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Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Meeting Room
'I hate to interrupt. But the High Mother told me to bring you quickly. Your companions are to come too.' Sisara's voice broke through their passion and DG and Cain separated.
'What is happening?' Glitch said his eyes were huge and his pale face was shocked but there was a ghost of a smile on his lips.
'We're betrothed.' Cain said quietly. His eyes still on DG's face. He was searching it for some hint of worry or that she had changed her mind. He found nothing. The Princesses face was radiant. She was smiling with a joy that could not be faked. It eclipsed all of her worry and panic. She looked beautiful. Cain smiled his face reflecting hers.
'You're…' Glitch trailed off.
'Congratulations.' Seb said both pleasure and surprise evident in his voice.
'Thank you.' DG said turning away from the man she was going to marry. Her heart soaring. Despite her reservations DG knew there was a rock solid core in her now. She was, worried about the situation with the Islar-Nari and her mother. Anything could happen. But Cain would be with her. She was scared of being rushed in to marriage… but it meant Cain would be with her. That meant all would be well. It was like finding the eye of the storm. The calm place in the crazy.
' . -Wo-Wo-' Glitch began. Cain moved to him and gripped his arms. The adviser got a grip on himself and stopped the glitching. The two men shared a look that DG knew was as deep as any she could have shared with the Tin Man. Their friendship was strong.
'Wow.' Glitch managed but the he smiled. 'Great.' They two men shared a smile and then they turned back.
'We should go.' Cain said.
'I agree.' Sisara said in a patient voice. Then she ushered them from the hut.
(###)
'Storm-Child. You have had your time. We need your decision.' The High Mother said her voice carrying easily across the large space.
'I have made it. I will give you the land.' DG said. It took effort but her voice carried as clearly across the huge hall as the High Mothers had. It held some of the same regal tone as well.
'Good.' The High Mother said.
'But there are conditions.' DG added forcing herself to speak in a finite tone. Cain's hand on her shoulder tightened in approval. She felt Glitch and Cook smile at her sides.
'No.' Said one of the Elders beside the High Mother his voice high and reedy.
'There are no more negotiations Storm Child-' The High Mother said her tone warning.
'Elisedra I must disagree.' DG said cutting the High Mother off. On her throne the elder woman seemed surprised but not offended. She studied DG for a moment.
'Disrespect!' Hissed the high voiced man.
'I have a right to be heard.' DG said. The two male elders leaned into the High Mother again for a whispered conversation. Elisedra listened to them her eyes still on DG. This was encouraging for DG as there was something almost… respectful in the older woman's gaze.
Gritting her teeth DG stepped forward further into the bright white light and away from her friends. She set her feet and raised her chin. From behind her she felt her friend's eyes on her.
'You can speak.' The High Mother said. Obviously ignoring the men at her sides. They fell back into their seats in disgust.
'I am DorothyGale. Daughter of Ahamo. Princess of the Outer Zone. I have a right to be heard.' Her voice echoed in the room for several moments after she finished speaking. DG felt a little jolt of electricity course through her.
'You do. So speak.'
'I will give you the Reed land. Or rather I will return your land to you. As it is not really mine to give. But I have a right to return it to you. This is being done against the wishes of my mother. It will have a huge impact upon my people. Therefore I will NOT make this agreement without the following conditions being met.' DG took a breath and then ploughed on.
'You will agree to let my people continue to use the Reed Land passages until such time as word has spread. This will never be an excuse for your people to hunt mine. I believe this will stop both of our people coming into conflict and avoid deaths. You will agree to a specific meeting to make treaties regarding the passages and trades. You will attend the meeting. You: the elders.' DG paused for emphasis. 'Will attend the meeting. With whomever you wish but you will be there.'
'We would like the Magicians alive. We want to deal with them ourselves. And the cure you have. You will teach it or share it with myself and my friends as soon as humanly possible. No tricks. No unforeseen problems.' DG fell silent. Her heart was racing but there was a small part of her that had enjoyed it. Laying out her plan, her logic, her reasoning.
In response the three elders huddled together speaking rapidly. They all shot DG glances as they spoke. DG forced herself to stay as she was upright and seemingly confident. Eventually after what seemed like hours the two men leaned away.
'If we do not agree?' The High Mother asked her voice curious.
'Then there can be no agreement. I will not cause my people harm.'
