Destiny (10 page)

"Most especially not to these Astindans," a third man put in with nothing in the way of kindness. "To our captors you're no more or less than the rest of us, except that you do less work than we do. Now pick up that hoe and stop ruining things for us."

"But I don't want to," the woman said, frustration rising higher and higher. "I don't want to do this anymore, I don't want to, I don't want to!"

By now she was screaming rather than speaking, her fists clenched tight as she stamped her feet and shrilled out her demands. She'd never in her life been denied anything, and now refused to accept
their
refusal. She would just scream and stamp her feet until she got her way, and the tactic would be just as successful as it had always been…

Except that this time it wasn't the father who loved her who came to see what the problem was. This time it was one of those Astindan peasants, who did something to her mind. The screaming and stamping stopped, she went and picked up her hoe, and was forced to start working again even in the midst of the humiliation of having those around her laugh as they went back to their own work. Hallina hated having that done, but they kept refusing to give her what she demanded. She hated it
all
, but was being forced to work even while she hated. If only she could wake up from this horrible dream…

"…wake up," Rion heard, and suddenly he no longer saw what surely had been purely imagination. "We can eat and drink tea until then, and afterward we'll be able to take a good look around."

"You're right, it
shouldn't
be too long before Jovvi and Lorand wake up," Tamrissa said, agreeing with what Vallant had just said. "In fact, I have the definite feeling that it won't be more than five minutes or so before they're here."

"Stop stealing
my
talent," Naran said to Tamrissa, but Rion's beloved smiled as she spoke. "As far as I can tell you're right about Jovvi and Lorand, so stop stealing my talent."

"Now that's really interestin'," Vallant said, looking back and forth between Tamrissa and Naran. "Knowin' things
is
Naran's talent alone, but I'm feelin' the same certainty that Tamrissa just spoke with. And somehow I also know that you and Rion are feelin' very satisfied, Naran. We seem to have been borrowin' each other's talent lately, at least the non-physical talents. Is that supposed to happen, or are we doin' somethin' wrong?"

"A better question would be will we also get to the point of sharing the physical part of the talents?" Tamrissa said, her tone musing. "Whether or not this is
supposed
to happen doesn't matter. As long as it
is
happening, we have to cope with the situation."

"I do a better job of coping on a full stomach," Rion said, heading off what promised to be a long discussion. "Naran, my love, would you care to join me in fortifying the inner practitioner? We can get back to discussing things we have no control over after we see to something we do have control over."

"A delightfully practical suggestion, my love, and it would be my pleasure to join you," Naran replied with her usual lovely smile. "And we might as well wait to have the discussion until Jovvi and Lorand have joined us. That way if we get any brilliant ideas, we won't have to repeat them for our brother and sister."

"You really are an optimist, Naran," Tamrissa said with amusement as Rion guided his love to the man who was ready to fill plates with food for them. "I wasn't expecting any of us to
get
any brilliant ideas, so I didn't think about having to repeat any."

"I'm really wounded," Vallant said to Tamrissa, one hand placed in the middle of his chest. "Are you sayin' you don't even expect
me
to get any brilliant ideas? Such lack of faith is very painful."

Tamrissa laughed and went over to soothe Vallant's supposed pain, which meant that Rion was able to choose his breakfast with undivided attention. In truth there wasn't much to choose, only how much of the eggs and potatoes and venison and bread he thought he could eat, but Rion still felt a good deal of inner satisfaction. He and Naran were back to being able to show their love for one another, he was part of a group that was closer than a family, and he had all the true freedom he could want.

Unlike
that woman
, Rion thought as he accepted the plate with his breakfast. What he'd seen in his mind's eye couldn't possibly be what was really happening with the woman who had tormented him all of his life, but thinking that the situation might be close to the truth was a lovely kind of revenge. The woman
would
hate not being able to get her way any longer, a situation her former victims would certainly have been willing to pay gold to see.

Naran chose a bit of grass to sit down on with her breakfast, and Rion sat beside her. They had barely begun to eat when Jovvi and Lorand appeared, looking well rested and as satisfied as Rion felt. But as the last of his Blendingmates went for their own breakfast, Rion had the distinct impression that Jovvi's satisfaction was only on the surface. Something bothered his sister, but Rion made no effort to rise and question her. He
had
learned the meaning of discretion, which meant it would be far better to wait until later before speaking to her privately.

Lorand and Jovvi wasted no time in getting their breakfast plates, and a moment later they had joined Rion and Naran on the grass. The meal went quickly because of the general silence, and by the time Rion had finished his tea everyone was through eating.

"So, are you sleepyheads ready to do some work yet?" Tamrissa asked as she and Vallant stopped near where Rion and the others were sitting. "I'm getting bored just standing around."

"Boredom is soundin' better than it ever used to," Vallant added dryly with a glance for Tamrissa. "I'd take the feelin' happily if I didn't already know it wasn't likely to last, so we really should get on with it."

"Unfortunately, I can't argue with that decision," Lorand said with a sigh before finishing the tea in his cup. "I'm not looking forward to finding out more about the people we'll be facing, but
not
knowing about them can only hurt us. Shall we Blend right here?"

Rion and the others agreed with the suggestion, so Tamrissa and Vallant sat down and joined them. Once everyone was settled comfortably, Jovvi initiated the Blending.

The Rion entity formed as easily as ever, and it took only a moment's thought before a decision was made. To float back along the road would be a tedious process, especially when floating was unnecessary. The entity's flesh forms had gone a considerable distance up that road, therefore the entity knew enough about the area to flash rather than float. Flashing covered distances in an instant, at the same time conserving strength.

