"Poor Fei," Sylvie muttered to no one in particular. "He's never going to live anything down with these two around."

It took Fei a little longer than an hour to come back, and when he did return, it was not alone. Behind him were two stodgy-looking old men that had not seen their prime in some time. Both sported long white mustaches, thinning hair pulled up tight on the top of their heads, with multiple layers of shirts and jackets on. How they could be cold in this mild weather, Siobhan could not comprehend.

She stood as they approached her, eyes on Fei, trying to convey the silent question, Can we come in?

Fei gave her a discreet nod before he turned and introduced, "This is Bo Sei Jin, City Master. He is responsible for any visitors that come here."

"Rare as they are," Bo Sei Jin remarked. If desert ground, filled with nothing but sand and cracks, could be given a voice, it would sound like his. "Greetings, Deepwoods Guild."

"And Saoleord's historian, Kim Ra Im. Masters, this is Siobhan Maley, Guildmaster of Deepwoods."

In the hour that Fei had been gone, Siobhan had gotten some training from the cousin-guard, so this time she was more sure of herself as she put her hands together and bowed to them. "I am pleased to meet you."

Neither man smiled, but did give her looks of open approval for her good manners. "We are also pleased, Guildmaster Maley," Bo Sei Jin responded. "You have traveled far to come here. Please, follow me. We have a house prepared for you."

A whole house? Just for them? For a place that didn't see many visitors, they were strangely accommodating on short notice. "Thank you."

The historian fell into step with her as they all shouldered their packs and started after Bo Sei Jin. "May I call you Siobhan-jia?" he inquired.

So far no one had asked permission, just called her what they deemed appropriate. Siobhan was somewhat taken aback by this question, but readily assured him, "You can call me what you wish. I answer to almost everything, these days. But how should I address you? Is Bo-zhi appropriate?"

His eyes crinkled up in a silent smile, making them almost disappear in his face. "You have been well taught in our customs, I see. Yes, you are right, that would be the most appropriate way to call me. However, I am not the only historian of the Bo family, so referring to me in such a way would be confusing. Sei Jin-jia is perhaps a better choice."

Oh? If he was suggesting 'jia' then did that mean they were more or less the same in rank? Siobhan didn't really know the class structure in this culture; she had gone higher in ranking on a random guess, just to avoid giving any offense. "I understand. Thank you."

"Man Fei Lei tells me that you have come with a request. It has been well over sixty years since the last time someone from the outside has requested anything of us. What do you seek here?"

Now, how to respond to that? What had Fei told them, anyway, that she would be asked that question? "Knowledge, I suppose is the best answer. We seek forgotten history and advice from the keepers of that history." Cocking her head, she said in confusion, "What did Fei tell you we came for?"

"Help." Those dark eyes were strangely penetrating, as if he were reading the answers to his true questions off the back of her skull. "He said that there were dangerous signs of trouble brewing in the continents and that you have all come here for help. He feels certain that something disastrous will happen soon."

Siobhan stared blindly ahead, almost missing it when they went from a dirt road to one paved with tightly-fitted stone. "Color me paranoid, but I believe he's right. It's why we came. And, if we are wrong, I do not feel that this will be a wasted trip. We'll have seen a corner of the world few do and give Fei a chance to see his family."

He hummed in response. "We, too, are glad that you have come for that reason. We have missed the boy. I find it interesting to meet his guild, as well. I see that there are many foreigners mixed in your guild." He glanced over his shoulder. "Two from Wynngaard, I think. One from Teherani. The others?"

"One from Island Pass, three from Wynngaard, one from Teherani, one from Orin, and the rest from Robarge," Siobhan corrected. "Of those, one is a scholar that is staying with my guild indefinitely and is beyond excited to be here. He'll probably ask many..." she stumbled off as she finally got a good look beyond the trees and saw for the first time the city around her.

Stunning. Simply stunning.

There was a valley in between the mountains, thick with trees and houses that seemed so intertwined that it was like the buildings grew up alongside. On the few places of open cliff face, walkways had been built. Each was carved into the rock face in an elaborate pattern, which let traffic flow freely. Stretched out at intervals were long cables that crossed the valley, going from one mountain to the other, and she watched as a large basket traveled along the line to the opposite side at a slow but steady pace. The basket, even though it was some distance from her and high overhead, looked large enough to put her entire guild into.

The whole place was awash in bright hues, the colors so vivid that they drew in her attention so completely she found it difficult to look away. The scent, too, was stronger here as if the trees had masked the scents earlier. She felt like she had just stepped into a fantasy.

How could Fei have left this place? How could he bear to?

