Richard Adams - Maia

"Well, anyway: they didn' know what had happened, but they knew I'd put paid to Fornis single-handed, because Zuno told them-that and no more. Santil sent for me and more or less offered me whatever I wanted, within

reason. I said all I wanted were Zai's jewels that Fornis had stolen. The rest I'd do on my own. He gladly gave me all the jewels, every one of them"-Occula touched for a moment the great emerald at her throat-"and then he said that of course I must have a house of my own in the upper city. Well, when I got to thinkin' about it I didn' see why I shouldn'. After all, N'Kasit had got one-and very well-deserved, too, everybody said. Fordil, too, by the way."

"Oh, I'm so glad!" cried Maia. "He was the best of the lot, was old Fordil! If anyone ever deserved honor and glory it was him!" s

"Oh, they come from all over everywhere these days, and pay him thousands to teach them; and he plays for the Thlela, of course. Anyway, Santil did give me a house, and whose d'you think it was? Whose?"

"Never mine?"

Oecuja nodded, smiling. Maia looked at her with tears in her eyes, but whether of joy or sorrow even she herself could not have told.

"You doan' mind, banzi, do you?" asked Occula, with a touch of anxiety.

Maia shook her head. "Does the pantry door still stick? Ogma never could remember to get it fixed. Used to drive me wild, that it did."

"Probably. But tell you the truth, I only lived there until the beginnin' of last Melekril. That was when I joined Shenda and gave up bein' a shearna. We'd both made fortunes, anyway, you see. We're livin' in what used to be Sencho's house: that's a laugh, isn' it? I've changed it completely, of course. You'd hardly recognize it if you went back."

"Oh, do tell me! Every last thing!"

Occula did so, at length and in detail. "Kantza-Merada was still in our old place under the floorboard in the bedroom where we hid her that night-the night of the killin'. Remember?"

Maia nodded. "I'm so glad no one else found her!"

"And I've got Lokris as my saiyett, although, as I said, it's Zuno who really runs the place-specially when we're not there. Only Shenda's been travelin' all over the empire this summer, you see-wherever Santil wants any bar-gainin' or mediatin' done. I rather enjoy it."

"I should just about think you would!" said Maia, re-

calling the triumphant figure riding through the streets that afternoon. "But what about our friends the shearnas, Oc-cula? Do give my love to Nennaunir, won't you? She was always such a good friend to me."

" 'Course I will. She'll be delighted to hear I've seen you again. Well, she's given up bein' a shearna, too, 'cos she married Sednil, you know."

"I always hoped she would. Are they all right?"

"Oh, rather! It was really all along of that four thousand meld you gave the boy for findin' out where your Zen-Kurel had got to. D'you know what he did? He bought himself a share in Sarget's wine business, apd he's never looked back. He's prosperin'."

"Oh, that's just about fine, isn't it? But you mean Sarget really took him-a branded man?"

"Nan told Sarget how unfairly he'd come by the brand: and Sarget said any friend of yours was a friend of his. So you see, banzi, you've gone on doin' good even in your absence. Oh, yes, and that reminds me! Sarget's married Dyphna! What d'you think of that?"

"Dyphna? But Sarget was quite okl-all of forty and more, I reckon! I thought he'd never marry anyone."

"Come right down to it, I think it was the music. Dyphna's got a real feelin' for that, of course. And besides, she's so accomplished and sort of-well, impressive, isn' she? She always put on such a stately sort of act-not like us bouncy girls-you and me, I mean. I think Sarget had come to feel he needed someone classy to match the style of his establishment and do the honors. And I must say she does it very well. Otavis is still in business, though. By Airtha, she's goin' to end up really rich, that girl! She seems to get more beautiful everyday. Theyfairlyfightforher."

"I remember the Belishbans tossing her in a blanket at the barrarz. But Occula, do you know anything about dear old Brero, as used to pull my jekzha? He was always such a good friend."

"You mean senior tryzatt Brero, of the Beklan regiment? Well, do you know, banzi, I never even knew he'd been one of yours! That's because I was shut up in Fornis's house all those months, of course. Never really knew what was goin' on at all; well, only bits here an' there. Everyone who ever made a friend of you ended up lucky, didn'they?"

Suddenly the door opened and Shend-Lador, magnificently dressed in a gold veltron with a scarlet cloak, came

into the room, started to speak to Occula and stopped dead at the sight of Maia.

"Maia! Great Cran, wherever have you sprung from?"

They embraced, Shend-Lador laughing delightedly. He kissed Maia again and again, warmly admired the sleeping Zen-Otal and then inquired after Zen-Kurel (whom he had never met). When he had refilled the goblets and sat down, Maia was obliged to tell her story all over again.

"Poor MerisP'.said Shend-Lador, when she had finished. "But I'm not really surprised. And you say Terebinthia took sixteen thousand meld off you for the boat?"

"Yes, she did. After that I hardly had, anything left, 'cept for my diamonds. But there's no point in getting her into trouble now, Shenda. It's all done and over with."

"Oh, no, Santil wouldn't want to get her into trouble, certainly. But she always was a daylight robber robbing in daylight, and I think it would do her a world of good to have a taste of her own medicine and have to give you back the difference between that and a fair price. What would you say the boat was really worth?"

Maia considered.

"Well, it was a good boat, Shenda. Fact, I'd go so far as to say it was a very good boat. It saved our lives. But it wasn't worth more than eight thousand at the very outside."

Shend-Lador nodded. "Where is your estate-Zen-Kurd's estate? Somewhere up towards the Blue Forest, isn't it?"

Maia told him.

"I'll see you're sent eight thousand meld within the next two months. We won't do anything to Terebinthia, though, so don't worry."

"Eight thousand meld! For me? Oh, Shenda, you are good! Thank you so much! I am grateful!" She kissed him again.

"Sounds as though you could do with it, banzi," said Occula drily.

"Well, 'course I can! What d'you think?"

"What do I think? What do I think?" Occula looked Maia very straight in the eye. "I think, 'Banzi, why doan' you come back?' "

Maia started, looking quickly round at Shend-Lador, who nodded, smiling.

"Come back? Why, whatever d'you mean?"

Occula had risen to her feet and was standing with out-

spread arms. "Bekla's not the same without you, that's what I mean. I'm not the same without you! Lucky, golden Maia! We all miss you; the gods' sweetheart! Your name's still a legend in Bekla and it always will be. They still drink to you and sing songs about you. The Thlela have created one of their sacred dances about your deeds and adventures: did you know that? The best thing that could happen to you and to Bekla would be for you to come back to the city you saved-the city you conquered-the city that's yours by right of the gods!"

Maia stared at her speechlessly. Tears were standing in Occula's eyes.

"Banzi, you doan' look all that well off. D'you think I can't price those clothes you're wearin'-the best clothes you've come up to Keril in? And you're obviously as happy as any steward's wife to be promised eight thousand meld-not that that isn't quite a slice, I'll admit. But the Serrelinda! The sacred luck of the city! A small baron's wife in up-country Katria! You'll end up dull as a cow in afield."