Slightly embarra.s.sed by this open display of affection, Adesina focused her attention on the city beyond the crowd. There were L'avan everywhere, moving in a strange sort of organized chaos.

There were merchants selling their wares, artisans at work, street performers entertaining groups of children and adults alike. There were also a number of Rashad throughout the city, but as before, none of them had the same coloring as Ravi. Adesina made a mental note to ask him about it when they were alone.

Everything in the city was clean and well kept, but also looked completely natural. The architecture looked as if it had been grown rather than built. The L'avan people wore rich, cheerful colors, and were a happy combination of dignified grace and uninhibited joy. The contrast to the High City was striking.

"Adesina."

She turned in response to her brother's voice. E'nes and Wren'na still had their arms around each other, but they were turned to face her.

He made a sheepish gesture towards his wife. "This is Wren'na," he said unnecessarily. "Wren'na, this is my sister, Adesina."

Wren'na looked at Adesina in shock. She knew the sad story regarding her husband's mother and unborn sister, and could hardly believe what she had heard.

She soon recovered and gave her sister-in-law a warm smile. "Welcome to Pevothem, Adesina. I am so happy to meet you."

Adesina nodded uncertainly. "Thank you."

E'nes whispered something in Wren'na's ear and she turned her attention back to him. They leaned their heads close together, speaking in low voices and occasionally laughing.

The group of travelers were moving towards the center of the city, followed by many of the crowd. In fact, the gathering of people only seemed to grow as they rode onward. When they reached their destination, it felt as if the whole city surrounded them.

They came to a stop in front of a large building made from shimmering white stone. Adesina had to look twice, because at first she mistook it for several large trees whose branches were intricately intertwined. It wasn't until they got closer that she saw the elaborate stairs leading up to a set of large golden doors.

The crowd slowed to a stop, letting the soldiers and Adesina approach the building alone. E'nes kissed his wife again before lowering her to the ground, where she moved to join the ma.s.ses. They all dismounted and moved towards the white stone stairs.

Adesina's apprehension seemed to magnify with each step she took. She scolded herself silently for such weakness, and straightened her back in a show of pride and courage. She ignored all the people staring at her and fixed her gaze on the doors at the top of the stairs.

There were two guards dressed in the same crimson uniform as E'nes and the others. They saw L'iam, who was leading the company, and bowed, opening the doors for them to enter.

The travelers crossed into a long hallway lined with white treelike pillars and guards standing at attention. Light shone in through the high ceilings, brilliantly illuminating the white interior.

There were multicolored banners hung at regular intervals in between the columns, all of them different from each other. The ones closer to the doors were clearly the oldest. Adesina could see the signs of age on the rich fabric, even though they were clearly treated with care. She counted seventeen on each side with the thirty-fifth hanging at the far end of the room to which the hall led.

In that far room there were a number of people dressed in elegant clothing and speaking to each other in low voices. A silence fell over the room as the travelers entered.

Adesina's eyes pa.s.sed over the observers and turned to the figures seated beneath the final banner.

Three white thrones were set there upon a dais. The queen sat on the right, wearing a silk gown of pale blue and a flower-like gold circlet on her white and red hair. She was beautiful, but had the appearance of one who had been ill for a very long time. Her complexion was pale, and there were dark circles underneath her eyes. In spite of the frailty of her physical being, there was a gentle strength in her eyes that both captivating and inspiring.

The king sat in the middle, wearing a dark blue uniform and a leaf-like circlet on his gold and chestnut hair. He seemed to be the opposite of his companion, with a strong expression and aggressively handsome features. He sat on the edge of his seat, as if ready to spring into action.

The chair on the left was empty.

The group came to a halt several feet from the dais. They all bowed and received an acknowledgment in return. L'iam took a step forward to speak.

"I greet their Majesties, King L'unn and Queen Ta'mala, upon returning from the task given to my care. I also come bearing news of the Chief Protector General."

A murmur ran through the room, but King L'unn acted as if they were completely alone. He leaned forward with concern written on his face. "What news?"

"He has been taken by the Shimat."

A stunned silence followed this statement. The king looked at L'iam with penetrating eyes. "You are certain? How did you come to this knowledge?"

The young man hesitated before gesturing to Adesina and answering, "By the confession of the one who captured him."

All eyes turned to Adesina.

She fixed her gaze on the ground and kept her expression stony. What difference did it make if they thought her unfeeling? After what she had done, they would not think kindly of her anyway.

E'nes shifted to stand closer to his sister, giving her his unspoken support.

The king's face was unreadable as he studied the young woman before him. "What is your name, Shimat?"

It took her a moment to find her voice. "Adesina."

