A graceful and brightly painted barge with a swan's head carved on its prow sped across Lake Tallian towards Tellui the next morning. Propelled by eight burly oarsmen, it belonged to the Meldrith priests, and Astell and Azgar were in command. With them were Setisia, Telli, Sabhytt and Abhyll. Keoch and Helli were also on board, having left their children in the care of a neighbour. Grenwald had been turned over to the city guards of the Duke of Kellmarsh on Azgar's advice, and would be brought to Tellui later for questioning.

Telli and Setisia stood in the bows with Astell, of whom they had many questions to ask. Telli began by asking what the Meldrith knew of the Khrelling, as the priestess had said that their existence had been known during the Allenthian Empire.

"We do not know much, and did not know they still existed," said Astell. "They took slaves at that time also, and the Allenthian Emperors fought great wars with them because of this. They were driven out of Ahn-Eph-Setisia, and the slavery was ended. There are stories of great caves in the western mountains where they had their origins, and these must be the caves you passed through. The Order of Mestia believed them to be the creature on earth most similar to us. They are a kind of monkey, as we are, and like us they have come to walk upright, use their forefeet as hands, and have large brains. Seen in one way, if we view all animals as one kind, then they are our close cousins. I would be fascinated to see them, and if the King organises an expedition to free the slaves, then I would love to go with it, as I know Azgar would also. But you know more of them than anyone in the Kingdom, Tellimakis, and only the slaves will know more than you do. I do know that the Empire had made settlements west of the mountains because they had found a source of diamonds there. These settlements would probably have been left unprotected with the collapse of the Empire, and obviously did not survive, so your people found the west deserted when they arrived about five centuries later."

Setisia asked if the Meldrith knew much of the red-robed order of priests, saying that she knew they were called the Hathur, and that they had their main temple in the area north of Bhuin.

"That is correct. About twenty years ago, there was a young man in that area who reported having dreams and visions of a God called Hathur. He was the supreme God of all, whom all people should worship and obey if they wished to go to Hathur's Kingdom, the only paradise, when they died. He picked up a following, as sometimes happens in these cases, and a new cult began. There are a number of such cults in the Kingdom. This 'prophet' probably believed in the truth of his dreams and hallucinations, and was of such forceful personality that many of the more simple people around him also believed. But he also attracted some who were not so simple, and who saw a chance to gain wealth and power by exploitation of the cult's believers. These men built a Temple to Hathur, and persuaded the prophet, Altis, to decree that all followers of the God should contribute one third of their wealth or earnings to the temple, thus ensuring their path to paradise. They then persuaded the poor, deluded Altis to show his great faith, and take the most direct route to Hathur's Kingdom. Altis took a number of his followers to a high cliff and jumped off it to his death, after having commanded the others to spread word of his actions. So, the priests of the temple, now robed in the red of Altis's blood, spread the word of the martyr prophet and have had some success amongst people who need a simple explanation of their universe. The doctrine is straightforward. All the adherents must do is contribute the correct amount of money to the temple, and attempt to spread the word, and they will spend a privileged eternity in paradise. This is why we regard it as a profiteering cult, rather than a misguided religion, or a true philosophy. All property of the followers of Hathur must be left to the temple on the death of a true believer. Most sinister of all, many adherents have already followed their prophet's example, made a pilgrimage to the ravine where he died, and jumped off the same cliff. An agent of ours in the area reports that vultures and crows circle above the site, and Altis is now buried under a pile of bones. The suicides are only discouraged if the individual has not accumulated any significant wealth to leave to the temple. You overheard the priest in Bhuin describing the believers in his cult as fools, and saying that the 'new King' was a believer. They know that they will attract the attention of Beranis, and that he will eventually try to crush their cult, so we can see their motive for entering a plot against him. We can also see the motive of the fat merchant brothers of Kellmarsh, who wish to enslave tribal women."

They were approaching the quay at the base of the huge pillar of Tellui. Telli pointed to another pillar rising about fifty feet from the lake's surface, obviously manmade, which they were passing.

"That must be the monument to your dwarf builder," he said to Setisia. The pillar was a replica of the one ahead, and they could see that a model castle had been carved on its crown.

The barge slowed as it approached the quay, and the rowers shipped their oars. Waiting guards tied the craft, and laid a gangplank for its occupants. The guards greeted Azgar as if they knew him well and he was expected. They stated that he could lead his party up to the castle without escort, but must be sure that all weapons were left on the boat. Azgar led them through an arch into a torch-lit hall, carved out of the huge cliff. He pointed out several sedan chairs with muscular attendants beside them and asked if all the party could manage the fifteen hundred stairs they must climb, or if they would like to be carried.

