It was the first time Kati had seen The Son of Heaven in over eight years. And when she saw him, one look at his aura told her he was extremely ill. Just above his groin the colors were gone, replaced by a grey fog in the energy field, a parasitic mass growing there and slowly draining him. Her first thought was to use her hands on him, funneling purple energy from the gong-shi-jie itself to destroy the mass and prolong his life. But the thought quickly passed, for He was the Emperor, the man responsible for the death of her true mother. She would not help him.
She was sitting on her usual bench, the practice sword in her lap when the Emperor appeared. He followed a phalanx of four troopers, all armed with rifles, and walking beside him was a young boy dressed in a simple black robe, a polymer sword held casually across his chest.
The boy was beautiful: tall, slender, with extraordinarily fine features for a Hansui, giving him a feminine look. His hair hung in two pigtails and he walked proudly erect, knowing she had seen him. She felt his apprehension as she stood and bowed deeply to the Emperor.
"Son of Heaven," she said simply, lowering her eyelashes as she bowed.
The guards stood around them in a semi-circle. "So you are Mengnu," said the Emperor. "The last time I saw you, you were a child. It appears that palace life has been satisfactory for you."
"I'm in your debt for the kind treatment I've received," said Kati, nodding her head and again lowering her eyelashes with the serene smile of a Sheyue.
"This is my son, Shan-lan, who will join you in exercises with Master Yung. I'm told you are a superior student."
"I'm honored, Prince of Shanji," said Kati, bowing to the boy. "I strive to do my best in all things."
Shan-lan was staring at her, transfixed. There was a delicacy about him, a gentleness, and Kati liked him before he spoke a single word.
"You are somewhat more advanced than I," said Shan-lan, "and I hope to learn from you." His voice was soft, like that of a young girl.
The door beside them opened, and Master Yung appeared in his usual white robe. He bowed stiffly to the Emperor, then motioned his two students inside without speaking a word. He closed the door, took them to the center of the room and had them stand facing each other. Shan-lan's aura was golden but dim, a lovely, red fan surrounding his head. A creative person, an artist or a poet, perhaps, but certainly not a warrior. His energy field was weak, as if he hadn't eaten for several hours.
"There is no rank or class here," said Master Yung. "In this room, you are students and nothing more. You will not hold back on any exercise. You will not fear for hurting the other, for if you do, I will work you until the fear is gone. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Master," they said together, then bowing stiffly to each other.
"Very well. Come to sword length."
They stretched forth their swords so that the points were touching.
"First dong! Zhumbei!"
They crouched, arms bent, each blade pointed at the opponent's chest.
"Strike!"
Slash, slash, slash, each aimed at the head, and blocked.
"Second dong! Zhumbei!"
Again, as before. Kati felt his apprehension and fear, yet Shan-lan had done the first exercise well.
"Strike!"
Slash, thrust, disengage, slash, towards head and body. Shan-lan was quick, the disengagement delicate. So why was he afraid?
By the time they finished the tenth dong, the reason was apparent. Shan-lan's energy was draining rapidly. He had no stamina, and on the fourth beat she could have easily disemboweled him with a single thrust-cut, for he was a half-beat behind her.
There was no time for rest in the presence of Master Yung. He handed them the wire-mesh masks for combat-play, and they put them on.
"First dong! Zhumbei!" They moved closer to each other, now.
"Strike!"
Kati struck Shan-lan hard on the mask with her third beat, and felt his surprise.
"Second dong! Zhumbei!"
"Strike!"
Kati slapped his sword hard on the disengagement, and punched him sharply in the chest. The gold in his aura had faded, the red fan about his head now gone, replaced by blue spikes. Shan-lan was exhausted, but hanging on with raw courage.
By the time they reached the seventh dong, Shan-lan was wincing with each blow from her sword, and there was nothing left in him: no apprehension or fear, only shame.
And so she hesitated at beat three to let him catch up. He barely parried her blade, but finished the exercise without being struck by her.
"Again!" said Master Yung.
This time she hesitated on first beat, letting him get a jump on her.
Master Yung stepped up, and put his face right up to her mask.
"AGAIN!"
Now it was Kati who felt shame, and anger, for Master Yung's instructions had been clear and she was not respecting them. A little growl escaped her throat and her face was hot. She crouched, and struck hard at Yung's command, and by the end of the tenth dong her own mind was in agony from the pain caused by all the blows she'd rained down upon the son of the Emperor.
But Master Yung seemed satisfied. "Leave your masks on, but put down your swords, and stand as you are."
