Stardancer

by Ariel MacArran

  “Council member!” called a voice from the back when Kinara had finished outlining her proposal. “What of the special dispensation given to the Council for Food?”

  “Even with that, they cannot offer grain at the price we can by selling it directly. And, after all, it is the place of the Council for Trade to regulate imports,” Kinara said firmly.

  Surprise and excitement spread though the crowd at this. With such a policy enacted all the members from Council Leader to the lowest member in the back would profit enormously. In bold one move, their group would seize much of the power that the Council for Food presently held.

  Kinara kept her eye on Helia as the debate commenced. The Lady of the Az'shu listened to the growing support in the assembly then met Kinara’s gaze. The Lady bent her head slightly, one competitor to another.

  Between the rise in power that Trade had taken, the jump in status for all its members and the exclusive contract Kinara had given her to sell yentath cloth, the Lady of the Az’shu had done very well indeed. And the glimmer of a smile she sent Kinara showed she harbored no ill will to the woman who had taken her place.

  Kinara let her breath out in relief.

  Bet she’ll be back at this table in six months. Just so long as it’s not my seat she takes.

  The debate ground to a halt. Even the dour Narla finally conceded to Kinara’s plan and the motion was passed unanimously.

  Kinara took a deep breath and looked at Banne. “Council Leader, if I may?”

  Banne looked at her questioningly but nodded her approval. “Of course, Lady of the Az’anti.”

  Kinara turned and addressed the assembly. “I suggest that the Council for Trade, can, and should, do more. As the ancient clans did when they first sought each other, now we too must look beyond our own self-imposed boundary. The Council for Trade must serve the needs of the Az-kye.“

  The crowd waited expectantly for her next words. Kinara felt her heart hammering against her chest, acutely aware of Aidar slightly shifting his stance behind her.

  She lifted her chin. “I propose we open trade with the Tellaran Realm.”

  Kinara heard Aidar’s swift intake of breath. There was a stunned silence in the hall.

  Pellena recovered first. “Impossible!”

  “Some merchants already trade quietly with them,” Kinara pointed out. “There is hardly one among us who does not own some bauble whose stones originated in Tellaran space.”

  Pellena sputtered. “An underclass of smugglers is entirely different than— We cannot open trade with barbarians!”

  Narla held up her hand. “Why do you propose such a measure, Lady of the Az’anti?”

  Kinara steeled herself inwardly. Here we go. “I think the Tellarans would pay well for my cloth. And I can see,” Kinara continued with a pointed glance at the elaborate lemani jeweled collar Narla wore. “We share a fondness for Tellaran jewels.”

  Narla’s eyes narrowed.

  Damn it, I can’t back down now. By tomorrow I’d be lucky to have a seat in the back row of this hall.

  “I think the Lady of the Az’anti forgets our history. She forgets that respectable Az-kye do not—” Narla threw a smirk at Aidar. “Mingle with the clanless.”

  Kinara lifted her chin. “Az-kye relations with Tellarans need not be adversarial. We can work together for our mutual benefit.”

  “Mutual benefit?” Narla raised an eyebrow. “Do you speak from experience, Lady of the Az’anti?”

  She smiled tightly. “I have the selfsame experience as you, Lady of the Az’quen. I own many Tellaran slaves.”

  Narla’s dark eyes glittered. “Indeed the Lady of the Az’anti treats slaves as family.”

  Easy to see where Unata gets her charm from. “Narla, Tellarans are not Az-kye,” Kinara replied, deliberately dropping the formal address. “Yes, I do admit that I have had troubles with them. Do you say you have not?”

  Narla’s color rose. It was after all her own daughter’s slave that had publicly ‘attacked’ Kinara.

  Kinara looked at the women seated before her in the hall. “The Tellarans have many things we could trade for. They have comforts, exotic foods and raw materials that are rare on Imperial worlds.”

  “Such a decision cannot be made lightly,” Pellena protested nervously. “We must examine the idea to see if it is even feasible.”

  Kinara nodded seeing her opportunity to ease off without losing face. “I agree completely. It was never my intention that we decide something this momentous today. I only suggest that it be considered for future debate.”