From behind her, Wolf let out a low whistle. "It's quite the place."

"Understatement," Markl disagreed, voice shaking slightly. "Great mercy, I've never seen the like of this before. How do those baskets work, going along the cables like that?"

Siobhan rolled her eyes, amused. Of course that would be the first question he asked.

Ra Im turned and answered, "We have a series of pulleys and lines that draw the baskets back and forth. They are necessary, as our work is done largely on one mountain, while we choose to live on another."

Interesting. Why the split in location? Was it to keep the smellier jobs, such as tanning, away from the houses? Keep the place smelling better? But that raised a good question. "Fei told us on the way here that there is a mountain that none of the women should go to. Which mountain is that?"

Ra Im pointed directly ahead. "The third mountain you see in the distance. That is the one you must not go to. All other parts of Saoleord you are free to visit as you please. We have no restrictions here."

She almost blurted out Really?! Very few places in this world allowed such freedom. Even in Goldschmidt there were places that guildsmen were not supposed to go into.

"Come," Sei Jin encouraged them, moving forward once more.

The road was not completely straight-it would have been quite the feat to do that on top of a mountain-but twisted and turned, going up and down as the land dictated. Sei Jin and Ra Im both pointed out places that became slick after a rainfall. Siobhan thanked them each time for their concern and smiled inwardly. Falling was a fear that all old people shared and they forgot that for the younger generation, it was not a danger to be truly concerned about.

As they walked, she got a closer look at the buildings, since the road was obviously a main one that went through the mountain city. They were mostly wood (no surprise) with river stone used here and there as accents. They all had tall, sloping roofs that curved on the corners, trim painted in bright colors. Not once did she see a place in need of repair. Everything here was kept to a high standard, it seemed. From a distance, the place was visually captivating, but it was just as beautiful up close. That was not a feat that many cities could manage to pull off.

Finally they turned off the main road and onto a smaller path that led directly to a large building painted in white and red. Even though it was in good shape, as everything else was, this place had an air of disuse hanging about it. Ah, the guest house? It looked more than large enough to accommodate eleven people.

Sei Jin creaked to a stop before turning to face all of them. "There are separate quarters inside for men and women. I have requested fresh bedding to be put inside for your use, but I do not think it is here yet. Please, unpack first and refresh yourselves. I will send someone for you within the hour that will guide you to the main hall. There, you may give your formal request and tell us exactly what brought you here and what you wish from us."

Ohhh, so there was going to be some formality to this after all? She had been wondering, what with the way two prominent men came to fetch them. "I understand. We will be ready at that time." She made plans to bend Fei's ear as soon as these two had left.

They each gave her a bow, which she returned, before they retreated back down the path and out of sight.

"Nice place," Rune commented, turning slowly in place so that he could get a full look. "But Fei, I thought ya said that ya don't get many visitors up here."

"We don't," Fei responded, already moving toward the steps. "We have a dedicated caravan that comes up once a year and does trading with us. The house is for them."

Ah, now that made more sense. The building was certainly large enough to house a caravan. She took a better look at it as she approached. A large wrap-around porch on all sides, glass and wood doors that slid to the side instead of opening out, with wooden floors throughout that shone in a dull gleam. When she opened a door, she discovered that the inside had little furniture, mostly dressers with tables that sat low to the floor. Stacks of cushions were in the corners, which she assumed were for people to sit on, as there wasn't a single chair to be seen.

The place was designed so that if you opened all of the connecting doors, a person could see from one end of the house to the other without a problem. But her hosts had been right in saying that the women's quarters were clearly distinct from the men's. The women had mirrors, changing partitions, and colorful paintings on the walls that were all clearly feminine. The men had such things as well, but they were plain, and without any real decoration.

Siobhan took advantage of one of those screens and changed into fresh clothes, tidying up her hair in the process by tying it up in a loose bun. The dogs seemed to find it fun to run back and forth between the men's rooms and the women's, keeping track of everyone as they learned the building. Returning to the main room, she found Fei and Wolf already seated at the table, although only Fei could manage to put his legs underneath. Wolf was too large to fit, so he had angled himself off to the side instead, one elbow on the table's surface.

Grabbing a cushion to sit on, she joined them. "Fei, do your people not believe in chairs?"

"No," he admitted, eyes darting to Wolf in open amusement. "After some time, you will become used to it."

Wolf snorted, clearly disagreeing.

Well, sitting on the ground for a week or so wouldn't kill him. Or her. "Fei, I need to talk to you about this meeting that will happen later."

"Of course." His tone indicated he had expected her to say that.

