When they reached the large tent, a woman met them at the entrance. Her eyes narrowed contemplatively as she looked at Liam
"Halef Seif," she greeted them," Liam of Shang."
"This is Kourrem," Halef told him. "She is head shaman of the Bloody Hawk."
"I am honoured to meet you, learned one," Liam said, bowing, "but how did you know my name?"
"How many Shang warriors do you think there can be with copper hair and purple hair just like the Woman Who Rides Like A Man's? I remembered what you looked like from when I last saw you, with your mother."
"I've been here before?" Liam asked, racking his memory.
"You were very small then, two maybe," she reassured him.
Hassam left with Martin the next day, now that he was thirteen. The Eagle did not like people fawning over him because of his abilities, and was much happier on the open road. They were planning to join Prince Jerlan, picking him up in Tyra. The prince was now going to Tortall.
Liam planned to go to Corus too, but wanted first to visit the Bazhir in the Southern Desert. The day after they'd departed, he shouldered his pack once more and set out along the familiar trail.
It was somewhat odd to be travelling completely alone, when he was used to being constantly in the company of Hassam or Prince Jerlan, but Liam was perfectly happy with the dusty road under his feet and the freedom to go wherever he chose. Liam skirted the city of Tyra and continued up along the Great Road South.
After days of trekking through featureless desert, he arrived at the place where the camp of the Bloody Hawk tribe was supposedly located. A sentry stopped him as he approached.
"I'm the Shang Dragon," Liam told him. "If this is the tribe of the Bloody Hawk, I have messages for you from my former master, Hassam the Eagle."
"Then you are welcome in our tribe warrior. It has been long since he came this way. Come, I will take you to our headman, Halef Seif."
Liam was led past tents of curious tribemen to the larger tent where Halef Seif lived. The young sentry put his head through the loose tent flap and announced him.
"A Shang warrior is here, Halef Seif. He has messages for us from Hassam."
"That's good, show him in."
Liam came in, dumped his pack informally on the floor and pushed back the large hood of his burnoose with relief, now that he was out of the sand for a while. The old headman smiled.
"You are the youngest son of the Woman Who Rides Like A Man, are you not? The one who went to be trained as a Shang like our brother, Hassam."
"Aye," Liam affirmed. He held out his hand, palm up, to confirm his status. "Here, these are from Hassam. He's well and is travelling at the moment to Corus with the Crown Prince of Tyra. He hopes to come here in a year with his present apprentice."
"Thank you Dragon. Will you stay the night with us? It would be an honour."
Liam thought about it.
"I can only stay for a few days, thank you. I'm going to Corus too, but I've only just gained my Shang rank, and wanted to travel alone for a bit while I decide if I actually deserve it."
"That is understandable, you have great responsibility for one of your age. You're sixteen aren't you?"
"Yes sir."
"Come, there is a place you can have in the shamans' tent. They will be happy to have you."
"Thank you."
"Its only your due, you are a member of the tribe, through your mother."
When they reached the large tent, a woman met them at the entrance. Her eyes narrowed contemplatively as she looked at Liam
"Halef Seif," she greeted them," Liam of Shang."
"This is Kourrem," Halef told him. "She is head shaman of the Bloody Hawk."
"I am honoured to meet you, learned one," Liam said, bowing, "but how did you know my name?"
"How many Shang warriors do you think there can be with copper hair and purple hair just like the Woman Who Rides Like A Man's? I remembered what you looked like from when I last saw you, with your mother."
"I've been here before?" Liam asked, racking his memory.
"You were very small then, two maybe," she reassured him.