  Pellena shifted in her seat. “Well . . . well, I find that acceptable. We will be busy for a long while attending to the new policy of imports. I suggest we all examine the possibility of opening trade with the Tellarans.”

  The Council members nodded with transparent relief and the crowd whispered excitedly. It was one thing to push such a radical idea and quite another to present it for consideration. It left everyone speculating and, she hoped, time to warm to the idea.

  But for now, Kinara thought, smiling as she stepped into the sunlight after the meeting, I made it to a council seat.

  “Trade with the Tellarans?” Aidar hissed. “How could you do such?”

  Kinara glanced back at Aidar. “What do you mean? It’s the duty of the Council members to introduce policy. I did my job.”

  “You risk our very lives with your recklessness,” he snapped. “Do you think that the War Council will let you wander as you please in Tellaran space?”

  “The Empire is not at war with the Realm,” she said impatiently. “Gods, even if we only got the outer worlds to trade with us do you know what that would mean for our clan?”

  “You have intruded where only the Elders or the Empress may venture.”

  “All I did was suggest. And if the Elders order me to back down I will, but I don’t think that’ll happen.”

  “Do we send ships to Tellaran space they will declare war.”

  “No, they won’t!” Kinara cried. “They aren’t monsters. Look at the good this can do! Don’t you think the Tellarans want peace, just as much as we do?”

  Aidar searched her face. “We?”

  “Yes, I’m, well I’m—” But she didn’t know what she was. Was Kyndan right? Had she become one of them? She loved being an Az-kye Ti’antah. She loved having a chance to shape policy, the power to run her clan.

  And Aidar . . .

  But he had never spoken one word of love to her and she knew the reason why. He loved Senya and she looked away before he could see the tears in her eyes.

  “I have duties to see to,” she said, walking past him.

  “Do you require my attendance?”

  “Yes,” she said hoarsely, not looking at him. “Yes, I do.”

  Laric waited just inside the main gate of the house. Catching sight of her maid’s frightened expression, Kinara quickened her steps.

  “My lady,” Laric whispered, drawing her inside. “There is someone here.”

  “In the garden?”

  Laric shook her head. “Oh, no, my lady. I did not dare put them there.”

  Kinara and Aidar exchanged a glance. Them?

  “Where then?” Aidar asked.

  “I have sent my lady’s women away and put them in your apartments, my lord.” Laric glanced around the street nervously, wringing her hands. “I did not know what else I could do.”

  Kinara hurried inside. The upper halls were empty. Even her guards were gone.

  Aidar beat her to their door and opened it. He stopped so abruptly that Kinara collided with him.

  “Tedah!” Kinara cried, smiling and threw herself into his arms. “Stars, what are you doing here?”

  Tedah hugged her back then gave her a sheepish smile.

  “I didn’t know where else we could go.”

  Kinara turned her head and saw Lianna, her hands clasped shyly in front of her. “Greetings to you, Lady of the Az’anti.”

  “Greetings t
o you, Lianna,” Kinara responded warmly then blinked. “I didn’t know you spoke Tellaran.”

  Lianna turned her eyes to Tedah. “I practice much these days.”

  Tedah gave Lianna a lopsided grin and she blushed. “She’s even teaching me Az-kye, if you can imagine that.”

  “What do you here, Tedah?”

  Kinara’s breath drew in. He’d spoken in Tellaran! She’d always assumed he’d used a translator unit to talk to Tedah. He met her eyes and she flushed, remembering the fights with Kyndan she thought he hadn’t understood.

  “You should have told me you speak Tellaran,” she said.

  He raised an eyebrow. “Did you think I did not?”

  “You know very well I did!”

  “What have you been saying, Kinara?” Tedah asked.

  Kinara scowled at Tedah. “What are you doing here anyway?”

  Tedah and Lianna exchanged a glance then he took the girl’s hand. “Baruta doesn’t want her daughter hanging around Tellarans.”

  “We ran away today,” Lianna said.

