To Storm Heaven - Esther Friesner [45]
“The Lady, who knows all things, knew what Rika’an had told her people and it troubled her,” he said. “She worried that because of Rika’an’s words, the true people would come to serve her out of fear, not out of love. So she herself stepped down onto a high place and there she birthed the Six Mothers, one by one, and one by one she told them, ‘Heal my children of their fears.’ “The First Mother took the shape of fire and plunged into the cracks that Yaro had made in the world and tamed the rocks so that they would be more peaceable.
“The Second Mother took the shape of smoke and blew over the faces of the people and sent them into a deep sleep where there was no fear.
“The Third Mother took the shape of a dream and entered Rika’an’s sleep and told him, ‘Those who joy in the punishments of others will suffer a worse punishment. Teach your people to grieve and to pray for their lost kindred, as you will grieve and pray for them all the rest of your life.’” A fresh cough shook the old man’s shoulders, but he fought it down. “The Fourth Mother took the shape of many dreams ‘and entered the sleep of all the people and told them, ‘When you wake, you will no longer fear the fiery mouth in the sky. That is not the silver ship that carried away your kindred. It is the Gate of Evramur, a holy realm where their spirits live in peace and where your spirts will find them some day.’ “The Fifth Mother took the shape of Rika’an, the first man, and from that one shape made many, all alike. When the people woke up, there was a great darkness over the land. Their eyes could not see any farther ahead than a child can toss a rock. Then the many shapes of Rika’an said, ‘I will lead you to a better place, where the soil is not as generous but where the ground lies still.’ So the people all went in many different directions, in many different groups, each group believing that they alone were following the first man.” The old man stopped and took a dark red leaf out of the pouch at his belt. He rubbed it in a leisurely way across his few remaining teeth until they turned a pale pink. A scent like lemons filled the courtyard while the children fidgeted, waiting for him to resume his story.
Riker took notice of the red leaf. Not n’vashal, that’s for sure, he thought, disappointed. He debated whether he wouldn’t do better to go back into the taproom.
Data might be wondering what had become of them.
Even worse, Data might still be contentedly playing that alien board game and beating all comers. I shouM’ve tom him to lose once in a while. A winning streak that long isn’t normal for anyone but him. It’ll draw attention to us, and that~ something we don’t need. He decided to go check on the android.
“Honored visitor, where are you going?” the old man asked. “I know that you’ve heard this tale many times, from childhood on, but I’d hoped you would find our mountain version different enough to amuse you.” “I’m sorry. It’s not the story or how you’re telling it. It’s just that I remembered something important that I have to—” “Won’t you wait for the end?” The old man’s eyes fixed themselves on Riker’s.
“Of course I will,” the commander heard himself say, and he sat back down hard on the wooden bench, blinking as if someone had just roused him from a daydream.
The old man gave him a warm smile. “Now while all of this had been happening,” he said, “the Sixth Mother was still suckling at the