She turned down the lane, her steps coming slower and slower. The rain was shifting the loose garbage so she had to pick her way into the building carefully, something else that brought back the feeling of never having left; the feeling of being helpless. The stale odor of cooked cabbage filled the hall inside and she found herself clasping one manacle-scarred wrist with the other hand, rubbing slowly at the blemished skin. Oh, yes, I've been away.
She walked down the corridor, hearing the bed creak in the room near the door as the neighbors made love. Further on she heard a mucus-filled snore. She padded farther down, pausing at the last door before Marte's.
She hoped that Rilla would be there, that they could just bundle her things together and leave without ever having seen Marte. I don't care if I never see her again.
The door opened with the same old squeak and she stopped, letting her eyes adjust to the dark, listening for Rilla's breathing. It was still, the air full of the odor of burnt pennyroyal, making Megan stifle a sneeze.
"Rilla?" she whispered. "Rilla?" No answer. Megan reached for the hood of the kraumak by the door. Rilla's pallet was empty, rigidly well made. The herbs still hung from the ceiling, the dishes stacked to dry, the wooden table scarred and burned and stained. There was a faint, irregular ticking from the other room as the still cooled.
Megan picked up the kraumak and walked to the inner door, her mouth dry, and pushed it open. Her nose wrinkled at the odor; sour wine, wormwood, sweat and unwashed clothing, scorched pennyroyal where the glass in the still had broken. I won't pick up fleas or lice with that stench around at any rate. The wallbed doors stood open and Marte lay half out of it, face down. The wineskin below her hand had leaked onto the floor where she'd dropped it.
The light in Megan's hand wavered a moment and she clenched her fist around it; stepped forward around the puddle of wine. "Marte," she snapped.
"Hmmm," was the only answer, that and the sound of swallowing.
"Marte!" Almost a shout.
"Whaaa—?" Marte blearily raised her head. "Go-way. See'n thin's. No' guil-ty. Couldn' ge' you back…" Her voice faded towards a snore as her head went down. "… brat."
"Marte, wake up!" Megan grabbed Marie's shoulder and shook her roughly. "Rouse your wine-sodden carcass up and listen to me."
This time there was more understanding in the older woman's eyes, but not much. "Meg'n. Home… early… cleanup yer tnessn go't' bed…"
Disgusted, Megan slammed the kraumak down on the bedside table, grabbed Marie's shoulders and dragged her out of the bed, wrestling with her sodden weight. She shook Marte so her head snapped back and forth a few times before letting her sprawl onto the floor. "You have to be sober enough to hear this," Megan snarled. "I'm taking Rilla away, hear me?"
Marte pushed herself up on her arms, used the wall-bed to pull herself to her feet, staggering. "Oh, shit," she said quite clearly. Then she whipped up one hand, staggered a step toward Megan, finger held waveringly in front of her. "Yo-u!" she squalled. "You're GONE! Go—wan, ge' LOST!" She swiped at Megan as if to brush away a hallucination, stood gazing stupidly as Megan blocked, grabbing her wrist.
The younger woman looked at her own hand wonderingly for an instant where it held Marte's wrist fast. It had been such a small motion that stopped Marte from hitting her. I don't have to take this shit anymore.
Megan looked into Marte's bloodshot eyes before spinning her around and pushing her away, wiping her hand clean on her trousers.
"Yes. Me. And Rilla is—"
"Hey!" An angry voice from the door. "Who'r you? What'r…"
Megan turned around defensively, not recognizing the young woman in the door at first. She's about my height. The light from the kraumak on the table lit her face clearly. Medium long brown hair, buttery hazel eyes, a thin, unhappy face, high cheekbones—
"Rilla?"
She stepped toward the girl as Marte struggled to get out of the wallbed where Megan's push had sent her.
"Megan?" Rilla's hand, still raised, reached out to touch Megan's face, her fingertip resting lightly on the skin as if she didn't believe what she was feeling, seeing. They caught each other in a hug. "MEGAN! I thought you were gone forever! I thought… she said she'd gotten rid of you… Goddess, I'm glad you're back…"
Marte untangled herself from the last of the bedclothes, snarling, "Rillahhh… ahhh… mmmph… ! Ril-llahh… hhh…" The woman finally staggered upright and lunged, flailing, at Rilla, who dodged, letting Megan go. She's still taller than I am, Megan thought as she grabbed Marte again. The girl hovered near the door, her face showing both hope and fear.
Marte bunched her fists, focused on her daughter, shouting ugly, drunken things, almost pulling Megan off her feet. Panting, Megan braced herself, yanked one of her aunt's arms up behind her back between the shoulder blades and looked at Rilla.
"Go… get your things… Rilla," she said over Marte's shrieks, gritting her teeth and holding on as if to a sail flapping in the wind. "We're—we're leaving." Her hands burned as Marte twisted in her grip. "I'm your guardian, legally. Let's get out of here!"