'No agreement?' the woman asked her eyes flashing at the words.
'The Queen is on her way here. She will attempt to negotiate with you. But the Reed Lands will not be a part of that discussion. If you want an agreement it will have to be with me.' DG made her voice hard for the last sentence forcing her will in to it. The High Mother stared at her, old eyes unreadable.
She wished suddenly that this was the witch again. Or another monster to fight. Anything she could use her magic to battle with. Words and arguments it wasn't her field of expertise. She felt out of her depth.
The silence stretched out perfect in its fragility. To the three men waiting behind DG it seemed as if no one breathed for an impossibly long moment. Then the older woman nodded.
'You have our agreement.' The High Mother said in firm voice. The men at her sides nodded too but their expressions were far less pleased.
'Thank you.' Breathed DG letting her shell crack. She heard footsteps behind her and then Cain was at her side.
'You are welcome Storm Child.'
'I have two final requests.' DG said quietly. The High Mother took a sharp breath but then with astute eyes she nodded encouragingly. 'You have given us so much of your hospitality but I beg a little more. May we stay here and meet the Queen and her company in your city?'
'You may.'
'I would also ask that you would allow… would host…' DG paused then smiled and shook herself. Cain slid in hand over her own. 'We wish to marry here in city.'
(###)
'You're people are being very generous to us.' DG said. Sisara was behind her doing something that looked complicated with eye colours.
'That is not how we see it.' Sisara told her pausing in her mixing. 'Being asked to host a wedding is a huge honour and a reason to celebrate. My people are flattered two people of such high standing are asking to marry here in Illiaria.'
'Illiarai?'
'The name of our city in our own tongue.' Sisara explained. She gave the pot in front her a final poke and then went over the door. She opened it a fraction of a section before another young Islar-Nari woman would have knocked. The visitor seemed unfazed and simply handed over a pile of white cloth.
'Thank you Lea.' The girl smiled her reply and left.
'I'm glad you're honoured…' DG trailed off. 'But it's not a choice really.'
'Of course it is.' Sisara said gently coming across to DG with the fabric held gently in her arms.
'No. we have no choice… otherwise my mother will… Well she will stop us from being together.' DG said in a flat voice. This was not how she had imagined her wedding, when she had given the subject any thought at all, eloping hadn't be part of the plan. Her parents with her happy and smiling. That was the dream. But it was not going to happen, even Ahamo would probably approve, her mother would not. Ever.
'You should not dwell on such matters. You have chosen to marry. Be happy in your choice.' Sisara told her coming to sit down opposite her. They were on low benches in another wooden house. This one was slightly nicer than the others, with silk cushions on the benches and carvings in the wooden walls.
'I am happy.' DG said forcing herself to focus on the present.
'You're story is well known here.' Sisara said and she gestured towards the window of the building. Through it DG could see people beginning to gather on the wide pier that would be the venue of the wedding. It was dark now. Traditionally the Islar-Nari married an hour before dawn because it meant beginning your new life in a new day. This new day was going to have a lot of witnesses.
'Our story?' DG said looking shocked at the crowds.
'We hear things even out here. The General loves the Princess enough to have thrown a man out of a window.' Sisara smiled as she spoke. She shook out the fabric and DG realised it was a dress. A beautiful white dress.
'He only did that once.' DG replied. It was true Cain had thrown a young man from a window after he had heard her raise her voice trying to get the man to leave her alone.
'The Princess is so in love with General Cain that she rode two hundred miles in less than two days because word reached her that he had been injured.' Sisara added, she helped DG into the dress. It was a mix of sari and dress. The white silk hugged her body and DG felt wonderful as it was fitted around her by Sisara's gentle fingers.
'That only happened once as well.' DG said vaguely. It must look like a romantic farce from the outside really… their story.
'You're done.' Sisara said after a moment of fiddling. Then she turned DG to look in the mirror beside them.
She was wearing the silver-white dress. There was gold and silver embroidery on the material at the neck and sleeves. The dress feel to the floor and DG was barefoot beneath it. She felt beautiful. Sisara had let her hair fall loose on her shoulders, adding a few glittering pins to hold back a few strands. There was a tiny bit of paint on her face but nothing too heavy. DG knew this was far better than anything Central City could have offered her.
'Thank you.' DG told the gypsy girl. Sisara simply smiled her response.