THIRTY-ONE: Mandrakes

It’s one thing to ask for something and accept it when it is given to you.

It’s quite a different thing to ask, take it and then run away.

Arous had asked for the Diofe’s blessing to go to the City.  She had asked for financial support.  He had it ready to give to her. Her dis-trust of him walked into his Willing Room, took the debdot from the arm of his chair and ran away.

That’s not the way it was supposed to happen.

It stood like a chasm between Arous and the Diofe.

It financed her apartment in the City and it installed the latest ID3-Wall to aid her search. It allowed her to store her hoveh in a safe place.  It built in her apartment a large bathroom with a sauna and a large shower.

I wonder if I can use this to port. Don’t even think about it, Miguel. I know you’re trying to watch me through Arcadia, I can feel you. You’re not invited here. Neither is Edwi.

She immediately bought a few mandrakes and installed a sky light so that they would survive in the interior bathroom. From the Bowl we could port from one body to another anywhere in the Bowl or outside, as long as we had been there before or had a picture of it or even a stone from the bottom of the lake or stream.  However, we couldn’t port into an area within about three meters of a living mandrake.

She picked a hologram for her ID3-Wall called Tennant-12.  He was a skinny, fast-talking chap.  He had a Northern accent.

“All planets have a north,” he responded when she remarked on his accent.

“Forget it,” she said.

“What’s with the stuffed animal?” he asked.

“She’s not a stuffed animal, she’s my horse.”

“Right,” he said. “How can I help?”

“I’m need to find someone.  She was a Idelle.”

“Do you know her name?” he asked.

“No.”

“That’s not very helpful.”

“She was a Lunese.”

“Aaaah.”