Then a commotion outside got all of their attention. Ryee’s father pulled De’sai and D’gmiash out, but an older diplomat stood with them. They watched through the transparent hull of the ship. No one could see them.
Pas became an Elshar healer, who held Ronmai. Parsopah tried to follow, but Ket did not rise. “I see moisture on you. Let them speak.”
Outside the ship stood a trader with a TS Inspector. “—stole my ship!”
The inspector’s eyes turned black as he stared at D’gmiash. “You are a disgrace! Look at the tears, on you.” He swept his cobalt blue robes back, and a cloud of the yellow dust rose to the tops of his deep blue boots. There was a market near the ship, and traders stopped to watch.
De’sai stood tall, but he was a head shorter than his opponent. “Etkar, you stole my bahie from me, and just now, I know you took him to Elshar Mashai. Would any man be emotional, to see his Fahie after long years? You allowed me no contact with my bahie, as required by our laws. Here is my evidence, Inspector.” He stared at the man. Traders gathered around them. Most of these were older men in cobalt blue robes like De’sai’s. They all frowned at Etkar, who was their ages but still wore light blue. Not a master trader.
“Pah! Take this slopfah’s ship, and all his holdings. Etkar, to Ih—”
De’sai held his wrist. “Habis ha! Take them and leave. I will keep my bahie.”
Etkar bent and kissed De’sai’s right knee. Then got in his ship and left. The TS Inspector ported. Men dispersed. All of them had animated conversations in small groups. Then, the hull became opaque blue again.
Quickly, De’sai pulled D’gmiash into the ship.
D’gmiash fell to his knees and covered his face. De’sai stood by him and held his hands. Ket ran hygiene on both of them and yellow dust vanished. “Oh, Fahie, I am not fit to be anyone’s bahie!”
“Look at me. All I want is to see your smile. If you hate trading, be a poet. These people value you, for you saved men whom they love. I love you, my dear bahie. Come, let us sit by Ron. He will be fearful when he wakes. Let me hear your poetry.” They ran hygiene again. Parsopai linked De’sai’s navs to tow his ship.
Pas, on Ye~, looked up into the lavender sky and a blue streak grew. As it came close, he ran to where it aimed. The portal bounced off a blue wall and the man in it tumbled. “Oh, I am clumsy! Did I hit anyone?” He got up. The healer waved for a flat mattress under him.
Healers made him sit and frantically brushed dust off his hands! “My son, ne move. I am Pas, a healer—”
Ni’olmai laughed and shook out his blond curls. “Elshars are tough—”
Pas stared at his boot and waved at his feet. Tritoed feet had much orange on them. “Ah, you are part Ishah, are you? May I see your healer’s records?”
“I am healthy! This is mere sand—” His smile dropped. The fivefingered hands were very red. How could he have different feet than hands? Like half of him was a diff species!
“Our sands irritate the skin of Elshars. Your Ishah portion ne helps you. Let a healer work. May I touch you?” Pas waved for hygiene to run on him.
A slow wave brought up his record. Ni’olmai, Diplomat-In-Aid To Asha Of Elshar Mashai, Prov One. “Do I have enough trade? I wish for your comfort.” He looked at all the Yeff who came near with frightened looks.
The old healer looked over all his points. D’gmiash hugged him. One of Ryee’s diplomats helped him with his Link. Another of Ryee’s diplomats used their Diplomatic Link to bring De’sai’s mind to Ye~.
“Oh, Bahie, are you all right?”
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
“Etkar—I took his ship without permission and he brought Ih Esta!”
“I will tell him—”
“I did, and he gave me all Etkar’s holdings. I returned them, and he is gone. Etkar will lose most of his trading partners because many honorable men witnessed. Tell your bahie I have pride in him! My words do not stay in his ears.” He stroked D’gmiash’s blond hair, lighter than his brother’s. “D’gmiash, trading can be improved—”
“These people want me to be a poet! I cannot even speak Yeff properly, it is more formal than other Zheien!”
“A poet? But Zheien study for years to gain such a position, in a Zheien colony! Oh, Bahie, this is a great honor! They liked your poetry so much?”
“They did not see one. What if they don’t like it?” He sobbed.
Eanne~ put him on his lap, through this diplomat. “My son, recite. Let us hear your talent.”
His face turned very red. With a graceful wave, he held a white cloth and wiped his face.
Looked up at Ni’olmai.
What joy is a brother, loyal and true
He stands by him proudly
Forgives him, and gladly
Hastens to give and who knew
That love is the matter, the trade of the blue.
With the poem, he thought of hours that his brother spent in trading to get eisha for his bad headaches. It is a deep blue powder. Any trader knows common Elshar healing herbs.
All the Yeff around him wept. His father smiled.
D’gmiash looked down.
But, Eanne~ hugged him. “O, you have talent, my son.”
His head snapped up. “I do?”
“How long did that poem take you?”
“Take me? I wrote it just then. Most of my poetry comes like that.”
People’s happiness tingled on their skins and he giggled.
Ni’olmai laughed. “And you feared they would not like it! You have talent, as I often said! I am an aynau, to have a bahie like you!”
De’sai put his short arms around both his sons. “And, I am an aynau, to have two fine bahies!”
My uncle used that term.
All the Yeff waved their hands in the air, and their rectangular fingers looked like tiny flags.
D’gmiash watched in awe. Ni’olmai said, Look how happy they are! I did not see this, except when King Challet gave speeches. It is like when we cheer.
Ryee thought of his last visit to Elshar Mashai Zheien Colony, not far from Prov One where they lifted from. Realized an Elshar who brought a member of Challet’s Council home injured, was D’gmiash. A very dangerous, long journey on a dorna across their Barrens at high speed. Slavers watch for anyone making this trip. Any Elshar who comes there is a target, Ryee told me. Few Elshars can evade them once. Challet told him this young Elshar had brought 105 of his men in this way! A man brought a fresh dorna to him and D’gmiash mounted and left. Challet worried that he could easily die of exhaustion. They often find Elshar bones on that route and put them in their Burial Chambers. I shuddered.
Pas urged them to bring the other two Elshars to his chambers for healing, the moment they landed. But, Pas, I wish them to enjoy our festival—
They work on Elshar Mashai, oft. Ket tells me D’gmiash has damage to his heart already, from the poisons in his yellow sands! He boarded Parsopah's ship and brought his house.
Pas lifted Ni’olmai on his leiwege and ran him to the purple building. Saw him thoroughly, then offered him vek ea.
“Healer, others might need this! I—”
But, Pas showed him how much Ye~ had and he relented. Ryee's father sat by him.
Parsopah convinced D'gmiash, De'sai and Ket to take vek ea, then yllis. Then began the weary process of permissions to lift. Travel will take a fraction of an hour. He connected Ket’s ship to his with his ennead, and gave them herbs also for them and their families.
Ay, our people are grateful to you! We now have a poet, a skilled diplomat and another who wishes to emigrate, and a master trader to join our colony! M’Naga is very happy, for he knows De’sai. Ket and his ennead also came. Do you know Ket is Ry’nao’s healer? He planned to emigrate to Ishah, and I worried. Thank you for saving these well Elshars! They are safer with us. All of them are thin, and Elshar foods, easy for us to supply. Their skills shall bless all of Ye~, and many Elshar traders who come to us oft. Ryee smiled. His father also thanked me.
Father Of All did this. I only listened.