Bra'anath was clearly frustrated as he paced the deck of the ship. At one end of his travels, he would exchange a few words with the seer who was maintaining communications with that ship in the far Souther seas. At the other, he would stop to stare at the city they were docked at: Druphan, a city of Unster, in what some called East Torphan. That city looked fine, but all that Bra'anath seemed to see was the wasted efforts its lord Duke had forced upon the Ka'Shari. Even though they seemed to have reached an agreement, the man was hard to like: a sharp, focussed bargainer who kept his desires hidden from all others. Abruptly, as was his wont, the Ka'Shari leader turned to his friend and Taletemke'Shylni chronicler with a smile. "Well, come and see what this monument to the gold coin has become. With the amount that the Duke of Unster wants even from government-approved ships, it's barely worth while to repair here. I'd expect him to drive /away/ more trade than he attracts, except for ships with the king's seal!" The Guide's smile was a bit strained, but he did seemed more amused than angry. "Besides, the folks down near Amotrall don't need our interference. Until we come up with something that will give the dragons a reason to deal with us, they'll just have to do their research and prepare for winter weather." With that, Bra'anath suited his deeds to his words, and entered the markets of Dorphan. He seemed to relax, haggling with a fruit-seller for citrus for the ship and musing about philosophy as they stopped for a mug of the local beer and a meat pie of uncertain provenance. "Most people just want to be left alone, to make their lives happy," noted Bra'anath. "If they dream of anything outside that, it's making someplace better." I opened my mouth to point out that was overly general, but the Guide spoke right over me, with but a wink for an apology. "The confusion comes when they think that money equals power. Or safety. Or whatever it is they seek," he said. "It's just the medium, and you can't /hold/ safety or peace, even when you can hold money. I think the Lord Duke is remembering that little fact, and wondering how *we* might be encouraged to stay and trade..." he said, ordering another beer and counting out the copper coins with care. "The ladies want us to build a homeland. With the Omor, perhaps. The Duke would like us to build one here. Hells, even the Hria would like us to build one near them. And not just because we're tasty! So ... why don't we?" "Why don't we what?" I asked. "Start to build a homeland. Wherever we're welcome. Amo'trall. Here. Hria. In the Dreaming, even, if the Ladies tell us how! We're travellers, after all. Can not home be in many places?" I shook my head. It sounded so simple, but frighteningly plausible. He *is* the guide, after all. And I did just vote for him. But nothing's ever so simple. HE taught me that one! ---------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send mail to celandra-off@phoenyx.net.
