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.They were considered an expensive delicacy in Murdoch but here they were piled high in bowls at the end of the servery hatches and Niaill laughingly told him to help himself to as many as he wanted.“Market is full of them,” he said, “always is this time of year.Now, you mentioned that you wanted to speak to one of the cadets? This might be a good time.”“I’ve got a letter to deliver to her,” Elliot informed him, “from her sister.We met on the way here.”“What’s her name?”“Rilla.Rilla Talansdochter.”“I don’t know her,” admitted Niaill, “but if you hang on I’ll go find her for you.”When Rilla appeared, Elliot was surprised.He had imagined she would be like either the pretty, vivacious Zilla or the tall, confident Hilla.She was neither, being slim, dark and shy.Only in the area of her mouth did she resemble her sisters.“Ryzcka Niaill said you wanted to speak to me?” she asked in a quiet voice that just matched her appearance.“Er, yes,” said Elliot, “me and my friend here, we stayed at your father’s inn and your sister asked me if I could give this to you.” He handed over the letter.“From Zilla.Oh thank you so much.I wasn’t expecting this.”“I understand,” said Elliot who knew the reason behind her comment.“She is well?” Rilla asked, holding the precious letter against her.“Very well,” confirmed Elliot, “she talked about you a lot.”Rilla looked at him, “will you, will you be returning the same way? I could …”Elliot shook his head.“I regret.”“I understand,” Rilla said, “there’s the bell, I must go,” and she turned and sped away, much as Elliot would have liked to talk to her further.He hadn’t even had the chance to tell her that Robain had in his possession another letter, this one from Hilla.He supposed Robain would seek her out another time, shrugged and bent his energies to the yellowfruit.By the time he and James had finished their meal, Philip and Robain had not yet made their appearance so Niaill arrived back to ‘claim his kuras’.“Rilla see you?” he demanded.“Yes,” answered James, “but she had to go.”“Class,” acknowledged Niaill.“The cadets are kept busy, especially the third and fourth stripes.Coming? Plenty more to see.”Elliot and James were happy to remain with Niaill.He was an interesting conversationalist and regaled them with stories and legends about the Vada interspaced with anecdotes about him and his Taraya.“Thought we might go visit the Inner Sanctum,” he said.“What is that?” asked Elliot, “a chapel?”“The Inner Sanctum is a place of peace, where we remember what has gone before, who has gone before I should say.You’ll see; it is interesting as well as being peaceful.Right over here.”The building stood on its own in the midst of a garden of sweet smelling dalina flowers.Elliot recognised them by their smell - they were a favourite of his mother.“We go in here,” said Niaill opening the door and ushering them inside.Both boys blinked as their eyes adjusted to the dim light.The celestery windows that provided the light were shuttered.Niaill opened them using a long pole with a peculiar end with which he opened the catches pulling them back with the comment, “now we will be able to see.”Elliot and James turned a full circle examining the room.It was octagonal in shape as was the roof, the walls of varnished wood.One of the eight sides held the door.On the other seven walls were boards filled with names in silver leaf.Five were titled Susa.The first four of these had ten names each, with dates, the fifth had three names.Above the door was a smaller board with two lines of lettering.Niaill saw them looking.“These five are the names of all the Susas, ten to a board.Susa Julia and Alfei are the forty-fourth to command.When they resign, or die, their names are added.Look, here are Susa Francis and Asya, the very first and the founders of the Vada then Tina and Daltei who followed them and here,” he moved over to the second board, “are Lynsey and Bernei, heroes of the Battle of Fountains Head in AL167.They were Susyc; that is the overall commanders of the Armies of the North.There have only been two, Jim and his Larya and Lynsey and Bernei.Theirs is that small, dull board above the door.”“What are the other two boards?” asked James.“They’re empty.”“For the future but you and I’ll be dead and gone by the time they are used.”“What are the leather books on the table?” asked Elliot in a whisper.The room was saying ‘peace’ even though its contents were a commemoration of war.“That big one is known as ‘The Book of the Fallen’,” Niaill explained.“It’s not the first volume; I think it’s the seventh.In this the Vada chronicler records all the names of those who have died performing their duty, together with a short resume of their lives and how they died.In that casement over there are books and books covering the complete list of Vada members from earliest times.They contain information about those who lived to enjoy a well earned retirement, in the majority these days thank the lai.”“And the other book? The blue one?”“That is the ‘Honour Roll’,” said a respectful Niaill.“In it are inscribed those who have been awarded the Honour Star.The Honour Star is the Vada’s reward for supreme bravery, not for us the different medals for one campaign and another.They are silver and are worn on the collar.Even cadets have been awarded them in the past; a long time ago.Very few are awarded nowadays.I cannot remember any and me and Taraya have been serving for quite a fair number of years.I don’t think there’s any alive who have been awarded the honour.”James had wandered over to the wall boards [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]