Red Country (31 page)

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Authors: Sylvia Kelso

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BOOK: Red Country
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Except you?
I tweaked his hair.
You don't imagine I'm here for your sake, do you? I just couldn't get Hethria any other way.

The imps peeped out of that woven gray. Then they vanished. He was not only reading my eyes, he was reading my mind, and I thought suddenly, Pity the woman with an aedric lover who tries to tell a lie—

He was looking hurt.

Did you? Then you should be sure now.

He smiled suddenly, fully, and hugged me to him with both arms.

As the kiss ended, faintly teasing, he answered what I had not yet put into thought.

I recalled that half-serious, “It's just as well you're married and I'm virtuous. . . .”

Zam was smiling at the memory, with nostalgia, and wistfulness, but no longer with present grief.

In a last mourning for that gay, teasing, accomplished trifler, gone so finally, so irredeemably, I shut my eyes, and felt the lids prick with tears.

Zam had gone tense. But whatever he felt in my mind, however disorderly, it made him relax. When I looked up he said, half-smiling,

I said,
I answered firmly,
anywhere.


Looking into his eyes, hearing the patter of sand on scarlet fabric in the darkness, I answered,
Yes. I think we should.

His eyes grew faraway.

I twitched. Do they know yet—about us?

He nodded. The imps were positively capering.


Ohhh!
Then I saw my revenge.
We haven't,
I pointed out smugly,
told my mother yet.


And I won't do it alone.

<'Thar, you, you—fiend!>

Then the imps rallied.

Whatever she says to me about it, rockface, won't be half as embarrassing as what she thinks about it will be to you!

He covered his eyes. he said at last, taking a fresh grip on me to encourage himself,

* * * * * *

When we were dressed, and ready to go, I lingered another moment to look at Fengthira's grave. The morrethans were dancing there now, oddly muted without their sleeves of fire, a little wilted from the torrid sun. On a sudden impulse I bent to pat the mound and say, not feeling a complete fool, “We'll be back.” And I swear that from somewhere, far over the mind's threshold, I caught a whisper of assenting, ribald mirth.

Zam held out his hand to me, and the imps lurked in his eyes. “Are you,” he inquired demurely, “going down now?”

The look told me it was a quotation. It took a moment to place it. Then I said, “Oh, you . . . I thought you were the most pompous, patronizing, ill-mannered, thick-skinned prig alive.”

“And I thought you were the most spoilt, shrewish, opinionated, fire-spitting termagant that ever walked the earth.”

We grinned at each other. Then I quoted back to him, “Are you ready to leave yourself?”

He took my hand. We turned from the grave and went slowly down the hill, past the saeveryrs who had been there when we came and would remain when we were finally gone, down to the last confrontation, and to the red country that was waiting for us beyond.

THE END

Glossary

Proper names given with capitals.

Coll., collective noun

Imp., imperative

Lit., literally—literal translation

Neg., negative particle

- - -

aedr (pl. aedryx), in common sense, wizard. In aedric usage, practitioner of Ruanbrarx, q.v.

ahltar, sun

aivrifel, (now) antique musical instrument. From aivre, seven (strings), wrifel, honey

alsyr, peace. From ax, neg., syre, to weep

Ammath, evil. From ax, neg., math, good

anor, song, tale

arskan, V., third sing. Lit. It is forbidden

as, Everran prefix, village

Asleax, Everran village. From leax, barley

a'sparre, aedric art. From ax, neg., yn-ynx, hands, sparthe, to kill

aspnor, hemlock. Lit. white killer, from sparthe, to kill, nur-nor, white

Assharral, empire. From asshar, roof-tree

asterne, watch-tower, outpost, lookout post

Asthyn, pl. of axthir, dead. From ax, neg., thire, to be, with play on thira, light

Astil, Everran village. From ilien, water

axos, aedric art. To blind. From ax, neg., os, eye

axvyr, infinity. From ax, neg., vyrne, last, end

axvystar, everlasting daisy. From ax, neg., vyrne, end, tar, flower

Axynbrarve, aedric art. Telekinesis. Lit. to act without hands, from ax, neg. particle, yn-ynx, hands, briarve, to act or have power to act

az, blue

azian, sapphire. Also Hethrian flower, prob. Leschenaultia biloba, from az, blue, iahn, fire, flame

