Curtain Fall Chapter 23

Adrasteia, Carol, and Turi (who had attached herself to the pair with fervor) had freshened up in preparation for the coming feast. Turi explained that the coming dinner was going to be especially lavish as Darsaltheer, the remaining High Mother of the third city-state, Retnalpas, would also be attending. It appeared that all three High Mothers were planning to meet for two major purposes, first to meet Adrasteia. The second would be to continue discussions about how to interact with Humans.

“Why me?”, Adra asked, “I understand I’m new to your land, but I’m just one person.”

Turi chuckled and proceeded to explain that she was something that had never been seen before. Never had the Tarneeran people seen what the “Ripping” had done to her before. Never had someone been changed so dramatically! Seeing confusion, Turi continued and informed Adra and Carol that the only affect the “Ripping” had had for them was to physically vanish people or very occasionally slightly enhance their mental prowess.

This led the pair to explain that humans had been far more affected. They explained that while many had also vanished, many others had been physically transformed in random and often frightening or lethal ways. They related some of the people they’d seen at the hospital in the first days. They also explained that a very few, like Adrasteia, had been given abilities that defied rational understanding. Carol, in way of illustrating, and almost like a fan-girl regaled Turi with the story of how Adra had run into and been forced to fight two super powered criminals in an effort to protect her friends who were threatened one night. Gushing, she told how Adrasteia had stopped both a man who was supernaturally strong and invulnerable and an incredible pyrokenetic in an effort to stop them from hurting innocents.

Turi was amazed and wondered just how many of these “supers” were amongst Humanity. The couple explained that while they existed, popular belief was that the number was extremely small, maybe 1 or 2 per one hundred thousand gained any power of note. Even though the number was so small they along with those with some, if minor, power still had caused upheavals in the corridors of power. The world had become a “comic book” and governments and societies were still scrambling to come to terms with it.

Trying to grasp this led Turi to wonder how human governments viewed the Tarneerans then. Adrasteia nodded gravely and explained that was why they were so cautious and concerned. Tarneera was a land of people filled to the brim with “supernatural” abilities.

Turi looked at Adra and earnestly asserted, “You must explain this to the Mothers! If they are made to understand this, many misunderstandings might be avoided.”

With that advice, the three were ushered into the banquet after being announced. They entered the suddenly silent hall and Adrasteia and Carol stepped forward again and curtseyed to the three High Mothers standing up from their seats. Kadrapraba was on the left of Anarra and Darsaltheer on her right.

Adrasteia could feel the welcome from Anarra and the wary alertness from Kadrapraba. From Darsaltheer, she could feel carefulness and a skeptical curiosity. “Mothers,” Adrasteia said as she lowered, “I am honored that you have invited my partner and me to join you in this dinner! I can only hope that our time together will pleasant, and that I might answer all your questions.”

The two settled into their seats easily as there was no repeat of the power plays that had been seen in Kadrapraba’s original meeting with Adrasteia. Adra could feel wry amusement flowing from Anarra and the puzzled curiosity that comes from someone who knows they’ve missed some sub-context from Darsaltheer.

The food was quite enjoyable if decidedly unfamiliar to Adrasteia and she found herself enjoying the meal. Conversation was light and primarily focused on explaining to Darsaltheer just who she was. The High Mother, while initially skeptical of Adrasteia’s non-Tarneeran nature found the fact that both Anarra and Kadrapraba seemed to accept this premise so she made no issue of it. As the meal ended, Adrasteia had entered into a description of effects that the “Ripping” had imparted to Humanity and their responses to it. This’d provoked a spirited discussion on the differences between the effects seen in humans and the People.

Kadrapraba attempted to steer the discussions into an analysis of Humanity’s ‘common’ response to the unknown and the different. In this she attempted to maneuver Adrasteia into supporting or even corroborating her concerns, but Adrasteia attempted to sidestep and avoid lending weight to the High Mother’s concerns.

