There was a great deal to do, Brokols realized, but just now most of it wasn't ready to be done. So he and Reeno didn't feel particularly rushed. Their breakfast dishes had been cleared away—Amello Bostelli had hired a houseman-cook for Brokols—and they were relaxing over satta in the long rays of a sun less than an hour above the hills. Birds twittered and sang among the plantings on their roof and other roofs nearby.
Neither man said much. Brokols was thinking about his dream, which hadn't evaporated at waking as so many did. Reeno was thinking his own thoughts, giving only peripheral attention to Brokols'. The houseman stepped out into the garden.
"Your Excellency," he said, "there's a soldier at the door with a message for you. Says he wants to give it to your hand."
"Huh!" Brokols got up, Reeno a moment behind, and went inside. It was a young senior private in clean kilt and tunic, capped instead of helmeted. He recognized the Almite and saluted, put the large envelope in Brokols' hand, saluted again and left. Brokols closed and bolted the door, then slit the envelope with his pocket knife while walking back down the hall toward the garden. Sitting down to his cup again, he drew out a sheaf of papers and began to read aloud.
* * *
Dear Elver,
Earlier today you asked me to tell you about the sages of Hrum. It turns out that I have time to tell you, but as you are not here, I will write it down.
At present, three men are widely considered sages:
Tassi Vermaatio, Panni Vempravvo, and Vessto Cadriio. I'll start with Vessto. I know him best, and recently have gotten well reacquainted with him.
At age 27, Vessto Cadriio has come to be called, by some in Theedalit, "the Trumpet of Hrum." This appears to be from his foretelling some things regarding your ship, yourself, and the ambitions of your emperor—things in the nature of a warning—and also his preaching against Almeon.
Vessto is from a rather poor country province, Kammenak. He was trained in the monastery there but never experienced "the Awakening," and therefore was never dubbed "master." However, as a child he already showed certain Hrum-given talents that drew attention to him, and after four years in the monastery became a third-level adept—the highest is a fourth.
"Adept" refers to certain spiritual aptitudes conveyed by Hrum. Vessto occasionally produced what many came to call his "sayings from Hrum." Often, however, he did not show the neutral affinity that is normally a trait of sages and masters. He can be a dedicated partisan, as you well know, believing that Hrum intends him to do so.
Vessto will no longer be speaking against Almeon in the square, which will severely hamper Mellvis Rantrelli's efforts to depose the amirr. Instead, he has agreed to go with me on my new assignment, where he can be of real value to Hrumma.
* * *
Brokol's eyebrows raised at the last paragraph. Previously he'd been going to ask Reeno what Eltrienn had meant by the terms Hrum-given aptitudes and neutral affinity; neither had any meaning for him. The comments about "foretelling" had not impinged at all; he couldn't have told you they were there. The final paragraph took his attention off everything else however: Vessto was leaving with Eltrienn. He read on.
* * *
At age 58, Panni Vempravvo is known as "the Lamp of Hrum." Son of a fisherman, he was born in a village on a small inlet not far north of the firth. He spent longer as a novice than is normal in the monastery. Usually those who do not attain the Awakening within fifteen years are urged by the masters to leave. (Most leave sooner on their own or at a master's prompting.) But Panni Vempravvo was never urged to leave, and Awakened after twenty-two years in the monastery at Theedalit. Rather soon afterward, his observations on life and humankind began to bring him recognition as a sage.
Tassi Vermaatio was born in the hill village of Zarrnosi. He is said to be 94 years old. After meditating with him for an hour, one day a dozen years ago, Panni Vempravvo dubbed him "the Is-ness of Hrum," perceiving Tassi as having attained permanent one-ness with Hrum-In-Him and thus no longer having any other beingness.
Tassi went late to the monastery. As a boy and young man, he had labored in a quarry with sledge and chisel, cutting blocks of stone. He was renowned for his physical strength. At age 26, he went suddenly blind. This was not from some chip of stone in the eye; it simply happened. At the same time he received a call from Hrum, and entered the monastery near the marketing town of Kritailios. In less than two years he Awakened, at which point his eyes could see again.
For several years afterward he sat on the headland above the firth, in all weather and without a roof, draped with a woolen blanket, speaking occasionally to his devotees and allowing them occasionally to feed him, but mostly meditating. Once a day he got up, relieved himself, and walked about on the headland for a few minutes.
At age 50 he retired to a one-room penthouse in Theedalit, and within three years ceased entirely to speak, sitting in a state of permanent Enlightenment. He quite often laughs however. His breathing is usually imperceptible. He is said to take a small cup of satta once a day, and every week or so to eat a fruit or a meal cake of some sort. About as often, it is said, he voids his bowel and bladder into a bucket. Other than at those times, he rarely stands up anymore, and does not lay down at all. He is not known ever to be sick, and when he stands, he needs no help. It is said that to live with him is to slide gradually into a state of continuing bliss, but only two of his present followers have been with him for an extended period of years. Those two are dedicated to taking care of him. Others have emerged from their association with him to instruct in some monastery, or go back to the fishing boat, the farm field, or the herdsman's hut.
Panni is reported to have said that Tassi is above even the level of Play; he is simply at Perceive. Perhaps no one who has not had the Awakening—that is, no one but a master—has an inkling of what he perceives. Certainly I do not.
Eltrienn
* * *
Brokols had paused over the terms "level of Play" and "Perceive." Presumably Perceive was also a level of some kind. "Adept," "Hrum-given talents," and "Awakening" had little meaning for him. It was unlike Eltrienn to state things unclearly. But then, these were patently religious terms, not worth worrying about.
He and Reeno were about to leave when another messenger arrived, this one a page from the Palace. The wax-sealed envelope he brought was from Juliassa: Brokols was invited to attend a play with her that afternoon. If he accepted, a carriage would pick him up at noon, for lunch before the play. It said nothing about her father, but the messenger was to bring back his answer. Brokols invited the page inside and, sitting down in his study, wrote a brief reply: He'd be delighted, of course, but Reeno Venreeno would have to accompany him. By amirrial order, Reeno was to accompany him wherever he went.