The East Wind

"And why, when you have all this gold and silver, are you showing so much concern with the nut picks and nutcrackers?" asked Leo.

"I know what my kindred values. While we do appreciate gold and silver, we do not need much silver to trade nuts, berries, and boar meat."

"But do you grow or make everything you need? With gold, you can buy things from your neighbors."

"Our neighbors are refuse to sell us what we really want – the products of the forge. They are worried that we will fashion points and blades from anything of iron. They are right. So picks and nutcrackers are something that any Glider would see as a luxury item and great gift."

"So why not let Aqualaria have the gold, and have us send you swords and iron bolts?"

"It is tempting, but I have my reasons. If the first thing that a Glider patrol sees is a giant with an arsenal, in the middle of the League, they will panic and attack."

"Me being the giant."

"Yes."

"That explains why you asked me to carry this small jewelled shield, but no sword. And I assume that the bag of nuts that I have packed under my tunic is also a token of peace."

"Exactly. What I want, and what you should want, is that whoever we meet links Aqualaria with good things, like the deliciously subtle nuts that your homeland grows, or a land so rich that the humans can use valuable iron on tools like nutpicks and nutcrackers."

"I do want to them to have a good idea of Aqaularia is. But you said that you did not want to send weapons because you were afraid that your kindred would get the wrong idea and think we are attacking them. But couldn’t you have just packed kettles, spoons, and other useful items?"

"I could have. I still do not know whether we are going to get anything transported over by means of the spell. I am also thinking of the future. I am hoping that at some later time, we will be able to trade with you – and I hope our neighbors as well, as soon as they have been tamed. Then the treasure might be useful indeed. But to get to that point, a lot has to happen."

"Your kindred need to be reassured that not all humans are bad?"

"Well, they are worried about the humans closest to them, and not so much the ones far away. And there are times where I think my kindred need to instructed on some things. There is a lot of room for misunderstanding. Before I forget, I must warn you, if you see a Glider opening your baggage and helping himself or herself, do not worry about it. It is a way of welcoming a guest, although I can imagine them abusing the custom with humans. If you feel comfortable, look for a bag or jar nearby, and help yourself. They would be very surprised to see a human do this. It is a way of establishing trust, like a handshake."

"Thanks. I will rely upon you to keep me out of trouble. Any other traps that I need to look out for?"

"We like our almonds strong. You will probably get sick if you eat them – and maybe even die if you persist. Our acorn dishes also can make you sick. They will be very bitter, so that should be a clue." Neither Checkers nor the archivist understood the chemistry of cyanide poisoning, and the partial resistance that Gliders had against it, but they understood the symptoms well enough. "On the other hand, the coffee, which is a drink that I told you about, is also bitter, but I have never heard of humans getting sick from it. In fact, it is said to be a delicacy amongst the Burcastrians – our neighbors - as well as my kindred in the league. If you are lucky, you will find some berries in one of the jars that is left out for guests."

"Fascinating. How is the meat?"

"Good. The Bucastrians eat the same juicy berries as we do, as well as the big animals like pigs. You should be safe if those are offered."

"Anything else to watch for?"

"Gliders do not like to be touched by humans. But if we are going where I think we may be going, you will be a novelty – you will be the first human that most of them will see. And some of my kindred might want to feel you."

"That is a double standard!"

"I know it! I agree! But from their point of view, you all are so big, and so heavy, that you can break someone's bones without thinking about it. And you do not know the etiquette of how to touch without causing us to be unsettled. And from our point of view, you all are built like rock walls, and almost impossible to hurt up close."

"So why do I need the shield?"

"If someone sees us from a distance, he may start lobbing spears or firing bolts your way. If you get attacked, you will not see it coming. But I am trying to make sure that does not happen."

Leo changed the subject. "Why are we saying the spell at midnight? With these flickering candles casting shadows in this dark barn, it is almost like the tales of dark magic. Is there some mystical reason?"

"Oh, no. I just think it is more likely to be near dawn in Electric Pass if the spell is cast at midnight."

"Why?"

"I know the sun rises earlier there. I am making a guess, but I am thinking that it rises anywhere between five and eight hours earlier, and sets five to eight hours earlier as well."

"You cannot be more precise?"

"I know from the mariners that the ocean is about four and a half hours wide, in their language - sixty eight degrees. It is the land distances between the ocean and Electric Pass that I do not know. But at worst, we will arrive just before dawn, and we may arrive as many Gliders are rising."

"I will take your word for it. According to thc famous calculations of Placidia Media, Themyscira would be the equivalent of ten degrees from the sea, so you can add another half hour."

