The Blending 07 - Deceptions, page 26
“And they probably never will,” Naran confirmed, remembering what she’d seen glimpses of. “They’re trying to keep what they have, but they’ll find that their efforts have done nothing more than lose them what they were trying to keep. Especially since things are looking very hopeful for our own efforts.”
“If that means we won’t be wastin’ our time, I’m happy to hear it,” Vallant commented with satisfaction. “I don’t expect everybody to agree with what we want to do, but as long as we have enough reasonable people to form two or three Blendin’s that should help quite a lot.”
The people will be more desperate than reasonable, Naran thought but didn’t say. What they found in the village they rode toward would be far from pleasant, but the others didn’t need to know that yet. They would all be upset at what they saw, what she’d already seen, and there was no need to bring that disturbance on sooner than absolutely necessary.
It didn’t take very long for them to reach the village, the place where all those refugees had tried to take refuge. But there just wasn’t enough room to accommodate all those people, not in any kind of housing. It was obviously men and probably single women who crouched around the small fires that were lit everywhere, half of the people trying to keep warm and the other half trying to cook. Someone must have done a considerable amount of hunting, but other staples had to be running perilously short …
“Just wait until the next group of people arrives,” Tamrissa murmured as they all slowed to look around. “The people who are still alive in that other village will be heading in this direction, and there isn’t even any room for the people who are already here. I think we’d better suggest that everyone able to move on should do so as soon as possible.”
“Not until we find the volunteers we need,” Vallant corrected, but he still sounded disturbed. “If enough people decide on comin’ with us that will ease the situation, and then we can urge the others into movin’ on.”
“I think we’d better start out by helping with some healing,” Lorand put in from where he rode beside Jovvi. “These people didn’t have an easy time of it getting here, and they probably have worse ahead of them.”
“That’s two things needin’ arrangin’, and I think we can do them both together,” Vallant answered as they all stopped, and then he looked toward Rion where he sat his horse to Jovvi’s left. “Rion, if you and your people are ready for helpin’ out …”
“We’re all ready, Vallant,” Rion answered with a smile. “Go ahead any time you ‘re ready.”
Naran had noticed that Rion was looking more thoughtful than distracted this morning, but she’d carefully kept herself from thinking about the fact. She’d also firmly kept herself from Seeing anything to do with the two of them, even though a number of possibilities had nearly shouted at her. This was not the time for personal problems …
“Please give me your attention, people,” Vallant said, and with the help of Rion’s Air magic groups his words rang loud a good distance across the village. “We’re here for two reasons, and both of them are important. The first reason is offerin’ healin’ to anyone who needs it, so if you or someone close to you is in need, just let us know.”
A murmur of relief and gladness grew among the refugees, doing a small bit to lift the heavy atmosphere of doom which hung over everyone. There wasn’t anything like joy to be seen, but at least Naran was able to detect the relief and gladness.
“The second reason for our bein’ here is that we need help against those invaders,” Vallant continued, and suddenly everyone was paying very close attention. “No one’s been able to touch the invaders with talent because they’re bein’ protected with talent, and only Highs workin’ together have a chance to break through that protection. Are there any High talents here who are willin’ to work with us?”
“You better believe there are!” a man called from where he stood by one of the fires. “I’m one of them, and I’ll do anything I have to in order to destroy those who killed my family and friends. When do we start?”
By then there were other people shouting their agreement, quite a few others. Near the shouting people were those who shrank back with pate faces and shaking hands, those who seemed ashamed that they weren’t also volunteering. Naran really wanted to say something comforting to those others, but Jovvi was already ahead of her on that.
“We’re going to start immediately, but first I’d like to say something,” Jovvi stated, and her voice also rang out across the village. “If you’re not able to bring yourself to volunteer, please don’t let that fact upset you. Those who fight are born to do that, and those who prefer peace are born to build again after the fighters make the world safe for you. You’ll have your turn at helping, but right now those who are willing to fight need your support. Are you willing to give it to them?”
Those who had looked afraid were now smiling and nodding, many of them shouting out, “Yes!” and “I’m behind you!” and “I’ll do whatever I can!” Everyone now looked alive again, and Vallant showed a smile as he took over again.
“I’d like those who are volunteerin’ to meet me over there,” he said, pointing to one side of where they sat their horses. “Those in need of healin’ want to go over that way, to where Lorand and his people will be waitin’. If you need to be in both places, come to me first if you can to tell me what aspect you are, and then join those bein’ healed. If the healin’ can’t wait, see to that first. It won’t do any good havin’ you fall over.”
A few people laughed at that, and then everyone was moving in a different direction. Tamrissa and Rion were joining Vallant and dismounting with him, while Jovvi joined Lorand and his Earth magic link groups. The refugees were also moving in all directions, either to one of the two groups or hurrying across the village. Those hurrying away could well be going to check on people who might not have heard what was said, which took care of that chore.
