Peacemaker

It was his father the two aimed at; but his father’s guard opened up and let them through, and then he realized, past the near glare of an oil lamp, that they were his mother’s bodyguard.

“They are Mother’s,” he said, which was to say, Great-grandmother’s. And they were upset. “Taro-ji, they are Mother’s guard. Something is wrong.”

“We are not receiving,” Veijico reminded him, staying close with him as he followed Antaro into his father’s vicinity.

“Son of mine,” his father said, “your mother is going upstairs. It may be the baby. She has called for her physician. We are obliged to go, quickly.”

“Is she all right?” he blurted out.

“Most probably. She has chosen not to go to the Bujavid clinic. She is giving directions. Nand’ Bren is with her. Your great-grandmother has heard. She will make the a

“My guests,” he said.

His father drew in a breath and spoke to his more senior bodyguard. “Go to Jase-aiji. Assist him and the young guests to get to Lord Tatiseigi’s apartment. Advise my grandmother to take my place in the hall. She may give the excuse of the consort’s condition. —Son of mine?”

“Honored Father.”

“Will you wish to go with nand’ Jase, or to go with us?”

He had never been handed such a choice. He had no idea which was right. Then he did know. “I should go where my mother is,” he said. “Jase-aiji will take care of my guests.”

“Indeed,” his father said, and gave a little nod. “Indeed. Come with me. Quickly.”

He snagged Jegari by the arm. “Go apologize to my guests. Tell them all of this, Gari-ji.”

“Yes,” Jegari said, and headed off through the crowd as quickly as he could.

Only then he thought . . . What about Kaplan and Polano?

 · · ·

* * *

 · · ·

The Bujavid staffer guided them through a succession of three service corridors, to a door that let out across from the lifts, in an area of hall cordoned off by red rope, and Guild were waiting beside a lift with the doors held open. Recent events still urged caution—but, “Clear,” Banichi said, and they went, at Damiri’s pace, which was brisk enough.

“We are in contact with the physician,” Tano said in a low voice, “but he is down in the hotel district, attempting to get to the steps through the crowd. Guild is escorting him. They will activate the tramway to bring him up.”

It was moderately good news. “Should we,” Bren ventured to ask Damiri, as they entered the lift, “call nand’ Siegi in the interim, daja-ma?”

She drew in a deep breath. They were all in. The door of the car shut, and Tano used his key and punched buttons. The car moved in express mode.

Damiri gasped and reached out, seizing Bren’s arm, and Algini’s, and they reached to hold her up.

“I think,” she said, “I think—”

“Daja-ma?”

“Get my husband!”

“We have sent word,” Bren said. “He is coming, daja-ma.”

“Are you sure?” she asked, and gasped as the car stopped. “Paidhi, he is not going to be in time.”

“Just a little further,” Banichi said. “We can carry you if you wish, nandi.”

“No,” she said, and took a step, and two. They exited the car into the hall, with a long, long walk ahead.

“Tano-ji, go to nand’ Tatiseigi’s apartment,” Bren said, still supporting Damiri on his arm. “Tell Madam Saidin to come. And nand’ Siegi if you can find him.”

Damiri opened her mouth to say something. And kept walking, but with difficulty. One truly, truly had no idea what to do, except to help her do what she had determined to do.

Banichi, who did not have use of one arm, moved to assist on the side he could, and Algini gave place to him. He said, quietly, “We are in contact with your staff, nandi, and Madam Saidin is on her way. So is your physician, at all speed. Here is nand’ Bren’s apartment. We could stop here, should you need. He has an excellent guest room.”

“No,” she said, but quietly, in the tenor of Banichi’s calm, low voice. “I shall make it. I can make it.”

“How long has this been going on?” Banichi asked, and after a deep series of breaths, Damiri said,

“Since yesterday.”

“Since yesterday.”

“I would not spoil my son’s festivity.” Deep breath, and in a tone of distress. “With him, I had two days.”

“It can be sooner.”

“I think, nadi, it could be before I get to the doors.”

Halfway to her apartment. “We are approaching,” Bren heard Algini say. And his ears told him, too, that someone was coming behind them, likely Madam Saidin. “The hall is secure. You are clear to unlock the doors.”

The doors ahead did open, wide, and the major domo and Damiri’s personal maid came hurrying out in great distress, ran to them and paced along beside as, behind them, indeed, Madam Saidin came hurrying into their company.

“One can assist her, nandi,” Madam Saidin said, easing herself into Bren’s place, while Damiri’s maid took her arm on Banichi’s side.

“I am no great assistance in this,” Jago said, “but I can at least provide communications.”

“Go,” Bren said. “Stay with her as long as need be.”

Tano arrived at a near run, from behind them. “Nand’ Siegi says he has not done this in thirty years, but he is coming, Bren-ji.”

“Well done,” he said. He thought perhaps he should go back to his apartment and wait there for news, but he was one person who could give orders if something had to be decided, and someone who could at least answer questions and explain to Tabini, when he got here—if protocol would let him get here—and he was determined to stay. He followed, stopped in the foyer with the major domo as Madam Saidin and Damiri’s maid assisted Damiri down the i

Bren just stood there, with his aishid—with Banichi, who by the sound of his questions knew more than the rest of them put together regarding Damiri’s situation.

“One had no idea what to do,” he said to his aishid, a little out of breath.

“One ca

“Do you need to rest?” he asked. “Nichi-ji, do not hesitate.”

“One has no desire to add to the commotion,” Banichi said. There was a small bench built into the foyer wall by the major domo’s office, not an uncommon arrangement, and he quietly took it. “You might sit, Bren-ji.”

“I am too worried to sit,” he said, but he did sit down, for fear Banichi would get up again. “I precipitated this. I was too harsh with my answers. I was far too blunt. I upset her.”

“You gave her answers, Bren-ji. They were not pleasant answers, but they were answers. And she seemed to have wanted them.”

“Still . . .” he said, and saw by the sudden doorward look of everyone in the foyer that someone was coming. Human ears picked up nothing yet; but Algini took it on himself to open the door, hand on his pistol as he did so.

“Nand’ Siegi,” he said, and held the door open until the old man arrived, with an assistant carrying two cases of, one supposed, medical equipment and supplies.

“Where?” the old man asked, out of breath, and Tano showed him and his assistant down the i

But Algini stopped, and held the door open. “The aiji is coming,” he said.

Banichi used the bench edge to put himself back on his feet. Bren stood up, and the major domo arrived back in the foyer, from down the hall, agitated and worried. Algini ceded him the control of the door as numerous footsteps approached.