Motherstone

by Maurice Gee

  ‘I am Yellowclaw,’ the Birdman said. ‘Where is Kenno? Nicholas Quinn must speak with him.’

  The fat man stood up and put the helmet on his head. He looked like someone setting off for a fancy dress party. But there was nothing comic about his face. ‘I know you, Bird. I know the boy. You will speak with deference here. I am Widd, Marshal of the Army of Freemen.’

  ‘Where is Kenno?’

  ‘He is about, somewhere. It does not matter. I command the army. Make your report.’

  ‘I will report to Kenno. No one else.’

  ‘You will do as I order, Bird. Speak out.’

  The soldiers stepped closer; and the ex-priest leaned forward and fingered his bones. Yellowclaw stood very still. It seemed he would leap at Widd. Then he sighed.

  ‘Very well. Yesterday we flew over Osro’s army. They tried to burn us with their Weapon, but we escaped. They have many warriors, Widd. Enough to make three armies the size of yours.’

  ‘Where are they?’

  ‘North. Eight days at the pace you march. Their way will bring them down the upland plateau by the mountains – you have it on your map. Four days’ marching will take you there.’

  The officers showed Widd the place. He looked at it, pulling his lower lip, then said to Yellowclaw, ‘The warriors, what are they?’

  ‘Hotlanders.’

  ‘How armed?’

  ‘Spears.’

  ‘Our bowmen will make short work of them.’

  Yellowclaw shook his head. ‘Hotlanders can see arrows in their flight. They pick them out of the air with their shields.’

  ‘Impossible.’

  ‘I have seen it. But none of this matters. Osro has the Weapon.’

  ‘Ah, the Weapon. We have seen his smoke far in the north. It does not tower as high as ours. Our Weapon is better.’

  Yellowclaw looked at him flatly. ‘Worse,’ he said.

  ‘How? That cannot be. These Hotlanders are primitive. They cannot make a weapon to equal ours.’

  ‘Osro made it. And I tell you this, their Weapon is better – if I can say better of something evil. Yours is fixed in its turret. Osro’s turns this way and that. It points at the sky. He can aim it anywhere.’

  The officers fell to whispering; and the ex-priest – Stilgo was his name – sprang forward. ‘Lies, Bird. These vermin of the north cannot match our science.’

  Yellowclaw looked him up and down. ‘You call us vermin too, and we can fly, but you cannot. And you forget, bone-wearer, Osro was a priest, like you.’

  ‘Enough,’ Widd said, ‘it does not matter. We have this knowledge now, and we shall ambush them. We shall burn their Weapon before it can fire.’

  ‘No,’ Nick cried; but Yellowclaw put his wing out and silenced him.

  ‘You will listen now to Nicholas Quinn. He has things to say about this Weapon that you must hear.’

  ‘Children are not heard,’ Stilgo cried. His little poisonous eyes burned at Nick. ‘Children have no voice in our counsels.’

  ‘He’s not a child,’ Yellowclaw said. ‘He’s done more in his life than a dozen men. And you – will – listen.’

  ‘But first,’ Nick said … He could not bear the sight of the ex-priest any longer. Revulsion overcame him. It seemed that all Susan had done was denied in this man. There he stood, poisonous and evil, with human bones strung about his neck. Nick took one step forward. He seized the thong that held the bones and jerked it down with all his strength. The force of it dragged Stilgo to his knees. Then the thong snapped, and Nick held up the bones and shouted, ‘You are free men. Susan ended the rule of the priests. But still you let them wear human bones.’ He flung them away over the guards. ‘While you have this Stilgo and this Widd you are slaves.’

  For a moment no one spoke. Then Stilgo climbed to his feet. His face was grinning. ‘Enough, I think.’

  ‘Yes,’ Widd said, ‘more than enough. The boy is guilty of treason. Take him away, guards. Down by the river. Get rid of him. And kill these Bird vermin too. They are traitors.’

  The guards moved, but a voice cried, ‘No!’ and Kenno broke into the circle, with Limpy beside him. They were muddy and wet from helping at the ford. Kenno put himself between Nick and the swords. ‘Stay back. Any who try to kill them must kill me.’ The guards hesitated, and Kenno went on, ‘I have listened – standing at the back there, I listened. Nick did well to tear off Stilgo’s bones. He would not have worn them if I had been here. We got rid of Ferris bones with the Temple. Any who wear them betray our revolution.’

