Fractured Earth

Chapter 8

Several days had passed since Oleipha had learned of Ranal's death and she had kept herself busy, as she always did, by throwing herself into work. The very next day she and Marshal Kalam had walked barefoot together into Ivaza and they had taken warmly to Oleipha, interested in the Commensurate presence near their town now that there was one of them - an Old Earther - involved. The Marshal had passed around the order for all of the Commensurate at the camp to be barefoot when visiting any of the Old Earther towns and villages nearby, and Arbiter Saight had started putting in motion a new design for a more casual uniform that Oleipha had provided feedback on. Things were progressing well.

"So what's next?" Kalam asked her as they sat on a bench outside the tiny bakery and shared some fresh, crusty rolls smeared with butter and bright red berry jam.

"That depends on what you want to accomplish here," Oleipha wiped a crumb from the corner of her lips. "In the long run, I mean. What's the Commensurate's long-term goal?"

"To ensure that the Old Earthers are all aware of the Missionary's real agenda, and to know that the Commensurate seek to resettle Tassis while remaining neutral yet trustworthy. We want to work alongside the Old Earthers, and not above them."

"Trust, then," She mused. "We should work on establishing a casual trust between the Commensurate and the people here." She paused to think, caught Kalam's eyes as he looked at her expectantly, and looked away quickly before a blush flamed her cheeks. Since that fateful day, where he had held her and consoled her as well as any friend would, when she had been closest to him, enough to smell the alluring musk of his scent, to feel his breath warm on her skin, she had been having difficulty thinking of him as nothing more than a colleague. Three times, now, he had saved her, in as many ways. Three times she owed him a debt while knowing that he expected nothing from her in return.

"Trust..?" His voice pulled her eyes back to his and she saw that he was watching her closely. The blush found her cheeks regardless and she hoped that he was assume it was nothing more than a humility on her part.

"I think we should approach the town's council to broker open trade."

"And what would we trade?"

She shrugged as she chewed the last bite of her roll. "Anything that the town does not have. It can be material things; food, trinkets, ornaments, furniture. It can be more immaterial things; knowledge, for example. Methods to improve crop turnover or reduce wastage."

"So simple," He smiled at her and she caught that look in his eyes again, the one she'd seen previously that had made her think of Elder Iteldu - only this time she realised why. He was proud of her. She flushed, again.

"Discuss it with the other Commensurate at the camp and draw up a list of things that you feel you can offer without being too invasive. When you have a good base to work from, we'll approach the council and start putting things in motion. They will be eager to trade. The Commensurate have another large camp not too far to the north and news of their wares has already started trickling into Ivaza."

"It has?" He cocked a brow at her and she was struck for the hundredth time that day by how disarmingly handsome he was.

She cleared her throat. "Yes."

"How do you know?"

"Because I talk and listen, Marshal," Oleipha felt the corners of her mouth twitching into a wry little smirk.

"You see? I knew you'd be useful."

"Such appreciation," She rolled her eyes at him with a smile. "It's little wonder the female wardens whisper discreet nothings about you, not to mention some of the men."