The Yellow Silk - Don Bassingthwaite [42]
Veseene's eyebrows rose like pale wings. "Did he?" She released his wrist. "Would you care to explain to me, too?"
Li hesitated. "It is a long story, Veseene. Do you speak Shou?" Veseene shook her head. "Perhaps Tycho could explain it to you later then?"
"Perhaps he could." She cocked her head, though the shaking of her body almost made it look like she was nodding. "I heard what went on Giras's shop."
"Tycho sent me here to buy back what Lander took from me."
"It sounded like a very violent purchase." "Giras forced me to haggle."
A smile creased Veseene's face. "Lander won't be happy about that." Li smiled back.
"Lander," he said, his grip tightening on the scimitar, "is welcome to discuss the matter with me at any time." He nodded toward the water and the dockside district. "I'm supposed to meet Tycho at the Wench's Ease now. Would you like to come with me?"
She shook her head. "I'm on an errand," she said. "Why don't you come with me?" Her arm slipped through his.
The gesture was very easy, very natural, but Li could sense a steel-like will and purpose behind it. "Do I have a choice?"
"No, not really." Veseene began to stroll along the street, pulling Li along more by force of personality than physical strength. Her steps were short and careful over the slippery slush that remained from the night's snowfall. Li frowned and shifted his arm so that he gave her more support. She nodded gratefully. "Thank you. I'm not quite as graceful as I used to be, I'm afraid."
"The young peach tree is beautiful and tender," said Li, "but it bears little fruit."
Veseene smiled again. "You have a certain charm to you, Kuang Li Chien."
"Just call me 'Li,'" he told her. "I regret that it is a borrowed charm-that verse was written by the poet Kar Wuan many centuries ago. I studied it as part of my training for the imperial bureaucracy."
"Knowledge is its own grace," said Veseene. "How do you like that? I made it up just now."
"Truly immortal wisdom."
They walked almost half a block in silence. Every few paces, Li stole a look at Veseene. She was still tall for her advanced age and only a little bit stooped. The tremors that shook her body and rendered her voice strange and wet were really the only sign of the infirmity of years.
Veseene didn't return his glances or even look at him at all, but just kept her eyes on the ground, alert for treacherous footing. When she spoke again, she said, "Tell me the short version of your story, Li."
He hesitated for a moment and told her the essence of his tale. "Pirates on the Sea of Fallen Stars attacked and killed a trading party from my home city a year and a half ago. My brother was spared but taken prisoner. We have heard nothing of him since then. I came west to find him."
"And Brin?"
"Brin was mate of that pirate ship. He is the last survivor of it and may be the only one who knows what happened to my brother. Tycho has agreed to make inquiries and try to arrange a chance for me to talk with Brin."
"Ah," said Veseene. "And you've heard nothing at all from the pirates? No ransom demands?" Li shook his head. "Ah," she said again and they walked a little farther before she added, "Tycho is clever, but he's also a hothead. He doesn't always think things all the way through."
Li stiffened. He glanced at Veseene, but she was still watching the ground as she walked. "Pirates," she continued, "generally don't take prisoners for sport. They take them for ransom. And why take only one prisoner when they could have ransomed the entire trading party?" She looked up finally and met his eyes. "And why," she said bluntly, "do you need a sword if you just want to talk to someone?" Li pressed his lips together. Veseene's eyes narrowed. "You're not telling me-or Tycho-the whole story."
"No," Li admitted tightly. "I'm not. And I can't.