Azilien, Everran river. Lit. Blue-water

- - -

ber, sea

Berheage, first Everran royal dynasty, from ber, sea, heage, family

Berrian, Aedric personal name. Lit. Sea-fire or flame

brenx, peak

breve, pass

Breve Tirien, pass between Everran and Estar. Lit. South-pass

briarve, to act, with sense of having power/competency to do so

- - -

cerisval, galah. From cerisk, pink, val, wing

Chake, aedric art. To command by compulsion

Climbros, Assharran province. Lit. Grain-walls, from climbar, grain, os, wall

Coesterne, Everran northern garrison town. From coed, farm, asterne, lookout post

Cruin Los. Lit. Sometime-spring, from los, lios, spring, cruir, occasional

culphan, cape

- - -

Darrior, Assharran province. From darrith, room, space

dassyk, Hethrian caravan halt. Sathellin (q.v.) dialect. From dassyre, to halt

del, gold

Deltyr, Everran mining town. Lit. Narrow-gold

- - -

el-ela, tree. Coll.

elond, ironbark tree

emsparyx, lizard. From yrk, yrx, legs and emspar, snake (from ema, poison, sparthe, to kill)

end, apple

Eskan Helken, Lit. Red Castle. Aedric fastness in Hethria, q.v.

Estar, Confederate republic. From tar, flower, ais, sweet

Etalveth, Assharran town. From etal, sunset, veth, first, i.e. westernmost

Everran, Confederate kingdom. Possible corruption of Berrian, q.v.

eygnor, magpie. Lit. black-white, sweet, from eygja, black, nor, white, with play on anor, song

- - -

fanx (pl. fann), dog

femaere, demon. Lit. cruel-shadow, from feng, moon, fell, cruel, with supernatural overtones

femaerel, ghost-gum. From femaere, demon, el-ela, tree

feng, moon

fengthir, aedric art. To command imperceptibly. Lit. to draw like the moon

Fengthira, Aedric personal name. Lit. Moonlight, from feng, moon, thira, light

feox, derogatory aedric term for humans

fimbravos, desert spider lily. From fimber, lily, havos, spider

fimbrethal, fringed desert lily. From fimber, lily, ethal, hair, beard

fing-fyng, green

finghend, emerald. Lit. green stone

finlythe, water-loving tree. Lit. green-leaf

Frimmor, Assharran province. From ferim, dairy-herd

fyr-x, kelpie sheep-dog

- - -

gar, skin, hide

Gebasterne, Everran town. From geber, east, asterne, lookout point

geber, east

Gebria, Everran province. Lit. East-land

Gebros, Lit. East-wall, from geber, east, os, wall

ghend, stone

Gjerven, Assharran province. From gjer, grass, ven, way, road

gweldryx, parrots. Lit. tapestry

gyar, foot (Gjerven dialect)

- - -

Haskar, Lit. Harran's child, from iskar, child

hasselian, swamp. From haz, earth, ilien, water

Haz. Sky-lord worshipped in Everran. Lit. Earth

Hazghend, aedric line and Confederate nation. Lit. Earthstone, from haz, earth, ghend, stone

hazian, ruby. Lit. earth-fire, from haz, earth, iahn, fire, flame

Hazyk, inhabitant of Hazghend, q.v.

heage, branch (tree) family (sentient beings)

Heagian, aedric line. Lit. Fire-branch, often called Flametree

Helkents, range in the Confederacy. Untranslateable term for red of earth or rock

hellien, eucalyptus. Coll. From ilien, water, el-ela, tree

helve, V. imp., to go

helymfet, echidna. From helym, barb, fetha, hat

heshnor, Hethrian desert flower. Lit. white-sheep, from huesh, sheep, nur-nor, white

hethel, olive (both fruit and tree). Lit. desert-tree

Hethmel, region of western Hethria. From heth, desert, meldene, west

Hethox, indigenous Hethrian inhabitant

Hethria, country. Lit. Desert-land

hisgal, box tree. From his, gray, gar, skin, el-ela, tree

Histhira, Confederate range, aedric line. Lit. Gray-light, from histh (pronounced hiss), gray, thira, light

Holym, Confederate country. Coll., cattle

hyrne, fang

- - -

Iahn, Sky-lord worshipped in Everran. Lit. Fire, Flame

idrigg, cold

Ilien, Sky-lord worshipped in Everran. Lit. Water

ilienlythe, parakeelya, Hethrian desert plant. From ilien, water, lythe, leaf

imlann, prized type of wood. Possible “dead finish” tree

imsar Math, invocation. In the name of Math, q.v.

istarel, saltbush. Lit. salt-tree, from istar, salt, el-ela, tree

- - -

keerphar, wild bauhinia tree

keld, mine

Kelf, river. Possibly connected with helkent, q.v., and keld, mine

Kelflase, Everran town. Lit. Kelf-crossing, from lase, lash, q.v.