  “You did what?” Kinara gasped.

  “Mother would never agree to a marriage.”

  “A marriage?” Kinara nearly dropped her fan. “Are you kidding?”

  “She told me this morning she was going to sell Tedah,” Lianna explained. “We had to run away.”

  “You have to go back before you’re found out!” Kinara cried, shaking her head. “You can’t do this.”

  “You took Aidar as bound mate,” Lianna objected.

  “Well, yes! But I didn’t disobey the clan leader to do it!”

  “Cy’atta.” Aidar touched her shoulder. “We must think of what to do.”

  A clan heiress running away with a Tellaran slave? Lianna would be dragged home, her name and status so damaged she might never set foot in Az-kye society again.

  Kinara didn’t even want to think about what Lianna’s mother would do to Tedah.

  “I have thought!” Kinara retorted. “They’re going back before anyone discovers they’re missing.”

  “We will not!”

  Kinara turned on the girl. “Do you have any idea how much trouble you’re in? Your mother might even disown you, Lianna!”

  Lianna set her jaw and Kinara realized that this girl was, for all her youth, every inch an Az-kye, right down to their starblasted, boneheaded stubbornness.

  Tedah looked steadily at Kinara. “Would you give Aidar up?”

  Kinara blushed. “That’s not the issue.”

  “Kinara is my bound mate,” Aidar said.

  “And Lianna is mine,” Tedah replied.

  At that Kinara had to sit down. “Oh, Tedah, are you crazy? Baruta will be out for your blood.”

  He gave her a crooked grin. “Yeah, well, I’m kind of getting used to it.”

  “Damn it, this is serious, Tedah! Oh, stars,” she groaned, dropping her head into her hands. “What are we going to do?”

  “We must help them,” Aidar said. “We must hide them.”

  “And just how long do you think it will be until Lianna’s mother figures out where they are?” Kinara demanded. “Do you want a clan war here?”

  “Is he not your friend?”

  Kinara threw her hands wide. “Yes, of course he is! But –”

  Tedah pulled Lianna closer.

  Az-kye, Tellaran, clanless. It doesn’t even matter. They love each other.

  She glanced at Aidar. How can I tell them to give up? Tell them that the one you love isn’t worth fighting for?

  She couldn’t betray them to Baruta. She couldn’t throw them out. She couldn’t risk letting them be seen in the city so she couldn’t smuggle them off-world yet.

  So there was nothing else to do right now, except . . .

  “Damn it!” She rubbed her forehead, feeling the headache starting to form already.

  “Well, go tell Laric to clear the way,” she said to Aidar. “We’ll hide them in one of the back suites.”

  Afternoon light streamed into the front sitting room. It was a formal space, filled with brocades, tapestries and elaborately carved furniture, all meant to impress guests. The day was warm for autumn, the windows were thrown open to allow the sweet breeze in and Kinara could hear the faint bustle of the Empress’ city outside the front gate as she signaled for Nathe to pour. She fiddled with her fan hoping the action would hide that her hands were trembling.

  Pellena sipped her tea. “I received six requests from merchants yesterday. Two more sent gifts just as I was leaving the house this afternoon.”

  Kinara nodded. “I have received tokens also. Tell me the offers you have had so that I do not work against you.”

  Pellena eagerly made a list of them but Kinara was hardly listening. In the two days since she’d been hiding Tedah and Lianna in her house, she’d been constantly on edge.

  Baruta was savvy enough not to make her daughter’s disappearance public knowledge yet but Kinara knew her clanhouse was being watched. Except to Laric, she was very careful never to discuss the pair even before any of her own maids or guards.

  In theory, Az-kye loyalty was absolute but she had learned by her experience with Unata that vassal clan members could be bribed. It was for this reason that Nathe served them now. She was putting on a show of confident leadership today as much for her maid to report back to Unata as she was for her guest.

  Kinara resisted the urge to rub her temples.

  Above all, she must appear as if she were in complete control. As if she hadn’t shocked the Imperial world with her audacity by taking the Council seat. As if she’d expected to turn the Empire’s economy upside down with her Council’s grab for power. As if she didn’t have two fugitives hiding in the rooms above her head and a scattered Tellaran crew that she was desperately trying to get home.

