Chapter 9

Pell stood silent for several long seconds before speaking, eyes never moving from sofa. "Vaysh, please tell me that isn't who I think it is." His voice was low and remarkably controlled.

Vaysh carefully stepped forward. "That depends on who you think it is."

"Shit, it's Thiede!" Rue exclaimed, effectively putting an end to the hushed atmosphere.

Across the room, still wordless on the sofa, Apollo flinched.

Cal delivered an impolite jab in Rue's side. "No, Rue! Shit, your eyesight is terrible and you know it. It's NOT Thiede -- it can't be!"

Rue, apparently not convinced and his nearsightedness preventing him from seeing, stepped forward, breaking away from the group. "I know but, it really does look like--"

"Rue, let me assure you, that is not Thiede," Vaysh cut in, "although honestly I thought so myself, at first glance." Stepping forward, he stood beside Rue, who stood staring, his eyes having finally gotten enough detail to see his initial identification had been incorrect. "With apologies, allow me to introduce Tiahaar Apollo and Tiahaar Moon. Tiahaara, this is the Tigrina Caeru and, as you must know, Tigrons Pellaz and Calanthe."

Moon was the first to rise to his feet. Unlike many hara brought before the Triad, he did not bow, although he did lower his eyes briefly.

"Allow me to speak for both of us," Apollo said, coming up beside his hostling. "We have waited a long time to meet you."

"I can't say we've been waiting for you likewise," Pell responded, still managing to control his voice. Vaysh wondered how much he had already guessed. "You have us at quite a disadvantage."

Unsurprisingly, it was Cal who put a halt to the polite, if strained introductions. "OK, cut the crap!" He walked over to the sitting area and threw himself in an armchair. "I want you sit down -- everyone actually -- and tell us who you are and why you're here." Everyone found a seat that instant, his words were so commanding. Eying Apollo, seated in the next chair, Cal continued. "It's fairly obvious our dear friend and Aghama Thiede is involved in this but--"

"I can 'cut the crap,'" Apollo interrupted. Just as at the house, it struck Vaysh how very much Apollo reminded him of Cal -- completely unvarnished. "In fact I'd be happy to, so let me be more direct about this than I was with Vaysh: Moon, though he might not look it, is my hostling. As for my father, I think you can all guess that."

"Thiede," Pell moaned, while Rue and Cal spit out another reaction: "Shit!"

"Tiahaara," Vaysh chided, "I think we have to rise above these ridiculous snipes and profanities at once. We need to discuss this rationally, clearly. Moon and Apollo appeared before me this afternoon and told me their story. It's quite worth hearing, if you'll just lis--"

"You're Thiede's son," Pell suddenly said, apparently breaking out a brief reverie, having missed all of Vaysh's words. "And you..." He stared at Moon with an expression half amazement, half horror. "You were the hostling, which means you were Thiede's lover!"

"At least for one night!" Rue burst out, before erupting in cruel laughter. "How very, very ironic! Pell, seems like you weren't the only--" Rue was suddenly cut off, his hands went to his head, as if warding off an invisible assault. "What are you doing to my head?" he squeaked, obviously directing his words at Moon.

"He's trying to talk to you," Apollo explained, motioning for his hostling to stop whatever he was doing. "In case you haven't noticed, and maybe you haven't had the chance, Moon can't talk."

"Thiede's cut out his tongue? I'm not surprised to hear that, you know. After all, he certainly wouldn't have wanted word of this to-- Aaaaaaaah!" Again Rue grabbed his head.

Pell took Rue in his arms. "Whatever it is you're doing to him, please stop."

Apollo motioned at Moon once again and Rue relaxed.

Vaysh cleared his throat. "He doesn't mean any harm, Rue. You see, unless you let him into your mind or let Apollo speak for him, Moon can't talk."

"'And Thiede didn't take my tongue,' Moon says," Apollo announced. "He says to let you all know that he's deaf. And no, that is not Thiede's doing either. He was born deaf."

"He was incepted deaf?" Rue asked wonderingly. "Who would have even thought of such a thing?"

"Thiede," Vaysh said. "Moon was incepted by Thiede himself."

"Like me!" Pell exclaimed, astonished. "Just like me."

All at once Cal flopped back in his chair and bellowed with dark laughter. "Oh, God, Pell, of course just like you! This is all another one of Thiede's great dark plans, don't you see? Thiede wasn't perfect -- we all agree on this, correct? Well, sometime or other, imperfect, almighty Thiede came up with a plan to create himself a son, maybe back before he had the power to take hara and--"

"Stop it!" Apollo spat. "That's not what happened at all. You're going to say Moon was part of some plot, Thiede's way of creating an heir? That's exactly what it wasn't. Thiede didn't incept my hostling as part of any plan -- not beyond saving his life. He and my hostlings were friends, actual friends. Moon knew the truth about Thiede and got to hear his secrets. All along, he was in love with him -- so much so that when Thiede one night came to him and asked him to create a son with him, he said yes -- with his mind and his body."

"And there was no ulterior motive in that?" Pell sneered. "Moon knew what Thiede was, what power he had. He couldn't have borne the Aghama's pearl and not expected some great reward."

Rue, sitting across from Cal, next to Moon, shook his head. "I disagree, Pell. He might have done it without even knowing or even if he did know, he might have done it for love. I do have some experience with such affairs."

Pell regarded his consort; a silent thought was exchanged and they both nodded.

"My hosting says, 'I wanted a son. And I did love Thiede. That was the only thought. No 'great reward.'" Apollo looked to Pell meaningfully. "Moon has a lot to say. Let me simply put it to you: 'Thiede didn't even stay with me,' he says. 'Long before the pearl was even born, Thiede left me -- for you, Pellaz. He had other plans and destinies in mind. Apollo and I did not fit in that grand scheme. We were sent away, far away. Every year, Thiede's increasing fame, we were forced to roam further. We were not allowed to go near Immanion. We didn't often get to see him. Slivers of his time is all we had -- not a part in any "great dark plan." Before he died, he told us to come here, to come and talk with him. Not to take power, not to share it, only to talk. As for talking with you, my only hope is that you will see that Thiede was more har than most know.'"