2

The High-Lord of Za who welcomed us was a small, plump man. Though the phoenix is the symbol of every Javhovor, it is designed and cast so differently in every city that you can easily tell one mask from another. The art-form of Za was languid, with soft curving lines. The Zarish lord's hair was long, yellow, and curled. Jewels dripped from his ears, and on his hands were openwork meshes of gold and pearls. Beautiful dove-masked women in the sheeny gray clothes of Za fluttered in the background. Music played. Formal words of greeting were spoken between lord and lord. There was a little embarrassment because the Javhovor of Za had not known the goddess was already present. He bowed hurriedly, striving not to look askance at my riding clothes, and a silence fell on the room.

Later, in my separate apartments, I heard the toy clock crashing the nineteenth hour.

They were all in the City, the lords of Ammath, Kmiss, So-Ess, and of the mountain place Eshkorek Arnor. The different colors of their soldiery and pavilions stretched down from the palace, through the broad open field at its back: red for Ammath, magenta Kmiss, So-Ess blue pastel, and the dull yellow of Eshkorek. Presumably these were the colors of their city stone, and it seemed incredible to me. I wondered what temperaments would come from a blood-colored place such as Ammath, or the purple wound of Kmiss.

I understood very well that I was to be a goddess again once inside Za. I donned the pleated jade-green silk, and countless ornaments of jet, emerald, and gold. The two women, in black velvet and jewels, came solemnly behind me with two colossal fans made from the stripped feathers of many white birds. The fan is a symbol to them of Greatness Honored, but seemed absurd when snow lay thick on the ground. Behind the women came Mazlek and his ten undercaptains, also clacking with ornaments and medals.

We entered the Great Hall of Za from its west end, where the huge marble stairway sweeps down a hundred steps into the room. Like staring from a mountain peak at the snake-carved pillars, a cypress tree of ebony and gold in the center, its branches touching a ceiling of gold lamps. There had been a fanfare at my entrance, they had cleared a lane for me; now, to a man, they bowed to me—heads dropped, most of the women on their knees. Contemptuously I glanced over them, and noted the ornamental false wings which drooped from many shoulders of both sexes.

I descended, and Vazkor approached and kneeled. I touched his head lightly, and said, "Rise, my husband," after which he escorted me to a golden chair beneath the cypress tree. Here I sat throughout this first formal evening. There were entertainments—dancing and acrobatics I think—I hardly remember them. The High-Lords came to me and presented themselves. Each was arrogant, well-fed, and oddly in awe of me—except for the lord of Eshkorek. He was little, and bowed over like a man trying to withdraw inside himself; if he had possessed a shell like the tortoise, none of us would have seen him at all, I am certain. More than this, he was terrified of me, and I could tell quite plainly from the politely unmasked face and eyes that it was not my god-head he feared, but my Chosen One, Vazkor. There were some women too, rather lovely—princesses of the Cities, and concubines or wives of the Javhovors.

Toward midnight the affair began to end. Vazkor and I withdrew together. I had already noted his apartments adjoined mine. We parted at my doors, but, a little later, one of my women told me he was waiting in my reception hall. There was, apparently, a communicating door between our anterooms, though I could not see it.

"This is very formal," I said when I went out to him. He was masked as he usually was now with me, except on occasion in public.

"Don't trouble yourself," he said. "I will not keep you long. You did well tonight."

"There was nothing for me to do."

"Sometimes the manner in which nothing is done is important. Despite your curious entry into Za, they are very enamored of you. Do you recall the dark-haired woman Kazarl of So-Ess' wife?"

"Not particularly."

"Never mind. She'll be sending to you shortly, begging an audience." He paused, but I said nothing so he continued. "She wants a child, I believe."

"Am I supposed to give her one?"

"Indeed yes, Uastis. Though I imagine she does not expect you to do it in the normal fashion. You will promise her a conception."

"And if she remains barren?" I asked. It seemed a pathetic request, and I was not certain I could help her.

"So-Ess," he said deliberately, "is a friend."

"And Eshkorek?"

He looked at me for a moment through the glass wolf eyes.

"Why do you ask?"

"The mountain lord seems to understand what this council is truly about."

"There is danger in Eshkorek," he said. "She is very much on her own, and very secure in her mountains. It's necessary I have absolute control of her. It would be foolish to ride out against the dragon, leaving a dragon's egg to hatch at home." He nodded to me. "I'll go now."

About half an hour after he had left, a woman came to me from So-Ess' wife, and minutes later the princess herself entered. She drew off her mask, and kneeled, a beautiful cold woman, well-suited by her ice-blue dress.

"Rise," I said. "I know why you have come."

She flushed slightly.

"Now," I said, "tell me why the child is necessary."

"But, goddess, unless I bear, I will be cast off." She looked at me hollow-eyed. "I have prayed and longed for your coming to Za. You must help me—I am desperate." Stiff proud woman, she was unused to pleading. I looked at her intently, and seemed to know her suddenly.

"You do not conceive because you do not enjoy your husband," I said.

"It is true," she said, and looked away.

"Enjoy him, and I promise you a child."

She sobbed a little, and I thought of the southern people who dreamed they were the Old Race, yet still judged their women on the ability to bear, and still bred frigidity, because the act of sex to them was still such a tremendous curiosity.

"Come here," I said. I touched her forehead and looked at her through the open eye-pieces of the cat mask. She flinched once, then relaxed.

"I will give you this ring," I said. "Wear it whenever your husband comes to you, and you will have both fulfillment and a child."

I touched her forehead again and put the ring on her finger. She thanked me profusely and left. It had been easy, after all, though I was not certain her belief in me was strong enough, for all her prayers.