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breeding stock； Alixl Children are a gift of me gods。。。 not
coin with which to barter！ But we have too few。。。 we are
dying。 You will not be forced to lay with a man you cannot
abide； but die censure of the clan is no light burden to bear。〃
〃Then I will go back；〃 Alix said flatly。 〃I will go back to the
croft。〃
Raissa squeezed her hands。 〃No。 You must stay。 By the gods；
Alix； you are Hale's daughter！ We need his blood。〃
〃Through Finn？〃 Alix disengaged her hands。 〃He is my
half…brother。〃
〃Aye； but you were raised apart。 Hale's blood must e
back into the clan。〃
〃Then tell Finn to get himself children！〃 she said angrily。
〃He would do so willingly enough。。。 were you his cheysula。
Or meijha；〃 Raissa said steadily。
〃What if I have already conceived？〃 Alix asked in desperation。
Raissa's eyes sharpened。 〃Already conceived。。。 you have
tern with Duncan？'*
Alix nodded silently； suddenly apprehensive。 〃Was it wrong？〃
she whispered。 〃Is it wrong to lay with a clan…leader while he
rules？〃
The older woman smiled。 **A clan…leader does not rule。。。
we have no kings； Alix。 And no； it was not wrong。 Do you think
Duncan keeps himself chaste？ It would be a burden no man
should carry。〃
Alix looked away； embarrassed。 〃Then what wifl happen？*'
Raissa sighed。 〃Well； it would change things。 The Council
might be willing to let you remain solitary。。。 they would
respect your shorn hair； regardless of me reasons for it You
would have the freedom you desire if you refuse to take a
cheysul。 and have already conceived。 But that is still a Council
decision。〃
〃I should never have e；*' Alix said。 〃I should never have
allowed Duncan to take me out of Mujhara。〃
〃 〃This is your home。〃
〃1 should have let Carillon take me back to the croft。〃
〃It will not be so harsh＋I promise＋when you are accustomed。
Alix； we are your people。〃
Alix looked at the woman and saw me innate strength and
pride reflected in her Cheysuli face。 She put a hand to her own；
tracing the identical high cheekbones。 Her skin was not so
bronze； bo… hair not so duk； and ha eyes amber； not beast…
yellow。。。 but she knew herself Cbeysun。
She sighed。 〃Where is Manna's tent？〃
Raissa's eyes flickered but she said nothing of her surprise。
〃Near the gates。 The blue one with Boris's ffr…syrobol； a moun…
tain cat。 There is only one。〃
Alix took die silver b out of her bodice and stared at it
Then she met the woman's eyes and smiled。 〃I have something
to return。 My thanks for your kindness。〃
Raissa nodded and Alix left me brown pavilion。
Alix found the blue tent and jerked me entrance flap aside；
somehow not suiprised to find Duncan mere。 But Malina did
surprise her。
The gyri did not look Cheysuli。 Her hair was dark blood and
her eyes blue。 She lacked the feral； feline grace of me true
Cheysuli woman； but she was beautiful nonetheless。
Duncan rose to his feet。 Alix moved swiftly to me woman and
held out the b。 〃This is yours。〃
〃Mine？〃 Malina asked in suiprise。
Alix saw she did not show her pregnancy yet； no swelling
belly evident beneath the soft green gown banded with amber
beadwoik and bronze platelets。
〃He let me use it because I had none Ч。。 when I still had hair
enough to need it。〃 She glanced at Duncan a moment； then
looked back at Malina。 〃But it is yours。 He said so； once。〃 Alix
put the b into the girl's hand and silently left die pavilion。
Duncan caught her before she had gone more man five steps。
He swung her gently to face him； one hand going tenderly to her
shorn hair。
〃Cheysula； forgive me。 I had no right。〃
His gentle voice nearly finished her。 〃I have no claim to that
tide； Duncan。 You have given it to anomer。〃
His hands cupped her jaw and lifted her face so he could see
DOT welling tears。 His own face was stark and tight。 〃You have
only to say it； Alix。 It is yours to decide。 We would not be
nappy apart。〃
〃I would not be happy sharing you。〃 She swallowed heavily。
〃I doubt Malina would care for it； for all mat。〃
〃Malina knows I have asked for you as meijha。〃
〃She knows
His band smoothed back a ragged tendril of hair。 〃It is often
done among us； Alix。〃
〃I cannot。〃 A tear spilled over and slipped down her cheek。
〃And if you have conceived？〃
She closed her eyes and put her forehead against his chest。
〃Why must you take her back？ What I have done is no light
thing for me； and now it is all for naught。 Duncan。。。 I did not
know I would have to fight a woman and an unborn child。 I
thought I had only to mink of die Council。〃
〃I am sony； small one。 I did not intend diis。〃
Alix sucked in a trembling breath。 〃They will try to make me
。 take Finn as a husband。〃
His hands stiffened。 〃What do you say？〃
〃Raissa told me。 It is doubtful I can keep my wish to remain
Xpart。〃 Alix shivered。 〃Unless I have conceived。 Raissa said a
would change matters。〃
〃Aye； you could live apart with the child。。。 or bee mei
Jha to me。 Which would you choose？〃
She lifted her head。 〃I have said I will be mei jha to no man；
Duncan。 Even you。〃
〃And Finn？〃
〃I want no one but you。〃
〃I have said how you may have me。〃
〃And have said no。〃 She stepped back from him and smiled
sadly。 〃Perhaps Finn will have die forcing of me yet〃
〃Alix。。。〃
〃Duncan； I know mere is much of the Cheysuli I cannot
prehend。 But mere are things in me you cannot prehend。
Do not ask me again to be your mei jha； for I will not。 '*
She waited for his answer。 When…he said nothing at all；
_ remote and unattainable before her； Alix turned and walked
Xway。
Alix felt the weight of her decision as she walked slowly back
to Raissa's pavilion。 She knew； instinctively； Duncan wanted her
as much as she him； but die pride inherent in his race would not
XBow him to e after her。
Nw will mine allow me to accept his offer。
She considered it carefully again； as she had since Duncan
feat suggested she be his mei jha。 The shiver of distaste mat ran
briefly through her body once more told her she could not be so
free with die man she loved。 It was not a Homanan custom。
ffl cannot have him to myself； I will not have him at all。
But me decision； once made； gave her no contentment。
She slowly became aware of me voices as she walked。 They
； were different from mose she heard spoken by Cheysuli in ct
Keep； mese were not sounds her ears heard but what her nrind
nosed。 Alix fingered her brow as if touch might tell her what it
but no answer came。 Whispers floated through her awareness；
drifting ia wisps of tooal patterns similar to what she heard as
words from Cai and Storr。
Alix stopped abruptly； staring around to search for those who
tormented her； but no one seemed to pay her mind except C
passing curiosity。 The Cheysuli； she had learned； did not exhibit *'
the open emotions of the Homanans。
She pressed bands against her head as the oppression increased。 No one said anything to her； yet she was so sensitized to the gentle waves of sound in her mind that she thought she had gone mad。 Alix stopped wal