Then, he asked a healer to speak.
This older man bowed to him, then to us. He had red-gold eyes that wavered from orange to black. Like Konomai’s eyes. Are they related?
Komomai is Kono’s bae, and Kono is Galarsmen’s bae. So Galarsmen is his fae. Galarsmen’s family is large, and many of his bae and sae chose to heal. But Galarsmen is the only master healer among people of Esta Faho.
When Kono’s ba Nomo died in Sigan Mas, Wasa Mai asked all healers in all of Rahn Estar to choose one to be their master healer. He sent five to Ishah to train with Via, with five diplomats to keep them safe. This is how Galarsmen earned his title, ten years past.
Outside, animals made soft noises and their keepers petted them. No one seemed impatient, waiting there, not even the animals. They didn’t have bridles and just followed their keepers around or maybe walked over to a flower or grass to munch. One bumped an unseen containment and bleated. Tried to get that flower from another angle. Glad they’re protected! His keeper picked another flower and offered it to him and he ate that one. So cute!
Galarsmen was old, too, but had red hair that wasn’t long. Like all Zheien, no beard or 5 o’clock shadow. Elshars don’t have them, either. That keeper was Elshar, and he gently pulled his son over and a lady came, too.
Apparently he was talking about that flower the animal tried to eat, and what’s different about the one he substituted. A pleasant convo, from the looks of it. I expected him to chew the boy out, I guess. The boy then went and carefully gathered some of the bad flowers. The other two did the same. They each waved ‘em to their alt storage. Maybe they’ll trade ‘em someplace.
The old healer’s red-gold eyes stayed dark and he looked really tired. “My bae and sae, we are ready. My sisters and brothers, come, and let none of our Zheien walk!” His white robe’s borders were a yellowish-green. Not a really loud color, but bright. It reminded me of some plants on Earth.
A bunch of white-robed healers came in. It was only Ishah or Zheien of other skin colors who had the border of their family colors. I expected more than one master healer! There weren’t many healers for this many people who knew ‘em. A few relatives hesitantly came in with a healer. All the yellow-skinned master healer went to other groups than our five. With all the returned slaves, yellow Zheien were the largest group. The next largest was green-skinned Zheien, and they went to the Ean ship on Alb Seer. Then, came MarKuans, whom they expected to be the largest group, as in the great majority of liberated slaver facilities. But, Elshar slavers want yellow-skinned Zheien most of all. Since herbs don’t work predictably on ‘em and they fear healers anyway, it’s easier to break them. Pas taught me a lot I wish I’d known when I was on Farley’s Team!
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Then a big group came to us. They carried two ladies. Then, stopped. Fa and Fae studied these ladies, with a frown.
“Know you nae your Konolaina, Narisan?”
Fae gasped and hugged her. “O, you appear younger! I aged!”
“Nae fear. Pirad can help us, both of us.”
Fa reached for the other one. “Then, Naisa, is you?”
“Eae, Kon, Pirad woke us from Burial Chambers! Are you painful? Was it a difficult mission?”
He sobbed. “I had nae harms, but for missing you, Love! See our bae, Farleikon! He is a well bae, dear one!”
She stroked his face and frowned at the sweat-powder, but it drifted away. “Farleikon, named for my fa Farihah, Le for my mea Lemara, Ikon for Kon’s fae Ikon. And, you appear as all of them, but especially dear Ikon, who lead our colony here! I was our historian, and remember all. How I wish I saw your growing! I wish you to know all of our pleasant people, Bae!”
Galarsmen rushed over to her. “You must nae remind him of sorrows! Come. As I warned you when you came to us, these people can nae bear much. I insist that you nae bring but one relative at a time. See how he shakes, because diplomats think nothing of meeting hundreds in a day, but he can nae bear but you and nae for long.”
She hugged Farley and he clung to her! “Then I will nae! Is he very unwell, then? How he shakes!”
“He has great fear of this new world. We must all accustom—”
“Accustom! There are nae poisons, progs prevent harm from animals that come on trader’s ships, and nae—dangers! Pirad showed me progs that prevent a slaver from even reaching for an arm, or speaking harms!” Her blond hair waved in the slight breeze, and tiny decorations made sounds like wind chimes.
“Our artisans laughed when my healer brought me to this new city. They see nae harms, and happily create artworks near traders, and nae speaks even one insult! I saw many Mashai who left in disgust when they could nae make fun of one who made lopsided pots! Why, one sat by him and asked many questions of him, and his healer, and made plans to bring his bahie here!” Her red-gold eyes shone with tears as she wiped tears from all their faces and mixed them where Farley could see. They didn’t go darker.
My husband didn’t sweat as much, so I did it, and he got just a shade yellower. I have a lot to learn!
Galarsmen’s eyes went a bit lighter red-gold, but still dark. “Lady, Elshars are stronger than we. I can nae explain a master healer’s lifetime of learning. Accept it, all of you must stay in these healer chambers of Rainbow, until I have less fears for your health. Perhaps you are spared unwell because you came from Par Vu to us.”