“I would think that the unknown is a common seed that fear grows from Mother.”, Adrasteia said in response to Kadrapraba’s suggestion that humans feared what they didn’t understand, “I would even suggest that your people, even you yourself, might be prone to harvest that seed.” Adrasteia could feel the Mother’s carefully controlled irritation at her rebuttal. “In point of fact, are you not at this very moment allowing your incomplete understanding of humans to frighten you?” Ignoring the leaking frustration from the Mother, she paused a moment and stood while grabbing two pieces of bread. One she moved over a flame on the table so that the bread began to burn and char. Once ruined, she placed both pieces on the table close to the Mothers using her mind. She watched the three women’s eyes widen in surprise and shock. “Which piece to you smell most easily?”, she asked looking at Darsaltheer.

In a voice that betrayed her shock she replied, “The burnt piece of course.”

Adrasteia nodded and responded, “Yes, because things that are charred in this way are less nutritious or even dangerous. It is a natural response to a potential threat.” She looked at all three. “If we find something relatively innocuous like this potentially repellent and noticeable, is it difficult to understand that one might be wary of other potential threats? That humans might be wary of you and alert to dangers you might present?”

She gestured around the room. “Just over a year ago your people appeared out of nowhere. You completely changed the landscape. Almost immediately upon appearing you erected a barrier that seems largely impervious and have hidden behind it. All humans knew was that you could do something they can’t, and when they try to learn of you they see men with weapons. What would you have concluded in their place?”

“What of the human history of atrocities? Their wars?”, challenged Kadrapraba.

Adrasteia looked down, “I can’t deny we have fought horrible wars. That humans have done monstrous things. Are Tarneeran hands so clean of historical blood? The very label of ‘empire’ suggests that your people engaged in wars of conquest in the past.”

She looked up again and spoke with conviction, “No I suspect that all our hands have blood on them. It falls then to humans and Tarneeran alike to find ways to avoid rushing to conclusions and rise above our lack of knowledge. If anything, your people are far better equipped, are you not, to know when humans are fearful. Can you not work to diffuse those fears?”

The discussion bounced back and forth for quite a while with little resolved, and the evening concluded with no consensus. As Adrasteia and Carol retired, she bemoaned the levels of ignorance both humanity and the People had of the other. Hearing this, Turi suggested that Adra should begin rectifying that by having Turi introduce her to the people of the city, both great and humble. Even weary, Adra agreed and they made plans to begin touring the city in the morning.

Morning came brightly and after gathering for a morning meal Adrasteia and Turi changed into comfortable gowns and left the palace to begin walking the city. Carol stayed behind and with a few of the others in the palace and began sessions in intensive training in the Tarneeran language.

The market in a number of connected squares of the city was a mass of activity. Everywhere she looked, Adrasteia saw men and women busily buying and selling. Often there would be children running underfoot as well. Adra found it quite similar to what she’d seen in a large human farmer’s market, save that many items other than just food could be found. In a way it felt as if Adra had stepped back centuries to when the concept of a grocery hadn’t become common place. ‘It’s almost feels like those renaissance fairs I’d go to when in college!’, she thought to herself.

Adra found herself struck by behavior of the people. It seemed at first that social niceties were less evident save for smiles and frowns. ‘I guess when people can feel what others are feeling there isn’t as great a need for the meaningless banter and casual conversation that make up a large part of human social interactions.’ Haggling was also relatively uncommon save for a very few exchanges. The buyer could often tell when seller offered a price they felt fair and the seller could tell when the public felt something was too expensive.

What she also didn’t see was evidence of pickpockets. Such wasn’t likely when you could feel the intent of the prospective criminal. Theft did exist, but it was primarily the young who stole as their moral foundations were still developing and they could confuse themselves that they could “pull one over” their elders or didn’t yet understand that stealing was wrong.