  ‘Kenno,’ Widd cried, ‘I command here. I am Marshal. And I have ordered death for these traitors.’

  Kenno faced him. ‘Then kill me first.’

  Widd’s eyes showed his desire to do it. He would order Kenno’s death one day soon – but not now, the time was not now. Kenno saw it. Softly he said, ‘You command the army. But I lead the state – for a short time yet. These – ’ he flung his arm out – ‘are my friends. Friends of O. Our debt to them can never be paid. And when they wish to speak, then they speak. So – ’ deliberately he turned his back on Widd – ‘let us hear your message, Nicholas Quinn.’

  Nick told it, fast and sure. When he spoke the name of Freeman Wells, Stilgo cried out. Kenno silenced him. When he warned of the death of O some of the officers trembled, but Widd only laughed – and Kenno silenced him too.

  ‘That’s all,’ Nick said. ‘That’s what I came to tell you. If you fight, O will die.’

  ‘And if we don’t, Nick,’ Kenno said, ‘Osro will rule. We’ll be slaves.’

  ‘I think you’ll be slaves anyway.’

  ‘Perhaps we will. But will Osro even spare our lives?’

  ‘He sent a message. Leave your Weapon. Turn back to your homes – and he will consider letting you live.’

  ‘You have spoken with him?’ Stilgo cried. ‘This boy has spoken with Osro. That is treason.’

  ‘We called from the sky. We gave him the warning we give you. That was his answer.’

  ‘It is treason.’

  Widd spoke smoothly, ‘It is lies. The whole thing is a plot to make us weak. There is no Freeman Wells, there never was. He is a myth – ’

  ‘That’s what Osro said. There’s nothing to choose between you.’

  ‘– and this girl Susan Ferris, she has interfered too often. Go back to her. Tell her to leave O. If we see her again, or see you, we will carry out our sentence of death.’

  ‘Listen, please – ’

  ‘Silence, boy. We are the Freemen. I am Marshal. I shall lead my army north and destroy Osro. I will burn his Weapon. And we shall rule O. We shall bring peace and freedom to the lands of the north. And east, and south. Humans are the ruling kind, and we shall rule. We shall civilize, we shall teach our ways – ’

  ‘And get rich. You’re worse than Osro. He doesn’t pretend to do it for anyone but himself.’

  ‘I’m a patient man. I give you one minute to leave my camp. Take your Birds and go. I will turn my back. If you are standing there when I look round, my guards will have your head off.’ He looked at Kenno in challenge, and turned away – a fat man in absurd clothes, but a man of power.

  Kenno said, ‘Go, Nick. I believe you. I’ll do what I can.’ His eyes were dark and empty. There was nothing he could do. Nick raised his hand. He felt he was saying goodbye to all that was good remaining in Freemen. He turned and broke through the guards and the Birdfolk followed. They climbed a hill away from the camp and stood on the summit. Snowflier and Sundercloud spread the sling.

  ‘Here comes Limpy.’

  The fisherboy ran up the hill. ‘Nick,’ he panted, ‘is Soona still with you?’

  ‘Yes,’ Nick said.

  ‘Give her my love. And my father’s.’ The arrogant proud Limpy was gone. This boy was frightened. He looked back fearfully as he spoke. ‘They will murder him soon. He knows it. So do I. We should have stayed in Stonehaven with my mother.’ He blinked. ‘They will murder me too.’

  ‘Come w
ith us, Limpy. The Birds can carry two.’

  ‘No. I must stay with him. He can’t believe everything has failed. They call themselves Freemen but they are Widd’s slaves and Stilgo’s slaves. My father won’t give up. He’ll fight till the end.’

  Nick said sadly, ‘It’s not that sort of fight any more. It’s a fight to save O. But good luck, Limpy. I’ll give Soona your love. Tell your father she and Susan might still be able to do something. Freeman Wells told them a way.’ He did not say it was terrible. Limpy had enough to worry about.

  He climbed into the sling. The Birdfolk lifted him, and the boy on the hilltop fell away. Down by the river, Kenno stood alone. The men by the tent had their maps spread out again.

  Late in the afternoon, from a hilltop by the sea, Nick saw two towers of smoke far inland. They were many kilometres apart, but their heads seemed to lean and touch each other.

