Ursula has another talk with Ketko and the confusion continues to grow. Eventually she realizes that they have both made wrong assumptions - and the reality is not what either had imagined, raising yet more questions. Then Ketko makes an unexpected request, causing her to seek out Eriana.

The Voyage of the Visund

A tale of Anmar by Penny Lane

89 - Too Many Moons

Disclaimer: The original characters and plot of this story are the property of the author. No infringement of pre-existing copyright is intended. This story is copyright (c) 2024 Penny Lane. All rights reserved.

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Ursula and Tyra were still sitting in the mess tent when Eriana walked past, saw them and came inside to join them.

"Ah! Ursula, any more news of your patient?"

The reply was a grimace and the comment, "Only more confusion, Eriana. Have you a moment to listen? Quietly?"

"Aye, of course."

Eriana chose to sit next to Ursula and leaned towards her so they could speak quietly. Tyra took the opportunity to glance around, ready to warn the pair if somebody came too close.

"You said that you thought he came from Earth," the Princess continued.

"That is so," Ursula replied. "He says the sun goes around the wrong way, there are too many moons and some of the animals have the wrong number of legs. That is enough to tell me that he is not Anmar-born." She hesitated. "However, what he tells me of the place he came from sounds somewhat peculiar. It is almost as if I am listening to someone who comes from a native population that has not yet been in contact with any outsiders. On Earth, today, this is not possible. It is as though I have stepped a thousand years into the past, when many lands were still unexplored."

Eriana twitched a smile. "Like the days when my people thought they were going to Vinland, I suppose, and ended up in Einnland instead? Could this be like the Norse, then, and be a whole people who the Beings have moved here?"

"I wondered that, but if they had been here that long they would have been in contact with other societies just as the Norse have been, Eriana. And he would not have spoken about animals with the wrong number of legs, they would already have become familiar."

"Ah, as you say. It seems that your mind is better at analyzing these questions than mine are, Ursula."

"If you say so, Eriana. I think he is like me and Maralin, someone who has been dumped here from elsewhere, very probably just for us to find - and for my healing knowledge to save him. I do not know if there is a solid policy but I am guessing that, wherever he is from, you will want him to come with us just as I have done."

"Hmm. I suspect that if we do not bring him with us there will be unfriendly words spoken when we return downstream, do you not agree?"

"I have not met the King of Palarand but I know that Duke Wallesan would disapprove. Now, if that is to be our policy, how do you propose we convince him to come with us? At the moment he seems to be a stubborn individual unwilling to agree to anything."

"A problem." Eriana thought then smiled. "It is easy! You are his healer, he has a mystery disease, you may tell him that although he seems to be recovering, that is so, I deem?"

"It certainly is. The pel appears to have made the difference."

"Peculiar! Still, you may inform him that he is still at risk and should remain with you until you know definitely what may be wrong with him. Is that possible?"

"I can try that approach but I do not know how he will respond, Eriana. And there will be the small matter of travel. I do not know how comfortable he would be on the Visund."

"But you told me he was crew on a barge from Benmond, did you not? The Green Ptuvil will of course accompany us downstream once we depart Bibek. ...Assuming we ever reach Bibek at all!"

"Oh, yes, that is true." Ursula thought a moment and then nodded. "Very well, I will try that approach. How is the work with the galleys progressing?"

"They will finish stripping the good galley before lunchtime, I deem. Some of the boys are already stringing ropes across to the spits to prepare to haul it off the bank. I think we might get that one out into the Sirrel today, it is not stuck so fast. The other one is a different problem as you know. Are you sure that we need it, Ursula?"

"It is there, if we can get it out then it makes sense to me to save it, Eriana. If it proves too difficult then I imagine Lars will be delighted to make another large fire."

Eriana grinned. "Aye! We Norse do like a good blaze. Very well, we will see if it can be saved for you."

"Not for me, Eriana, for the future. It will go to a boatyard in Bibek to be fitted with a steam engine. I think that will be an important experiment for the Navy to do."