Adra witnessed how the common folk dealt with the upper classes as well. There was definitely a class system to be seen. The commoners were comprised of individuals with less profound mental abilities. Just as Adra could feel the power of the Mothers from casual exposure, so could she see the average woman in the street could feel the strength of those they dealt with and adjusted their behavior appropriately. Those of power were definitely offered more respect and deference. She experienced it directly herself when she stepped into a clothiers tent. She had been wandering with Turi, finding the background noise of all the people strangely soothing and relaxing, but had stepped away when she’d seen a crimson gown inside a tent.

Upon entering the tented space she found 3 women who suddenly stopped speaking and gazed at Adrasteia with shocked amazement. Two were customers and the remainder a vendor who had been chatting about a sea green shawl. All now stood with wide eyes.

“M- may I help you my Lady?”, the vendor not engaged with the other customer asked with an awed murmur.

Sensing the nervous wonder of the others, Adrasteia blushed with embarrassment and wondered for a second if she was dressed inappropriately or had some food on her cheek or something. “Please don’t stop what you are doing, I was just struck by the red gown I thought I saw hanging. Can I.. May I look at it?”

Recovering from her initial surprise, the seamstress smiled and with a quick curtesy gestured to the gown, “Certainly my Lady! Let me show it to you.” She moved over to the display.

Adrasteia followed and stepped up. She started to reach but paused and looked at the vendor, “May I?”, she inquired and again felt a burst of astonishment from those around her.

“Of course my Lady.”

Adrasteia smiled and reached out to touch the dress. It was a deep crimson that at first looked heavy but at a touch was revealed to be incredibly soft and light. Shimmering almost like silk I t went down to the ankle and featured a plunging front. The arms would be exposed almost to the shoulder. It was the right length for her but was obviously cut for a larger figure. The neck of the dress rose up from behind to terminate in almost a choker of the fabric.

“Oooh it’s beautiful!”, Adra gushed almost guiltily (she had let her growing feminine tastes out). She suspected that with only minor changes, it could be perfect. Then she remembered she had no money. Biting her lower lip she let go of the gown so that it dangled freely on the hanger once again. Regretfully, she sighed, “I’m afraid I’ve no money my lady with which to buy it.” Again the wondering surprise.

“Are you not of the palace?”, the seamstress asked.

“I’m uh, a guest there. I don’t liver there.”

“Well then, I’m certain something can be arranged!”, Kashvi the seamstress replied. ‘So this lady is from one of the other cities.’, she thought, ‘That is why I’ve not seen her before!’ “Wait a moment and I’ll call my beloved to begin the alterations!”

Just as Adra was about to stop her Turi entered the booth. Her face relaxed when she saw Jill. “I feared you’d become lost; please don’t wander off like that!”, she said in English, “I’d started to worry what trouble you might have gotten into.” When she spotted the dress, however, she nodded. “Ah! I see the reason now; In your visions, you favor red. You do love red don’t you!”

Jill giggled with embarrassment, “I just couldn’t help it! It’s gorgeous!”

Turi called out to the vendor, “What ever she desires.”

Seeing who had just joined with Adra, Kashvi quickly curtsied, “Of course Lady Turi!” Suddenly Kashvi froze. Looking between Adra and Turi the woman’s eyes grew wide as saucers and she said quietly to herself, “By the Gods! Asha!?”. More loudly, “You are young Asha?”

Understanding the mistake, Adra quickly glanced back to Kashvi, “Oh no! I am not Turi’s child. I am known as Adrasteia. I look a great deal like Tori’s daughter, but I am not her.” Kashvi would have insisted but she felt the conviction of Adrasteia’s statement and felt it reinforced by Turi.

Kashvi then pushed on, “As you say my Lady;”, then added, “I am Kashvi.” She then called out to someone behind the screens and in limped a very thin older man, who stepped up to Kashvi and gave her a quick kiss. “You need my help, love?”

