Roberson, Jennifer - Cheysuli 04 (47 page)

           
—and was welcomed.

           
I stood alone on the sentry-walk
along the parapet and let the wind beat at my face. Below me spread Mujhara in
the bright garments of true spring: new flowers, new babies, new clothing for
the people.

           
And then I was not alone; I heard
the familiar step of my brother.

           
He came as far as the crenel next to
mine, so that only a merlon stood between us. Like me, he leaned against the
wall and stared down into the city. "Do you regret your decision?"

           
I shook my bead. "No. She will
do better in Atvia.

           
There is no place for her here. Let
Alaric tend his daughter—he made her the way she is."

           
"Some will argue you are too
cruel, to separate a jehana from her children."

           
"I am cruel. . . but I would be
crueler still if I let her give them over to Strahan." I looked at him
pensively.

           
"She would, you know, given the
chance. Because they told her to."

           
Ian sighed. "Poor, addled
Gisella. . . ." Then he straightened. "Here—I came to bring you this.
I do not know the seal."

           
I took the parchment from him. I looked
at the seal: a wolfhound in green wax. "Erinn!" I said in surprise. "Liam
used this seal!" I broke it, tore the parchment open, read the scrawl
avidly. And then I stared at Ian.

           
"By the gods—they are
alive—Liam and Deirdre alive—"

           
He snatched the parchment from me
and read it for himself. And then he looked at me. "Only Shea was slain,
and he took the assassin with him into the afterworld. Liam is Lord of
Erinn."

           
I sighed. "For Shea, I am
sorry. He was a good lord, a man I admired and respected." Grief tarnished
the moment, then retreated in the bright light of better news.

           
"But Deirdre is alive!"

           
"And on her way to
Homana." Ian grinned. "And so I lose my rujho."

           
"You will not lose me! You gain
a true kinspirit." I could not damp down my smile. "Deirdre is not
like other women."

           
"No," he agreed with mock
gravity. "Since she is in love with you, she could not possibly be."

           
The jest was well-meant, but my mind
was on other things. I touched my leather patch in sudden consternation.
"Gods, rujho—what will she say when she sees this? What if she cannot bear
to look at me?"

           
"You have just said she is not
like other women. I doubt she will turn away." Ian handed back the letter.

           
"Will you accept the betrothals
Liam offers?"

           
"Since I was the one who
originally suggested them, aye, I think I will," I told him dryly.
"My daughter for his son: Keely shall wed Sean. And his girl for my heir:
Aileen will be Queen of Homana when Brennan inherits the Lion."

           
Ian sighed. "So—it is settled.
But what does that leave for Hart and Corin?"

           
I scratched idly at my right cheek.
"Well, Brennan shall have Homana, and Keely will go to Erinn. It leaves
Solinde and, eventually, Atvia." I nodded. "Solinde is Homana's now;
I will declare Hart its lord—formally name him prince of the realm, to take the
throne when I judge him ready. As for Corin, I think Alaric of Atvia will leave
his island to a grandson. Corin will not be overlooked."

           
Ian nodded. "A just
distribution, rujho. But what about the Erinnish girl? What about the daughter
Deirdre bore you?"

           
I stared at him. "Daughter?
Deirdre bore me a daughter?” I tore the letter open once again. "By the
gods—I did not finish!”

           
"I thought not," Ian
agreed. "Well, rujho, I think we can safely say the Lion is secured—as
well as the prophecy. Four realms in all. Shall I count them out for you?"

           
I looked up at him blankly.
"What?"

           
"Homana, Solinde, Erinn and
Atvia." He smiled. "Four warring realms. If we can just get Erinn and
Atvia to stop fighting over a petty island title, we will be that much
closer."

           
"Oh, aye, but I imagine with
Keely as the Lady of Erinn, and Corin in Atvia, the battles will end of
themselves."

           
Ian's smile widened. "Or they
will create the battles out of kinship perversity."