"SLUT!" Marte screamed at her daughter. Rilla cringed back, hesitated between listening to Megan or her mother, then stopped herself. She swallowed and her chin came up. "Malkin!" Marte yelled. "You… you're never going to be worth anything! NO GOOD, filthy drab!"
Rilla's expression went slowly livid and her face hardened from fear and uncertainty to resolve. For a long moment she stood clenching her fists, then stepped forward and swung, a whole-hearted slap that whipped Marte's head around. Everything stopped suddenly, Marte's scream cut off as if a razor had cut her throat, mouth working, eyes round and appalled. Rilla stared, both delighted and terrified at her daring.
Marte slowly raised one hand to her cheek, gaping as Rilla turned on her heel and walked out to the front room. For a second there was only the odor of pennyroyal and the sound of Marte's hoarse breathing as she stared after Rilla, frozen.
Megan let go and stepped away, pausing in the doorway. Rilla looked up from where she had her things tossed into a blanket. "I'm ready."
"Let's go then," Megan said, and looked back at Marte who still stood frozen, hand on her cheek. "If my father had known, he'd have done the same. I disown all knowledge of you, slough-kin. You are no kin of mine. Live and die alone."
She knocked the dust of the house off her boots against the doorframe, threw her arm comfortably around Rilla's shoulders, and they walked away from the silence behind them.
Glossary
A-niah—plural of Niah.
Aavrit Cities—coalition of cities on the Mitvald.
Aenir—country south of F'talezon, another enemy of the Thanes.
Aeniri—a native of that country.
Aenir'sford—a city on the Brezhan.
Arkan—citizen of Arko.
Arko—the Empire far to the south and west of Zakos.
Armai—Zak, an ancient enemy of the Zak.
Baba—Zak, Grandmother.
Baku—a Mitvald port city.
balika—a Zak stringed instrument bayishka—Zak, a marriage broker.
Benai—Brahvnikian, Abbey.
Benaiat—Brahvnikian, Abbot.
Beigen—a small town on the river Brezhan.
Berjus—a Mitvald port city.
Bjornholm—a city on the Brezhan.
Blutrosh—Zak, Blood-roses, large with dark nectar.
Borschch—Zak, beet soup.
Brahvniki—free-port at the mouth of the Brezhan.
Brezhan—the main river F'talezon is the navigation head for.
Brunsc—Megan's stuffed bear.
Byeliey—tributary flowing into Chas lake from theLadyshrine.
Bylashka—Zak, meaning little one, or little princess.
Chas Lake—Lake at the bottom of the City, feeding the Brezhan.
Cheboks—a small town on the Brezhan.
Clawprince—Zak and Brahvnikian, merchant prince
cniffta—Zak, a
knife throwing game
colschizn—Zak, a herb.
cormarenc—a giant version of cormorants.
Dagde Vroi—month-long year-end (solstice) festival, Days of Fools.
Dark Lord—patron god of F'talezon, god of death and winter.
Deib's Den Inn—a F'talezon inn.
Dragon Bite—Zak coinage, round coin stamped with a triangle.
Dragon Fang—Zak coinage, triangular coin stamped with a circle.
Dragon Scale—Zak coinage, a half-circle stamped with a triangle.
Dragonclaw—Zak, a six-sided coin, steel, gold, silver, or copper
DragonLord—ruler of F'talezon, see Woyvode Dragon'sNest—the palace, seat of royal power in F'talezon
DreamDust—a highly addictive drug, that re-routes pain to the pleasure centers of the brain, ultimately causing a breakdown of the immune system Drip, the—Zak slang for gonorrhea Duster—one hooked on DreamDust Dzhai—Zak slang, Cooper's Lane kidpack cry for help
Eksoticum—an unlicensed, naZak whorehouse.
Esaria—Srian port town.
fatrahm—Zak, father's sister's beloved child.
Fchera—a type of bird.
femka—Enchian, women's quarters.
F'talezon—the capital of Zakos.
F'trovanemi—a Zak fortification.
Gazhtinizia Gardens—a playhouse in the City.
Gospozhyn—Zak, Great Master.
Graukalm—'grievous wind,' monster wind that can freeze a living thing in seconds.
Great Bitch, The—inn in Aenir'sford.
Ground, The—a bit of vacant land near the Flats.
Haian—a citizen of the healers' archipelago, Haiu Menshir.
Hall of Light, The—manrauq training hall.
Hand—five work days, plus one.
Hand'send—the day of rest.
Halya—Zak, hell.
Halyabore—a herb.
Halyions—Zak, hellions.
Honey-Giver—one of the City gods, The Great Bear.
Hrlis—a religious sect, also their trade towns.
Hyerne—a matriarchal sea-coast country.
Iya—Zak, second call in sparring.
jahnin—Rand, foreign devil.
Kahfe—coffee grown in the Mitvald Islands.
Kha'khaya—a wedding song.
K'gebar—Zak, executioner, lit. "one who carries justice".
K'mizar—Zak, supervisor.
K'mizariza—Zak, lit. "those who rule or guide".
Kievir—Zak, equivalent to baron.