She then told him the dress needed to be adjusted to properly fit Adrasteia. The man, Manru, instructed her to strip so that he could make modifications to the dress while she wore it. After flushing beet red, projecting her embarrassment to those in the chamber to the puzzlement of all Tarneerans present, Adrasteia explained to Turi that amongst humans, such a casual display of nudity between humans was normally frowned upon. This was greeted with puzzlement by Turi. She was confused by the weight of the sexual expectations this might raise in humans. Once understanding, however, Turi laughed and assured her that the concern was unnecessary. The statement ‘It’s just sexual attraction’ made it clear that since Tarneerans could empathically sense the desire of others even without visual cues meant that nudity meant little. It was the reciprocal emotional attraction that was more important in Tarneeran society. Men supplied n’dmi me‘a to women anyway; very often through the sexual act so the importance of casual physical attraction was greatly reduced. Still blushing Adra complied.

She put the dress on and Manru started measuring and making adjustments all the while making pleasant conversation. He and Kashvi had the easy back and forth of long time couples. This inspite of the fact that Manru appeared quite old in comparison to Kashvi, who just looked to be in what a human would have looked like if in their late 40’s.

While he worked, Adra tried to wrap her mind around the “May/December” arrangement that the tailors seemed to enjoy. She mentioned her thoughts to Turi and she explained that her perception of the age difference between the two was misleading. They were likely contemporaries. Women simply aged more slowly than men. Adra was shocked by this but found that it explained why the society was so clearly matriarchal. If women were empathic and lived longer then it was no surprise that they would tend to hold more positions of power.

After a while, Manru completed his part. He assured It would be ready that night. Adra then disrobed and put her original clothes back on and he turned to leave.

Noticing the limp again, she reached out and touched the man asking, “You’re limping. I have some skill at healing. Is there anything I might do?” After she spoke she felt a sense of surprise, mild humor and resignation from the man. He smiled and responded it wasn’t necessary. It was just his body wearing out. He was an old man and it was a natural sign of aging.

Adrasteia smiled and nodded. “Still, please let me help ease your aches a bit.”

With wonder coming from all save Turi, she sat him down and knelt next to him. How long have you two been bonded?”, she asked as she looked between his mate and his partner.

“185 years.”, he replied with a warm glow in spite of his and Kashvi’s shock that she knelt before them.

Now it was Adra’s turn to tightly control her shock. ‘Good Lord! I forgot how long these people live!’ “They must have been wonderful years.”, she said with amazement. She gently reached up and took his hands in her’s, “Let me at least ease your aches...”

With that she closed her eyes and focused on the man. She could feel his wonder and beneath it the gentle force of his n’dmi me'a, dimmed by time and age. Perhaps if she pushed some energy into him it would spur a bit of healing in his arthritic joints? She concentrated as she had done in the infirmary and again the jewel in her forehead began to glow.

The women around her gasped in amazement as the stone lit from within and Manru’s eyes rolled up as he let out a moan of pleasure. His body tensed up and began trembling; as if he was approaching the peak of physical pleasure. He stayed rigid for a moment more and then slumped back in his seat as Adrasteia let her hands drop away.

“Nu amin aute!” (Oh my goddess!), Manru breathlessly gasped. “I’ve never felt anything like that in my life! No healing has ever felt like that!”

As Manru slumped back Kashvi dashed to her mate. He pulled her off her feet and into his arms as he kissed her with a passion that even the Tarneerans might blush at. When they finally broke for air, he looked at Adrasteia and all in the tent could feel the waves of amazement and gratitude. There was a vibrancy to his emotions that had not been there before. “Thank you My Lady! I can never repay you for this gift!”

Basking in the gratitude, Adrasteia simply said, “I hope that will give you some relief. I don’t know for how long, but enjoy it while you can.” At Turi’s urging, Adra and she retired from the tent and continued their walk around the market. As they moved away Turi asked what she had done. Adra replied that she simply pushed some of her energy into Manru, much like she’d done in the infirmary. Lacking a specific injury she just let the light flow through him.

