Maker of Fire

Moo'upegan, Healing Shrine, Cold Season, 1st rot., 4th day

I cast so many charms of remembrance on myself that my head felt ready to burst by the time Ishapur was done showing me the chapel-shrine-hospital dedicated to the care of Coyn. I learned a new charm while I was there, that silenced snoring. It was a delightful visit, and I learned so much to bring home to Mattamesscontess.

We walked back to the magnificent Healing Shrine with our hoods up through the North Market. Above the inner ring road, all of the crafter buildings were new, and some were still under construction. The upper half of the old market had been destroyed at the beginning of the year in a great fire.

I intended to walk back to the Healing Shrine without stopping. The first shop that called to me sold fabric. I could tell from the clientele that it catered to the affluent. I was astounded by what the shop sold. Everyday cotton that would sell for a silver castulo per twospan cost twenty-five to thirty Foskan silver pieces, and the best quality cotton was over a gold piece. That was my first shock.

My second shock was the abundance and price of wool. The clothes that Lord Gunndit and the Queen of Foskos had given me were excellent wool, better than anything I could have found at home. The cloth was warm, richly dyed, and beautifully embroidered with silver and gold metallic threads. I had assumed they were luxury goods. After examining the fabric seller's shop, I realized that the embroidery and the dye were what distinguished the clothes from those of commoners, but the fabric base was simply above average for Foskan wool.

Most Mattamesscontan wool was a thick weave used exclusively for cloaks and flying clothes. It was also expensive outside the North Province, where most sheep flocks were raised. Most cloth in the three provinces around the Gulf of Chipagawkpaw was made of hemp, cotton, linen, or silk. Wool was not an everyday cloth back home.

Good wool in Kwabin costs two to three silver castulos a twospan, and five to eight castulos in Toyatastagka. Here it costs between five bronze and four silver a twospan. But the quality gobsmacked me. Undyed weaves for everyday wear in white, brown, or grey were less than a silver. The thick weaves appropriate for cloaks and blankets were around one silver. The most expensive weaves were as thin and opaque as good cotton and as soft as silk. The threads are often woven with different colors for the warp and weft in an array of patterns. The most expensive were as fine as silk and woven with metallic thread patterns like the ones favored by the High Priestess of Mugash.

My third shock was the woolen cloth with what the shopkeep called cordwale. I recognized it immediately as the cloth worn by the bride and groom at the handfasting I had just attended. It was made on a special loom with two layers of weft, one of which was then cut with a special knife to make the pattern of long "wales." It was made exclusively by Coyn, who had hands small and deft enough to cut the second layer of weft to create the pile. It reminded me of velvet.

The shop had no velvet at all. Apparently, it was too expensive for anyone except royalty and the richest of the lord holders. With the collapse of the overland trade route up the Stem River through Jutu, velvet was now available only at the yearly trade fair run by the Inkalemi at a place called Uldlip. Given that most of the velvet traded on Erdos came from Mattamesscontess, my nose was twitching over the possibility of reestablishing that trade route.

Not only did I want to buy every bolt of wool in the shop, but I also wanted to recruit the crafters who made the cloth and entice them to move to my country. Ishapur convinced me to wait before buying the contents of the shop there and then, advising me to consult with the Blessed Lisaykos first. She pointed out that the shop had the patronage of the High Priestess, denoted by her personal sigil of a blue talon hanging off the bottom of the store's sign. That meant I might be able to use Lisaykos's own pricing and shipping arrangements.

Ishapur was not able to stop me from buying five books at the scriptorium. I needed to consult with my host about how I might ship them back home. Then, I visited a crafter who made musical instruments, where I bought a prell and a divine. I was sure I would be able to find a teacher to learn the basics before I returned to Mattamesscontess. Perhaps I could tempt one to move to Mattamesscontess. These instruments didn't exist back home, but I had fallen in love with the sounds of both.

Ishapur took me to an outdoor food monger selling grilled meatballs, nips, and hot cider. She promised it was worth standing in the cold, sheltered from the wind by the bulk of the west wing of the Healing Shrine. The operation was run by a nohair who was missing a hand and an eye. Ishapur told me later she had been injured in the great fire and was the sole survivor of her family that ran the food stand. Her staff of twelve was entirely Coyn. I could feel the affection she had for them and that they had for her.

The food was made and cooked on a wagon. The smell of the meatballs and nips left me close to drooling. Nips don't grow anywhere on the East Coast, so this was my first taste of them. I needed to consult with someone from the Shrine of Mueb about whether I could import and grow them at home. I was addicted to their warm, smooth, buttery taste at first bite. Once again, I thanked Vassu for bringing me to this place.

When we returned to the shrine, I found the Beloved sitting with her man Tom on a lounge in the High Priestess's study. That grand old lady was there too, taking a break from the delivery room to rest and to eat some dinner. Ishapur made a full obeisance Foskan-style, and I bowed my head to her in respect. By Foskan rules, I outranked her, but there was something about her that commanded my respect—and I heeded that. This epitome of royal dignity was also the Beloved's special friend, and I knew that Emily did not give away her affection lightly.