"I am not so old as that," chuckled Abhyll, "and the others are children. It would be unkind to ask them to carry Sabhytt. Let us walk."

The steps had been cut in a spiral around the sides of a huge shaft. Azgar said that it had taken nine years to dig out the shaft from top to bottom, and that thirty thousand pick-axes were said to have been broken or blunted in the process. It was the only entrance to the castle from the lakeside, the other way in being a long rope bridge from the mountains behind, crossing high above the waterfall. The castle was impossible to attack even if there were only a handful of men to defend it, and it was difficult to besiege. This would mean blockading the lake entrance and holding the mountains opposite the bridge one thousand feet above, and would therefore require two armies with no communication between them.

It took the party more than half an hour to climb the steps. The flickering torchlight on rock walls brought back vivid memories of the Khrelling caves for Telli, and he was glad when they emerged into the daylight of one of the castle's many courtyards. Azgar spoke briefly to two guards there, then led his group across the courtyard and up a flight of steps onto the castle wall, then to a balcony where they could look out over the lake towards Kellmarsh.

"We shall wait here until my colleague is ready to see us, and to take us to the King," said the little priest.

The castle was like a small, walled town, with orchards and gardens between its many ornate towers. Azgar pointed out the huge keep with balconies overlooking the lake that was the King's residence. Astell said that the balcony they were on was reputed to be the spot from which the dwarf architect, Jianith, had jumped to his death. Their barge and the other boats at the quay looked like toys, a thousand feet below. They could see Kellmarsh clearly across the lake five miles away, and could make out landmarks such as the Duke's palace and the Black Temple in the bright morning sunlight. To the left of the city, the silver snake of the Great River wound to the north and was visible for more than twenty miles, so great was the height of their viewpoint.

Abhyll had been to Tellui once before with a deputation of Mendai elders, and Sabhytt knew it well from his time as a guard there, as did the two Meldrith, frequent visitors to the centre of the Kingdom's power. But for Keoch and Helli, like Setisia and Telli, it was a first visit, and the four were greatly impressed by Jianith's masterpiece and by the views to be had from its walls.

After about ten minutes on the balcony, the group received a surprise, not having expected to be greeted by royalty outside the King's audience chamber. There was a door from the King's residence leading onto the wall on which they were standing. This opened, and a huge guardsman came out followed by two women. The three started to walk slowly along the wall towards the visitors.

"The Priestess is my colleague, Marnia, advisor to the King and tutor to his children. With her is our future ruler, Princess Lephelia herself, and it is an unusual honour to be greeted by her outside the walls of the Royal residence." Azgar said this in a low voice as the two women approached. Lephelia spoke first as they arrived at the balcony.

"Greetings, Azgar and friends. I saw my favourite giant from the window, and could not wait to say hello. You should visit Tellui more often, Sabhytt Dullai, and know that you can always have your old job back whenever you wish." She held out her hand to the giant, and he bowed low over it, kissing the fingers.

"Indeed, your Highness, I should come more often, to see how more beautiful you have become with each passing year," he said. Lephelia was indeed beautiful, a young woman with long brown curly hair and hazel eyes to match. Telli was surprised that he sensed none of the hauteur and pride that he might expect in someone brought up knowing that she would be the next ruler of the Kingdom. He could see kindness and intelligence in the beautiful face instead, and remembered that Sabhytt, for whose judgement he already had great respect, had described her as a true Goddess. Standing there in shimmering silk robes, with a ruby studded silver coronet on her brow, she looked the part. He knew that Setisia would be reading the same things in the Princess's character, and would like her.

Lephelia's companion was, he sensed, the most powerful of the Meldrith order that they had met so far. Younger than Astell and Azgar, perhaps not much over forty years of age, she was dark, with black eyes like Telli's own which, he noticed, immediately sought out his and Setisia's. She gave a smile, like one of recognition, to them both, before embracing Astell and Azgar. Azgar made formal introductions between those who did not know one other. Telli was impressed when the Princess fell into easy conversation with Helli, a woman of about her own age, with an equal and contrasting beauty.

Marnia clearly knew Sabhytt, and shook hands with old Abhyll, saying she had known of him for some time, and that the King's government had great respect for the role the Mendai elders played in the Kingdom. She turned to Setisia and Telli, who were standing side by side.

