“Let us go to Elas.”
“I am chart to methis,” she said. “It is not proper for me to quit my station.”
“I am afraid for you with conditions as they are. Visit Elas with me.”
She bowed very deeply, straightened and walked beside him.
The shock of seeing him in the lower hall all but paralyzed the men of Indresul, who watched there with a few of the Indras of Nephane. The presence of Nephanites among the occupying forces heartened him somewhat.
“The weapons,” he said, “are dismantled beyond my ability to repair them. I am going to Elas if you want to find me.”
And to his own surprise they let him pass, and puzzled guards on the Street of the Families did also, for a man of Indresul walked after them, watching them, his presence guarding them.
“No harm must come to you,” said that man at last. “This is the order of the Methi Ylith.”
There was no Hef to tend the door of Elas. Kurt opened it for himself and with Pai behind him entered its shadows. He stopped at the door of the rhmei, for he had not washed from the fighting and he wished to bring no pollution into the peace of that hall.
Kta rose to his feet from the chair of Nym, his face touched with deep relief. By him on lesser chairs sat Bel, Aimu, elders of the Sufaki and a stranger, Vel t’Elas-in-Indresul.
Kurt bowed, realizing he had interrupted something of great moment, that an Indras of the shining city sat at this Hearth.
“I beg your leave,” he said. “I have finished at the Afen. No human weapons threaten your peace any longer. Tell your Methi that, Vel t’Elas.”
“I had assured Ylith-methi,” said Kta, his voice even but full of controlled feeling, “that this would be your choice. Is that Pai t’Erefe with you?”
“She needed a place for a time,” he said. “If Elas will accept her as a guest.”
“Elas is honored,” murmured Kta. “Go wash, and come and sit with us, friend Kurt. We are in the midst of serious business.” But before he went upstairs, Kta left his guests and came to him in the hall.
“It was well done,” said Kta softly. “My friend, my brother Kurt, go and wash, and come down to us. We are solving matters. It is a three- and a four-round problem, but the Methi Ylith has vowed to stay in port until it is done. We will talk here, then we will go down to the port to tell her our decisions. There are others of our cousins of Indresul in their several houses at this moment, and each Indras house has taken Sufaki among them, to shelter them at the sanctity of their hearths until this matter is resolved. Not a Sufaki will be harmed, who accepts house-friendship and the peace of our roofs.”
“Would they all come?”
“No, not all, not all. But perhaps the violent ones have fled to their hills, or perhaps they will come down in peace when they see it possible. But on every door of Sufak some Indras Family has set its seal; there will be no plundering. And at every hearth we have taken house-friends. This we did, while you barricaded yourself behind the Afen door.”
Kurt managed a smile. “And that,” he said, “was well done too. Am I still welcome here?”
“You are of Elas,” Kta exclaimed indignantly. “Of this hearth and not simply beside it. Go upstairs.”
“I have to find t’Nethim’s family,” he protested.
“This has been done. I need you,” Kta insisted. “/ need you. Elas does. When Ylith-methi knows what you have done-and she will-I have no doubt that she will wish to see you. You cannot go like that, and you cannot go ignorant of the business of your hearth.”
He nodded wearily, felt for the stairs.
“Kta,” said Bel softly. “See to him if you wish, personally. We will keep peace at your hearth until you return with my lord of Indresul. Perhaps we can even find some things to discuss while you are gone if my lady wife will bring us another round of tea.”