Shan-lan was breathing heavily. Blue jets emanated from his knees, his right shoulder and elbow. His strength was gone. But for the moment, Kati could not feel for him. She had shamed herself before Master Yung, and would not do it again, even for this delicate, gentle boy.
Yung went to his shrine, and removed the two crossed swords from the wall there. He handed a sword to each of them. "You have practiced with toys long enough. Now it is time for these, but only at sword's length. Get the feel of them first."
The curved steel blade seemed like a natural extension to her arm, the balance and weight familiar, but the wire-wrapped hilt giving her a firmer grip than with the practice weapon. She held it out, made a few practice slashes with it, and the blade flashed in the light. Not a toy, but like the sword carried by her mother at a Festival in the distant past of another life. The feel of it charged her with energy and excitement. This was a weapon of war, not play. She lost all thought of Shan-lan, as Yung gave his command.
"At sword length. First dong! Zhumbei!"
"Strike!"
She slashed furiously; the flash of gleaming blades, the sound of steel ringing with the shock of impact surged through her like electric current, and she nearly knocked the sword from Shan-lan's grip.
By the third dong, the sword was barely in his hand and his technique was gone, the blade waving wildly to meet hers in pure defense. Suddenly, his point dipped to the floor, and he sank to his knees, head bowed. "I cannot go on," he gasped. "I have no strength left."
Kati could only stand there and feel his shame. But she discovered there was kindness in Master Yung. He helped Shan-lan to his feet and took the sword from him. He put a hand on the boy's shoulder as the mask was removed. Shan-lan looked down at the floor, gasping, his face glistening with sweat.
"You're improving, young Prince, and you will continue to improve. Dedicate yourself to the art, and your father will be proud of you. Please, now, wait outside for your escort. I need to have a word with your opponent here."
Shan-lan bowed to Yung, and to Kati, then walked wearily to the door and closed it behind him.
Kati thought Master Yung might compliment her, but it was not so. He jerked the sword from her hand, his face close before she could even remove her mask.
"If you ever hesitate again, I will have you standing with two swords outstretched for half an hour! Do you hear me?"
"Yes, Master. I'm sorry. I will not do it again."
"You are not here to play, but to prepare yourself, by order of the Moshuguang! I will not accept less than full effort from you! To hesitate in battle is to die!"
"Yes, Master. I will give you everything I have, and more, and I'm shamed by what I did today. I have no excuses for it."
Now his face softened. "You fight well with anger in you. For several moments, I saw a fierceness that is necessary in battle."
"I was not angry, Master."
Yung reached up, pulled the mask from her head, and looked at her with a smile. "Your eye color betrays you. Anger is good, to a certain point, for it gives energy and quickness. Too much of it clouds the judgment. There is a fine line between too little and too much. This you will have to find for yourself. Now go. Your progress is excellent, but you will achieve much more with continued dedication."
Kati left the room as Master Yung returned the swords to their position on the wall. Shan-lan was sitting on the bench, leaning his head against the wall. His face still glistened with sweat, and his eyes were filled with tears he made no effort to hide from her as she sat down beside him.
Kati dared to put a hand on his shoulder. "Master Yung does not lie. You are quite good in your technique, but I think you lack energy. Do you eat before coming to practice?"
"I have little appetite," said Shan-lan. "Food doesn't interest me, and besides, I don't even want to be here."
"So why are you here?"
"My father. I must learn the sword, the bow. I must ride with the guards to impress them with my skills, and stand in court all day to hear the whining of the nobles. I'm interested in none of it."
"But you'll be Emperor someday. You must learn these things."
Shan-lan ignored what she'd said. "Do you know the pagoda above the garden, the one called Stork Nest?"
"Yes. I've been there once."
"I go there as often as I can with paper, inks, paints and brushes. I go there to paint and to write."
"You are an artist," said Kati, not surprised.
"Yes. But there is little time for it. My father prepares me for a throne I do not want or care about. My life is what I do in Stork Nest. It's all I desire."
"I don't have artistic skills," said Kati, "but I admire art, and I read about many things. What do you write?"
Shan-lan looked at her, finally noticing her interest. "Mostly poetry, but now I'm working on a story about a noble family involved in the intrigues of the court."
"You draw upon your own experience?"
"Some things I've seen and heard, yes, but the family is fictional."
"I know that a good artist must experience life," said Kati. "It gives authenticity to their work. Are you aware that Wang Quing-li, our third Emperor, was also a fine artist?"
