Midnight Tides/Chapter 7

You see naught but flesh
In the wrought schemes
That stitch every dance
In patterns of rising –
The ritual of our days
Our lives bedecked
With previous import
As if we stand unbolstered
Before tables feat-heavy
And tapestries burdened
With simple deeds
Are all that call us
And all that we call upon
As would flesh blood-swollen
By something other than need.
But my vision is not so
Privileged and what I see
Are the bones in ghostly motion,
The bones who are the
Slaves and they weave
The solid world underfoot
With every stride you take.

Slaves Beneath
Fisher kel Tath

It is five days since the Acquitor Seren Pedac, Buruk the Pale and Hull Beddict have arrived in the Edur village and tonight they are to have their first meeting with the Warlock King. She has noticed that there are many representatives from other Edur tribes gathered and sees it as a warning of their new-found solidarity. The Nerek are withering beneath the indifference of the Edur and she hopes to persuade Hull to speak with them and persuade them out of their apathy and eat, but Hull is in a similarly apathetic state.

He is stung by her words though, and says he will try and help but the answer lies with the Edur.

Seren enters the village determined to help the Nerek. She accosts an Edur and asks her to extend an official welcome to the Nerek. The woman introduces herself as Mayen but does not know who the Nerek are. Seren explains and Mayen asks to be taken to the Nerek upon whom she will bestow her blessing.

Feather Witch tells Udinaas that Mayen is to bless the Nerek , ahead of the Warlock King's welcome and he is taken aback. The blessing would mean the ground would be sanctified to the Nerek. Hull and Seren discuss the blessing and the beliefs of the Nerek, of a single mother godess figure, the thief of fire who walks through time, known variously as the Eres, N'ere, Eres'al.

Udinaas watches Uruth talking to Mayen about her actions and hears Wither, laughing in the shadows.

He tells Wither to go, but the wraith casts a shadowspell on Udinaas, who now can see into the past of the land, and a primitive species staring up at a mountain of black stone (Sky Keep) suspended in the air over them…

The scene changes and he sees two tall figures, both women dragging a third between them. He recognises them as Menandore, Sister Dawn, and Sukul Ankhadu, Dapple the fickle sister. Between them they are dragging an unconscious Sheltatha Lore, Daughter Dusk, Protectress of the Edur.

The figures halt and appear to address Udinaas, but a voice answers from behind. He turns to find a tall man wearing white enamelled armour, blood-spattered and scarred by sword cuts. The man is their father Osserc, First Son of Dark and Light. He talks to them of their mother Tiam and they refer to her deaths, of dying and being reborn. Sukul wants to know with whom Osserc has been fighting and he replies Anomander. They discuss the woman and their intentions of imprisoning her in the Azath House. Osserc is concerned that the House will be tested by the presence of two draconian Ascendants in its grounds. The two women are concerned that Scabandari might seek to free the third, but Osserc reassures them that Scabandari is in no condition to free anyone. “Heed that as a warning, my dears. Mother Dark's first children were spawned without need of any sire. And, despite what Anomander might claim, they were not Tiste Andii”. Osserc takes his Soletaken form and leaves, while the two women discuss Sheltatha, her two children Envy and Spite, and their father Draconus, before veering into their dragon forms and flying away.

Seren muses on the meaning of the name Feather Witch, as a womb-chosen caster of tiles, practising divination for the service of the community rather than coins in her pocket. She sees a slave washing his hands and asks him about the woman. It is the slave Udinaas, who tells her Feather Witch is going to cast the tiles that night, while the Acquitor meets with the Warlock King. Seren thinks it extraordinary that FW’s talent remains despite her family having dwelt within a fragment of Kurald Emurlahn for a score of generations.

Seren, Hull and Buruk the Pale enter the long hall of the Edur citadel. The Warlock King is already eating, his K'risnan sorcerers behind him. He welcomes the Letherii and they sit and discuss the illegal harvest, indebtedness, blame and absolution. The Warlock King gives Seren Pedac leave to go, absolving her of any further part in the meeting to come, and she leaves thinking the Warlock King wants peace.

Udinaas is in the large barn with the other slaves, come to observe Feather Witch’s casting of the tiles.

As she begins her introduction to the Holds it becomes apparent that all is not well, and that the Holds are in turmoil. Seren Pedac enters the barn and Udinaas makes his way to her side. She asks him what has gone wrong and he replies he doesn’t know, as Feather Witch continues her reading. She speaks of Twin Rulers to the Beast Hold, that the Azath Hold is besieged. She speaks in the Jaghut tongue, of the Ice Hold, and then in Eleint of their Hold. Udinaas translates for Seren as Feather Witch talks of the positions within the Eleint Hold. Seren wants someone to stop Feather Witch but Udinaas tells her to be quiet as Feather Witch talks of the Empty Hold where all the positions have become plural, their destinies yet to be decided. It is a fell reading.