"Agreed." Eriana stood. "And now, by your leave, I was headed for the Faral officers' tent. There is a certain rivalry between Faral and Zebrin I must seek to smother."

"Of course, Eriana. And we must be about our own work too. Oh - It seems I have acquired some staff. Zakaros and another Yodan named Ezran are going to become accountants and book-keepers in the Welfare Department. Have you any objection?"

"Two Yodans?" Eriana shrugged. "It was likely to happen, I did not expect it so soon. You are content with both?"

"So far. Ask me again in six months, First Director."

The Princess grinned again. "As you say, Director of Welfare. Much will have changed by then." She gave a nod. "By your leave."

She turned and stalked off. Ursula looked at Tyra.

"Had enough to eat and drink? Shall we go now?"

"I have had enough for now, Mistress. It might be a good idea to take some more of that potion with us, as we are here."

"An excellent idea. Can you manage?"

"Aye, of course, Mistress. I will ask the man who brought the drinks, he was the one I asked this morning."

With Tyra carrying another small jug filled with cold pel, the pair made their way back to the Tent of the Sick. Waiting outside was Kapis, the other Six Cities man.

"Kapis? How are you feeling today?"

"Better every day, Mistress. The good food the Zebrins feed us has made all the difference - so far as I am concerned. I am here to visit my friend and countryman D'Nandis, by your leave. The Faral healer asked me to wait outside, he thought the other man, the strange one, might be asleep."

"He was when we left to go to the mess tent," Ursula told him. "Wait here a moment and I will check inside." Ursula stuck her head through the canvas flap and then returned outside. "They are both awake, you can go inside and speak for a few moments."

Kapis bowed. "Thank you, Mistress." He went inside.

"It is not going to be easy to talk to Ketko with those two inside," Ursula observed. "We'll have to wait until they have finished."

"Mistress? If you recall, earlier today we were on our way to the Green Ptuvil to change our attire."

"Oh yes! Come on, Tyra, maybe they will have cleared a way through by now."

With a word to Sarrik, who happened to emerge to find out who was outside talking, the jug was left on the table inside the tent entrance for later.

The unloading activity around the two galleys seemed to have finished when they arrived. A narrow but usable route had been left between the stripped galley and the collection of equipment and parts that had been removed from both. It was possible to walk through and board the Green Ptuvil so the two did so and hurried below. In the womens' cabin Banest, Larys and Matta were busy sewing while Vellana lay half-dozing on her bunk.

"More clothes? Who for this time?"

"I am making attire for the young man Master Zakaros had with him, Mistress," Banest replied. "I was told that he is to join us, though I know he is a Yodan. Larys makes a uniform tee-shirt and trousers from the green material for Her Highness, Matta makes more underwear for us all." She looked pensive. "You know we are distrustful of Yodans, Mistress. Are there to be more? It may make us very uncomfortable if so."

"These two are not like the ones who imprisoned you, Banest. Zakaros is from a family of moneylenders but became a district commissioner in Yod. Yes, he was a member of the Ascendancy, but that was because he had to be to remain in his job or to find another one. Since he has traveled around with us he has seen that most of what they were told was lies. He has offered his sword both to Her Highness and to myself, which is why I believe he can be trusted."

"A moneylender? That explains much, Mistress. It is well-known among the barge folk that the word of a moneylender is good, since their whole livelihood depends on it. But what of the other one, the young man? I have only seen him from a distance."

"His name is Ezran Inksman, which means that he is a scribe," Ursula explained. "However, he is of..." she thought, "...the same people as Zakaros. Do you know what I mean by that?"

"Oh, yes, Mistress! Among the barge folk they are sometimes spoken of as the 'tribe of moneylenders', since they look somewhat different than most of the Valley folk."

"Different?"

"Indeed, Mistress! Have you not noticed? Their hair is generally lighter in color and wavy while their faces are a particular shape."