"Yes. I see his paintings everywhere."
"He was an artist and an Emperor. It was Quing-li who engineered the dome over our city. He assumed his duties, yet continued to pursue the real passion of his life. There are many hours in the day, Shan-lan. You can do both things."
"And what about you?" asked Shan-lan. "The troopers comment about the way you ride, and I've just seen and felt what you can do with a sword. You are Moshuguang. What do they prepare you for?"
It was the first time she'd been called that, and somehow she could not deny it at the moment. She thought quickly, and said, "My purpose is not yet defined, so my preparation is broad. Perhaps I will take Juimoshu's place when she's gone. Someday, I might be serving you, Shan-lan."
He smiled. "I will remember a dream for you to interpret sometime, Mengnu. Do you display art in your quarters?"
"Yes. That is how I know about Quing-li. Lady Weimeng is also an artist, and I have some of her work."
"Would you accept a small painting from me?"
"Oh, yes. I would be honored." The movement of her eyelashes was automatic.
"I will bring something to class for you," he said. Kati felt his emotion, then, a gentle, loving feeling from a gentle person suddenly in her life.
She recovered herself by changing the subject. "Do you like honey cakes?"
"Yes."
"I have a suggestion. Eat three of them just before you come to class each week. If you do this, I think you'll have much more energy for practice. Promise me you'll do this!"
His aura was still weak, but now the red fans had returned. He took her hand from his shoulder, and kissed it, looking into her eyes. Kati was shocked, her heart fluttering.
"You are beautiful and wise, Mengnu. I will do as you say. Ah, my escort returns to take me away to court."
Three troopers were coming towards them. Kati stood up, her hand sliding from his warm grasp. She bowed deeply to Shan-lan, and turned away.
"Mengnu," he said softly, and she turned back to him.
He looked up at her with velvet, brown eyes. "Thank you for being my friend."
Kati smiled, then walked away, trying not to appear rushed. Her heart was still fluttering when she reached her rooms to find Huomeng talking to Sheyue there, waiting for still another tutoring session with the learning machine.
And in the weeks to follow, the honey cakes did their work for Shan-lan, and he gave her three beautiful paintings with pagodas, mountains, and birds.
The love poems came later.
* * *
Mengmoshu met with Mengyao and Juimoshu over a lunch of rice and vegetables served in his office. They discussed the new tunnel to the eastern slope of the mountain, now half-finished, and the security measures to assure access only to the nobles and mountain personnel. And then the topic changed to their Tumatsin ward.
"First Mother was correct in saying further progress awaited the chemical changes in Kati. She now sees the aural mappings in the gong-shi-jie and is able to locate large masses beyond," said Mengmoshu.
"How far has she gone?" asked Mengyao.
Mengmoshu put down his sticks, and wiped his mouth with a moist towel. "First Mother never leaves her side, of course, but Kati has penetrated real space out to the gaseous giants. The next step is Tengri-Nayon itself. We are now only six years from closest approach."
"Yes, but has she tried any energy or mass transfer yet?"
"Not yet. First, she must find her way around."
"But couldn't we perform some short-range tests right here on Shanji? We could give her a small object to move from here to, say, the western plateau she's familiar with, a place by the three peaks."
"I've suggested such a test to First Mother. She tells me that within the gong-shi-jie the aural signature of a large mass has no resolution within itself. One point on a planet, even a small one, cannot be distinguished from another. Kati might transfer mass from this office, but it could end up anywhere on Shanji."
Mengyao shook his head. "Yet Kati returns to herself each time, at a small point in space."
Mengmoshu chuckled. "Even First Mother does not understand the process in herself. Kati goes nowhere in the gong-shi-jie. It is a projection of herself; there is no organ responsible for the phenomena. It is hereditary, Mengyao, from the line of First Mother. A mutation, if you will, somehow related to the tangle of neural networks in these heads of ours."
Mengmoshu put a hand on his own domed forehead and carefully masked his mind. "We are descended from one of First Mother's sons. Kati is somehow descended from both of them. She has the total genetic line of First Mother, but mixed in a new way. She has the powers of First Mother. The only question is, can she go one step further?"
"That is a serious question," said Juimoshu, "and I hope for success, of course. But what if we find that Kati can not transfer even a pebble at infinite speed within the gong-shi-jie? Then we are as isolated as ever, and the problems on our own planet remain. It seems to me we should be talking about Kati's primary task and not something that relies on abilities she might lack. When do you take her to the eastern plains? When do you show her to the people? We only have six years left, Mengmoshu!"