Naran took a deep breath while thinking about what she could do, and then the answer became obvious. She and her link groups would serve best by circulating among the people of the village, making sure that those who needed attention by Lorand and his groups were coming forward to get it. And it might be a good idea to listen to what the people were saying among themselves, especially about Vallant’s proposal …
Rion shared Vallant’s and Tamrissa’s delight with the number of High talents who came forward to volunteer their help. Those assembly people they’d left earlier were completely impossible, and staying with them any longer would have been a waste of time. Now there was the chance to see something useful done, and Rion felt eager to get on with training these new talents.
“I’d like to thank you all for comin’ forward,” Vallant said once it looked as though everyone who meant to join them had already arrived. “I’ll start out by tellin’ you that my friends and I are a Blendin’, and that we have other Blendin’s with us. But all the members of our Blendin’s are High talents, and that’s what we’d like to do with you folks: teach you how to Blend.”
“But … only members of the assembly are allowed to Blend,” one woman protested, her confusion shared by many others. “And the Blending can’t contain more than one High talent, it’s simply not done.”
“It’s not done here,” Tamrissa corrected, her tone calm but very firm. “I don’t know how that fool arrangement got started, but it’s useless against the problem you all now face. We met some of the invaders along with four assembly Blendings, and those assembly people couldn’t do a thing against the invaders. We had to take care of the matter, but this isn’t our country. If you people won’t fight for it, why should we?”
“No, she’s right,” one of the men in the crowd said as voices of protest rose from some of the others. “What’s the sense in waiting around to be the major talent in a Blending, when none of us might live long enough even to compete for the position? And if the assembly Blendings are useless against the invaders, what’s the sense in wanting to continue with the practice?”
“I agree,” a different woman announced, also over the protests of others. “If our old way of doing things was all that superior, we would be comfortably at home now instead of running for our lives. And since this is my country, I’m willing to do anything I have to in order to defend it.”
“But this particular anything means breaking the law as well as tradition,” the first woman pointed out, her tone filled with worry. “Assuming we do drive the invaders out, what will happen to us then?”
“You’ll change the law, just the way we did in our own country,” Tamrissa said when the second woman stood silent. “Back home the people in power were able to stay in power by using the law against everyone, but the time came when it would have been suicide to continue to be law-abiding. If your current arrangement is really meant to be kept, after the fighting you’ll all go back to it. But if it’s an outdated and useless way of doing things …”
“Then we’ll develop new ways,” the first woman said, surprising everyone by being the one to finish Tamrissa’s sentence. “Yes, I can see that now, and we really don’t have much of a choice, do we? Saving our country has to come first, and then we can worry about the consequences of how we saved it. So what do we do?”
There were still a few people in the group who were too shocked and outraged to go along with the proposed changes, and while two of them simply turned and walked away another two began to argue. Rion listened to the arguing for a moment while fighting to hold down impatience, and then someone next to him made a sound of scorn.
“Do you believe that ridiculous man?” the woman standing near Rion said in a murmur. “He’s obviously been counting on becoming a major talent in the assembly and can’t bear to give up his dream. How can he not understand that if we still have a country left after this is all over, there won’t be Blendings with only one High talent any longer?”
“You sound very certain of that, and also very unconcerned,” Rion commented as he examined the woman. She was as dirty and bedraggled as the people around her, but her condition did nothing to hide her beauty. “Since this concept should be as new to you as it is to your fellow countrymen, I wonder why you feel nothing of their disturbance.”
“But the idea isn’t new to me,” the woman said with a smile that actually added to her beauty. “Some of us have been wondering for quite some time why there has to be only one High talent in the assembly Blendings. And why the composition of those Blendings has to keep changing every time one member or another is displaced by a challenger. The situation doesn’t make sense for anyone but the only High talent in each assembly Blending, and that also has to be the only reason things haven’t changed. The people who have the power don’t want to lose it.”
“Isn’t that usually the way?” Rion commented, very aware of the fact that the woman had moved a bit closer to him. “Those in power want to keep that power, even if they no longer deserve to have it.”
“But from what that woman said, you and the others didn’t let that stand in your way,” the woman murmured, looking up at him with definite warmth in her dark eyes. “I really admire people who act rather than just talk, and I would enjoy getting to know you better.”
Rion’s first reaction to that comment was a feeling of surprised flattery, along with a definite physical interest in the very beautiful woman. But then his second reaction set in, and that was more of a surprise than the first. The woman was clearly serious in her attempt to attract him, but his mind had already rejected her scarcely veiled offer!