His eyes narrowed slightly. "Why have you returned to Yavar when you have so clearly betrayed your people?"

Adesina shook her head. "I did not knowa"

L'iam intervened. "She is not a traitor. That is to say, betrayal was not her intent. She is the lost daughter of Me'shan and E'rian, taken and raised by the Shimat."

The room was suddenly filled with excited whispers.

The king's expression softened marginally. "What do you have to say on your own behalf?"

There was a pause while she searched for the right words. What could she possibly say to justify her actions in their eyes? She looked down at Ravi, who gave her a supportive smile in return.

When Adesina turned back to the king, she felt her shoulders slump ever so slightly. "Nothing, your Majesty."

King L'unn raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Nothing?"

Her brother reached over and took her hand, pressing her fingers with his own. "Your Majesty, my sister did not know she was doing wrong. She was doing her duty, as she had been raised to do. She has since felt deep remorse for her actions and has forsaken her order. I have seen this with my own eyes."

The king's gaze swept over the others standing with them. "Are you the only one to vouch for this change?"

Several heads began shaking, but Sa'jan was the one to speak. "No, your Majesty. We all vouch for her."

Ri'sel's lips tightened and his eyes dropped to the floor. King L'unn took note of this. "Do you not agree, Ri'sel?"

The grim man looked at his niece long and hard. He had hardly spoken to her since their encounter in her cell. Adesina felt no love for him, and was sure he felt the same.

He took a deep breath before speaking. "It is true that she has undergone much in her journey to Pevothem. However, I am still wary of allowing a Shimat in our midst."

L'unn acknowledged his concern with a nod, then he turned his attention back to L'iam. "What say you, my son?"

Adesina's eyes whipped over to L'iam. How could she have missed it before? If the deferential treatment hadn't been enough to indicate L'iam's position, the resemblance between him and the king and queen should have been.

She would have berated herself for her lack of observation, but she was too worried about what he was going to say to his father. If L'iam didn't think she should stay, then it wouldn't matter that the others had vouched for her.

The young prince looked over at her and smiled when he sensed how nervous she was. "I believe that Adesina does not pose a threat to the L'avan."

She could tell that there was something he wasn't saying. The king could also sense it, but chose to not address it at this time. Instead, he got to his feet and slowly walked down the dais, stopping directly in front of Adesina.

He looked deep into her eyes before placing a hand on her shoulder and speaking. "I pardon you for your crimes against the L'avan, Adesina, daughter of Me'shan and E'rian. You are welcome to dwell among us for as long as you wish."

She bowed her head, uncertain what to say. An unexpected surge of relief put a lump in her throat, and the wild hope of finally belonging somewhere danced through her thoughts.

King L'unn turned and climbed the steps back to the throne. "L'iam, I will expect a full report this evening."

This seemed to be an indication that everyone was dismissed. K'eb, Mar'sal and A'asil left immediately. Sa'jan and Ri'sel spoke a few words to L'iam before following. Ravi approached King L'unn and entered into a solemn discussion with him.

E'nes gave Adesina a triumphant smile, but she was too perplexed over her own feelings to return it.

She covered her feelings by scowling at him in exasperation. "When you said that L'iam's father got him the position as leader of your group, I a.s.sumed you meant that his father was a general in the army, not the king!"

Her brother laughed freely at his own joke. "I doubt it would have mattered to you. Besides, L'iam hates being treated differently."

She c.o.c.ked an eyebrow. "Well, he will have to get used to it, will he not? I mean, if he is going to be king himself."

E'nes shook his head. "No, L'iam is not next in line to be king. He has an older brother to take that job. Although," he paused to look around the room, "I do not see L'on here. I cannot think of anything more important than the arrival of his brother that would keep him away."

A girl about Adesina's age separated herself from the group of people standing closest to the thrones and ran to give L'iam a fierce hug. Based on the close resemblance, Adesina a.s.sumed that this was a younger sister.

E'nes, who was still holding Adesina's hand, gave it a gentle squeeze. "Shall we go home?"

"Home?" asked Adesina in confusion.

He stared at her, suddenly unsure. "Yes. I a.s.sumed that you would want to stay with me and Wren'na. If not, there is a small inn not far from here or you could stay at Father's house."

Adesina didn't like the idea of being among strangers or of staying at the home of the man she had captured. She gave E'nes a half smile. "Staying with you would be nice."

He looked both pleased and relieved. "Very well. We should hurry, though. I am sure that Wren'na is anxious to dote on us."

Adesina nodded and followed her brother out of the palace.

Chapter Twenty-nine: Lives in a Prism.