No, I had not noticed. It just never occurred to me to find a group of people like that on Anmar! I should have known better after meeting the Norse and then viewing Roman remains.

Banest continued, "They generally do not marry outside their people, unlike most who come here from elsewhere. I thought there was something about him but I was not sure. Ah, so you trust him because he is of that tribe."

"So far, yes. And if he spends time around the rest of us - and the Norse, of course - he should discover that we are good people to be with and behave accordingly." She added, "However, there is a whole crew of Yodans, or what is left of it, from the second galley and I would not be surprised if some of those should choose to join us. After all, many of them cannot return to Yod nor want to. They may not be like the two of the tribe of moneylenders."

"Your word of caution is noted, Mistress." Banest laid her current workpiece down on their crude table. "If there is anything we may do for you or Tyra?"

"We came down here to change, actually. These are the dresses Tyra and I wore yesterday, I originally just slipped mine on to go to the latrine, then became distracted."

"Ha! It happens so easily, Mistress. We will leave you and Tyra to attend to each other."

Ursula turned. "Vellana? Is there something I can help you with?"

The young village girl roused herself and gave Ursula a weak smile. "Thank you no, Mistress, not at the moment. I merely suffer Kalikan this day and prefer to rest through the experience."

"Oh, of course. Yes, take it easy, please. I am sure the others will help you if you need it, but let me know if you think I could assist."

Banest confirmed, "Aye, Mistress, we will, and we will call you should she require anything stronger."

Ursula and Tyra exchanged their ship dresses and underwear for fresh ones. Larys took the old items, folded them and added them to the laundry pile.

"I have a small request," Ursula said.

"Mistress?"

"This ship dress has a front pocket and the other one did not. Would it be possible for a pocket to be added to the other one once it has been washed? I have discovered that these front pockets have become very useful to me as I visit patients."

Banest replied, "Why, of course, Mistress, assuming we can find enough cloth for the purpose. It will be easy enough to cut out and sew."

Larys added, "I would think we have enough for such a task, Banest. I was looking through for pieces to make another tee shirt for Kaldar and I know there are some other large scraps in the bag."

"Then it will be done, Mistress," Banest confirmed.

"Thank you, ladies," Ursula told them. She turned to Tyra. "We had better be going."

"What about the laundry, Mistress? The pile is ever growing and we cannot hang out to dry as we could when we were sailing the river."

"No, it would not be a good idea, would it? Not with all that is going on around us."

As if to confirm her words the Green Ptuvil gave a shudder and then began slightly rocking.

"Come on, we need to go above and see what they are doing!"

On deck the stripped galley hid most of the action but it was plain to see that the other galley had been freed and now floated lightly in Hamalbek Creek. Two lines led from the vessel to either spit and, as they watched, teams of men on each began hauling the galley towards the gap between. Others watched closely as it approached the gap and made sure that it was kept away from either bank using spare oars.

The galley eased between the two spits and then they watched as other lines were thrown up, these led out towards the Sirrel where Zebrin's Pride was stationed. Those lines tightened, the spit lines were cast loose and oars on Zebrin's Pride began hauling the galley bodily through the opening. Once free the stern swung in the current but they were ready for that, swinging the double-hulled galley around to face upstream. Very shortly the two vessels had disappeared behind what was left of the trees on the upstream spit.

"That was easier than I expected," Ursula remarked. "Let us go and see if Bineer Ketko is as easy to deal with!"

When they reached the tent and entered, Kapis stood from where he had been speaking with D'Nandis. He bowed to Ursula.

"Mistress. Thank you for permitting me to visit D'Nandis. I can already see that he is recovering very rapidly from the fever, just as I did."

She nodded. "That is what the two Faral healers told me to expect. Do you want to remain longer? I have no objection if you do."

"Thank you, Mistress, but I should return to the other tent now. Though I managed to walk here I am still weak and desire to rest awhile before lunch. By your leave?"