"So, I have a new sister and a new brother at the same time, Azgar tells me, and a pair who come with interesting stories for the King's ears. Beranis will be ready to see you all shortly, and wishes you to eat with him at midday. You will find him a good host, who prefers such small gatherings to great feasts. Come with us into the palace."

The group followed her along the wall towards the door that she had emerged from, Lephelia walking in their midst and teasing Sabhytt, saying he had neglected her and would be made to pay for it with a performance on his flute when he had finished business with her father. She turned to Setisia and said that she was amazed that such a great clown as her former guard could have such a lovely cousin, showing that she had been informed well as to who her visitors were. They were soon to find out what an astute and talented politician this heir to the throne was.

Marnia led them through well decorated halls and up a flight of finely carved wooden stairs to a large chamber with an elaborate, canopied throne at one end. There were several seats on either side of the throne, and eight chairs had been placed in a semicircle opposite it. An elderly man in a plain brown robe sat in the seat immediately to the right of the throne, the room's only occupant, and Marnia introduced him as Lord Daritha, the King's senior counsellor. He smiled and nodded a greeting to the visitors without rising or speaking. Lephelia took the seat to the left of the throne, and Marnia the one next to it. The others followed Azgar's example, and sat on the chairs facing them. Immediately they were all settled, the throne and a section of the wall behind it started to move, rotating, so that it disappeared into a room behind and was replaced by another throne on which King Beranis sat. Two guardsmen stood motionless in front of him, standing on a circular section of the floor which had rotated with the throne. The effect was impressive. The King spoke.

"Guards, dismiss, we are amongst friends." The two guards, giants nearly the size of Sabhytt, bowed to the guests, then turned and bowed to the King and those beside him, before leaving the chamber at a slow march. The King smiled at the group opposite, and said:

"Good morning. For those of you who had not seen that little trick before, you must remember that the builder of this palace was well known for his eccentricities. He arranged this room and the one behind it so that King Tellimakis could hold consecutive audiences with different groups of people without moving from his throne. Clever, is it not?" The King smiled again. He was a middle aged man with a slightly tired look on his kindly face, his black hair turning grey, and his dress a comfortable looking robe of ordinary cloth. The four in the room who had not met him before had all heard of his reputation for disliking the grand clothing normally associated with monarchs. His only concession to it was a simple gold crown attached to a kind of circular cushion on his head, and even this appeared to have been designed with comfort as a priority over display.

"I have just been talking with one of my agents," he said. "He knows a woman of slightly dubious repute who gathers information for him sometimes, and was doing so the night before last in a merchant's mansion which has recently been bought by an order of priests of whom my agent is very suspicious. This woman had a very strange experience whilst lying in bed with one of the men from whom she wished to extract information. Several men, one of them a giant, burst into the room and tied her to the bed, then took her companion off to show them the room of a man called Grenwald. This name, Grenwald, has come to my ears recently from other sources, as some of you, at least, must know."

The King looked hard at Sabhytt.

"Apparently, the giant and his friends found their man and carried him off. There was a lot of blood in the hall of this house the next morning. Perhaps one of you would like to tell me something about this strange incident."

It had not occurred to the raiders that the King might have a spy in the house they had extracted Grenwald from, let alone that she might be the woman they had tied to the bed. It was Abhyll who answered the King, having agreed previously with the others that they must tell all about their illegal raid. He described the raid briefly, although not mentioning Telli's flying, leaving this to him. He also gave an account of the information they had extracted from Grenwald, saying that there was no real obligation to pardon the man as he had given the information out of fear and, of course, those questioning him were private citizens. When the old Mendai had finished, the King looked at Setisia and gave her a warm smile.

"So, you are the young lady who has taken it upon herself to pursue my enemies with such vigour and to such great effect. Azgar has sent us an account of your story, as has the clerk of supplicants you told it to, but may your grateful monarch hear it from your own lips?"

Setisia told her story and, when she had finished, said that she was responsible for the raid on the priests' house, but Sabhytt objected to this.

"Your majesty, it was I, and the friend we lost in the raid, who were most insistent on this course of action," he said, truthfully. "We persuaded the others, so it is I who must take the prime responsibility."