Her brother proved to be right about his wife's reaction to their arrival. Wren'na was a flurry of movement as she put together a meal that would feed twice their number. Adesina tried to offer to help, but Wren'na quickly shook her head.

"No, no! You have had a long journey and deserve a rest. You can have a look around the house, or E'nes can show you where you will be staying. As soon as supper is finished I will draw you a hot bath."

E'nes smiled ruefully and gave a small shrug. Adesina knew it would be futile to argue, and so decided to explore her brother's home.

The arched doorway came to a gentle peak, and the door itself was carved with a beautiful woodland scene. Adesina was amazed by the care that went into every small detail in the city of Yavar. The main room had a fireplace and several comfortable chairs. There was a table where Wren'na was setting up for the meal in the back corner, two strange looking instruments propped up against the wall and an easel with canvas and paints.

Adesina's wandering then took her upstairs. There was a small study with a desk strewn with maps and papers. There was also a small painting of E'rian hung on the wall. Adesina wondered how much the painting looked like her mother during her life. When Adesina had seen her in the Dreams, she was much more brilliant, much more lovely. However, that might have been the influences of the spiritual realm.

There were three bedrooms upstairs. One for E'nes and Wren'na, one for guests and one that was set up with a crib. Adesina was staring at the small bed in disbelief and didn't even hear E'nes walk up behind her.

"What do you think? Does it meet your approval?"

Adesina gestured to the cradle. "Are you going to be a father?"

E'nes smiled wistfully. "Not yet. But we hope to have a child soon."

He beckoned for her to follow him to the guest room. "This is where you will be staying. There is warm water for washing, and Wren'na asked me to tell you that supper will be ready soon."

The room was set up similar to her room in the High City. There was a bed, a desk and a wooden screen behind which she could change her clothes. There was a beautiful painting hung on the wall that depicted a wild lily on the edge of a forest stream. It seemed so real that Adesina felt she could reach out and touch its pedals.

Her eyes drifted to the window. The sun was getting lower on the horizon, giving a warm glow to the city. They were in the northern section of Yavar, which was more residential than the part of the city they entered. The houses were modest and idyllic, with well-tended gardens and occasional domestic animals. Groups of children were running up and down the lanes, shouting and laughing and singing.

The sound of mothers calling their children home to supper and yells of joy when those children saw their fathers arriving home filled the golden air. Lanterns along the street were being lit, and birds were trilling their evening songs from tree branches and rooftops.

Adesina sighed softly and went downstairs to join her brother and his wife for supper. An enticing combinations of scents met her, making her realize how much she had missed Jelana's cooking. E'nes gave a prayer of thanks, and they began their meal.

The tradition of giving a prayer to some sort of deity was something that Adesina had noticed about the L'avan. She knew that there were several different cultures that believed in higher powers, but it surprised her that an advanced race such as the L'avan indulged such beliefs. She had never brought the subject up for discussion, though. She didn't want to offend them with her strong sense of skepticism.

The meal was filled with simple, pleasant conversation. E'nes and Wren'na always included Adesina, but did not require her to speak if she was disinclined. Adesina had antic.i.p.ated feeling like an outsider in her brother's home, but that wasn't the case. Wren'na welcomed her into the family without reserve, treating her as she would her own sister. Adesina felt that, given time, she could truly belong in a place like this.

That night, when Adesina went to bed, she couldn't help but compare the warm contentment she felt now with the dissatisfaction she had felt every night in the Shimat fortress. There was something radically different in how the L'avan chose to live their lives, and it affected her more than what she would have thought possible.

She wanted to belong to these people, and she was willing to work to make that a reality.

Adesina wasn't surprised to see Ravi sitting downstairs speaking with E'nes the next morning. Even in a place he deemed safe enough for her to wander around on her own, he never felt comfortable leaving her alone for too long.

Wren'na walked into the main room, carrying a loaf of fresh bread. She set it on the table along with a small bowl of b.u.t.ter. "Good morning, Adesina. Did you sleep well?"

With a nod, she replied, "Yes, thank you."

E'nes cut the bread into thick slices, putting them on three plates. Wren'na went back into the kitchen to fetch a jug of chilled milk before sitting down for the meal. The bread appeared to have some sort of fruit baked into it, and it was still warm enough to melt the b.u.t.ter that was spread on it.

As they ate, Ravi told Adesina about his evening. "I returned to the Rashad lands to pay my respects to Rajan."

The young woman's brow furrowed. "Who is Rajan?"

"He is the leader of the Rashad," E'nes explained.

Ravi nodded. "The Rashad do not have a conventional form of government, but every generation a new leader is born."

Adesina was amused by how simply he stated it, as if it were the most rational thing in the world. "How do you know when the new leader is born? Who decides?"