Moving Water (41 page)

She did not correct him back to “Callissa.” She did turn her fingers to shut them on his hand a moment, an almost convulsive grasp. Before she whispered, “Thank you,” and they both let go.

What she and Moriana did or said together, I did not see. Beryx had already turned to the twins.

“Behave yourselves in Hethria,” he told them. “Fengthira's not like me.” They grinned in perfect understanding. He added, “One day . . . I'll have work for you.”

Los Morryan bubbled on alone a moment, as the promise was sealed. Then the awkwardness of all partings overtook us. I said, “We'll be back one day. To see the lythians flower.” And they nodded, growing solemn too.

From the stairhead I looked back. They stood together under the perridel, the light spangled with its inner magic in black eyes and green, Moriana waving, since she had the only free hand, and though the tree's shadow was netted over them, they seemed to stand in some unfading sun. Moriana said something. Beryx retorted. They were laughing as we went out of sight.

* * * * *

Four times the lythians have flowered since that season, and I did not see. Fengthira spoke truer than she knew. There is a war to fight in Hethria, fiercer than any except the contest with Ammath. When they dammed the Kemreswash and bent the water southward they upset the desert's natural balance, and though farms flourish now at all the Sathellin staging points, the salt is rising underneath. We shall be fighting indeed, through my time and perhaps my sons' time, to preserve that balance, to stop the closure of the road and renewed desolation and loss of all the water won. I may never return to Assharral. Time cannot be reversed, nor can it be wholly halted, even by the power of the Well, and that they would refuse. Like Callissa and me, they will grow old, and wither, and die. But in my mind's world they will stand forever, perdurable as the lovers on the Phathos' card, their arms about each other: waving, laughing, bright in their own sunshine, under the silver leaves and golden flowers of the perridel.

The End

 

Coll., collective noun

Imp., imperative

Neg., negative particle

Note for readers of
Everran's Bane
who find word variants. This glossary uses eastern spelling, while Harran's tale was written down in the west.

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

ahltar, sun

Ahlthor, Phaxian deity. From ahltar, sun, nur-nor, white

Alkir, Assharran personal name. Lit. Sower, from kyre, to sow

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

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

anor, song, tale

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

Assharral, empire. From asshar, roof-tree.

asterne, watch-tower, outpost

Astyros, Assharran border fortification. Lit. Wide-wall, from ax, neg. tyr, narrow, os, wall

ax, negative particle

Axaira Assharran province. Lit. No-farewell, from ax, neg., xaira, parting

axos, aedric art. To blind, from ax, neg., os, sing. eye

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

axynbrarve, aedric art. Telekinesis. Lit. to act without hands, from ax, yn-ynx, briarve, all q.v.

az, blue

Azmaere, Phaxian range. From az, blue, maer, shadow

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belphan, bay

ber, sea

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

Bhassan, Assharran town. Lit. smoke-place, from bhassa, smoke

brenx, peak

breve, pass

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

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caissyn, sugar-cane. From cau, stick, ais, sweet

cennaphar, sandalwood

Cessala, Assharran district. Lit. Sugar-land, corruption of caissyn, sugar-cane, q.v.

chake, aedric art. To command by compulsion

cletho, mud

clethra, mangrove tree

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

clythkemmon, Lyretail menura. From clythx, heart, kemmon, tail

Colne Clethra, Assharran fort. Lit. Mangrove Four, from clethra, mangrove, colne, four

culphan, cape

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darre, taipan

Darrhan, aedric personal name. Lit. taipan-tongue. Venomous

Darrior, Assharran province. From darrith, room, space

del, gold

Delostar, aedric personal name. Lit. Wall or Eye of the Golden Flower, from del, gold, os, eye or wall, tar, flower

delryr, poinciana. From del, gold, rien, crimson, nur-nor, white

deve, valley

Deve Gaz, Lit. Fallen Valley, from gase, to fall

Deve Saedryx Korven Battlefield. Aedric oath. From deve, valley, sal, sour, bitter, korb, korven, ghost

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Eakring Ithyrx, archipelago. From eakring, island, ithyr, spice

earnn, “kikuyu” grass

el-ela, coll. tree

elond, ironbark tree

emvath, lantana. From ema, poison, vath, shrub

end, apple

ensal, “quinine” tree. Lit. bitter-apple

Eskan Helken, Lit. Red Castle

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

Ethryn, Alpha and Beta Centauri. From ethyre, to point, indicate

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

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

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fanx (pl. fann), dog

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

fendel (pl. fendellin), Assharran currency. From feng, moon, del, gold

feng, moon

Fengela, Lit. Moontree, from feng, moon, el-ela, tree. Matriarch of the Morheage, q.v. Also Assharran mythical being