Kemrestan, Assharran province. From kemres, border, march

Kemreswash, Everran River. Lit. Border-water, from kemres, border, wash, river

ker, house, in sense of dynastic dwelling place

kerrothar, Hethrian desert yam. From quorroth, yams, tar, flower

Kerym Iswyre, Hethrian salt-lake. Lit. Great Salt-lake, from kerym, lake, istar, salt, wyre, great

keva, orange fruit

- - -

langu, python. Assharran semi-mythical being

lase-lash, suffix, meeting, crossroad, junction

lathare, aedric art. “Mindspeech,” verbal telepathic transmission

lethar, dream

letharthir, aedric art. To mesmerise. Lit. to make dream, from lethar, dream, thire, to be

los, spring, or contraction of lios, face

Lossian, aedric personal name. Lit. The Well or Face of Flame

Los Velandryxe Thira, aedric artifact used for wreve-lethar, the supreme art. From los, well, velandryxe, wisdom, thira, light

lydel, possum. Lit. tree-hopper, from el-ela, tree, lyde, to hop

lydsith, kangaroo-paw flower, staghorn ferns. From sith, paw, lydwyr, kangaroo, q.v.

lydwyr, kangaroo. From lyde, to leap, hop, wyre, great

lydyr, hopper. Coll. Small marsupials, bandicoot, paddy melon, kangaroo rat, etc. From lyde, to hop

ly'ffanx, kangaroo dog. From lydwyr, kangaroo, fanx, dog

lyng, morning

Lynghyrne, Confederate mountain. Lit. Fang of the Morning

Lynglos, Everran town. Lit. Morning Face or Spring

Lyngthira, country. Lit. Morning Light, from lyng, morning, thira, light

lythian, poinsettia. From lythe, leaf, iahn, fire, flame

- - -

maer, shadow

Maerdrigg, aedric personal name. Lit. Cold Shadow, from maer, shadow, idrigg, cold

Maerheage, aedric line. From maer, shadow, heage, family

maerian, opal. From maer, shadow, iahn, fire, flame

Maer Selloth, Everran town. Lit. Shadow of the Stars

mallavos, Hethrian desert plant. From mallar, orchid, havos, spider

math, good

Math, abstraction. Aedric equivalent of god

Meldene, west. Region of Everran

morg, black

morgar, “Moreton Bay ash.” From morg, black, gar, hide, skin

morglin, coolabah. From morg, black, gar, hide, bark, el, tree, ilien, water

morglis, Hazghend cape, or black kite. Lit. black-nose, from morg, black, perraglis, hawk

Morheage, aedric line. From morg, black, heage, family

Moriana, aedric personal name. Lit. Black Fire

morrethan, Sturt's desert pea. From morg, black, rien, crimson, iahn, fire, flame

Morrya, Assharran province. Lit. Black-land, ref. to volcanic soil

morval, crow. From morg, black, val, wing

- - -

nerrys, ocean

Nerrysyr, Lit. Peaceful Ocean, from nerrys, ocean, alsyr, peace (from ax, not, syre, to weep)

Nerthor, Lit. Inheritor

ningu, Hethox dialect. Nardoo seed

norgal, ti-tree, paperbark. Coll. From nor, white, gar, skin, el, tree

nullik, Hethox dialect. Edible seeds

- - -

os, wall

Ozym, personal name. Lit. Subtlety

- - -

Pellathir, aedric art. To cause illusion. From pelere, to bear, carry, lethar, dream

pen, Everran prefix, town

Penhazad, town. Lit. Flat-town, from hazad, plain

perraglis, hawk. From perra, eagle, aglis, small

pharaon, Lit. maker, creator. Loose aedric usage for “god”

pharaone, aedric art. Telepathic vision. From phare, to see

Pharaon Lethar, Lit. maker's dream. Aedric term for (1.) the physical universe and (2.) the Other World of ghosts and shamans. Cf. Hindu concept of Brahm who creates by “dreaming” the world

phare, V. to see. Aedric art—to “read” an entire psyche

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