"Of course." Ursula stood aside and gestured to the exit flap but then frowned. "Your name, it does not seem to me to be of the same kind as that of D'Nandis. Is there some special reason for that?"

The two men shared a glance and then smiled.

D'Nandis explained, "Mistress, it is a distinction of rank, if I may name it that way. Along the Sirrel I am by myself and use my house name, Nandis, as is customary among those of us who travel east. My rank is Doras, since my father is Sanda of the house, and my given name is Yabortarsil."

Kapis added, "I am a Kodas of the house of Soman, a younger son of my father. If I was alone here in the east I might use the name of my house, as D'Nandis does, but I also have a brother and a cousin somewhere in the lands of the Sirrel. Since my house name might thus cause confusion I use a familiar of my full given name which is Kapisandil."

D'Nandis noted, "We have different ranks, it is true, but here in the remote east they are of little consequence. We are merely two wanderers traveling together and treat each other as equals."

Yet another odd ranking system! Is every society I come across going to be unique? I hope not!

"You said you wanted to speak to me later, once you are both well?" The two nodded. "I agree! You will have to sit down with me and explain more completely what you have just told me. I have no idea how the Six Cities operates and what you have just said is very confusing to someone who is not familiar with how your society works."

Kapis grinned at her. "Almost everyone we meet says the same thing, Mistress! That is why we do not usually bother to explain. Since we are just wanderers looking for something interesting to do in the east, the details are not important to possible employers. The fact that we come from the Six Cities, or K'kjand as many name them, is enough to guarantee our honesty and reliability."

"So I have been informed. Can you make your way back to your tent or do you want to rest here instead?"

"I shall go, Mistress." His eyes momentarily slid to Ketko. "D'Nandis tells me you have unfinished business with him, business not for other ears. I will walk slowly and carefully, Mistress."

Kapis bowed and went out through the flap. Ursula turned her attention to the two remaining patients.

"I have to continue my conversation with Ketko," she said, looking at D'Nandis. "Is that going to be a problem for you?"

"No, Mistress. I assume that the same rules apply and I will listen but say nothing to anyone else."

"Have you said anything to Kapis about what we spoke of earlier?"

D'Nandis looked offended. "Mistress, I gave you my word. Just because he is of K'kzembar does not mean I would spill everything to him. You asked for privacy and I respect that."

"I apologize, D'Nandis. This is a peculiar subject for me to talk about and it should not become widely known. Thank you for your patience."

She turned towards Ketko and sat on the next bed facing him. He looked a little better but was still obviously weakened. However, it was he who asked the first question.

"Honored Mother, I have many questions. If what you have told me about other peoples' way of speaking is true, then I wonder if it is possible that I know your language. Is that so?"

"You mean what I spoke at first, when I grew up?" She considered, then realized the answer.

The other day I discovered that I understood some of his babblings and that must mean that he understands my tongue as well... Which tongue, though? Russian? English? German? French? All four? Who knows?

If we could get some kind of sane conversation going this could be an interesting subject for research in the future.

She decided to try him with Russian. «When I was born my parents gave me name of Valeriy Kuznetsov,» she said. «Do you understand what I am saying?»

Ketko looked surprised. "Yes, Honored Mother! I am surprised but I do! Some of the words sounded strange and I did not know some of them, but I understood what you intended to say." He cocked his head. "Honored Mother, that is not the name I have heard you addressed by here. Is this the same reason as that of the two men?"

"Not really. It is complicated. I was given the name Ursula by the men who found me just after I arrived. By the time my memory returned I had become used to it and everyone on the Visund knew it, so it was easier for us all if I kept it." She hesitated before adding, "There could have been possible complications if I had used the name I had on Earth. That part of me no longer exists, I am Ursula now."

He pondered this then asked, "But I have heard you called other things, Honored Mother. Are they also your names?"

