Episode Six: A Slight Detour
Kreis stared up at the ceiling. He lay on the floor...Kieme was sleeping on his bed. She faced away from him, and seemed to be asleep-at least, as far as Kreis could tell.
I owe her my life, he repeated to himself, as he tried to fall asleep. According to Elorhan tradition, I must serve her until the debt is repaid. Even Faradine can't get me out of that. He sighed. Damn.
How long had he been lying there, waiting for sleep to overtake him? It had to be hours...with a day of travel in front of him, too. He'd never had trouble sleeping before, even when Triana was beside herself with her fears. But now, he just couldn't fall asleep.
I wish I could do...something... But what? What could he change? What would he do?
He caught a movement out of the corner of his eye, heard a snicker. With a low groan, he pushed the blankets away and stood.
By the time he reached the doorway, the eavesdropper had a head start down the hall. However, Kreis's legs were longer, and he had little trouble catching up with the culture.
"What do you think you're doing?" he demanded of Arik.
"None of your business," the boy replied.
"If you want people to believe you are fourteen, you should act with more maturity," Kreis said. "Listening at doorways certainly isn't what I would call mature."
"Like you know anything about maturity," Arik scoffed.
"I know more than you do."
"Oh, just shut up and go back to your girlfriend there."
Kreis opened his mouth, and then shut it again. He wasn't going to let this child's taunts drag him down to his level. "You go to bed. We've got a long day ahead of us," he said, his voice suddenly weary. He turned to walk away, ignoring the snickering behind him.
God help me, he thought. I know I am going to strangle him before this trip is over.
*
The dreamspace was so crowded tonight, she wondered if she would ever be able to find him. She was reminded of her own inexperience with moving within the dreamspace-she could never achieve his ease in flitting from dream to dream. How many people had he seen this way, looking into their private thoughts?
Even though he's spent so little time in the real world, he's seen more of it than any of us ever will. And he understands people better than anyone I know, because he can see inside their thoughts, how they truly are...in a way, I suppose he's become like a god. Though not what the humans called their god...
The blurred reality of the dreamspace was a friend to her. The facts that it had no bearing on the real world and did not depend on the rules of the real world were comforting. Still, she could feel some anxiety-why was the Well closed off, for one thing? Tarin had never excluded her before.
"Kieme!" she could feel him cry, his childlike voice joyful. She had to remind herself once again that within this child's body lived the soul of a man older than she was. "Kieme, I've missed you so much! Where have you been?"
The boy engulfed her in a hug she could almost feel. Poor boy, thought Kieme. Will this be as close as he ever gets to feeling true contact? No. Tarin is too close to discovering the key, and then-
"Why'd you go away for so long, Kieme?"
"I was looking for some people. But see, I came back to see you. It hasn't been that long."
"I tried to find your dreams, but I couldn't!"
"I haven't slept deeply enough to dream."
"Because of the dralions?" He could see her confusion. "I can see a snake with wings in your mind. Mother told me that they are called dralions."
"So there are more of them? What the hell are they doing?"
"She didn't tell me. All she said was that she had to talk to someone."
Talk to someone? Oh, yeah, that's right. That's why she wanted me to find Triana...something about giving her a message from her mother...
"Where are you? And who is he?"
"Who?" Around her the room where she slept appeared, and Kieme sat on the bed beside Kaelor. Kreis was lying on the floor, staring at the ceiling, oblivious to their presence. It was only the backdrop to a dream created by Kaelor, but he had duplicated each detail as he had seen the image in Kieme's mind. "Oh, you mean...Kreis..."
"I envy him," Kaelor said. "I think...I could sense...that you were with him."
*
Triana was eating her breakfast with several of the other girls of the Abbey when she heard someone thud into the chair across the table from where she sat. She looked up to see a very cross-looking Arik playing with his oatmeal.
"Why are you so sour?" she asked him.
"Ask your boyfriend," Arik replied. "I sure don't know why she was sleeping in his bed, and he certainly didn't let me stick around long enough to find out."
Triana's spoon fell from numb fingers. She stood up and walked out in a storm, in search of Kieme.
The girl with burgundy hair was drying it out after her bath. "It feels so good to be clean again," she said to herself, and was then assailed by a blonde stormcloud.
"What have you done to Kreis?" she demanded.
"What are you talking about?" Kieme wondered, her voice bordering on sarcasm, which infuriated Triana further.
"I don't want you to walk in here and ruin our lives! Please, I understand we've got to go to Thaliron together, but it's not right for you to-to force Kreis to-" Triana couldn't get any further. She was distraught.
"Force him to do what?" Kieme blinked.
"Arik said-he saw you-in Kreis's bed--"
"Did he?" Kieme seemed to be suppressing a smile, though Triana didn't think it very funny. "That's funny. I was. Kreis offered it to me, and he slept on the floor. He does have some manners, despite his misguidedness. You're lucky to have such a nice boyfriend."
"He-he did-do you really think he's my boyfriend?" Triana asked.
"No, but you wish I did, don't you?" Kieme replied. "Did you have a nice talk with Tarin?"
"Huh?" Triana couldn't speak as Kieme walked away. How did she-did she know-
Kieme looked back over her shoulder. "I hope you're ready to get going," she said. "I just got news from Aradel-she's in a bit of trouble, and needs some help, so we're going to have to depart sooner than I expected. Tell Gregan and the others, would you?"
*
"We've made up our minds. The next trip the company takes will be to Thaliron, and we'll meet up with you there," Cetolyn told Gregan. "And maybe by then you'll have realized how foolish this army-notion of yours is, and come back to us."
"Ceto, I've made up my mind..."
"I know you have. But someone's got to play my great hero when I finish my masterpiece, and if it can't be you, I don't know..." There were tears in her eyes, and Kreis hung back for a moment. He didn't want to intrude on the brother and sister farewell.
They were the only people on the steps of the Abbey on the cool, crisp morning. Autumn was just beginning, and soon the leaves would be turning color. By the time we reach Thaliron, they'll all have fallen... he thought. Maybe it will snow.
Gregan had his things packed into a bag on his back, but he carried no weapon-at least, not one that was visible. That's odd, in someone who wants to be a soldier, Kreis thought. It's hard to imagine Gregan in a battle. Unless he was trying to talk the enemy down-I think he could manage that.
Kreis looked at Cetolyn. He liked the way her hair looked, showing highlights of different blue and green shades in the sunlight. There was a gentle breeze that caused it to stir in gentle waves.
"Kreis, there's been a slight change of plans."
The curt voice came from his left; he didn't need to look to determine the source, even though he had only known the speaker for a day. It seemed like so much more time had passed...
"What do you mean?" he asked, without turning to face her.
"We've got to go to Namaia. It's not that far out of the way, and it should be over quickly."
Kreis nodded numbly. Was he in a position to question the woman to whom he owed his life? I've done enough of that, he thought glumly. My duty is still my duty.
Namaia...the lands ruled by Lady Nele. I have a feeling it's not going to be a pleasant trip.