Word of the strange healing quickly spread through the crowds; spread by the two unnamed customers and Adra quickly found herself the target of amazement and curiosity.

Turi found herself chuckling with amazement, “You can’t go anywhere without turning things on their head can you?”

Confused Adra asked, “I don’t understand, he was in pain. I felt it was the least I could do to help him. He and his mate are making that dress for me after all!”

Turi stopped her and responded in English, “You spoke and acted humbly towards a lesser; and you gave him an amazing healing for just a dress!” She laughed with disbelief, “You knelt before him! That is unheard of!”

Adra thought about it and realized with a bit of shock that she must have blundered through a number of social walls. She looked around her at the many people who looked at her. “Did I cause more problems? Break a law?”

Turi smiled more fully and shook her head, “No you’ve broken no laws. You should understand, however:

You, even with what little you let slip of the shear force of your n’dmi, clearly are of the highest in our society. Even as you try and suppress it, that control gives you away. You look like us; like my daughter. You speak our language now like one of us. Everyone will look at you with expectations of a native of the highest status. For all this, you’ve been treating all around you as equals! Rarely is that seen. It will drawl attention, both good and bad.”

“Good and bad?”

“Well, I suspect you are making yourself a bit of a hero amongst the commons, and that will probably upset some of the higher strata. Deigning to treat the commons with humility? That might threaten their proper authority in some eyes.”, Turi explained. As if to illustrate this, Adrasteia felt the the disapproval of a woman of high status who had come to investigate the woman who was creating the talk of many in the market.

“Well, frick!”, Adra said with some irritation, “Well I guess people are people everywhere.” She’d hoped that kind of power-tripping might be different in a society of people who could feel what others felt, but she began to realize it might be worse here as responses in such actions couldn’t be easily hidden.

Turi and Adrasteia spent several hours more wandering amongst the commons and Adrasteia on more than one occasion found herself in conversations with vendors and others. They seemed to find her genuine interest in their lives quite startling. It was not that they found the ruling classes threatening or oppressive, Adrasteia discovered, just that there was a divide that was rarely crossed. Adrasteia, for her part, found the lives of those she spoke with fascinating. She’d never done this sort of thing before, even in her earlier life, and couldn’t help finding herself drawn in by the excitement and satisfaction people revealed as they were enticed, after a little hesitancy, to speak about their careers and aspirations.

Turi also found it eye-opening. After she’d tightened herself down so as to reduce distractions she saw that Adra seemed to draw people to her easily with her almost innocent interest in their lives. She couldn’t help compare this to her daughter and with a pang, she realized that her Asha would never had seen these commons as worthy of any interest. To her they would have been simply the furniture of her world. With surprise, she realized that she was just as prone as her daughter had been. ‘Have I looked at these people as utterly beneath me as well? What might I have missed then?’, she wondered. She then made a vow to herself to no longer disregard those of lower station than herself.

When the two finally chose to return to the palace Adra asked whether she might speak with those in the palace as well. Knowing how enlightening She’d found her time with Adra had been in town, Turi readily offered to arrange meetings.

The encounters with those of the palace were also surprising to Turi as she found them endlessly engaged in competing with one another for position. While it wasn’t blood sport, there was always the awareness of competitive status. She also became very cognizant, through the proxies of Kadrapraba, that the Hi-mother was finding Adrasteia an increasing impediment to her efforts in convincing the others of the merits of isolationism.

When in private again Turi turned to Adra, “It’s as I feared Adra, I think you’ve made an enemy of Kadrapraba.” Adrasteia snorted, and Turi reached out to touch her in emphasis, “Don’t laugh; she has been known to be ruthless in her ambitions! I wouldn’t put it past her to engineer a Fea ohta (spirit war) with you. The fact that by your own declaration you are not Tarneeran means there would be nothing to stop her. She has done it before and impressed her will on opposition. With no limits, she could even turn you into a slavish puppet.

