Emergence by C. J. Cherryh

Author:C. J. Cherryh
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: DAW
Published: 2018-01-02T05:00:00+00:00

13

Everybody was late, everybody except the servants, most of whom had had their sleep, and except security, who decidedly had not. “Wake me when Mother or Uncle wakes,” had been Cajeiri’s last instruction, which had routed itself from bodyguard to bodyguard, and turned out to be later than he thought. He had no problem but lack of sleep, but Antaro was very sore and Jegari was nursing sore muscles. They were a sad little household, none of them looking cheerful, with Boji now starting to fret about his second breakfast, and Eisi and Liedi trying to see to everybody’s wardrobe concerns while pacifying a spoiled parid’ja.

“Lord Tatiseigi is awake,” Rieni said. Rieni’s team and Mother’s senior aishid—which was actually from Great-grandmother—had taken turns in the security station all night, but at least it was turns, and not long watches.

“How is Uncle?” he asked. “We might advise his physician.”

“The physician is indeed on his way down,” Rieni said, “but your great-uncle is insisting to dress and inquiring about breakfast. How he may descend the stairs, however, is a question.”

“Please keep me aware. And Mother?”

“The aiji-consort is just waking,” Rieni said, “by all we know.”

“Then I should hurry,” he said.

He washed, and dressed in his other good coat—likely Uncle’s staff would do their best, but cleaned and pressed wardrobe every morning was no longer a certainty. They would have to do as they could best do, and he did not expect even Mother to be critical.

Nomari most probably was awake as well, with staff stirring about, but the guards on his door would not permit him to go walking about.

He had no idea what to do about Nomari and Uncle’s admission of him as a guest in the house.

But Uncle was up, and one was very glad to believe that Uncle was back in charge of his own house, at least in the important points. Uncle had the natural advantage in the courtesies balancing Nomari and Mother, and he truly thought it would be better to go to Uncle personally and explain how things stood, even if staff talked to staff with the details.

“I shall call on Uncle,” he said, and his bodyguard, all eight, set themselves in order and moved with him, even Antaro, who was a little unsteady on her feet, and wearing her jacket over the injured arm.

Given Uncle’s injuries and it being Uncle’s house, it seemed excessive, however, to come in with all his bodyguard. “Wait here,” he said, and, there being no response to a quiet knock, opened the door himself and slipped in, reckoning that Uncle’s staff was likely all busy with Uncle, or just exhausted.

He had never seen the inside of Uncle’s rooms before. They were less elaborate than he would have thought—there was, conspicuous on one wall, a helmet, a lance, and a shield that he had no doubt at all was something very special. It all looked old, and the Atageini lily figured on the metalwork. On one table was a figured pot

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