"Most of those are titles. Mistress is a courtesy title for many adult women in this society, particularly if you are not known to them. I am occasionally called Healer since that is my profession. I am also called Director since I am in theory in charge of what happens in this camp. How I am addressed usually depends on what I am doing at the time."

He nodded thoughtfully. "I understand. There are times that people in the Horde are known a different way... What is the Visund? I have not heard that word before but there is one of those echoes, an animal?"

"It is the name of the ship that I and the folk I am with are using to travel the river Sirrel," she explained. "The folk aboard it come from a very distant land and do not speak the same tongue the valley folk do. I believe Visund means Bison in their tongue, a large and fierce animal often hunted for food." When she said Bison she heard the word translated into a long description of a large wild hairy herbivore.

She decided to switch languages again to Norse. «Do you understand this tongue? It is very likely that you do. The men I travel with are called Norse and most of them have a lot of hair, some are dark, others red and some even have yellow hair. Our leader is a young woman, a Princess.»

«Another way of speaking! The words sound very different compared to what you said before. Did you say your leader was a Princess? Does that mean she is the daughter of a Queen?»

An odd way of putting it? Something about the rules of his society?

"She is, yes, but her mother died giving birth to a younger child. Then -" Ursula paused. This was no time to be explaining Eriana's complicated life story to someone who probably would not understand most of it. "Never mind, I can explain that later. Princess Eriana has been appointed Head of the Federation Navy, an organization which will eventually run all the official craft in the river and in time beyond in the ocean. I am in charge of one of the departments of the Navy."

Ketko frowned. "Ocean? What is that?"

Oh. 'Sea' and 'ocean' are almost the same thing, of course, and it sounds as if he has no knowledge of either. Do I want to spend the rest of the morning explaining basic geography to someone who will probably not understand most of it?

"A name for the great body of water which lies at the end of the Sirrel," she explained briefly. "It sounds as if I need to explain a lot to you in order for you to understand the place you now live in," she added. "I would prefer to find out where you came from first, since it might make a difference to what you know and what I need to tell you."

Ketko closed his eyes briefly. "That makes sense, Honored Mother. What is it you wish to know?"

"You spoke earlier of mountains and a desert. Do any of your people travel beyond those, or are there people from beyond who come to visit, what did you call it, the Great Plain?"

He considered. "Yes, Honored Mother, occasionally Plains folk do travel beyond, but usually those who do so never return. There are also traders, it is said, who somehow manage to cross the desert and bring strange wares to offer to the hordes who live nearest the desert."

"The desert? The only way in or out is across the desert?"

He frowned. "That is the way that most come and go, Honored Mother. The mountains... it is said that there are low places, ah, lower places, by which one may travel through the mountains to places beyond. Some hardy men have tried these but I do not know of any who managed to reach the other side of the mountains... if indeed the mountains have another side!

"Those who came back told of extreme cold, water that had become solid and winds that sucked the heat out of their bodies. However, one or two have come back from a certain way, I was told, bringing items they have found which could only have been made by people living beyond the mountains. None have ever been seen, though, so it is only a theory."

"Items?"

"Odd shaped containers for food. Tools specially made for use in such conditions, like a kind of wooden pole tipped with a metal not known in the Great Plain. Scraps of a garment made from the hide of a strange creature." He looked at Ursula. "Honored Mother, I have not seen any of these things, only heard about them. You know how descriptions can change with each teller of the tale."

Now I am getting more confused. This sounds like an isolated community but where?

Try something else.

"You said before that the sun goes round the wrong way. Do you have any idea why that might be?"

"I have a theory, Honored Mother," he answered slowly, "but I do not know how to test it. From the way you asked the question I must guess that you know the answer."

"I do. Do you know what shape the world is? Either yours or this one?"

"They are spheres, of course, Honored Mother. Each eclipse of the moons demonstrates that conclusively, but what has that to do with the direction of the sun?"

Wait a moment. Moons, not Moon? But he said earlier - Oh, no! I am guilty of making my own assumptions.