It took a moment for Rion to realize why he would reject so beautiful a woman, and then the reason became clear. As desirable as the woman was, she simply couldn’t compare to his Blending sisters. And that, oddly enough, had nothing to do with physical beauty. No woman in the world could compare favorably to Tamrissa and Jovvi and—
Rion’s thoughts pulled themselves up short as he suddenly felt himself filled with joy. His brothers and sisters had been perfectly right, and although he felt flattered and faintly tempted by the strange woman’s interest, his decision to do nothing about that temptation was not being strained in the least. He was a grown, adult man, and now he could prove it to Naran as well as to himself. But there was something else he and Naran needed to talk about, something he’d been thinking about all morning …
“I really must ask you to excuse me, Dama,” Rion said to the woman with a small bow. “Your interest is flattering, but you’ll soon learn why I’m not returning it. And there’s something I must do before we begin to show you all how to Blend.”
He turned and walked away with that, leaving the woman with a startled expression on her face. She, apparently, wasn’t used to being rejected out of hand, possibly even less used to the doing than Rion was used to performing the act. But experiencing newfound maturity was exhilarating, and the sensation put a bounce in Rion’s step as he moved along. He’d seen Naran walking in this direction earlier, so she ought to be somewhere in the area.
It wasn’t long before Rion spied Naran a short distance ahead, strolling along as she looked over the people gathered in small, excited knots of conversation. Members of her link groups were also about and doing the same strolling, which told Rion that they were probably examining the population for those who needed Lorand’s attention but weren’t taking advantage of the opportunity. It would be rather easy to take Naran aside for a few private words, then …
Rion had nearly reached Naran when he saw her hesitate and then start to move off in a totally different direction. She had been looking at the people directly ahead of her, but rather than strolling past she seemed anxious to leave their vicinity entirely. That action puzzled Rion—until he saw one man jump from his place in the group to grasp Naran’s arm.
“You’re one of those outlanders, so you can tell my friends the truth!” the man rasped out as he pulled Naran to a halt. “You’re using this invasion as an excuse to destroy our way of life, aren’t you? You’re all jealous of what we’ve built here, and since you can’t share it you want to destroy it! And come to think of it, your lot might even be behind those invaders!”
“No, that isn’t true,” Naran protested as she tried to free herself of the man’s hand on her arm. “We’re here to help you, not to destroy anything. Please let me go.”
“I’ll let you go when you stop lying!” the man snarled, actually daring to shake Naran by the arm he held. “You tell my friends the truth, or I’ll—”
The man’s words broke off as the section of air that Rion had hardened hit him directly in the face. The fool staggered backward toward his friends after having released Naran, and by then Rion stood beside his woman.
“The truth of the matter is very simple,” Rion said coldly to the man and those others the man had nearly crashed into and who now held him up. “You know well enough that no one would accept you into a Blending as an equal, so your only hope to be as important as you feel you should be is to insist that a useless arrangement be continued. If you weren’t the sort to think of yourself before you considered the safety and well-being of those around you, the matter would scarcely have become the problem it is for you. If your … friends are wise, they’ll find someone else to associate with who really is a friend to them.”
By then the people around the man had withdrawn from him to stand together at a small distance, showing they had already come to the conclusion Rion had suggested. The man himself turned angrily away from Rion and Naran, apparently about to speak to those he’d stood among, only to discover that those people had withdrawn from him. The man shook his head and tried to approach the small group, but they turned as one and deliberately walked away, leaving the man with no one to listen to his complaints. Seeing that, Rion also led Naran away to a place they could talk without being interrupted.
“I really must thank you for helping me out of that mess,” Naran said before Rion could speak, her very neutral gaze on his face. “I Saw the possibility of that scene and tried to avoid it, but the man moved too quickly.”
“If that fool had hurt you I would have killed him rather than simply denting him a bit,” Rion returned, his words nothing but the absolute truth. “As it happens I was looking for you, though, so happily I was there to keep much harm from befalling you. But we’ll ask Lorand to look at your arm just to be on the safe side.”
“Lorand can’t do anything for a bit of bruising, and that’s all my arm is suffering from,” Naran said with a faint smile and a headshake. “I’ll be fine, but I’d like to know why you were looking for me.”
“I came to tell you that I’m no longer uncertain about what my reaction will be with other women,” Rion answered at once, wishing the revelation could be as completely a delight as he’d once expected it to be. “There’s no longer even the remotest chance that I’ll someday betray your love, but I’ve discovered that there’s another consideration that could well stand between us. I would like to discuss that consideration before I try to tell you again how very deep my love for you is.”
“It’s hard to believe that I’m having this much trouble understanding what you’re talking about,” Naran said with a small headshake, her neutral expression beginning to dissolve. “You seem … different, somehow, Rion, and I’m not sure why that is.”
“I’d like to think that the change is due to maturity,” Rion answered, too well aware of the fact that his own expression must be rather rueful. “I’d like to assure you first that I’ll continue to love you till my dying day, but dearest … I’ve recently come to realize that there are other women I also love. That doesn’t make my love for you any less, but the situation could well be one you find it impossible to accept. I need to know if that’s so before I bedevil you with importunities to return to my side.”
“You … also love other women,” Naran echoed, something very like fear in her eyes as she continued to stare at him. “I … think I should ask who those others are before I come to a decision.”
