Stardancer

by Ariel MacArran

Kinara blinked. “I thought only men were involved in war. I haven’t seen any female warriors.”

  He burst out laughing.

  Kinara scowled. “Don’t you think women can fight?”

  Aidar shook his head, still chuckling. “It is so that women can fight. They fight within the Councils.”

  “You mean there’s more than one?”

  “How could there be but one? There is the War Council, the Council for Trade, the Council for Food and the—”

  “Wait, you mean there’s a Council for everything the Az-kye do?” He gave a half shrug. Okay, pretty much everything. “Who decides who goes on which one? I mean some must have more power than others.”

  “You learn quickly.”

  “Hardly, but I will learn so help me,” she grumbled. “So how do they decide who gets on what Council?”

  “The women decide.”

  “Yeah, okay. But how?”

  “A woman puts herself forward does she have the status and the support.”

  Kinara frowned. “So if someone starts talking about Lianna’s bad behavior, then someone else who wants Baruta’s job will say she’s incompetent because she can’t get her daughter to behave. And if that woman has enough friends she can push Baruta out and take her spot. Is that right?”

  He nodded.

  “And someone who wants Baruta to stay where she is will do something to shut the others up, if she can.”

  “But if this cannot be done, Baruta may fall in influence and power.”

  “How does everyone know? I mean, does someone announce that Baruta goofed?”

  His brow furrowed. “Goofed?”

  “Made a mistake. Lost influence.”

  “Ah,” he nodded. “Seating within the arena is done by status. If Baruta has goofed –" Kinara bit her lip to keep from giggling at the way he mangled the Tellaran word. "Then the woman next in status will have moved to her chair and Baruta will have to sit farther back.”

  Kinara looked at her hands. “I overheard about someone who called for clan war over that. Is — Is that why you said you didn’t have a family? Is that what happened to them?”

  “No,” he said hoarsely. “That is not what happened.”

  He was silent so long she finally looked up.

  His face was pained. “I was the youngest of eight children, did you know it so, Cy’atta?”

  “Eight? I thought you didn’t have brothers or sisters. I mean, you said – ”

  "Dead. All of them." He shook his head. “I cannot believe it is so long ago now."

  Her heartbeat sped up at the flash of pain in his eyes. "What happened to them?"

  Aidar looked out over the grounds. "My sister Anira was eldest, my mother’s heiress, and only twenty when we came here for the Empress’s coronation. At the contests she saw a young man of the Tansar clan, Pinteh.”

  She frowned, remembering that old scar across his ribs, the one he said Pinteh had given him.

  “My sister thought him the greatest of all warriors, the most handsome of men.” He gave a rueful smile. “My brothers and sisters would tease her to tears about him. Anira would find any excuse to see him. Thought, it seemed, of nothing but him.”

  He sobered. “My mother was opposed to the match. The Tansar were strange, maybe even unbalanced, not as old or powerful a clan as ours but Anira would look upon no other warrior. In the end, Pinteh was invited to our lands on Az-kanzar to court her. I did not like him, none of us did. She would often smooth things between him and us, taking the blame herself, accused us of treating him unfairly. He was critical of her, always putting her in the wrong. One day, shortly before they were to take vows,” his nostrils flared, “Pinteh struck my sister."

  Kinara blinked. Her own guards weren't even supposed to speak to her unless she allowed it.

  “I was supposed to be at sword practice with my brothers," he continued. "But it was hot and I was very lazy then. I snuck some fruit from the kitchens and was going to the gardens where it was cool when Anira ran past me. She was crying hard and her face swollen. I thought –" His brow creased. "I thought she had fallen so I followed after. When I understood what Pinteh had done, I went to find him. I had only my practice sword but I challenged him myself.

  “I was only eleven summers then but I told him I would fight for my sister. He laughed and gave me this.” Aidar traced the scar on his cheek. “He would have taken great joy in killing me but he heard my brothers and father coming and fled. The Tansar must have known clan war would come, what else could my mother do? But they would not have been able to stand against us. They came that night to kill everyone of Az’anti blood. Anira ran forward to beg Pinteh to leave.” He closed his eyes briefly. “She died first.”