"Young giant, you know well that I am unlikely to punish people who were acting against the King's enemies. This does not give any of you a license for similar acts in the future. I must tell you all that a message was sent north, by the fastest means possible, as soon as Azgar's account of Mistress Setisia's illegal stealing of private letters reached us. Troops will be on their way from the nearest bases towards Chirtis in a few days time. The occupants of the two mansions you were so interested in are being arrested by the Duke's men at this moment. So, it seems that I may last a little longer as King of this great land. Which means I shall have to do something about a scandal of slavery in the Western Mountains, is it not so, Master Tellimakis? You are the only one present who is not one of my subjects, so I must thank you for the help you have given against my enemies, and cannot order you to tell your story, but can only politely request that you do so."

Telli liked this mild mannered and friendly King, as he had liked Lephelia on first sight. He told his story, including the flying, having been advised by Azgar that the King was a friend of the Meldrith, and would not be frightened by the revelation of such unusual abilities as his. Beranis listened in silence, saving his questions until Telli had finished.

"I believe your story, Tellimakis, as my Meldrith advisors do. I shall have to ask many questions of detail later, as my Captains must hear the answers to these also, so I hope you will come to Tellui again when they are also here. I have just one question now. What do you think would be the best way of freeing the slaves held by these Khrelling?"

Telli had discussed this many times with Setisia, and also with Rhyll, during their journey down the Great River. He stood up to deliver what he thought was a very important speech.

"I think that the best chance is through diplomacy, rather than war, your Majesty. I do not think that the Khrelling need to keep slaves to achieve the work that they do. They show a limited understanding of us, human beings, in doing so. In their caves, they have many things that we value. Things that they have in plenty, and therefore do not value as highly as we do. Also, they do not have the same tastes as we do. I think that it should be possible for us to exchange goods that are of little value to us, for goods of little value to them, each receiving in this way things that suit their own needs and tastes. It is possible that my escape could be turned into great advantage for the people of the Kingdom and, strangely enough, for the Khrelling also." Telli paused, and saw by the look of interest on the King's face that he had understood the implications of these ideas. The Princess, Marnia, and the Lord Daritha were looking equally interested. He continued, persuasively.

"There are obvious difficulties in attempting to free the slaves by force. The Khrelling have them as hostages, for one thing, and it would also be very difficult for us to fight the creatures in their own caves, to which they are naturally adapted. We would be like blind men fighting those who can see, and would possibly lose more lives in this way than there are people in the slave camp. The difficulties of diplomacy lie only in communication and understanding, and we are lucky in that there are amongst the slaves a number who have a reasonable mastery of the Khrelling speech, and also some understanding of how they differ from us in their nature, customs and values. These can be used as translators. I can best explain why I think communication is the only problem by telling you a story that I heard in the slave camp. The man who told me it was working one day in the residential quarters of the Khrelling caves. The Khrelling young were playing with toys made of gold. A toy fell into a fast flowing stream and the adult Khrelling did not even bother to retrieve it, merely handing the young one another pretty, yellow toy. They left it to play by the edge of the stream, obviously thinking nothing of the possible loss of another few pounds of gold. The metal is not currency for them, just something to make pretty playthings for their young." Telli paused again, and let this sink in. It was very important to him that a crude military operation did not take place, with its risk to the lives of his friends amongst the slaves. He continued, knowing that all in the room, excepting Setisia, would be fascinated by what they were hearing.

"The Khrelling go to great lengths to guard their slaves, who do mainly mining and tool making work, things at which we are more adept than they. If they knew that they could obtain lots of tools of far better quality in exchange for one expendable child's toy, that they could get a man to work willingly in their mines for many days for the same exchange, they would have to agree with my views. They have no need to keep human slaves, and could be far better off without them." Telli bowed to the King, and sat back down. It was Lephelia who broke the silence, not by speaking, but by clapping her hands together in applause. As everyone looked towards her, including her father, she said:

"I wish to employ this boy on my council immediately. How much will you ask for a salary, Tellimakis?" She did not wait for an answer, but went on. "If a trade could be established with these creatures, the Khrelling, then it should not be left in the hands of greedy merchants, who might try and cheat the creatures, and thus offend them. That could lead us back to the situation of misunderstanding we are in now. So, as it is the King's army who must go to this hidden valley to liberate the slaves, even if this is achieved by diplomacy, then, of course, the King should control and operate the resulting trade. This would be a great help in financing those armies, which we so often need to avoid such situations of slavery or injustice, and is only fitting. The more that the King can raise by such a clever idea of commerce, the less he needs to raise by taxes, and in this way the benefit of the trade is passed onto the people of the Kingdom. Do you not agree, young councillor?"