She bowed her head back and gestured for us to come sit with them. Her servant Sarfaz appeared the moment we sat down with beakers of that excellent dark Foskan ale.

Lisaykos's eyes smiled at me. "I see you toured the shrine and the chapel shrine, and then went shopping. Five books, a prell, and a divine. Or are those just what you could carry?"

"I talked the Exalted One out of buying up all the woolens at Oystaysee's fabric shop without consulting you first," Ishapur said.

"That was wise of you, Ishapur. Empress, I will take you to Oystaysee's and haggle for you. She is a shrewd and sharp merchant. She'll sell you a broken-down nag instead of a tow barge mule if you don't have your wits about you. Returning here before buying was a smart move. What did you see there that interested you?"

"The woolens like the ones you like for your shrine robes, and the ones that are as light as silk. Also, the cloth is called cordwale. None of those exist in Mattamesscontess. All our wools are heavy, and none have the variety of warp-and-patterns I've seen here."

"Ah, yes. I see I need to take you shopping as soon as Arma delivers."

"How's it going?" the Beloved asked. "It's now the second day."

"I believe she will deliver her little girl sometime between the middle night bell and dawn. That is why I am taking a rest now. I will have some dinner and will take a nap. Then, I will return to the delivery room. Her mother is with her, so I have no fear of being absent. Her mother is just as good a healer as I am."

"So, you bought a prell and a divine, Moo." The Beloved's face was a war field of battling emotions, between curiosity and sorrow. "Where was the music store?"

"About halfway up the market across from the scriptorium where I bought these books."

"Ah." Emily's face was split between resignation and relief. I was curious why. Lisaykos pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve pocket and passed it to her. She blotted her eyes as Tom gave her a one-armed hug. She smiled up at me. "The instrument shop that made my divine, which was the first one ever, burned down during the fire. Two people I knew died there. Now that my divine was lost in the storm that blew me to Pocatoe, I can't even go back and get a new one made by the same crafters to replace it." The look on her face made my heart ache for her. I didn't know she had lost her divine.

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Ishapur stood up suddenly. "If you will excuse me for a moment, I can fix that for you. I will be right back."

"What?"

But Ishapur was already on her way out the door of the study and didn't hear the Beloved's soft voice.

"What was that all about?" The Beloved looked around at us.

The Blessed Lisaykos leaned back in her armchair and smiled that sinister smile of hers at the Beloved. Then she turned her head to address her attendant. "Sarfaz, please tell the kitchen we will have eight Cosm and two Coyn for dinner tonight."

Sarfaz looked up from her worktable. "Do you want those prepared in any particular way. Say, grilling the Cosm or roasting the Coyn? I'm sure we have a Tirmarran cookbook around to consult."

"I believe I requested elk from the kitchen earlier today, so that should suffice."

"Very good, Great One. I shall take care of it. Dinner at the usual time? That should give the cooks a bell to prepare."

"That will be fine, Sarfaz. Thank you. I could use a refill of tea, please."

The Beloved laughed. I could feel that the Blessed Lisaykos was pleased she had distracted the little one's attention from Ishapur.

"Who else is joining us for dinner?" Tom asked.

"Storm Walker and his language instructor, Idikfupsi. Sarfaz, my brother, and my son. I invited the Holy Mieth, but she wanted to stay with Arma in the delivery room. It's her first grandchild, after all. I was the same way when my first grandchild was born, much to the consternation of my daughter, who thought I was being too fussy."

"I have a hard time imagining you as being fussy," the Beloved said.

Then I heard footsteps running, and Ishapur appeared, carrying a piece of sewn sheepskin and a Coyn-scaled divine. She walked up to the lounge, fell to one knee, and presented it to the Beloved.

"Here is your divine, Great One. Ud found it when she rescued Spot after the Demon Winds that blew you to Lady Veronteegan. It was damaged, but she repaired it for you. She gave it to me to return to you. And here is your hat. Lady Veronteegan left it with me because she knew I was coming here to where you have your main living quarters."

"My divine!" The Beloved stretched out her arms to take it and embraced it. "It will be out of tune." She sighed and started to tune it.

Tom took the hat. It was a funny-looking thing. It was conical with just an eyeslot below a sewn-on brim. The top had four finger-like tubes on top, somewhat like the comb on a rooster's head. "I thought that this was lost. I'm happy to see it survived. Twee will be happy. He had great fun making this for you."

Emily didn't look up from her tuning. "It's silly-looking, but it's warm. I believe I will continue to use it when I'm not using the Anorak that Landa made me."

"Wait," Lisaykos leaned forward. "Landa made that sealskin coat?"

"Landa made all the clothes that Moo'upegan and I wore in Tirmarra," the Beloved stopped her tuning for a moment and looked up at the High Priestess. "I was happy that he placed my special possessions in a shoulder bag for me. You know, my old belt with its special billet, my knife and hatchet, my matches, and my journal."