"It is getting close to the time to tell the story. But first, I am going to tell you about the areas of Electric Pass itself."

"Isn't that painting the lily? Aren't we going to be there shortly? Why tell me about it when I am going to see it?"

"Good question. I, um, have a reason that I really can't explain. I just have a feeling that if you know where I am trying to go, it would help if you heard about it first. It makes you more ready for the effect of the spell."

"I understand. Go ahead."

Checkers then described a trip from Iron Mountain which was one of two mountains overlooking the saddle of Electric Pass. This was from a time when she was gathering some special stone for carving. The story was meant to evoke the landscape of her homeland, and pleasant memories – but part way on telling it, anxiety crept in, not through any part of the anecdote, but through Checkers' voice, and hesitation. The archivist knew that something had happened there that set her on this course – a course that ripped her away from home, and eventually sent her here. Checkers spoke in much detail concerning the landscape, and some on the streets and structures. The streets were mostly of dirt, and the houses and camp structures were mostly of weaved thatch on the top, of timber or clay at the walls, and of stone at the foundations. But she spoke but very generally on her kind, almost to the point of abstraction – she did not use specific names, for example. She was avoiding something – but he could not tell what.

As she finished, she sighed, aware that she had not done her best at chosing or telling the story. "Shall I start on the passage?"

"I am ready."

The book was now open on a wooden table before her. Six candles flickered around her so that she could read it. The goods that she had collected were in the shadows, and forgotten now. She held onto her spear with her left hand, point up. The key of Pelgar hung from a necklace around her neck, casting a shadow across the table, and glowed orange from the light of the candle. Across the table Leo's eyes glistened in those shadows, unblinking in rapt attention. Checkers swallowed. There was a lukewarm cup of water left over from the snack of nuts and dried fruit that she and the archivist had eaten earlier. She needed it now. A short swallow, and she was ready.

She read the title – The East Wind – in the modern trader’s language, the common language of Aqualaria, Allaria, and Burcaster alike, a language well-known to her kindred. Then she read the same title in Old High Dolomite, whose ancient form was poorly understood even by most Gliders.

What could her mood now be compared to? She was like a child raised in a land where the flowers bloomed richly every spring – red and pink azaleas, creamy camellias, with the rich scent of the tea olive living the rivers for miles. To that child the flowers are an annual commonplace of spring, mildly pleasant and comforting. Now imagine that the child grows up and spends years in the treeless brown prairies or the cold city earning a living. And then, one spring, many years later she returns to her homeland. The memories are familiar, but the scene impresses her far more than it did in her youth. The spectacular color and scent of the flowers evokes nostalgia but is now newly wonderful. This sense of the familiar and newly wonderful was what Checkers felt now. What her description of Electric Pass in the trader's language could not do for her spirit, the Old High Dolomite passage did. She now read this particular story aloud for the first time, and surprised the archivist and herself by singing much of it. The rhymes were not forced, and the writer was not trying to be clever – the story had to be written this way, and in this meter. Checkers, while reciting the story, forgot that she even existed. The subject of the story was that of an old servant, who was traveling with his master in the Eveninglands. His master became sick, and died. His master had friends that had invited the faithful servant to stay. Several told him that it made more sense to stay, and gave reasons that seemed good to them. The servant politely declined their offers, telling them that he had both a duty to his master to let his kindred know what happened to him, and a keen desire on his part to spend his final days in the land where he had spent most of his life.

The last passage, a song sung by the old servant, was almost untranslatable. For example, the word "west" sounded like the word for "present" or "forward", and "east" like the word for "past" and "backward." A rough translation might be

The Wind from the South brings the great summer storms.
The Wind from the North brings the bitter cold.
The Wind from the West is the good, even-flowing wind of the present, which makes me sleep.
The Wind from the East is the turbulent wind of the past, a counter to the good west wind.

But the East Wind is my life.
Without the East Wind I am nothing but a brute
Wallowing in today, wallowing in myself
I want to go back to the Land of the Morning.

The story of the East Wind had ended. Checkers was drenched in sweat, and quivering. When she had started, she was excited and expectant, but now she was just exhausted. She placed both hands on her spear and leaned against it. She could not tell where she was – she could see the archivist standing before her, but could not make out the expression on his face.

And then she looked around.

1. She was no longer in a dark barn. She recognized enough of Electric Pass to know she was now home, and it was early morning.
2. She was still in a candle-lit barn. The archivist spoke. "I guess no magic tonight. But I will never forget this."
3. She was still in a candle-lit barn. But there was now a third soul in the room.
4. She was no longer in a barn. She was on a road, and ahead she could see a large market town. Leo heard her say, "The Powers have done it me again."

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