Kolon sat in his tent. He slowly sipped his tea. Patiently, he sat and waited for Kalin; praying, for what he did not know.

Was Danta the hope they needed? Were The People so inbred in their thoughts that they had to depend on someone else to save them? Though this Danta was one of The People, he was not one with them.

Kolon began to think that he was wrong. It was hard for him to think that way, for he felt that as The Elder he needed to be correct in his words, even if his thoughts were confused.

Kalin walked into her fathers tent, and looked to him. "Father, are we sure we are going in the right direction?"

"You obviously have spoken with him, has he changed even your mind?"

"No, he just showed me that the way I have been thinking all along is the correct way."

"Are you opposed to our plan to save the mountain?"

"I don't have the right to say how you or The People should think. I just cannot with a right conscience follow you into this matter."

"That is your right, daughter. You know the laws of The People. You have all the right to think the way that you want. I feel saddened to think that the two best poets of The People will be lost to us in this time of great need."

"Father, please do not try to manipulate my feelings at this time. I will not be persuaded."

"And this Danta can change your mind so easily."

"He did not change my mind, he reminded me of my commitments."

"And will you go to him now."

"What do you mean, I am my own woman. He is his own man."

"I know that, and I know that your mind set is not because of him; but besides that, you want him."

"I resent that."

"I am not saying this for any personal motives, I just see this in your eyes. I can also see his thoughts and feelings in you. They are reflected in your eyes. No, they are burnt into your eyes, you will never be able to remove this effect on you."

"Father, what are you saying?"

"Are you so blind that you refuse to see the obvious?" He said, "Or is it that you have refused to be subject to anyone, that the thought of loving a man is absolutely foreign to your mind?"

"You are right, I couldn't have seen it but you are right. I need to go to him now before he leaves." She said. "Where is he going?"

"He is going down to the valley."

"He told you this, and didn't stop him?"

"He did not tell me, I saw it the moment the thought planted seed in him. You need to go to him right now."

"I never thought that you would give me your blessing."

"Would it have mattered?"

"Yes, but it wouldn't have stopped me from what I am going to do."

"Thank you for small concessions." He said.

As Kalin stood in the empty tent, she held the one item left on the swept ground. The note was cryptic, as she would expect. It read:

          Into the valley

          of death

          on sodden wings

Kalin dropped the note on the ground and quickly walked away. Without looking back. Bringing only the clothes on her back, she followed Danta to her death.

Danta's beast was unusually rough on him. Was she protesting his actions or just too tired to be gentle?

"I'm sorry darling, this is not your time to go, and these roads are too rough for you. I expect too much of you. I should have asked you if you were willing to go to your death with me. I'm afraid that you are just too simple a beast to answer me. I expect too much of you."

Danta rode slowly on down the mountain. His mood darkened with each step. He knew that he was doing the right thing, and that now was the right time. It was just hard to give up his freedom, and his life.

"Come on let's move a little faster, I am impatient to do this thing and get it over with."

They moved slowly down the mountain, over no path since it was rare for anyone to go down the mountain, and no one ever came up the mountain - yet.

The city was lit, and Danta could not see the sky. The city commerce moved at night, and it was sure death for anyone to not travel by wagon. Danta was driven and somehow protected.

The smell of the city was overwhelming. It was enough to make Danta consider giving up his mission, but his resolve was too great, he went on.

Though the city was foreign to him Danta moved as if he knew where he was going. He suddenly stopped in front of a house and stared at the door.

"Here we are. Bring me to the door and set me down."

Danta sat next to the door and knocked. He waited patiently, then knocked again a little louder. Finally someone opened the door.

"Yes, may I help you?" The young girl asked.

Danta looked up to the girl, and gave her a small smile. "Yes, I was sent here. You have a room for me."

"Yes we do but how do you know? We just knew about the vacancy only an hour ago, and no one has left the house."

"Maybe I'll explain someday. Is the room vacant or not?"

"I'll ask my father if it is okay."