"You kept a journal?" The old lady smiled. "That will make recording your trip easier. Poor Kamagishi is so anxious to hear about it, I'm told she's as jumpy as a flea while she waits."

"So, you have a spy at the Fated Shrine too?" Emily smiled smugly.

"Just Aylem."

The Beloved laughed. I concluded that there was some joke between the two of them.

"May I inquire about the hat?" I asked. I heard Lisaykos stifle a laugh.

"Twee, who is the revelator of Vassu, made it for me as a gag. The hat started life as a Chem tail mitten. The goofy finger pieces on top are for the four tentacle-like appendages Chem have on the end of their tails. Twee took a mitten and turned it into a hat for me. The odd thing is that it's excellent for flying. I was wearing it when that terrible storm picked me up and blew me to the village of Pocatoe, where Lady Veronteegan was the village head."

"We were heartily amused when we first saw the hat in the Great Crystal of Tiki," Lisaykos said. "The Blessed Twee has an almost human sense of humor."

"I like the hat because Twee made it, but I like it doubly well because it works well to keep my head warm."

At dinner, we talked about our plans for the next few days. I said I was invited to visit the Shrouded Shrine of Vassu, to meet with the Holy Moxsef, the Lady Uncohegan, and the Blessed Twee. Prince Listayodas said he was content to spend time with his sister for now. The Beloved said she wanted to take that beautiful crystal to Two Ferry Island, to the Hospitable Shrine of Gertzpul, and give it to the High Priestess Sutsusum.

Lord Irhessa said that if she wanted to do that, he asked her to wait a day so he could arrange her security. The sharp look she threw at him had volumes of unspoken dialogue, leading me to conclude that there was much more to Lord Irhessa than surface appearances suggested.

The Godspaces

*We should stop her.*

"Galt, she's our prophet," Erhonsay said, "and she's realized her agency. By the rules we agreed upon, we may not be able to stop her."

*I don't like where this set of timelines is going. I don't want her hurt anymore. We promised her, dammit. We're deities. We need to keep our promises. *

"Down, Galt," Erhonsay bopped the unruly cat god on the head. "We can intervene if we must."

*I do not want her to suffer any more. We have already made a wreck of her life just to bring her to prophethood.*

"Do I detect affection from the god of wrath for this tiny little soul?" Surd teased.

*Dammit, Surd. That's not the point, and you know it. We made promises to her, and we need to keep them. If you collectively will not act to keep our prophet . . .*

". . . who wants to quit anyway, and not complete her job," Tiki interjected.

*I have destroyed greater gods than you, Tiki, for far less than that remark, so shut it. As I was saying, if we do not act collectively to prevent our prophet from this impending harm, then I will act alone.*

"I will do what I can, Galt, to help," said Mugash. "Do what you can on your end, and I will ensure that whatever happens, it will come out right for Emily. But she reset all the timelines again, and the future is still in flux. I do not see how we might spare her from harm if she continues on her current choice of actions, given the boundary conditions we agreed upon when we set up this reality."

Galt hissed his displeasure.

"You should know best of all how destiny works, oh god of fortune and fate," Gertzpul said. "If she dies, I can simply bring her back to life. I know that she will suffer if that happens, but that is the nature of the journey of souls. You have become fond of her—I acknowledge that, but this is just one of her lives along her journey. I, too, have become fond of this soul. But Galt, old friend, we have granted her true free will. We can intervene, but not with a heavy hand, or paw, as the case may be. And she may avoid the adverse destiny that awaits her if she travels to Two Ferry Island. How the timelines coalesce is up to her. God of fate, I counsel you to let fate run its course. We can watch and protect her from the worst consequences of her decisions."

*I hate it when you're reasonable,* Galt grumped. *I will do what I can to prevent her from traveling down the worst of the timelines.*

Emily, Healing Shrine, Cold Season, 1st rot., 5th day

"Are you sure you don't want to come?" I asked Tom as I prepared to climb onto Asgotl's back. That lazy griffin had stayed behind in Aybhas, arguing that Aylem didn't need him as much I as I did right now. I knew better. He liked hanging out in Lisaykos's study, especially since the Healing Shrine's kitchens fed him better than any of the mounts' residences. He was a griffin with an eye for the maximum amount of food for the minimum amount of effort. I was not fooled.

"I know you, Mouse. You'll get to Two Ferry Island and will spend the entire day talking about bridge and road building with the Holy Sutsusum. She's as bad a mekaner as the Holy Raoleer and the Revered Huhoti, only she hides it better. I would be bored, bored, bored. No, Mouse, I will stay here. As soon as your friend Arma has delivered her baby, I will see what I might wrangle from the Blessed Lisaykos for a space of my own. Lord Irhessa is escorting you, and you can't have any better protection than that while the wraiths assemble their new security detail for you. With Lord Irhessa watching over you, what could possibly go wrong?"