The Crystals of Mida

4 The Palace of the High Seat—and its dungeons

I stretched lazily upon the lenga pelt, then rose to my feet and retrieved my sword. Pileth had already gone. He was angry, which I truly regretted. Magnificent had he been in use, although he much resented the presence of my dagger, which had assured that the war leader Jalav would not receive from a male. He, too, had had pleasure, of this I was certain, yet did the maleness of him resent the position in which he had had his pleasure. He had dressed and quickly left, speaking no words, and this had caused me to sigh with regret. Why must males be as foolish as they are? From their actions, one would think they thought themselves of the Midanna.

I retraced my steps through the narrow area, seeing more of the small doors standing opened, then pushed through to the large room once again. The same number of males seemed present, and Larid and Binat sat laughing with the hunters, he who had been pursuing Larid now all smiles with his arm about her. Pileth sat with the males he had brought, his back stiffly toward me, a pot of renth tight in his hand.

“More renth!” called he who sat by Larid, a large grin upon his face as his arm tightened about her. “Renth for me, and renth for everyone! I now have the price to bathe in renth!”

All laughed at his gleeful words. However, as I approached the hunters and my warriors, Pileth and his males rose from the cloth and as cold as the depths surrounding the Entry to Mida’s Realm were his eyes.

“I would know from whence came your sudden riches,” Pileth said to the hunter, pointedly not noticing my presence. “I feel the High Seat shall find interest in such information.”

“Do not fear, Guardsman,” laughed the hunter, swallowing at his renth and spilling a good deal of it upon his covering. “There is more than enough to allow me to bathe in renth, and still leave the High Seat’s proportion untouched. Look you here.”

The hunter removed his arm from about Larid, and then opened his hand. I smiled when I saw two of the bright stones that are given to males by Midanna, to ease the male’s insult at being used. Greatly pleased must Larid have been with the male, for never had she given more than one stone in the past. I, too, carried a number of the stones in a small pocket on the underside of my clan covering, and I regretted not having thought to give one or two to Pileth.

“More than enough indeed,” nodded Pileth coldly, staring at the stones in the hunter’s hand. “Yet, I have still not heard from whence they came.”

“They were given me by this lovely child,” laughed the hunter, replacing his arm about Larid. “I have often said that my performance is fit to be paid for by famales. This one has merely proven the point.”

All about laughed at this comment, all, that is, save Pileth and his males. His eyes were still as cold as they had been, yet something unnameable gleamed from within.

“No mention was made of this when first you entered the gate,” said Pileth, and a great silence fell all about us at his words. “I, myself, was present, and clearly do I recall that no mention was made.”

“I had not known that you would earn nor desire such a stone,” I answered, “Gladly will I give you two of the same, for surely your use has entitled you to them.”

Pileth’s lips tightened to a straight, thin line, and the hunter beside Larid rose quickly to his feet in the silence, his face considerably paler than it had been.

“Captain, I had no knowledge of this!” he cried, his fist tight about the stones. “And surely do I believe that these females knew not what they did! In the name of the blessed High Seat, allow them to declare the jewels now!”

A murmur of agreement arose from the other hunters who still sat upon the cloth, although I did not understand what disturbed them. Pileth smiled coldly.

“As Captain of the Guard of the High Seat,” said he in a flat voice, “I arrest you for smuggling, for attempting to evade the payment of the just proportion to the High Seat, and for attempting to bribe an officer of the High Seat. Guardsmen! Gather the others of these she-gandod!”

I still had no understanding of his words, but his actions required no explanation. As his hand moved toward my sword, abruptly he found it already unsheathed and pointed toward him. He jumped back quickly with an oath, losing no time bearing his own blade, and then began to advance upon me again.

Now was there much shouting about us in the room, and Pileth’s males had also drawn their blades. Larid and Binat were quickly upon their feet with blade in hand, and two of Pileth’s males moved to engage each of them. The final two, moving before Pileth, remained to try the ability of the war leader, and forward they came with confidence, sure of the protection they had with their leather and metal covering. I joyfully sounded the battle cry of the Hosta and charged, my sword slashing at them as they moved, forcing them to defend themselves, and retreat. The male on my left reacted foolishly to a low thrust, and the point of my blade rose quickly and entered his left eye, ending his sight and his life as well. As quickly as thought, I slashed to the right, causing that male to scream as his head was shortened, yet quickly did the scream end as his body fell, and none save Pileth still stood before me.