Telli was astonished at this, because it was the exact argument he had prepared should the King be reluctant to send an army to support the effort at diplomacy in the Khrelling valley. Setisia, seated beside him, was grinning at him because she knew this part of his plan. He stood up and bowed to the Princess.

"I can see that the future of this Kingdom, where I feel an honoured guest, will be in good hands. Her Majesty has suggested exactly what I had thought to suggest. It is far better that the King keeps a close control on trade with the Khrelling, to ensure that there is never another breakdown in communication between the two species." Telli genuinely believed this, knowing that if men with characters like the two fat merchant brothers of Setisia's conspiracy became involved, the Khrelling might become slavers again at some point in the future. He had thought of proposing fat Flankis as an advisor to the King on the trade, along with his friend Stell from the forge, as he was fluent in Khrelling speech and understood the creatures well. But he would leave this until the slaves were freed, if this proved possible. Telli was fast becoming an admirer of the Princess Lephelia, who spoke again.

"Can we not discuss this further at table, father, as our guests have climbed up from the lake this morning, and must be in need of refreshment?"

"Indeed," said the King, "will you all join us for some light refreshments? Good, I will lead the way."

Beranis got up and went to a door on the opposite side of the chamber from that by which his guests had entered. He opened it himself and, to the amusement of those in the party who did not know him, held it open as everyone passed through. They found themselves on a very large balcony, with a view over the lake. There was a large, round table in the middle of it, and twelve places were already laid. A waiting servant disappeared as Beranis took his seat on the side of the table where he could see out to his capital city. He asked for Keoch and Helli to sit on either side of him, saying that he had not heard them speak yet and must get to know them. He was a charming host. He asked the Treoch couple why they had come with the others and, when Keoch had explained his part in the illegal raid, said he would condemn his guest to pour the wine for the three of them as punishment for such activities.

"But surely, even Treoch warriors do not take their wives with them on such occasions. We know you are a warrior tribe, but isn't that taking it a little far?"

"I knew about the raid, so therefore must count as a conspirator," explained Helli. "However, I really came just out of curiosity, to see the King, and am very glad that I did so." She flashed her most charming smile at Beranis, and he laughed, then complimented Keoch on his choice of a bride. Telli and Setisia had been told of his taste for the informal entertainment of his subjects, and could see how it worked to increase his popularity as he had considerable charm. They sat, at her request, on either side of the Princess, opposite the King.

"You are a doctor, Setisia? Azgar told us this in his messages." Lephelia spoke as the servant returned with others and they started to set plates of food and wine before the guests.

"Yes, your Majesty. I used to help the old medicine man of my village, and when he died two years ago, I was the best qualified to take over."

"Then will you join the Helenthiat, the Meldrith order? All of my tutors were from the Meldrith, and I often wish I had their talents myself. Sometimes I think it is only they who hold the Kingdom together. I think that your giant cousin may share this view."

"From what I have seen, I would be honoured to join them. Astell told me this morning that they have work for me in their healing houses whenever I want it."

"Good." The Princess recommended some delicacies that had been placed on the table before them, and poured wine for her two neighbours herself, before turning to Telli.

"Counsellor, what did you think of the character of the Khrelling from the weeks you spent working for them?"

"Neither good nor bad, your majesty. We were captured as slaves, so saw their worst side. But they keep slaves as you in the Kingdom keep oxen, using them to work, but treating them well, and not using unnecessary cruelty as this would make them less useful. The Khrelling were practical, and I hope this is the case in other ways. If so, we should be able to form a proper relationship with them."

"It would give us a route to the lands in the west, as well as the other advantages we talked of, through their caves, which I would love to see myself."

"True." Telli nodded, thinking that this Princess did not miss much, and thought in the same way her Meldrith teachers, being almost like one of the order.

The party spent more than an hour at table, Beranis talking with each of his guests in a friendly manner, clearly genuinely interested in their lives and in what they were doing. Keoch and Helli received an invitation to return to the palace for a feast three days later. The northern lord, Balleoch, was due to arrive at Tellui. He was Lephelia's betrothed and was half Treochim, his mother being from the northern tribes, so the feast would be a largely Treoch occasion. Abhyll would return to Tellui in a few months time as he had been before, one of a group of Mendai elders who met yearly with the King to discuss their affairs.