  Chapter Ten

  The Fallen City

  The island had not changed in a hundred turns. The beach shone yellow in the afternoon sun as the seals brought the barge in. The bow grated on the sand at the spot where Susan had landed from her glider long ago. She jumped down and walked to the cliff, with Thief at her side. Here, on this warm sand, she had slept. And drunk from a tiny fresh-water spring – she found it again. And peered at the land from the top of the island, making out low buildings in the smoke. No smoke now, and no buildings either. Jungle had swallowed them.

  She looked further inland and saw the line of Sheercliff; and Wildwood north and west, climbing into the foothills of a mountain range. She knew this land. In a way it was her land. Back on Earth, it would stay with her for the rest of her life.

  She looked down at the beach, where Jimmy and Dawn were bringing gear ashore. The Seafolk were cropping weed in the southern reef – where she had met Island Lover – and Ben and Bess were catching fish further out. She could not see Soona, but heard her flute. She was somewhere under the cliff, and no doubt Aenlocht with her. They were never more than a step apart, tied by the knowledge of what they must do. They were like lovers and scarcely took their eyes off each other. And perhaps there was hatred in it too, for Soona was right; they must do terrible damage to each other. To themselves. And she, Susan Ferris, must help them do it.

  Guiltily, as though submitting to some drug, she fumbled at her throat and drew a little cloth bag from her shirt. She loosened the draw-string and tipped Halves on her palm. They gave her no shock, they were not alive, or not awake; they were sleeping in a death-like sleep that Nick would have a term for – suspended animation? But their perfection made her gasp. She did not know whether it was beauty or strength, form or colour, harmony or line – all of those. They were two and one. They were Humankind. The knowledge of what she held made her tremble. New Halves for old. Changed Halves for those that had done their work too well, and not well enough. In weight, perfectly even. In age – not yet born. A second chance. She closed her hand and held it still. She must not think about it, she must not let her mind run away. See them as ornaments, she said, a pair of ear-rings, a couple of pendants. They would look marvellous dangling from someone’s ears. From Soona’s ears. The thought made her tremble again. She opened her fingers. Pale amber and plum-red. Tear-drops bending into one another – that perfect shape. And each with its flaw that was no flaw. Her mind started going off again, and she pushed the Halves into their bag and thrust them back beneath her shirt.

  Soona’s flute had stopped. She and Aenlocht stood out on the sand, looking up at her. They knew what she had been doing. She raised her hand apologetically. Thief butted her thigh. He wanted to go down. He was not happy now unless he had his three charges together.

  She climbed down to the reef and crossed the sand. ‘How long must we stay here, Susan?’ Soona asked.

  ‘Until morning. The Seafolk say the river is silting up. They can’t take us up in the dark. And I told Nick I’d wait. I want to hear about Osro and Kenno.’

  ‘They will not listen. Even my father. When will he get here?’

  ‘Soon, I hope. He’s had two days.’

  ‘We can’t wait long. We must reach the Motherstone before the armies meet.’

  ‘I know.’

  Jimmy came up the beach. ‘Did you see anything, Susie?’

  ‘It’s all jungle. There were buildings there once but they’ve gone. I suppose the city will be overgrown.’

  ‘Yeah,’ Jimmy said, ‘an’ lousy with rebel priests and runaway dogs and Gawd knows what.’

  ‘We’ll be all right with Thief. And Ben and Bess. You’d better go further off, Jimmy. Aenlocht doesn’t like it.’ As usual when anyone came near Soona, the Hotlander boy had bared his teeth and clawed his fingers.

  ‘Keep yer shirt on, sonny, I’m yer mate,’ Jimmy said. He moved a few steps off and said to Soona, ‘Yer better play ’im a lullaby. If ’e has a go at me ole Ben’ll squash ’im.’

  ‘Don’t be angry,’ Soona said. ‘He knows only what we must do. It grieves him for he thinks he is a traitor to his tribe.’

  ‘Yeah,’ Jimmy said, ‘me ’eart bleeds fer ’im. I suppose you three know what yer up to?’

  ‘We know,’ Susan said.

  ‘Yeah, well – we’ll string along fer company, me an’ Ben. I guess it’s all written down somewhere in a book.’

  ‘Woven in a tapestry,’ Susan smiled.