Fengsaeva, Lit. Moon-wind. From saeva, wind

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

Fengthira, aedric personal name. Lit. moonlight. From feng, moon, thira, light

ferrathil, bellbird. Corruption of pirra, bird, thellis, bell

ferroth, pawpaw

fing-fyng, green

finghend, emerald. Lit. green stone

Firkemmon, Scorpio. From fir, sting, kemmon, tail

Frimmor, Assharran province. From ferim, dairy-herd

Fylghjos, aedric personal name. Lit. Granite-eyes, from os, eye, fylg, granite

fyr-x, kelpie sheep-dog

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gar, skin, hide

gas, spear

gastath, lancewood tree. From gas, spear, tath, wood

Gazzal, Lit. The Fall, from past. part. of gase, to fall

Gazzarien, Assharran district. From gazzal, the fall

Gazzath, Lit. The Fallers

geber, east

Gebria, Everran province. Lit. east-land

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

Gerperra, whip-bird. From pirra, bird, ger, whip

Gesarre, Everran district. Lit. East-flower

Gevber, Lit. East-sea, from ber, sea, geber, east

ghend, stone

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

gyar, foot (Gjerven dialect)

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

havos, spider. Aedric line

Haz, Sky-lord worshipped in Everran. Lit. earth

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

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

Hazyk, inhabitant of Hazghend, q.v.

heagar, banyan fig. From heage, branch, gyar, foot (Gjerven dialect)

heage, branch (tree) family (sentient beings)

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

Helkents, Confederate range. Untranslatable term for red of earth or rock

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

helmyn, pandanus tree. From helym, barb, yb-ynx, hand

helve, V., imp., to go

Heshyr, Arcturus. From heshyr, shepherd, from huesh, coll., sheep

hethel, olive. Lit. desert-tree

Hethox, indigenous Hethrian inhabitant

Hethria, country. Lit. desert-land

hisgal, box tree. From his, gray, gar, skin

histh, gray

Histhira, Confederate range, aedric line. Lit. gray-light, from histh, gray, thira, light

hisyrx, heron. From his, gray, yrk-yrx, legs

Holym, Confederate country. Coll. cattle

hyrne, fang

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Iahn, Sky-lord worshipped in Everran. Lit. fire, flame

idrigg, cold

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

Iliennor, Lit. water-song

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

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

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

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kanna, banana

keerphar, bauhinia tree

keld, mine

Kemrestan, Assharran province. From kemres, border, march

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

Kenath, Assharran town. Lit. sale-place, from kenar, auction

ker, house, in sense of dynastic dwelling place

Ker Morrya, Lit. Black Keep, from ker, house, morg, black

kerym, lake

Kerym Cletho, Gjerven lake. Lit. Mud-lake

kymman, tamarind tree

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langu, python. Assharran semi-mythical being

lase-lash, suffix, meeting, crossroad, junction

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

Latharyn, Lit. The speakers. V. Ystryn. Assharran form of Tarot

lethar, dream

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

lisbyr, rainmaker. From lisva, rain, byr, Ulven corruption of briave, to act, q.v.

Lisdrinos, Assharran forest. From drinos, forest, lisva, rain

los, spring, or contraction of lios, face

Los Morryan, Lit. Blackwater Spring

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

Los Therystar, legendary spring. Lit. Well of the Purple Flowers. From theryx, purple, tar, flower.

Los Velandryxe Thira, aedric artefact. From los, well, velandryxe, wisdom, thira, light

Losvure, Lit. Sky-faces. From lios, face, os, eye, vur, sky

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

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, fann, dog

lyng, morning

Lynghyrne, Confederate mountain. Lit. fang of the morning

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

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

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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

Mallerstang, Assharran town. Lit. orchid-cross, from mallar, orchid, tang, cross

math, good

Math, abstraction. Aedric equivalent of god

meldene, west. Region of Everran

morg, black

morgar, black-butt tree. From morg, black, gar, hide, skin

Morglis, Lit. black-nose. Confederate cape. In Assharral, black kite. From morg, black, perraglis, hawk

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

Morhyrne, Assharran mountain. Lit. Black-fang

Moriana, aedric personal name. Lit. Black Fire

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

morsyr, black widow spider. From morg, black, syr, widow, from syre, to weep

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

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nerran, swamp tree

nerrys, ocean

Nerrysyr, ocean. Lit. peaceful ocean, from alsyr, peace, from ax, not, syre, to weep

Nervia, Assharran province. From nerev, banker, money-lender

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

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os, eye or wall

Othan, Phaxian river. Lit. strong

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

perra, eagle. Corruption of pirra, bird

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

perridel, coll. wattle-tree. From per, silver, del, gold, el-ela, tree

perrilys, fish-eagle. From perra, eagle, ilys, fish

Phamazan, Phaxian capital. Lit. The Gathering

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, (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

pharraz, farmer. Lit. earth-seer, from phare, to see, haz, earth

pharyn, Lit. seers. Assharran Tarot. V. Ystryn and Latharyn

phathire, aedric art. Lit. see-being, from, phare, to see, thire, to be. Mental re-creation of the past

Phathos, soothsayer. Lit. seeing eye, from phare, to see, os, eye

Phatrexe, aedric art. From phare, to see, trexe, to write. To imprint telepathic messages on matter, keyed to correct receiver