Beranis eventually excused himself, having to give another audience, and left with Lord Daritha. Lephelia led the others to her garden, a walled enclosure containing plants and trees brought to her from all over the Kingdom. She had cultivated it for years and had made it a beautiful place, alive with birds, bees and butterflies, which the plants were chosen to attract. They sat there, talking, Sabhytt playing the flute she had given him, for another hour. By the time they left to climb down the fifteen hundred steps, Telli and Setisia knew they had found a powerful new friend in the Princess.

The village youngsters felt as if they had become privileged aristocrats in the course of a few hours. Marnia had talked to them for some time, saying that they must not hesitate to contact the Meldrith if they had any problems. She explained that they would be coming again to Tellui shortly, as Telli must give the detailed geography of the Khrelling valley and its surrounds to the King's captains and counsellors. Azgar would tell them when this time came. She said that Azgar and Astell would find them apartments in a Meldrith house in Kellmarsh as soon as they wished.

The youngsters walked down the great staircase some distance behind the others, discussing their first visit to royalty.

"We have really completed our missions, and achieved what we came to Kellmarsh for," said Setisia. "There is only the planning for the expedition to free the slaves, and that seems sure to go ahead but cannot be until next year, unless they decide to risk the snows on that mountain desert you crossed. You have a good ally in our future Queen, but I shall be angry if you have fallen too much in love with her, as you are my goblin slave, remember!" She was smiling as she said this, and Telli put his arm round her shoulders.

"I shall not take a job on her council without your agreement, and unless you serve with me," he said. Setisia, who had been very subdued since Rhyll's death, changed the subject.

"I wish I had followed my instincts better when we first met Astell, and talked to her at length. We could have gone to see her immediately on arrival in Kellmarsh, and quite likely achieved all this by convincing her and Azgar of the importance of our stories. We would still have Rhyll with us, then."

"I knew Astell was special when we first saw her as well as you did, but we were not to know that the Meldrith of Kellmarsh were so closely involved with the King. I think they are the force behind the monarchs of your Kingdom, Set, and that is why it is so well ruled."

When they reached the bottom of the shaft and went out into the afternoon sunlight on the quay, the group could feel the difference between the tropical heat at this level and the comfortable climate of Tellui castle a thousand feet above them. The dwarf, Jianith, had chosen an excellent site for his monarch's summer palace.

As the barge crossed Lake Tallia, Sabhytt joined Setisia and Telli in the bows.

"How long have you been an agent for the Meldrith, mysterious cousin of mine?" asked Setisia.

"About seven years now. I was recruited when I was in Lephelia's guard. Her tutors, including Marnia and Azgar, thought I would be more useful roaming round the Kingdom than following the Princess around Tellui, and persuaded me to leave what was actually a very pleasant job, as you can understand now you have met my former charge. She will be a great Queen, don't you think?" They discussed Lephelia and Beranis until the barge reached Kellmarsh.

Azgar directed the barge up the canal leading to the harbour where Setisia's boat was moored. He and Astell said goodbye to the others as they climbed out at the harbour, and the barge turned back towards the lake. With the help of their friends, Setisia and Telli emptied the little boat of their possessions, transferring everything to Keoch's house. The boat had to be prepared for its new role as a funeral pyre.

The sun was low over the western horizon as Setisia's little boat was towed out into the Great River at a point just above Kellmarsh. Rhyll's coffin was on board, and firewood had been piled high around it. Telli had found it impossible to hold back tears as Mhyfait had laid Rhyll's fiddle beside his body. He stood watching beside Setisia, who had not spoken for some time. A Mendai band was playing a slow dirge. When the boat was about two hundred yards from the bank, the men in the towboat threw torches onto the pyre, and cut the towrope, then turned back towards the bank. The firewood, soaked in oil, blazed up immediately, and Setisia's boat became a beacon of flame, drifting downstream towards Lake Tallian. The band changed their tempo, speeding up into a lively dance rhythm, signifying the Mendai belief that the passing of a soul to eternity was an occasion for joy rather than sorrow.

Abhyll came to where the youngsters stood, and handed them mugs of beer.

"Rhyll would want you to celebrate his passing," he said. They knew that this was certainly true. Their friend had liked to turn every night into a party.

The wake lasted until midnight, and those present who were not Mendai found the gypsies' obvious pleasure at the occasion infectious, and joined in the dancing. Telli was pleased to see Setisia relax, knowing that she had been particularly hurt by the loss of the first friend she had made from the people of the father she had never known. She had become her bright and talkative self by the time they were walking back home through the sleeping city with Keoch and Helli.