  Gods. “How — How did you—?”

  His face tightened. “They left me beside my family to bleed to death. I was the only one of my name left and I thought –" His mouth worked for a moment. "I thought, I cannot fail them. It took me hours that night to walk to Az'yan land. Zerea was my father’s sister and too softhearted to turn me away. She hid me within her clan and raised me with Cenna and Dael.”

  Kinara could see him in her mind, still with a child’s roundness to his cheeks, bloodied, traumatized and alone, painfully making his way through the darkness, the bodies of his family in the house behind him.

  And I called him a bastard.

  “Zerea offered to swear me fully to the Az’yan clan, to make me as much her son as Dael. She cried when I took up my father’s sword and chose to be Az’anti.”

  “What about the Tansar? Are they—?"

  His head bent. “There are no Tansar now.”

  “No—?" Something about the way he said that . . . "Wait, you killed them?”

  “Yes,” he whispered. “I killed them all.”

  “Even the women?” she cried. “Even the children?”

  His dark eyes were haunted. “I vow I did not – I would not – have done such. There were clans who still owed allegiance to my house. I came in daylight with them to Tansar lands. The women and children were in the great house when the time came to fight. The battle was fierce we did not see . . .”

  The pain in his eyes hurt her to see. Kinara took his hand.

  “The clanhouse was afire. An accident, a careless servant, I do not know. I did not know until it was too late to help them. The house was engulfed. The Tansar warriors – They fought like demons, but our numbers were greater and I think they had no heart to live. Pinteh was the last and he died by my sword cursing me.”

  His palm was wet. “With my family’s shades crying for justice I sought vengeance. But I hear them. The women, the . . .” He swallowed. “They scream in my nightmares.”

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

  “You know now,” he said quietly. “How monstrous, how Az-kye, I must seem to you.”

  “Who am I to judge anyway?” She tightened her hold on his hand. “I hunted your ship, I fired on you without warning, I killed—”

  “Is this why you are sorrowed?” Aidar sighed heavily. “None were harmed.”

  She stared. “But I fired on you! I knocked out your engines! I—”

  He shook his head. “A ruse to allow time for the drone to drain your ship’s power and your air circulators to fill with the sleeping gas.”

  I must have fired too soon if that first shot didn’t penetrate the hull at all.

  She passed her hand over her eyes. But gods, what if I hadn’t?

  The rest fell into place. “That’s why all the instruments went dead. You were draining our power while we were firing. I thought maybe the ship systems were just too old to maintain battle conditions.” She frowned. “But why wouldn’t you want to do battle with us? I thought that was the Az-kye way.”

  “It is not the Az-kye way to fight those we know cannot hope to stand against us. But put your heart at rest, Cy’atta. You spilled no blood.”

  Funny how much lighter that made her feel. Still, she had lived with it too l
ong now not to know something of the burden he carried.

  She saw amazement in his eyes as she drew close to slide her arms around him. She tilted her face up and brought her mouth to his.

  Aidar shifted on the bed to brush a kiss against her hair. “It is better the Az-kye way. Tellaran courting takes too long.”

  Kinara smiled. “What do you know about how Tellarans court?”

  He smiled back wryly, his fingers tracing the skin of her back. “Too little, since I could not woo you thus.”

  She shook her head. “What are you talking about? You never tried to court me.”

  “I did!” he exclaimed, affronted. “I did dancing, the walking and the–”

  “Poetry!”

  At the chagrin in his dark eyes she burst out laughing.

  He shifted his weight. “I did only what is Tellaran custom.”

  “Oh, Aidar,” she breathed. “I’m laughing because I was trying to court you the Az-kye way.”

  His brow furrowed.

  “Oh, come on! I couldn’t have done so badly that you didn’t even notice I was trying to seduce you.”

  He blinked. “This is so?”

  “Of course.” She couldn’t have done that badly. “What did you think? That I always sit around with my top open hoping someone will warm me up?”

