Kalin could see the tent in the distance. She was not used to being unsettled. Normally she took charge in a situation. She didn't do it as a defense, she was just strong. Most people left too many loose ends, Kalin cleaned them all up.

With Danta she was unnerved. His verse was powerful. It pulled your breath from you. She respected Danta, and Kalin respected very few people. She really only respected one person, Rylar, the king. With Rylar it took her many years to respect him. How could she have any feelings for someone like Danta, someone she never met.

After some careful thought she steeled herself and walked up to the tent.

"Enter Kalin, daughter of Kolon." Danta said, without looking up.

Kalin stared at him. "How did you know me?"

"I have my informers."

"I thought that you did not like people?"

Avoiding her question, Danta looked up and gazed into her eyes. "You have some degree of wisdom, not quite the same as your father."

"My father does not lack wisdom. We merely do not see life from the same point of view."

"I am afraid your father might sacrifice The Peoples values to save our lives."

"And our lives are not precious?"

"And the truth is not precious?" Danta looked deeper into her eyes. He then looked away and stared off into the hills. "Do you enjoy tea? I have a special blend. You might find some pleasure in it. I blend it myself and my friends have no pleasure in it.

"They also do not find great pleasure in weighted matters. They seem to be interested in nuts, berries, and worms. I listen with great interest, for they find these to be critical issues. But sometimes I long to speak with someone of my kind."

"You have many people come by you, why don't you speak with them?"

"I said someone of my own kind. These people are crude beasts with minds less subtle than the animal that I ride. That beast has very little mind and has not spoken two words to me in all of our association."

"I thought that you could not speak easily?"

"That is only to people."

"And what am I?"

"You are a gentle fawn, whose beauty flows upon the meadow with a warm summer wind. You are the depths of the ocean, dark and terrible, with weight that suffocates the weak."

"I thought that I was merely a little girl."

"Are you not an elder, and a master poet."

"In your presence I am a baby child."

"That is why you are such a wise and beautiful person. You see reality and are not willing to give yourself any honor. Not even to hint at it."

"Danta, do you know about the danger from below?"

"I have known for many years."

Kalin thought for a moment. "I have considered for many years regarding the social and spiritual gap between our peoples." Up here we are safe. We have arrested suffering and sickness… at least…"

"Don't worry about me. I am a sport. Somehow, though, it is true in the negative and the positive sense."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, It has shown me, though, that even The People can be cruel, even with subtlety. And don't forget, I am a genius; even in a society of geniuses."

"Maybe you've been sent here to remind us of our responsibility to the people below."

"Responsibility? They deserve their fate. They will implode someday."

"They are our people, but we abandoned them. We left them to their fate, and we took The Truth from them. We are guilty of more than they are. They now have no hope."

"Kalin, you speak strange words. Are they your fathers?"

She exploded. "What do you think I am, a child with no thoughts of my own?"

"You said you were a child." He knew before he said it that it was the wrong thing to say.

Kalin stormed out of the tent. Danta stared after her. He was feeling emotions that he thought he had forgotten. He suddenly realized that his life had taken a corner, and he could never return.

Eventually Kalin calmed down and returned to the tent. She looked into the darkness. The sun blinding her eyes.

"I am still in here. I have not walked away."

"Don't insult me Danta."

"I thought a little light humor would help."

"I was speaking of my father. It is not easy being the child of The Master Poet."

Danta thought for a moment. "If I respect anyone, I respect him, and not because he is The Master Poet."

"I am not impressed."

"I don't try to impress. I never will."

"I know."

"You are your fathers Master."

" I suppose I must to believe that since you are my Master."

"Kalin what do you want from me?"

"We all know your gifts. We need your eloquent words to defend our land."

"I am opposed to that. We must not fight."

"We must not be the aggressors, Danta, but we cannot lay down like an old man ready to die."

"Our society is doomed. The sands are running out very soon. We will be absorbed, or die."

"Your fatalism will destroy us. 'As our life flows, with it flows hope.'"

"Quoting our elders will not save us. We need to look to the future, and how we can save our souls. The People think that since they are not as evil as the valley people, they are good people. Evil is not measured by degrees.

The People are tainted in small degrees deep in the darkness of our souls. Since we will not see it, we are more evil than the valley people.

The most heinous lie is the one that appears to be true. An outright lie is obvious to everyone. The subtle lie deceives everyone until it is too late. We should hope to be saved from our arrogance.

Kalin's eyes were attached to Danta's. Sometime as he spoke she had taken one of his hands in both of hers. "Your body is on fire."

"My life is ebbing out of me day by day. I will soon leave."

"Is there no hope?"

"My life is measured in his hands. Not as waste, but to form a beautiful sculpture."

"You will not help us, Danta."

"Kalin, you will write the verse to prepare The People for war."

"Will you help me?"

"You are a master poet, Kalin."

"I am your apprentice."

"You are a master. You will do it." Danta lifted her hands and put each against his cheeks. After a few moments he kissed each palm, holding the last to his lips, he looked inside her.

"Now go Kalin. You do not have much time." .

Outside the tent Kalin shivered, though the sun was hot on her face. After a few moments she wept, softly. After she started the slow walk home, her emotions settled into her fertile heart. Planted deep, to grow to fruitful wisdom.

Danta called the bird to his hand. "Here you go sweetheart. Take this to Samma, he will take care of my children. But first go to my beast and tell her to come to me."