Pileth glanced at his fallen males, his face pale with the realization that now I came toward him. I was Jalav, war leader of the Hosta of the Midanna, and in battle there can be no forgiveness nor quarter. Well I knew that my eyes shone with battle joy, my body alive and readied, my hand firm upon the hilt of my sword. Pileth, his eyes clearly upon me, raised his sword and stood his ground, and that pleased me mightily, as a warrior dislikes the slaughter of the helpless and fearful. Again I stepped toward Pileth, but one farther step from him—and was struck from behind upon the head, a blow hard enough to make my senses blur. I felt that I sank to my knees, unable to stop myself, my hands before me upon the brown and green cloth. Well I knew that Pileth would now be free to take my life, and I called a greeting to Mida even as I attempted to rise once again to my feet. I would die erect as a war leader should, yet was this glory denied me. Again a blow came from behind, and the chill of darkness claimed me.

Not long could I have been wrapped in darkness. My eyes opened with some pain, to find that I lay upon the brown and green cloth, my weapons gone, my wrists and ankles tightly bound. Not far from me lay Larid, in a heap, not far beyond her one of Pileth’s males, awash in his own blood. Binat still stood and fought; then, even as I watched, another of Pileth’s males came up behind her and struck her with the hilt of his sword, much as I had been struck. Binat staggered at the blow, attempting to keep her feet, but her attempt was in vain. The male struck again, and my warrior came to the cloth, just as Larid and I before her.

Pileth’s males sheathed their weapons, and in a moment, Larid and Binat were bound as was I. There were but three of them remaining, aside from Pileth himself, and Pileth took two of them to the doorway to the narrow place, where they then disappeared from my sight. All about the far walls of the room stood the hunters, none speaking, all staring, shaken, toward my warriors and me. Among them were two of the slavewomen, trembling where they stood, clinging to the males as though something completely untoward had occurred. My head ached with a silent thunder, the cloth beneath my cheek scratched in discomfort, my wrists and ankles slowly grew numb from the leather which bound them, while I attempted to loosen the leather and free myself, for nothing may be accomplished by lying still while one’s enemies live. I strained at the leather, hoping unsuccessfully for some slack, and then Pileth and his males returned. One of the males bore Comir upon his shoulder, she still well taken with renth, her wrists and ankles tightly bound. Pileth and the other male brought Fayan between them; she seemed hard used. Gone was the war leather from her heavy gold hair, her wrists bound before her, her clan covering seemingly hastily replaced. Clouded were her eyes, and her lids drooped heavily, and she appeared disoriented.

Pileth held a length of leather which led to Fayan’s wrists, and stood with her in the midst of the room while his other male fetched two large, wooden pots of water. Over Larid and Binat were the pots emptied, and soon were my warriors awake again, coughing at the water they had swallowed, shaking their heads to clear their sight. No word was spoken among Pileth and his males, while they knotted a long length of leather to Fayan’s throat and freed me about the ankles, pulled me to my feet, and thrust me hard to stand behind her. The leather was brought back to be knotted about my own throat, then were Larid and Binat added to the line behind me. Comir had had two wooden pots of water poured upon her, yet so deep had the renth taken her, that she stirred hardly at all. The males at last ceased spilling water upon her, and one of them raised her to his shoulder again. Pileth looked about the room, noted the bodies of his three dead males, then pulled at the leather which led to Fayan’s wrists. In his wake Fayan stumbled, I after her, and so we went out to the darkness of the city.

Our kand, still tied by the dwelling’s steps, were bypassed by Pileth and his males. Along the cobbles of the now silent way were we led, from one way to the next, through whatever lay upon the way. The pace was rapid and uneven, our step unsure in the darkness, the torches upon the dwellings doing more to blind than illuminate. We stumbled often, and once my neck was nearly snapped when Larid went down. She regained her feet with difficulty, to the accompaniment of kicks from the males, and again we were led, at a faster pace than earlier. Despite the chill of the darkness, I felt overheated, and began to sweat.

