Her answer was a whisper, but I noted with a twinge that even then she tried to keep her thoughts focussed that only I might hear. "There is a Healer (oh hurry it hurts it hurts aaahl), he is helping the bums heal (oh Lady help me oh help oh help) he says I am fevered he has herbs (aaah!) he will give me when he has soothed the burns, I just want to sleep/ get away from the pain. You sound strange, what's wrong?"

''The Council waits upon me. Is there aught I may do for you?"

"Just say my name, so I know my memories are not a fever dream. Please, dear one, dear Kor—"

"Lanen, be silent!" I called sharply. Her sending stopped, thank the Winds. ''Littling, forgive me, but you are weak and your thoughts scatter wide. You must not say my true name, not now.''

Her sending at first was barely audible, a rush and jumble of contrition. "I'm sorry I'm sorry I never meant to oh I'm sorry please forgive me Akor please I'm sorry, don't be angry with me I could not bear it oh! No noo don't touch my hands nonononono aaah!"

Her thought stopped as though cut by a claw. I learned later that she had fainted again. I hoped her silence was no more than the easing of her pain. But I did know that scream—and indeed most of what she said to me—had been heard by everyone at the Council.

Rishkaan, the eldest there and an old adversary of mine, spoke for everyone. "Akhor, what was that? Or who?"

That was my Lady, said my heart, rebuking my cowardice with her bravery. How could I have let such unworthy thoughts live past the moment of their birth? Habit, and old ways, are deeply ingrained in us all; but old patterns can be broken.

We cannot control our thoughts. We can only decide what to do with them.

I called to her, though I knew not if she would hear me.

''Be brave, my Lanen. Thou art truly Lanen Kaelar, dear one, Lanen the Wanderer who has followed her heart to a new country and found it beating in the breast of another. As I am Khordeshkhistriakhor of the Greater Kindred, we are pledged to one another. It is no dream. Be well. I shall be with you as soon as I may."

I could hardly imagine such courage as hers. Even as she lay in her pain, a thousand leagues from home and Kindred, sick and wounded nigh unto death in the service of those who would judge her here, I had heard only the wounded body crying out. It was not until I rebuked her that her soul weakened. All else she could bear.

Like a distant memory, I heard a whisper of the song we had made. Its beauty melted my heart. If I denied her now, I denied myself for all time.

I drew in a breath of Fire. Let them know the solemnity of this occasion.

"Let the Council begin!" I cried, and loosed Fire with my words towards the distant cavern roof. The breath of Fire is sacred to my people, used outside of battle only at those times when we commune with the Winds or consecrate some deed. Let them know that this was consecrate.

"I am Akhor, called the Silver King. I greet ye all, in the name of my ancestors. Ye are well come, my people!"

"All hail, King of the Greater Kindred," they answered as with one voice. It echoed in that place and sounded like the voices of a thousand. My heart wept at the sound, with pride at their strength and sorrow at the knowledge that I might never hear those words again.

"Answer me, Akhor," said Rishkaan impatiently, breaking the formality. "Who was that? Was it the same Gedri who spoke two days past?"

"My people, I have called you here that you might know what I have done, and what has been done by that child of the Gedri whose voice you have just heard cry out in pain, and who called out a warning two nights gone." I stood in Authority. "Know that our lives all are changed henceforth, my people, because of my actions and hers. The Winds blow cold across our times, but truly is it said that back of the winter is the Wind of spring."

There was a great deal of murmuring.

I ignored it.

"My first news is of the clan of Shikrar. Mirazhe has brought forth her youngling, a fine son. Both are at the Birthing Cove and both are well. The Lady Idai stands birth sister to Mirazhe, and Kédra is with them now to dote on his family."

This was news indeed, most unexpected good news. Some laughed as they remembered Shikrar's ostentatious pride in Kédra. Most had known of Mirazhe's distress, one way or another, and many stood in delighted Surprise.

''Is Shikrar not with them?'' someone called.

"He stands Guardian at the Boundary," I replied. "I know his feelings on at least part of the matter I wish to put before you, and I cannot say that of another of our Kindred beside myself and two of those at the Birthing Cove. But I begin at the end of my story."

And in a style I have used a thousand times since, I lifted my head and spoke to the Greater Kindred. I did not know it at the time, but I have been told that my voice changed as I spoke.

It grew deeper and clearer, no louder than before but ringing so as to fill the Great Hall itself.

"Harken well, O my Kindred. I have a tale to tell you of dreams and waking life beyond all imagining, of danger and sacrifice and love beyond all reason.

"Harken, O my people. This is the tale of Lanen and Akhor."

I told them everything.

Everything. From my Weh dreams to our first meeting, her words with Shikrar at our second meeting and his warning. (Much was made of this, that she had truespeech. It was undeniable and still seemed little less than miraculous.) I told of our third meeting, that I had arranged it without the knowledge of any other but that it had saved her life.

With a deep breath and a prayer to the Winds, I spoke then of our reactions to one another, how we had been drawn to each other beyond all reason and beyond all denying. I told of our flight to my Weh chamber, of much that was said, and was about to begin the story of our souls' Flight when some kind Wind blew my thoughts ahead to what their reaction would be at this stage of the tale. Better to save that particular blast of fire for the end, when they knew

her better.

All I gave them of that time was the knowledge that there was more to hear.

Next I told of the Discipline of Clear Thought, and the answer both of the Winds we revere and the Lady of the Gedrishakrim. There was a louder murmuring at that. The Winds had spoken before to our people, but not for many lifetimes. I heard the word ''omen'' muttered around the room. I knew some still saw me as a living omen, with my silver hide.

The events that took me to the Birthing Cove were already known to many. Shikrar had indeed sought me everywhere, and of course Idai had sent the elder females away when she realised they knew no more than she (Idai was eldest after Shikrar and could so command the

others). I was grateful that Idai's voice was not there at that moment, but the duties of birth sister may not be neglected and are most needed just after the birth. She would have her say about me later.

When I told the Council what my Lanen had done for Mirazhe, for Kédra, for the youngling, all murmuring stopped. At first they could not believe that such devotion by one of another race could exist. I felt the first stirrings of doubt, even of disbelief. I had thought of that.

"My people, I call upon Shikrar, Eldest and Keeper of Souls, as witness to this thing beyond belief. Will you take his word as truth?"

They would. All knew that Shikrar was beyond reproach.

He was waiting.

He spoke with us all from the Boundary, using wide-scattered speech that all might hear. He spoke simply and with great reverence for Lanen and took them to the end of the tale, that she lay now so terribly burned and sick and in the hands of her people, hence her cry of pain. He gave then an account of our arrival at the place of Summoning, and seemed almost proud of his part in the proceedings.