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sea itself: both kind and cruel.
Do you believe he exists?
No, but I know people who do. They claim to have seen him.
Tall tales? Stories of old folk grown fanciful in their retelling?
Probably. Marin frowned. I ve never known Old Grim to tell something any
way but as it was, and he says he crewed with The Gull as a boy.
I d like to meet Old Grim.
I can arrange that. You might not like him, though. Marin looked back at her
and grimaced. He has a foul mouth.
She chuckled. I can handle that. I ve heard some words come out of the mouths
of women in childbirth that would burn the ears of most folk.
He nodded. So have I. My wife s a quiet one most of the time, but when she s
in a fury& He shuddered. Then you know she s a fisherman s daughter.
They had reached the bottom of the hill now. Marin was silent for a while,
then he gave her another fleeting glance.
So you want to discover if The Gull exists. What would it take for you to
believe in him?
I don t know. To meet him, perhaps.
He laughed. That would prove it.
Do you think it s likely I ll meet him?
No. What would you do if you did?
Ask him about cures. There are many cures that come from the sea.
Of course.
I might never find him, but I ve got plenty of time. So long as there are
people there are always people who need cures. I ll work my way along the
coast, perhaps buy passage on ships.
Most likely you ll meet some lucky man, have lots of pretty children and
forget all about The Gull.
She grimaced. Hmph! I ve had enough of foolish romance.
He chuckled. Have you, then?
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Yes, she said firmly. As the tarn turned between two smaller hills and the
buildings of Dufin came into sight, Emerahl shifted into a more comfortable
position.
So tell me some of these stories about The Gull, she prompted.
Marin, as she d guessed, was happy to oblige.
Auraya leaned against the window frame and looked down. The Temple grounds
were striped and patched with the long shadows cast by the late afternoon sun.
Where the rays touched the gardens they set bright drifts of autumn leaves
glowing. Juran, as First of the White, occupied the rooms of the Tower s
topmost floor. The view was little different to her own, the extra height only
giving a slightly greater vista.
Try this, Juran murmured.
She turned away and accepted a goblet from Juran. Inside was a pale yellow
liquid. As she sipped a familiar tartness filled her mouth, followed by the
flavor of spices.
It tastes a little like Teepi, she said.
Juran nodded. It is made from the berries of the same tree the Siyee use to
make Teepi. When the first Toren settlers entered Si, the Siyee treated them
as visitors. The Toren took particular interest in Teepi, and learned to make
a stronger version of their own.
As he handed the other White glasses of the drink, they each took a sip. Dyara
grimaced, Mairae smiled, and Rian, who had no liking for intoxicating drinks,
shrugged and set the glass aside.
It s simpler, Auraya said. There s no flavor of nuts or wood.
They brew it in bottles, not barrels. Which is just as well. Wood is scarce
in Toren.
So they plan to continue making it?
Yes. One of the more enterprising of the settlers took a few bottles to Aime.
The wealthy have acquired a taste for it, and since there s not much about it
is selling for a high price. Many of the settlers brought cuttings and
saplings of the tree back with them, which are also selling for a high price.
Good. Many of these Torens ordered to leave Si have left nearly all their
assets behind them. This trade will ease the trials of displacement, Dyara
said quietly.
And end any opportunity of the Siyee selling Teepi to the Toren, Auraya
added.
It is not the same drink, Juran said. The Torens may come to like Siyee
Teepi too. There is a demand here that the Siyee could still take advantage
of.
Auraya nodded slowly as she began to consider how she might suggest this idea
to the Siyee, but something caught her attention and suddenly she was aware of
the magic about her. A familiar presence drew close and she felt an equally
familiar anxiety returning.
:Good evening, Auraya.
:Chaia.
:Why so anxious?
:You distract me sometimes at the least convenient moment, she confessed. As
soon as her mind formed the words, she felt ashamed and apologetic. A bubbling
wave of amusement came from Chaia, but it did nothing to dispel her unease.
:Do not fear to think, Auraya. Your reaction is spontaneous, so how can I be
offended by it? I prefer you to treat me like a mortal companion. Or one of
your fellow White.
:But you re not. You re a god.
:That is true. You will have to learn to trust me. You are free to be angry
with me. Free to question my will. Free to argue. I want you to argue with me.
And he wants more than that, she thought.
This time she felt herself flush with embarrassment, and she turned back to
the window to hide her reaction from the other White. There was no hiding from
Chaia, however. Another wave of amusement washed over her.
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:That is also true. I like you, Auraya. I ve been watching you for a long,
long time. I have been waiting until you had grown enough that I could tell
you without causing you distress.
This isn t causing me distress? she thought wryly. She remembered the kisses
she d evaded. For a being that had no physical form, he could be surprisingly
sensual. He often drew close to her as if to compensate for his lack of body.
His touch was the touch of magic, yet it was not an unpleasant sensation.
It s not causing me as much distress as it ought to, she thought. I should
just admit to myself that I miss Leiard. Not just his company, but the& nights.
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