"Within the year," said Mengmoshu. "Kati nags me constantly about it, so her desire is there. But the changes within her are still occurring, and I would like her to mature a bit further before we go everywhere. I'll also be taking her to the Tumatsin, and they must see her as one of their own. She's not yet complete as a Changeling; the fierce countenance of an aroused Tumatsin woman has not appeared on her face."
"She's fifteen, nearly sixteen. It should have happened by now," said Juimoshu.
Mengmoshu shrugged his shoulders. "We must wait for it. But I will take her to Wanchou before then. She is ready to make an impression on the people there. Her healing power could be useful, if she follows her instincts. The people have never met a Tumatsin before, and will see such power as extraordinary."
"They must see her as an emissary from First Mother," said Juimoshu. "They must see her as Empress," said Mengyao, turning to Juimoshu. "How goes the health of The Son of Heaven?"
"The mass within him grows slowly, at his age," said Juimoshu. "Any treatment would kill him, and the doctors have agreed to keep him from the truth. I give him their medicines to keep up his strength, and there is no pain yet. He could last a year, or five. I cannot predict."
"No matter," said Mengyao. "We can control the boy in the interim. The troopers are in our camp, and many of the nobles as well. They all see the decay of the throne, and will support anything new."
Mengmoshu waved a hand in warning. "I don't agree with you, Mengyao. The nobles will support anyone who gives them all they want. They control commerce, and can shut it down in an instant if they're not satisfied. Kati listens to us, but she has her own mind. She is young, and what she sees in Wanchou will be disturbing to her. If Kati is to be Empress, any reforms she makes must also consider the ambitions and desires of the nobles. When the time for change nears, the noble families must also meet her and hear her views. They will be biased by her age, and I worry more about this confrontation than any other."
"I think we're getting way ahead of ourselves," said Juimoshu. "The people come first, and then the nobles. She must unite the people, and this is the will of First Mother."
Mengmoshu chuckled. "You have a way of getting back to the basics," he said. "In the meantime, Kati's theoretical preparation continues at a rapid pace. Her mind is nearly as quick as Huomeng's, and he pushes her hard."
"How are they getting along, personally, I mean?" asked Juimoshu.
"They've become friends," said Mengmoshu, "and have mutual respect for each other. The adversarial times seemed to have passed."
"Nothing more?" asked Juimoshu, a faint smile showing on her wrinkled face.
"You mean romance? I think not. Kati dreams only about Lui-Pang, and Huomeng has become a man with Sheyue. Both girls are on contraceptives, though Kati doesn't know it. Sheyue and Weimeng make sure it's in her tea each day. They are young, and full of hormones, and if things progress too far we can always restrict their time together."
"Spoken like a man," said Juimoshu. "Keeping them apart will only make matters worse. It is better to allow things to take their natural course. Sheyue is lovely, but somewhat empty-headed. Lui-Pang is handsome, but simple. I believe in natural selection, the mating of the best with the best. It will happen, if we don't interfere."
"Huomeng and Kati?" asked Mengyao, grinning.
"That is my hope," Juimoshu said. "Huomeng is the greatest talent to come along since you, Mengmoshu. I wish his father could have lived to see it."
"He was a great scientist," said Mengmoshu. "We owe the flyers and the mag-rails to him."
"Huomeng and Kati," said Mengyao. "I think they would argue each other into an early grave."
"Better to think of the child they might produce," said Juimoshu.
Weimeng was writing at the desk when Kati came into her chambers. Kati walked up behind the woman, and put her arms around her neck, their cheeks touching. "I came to say goodnight, mother."
"So early?" Weimeng put down her pen, and touched Kati's face.
"Yes. Mandughai waits for me."
"Poor dear. They give you barely enough time for sleep. And I wanted so much for you to attend my party. All the best families will be here, and with their sons, I might add. Everyone wants to meet you."
"Another time. I will be in Wanchou with Mengmoshu for at least a week, mother."
Weimeng turned her head, and kissed Kati's cheek. "How I love that word. Do you remember when you first called me that?"
"Yes. I remember both of us crying about it."
Weimeng laughed, and squeezed Kati's arms tightly to her.
There had been a dream, with fire. She was back in the ordu, and her ger was in flames, her family trapped inside. Da and Baber were screaming for help, but the canvas was too heavy, the flames too hot, and she was little again. She threw dirt on the fire, but it did nothing, and the screams of Da and Baber were growing fainter and fainter, until . . .