That is not possible! Is it? If so, it would answer a number of questions but raise so many more.

First things first.

"If the world is a sphere then you must be standing somewhere on it. The sphere is spinning, which gives the impression that the sun is passing overhead each day."

"This is so? Our Thinkers of Space have two theories, Honored Mother. One is what you have just said and the other is the opposite, that it is the sun which is traveling around the world. Do you have proof that it is the world which is spinning?"

"The problem with the other theory is that, if it is true, then the rest of the sky must also be turning around the world. The stars do move, do they not?"

He nodded. "Yes. I had not seen it until you mentioned it but that would have to be true. But why should the stars not be turning around the world as well?"

"Each of those stars is actually another sun. Now think about how far away those suns must be to be as faint as they are, and then how fast they would all have to travel to move around the world in a single day - every one keeping in step with every other one. The alternative is a much simpler explanation."

"But... Honored Mother, just how far away must those stars be to be so faint compared with the sun?"

"I am told that the light from some of the nearer stars may take years to reach this world. Some of the stars are much, much further away than that."

He stared at Ursula. "It sounds outrageous but I cannot deny what is now obvious to me. Of course the world must spin rather than the stars. But does this mean that this world spins the opposite way round to Zeniak?"

"That depends on your point of view. If you are standing at one place, the sun appears to move around one way. Stand on the other half of the world and the sun will appear to move across the other way. If you stand near the poles, those are the axis on which the world turns, at certain times the sun may appear to go all the way around the sky, never setting."

His hands came out and he made twisting motions as he attempted to reason things out. Finally he lowered them.

"I am stupid, Honored Mother. What you have just explained is so obvious that I am embarrassed to admit that I did not work the reason out for myself. A Thinker of Spaces! Right now I would barely reach the grade of Seeker."

"Do not forget that you are recovering from a serious illness including a life-threatening fever. That is going to impair your thought processes until you recover your health."

He closed his eyes and sighed. "Honored Mother, I had forgotten that also. What else may I tell you?"

"Tell me the names of your moons, please."

The eyes opened. "But you already know them, Honored Mother. If we are of the same world then you will surely know their names."

Oops. But the names used in the Great Plain will be different, of course.

"The names would be different where I come from. Humor me."

"The large one is named Fostak, the smaller Berret. I do not understand what these names tell you."

"They tell me that I am mistaken, Bineer Ketko, and I must apologize to you if that has added to your confusion. Neither of us was born on Anmar, the world we are both on today, but neither were we born on the same world. My world has only one moon."

"Another world? Seven of seven! How many are there? Honored Mother, are you certain we are not in Ab Karbna? It would make more sense to me!"

"Regrettably not, perhaps. We are both here on Anmar, we are both very much alive, we both have to deal with the world we are now living on."

"So this madness will continue? Honored Mother, will you be my guide in this place? You appear to be more familiar with it than I am, I am in need of instruction."

"I had intended to ask you if you would travel with me anyway, Ketko. Your reaction to the fever was not like that of the other two men and I suspect it was a different disease. I would prefer you to remain near me for now so that I can make sure I am providing the correct care and attention to you. Would you do that?"

"Travel with you?" He gave the faint impression of a shrug. "On that ship, the Visund? I see no reason why I should not, Honored Mother. I am rootless in this world, travel with you will be as good as travel in any other direction." He turned his head. "Intending no insult to you, D'Nandis."

"We have no claim on each other, Ketko," D'Nandis replied. "I am not insulted that you choose to go another way, especially after what we three have suffered in this place." He smiled. "But I doubt that you have seen the last of us, since I am almost certain Kapis and I will also be traveling with Mistress Ursula when we leave here."

"You will? I would be honored by your company... if the Honored Mother agrees."

"Now, wait a moment..."

Ursula stopped and thought. We always thought we would be picking up more crew from here but this is unexpected. None of these are fit yet, where are we going to put them all? After I leave here I need a long talk with Eriana and the others. Her 'fleet' is growing and it needs some organization and planning.

