prevent Vagars from witnessing the grotesque deterioration of a supreme being. The five cities contained more than 200,000 Vagars. They were controlled by a mere 570 Avatars. The Questors feared that if Anu was seen to age like any mortal the Vagars would cease to hold them in such awe. Avatar soldiers now guarded the exits, and all of Anu's Vagar servants had been taken away.
He was attended now by three Avatar acolytes, and had not been in contact with any on the Council since that day thirty years ago.
Now he requested the presence of Rael.
The Questor General left his office and moved through to his apartments. A Vagar servant bowed as he entered, and informed him that the Lady Mirani was in the roof garden. Rael climbed the circular stair and emerged into the sunshine. The garden had been designed by Viruk twenty years before, and the air was heavy with the scent of roses and honeysuckle. Mirani was sitting in the shade of an arched trellis, that was adorned by a climbing multi-coloured rose of yellow, red and white. Rael paused and took in a deep breath. Even after a hundred years he found Mirani's beauty intoxicating. Her long, fair hair, dyed blue at the temples, was tied back now with a white ribbon, and she was leaning forward, paintbrush in hand, adding delicate touches to a newly shaped pottery vase. A touch of blue paint had marked the skin of her cheek. Rael felt the burden of responsibility lift from him. He was a man again. Sensing his presence, she turned and smiled.
'What do you think?' she asked him, pointing to the vase.
'It is beautiful,' he said.
'You haven't looked at it.' Moving across the garden he knelt by her side. The vase was tall and slim necked, and Mirani had painted exquisite female figures all around it. They were running and laughing. 'The Maidens of Contar,' she explained. 'You remember the myth? They heard the enchanted music of Varabidis, and left their homes to seek him on the mountain.'
'As I said, it is beautiful. But where is Varabidis? Should he not be present?'
'They did not want him, they wanted his music.' Mirani leaned back. 'What brings you home so early?'
He told her about the summons from Anu. 'Perhaps the Holy One has repented of his decision to die and wishes to join the Council once more,' he concluded.
'I do not think so,' said Mirani. 'Anu is not a fickle man.'
'I do not wish to see him withered and ancient. The thought is obscene.'
Mirani shook her head. 'You see old people all the time, Rael. If Anu has called for you then the matter is of importance. As I said, he is not fickle, and he certainly is not frivolous. Perhaps he has experienced another vision. You must go to him.'
'I know.' Taking a cloth he wiped the blue smear from her cheek. 'You should return to the Council,' he said.
'You are ten times wiser than Caprishan.'
'I no longer have any interest in politics.'
'That is something I have never understood.'
She smiled. 'The moment you do you will walk away as I did.'
'You think what I do has no merit?'
'Not at all. Society will always need to be governed. But here is a question for you, my dear. What does a normal man desire?'
'A family, a home, children. Enough food on the table. Health and a little wealth,' he said.
'Exactly. And when a man has these things, but desires to control - as a councillor - the lives of others, that makes him abnormal. A man who seeks to rule everyone must necessarily be extremely abnormal. It could be argued that such a desire to rule should disqualify any applicant.'
Rael laughed. 'In that case you are the perfect councillor, since you have no desire to be one.'
Her smile faded. 'Perhaps. But I served for sixty years, Rael, and I saw too much. Now go and see Anu. Give him my love.'
On his favourite grey gelding the Questor General rode through the Park of the West, and up over the clifftops. There was a cool breeze coming from the sea, and the smell of salt was strong in the air. He rode down through the
He was attended now by three Avatar acolytes, and had not been in contact with any on the Council since that day thirty years ago.
Now he requested the presence of Rael.
The Questor General left his office and moved through to his apartments. A Vagar servant bowed as he entered, and informed him that the Lady Mirani was in the roof garden. Rael climbed the circular stair and emerged into the sunshine. The garden had been designed by Viruk twenty years before, and the air was heavy with the scent of roses and honeysuckle. Mirani was sitting in the shade of an arched trellis, that was adorned by a climbing multi-coloured rose of yellow, red and white. Rael paused and took in a deep breath. Even after a hundred years he found Mirani's beauty intoxicating. Her long, fair hair, dyed blue at the temples, was tied back now with a white ribbon, and she was leaning forward, paintbrush in hand, adding delicate touches to a newly shaped pottery vase. A touch of blue paint had marked the skin of her cheek. Rael felt the burden of responsibility lift from him. He was a man again. Sensing his presence, she turned and smiled.
'What do you think?' she asked him, pointing to the vase.
'It is beautiful,' he said.
'You haven't looked at it.' Moving across the garden he knelt by her side. The vase was tall and slim necked, and Mirani had painted exquisite female figures all around it. They were running and laughing. 'The Maidens of Contar,' she explained. 'You remember the myth? They heard the enchanted music of Varabidis, and left their homes to seek him on the mountain.'
'As I said, it is beautiful. But where is Varabidis? Should he not be present?'
'They did not want him, they wanted his music.' Mirani leaned back. 'What brings you home so early?'
He told her about the summons from Anu. 'Perhaps the Holy One has repented of his decision to die and wishes to join the Council once more,' he concluded.
'I do not think so,' said Mirani. 'Anu is not a fickle man.'
'I do not wish to see him withered and ancient. The thought is obscene.'
Mirani shook her head. 'You see old people all the time, Rael. If Anu has called for you then the matter is of importance. As I said, he is not fickle, and he certainly is not frivolous. Perhaps he has experienced another vision. You must go to him.'
'I know.' Taking a cloth he wiped the blue smear from her cheek. 'You should return to the Council,' he said.
'You are ten times wiser than Caprishan.'
'I no longer have any interest in politics.'
'That is something I have never understood.'
She smiled. 'The moment you do you will walk away as I did.'
'You think what I do has no merit?'
'Not at all. Society will always need to be governed. But here is a question for you, my dear. What does a normal man desire?'
'A family, a home, children. Enough food on the table. Health and a little wealth,' he said.
'Exactly. And when a man has these things, but desires to control - as a councillor - the lives of others, that makes him abnormal. A man who seeks to rule everyone must necessarily be extremely abnormal. It could be argued that such a desire to rule should disqualify any applicant.'
Rael laughed. 'In that case you are the perfect councillor, since you have no desire to be one.'
Her smile faded. 'Perhaps. But I served for sixty years, Rael, and I saw too much. Now go and see Anu. Give him my love.'
On his favourite grey gelding the Questor General rode through the Park of the West, and up over the clifftops. There was a cool breeze coming from the sea, and the smell of salt was strong in the air. He rode down through the
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