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Alix slewed her eyes sideways to look at him。 〃He told me be
would ask for me in Council。。。 as his cheysula。 Then＋finding
his former consort had conceived and was free again＋he refused
me honorable marriage and offered only to have me as his light
woman。〃 She looked back at Raissa。 〃Of course I refused。〃
The woman was solemn。 〃Among us a mei jha has honor；
Alix。 Here she is not treated like filth； as are the whores of
Mujhara。 We are too few； now； to place so much value on a
woman's married or unmarried status。 Mei jha is not a dishonor…
able position。〃
Alix's stubborn chin came up。 〃I have much left to learn of
Cheysuli customs； but this will take me most trouble； I think。〃
She swallowed and set her jaw。 〃I will not accept a lesser
position with any man。〃
The older woman smiled。 〃Ah。。。 it is everything or nothing；
with you。 Well； perhaps you are not so wrong。 Once I said me
same to my cheysul。〃 She glanced at Duncan。 〃AH of this will
be settled in Council。 Until her birth lines are studied and she is
formally accepted； I will keep her by me and teach her what she
must know。 My thanks； Duncan； for bringing a lost one back to
us。〃
He said nothing； merely inclined his head and left me pavilion
without looking at Alix。 She stood there； bereft； hating Finn all
the more for beginning it all with his abduction of her。
Raissa guided Alix to a gray pelt and gestured for her to sit。
Alix did so； staring at her hands as they twisted themselves into the
fabric of her gown。 Raissa arranged her own skirts and sat down
before her。
〃Duncan would not offer unfairiy；〃 she said quietly。 〃I know
the man。。。 he is not one to trouble a gyri that way。〃
〃He did not know about Mahna until we arrived；〃 Alix
admitted。 〃But Ron wasted no time in making certain his brother
learned of it quickly enough。〃
〃Him has ever been jealous of Duncan；〃 Raissa said。
〃Why？〃
She spread her hands eloquently。 〃An elder son is ever fa…
vored by a jehan。 k grates particularly hard when your own
blood father favors a foster son。 Hale treated them equally； but
Duncan matured quickly。 He felt me weight of the qu'mahlin
mare。 And it has cost him； though Finn does not fully under…
stand that。〃 Raissa's eyes were expressive。 〃And now； Alix；
you have given Finn reason for jealousy again。〃
…I have？〃
Raissa looked at her solemnly。 〃Would you have Finn as your
cheysul
〃No。 Never。〃
〃You see？ You will have Duncan； or none。 It cannot be easy
for Finn to know once again his ruifwili takes precedence。〃 She
smiled。 〃Wanting Duncan； you could not want Finn。 I know
mat。 'nicy are too dissimilar。 But Finn is not so bad as he seems；
Alix。。。 he might make a fine cheysul。〃
〃Finn stole me。 He would have forced me； had Storr not kept
him from it。 How can you say he would be a good husband？〃
Raissa smiled。 〃There is much of men you do not understand。
But you must team that for yourself； it is not my place to teach
you such things。〃
Alix recalled the determination in Finn's face when he said be
would have her。 And now she was no longer promised to Duncan。
〃Raissa！〃 she said； suddenly frightened。 〃They would not
force me to take Finn； would they？〃
Raissa glanced down at her skirts； settling the tiny bells into
perfect symmetry。 〃This will be hard for you； I know。 Particu…
larly since you were raised Homanan and feel no loyalty for your
true race。〃 The yellow eyes came up。 〃We arc too few。 now。
The clans have been destroyed； save for us； and even now
Shame works to slay what remains of us。 We need children。 Ч。
we need women who will bear them。〃 Light flashed off the
silver in her hair。 〃You are Cheysuli； Anx。 You must take your
place in the future of the clan。。。 in its tahinwrra。 You must
bear children for us。 If you will not have Duncan； or even Finn；
men it will have to be another warrior。〃
〃You would force met〃
Raissa reached out and grabbed her hands； holding diem even
Xs Alix sought to withdraw。 〃No woman wishes to be used as
breeding stock； Alixl Children are a gift of me gods。。。 not
coin with which to barter！ But we have too few。。。 we are
dying。 You will not be forced to lay with a man you cannot
abide； but die censure of the clan is no light burden to bear。〃
〃Then I will go back；〃 Alix said flatly。 〃I will go back to the
croft。〃
Raissa squeezed her hands。 〃No。 You must stay。 By the gods；
Alix； you are Hale's daughter！ We need his blood。〃