"Very well, but I will have to speak with Her Highness first. We expected to find more crew here but I think we need to make some plans first."

Ketko asked, "Her Highness? Who is that?"

"That is the original title of Princess Eriana. When there is a King or Queen then their children are usually addressed as His or Her Highness."

"But you said her Mother was dead. Does she then rule in this strange place?"

Ursula sighed. "It is a long story, most of which I suspect you would struggle to understand until you know more about how the lands along the Sirrel function. Let me just say that she argued with her father and ran away. Another King, in a land named Palarand, has taken her in and it is he who has commissioned the Visund to explore along the river."

"A King? Does he answer to a Queen?"

More surreal questions! The phrasing is strange, perhaps it is something to do with the grammar of his own tongue? Yes, King Robanar must have a Queen since it is his son who was wed to Princess Garia.

"So far as I know there is a Queen, yes, but Princess Eriana's position as Head of the Navy is different, it is not subordinate to Palarand but to a Federation of almost all the lands along the Sirrel from here to the... ocean."

We must have that talk and soon!

She could see Ketko gradually working his way through the information she had just given him. Given the society he had told her he came from, many of the concepts she had spoken of would be completely alien to him.

He did not look happy. "I have many questions, Honored Mother."

"I know. I do not think you are well enough yet to be able to understand the answers, though. I know that it is frustrating but I ask you to wait until you are healthy again and we have moved on from Hamalbek."

Ketko already looked frustrated but she could see that he was beginning to accept his situation.

"Your words are my instructions, Honored Mother."

A minor item that had been bothering her made her ask, "There is one small matter you could explain to me. Everybody here in the valley of the Sirrel drinks hot pel but you. Could you tell me the reason why you do not?"

"Hot water is poisonous, Honored Mother. I thought everyone knew that! I cannot understand why you do not all die."

"What?" Feeling out of her depth, she asked cautiously, "When you say 'hot water', what do you mean?"

"Why, water that comes out of the rocks, of course. When it is cold it is usually safe to drink, though it sometimes has a funny taste. When it is hot, though, even if it is cool enough to put a finger in, it is poison and should be avoided."

"Oh, you mean hot springs? Yes, the water from some can have strange chemicals in it, some of them may even be poisonous. But do you not know that we do not drink water from hot springs here? The water is brought from wells or the river and heated in kettles. It is perfectly safe to drink."

He stared at her. "You are saying that heating the water does not make it poisonous? Can it be so? I did not know that!"

"It is true. You cannot make water poisonous just by heating it. How do you think all our meals are prepared? Many of the vegetables are cooked by boiling them in water."

"I thought - I thought food was cooked the same way we did it on Zeniak, in an oven, on an open grill or in front of a fire. Boiled? And I am not poisoned? I do not understand this world!"

He tried to raise his hands in frustration but then sank back onto his pillows.

"I think it is time I left you to rest," she said. "It seems to me that I have talked too much and worn you out. Rest now until lunch is brought. I will return later in the afternoon, once we have had our nap. If there is any problem, speak to one of the other healers and they will fetch me."

"Your words are my instructions, Honored Mother."

That is beginning to sound like a formal response, she thought. I suspect that, although we can now talk to each other, there is still a gulf of understanding between us.

She stood and turned to Tyra. "Let's go and find Her Highness. Life just got more complicated."

With a nod to D'Nandis she led the way out. A word to Sarrik, who was in the vestibule, and then they were out on the catwalk again.

"Do you know what time it is? We need to get out of this sun but I want to find Her Highness before lunch, if that is possible."

"I do not, Mistress. I have not heard a clock since we departed Zebrin City and, even then, I could not tell the bells properly. If we should try the mess tent? Even if she is not there we would learn how close it is to lunchtime."

"Good thinking."