She must have been screaming in her sleep, and suddenly Weimeng was there, holding her tightly, rocking her like a little child, saying, "Wake up, Mengnu, wake up. It's only a dream. Hush now. Mother is here."
Kati had clung to her, half-awake, said something about the dream, and then, "Oh, mother, I miss them! I miss them so much!"
Weimeng had cried with her for a long time. The word had come out so naturally, for Weimeng was her mother in every way except by blood, loving her, caring for her. Since that night, Kati had not been able to call Weimeng anything but mother, and had felt content with it.
"There will be other parties," said Weimeng, standing up and hugging her, "and many young men to meet. It's not too early to think about suitors, dear. You attract their eyes wherever you go."
"I understand, mother. I will charm them until they cannot eat. I think I charmed Shan-lan after class, today. He kissed my hand."
Weimeng laughed. "Naughty girl. Now, go to First Mother, and I will complete my invitation list."
They kissed, and Kati went back to her rooms to perform the ritual for deliberate, planned contact with Mandughai. She no longer lay on her bed for it, but used a simple shrine. A short, square block of black basalt was always against the wall opposite the foot of her bed. She placed a cushion before it, went to a closet and took out the stone dish, candles, dried sweet grass and incense. She placed the dish on the pedestal, added the grass and incense. The stub candles went on three sides of the dish. She waved her hand slowly over the shrine, drawing energy from only the room, feeling it cool. Candles, grass and incense ignited with a single pass of her hand, the exercise bringing her to a focus deep within herself. She sat down on the cushion, legs crossed, hands folded loosely in her lap. Only after several minutes of staring at the candle-flames did she finally close her eyes.
And was with Mandughai again.
There were no twinkling stars, or purple shimmering curtain, only a flash and Mandughai was there, waiting serenely for her to arrive.
You are prompt.
Yes. You said this was important.
We will be together longer than usual. Today we travel far.
At first, the gong-shi-jie had been only a featureless, purple fog to her, but now it was much more. Everywhere she looked were the signatures of planets and stars, the little vortices of color from blue to red stretching as far as she could see in all directions. Everything seemed compressed in the gong-shi-jie, for Kati knew from her reading that the real-space distances between these objects extended to limits beyond imagination, a great wheel of stars and dust across which light itself crawled at a snail's pace. Even at her position, the boundary of the wheel was not visible in the gong-shi-jie, though she was half-way out from the center of it.
The stars were easiest to locate, their vortices large and colored green to deep red. The planets were most difficult, their signatures small, but Kati was slowly learning to distinguish the different shades of purple and blue that identified them by mass.
Mandughai beckoned to her and she followed, looking back to orient herself on the green vortex of Tengri-Khan, the light purple dimples that were the gaseous giants of its planetary system. Her own vortex burned brightly in deep purple, the way back to the sleeping body awaiting her return.
One alignment was sufficient, for they would only travel for minutes in real time.
But Mandughai first took her to the edge of the wheel.
Do not try to memorize the patterns. Just look, and trust me. I have gone this way many times.
Kati felt relief, for she was quickly confused by the pattern of vortices rushing by her, and so she concentrated on Mandughai's tutorial as they moved.
There. The yellow signature. A race of sentient birds lives there on a world covered with water. The sea provides their needs, and they have no technology to interest us. There are many such worlds.
The faint vortex, deep red; stay away from its center. The mass there is so great that light emitted by the star is red beyond red, and cannot be seen in real space.
Is it dangerous?
Only near the center. The gong-shi-jie is so distorted there you might not be able to return from real space. I have never dared to attempt it.
They drifted. Ahead of them, the pattern of vortices was gradually fading until there was only the gong-shi-jie, but far beyond them were bright specks of light like distant stars. Mandughai pointed to them.
This is the edge of our universe. There's only dust and gas here, but out there are other universes. I've only been to the nearest one, and it's similar to ours. Perhaps there's life there. Each speck of light is a universe; they seem to go on forever. But it will take you a lifetime to explore the one we live in, and that is enough.
Mandughai. What is a lifetime?
It is relative, child. You might live a hundred years, or less. Mandughai has lived three thousand.
Then you aren't human, but a goddess.
I've told you I'm human, Kati, but my image is an illusion in your mind. I show you my ideal of a beautiful Empress. In a few years, you will see me as I am. I'll be returning to Shanji for a short time.
My people have been waiting for you thousands of years! They will be happy to be rid of the Emperor!