〃Through Finn？〃 Alix disengaged her hands。 〃He is my
half…brother。〃
〃Aye； but you were raised apart。 Hale's blood must e
back into the clan。〃
〃Then tell Finn to get himself children！〃 she said angrily。
〃He would do so willingly enough。。。 were you his cheysula。
Or meijha；〃 Raissa said steadily。
〃What if I have already conceived？〃 Alix asked in desperation。
Raissa's eyes sharpened。 〃Already conceived。。。 you have
tern with Duncan？'*
Alix nodded silently； suddenly apprehensive。 〃Was it wrong？〃
she whispered。 〃Is it wrong to lay with a clan…leader while he
rules？〃
The older woman smiled。 **A clan…leader does not rule。。。
we have no kings； Alix。 And no； it was not wrong。 Do you think
Duncan keeps himself chaste？ It would be a burden no man
should carry。〃
Alix looked away； embarrassed。 〃Then what wifl happen？*'
Raissa sighed。 〃Well； it would change things。 The Council
might be willing to let you remain solitary。。。 they would
respect your shorn hair； regardless of me reasons for it You
would have the freedom you desire if you refuse to take a
cheysul。 and have already conceived。 But that is still a Council
decision。〃
〃I should never have e；*' Alix said。 〃I should never have
allowed Duncan to take me out of Mujhara。〃
〃 〃This is your home。〃
〃1 should have let Carillon take me back to the croft。〃
〃It will not be so harsh＋I promise＋when you are accustomed。
Alix； we are your people。〃
Alix looked at the woman and saw me innate strength and
pride reflected in her Cheysuli face。 She put a hand to her own；
tracing the identical high cheekbones。 Her skin was not so
bronze； bo… hair not so duk； and ha eyes amber； not beast…
yellow。。。 but she knew herself Cbeysun。
She sighed。 〃Where is Manna's tent？〃
Raissa's eyes flickered but she said nothing of her surprise。
〃Near the gates。 The blue one with Boris's ffr…syrobol； a moun…
tain cat。 There is only one。〃
Alix took die silver b out of her bodice and stared at it
Then she met the woman's eyes and smiled。 〃I have something
to return。 My thanks for your kindness。〃
Raissa nodded and Alix left me brown pavilion。
Alix found the blue tent and jerked me entrance flap aside；
somehow not suiprised to find Duncan mere。 But Malina did
surprise her。
The gyri did not look Cheysuli。 Her hair was dark blood and
her eyes blue。 She lacked the feral； feline grace of me true
Cheysuli woman； but she was beautiful nonetheless。
Duncan rose to his feet。 Alix moved swiftly to me woman and
held out the b。 〃This is yours。〃
〃Mine？〃 Malina asked in suiprise。
Alix saw she did not show her pregnancy yet； no swelling
belly evident beneath the soft green gown banded with amber
beadwoik and bronze platelets。
〃He let me use it because I had none Ч。。 when I still had hair
enough to need it。〃 She glanced at Duncan a moment； then
looked back at Malina。 〃But it is yours。 He said so； once。〃 Alix
put the b into the girl's hand and silently left die pavilion。
Duncan caught her before she had gone more man five steps。
He swung her gently to face him； one hand going tenderly to her
shorn hair。
〃Cheysula； forgive me。 I had no right。〃
His gentle voice nearly finished her。 〃I have no claim to that
tide； Duncan。 You have given it to anomer。〃
His hands cupped her jaw and lifted her face so he could see
DOT welling tears。 His own face was stark and tight。 〃You have
only to say it； Alix。 It is yours to decide。 We would not be
nappy apart。〃
〃I would not be happy sharing you。〃 She swallowed heavily。
〃I doubt Malina would care for it； for all mat。〃
〃Malina knows I have asked for you as meijha。〃
〃She knows
His band smoothed back a ragged tendril of hair。 〃It is often
done among us； Alix。〃
〃I cannot。〃 A tear spilled over and slipped down her cheek。
〃And if you have conceived？〃
She closed her eyes and put her forehead against his chest。
〃Why must you take her back？ What I have done is no light
thing for me； and now it is all for naught。 Duncan。。。 I did not
know I would have to fight a woman and an unborn child。 I
thought I had only to mink of die Council。〃
〃I am sony； small one。 I did not intend diis。〃
Alix sucked in a trembling breath。 〃They will try to make me
。 take Finn as a husband。〃
His hands stiffened。 〃What do you say？〃
〃Raissa told me。 It is doubtful I can keep my wish to remain
Xpart。〃 Alix shivered。 〃Unless I have conceived。 Raissa said a
would change matters。〃
〃Aye； you could live apart with the child。。。 or bee mei
Jha to me。 Which would you choose？〃
She lifted her head。 〃I