  His eyes were velvet soft. “I did not think you were wanting me to warm you, Cy’atta.”

  She traced the line of his jaw. “Well, then I guess I need more practice.”

  A grin spread across his face and he bent to kiss her. She wrapped her arms around him, her fingers threading through the gold of his hair as his mouth found hers.

  Kinara dunked Aidar’s head under the water and laughed as he came up sputtering. “I had a sercat once who got caught outside in a rainstorm. You look a lot like him right now.”

  Aidar pushed the hair away from his face and caught her against him. “I do not know ‘sercat’ but I think it is not pleasing to be compared to one like this.”

  “You’re right.” She studied him for a moment. “More like a wet yentath, I think.”

  She squealed when he pretended to bite at her. “This I know is not pleasing, Cy’atta. And yentath do not have hair this color.”

  “Oh? What color are they?”

  “Do you think to distract me?” His body slid against hers in the water and his voice was husky. “I am already well distracted, my mate.”

  “Mmm, that’s nice,” she said, a little breathless now that his lips were against her neck. She ran her fingers through his wet hair. “How did you get hair this color? Az-kye almost never have hair this light.”

  He lifted his head to look at her with amused exasperation. “This you must know now?”

  “I was just wondering if maybe one of your ancestors was Tel—uh . . . ” she trailed off under his glare.

  “Was what?” he growled.

  “Nothing,” she said, her voice thick as she pulled away. “Never mind.”

  She got out of the pool, dried quickly and threw a robe around her shoulders.

  Kinara pulled her wet hair out from the collar of her robe as he got out of the water and wrapped himself in a towel.

  She suddenly had a heart-wrenching thought. “Aidar, if we had a child, he couldn’t admit to being half Tellaran, could he?”

  He blinked. “Are you—?”

  “No,” she said quickly. “But if . . . he wouldn’t — he couldn’t — could he? Like my parents, all my ancestors weren’t worth acknowledging, right?”

  His brow creased. “You are Az-kye. Our child would be too.”

  “And that child could never meet my father, could he?” she continued. “My uncles, aunts, cousins? Even if he did, he’d have to look right through them because he’d be shamed if he acknowledged them, right? That’s what you’d expect of me if I saw my family too, right?”

  Aidar looked away. “Such will never happen. Az-kye cannot go into Tellaran space. Your — Tellarans — will not come here.”

  She closed her eyes briefly. “Aidar, everyone knows that some Az-kye merchants trade with Tellarans on the sly. Clearly they’re getting in and out of Tellaran space so I could, I mean maybe once everyone’s home and I have the clan leader thing under control, I could . . . you know, visit.”

  His head snapped back. “What?”

  “Visit.” She shifted her feet. “Go home for a little while.”

  He stared. “What is this you say?”

  She threw her arms wide. “Look, I just don’t see why I couldn’t go home once in a while. I’d come back!”

  He blanched. “This is what you think of? This is why you study so diligently? To set things so you may leave?”

  “I just don’t see why a visit should be out of the—”

  He pushed past.

  “Aidar!” He didn’t even slow down. “Damn it!”

  The women were already coming in to their apartments. Their friendly chatter stopped as soon as they saw her. Only Laric smiled in greeting as they approached.

  Kinara lifted her chin. We’ll see about that.

  “Metha,” Kinara said, addressing the woman who’s standing was the next highest. “Do you come from a funeral that you frown in my presence so?”

  Metha looked startled. “No, my lady.”

  “Do you find it chilly in here, Laric?” Kinara asked.

  Laric bowed her head. “It is even as my lady says.”

  “Metha, build up the fire,” Kinara said.

  Metha drew herself upright. “My lady—! ”

  "Shall I send you back home and choose another to attend me, Metha?” Kinara asked coldly.

  “No, my lady!”

  Her face flushed and Metha hurried to perform her task.

  Okay, one down, forty billion Az-kye to go.

  Kinara held her arms out for Nathe to take her robe.