Not an easy march was it to the immense dwelling, yet eventually it lay before us, long squares of light floating in the darkness. They led us not to the entrance we had seen earlier but to the rear of the dwelling, to a door which stood guarded by a hand of males. One of the males opened the door, revealing a narrow space much like that of the dwelling of the hunters, save that the length of the space was twice that of the earlier one, and naught save two doors, one well to the left, one far down on the right, appeared to view. Again, males stood before the door to the right, and it, too, was opened for us. A steep, dimly lit flight of steps lay before us, and by it we descended into the very ground itself.

The descent was long, the stone of the steps worn smooth as though by the passage of many feet. Torches hung in sconces upon the wall, and the stones were damp beneath my feet as we were led forward, and my head swirled again at the reek of the place. I took in the odor of human bodies, and of excretion, and of pain and fear as well. The passage was narrow and ill lit, and seemed to crush me with the weight of the stones and heavy air.

We stumbled forward till stopped by a large, metal door, before which no male stood, yet were there two beyond the door, seen through a narrow opening in it. We were carefully inspected, the door then opened with much noise, and again we were taken forward. I had not thought it possible, yet beyond the door the reek worsened, and strange, low sounds were to be heard, sounds which might once have been human. I pulled at the leather which bound me, attempting to leave that terrible place, yet I was drawn forward by the leather about my throat, deeper through that doorway. I then stood firm, refusing to go farther, and one of the males who had stood within the doorway struck at me with heavy leather, causing my back and right shoulder to burn with pain, I did not cry out, and did not move, yet one of Pileth’s males pulled me forward by the neck, deeper into a realm where Midas eyes have never gone.

No torches were there in that realm of darkness, therefore we were led by one of the males of the door, bearing a torch. Many wide, metal doors opened off the stone to either side of the passage now, and far down we halted by one of these. The male with torch opened the door, stepped aside so that he with Comir might enter, then followed within. We waited in darkness, hearing the sound of metal, and then the males returned. Again the door was closed, a heavy bar slid across it, and we moved on to the next door. Fayan was released from the neck leather and taken within, and when the torch returned, I saw that Pileth’s eyes were upon me. He held the leather tied to my throat in his fist, and his broad face showed an expression I was unable to read. He said nothing but seemed to expect words from me. When none were forthcoming, he turned, pulling hard at the leather so that I would follow. At another door, I was released from the leather and thrust toward the doorway.

Inside, by torchlight I could see a windowless room of three paces by three, dirty straw upon the stone of its floor, a trickle of water running near to the corner of the far wall to the left. Buried in the far wall. set firmly in the stone, were heavy metal chains, a hand in number, and to these was I dragged. The males then placed a thick collar of metal about my throat, a collar that allowed my head no downward movement. I attempted to throw the collar off, but could not move it from my throat, and then wide metal cuffs were closed about my ankles. The two males stood as I pulled at the cuffs, and then quickly attached cuffs to my wrists as well, and the sense of confinement nearly drove me insane! Again and again I pulled at the chain which held me, and a snarl like that of the hadat rose up in my throat. Better a thousand times to die quickly and cleanly than to be put in a place such as that!

As I strained at the chain, my eyes fell upon the doorway, and there stood Pileth, the torch in his hand, again staring at me. I snarled the louder and attempted to reach him, and a look of startlement covered his features as he stepped forward.

“I had planned to offer you release, Jalav,” he said very softly, his eyes sad. “Had you pledged yourself to me as slave, and begged my lenience, I would have had you chained in my quarters till you were called before the High Seat. Now I see that you are more savage than woman, and will never beg release. I regret not having killed you when I could have. It would have been kinder.”

He turned quickly then and left the room, and the door enclosed me in darkness. Not a glint of light was there anywhere, and the heavy metal of the chain increased in weight. I whimpered then, like a hadat in a hunter’s trap, and sank to the filthy straw and damp stones. For what reason I had been put in that place I knew not, yet what reasons are required by city males for what they do? I thought of Mida, but dared not call to her, for fear that another would hear in her stead. I knew then that I must not die in that place, for my soul would then be forever lost, though my life sign still hung about my neck. The damp and filth of the floor sickened me, but there was nothing else to stand or sit upon. My flesh crawled and chilled at the contact. However I was war leader of the Hosta of the Midanna, and in the midst of the darkness, I held my head high and awaited the return of the hunter.