Mandughai's lovely face was suddenly serious. They will not be so happy about my return, but there will be a new ruler on Shanji. These things will be revealed to you later, Kati. Now we must go back.
They moved even faster, now, vortices rushing by in a blur. It would take many lifetimes to learn all the patterns here, thought Kati. Mandughai has learned them all. How could she do that and still be human?
It seemed only seconds before they stopped at a vortex that was the green of Mandughai's eyes.
There is life here. Follow me closely, just to the right of center in the vortex.
They dipped into the swirling thing, Mandughai's image close. There was the usual flash as they entered real-space, and behind them the vortex was a small, whirling disk of green.
A monstrous, orange flame rushed through the place she occupied as an ethereal apparition. She looked down, and saw they were close to the surface of an orange star, so close that one of its prominences had just reached out to where they were. The surface of the star roiled with turbulence: swirling storms, protuberances spouting like boiling mud, fans of fire reaching out everywhere from the surface. But it was the jets of matter being ejected from the poles of the star that brought back the memory of a lesson from the learning machine.
The star was Tengri-Nayon.
It's young, and still unpredictable. Life has been an adventure for my people here, but it gets better, and more stable.
Another flame passed through them, carrying dust with it. There was no sense of heat, for there was no body with which to touch or feel.
It is the home star of your people, Kati. Would you like to take a little piece of it with you?
The idea seemed absurd. Even Mandughai was smiling when she said it.
I will hold the sight of it in my mind.
But your mind is here, Kati. It's as if you're in your room, and there are lit candles before you. You can make the flames move, Kati. You can make the flames come to you.
I extend my aura, and the flames come to it, Mandughai. I have no aura here.
Then you must imagine it. Think of it as a gloved hand. When a prominence comes by, reach out, grab a piece of it, and hold on. A piece of Tengri-Nayon to take back with you, even if it is only grains of dust. Try it.
Mandughai was still smiling. A game of imagination? Or a test? So many previous tests had seemed like games at the time. Still, Mandughai had made a request and Kati would honor it as usual. She imagined her own, golden aura surrounding her position and it was there, like a thing seen in a dream. She extended it outwards in a sheet, like a robe billowing in wind, and waited only seconds, for another flame was rushing towards them. She imagined the flame striking her aura, thinking them together as a person thinks a thrown ball going into the hand, and then it was there, a small globe of flame with particles of dust struggling within an aural prison that was only imagination.
I caught it!
Mandughai laughed, and clapped her hands without sound. She was delighted.
Hold tight! We're leaving, now. Keep your focus!
Another flash, and they were in the gong-shi-jie. But the aura was gone, and with it the little ball of gas and dust that was a piece of Tengri-Nayon.
Kati was painfully disappointed. It's gone! It didn't come through with me!
Mandughai smiled. No matter. It was only a game, and we will try it again. Perhaps the transition from real space broke your concentration. But you had it, Kati! It was within your grasp!
Yes, but I lost it. I'm sorry, Mandughai.
The lesson you've learned is most important, dear. You see that your aura is truly with you wherever you go, even without the presence of your body. It is simply not visible to you.
So it had been a test, and that was the lesson to be learned. The use of her aura extended to all of real space, not just to Shanji. And for a brief moment, she had held a piece of a star.
Now the pattern was familiar again: Tengri-Khan, the gaseous giants, the purple vortex leading to herself. The image of Mandughai hovered near it, pointing the way back.
Before you go, there is one more thing.
Yes, Mandughai.
You will go to Wanchou, and the people will ask who you are, and you will tell them you come from me, Kati. You are my emissary to them, for I care about all my people.
I will tell them, Mandughai.
There is more. Your skills are well developed, but now you must apply them. There is harshness in the lives of the people. Wherever you go, I ask you to rely on your instincts for goodness and compassion, and use your skills without inhibition to ease the life of the people. Mengmoshu knows my wishes and will support all that you do.
What am I to do?
You will see it, dear. Now go, with my love. I still think of you as my own daughter.
And you are my First Mother. Goodbye, Mandughai.
Sweet grass, incense, and the flickering flames of three candles; she was back in her rooms, and her back hurt. Her legs were cramped, and when she checked the time she discovered why. She'd been locked stiffly in meditative position for nearly half an hour while traveling the diameter of a galaxy.
She slept restlessly that night, awakened once by pain, and a dream she could not remember. The pain was in her mouth. She licked her lips, and tasted blood, then probed with her tongue around a sore spot inside her lower lip.
Sometime during the night, she'd bitten herself. And there was an unusually large hole there, still bleeding.