5. Jade and Balm: in the Time of Indigo Cloud's Eastern Colony

Balm looked up as Jade dropped into her bower from the ledge above. Her expression and the angle of her spines made what had happened plain, but Balm said, "I guess Pearl wouldn't change her mind?"

"No." Jade's spines twitched as she paced. There wasn't much room for it even though Balm's bower was big for a warrior's. The bowers here in the east side wall were platforms with three walls, made cozy with hanging beds and cushions and heating stones. It was hard to tell what purpose the groundlings who had originally built this pyramidal structure had meant for these rooms, but then most of the layout of the colony was inexplicable and always had been. Jade stopped with her

claws barely touching the storage baskets in the corner and said to the wall, "She won't even talk to me about moving the colony. She won't even talk to me about anything."

"Stone will be back soon." Balm tried to sound optimistic. But she knew there was no guarantee that Stone would be able to get a consort from Star Aster. Wind Sun and Mist Silver had let them know such a request would not be welcomed, and while Sky Copper was willing, their few consorts were already taken or not old enough to even think about leaving the nurseries yet. Rumors heard through Sky Copper suggested Star Aster would probably be hard to convince that Indigo Cloud was worthy of joining any of their bloodlines. They were stuck, and Balm was resigned to the fact that it was the court's own fault for not acting sooner.

Jade shook her spines and echoed Balm's thought, "We can't count on help from anyone. And I can't convince Pearl we need to move. This is one of those times when you realize how much a court needs a first consort. Someone who could remind Pearl that we're her clutch, not her enemies." She made an impatient gesture. "I just miss Rain so much."

Balm had to look away. She missed Rain, too. It hadn't been until later that she had realized that one of the reasons he had kept she and Jade so close was because Pearl's other clutches had died. All she had known as a fledgling was that their consort sire had always been there, reassuring and comforting to them and all the others in the nurseries when Pearl had been distant and cold.

Jade paced across the room to stare at the other cracked stone wall. "Not to mention, if he was still alive, Pearl wouldn't be..." The word trailed off.

"Sad and angry," Balm supplied. She listened for a moment, filtering out the sound of the nearest water drain, making sure there was no movement nearby, that no one was close enough to overhear. She lowered her voice anyway. "But it's more than that. I think she's ill."

Jade stepped to the open wall, glancing out, head tilted to listen. If a reigning queen was ill or injured in a court with one or more sister queens, it was upsetting; if a reigning queen was ill or injured in a court like Indigo Cloud, with only one daughter queen and her with no consort and therefore considered too young to take over even in a crisis, it was a disaster. Satisfied, Jade stepped back to the hearth and sat on her heels, eye level with Balm. "I think so too. But she won't say what it is, or even admit it's happening. Flower says not to ask or I'll just make it worse."

Balm grimaced. "Flower should be able to figure out what's wrong."

"I wish she'd hurry," Jade hissed.

Balm hesitated, then voiced the thought that frightened her the most, "Maybe she already has. Maybe it's so bad, she decided not to tell us."

Their gazes met, and Jade looked away first. Rain had died, Amber had died, and so many others. If Pearl grew ill and died, Balm didn't know what would happen. It was terrifying to contemplate, like an oncoming storm when there was nowhere to land.

Jade said finally, "The Arbora probably think they're helping by insisting I take a consort. I think it's making everything worse."

"Anything anybody does about anything right now is just going to make it worse," Balm said, shaking off that chill of fear. "We can't let that stop us.  We have to keep trying to move forward."  She was certain of that.  Months of discussing this with Flower and Petal and Bone and Stone and the others had convinced her; staying here in this place that had clearly turned against them, that had been poisoned by something, would destroy the court.

Jade twitched her spines and made a clear effort to sound more determined. "So if Stone does get me a consort, he's going to be dumped in the middle of all this. I'll have to court him and take care of him and make sure he's comfortable while I'm dealing with Pearl and trying to get the Arbora to move out of this trap and..." Jade looked helpless. "How do you court a consort?"

Balm nudged her encouragingly. "We've read the stories.  You give him gifts, things to show how wealthy the court is and how talented the Arbora are, and you...talk to him. And..." Balm hesitated, realizing she had no idea.  Courting wasn't something warriors or Arbora had to worry about. You had sex with your friends, and when Arbora were ready to breed, they figured out the best choices for their bloodlines. It was simple. The idea of having to approach a stranger, let alone a consort you had never met before, and try to convince him to like you enough to breed with you was daunting.

Jade shook out her frills, frustrated. "The stories were all assuming there'd be consorts around to ask for advice. And to talk to the new consort about you, and tell him how strong and smart and just and wise you are. Or at least that you're not an ass."

"You'll figure it out," Balm promised. "I'm sure you will."

There was a crash from below as someone flung themselves through the lower doorway and slammed into the baskets stored there, and they both twitched. Then Root's voice called out, "Stone's back!"