  Dawn approached, and the Varg came dripping from the sea. ‘What we have to do,’ Susan said, ‘is go into the city. We have to find Otis Claw’s palace. It’s fallen into ruins, but we have to find a way down to his throne-hall.’

  ‘Won’t be easy. She’s all caved in.’

  ‘Once we’re there, you’ll have to leave us. We have a thing to do – and no one should see.’

  ‘Don’t speak of it,’ Dawn said. ‘It is a human thing and not for Woodlanders.’

  ‘But you guess it?’

  ‘The hint was there in what Freeman Wells said of Humankind.’

  ‘When Nick comes, don’t tell him.’

  ‘He will guess too.’

  They made a small fire and cooked their food. Bess had caught salmon and they baked them in the coals. Ben brought one for Thief. He ate it, growling with distaste.

  The sun had gone down and the western sky was red when Silverwing landed on the beach. ‘They’re coming. Get food ready.’

  Jimmy put more fish in the embers. Sundercloud flew in, and a moment later Yellowclaw and Snowflier came round the cliff with Nick in the sling, hanging his legs through holes, ready for landing. They put him down at the end of the beach. He came to the fire, stretching himself.

  ‘I’m starved. Do I smell fish?’

  He ate, while Susan and Soona and Aenlocht watched.

  ‘Now, tell us.’

  ‘There’s nothing to tell.’

  ‘Did you see my father?’ Soona asked.

  ‘Yes. He’s well. Limpy too. They send their love. They’re – in some trouble. An argument with Widd. He’s in charge of the army. But I think they’ll be all right,’ he ended lamely.

  ‘They’re in danger, Nick. Don’t keep it from me.’

  ‘Yes, they are. Widd wants to get rid of them. But if they can last a little bit longer …’

  ‘What about the Weapon? Did you warn them?’ Susan asked.

  ‘I warned Widd. And Stilgo. They wouldn’t listen. Nor would Osro. No one listened.’

  ‘So – they’ll fight?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘When?’

  Nick looked at Yellowclaw.

  ‘In three days,’ the Birdman said.

  Watcher of Furthermost had come from the sea. Susan looked at him. ‘We can land you by the city tomorrow night,’ the seal said. ‘But you will need a day to find the palace. After that, I do not know.’

  ‘Well be cuttin’ it pretty fine,’ Jimmy said.

  Later in the night, Nick and Susan walked along the beach and climbed across a low part of the island to see the land. Thief padded uneasily betwe
en them. The sky was clear and the stars were bright. The jungle on the shore was black as tar. A fire twinkled down towards the river.

  ‘Hunters, I guess.’

  ‘Or renegade priests. They can’t hurt us.’

  ‘They might slow us down.’

  ‘We’ll get there, Nick. All I hope is Soona and Aenlocht will be strong enough.’

  ‘And you.’

  ‘Yes, me.’ Her hand rose to the thong about her neck.

  ‘What have you got? Something from Freeman Wells?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘New Halves?’

  She nodded.

  ‘Are you going to turn them into Halfmen again?’

  ‘No, not that. Don’t ask me, Nick.’

  He was silent. He thought about what Freeman Wells had said – the headlong rush of Humankind, the swamp beast locked in the mind, the Halves out of balance – and things began to fall into place. ‘I think I can guess.’

  ‘Dawn said you would.’

  ‘I can see why it can’t be just you. It has to be humans from O. They’ve got to agree. And do it themselves.’

  ‘They know. They’ve agreed.’

  They went back to the embers of the fire. Soona and Aenlocht were lying in their blankets close to the cliff. Even in sleep their hands were joined. Nick did not feel jealous any longer.

  A fine rain was falling in the morning, but it cleared as the Seafolk drove the barge out round the reef. The sea had an easy swell. The crossing would be made in good time. Yellowclaw and Silverwing circled overhead. Snowflier and Sundercloud had gone to scout the river mouth. They came back in mid-morning and reported no sign of life, but further up in the jungle were deserted villages and a camp where a fire still smoked.

  ‘As long as them Pollies are spottin’ we’re O.K.,’ Jimmy said.

  The river mouth was blocked by a bar, but the Seafolk ran the barge through a channel at one end and found deep water close to the jungle. All four Birdfolk were in the air, and Ben and Bess had swum ashore and kept pace with the boat, one fifty metres inland, one on the shore. Thief stood on the deck-house roof, scanning the jungle with his yellow eyes.