After a few moments a man in his fifties walked to the door, and looked down at him "Young man we have a room for rent. How are you going to pay for it?"

"I have no money, but I can help you in a way you will find much more valuable. You have a need that I can fill in a way that no other person can fill."

"I don't know if I can help you." The man was getting nervous.

"Please let me come in, and I can explain."

"Maybe you can explain, maybe not. Either way it is not wise to stay out at this time of night." Looking into the house he called. "Joseph, will you please take care of this mans animal. Looking back to Danta he said "Come inside." Danta pulled himself into the house.

"Now what is this help you can give me?" The man asked Danta.

"You have a desire to free yourselves from the oppression of the Emperor. You have been making plans to overthrow the government. I understand your desire to free yourselves from the oppression of this government, but you will not succeed with your methods."

The old man stood stunned and stared at Danta. Who told you these lies? I am a loyal servant of the Emperor. Whoever told you these lies must be a conspirator himself."

Danta did not even hesitate. "No person told me these things. I have my own sources. Please trust me for the moment. I am your captive, so I cannot go anywhere to turn you in. I must tell you, though that I have a better way to free you - if you will be patient."

"You seem to know quite a bit about me. Since you know so much, what is my name?"

"You are Andrew. You were the Master of the Emperors stables, but you were put out."

"Who are you, and where are you from?"

Danta looked up at him, measuring him. "My name is Danta, I am not from your land."

"Then how do you know who I am?"

"I have friends, who know you also, who have told me all about you. You are a good man. You are kind to animals, and even to people.

"You are the one person in this city that I can trust. I know that you are an honest man. You are going to help me."

"How can you come in here and tell me to help you?"

"I'm not going to tell you to help me. I just know the character of your heart, I know that you cannot refuse me."

"You're right. I can't refuse you. Tell me, how can you help me?".

Danta and Joseph sat and talked through the night. Joseph told Danta of the rebellion, of how the slaves and lower classes were trying to get together the weapons and the sympathy of the people to overthrow the Emperor.

"Why did the Emperor throw you out of the stables?" Danta asked Joseph.

"My son attacked one of the Emperors guard. The man was abusing one of the horses, and my son had such a love of animals that he could not stand to see such abuse."

"What happened?"

"The soldier wasn't hurt. The Emperor wouldn't put up with one of his soldiers being attacked, so he had…" Joseph stopped there, and closing his eyes started to softly shake. "He made my whole family watch as he roasted my son on a stake. I think that I could have watched it myself, maybe, but it made it so much worse to see my whole family watch this." He couldn't go on.

Danta was silent, he had never felt for any other person before. Except maybe Kalin. Danta thought for a few moments, then he said, "Maybe we can help each other. We each have a need to deal with this Emperor of yours... though my need is truly greater."

Danta reflected for a few moments, looking into Joseph's eyes. "I have to trust you, or we cannot work together. I must take a chance on you, though I believe that you are worthy of my trust.

"I come from a land that is not too far from here, a land that is not accessible to this country. Our problem is that the Emperor knows about our land, and is greedy to conquer it. Our only defense is that our land is not easy to get to. That will eventually be no problem.

"Our greater problem is that we are completely defenseless. The People in our land will not fight. We have been taught for many generations that we must not fight to defend ourselves -under any circumstances. I am in total agreement with this, but there are a few who are trying to change the will of the people. This cannot be. If this happens, we will not continue as a people. Whether we win or lose in a war - we will all die in our spirit.

"I have come here to prevent this from happening, though it will be my death."

Joseph thought for a moment, then said, "I thought that my grief with the Emperor was a great thing. I know now that it a small matter. My son's life is not small, but my bitterness is small."

Danta and Joseph talked late into the night. Plotting against the Emperor. As the sun shot its first rays into Joseph's house Joseph went into his room to sleep the day away. Danta sat quietly in the corner. Joseph's family didn't know if was asleep or not. Danta sometimes did not sleep for days. He would just sit quietly, unmoving, composing his quiet poems.