"It is not thesame," Li Sung interrupted. "See how clean it is here? No rubbish.Perfect order."
She felt an easing of tensionas affection surged through her. Trust Li Sung to sense the bitter memories andstep in to soothe and comfort her. "No, it's not the same."
"Same as what?" Ruelasked.
She stiffened warily as shesaw his arrested expression. "Li Sung and I have seen quite a few tentcities over the years." She added quickly to forestall further questions."But none this clean. Are you responsible?"
He shook his head. "TheCinnidans are incredibly fastidious. The first thing they demanded when I cameto terms with the workers was a communal bathhouse, abelimtent, andtwo hours a day forbelimand time to police their livingquarters."
"Demanded?"
"Did you think I wasusing slave labor?"
"Let's say I didn't findyou so compliant in our negotiations."
"I had no choice with theCinnidans." He grinned ruefully. "They deigned to work in my mineonly on their own terms. If I hadn't acceded to their wishes, they would havestayed happily in their villages and watched me work myself into the grave nomatter how much money I offered them."
But he bore them no ill will.Jane noticed the same affectionate possessiveness when he spoke of theCinnidans as when he had looked at his mountain. "Money has no appeal tothem?"
"Money has appeal foreveryone, but the Cinnidans don't regard it as necessary to 'felicitousliving,' as they call it."
"And what do they thinkis necessary?" Li Sung asked.
"Children, serenesurroundings, time to learn from their teachers, andbelim."
"Belim?"
"Games. Cinnidans lovegames. You can almost always find a game of some sort in progress."
"And we're supposed toget them to work?" Jane asked dryly.
"They're not lazy, but I hada problem with that when I first came here until I realized the secret. Youmake work a game and put the workers in competition with each other. Everynight we declare a winner and award a prize."
"What kind ofprize?"
"It changes every day. Aday off, a trinket, money... The local council gathers to decide the prizesevery two weeks."
"And you head thecouncil?" Li Sung asked.
He shook his head. "Noone is allowed to sit on a Cinnidar council except the Cinnidans. I've beenhere three years and never been accorded that honor." He smiled. "ButDilam tells me if I continue to behave in a proper manner, in another year ortwo I may be permitted to attend, if not participate."
"Is Dilam on thecouncil?"
"Oh yes, Dilam heads thecouncil. A most extraordinary individual." He cast a glance at the settingsun. "I'll take you over to thebelimtent. Most of the workersgather there for dice and card games before supper. I believe it's time you metour Dilam."
They heard the laughter andexcited shouts issuing from the huge tent in the center of the camp from ahundred yards away.
When they entered the tent thenoise was deafening. The tent was unfurnished except for colorful rugs coveringthe bare dirt floor and elaborately carved brass filigree lanterns that illuminatedthe excited faces of the men and women gathered in several groups. Jane smiledin amusement as she remembered Li Sung's comment about the superiority of theCinnidans because they wore their hair in pigtails. Well, these Cinnidanscertainly had a fondness for the practice; she had never seen so many pigtailsin one place. Men and women alike wore their long, dark hair pulled back intothick single braids.
Their entrance received littleattention from the crowd, though a few men hailed Ruel with more friendlinessthan respect. Ruel answered with equal casualness while he looked around thetent. "Ah, dice…I thought so.Dilam loves dice. This way." He elbowed his way through the crowd to acircle of men and women kneeling, playing dice in the far corner.
"Dilam, could I speak toyou?" Ruel called.
One of the glossy dark-manedheads bent over the dice lifted. "In a moment, Samir Ruel."
Jane stared in shock. Dilamwas a woman.
Dilam's glance shifted toJane. "Ah, they are here? Good."