  Kinara ordered a full honor guard and selected six of her women to accompany her to the Az’quen estate. Theirs was nearly as old a clan as the Az’anti and the Az’quen’s heiress, Unata, was in residence at their townhouse now. It was with her that Kinara decided to start her venture into Az-kye society.

  One of the heiress’ maids led her into the garden and Laric whispered the identity of the girl seated with Unata.

  Right, Lianna of talking-to-Tellarans fame. Kinara smiled inwardly. I’m going to make myself a friend today.

  It was easy to tell who was who. Unata’s dress was more elaborate, she was both plumper and older than the other girl and she had a smug look about her. Lianna instantly got to her feet but Unata remained seated, a tight smile on her face.

  Kinara smiled warmly at Lianna, raising an eyebrow when she turned to Unata. It took several moments for Unata to realize that Kinara was not going to blunder into allowing her to sit while she greeted her. Kinara remained unmoving, looking down at Unata until the woman climbed to her feet.

  “I see Az’quen manners are as flawless as I’ve heard,” Kinara said icily.

  “I did not expect your visit,” Unata said with a smile that did not touch her eyes. “My lady has not graced us so before.”

  Kinara sat in the shade of a blooming tree. She waved her colorful fan before her face in the slow way that indicated boredom. “Yes, well, I’m sure you will discover why I have been so neglectful of social visits when you take a bound mate of your own.”

  Unata’s face went red. Laric’s information about the girl’s unsuccessful bid for a handsome son of the Nin clan was dead on. Unata sat and Lianna paused for a moment before retaking her own seat.

  Kinara took her time choosing among the sugared fruits and candies the servants offered. She sipped a bit of white tea then handed her cup to Laric. “But I am not the only one visiting these days.”

  Lianna had the wild-eyed look of an animal caught in a trap. “I was merely curious about the Tellarans, my lady.”

  Kinara smiled warmly. “And why shouldn’t you be? It’s natural to be curious about new things.�
� Kinara looked at the Az’quen heiress. “Don’t you agree, Unata?”

  Unata shrugged, her beady eyes hooded. “If curiosity stays within acceptable behavior.”

  Kinara nodded. “Of course, one wouldn’t wish to pry where one is unwelcome.”

  Unata shot a glance at Nathe.

  Kinara saw her maid shift her weight. Well, I know whom she’s really working for now.

  “But,” Unata said. “There is much difference between curiosity and looking a fool.”

  The teacup rattled in Lianna’s hand.

  Kinara tilted her head. “Don’t you agree, Unata, that our duty to the Az-kye must be first, even if it sometimes means stepping beyond convention?”

  Unata gave a tight smile. “To be certain the duty of all Az-kye is to her people.”

  “Absolutely,” Kinara replied sweetly. “And curiosity can lead us to wonderful discoveries. There must be among us some brave enough if our people are to flourish, don’t you think?”

  Kinara held the girl’s gaze. Oh, go ahead, Unata, out and out say I’m not Az-kye. I’ll storm out of here offended and you can look forward to explaining to your mother why you showed a guest such appallingly bad manners.

  Unata nodded stiffly.

  “It pleases me that you and I are of the same mind in this.” Kinara stood. “I shall mention your opinion to Tana of the Az’vah when I visit her today.”

  Unata’s eyes narrowed and she suddenly bore a startling resemblance to an Utavian desert serpent.

  I better never give her a chance to strike back. Her venom is likely deadlier than the snake’s.

  “Are you going to see her now?” Lianna asked, rising. “May I accompany you?”

  Unata made a sound like a choked growl. Lianna’s abandonment made it clear the scales were about to tip out of her favor.

  Kinara bent her head graciously. “It would please me if you would.”

  Unata nearly spat the ritual words of goodbye at the house gate and Kinara breathed a sigh of relief to be away from her. She waved the litter away and walked beside Lianna instead, their jewels and silks sparkling in the sun. Followed by Kinara’s maids, her guards and two of Lianna’s own guards and the elaborate litter, they made quite a colorful parade.