46. Consolation and First in the Reaches

"What did you learn?" Consolation asked. They were camped at the fringe of a forest, on the far edge of the plains. Kethel had caught up with them on their way out of the Reaches, chasing the fleeing progenitor and what was left of the Fell flights still following her. This was the first time Malachite and Pearl had allowed them to stop and rest, and the Raksuran warriors were keeping watch, so Consolation had let the whole flight gather to listen to Kethel.

Kethel had already told them what had happened, and his hair and skin was still singed from the fire of the falling sky machine. He said, "I didn't learn as much as you hoped."

Consolation waved that away. "We didn't expect you to learn how to run a court just by following two consorts."

"Yes, we did," First reminded her.

"Hoping and expecting are two different things," Consolation said pointedly. She could see all the others listening and taking note of the distinction. Some of them were still learning what words meant.

"But what did you learn?" First asked again.

"Old consorts are as dangerous as queens, and less likely to talk." Kethel hesitated. "If our consort had lived long enough, he would have led us to kill Them all."

"Them" meant the progenitor and her rulers. Consolation imagined that for a moment, then shook her head. It was a pleasing thought, but not practical. And she wanted to keep the flights' thoughts on the present, and not the past. "They would never have let that happen. Progenitor would have killed him before he grew more dangerous." 

The others nodded reluctant agreement.  First said gently, "It happened the way it happened. Nothing can change it."

Kethel twitched his shoulders, physically throwing off the past. They all missed their consort, and Consolation was painfully aware how much easier everything would have been if he were still with them. Kethel said, "The young consort is a good fighter, smart, fast."

Hurriedly Consolation motioned for Kethel to go on. She didn't want to talk about the young consort anywhere it might be possible for Malachite to hear. And she knew enough by now to realize Malachite might be sitting in this circle with them and none of them would know it until it was too late.

Kethel glanced around at them all, and then, as if it was an ordinary piece of news, said, "I got them to tell me some stories. New ones."

The entire flight reacted, buzzing with excitement. Their consort had told stories, shared over and over again among all the Fell who were different and all those who had joined them. The idea of new stories was amazingly good news. "You could have told us before," Consolation said accusingly. Kethel had obviously been withholding this information for effect. 

Kethel showed amusement and admitted, "I wanted to save it for last."

The stories would undoubtedly hold a great deal of knowledge, though there was no telling how much of it would be relevant to living in their new big tree in the Reaches. Their consort had never told stories about drains for example, and from what the Arbora had spoken of, drains were important.

First urged Kethel, "Tell a story now."

"Part of one," Consolation amended. "The first part, before we sleep." There would be a lot of flying tomorrow, and possibly fighting.

***

 Days later, after the battle, they were back in the Reaches, camped on a platform near the Indigo Cloud colony tree. Malachite had come with an Arbora called Auburn and her warriors to settle the last details. Consolation and First had come out to talk to her, with the others huddled back in their shelters or hiding in the brush.

Malachite said, "You will have a tree in the Reaches, near Opal Night. There will be rules you will follow to keep it."

First nudged Consolation, and she clarified, "A big tree with an inside."

"Yes."

Malachite was either as patient as a rock or absolutely furious, Consolation could never tell. She felt compelled to ask, "Will it have drains?" Malachite just stared at her, in that same way that made her feel like inadequately interesting prey. Regretting the impulse, Consolation added, "The Arbora said drains were important."

Malachite looked at Auburn. He shrugged. "It's true."

Malachite flicked a spine, then told Consolation. "It will have drains."

First nudged her again. She knew what he wanted, but maybe it was time for him to speak for himself. She tugged on his arm and said, "You ask."

First stared at her in betrayal, but Consolation refused to back down. "Go ahead. You want it, you have to ask."

Malachite had tilted that one spine in a way Consolation couldn't tell it was a good thing or not, and Auburn looked cautious.

First hesitated, then edged away from Consolation and said, "We want-- I want-- To learn how to record words."

Again, Malachite didn't react in any way Consolation could see. Auburn looked confused, and said, "Record words?"

"Like carving in the walls record images," First said. Consolation remembered that their consort had used just those words to try to explain the concept. Which meant First was so nervous he was almost forgetting how to talk. First added desperately, "Groundlings do it too. On plants. Things made from plants."

Feeling guilty, Consolation was about to intervene, when Auburn said, "Oh, you mean paper! You want to learn to write."

Malachite actually flicked two spines. She said, "Why?"

First shivered under Malachite's intense regard, but said, "To remember things. Stories, histories."

"Counting things," Consolation added. She had some vague idea that that was important for running a court. She had seen the Arbora do it during the battle preparations.

"That's a different thing," First whispered, glaring at her.

"Whatever, they both get written down on plants," she said, teasing him. First nudged her again, this time wanting her to be quiet.

Auburn looked inquiringly at Malachite. Malachite said, "Yes."