“A mind war? What is that exactly? There is so much I don’t understand of your people and abilities.”

Turi nodded and explained, “A Fea ohta is a sort of mental combat. It is a natural outgrowth of our natural nurturing mind skills.” Turi contemplated a moment and continued, “You know how if you are faced with someone having very strong emotions, sorrow, pain, fear, happiness and such you can be influenced and sometimes adopt the emotions and thought patterns?” Adra nodded as she remembered her first days after the Curtain Fall. Turi then. continued, “Now image what it might be like if some is purposefully pressing their will on you. Someone very powerful like the Hi-mothers. A mind that was unprepared or even just weaker could be shaped. The loosing contestant would adopt the thoughts and attitude that then victor desired. Sometimes their minds are even damaged, broken from this.”

Adrasteia’s eyes widened at this, “This happens?”

Turi nodded and then rushed to explain it a little when she realized that Adra was seeing this only as a monstrous mind control thing, and not an extension of what occurred naturally, “Oh this process isn’t even uncommon; children often need this to keep them from harm. Mothers routinely use this to help their children grow and evolve. As the young are so much more plastic and adaptable it is safe. We did it when we were in your mind space when we shared our grief. It is only when this is attempted as an adult against our will where dangers can occur.”

Adrasteia mulled this over and looked with worry at Turi. “Do you think that Kadrapraba might try this on me?” At Turi’s nod, she looked earnestly at her friend and asked a favor, “Could you show me how this might happen? I need to learn how to defend myself...”

Turi’s heart stuttered for a second. Adra was showing a profound level of regard and Turi felt her eyes mist as she grasped the level of trust she could sense was being offered.

“Yes.”, Turi said quietly with a tremulous smile. “I will try to teach you.” She then turned away to master herself and when she felt steady enough She turned back with a no-nonsense demeanor. She explained that the most common way this sort of combat was done was through a direct exertion of mental force and proceeded to do so. She quickly discovered that the standard barriers that Adrasteia could present made such an attack useless. From this she decided that an indirect attack would be the only way. The attack would need to be subtle and unnoticed. Slipping past Adra’s incredible defenses until one such as Kadrapraba could pull down resistance from within. She explained this logic and over the next several hours made her attempts, with some success. On a number of occasions Adrasteia found herself making choices that were against her usual decisions. Turi would then bring them to her attention and explain how she’d wormed her way in. As the evening wore on Adrasteia became increasingly sensitive to these attempts.

Adrasteia also began to notice another quality in these attempts. The main being that those touching on thoughts that Adrasteia found more personal and critical also tended to be closer to the well of her “chaotic” mind; that point where her thinking processes seemed to shift into the chaotic maelstrom that Turi had found so blindingly antithetical to her own mind’s workings. She suspected that her ultimate defense might paradoxically be surrender! If Kadrapraba tried to truly control Adrasteia, she might find herself plunging into the mind destroying insanity that seemed to be what Turi saw as Adrasteia’s core being. An environment that the invader would find utterly inimical.

Finally, mentally exhausted from Turi’s educational attacks and all that she had learned of the Tarneerans, Adra found herself “done”; and wanting comfort from Carol, Adra retired for the evening.

Elsewhere in the palace Kadrapraba stood looking out a window as she considered what she’d learned of Adrasteia’s activities this day. Apparently she’d gone into the city and immediately created a bit of a stir. If there had been doubt, Adrasteia’s behavior with the commons had put to rest any suspicion that she was Tarneeran. Her oblivious behavior with regards to the lessers clearly showed that her understanding of power and propriety did not come from the people. This and Adrasteia’s stubborn refusal to support her in lending weight to her concerns made it increasingly apparent that it might be necessary to coerce or nutralize this wildcard.

From what Adrasteia had herself said, she’d had a contentious experience with her own human government. Perhaps that could be used to push her? While the majority of human tools had been lost in the boat attack, there were still elements remaining at the human base that could be used?...