  “My Lady!” Laric cried, throwing open the sitting room door with a bang. The teacup in Kinara’s hand rattled as she twisted to look at her maid.

  The maid’s face was ashen. Kinara stood, her heart hammering as she shoved the cup into Nathe’s hands.

  Was Baruta here? Did she know they were hiding her daughter and the Tellaran slave she’d run away with?

  Her panic jumped up another notch when Aidar entered. For the first time ever she saw real fear in his eyes.

  Aidar glanced back through the doorway. The instant she saw who followed, Kinara’s knees went weak.

  Dressed in the resplendent gold and black garb of the Imperial honor guard, the man placed himself directly before Kinara.

  An Imperial messenger?

  What in the names of all gods would the Empress want with me?

  In her few weeks of being Ti’antah, could she really have angered someone that powerful?

  It came like a punch in the stomach that she had indeed done more than enough to bring the Empress’s wrath down on her clan.

  In Aidar’s dark eyes she saw he knew it too.

  “Ti’antah of the Az’anti!”

  Kinara made a deep bow before the Empress’ messenger, hiding her trembling as best she could. “I am Ti’antah of the Az’anti.”

  “Present yourself before the Empress at the Imperial Palace tomorrow at midday.”

  Even a clan leader could not refuse or delay such an audience and Kinara bowed again to the man. “The Az’anti obey,” she said shakily.

  He nodded once then turned on his heel and left them staring speechlessly behind him.

  She couldn’t remember later how she begged off Pellena’s visit. It wouldn’t have needed to be a great excuse. Pellena was plainly eager to distance herself from any association with Kinara.

  The shock reverberated throughout the Az’anti’s vassal clans and there wasn’t a member from great-grandmother to little child who didn’t know within the hour she had been summoned. Laric worked furiously to gather what information, conjecture or gossip she could get. She ran in and out of Kinara’s apartments to report as Kinara oversaw the necessary details of her visit to the Imperial P
alace.

  “Well, can’t you just — I don’t know — fix it?” Kinara demanded, looking over her shoulder at her reflection to see the back of the black dress she wore.

  Three of her maids were racing around the Empress’ city purchasing dresses and sending them back to the clanhouse trying to procure a suitable one for her meeting with the Empress.

  “Oh, no, my lady,” Metha answered worriedly, tugging at the black dress Kinara modeled. “The neckline is so low and the sleeves too short. I do not know why Lybet purchased it.”

  Why did Az-kye women have to be so starblasted short? None of the already made court gowns were long enough on her and now they were just trying to find one they could alter to suit overnight.

  Sella hurried in with another armful of and Kinara scowled, rubbing her forehead.

  Kinara pushed her hair back. “All right, get me the—”

  “Lady, is the Empress angry with us? Did she—”

  “Bebti, not now! Shouldn’t you be at practice or something?” Kinara asked impatiently. “Metha, get the next one. Are those the shoes, Metari?” Kinara asked, seeing the woman come in. “Let me—”

  “Lady, is the Empress angry? Why does she—”

  “Damn it, Bebti, go away!” Kinara snapped. “I don’t have time for you right now!”

  The boy caught his breath and the women stopped short at her sharpness. Bebti’s dark eyes filled with tears.

  Kinara put her hand to her mouth. “Oh, Bebti, I’m sorry.” Kinara knelt to hug him, careless of the gown she wore. “I didn’t mean it.”

  He shook with sobs.

  “I didn’t mean it,” Kinara whispered, rocking him.

  She rested her cheek against the soft curls of his tousled hair and swallowed hard.

  I’m scared too, kid.

  After hours of searching only one dress was suitable in cut and fit. Her maids would be working through the night to embellish it and prepare the rest of her court ensemble. Her warriors were busy polishing ceremonial armor and weapons.

  Kinara stole a few moments that evening to speak to Tedah and Lianna.

  “But you don’t know why she wants to see you,” Tedah said.