           
I reread the letter again.
"Deirdre has borne me a daughter."

           
My brother sighed. "Aye. rujho,
she has. And five is an uneven number... I think the battles will be
frequent."

           
Blissfully, I smiled. "Deirdre
has borne me a daughter—“

           
Ian laughed.

           
—Deirdre is coming home.

           
CHEYSULI/OID TONGUE GIOSSARY

           
(with pronunciation guide)

           
a'saii (uh-SIGH) — Cheysuh zealots
dedicated to pure line of descent.

           
bu'lasa (boo-LAH-suh) — grandson

           
bu'sala (boo-SAH-luh) — foster-son

           
cheysu (chay-SOO) — man/woman;
neuter; used within phrases.

           
cheysul (chay-SOOL) — husband

           
cheysula (chay-SOO-luh) — wife

           
CheysuU (chay-SOO-lee) — (literal
translation): children of the gods.

           
Cheysuli i'halla shansu
(chay-SOO-lee ih-HALLA shan-SOO) — (lit.): May there be Cheysuli peace upon you.

           
godfire (god-fire) — common
manifestation of Duini power; cold, lurid flame; purple tones.

           
harana (huh-RAH-na) — niece

           
fwrani (huh-RAH-nee) — nephew

           
homana (ho-MAH-na) — (literal
translation): of all blood.

           
i'halla (ih-HALL-uh) — upon you:
used within phrases.

           
ftoshaa-ni (ih-tosha-NEE) — Cheysuli
cleansing ceremony; atonement ritual.

           
ja'hai ([French j] zshuh-HIGH) —
accept

           
ja'hai-na (zshuh-HIGH-nuh) —
accepted

           
jehan (zsheh-HAHN) — father

           
jehana (zsheh-HAH-na) — mother

           
ku'reshtin (koo-RESH-tin) — epithet;
name-calling

           
leijhana tu'sai (lay-HAHN-uh
too-SIGH) — (;;(.): thank you very much.

           
lir (leer) — magical animal(s)
linked to individual Cheysuli; title used indiscriminately between lir and
warriors

           
meijha (MEE-hah) — Cheysuh light
woman; (
St.
): mistress.

           
meijhana (mee-HAH-na) — slang;
pretty one

           
Mujhar (moo-HAR) — king

           
qu'mahim (koo-MAH-lin) — purge;
extermination

           
Resh'ta-ni (resh-tah-NEE) — (lit.): As
you would have it.

           
rujho (ROO-ho) — dang: brother
(diminutive)

           
rujholla (roo-HALL-uh) — sister
(formal)

           
rufholli (roo-HALL-ee) — brother
(formal)

           
ru'mau (roo-MY-ee) — (lit.): in the
name of

           
Ru'shaBa-tu (roo-SHAWL^m TOO) —
(lit.): May it be so.

           
Seker (Sek-AIR) — formal title: god
of the netherworid.

           
shansu (shan-SOO) — peace

           
shar tahl (shar TAHL) —
priest-historian; keeper of the prophecy.

           
shu'maii (shoo-MY-ee) — sponsor

           
su'fala (soo-FALL-uh)— aunt

           
su'fali (soo-FAUL-ee) — uncle

           
sul'harai (sool-hah-RYE) — moment of
greatest satisfaction in union of man and woman; describes shapechange.

           
tahlmorra (tall-MORE-un) — fate;
destiny; kismet.

           
TahSmorra lujhala mei wiccan, cheysu
,(tall-MORE-uh loo-HALLA may WICK-un, chay-SOO) — (fit.): 'Ilie

           
fate of a man rests always within
the hands of die gods.

           
tetsu (tet-SOO) — poisonous root
given to allay great pain; addictive, eventually fatal.

           
tu'halla dei (too-HALLA-day-EE) —
(lit.): Lord to liege man.

           
usca (OOlS-kuh) — powerful liquor
from the Steppes.

           
y'ja'hai (EE-zshuh-fflGH) — (lit.):
I accept.