The memory of the two moons flashed into his mind, and with it the shimmering figure of One-Eyed-Fox. He had not spoken to Touchstone about the apparition. Not yet. He needed time to think it through.
Climbing from the bath he towelled himself dry, then knelt on a rug and slowly took his mind through the Six Rituals.
An hour later he was dressed in a tunic of dark blue silk, edged with silver, his long, dark hair held in place by a silver circlet inset with a white moonstone. Around his waist was a jewelled belt hanging from which was a hunting knife, its black hilt embellished with silver wire. His leggings were white wool, his knee-length boots of silvered lizard skin.
Touchstone grinned at him, and he could see the light of mockery in the tribesman’s eyes.
‘It is palace garb,’ said Talaban, somewhat defensively.
Touchstone nodded. ‘Very pretty,’ he said.
‘I seem to recall you dressed in a cloak of eagle feathers, wearing a beaded cap, for your marriage to Suryet. You were also wearing a codpiece made of shells and your lips were painted white. I too shared your memories.’
‘Different,’ said Touchstone. ‘Eagle feathers bring great magic. Shells bring virility.’
‘It is all a question of style,’ said Talaban, smoothing down his tunic.
‘Very pretty,’ repeated Touchstone, with a booming laugh.
Talaban grinned and shook his head. It was impossible to argue with Touchstone. ‘We need to talk when I get back.’
‘About going home?’
‘About the One-Eyed-Fox.’
‘You wake me. We talk.’
The carriage arrived on time and Talaban sat in the back, gazing over the city. It had grown in the last fifty years, almost doubling in size. Many of the older buildings, on the five hills of the original city, were finely constructed, but most of the new were built from fired mud-bricks. In narrow streets and packed centres they housed the worker population – potters, bakers, stonemasons, clothes makers, carpenters, house servants, and many more. The Vagars now outnumbered their Avatar overlords by a hundred to one. And the ratio would continue to increase.
Talaban’s mood was sombre as the carriage continued, crossing the old stone bridge in the Avatar centre of the city.
Here the buildings showed a sharp rise in quality, huge houses fronted by expertly worked marble, flanked by beautiful statues. Here there were fountains and man-made lakes, parks with elaborate walkways. The carriage moved out onto the wide avenue and past the Library and the Museum of Antiquities. Both these structures had been designed when the old empire was at its height, the massive 80-ton blocks lifted into place by a handful of workers using the legendary music of the Avatar Prime. Talaban had seen just such an exercise when he was a child back in Parapolis. First a Questor would play a simple tune on a long flute. Then the trumpets would sound. Avatar stonemasons would step forward, their movements in perfect rhythm to the music. Huge blocks would be lifted as easily as sacks of grain. People would gather alongside the construction sites to marvel at the magic and listen to the music.
The Library was huge, the great lintel stone above the doorway held on the shoulders of two 30-foot-tall statues. Seated on a massive throne set upon the lintel was a statue of the last Avatar Prime, his hands outstretched towards his people. The original idea had been to symbolize that, although he was raised above other men, it was only by the will of the people. Hence the two Vagars holding him. Now, to Talaban, it merely highlighted that the weight of Avatar rule fell squarely on the shoulders of the Vagars.
The carriage moved on. Hundreds of people strolled along the perfectly laid stone footpaths, stopping to peer in at items on display in the many shops. The people here were better dressed. Most were Vagars, the families of rich merchants.
Many Avatars saw the Vagar merchant class as their greatest allies among the sub-species. Talaban was not fooled. The merchants were the most eager to see an end to Avatar rule. Their profit margins would increase dramatically if they had full control of the city’s commerce.
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