Villains by Necessity (v1.1) by Eve Forward

Author:Eve Forward [Forward, Eve]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, science fiction, Fantasy, General
ISBN: 9780812522280
Google: 3asxHAAACAAJ
Amazon: 0812522281
Publisher: Tor Books (Mm)
Published: 2014-08-21T04:00:00+00:00

VIII

“I believe this is your stop,” said the captain of the Sea Arrow, somewhat gruffly. They had pulled into a large sandy-bottomed bay of clear blue water, with a small seaport arranged like a jumble of children’s blocks along the shore. This was Pila’mab, trading city of the land of Sei’cks. Cities in Sei’cks were few and far apart, settled around a few suitable ports and rivershores as centers of trade and commerce. Most of the population would have little to do with crowds and buildings, the congestion of even such small towns. They lived their lives as freeroaming hunters of the plains, living off the land and pursuing their ancient ways and traditions without any government more stringent than clan leaders, no buildings more permanent than leather tents. It was here that the Hero, or Heroine, Ki’kartha Springdance, had been raised and trained as a priestess to the goddess Mula, Lady of Healing and Fresh Water. Though originally a simple barbarian deity, through the faith and fame other disciple the goddess had become one of the more important and widely worshiped deities in the Six Lands. The barbarian people of the Plains of Sei’cks were a proud and independent race, still strong and fierce even though

Mizzamir’s post-Victory guidance had curbed their tendency to have long blood feuds with their neighbors over who stole whose Tantelopes and when. They allowed the presence of the towns to provide trade for goods they needed, such as wrought metal and Barigan whiskey. But strangers in their sacred lands were frowned upon, and the townsfolk, most of them from other Lands, did not venture far into the wilderness for any cause.

Kaylana had been awakened and had gotten the others up to prepare to disembark. A low, small boat was lowered to the surface of the sea to carry them to shore. They had been forced to sell the carriage and horses, as the captain had been sailing with a full cargo and had no room for livestock. So cramped was the journey that they almost had to leave Robin behind as well, but the minstrel’s pleading eyes were too much for Sam, and he joined Blackmail’s mute insistence that the centaur accompany them. In gratitude, Robin had played and sang throughout the three days’ voyage, and by the time land was sighted all the villains had learned more than they ever wanted to know about the glory of the Heroes, recorded in the greatest free verse of the minstrels of the Days of Light. Free verse canticles were the common form among minstrels, as opposed, Kaylana explained to them, to the style of bards. Their music wove through the fabric of time, and even the webs of reality, the notes and words able to draw magic from music. Robin had been first affronted, then curious, and pressed to hear more about the long-extinct bards, but Kaylana just shook her head sadly and would say no more.

They made the shore safely, pulled the boat up onto the sands, and wandered up the beach and through the small town.

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