Eriana was not in the mess tent but Overluten Vembro informed her that they were already preparing lunch and, should she and her assistant freshen themselves in the facilities, then food would likely be ready when they returned. They did so and returned to find Eriana speaking with Vikzas on an otherwise empty table.

"Ursula! If you would join us. How is your patient?"

"We can have a conversation now, Director, but he is still very weak. Unfortunately what he has told me is so strange I admit that I am not sure I understand most of it."

Eriana smiled. "You who can speak many languages, Ursula, if you cannot understand him what hope do the rest of us have? But you have news, I deem."

"I do, Director." Ursula deliberately looked around to make sure they were not overheard. "Firstly, what I am about to say must not be spoken of to anyone else, and, Marshal, I trust you will not repeat it either."

"By my oath, Director."

Tyra said, "Heard and witnessed."

"Is this about the world you came from?"

Ursula grimaced. "Marshal, it is and it is not. Bineer Ketko has come to Anmar from another world, probably the same way I did. The problem is that he did not come from my world, Earth, but somewhere else entirely which his people name Zeniak."

"Gods!" Eriana's voice was low but she was still surprised. "Yet another world? You are certain of this, Ursula?"

"Yes. His world has two moons, not one like that of Earth or the three that Anmar has, and there are other indicators which made me suspect that he was not from Earth." She remembered a comment. "Oh, when he spoke of animals having the wrong number of legs I naturally assumed he meant they had more than four, since Earth animals only have four legs. I now think that he actually meant it the other way around, on Zeniak all animals have six legs and that suggests his world is where the six-legged animals on Anmar may have come from."

"Ah! That is interesting, Ursula."

"He has two names which are the other way round to the customs I see in the Great Valley," she continued. "There is some kind of grouping like that of a clan or enlarged family," her listeners both nodded, "which in his case is named Bineer. His given name, perhaps, is Ketko. He lives in an isolated community of seven peoples he names Hordes in a great plain surrounded by mountains and desert. Each Horde lives along one of seven rivers, all of which empty into a central lake that sounds like it is salty. They have a little contact with outsiders. What he is doing on Anmar I have no idea."

Vikzas asked, "Does he have some kind of trade or specialty that might be of use to us, just as you have brought us your healing knowledge?"

"I do not know, Marshal. He calls himself a 'Thinker of Spaces, Savant Grade', but what that is I have no idea."

Eriana asked, "Will he consent to travel with us, do you know?"

"He actually asked me if he could come with us, Director. He feels so lost on this strange world that he wants me to help him come to terms with his new life. That suits us completely but introduces other problems to solve. He is too ill to do much yet and there will be no room on the Green Ptuvil for an invalid."

Eriana and Vikzas glanced at each other. "We have been discussing that very thing, Ursula," Eriana replied. "It is plain that some of the released folk here desire to join our efforts and no-one can be left at Hamalbek when the season of rain begins. We also know that some of those who must travel are weak and need the attention of someone like you, which means we must needs borrow or requisition another barge the same way we did with the Green Ptuvil."

Ursula nodded. "An excellent idea, Director. Would you consider using one of those galleys, or perhaps that ferry?"

Vikzas answered, shaking his head. "No, Director. Galleys require sufficient crew to row them and the only practical space for such passengers is the upper deck. Getting injured and weak men on and off such a galley's deck would not be easy, especially out in the river. The Zoon ferry has returned to its normal duties and has been replaced by a Faral galley and a number of cutters. That is why we are looking at the barges that are left here."

Eriana added, "One which we are considering is the one the pirates used to hide the channel. It is large, the sail and main boom have long gone but it still has a mast and a loading boom the pirates used to load and unload the pretend trees used to conceal Hamalbek. I am told it may not be too difficult to replace the sail and rigging."

Vikzas looked aside and gave them both a warning glance. "Here come some of the others. If we should leave further mention of the Director's patient for later, First Director."

"Of course, Marshal. Now that Ursula is here we have many other things to discuss over lunch."