Kievira—Zak, baronness.
Koru—the City's patron Goddess, god of life and summer.
Kraila—a Yeoli sword.
kraumak—Zak, lit. "glow-stone." A heatless light source,
Kreyen—large island in the Mitvald, also capital city.
Kritn—a sea-coast country.
Krminsk—a town on the Brezhan.
Kuritz h'Rokatzk—Zak curse, handler of the dead with implications of disease and necrophilia (you were conceived by a death-handler on a leperous corpse).
Laka—a country south-east of the Arkan empire.
lingam—male genitalia.
Luscious Peach, The—licensed whorehouse sharing theFlats.
Mahachkala—a Mitvald country.
malkin—Zak slang, dirty one, diseased one, useless.
manrauq—Zak, power of mind, psionics.
'maranth—genetically altered plant derived from amaranth.
Mitvald—Zak name for the greater ocean, of which Svartsee is a part.
mrik—Lakan, a board game.
Nal-Gospozhyn—Zak, lesser master.
Nar-Kievior—Zak title of noblity, viscount.
Naryshldv—a town on the Brezhan.
naZak—Zak, lit. non Zak, foreigner.
Nellas—a Mitvald island country.
Niah—a native of Niah-lur-ana.
Niah-lur-ana—an archipelago in the Mitvald, south east of Haiu Menshir.
night-siren—a created plant, to concentrate iron on the surface.
Nübuah—a colony city of Fehinna, an empire across the Lannic.
Nuogamesh-gir—an Aavrit port city where sea and desert meet.
Nuov-Kievir—a Zak title of nobility, equivalent to marquis.
nyata—Zak, no.
Oestschpaz—a river flowing into the Brezhan.
okas—an Arkan caste, just above slaves.
oscasa—Zak, bone museum.
Piatyacha Tower—a folly built near the Great Market.
Pirate Isles—in the Mitvald sea.
Prafetatla—the Zak "beau ton," the ruling classes.
Proletarion—Zak, field of bones, funeral place.
pyash—Zak, a measurement of distance, a bit more than a metre.
Raeschku—Ness's home village, destroyed by Thanes.
Rand—a city-state on the Brezhan, also a native of that city.
Red Briar, The—an inn in Aenir'sford.
Rhunay—Zak slang, the children's cry for "I give up!", "Uncle!"
roheji—Perogy-like pastries.
Saekrberk—main abbey of the Bear in Brahvniki, and the liquor distilled there.
samovar—vessel for boiling tea.
Selov—a Mitvald port city.
Shamballah—a bright star visible in certain latitudes that moves contrary to regular star motion, said to be a machine built before the fire.
-shkya—Zak, feminine suffix, "daughter of.
Sinapland—a Mitvald country.
Smiurgteik—Zak, lit. Citizen Dragon, see ZingasSmiurg.
Sneyekh—tributary flowing into Chas Lake from the Dark Temple
Sobota Gate—a lesser gate into the City.
Solas—an Arkan caste, warrior, second highest after noble.
Soltshiy—birds.
Sria—desert country with some sea ports.
Sto Solstne—the great window in the Dragon'sNest.
Sysbaet—Zak, Grey Brotherhood, a healing teaching order affiliated with the orders of the Bear.
Sysbat—a sibling of the Sysbaet order.
Talitsa—the town north, around the salt mines.
Tebrias—capital of Sria.
Teik—Zak, sir, mister or mistress, citizen.
Thanes—natives of Thaneland, enemy to Zakos.
Third Charm Inn—an inn in Aenir'sford.
Tor Ench—a country bordering Laka and Yeola-e.
troikamal—an arrangement where three horses draw a carriage or sleigh.
Two-iang—A four foot staff with a blade at each end.
Tukan Islands—in the Mitvald.
Tuzgolu—a Mitvald island port.
Va Zalstva—Zak, the old arena.
Veysnyas—Zak, silverwings. Like fuzzy, coppery-rose butterflies.
Vikhad Gate—a lesser gate of the City.
-vych—Zak, masculine suffix, "son of.
Wadiki—maranth vodka.
Wooden Plate—a F'talezon restaurant.
Wormwood—an anti-depressant, non-addictive, toxic.
Woyvode—DragonLord, ruler of F'talezon and the remnants of Zakos, Smiurgteik.
Woyvodaana—DragonLady, the ruler's marriage partners.
Year Kievir—priest/advisor to the Woyvode, chosen between the priests of the Lady and the Dark Lord.
Yeola-e—a country east of the empire of Arko.
Yeoli—a native of the country Yeola-e.
Yoni—female genitalia.
zahbeans—Zak, a protein substitute like tofu.
zahl—Zak, sword training hall.
Zar—Brahvnikian title for the Benaiat.
Zarizan—Zak, Heir.
zight—Zak, pride or face.
Zingas—Zak, Lord or Lady.
ZingasSmiurg—Zak, Lord/Lady Dragon.
Zingas Brezhani—River Lady, Sarngeld's ship.
Shadow's Daughter Page 31