It was clear to the Rion entity that the enemy had not as yet reached the village which had been attacked, therefore the Rion entity flashed to the village. The area now appeared to be completely empty, all human life forms either ended or gone away. Animal and insect life forms abounded, of course, yet nothing of the human remained.

Using the road as a guide, the Rion entity floated in the direction from which the enemy would come. It would be necessary to be fully alert to keep from being detected, as the distance was far too great for any meaningful battle. The closer to its flesh forms, the stronger the entity would be, and it had been clear for some time that the enemy would require all the strength the Rion entity was able to generate. A pity the alternate arrangements were so far unavailable…

The Rion entity floated quickly up the road, and in time it was possible to detect the presence of flesh forms up ahead. Nothing in the way of independent thought could be sensed in the minds of these flesh forms, which told the Rion entity that the first of the enemy had been found. Now was the time to exercise caution, which the Rion entity proceeded to do.

A memory had come to remind the Rion entity that the more it attenuated its being, the less detectable its presence would become. At the same time the Rion entity would find it possible to cover a larger area in its search for knowledge, which was the entire purpose of this foray. It took but a moment to turn thought into deed, and a much larger, thinner entity spread itself and looked about.

The enemy flesh forms were in even greater numbers than those which had been captured by the entity's flesh forms. Twice the number led what appeared to be a procession of sorts, with a matching number following behind. In the midst of the procession was an odd arrangement of five covered litters being carried by four flesh forms apiece, with an additional ten flesh forms walking close beside each of the litters.

Obviously each is a Blending talent with its tandem
link groups
,
the Rion entity heard.
There are, however,
only five of them.

A piece of information definitely worth the having,
the Rion entity replied. It had been the Tamrissa part of the Rion entity which had spoken, just as had happened the previous time.
It would also be valuable to know exactly how strong their entity is, which cannot be known until the entity forms.

It would be unwise to seek knowledge at this time which would bring more harm than benefit,
another part of the Rion entity said, this time the Jovvi part.
It has been perfectly clear that these invaders will be the stronger, possibly only for a time. What benefit in proving what is already known?

No benefit,
the Rion entity replied just as its Tamrissa part agreed in the same manner.
There is nothing further to be done until the enemy has approached a bit more closely. I will now return to my starting point.

The Rion entity flashed back to the village where his flesh forms waited, and then it was Rion alone back inside his own body. He sat up just as the others did, and smiled at the astonishment on Jovvi's face.

"This time it happened to me, too!" Jovvi exclaimed as she looked back and forth between Rion and Tamrissa. "I was the entity, but I heard the two of you speaking inside my head and knew who you were."

"I think I've got another surprise for you," Vallant said to Jovvi with a wry smile. "There wasn't anythin' for me to say so I kept silent, but I definitely heard the rest of you. I was the Blendin' entity, and I heard parts of myself speakin'."

"I'm trying to decide whether to be jealous or relieved," Lorand said as he looked around at the others. "I was also the Blending entity, but I heard nothing in the way of conversation, inner or otherwise. How about you, Naran?"

"I'm in the minority right along with you, Lorand," Naran answered with an odd but reassuring smile. "Have we decided yet what this development means? And did anyone else catch the entity's passing thoughts about how we seem to be missing something? I'm not even certain what it is that we're missing."

"It was something about alternate arrangements and strength," Rion supplied, remembering having had the thought. "I would love to say that I know exactly what that means, but I'm afraid I haven't the slightest idea."

"I do remember, though, what Jovvi said," Tamrissa put in, looking extremely thoughtful. "She said that we knew the invaders would be stronger, 'possibly only for a time.' Is that supposed to mean that there's a way for
us
to be stronger if we're bright enough to figure out how to do it?"

"I think that's exactly what it means," Naran responded slowly before Jovvi could speak, Rion's beloved's distraction showing that she gazed upon things kept hidden from the rest of them. "I didn't really see the point until we were Blended, but now I can remember seeing it. There's a clear possibility that we'll win the ultimate confrontation - but only if we figure out how. The rest of the possibilities show us losing, in some instances even dying."

"And the ones showin' us dyin' aren't the worst," Vallant said grimly, indicating that he, too, remembered the Sight. "If we let those people get their hands on us, they'll use us instead of killin' us. Personally, I'd rather be dead."

Rion waited for someone to protest that outlook, but no one did and that included himself. Rion knew from personal experience that death wasn't the worst that could happen to a person. Being enslaved without the hope of breaking free was worse, and he would never willingly allow that to happen to him again - or stand by while it was being done to his beloved family.

The six of them sat in silence for a short while, and then there were people all about asking if they'd gotten a look at the enemy. Vallant stood and began to tell the others what little they'd seen, and Jovvi rose and headed back toward the cooking fire. She seemed intent on getting another cup of tea, and Lorand had risen and gone with her. Rion was about to follow their example when Naran put a hand on his arm.

"Rion, I need to tell you something that also needs to be passed on to most of the others," Naran murmured, her face showing a smile that suggested she spoke of personal if not intimate things. "When I agreed with Lorand a few minutes ago, I lied. I
was
aware of the inner conversation when we were Blended, but just like Vallant I kept silent because I didn't have what to say."

"Which means that Lorand is the only one of us who hasn't reached this new point," Rion murmured back, fighting to keep from frowning. "Are you able to see anything of significance surrounding the lack?"