"But first, I must ask. Don't you want to stay with your family while we're here?" This had been worrying her off and on ever since he'd broached the idea of coming to Saoleord.

Fei blinked. "May I?"

Siobhan rolled her eyes to the heavens, praying for patience. "Yes, of course you can, you idiot. They haven't seen you in years. We have permission to go anywhere we want in the city, don't we? So it's not like you have to serve as escort for us. Go, go."

He lit up in the brightest smile that she had ever seen from him. "Then, I will."

"Wait, guide me through the meeting first," she added hastily, not wanting him to think that he could go right that minute. "Then you can go."

In a rare gesture, he openly chuckled. "Of course, Shiobhan-ajie. I would not let you go alone. You don't even know where to go."

"Exactly," she responded, relieved. "I'm glad you understand that. Now, what do I need to know about this meeting with your elders?"

"You have met two of the men you will speak with already," he answered calmly. "There is a council of five altogether. Sei Ja Na is the City Librarian. Every record we have is in her care, and she will be the one to convince to let us peruse the records."

From his description, Siobhan wasn't sure if this woman would be difficult to convince or not. "Is she hard to deal with?"

"At times. But I think if you can convince her that we seek knowledge not for our own ends, but to prevent great harm from befalling our city, that she will be more amiable." Fei gave something that might have been a shrug. "She has denied requests in the past, but most of the time she grants them. Hyun Woo is the city general, and one of three master strategists that we have. He will have the most questions, I think. He is also one of the men that I hope to bring back with us."

"Yes, I remember you mentioning him before. Who's the last person?"

"Oh Jae Pyo. He is a..." Fei trailed off, brows furrowing briefly. "Hmm. I don't know the right way to translate this. Commerce Expert? Main Merchant?"

"Business advisor?" Markl offered, as he joined them at the table.

Fei gave him a thankful nod. "Probably the best way to describe him. He will have no vested interest in our coming and will likely not say much. It's the other four you must convince." As an afterthought, he added, "Or at least that was the case when I was last home. They hold term for ten years. Assuming that no one has resigned or died unexpectedly, that should be the people that you will deal with.

"Good luck," Wolf offered to her.

"Why am I the one doing the talking?" Siobhan whined to no one in particular. "Markl's the one with the silver tongue!"

"You're the guildmaster," Fei disagreed, although not unsympathetic. "They will not hear another person speak in your place."

Wonderful. "Markl, grab something to write with," she ordered. "Help me come up a speech. I refuse to go in there unprepared."

Markl whipped out his handy-dandy notebook and opened it to a clean page in the very back. "Where do you want to start?"

Rubbing at her forehead with her fingertips, she groaned. "Good question. Where do we start?"

When a messenger came to fetch them, Siobhan still didn't feel at all prepared for the meeting. It wasn't just a matter of what to say, but how to say it. Fei had spent half their time drilling customs and such into her head so that she didn't embarrass herself. Apparently, he had forgotten the more formal etiquette until this meeting was upon them.

So typical.

Siobhan hooked a hand into Fei's arm and let him guide her, burying her face in her notes. As she frantically reviewed, she prayed the cramming would stick and she wouldn't forget anything. She likely would, but they knew she was foreign, and so would cut her some slack-hopefully. Fei had assured her several times to not worry if she did miss something, but when it was this important, his words failed to reassure.

Because of her preoccupation, she didn't really see much of the scenery or take any special note of the roads they took to get to the meeting. It wasn't until Fei muttered to her from the side of his mouth that she realized they'd arrived. Hastily shoving the paper into her pocket, she looked up.

Just how old was this building? It had a solidity to it that made every other place she'd seen so far seem young and relatively fresh. The timbers used were stained dark with age, fitted so tightly together that it seemed as if it had been built without need of glue or nails. It stood a good two stories tall, the doors to the front already splayed open. Directly in front was an open space made of stone flooring, and then a wooden floor started a half foot higher, stretching the rest of the way into the building. By the gathering of shoes that were neatly lined up along the sides, Siobhan guessed that all visitors took their shoes off before stepping up onto the wooden floor.

This was confirmed when Fei automatically doffed his shoes and reached for a pair of flat, leather slippers that were set nearby. Following his example, she toed her boots off and found a pair of slippers that looked more or less her size before putting them on. They felt sloppy and loose, but would do.

The messenger waited patiently until they were ready before leading them further inside, past the foyer and into the next room. This building seemed typical of what she had seen so far-these people didn't seem to really believe in hallways. Instead, all of the rooms connected directly to the next. In a place this old, she expected it to smell musty, but the open windows on every side kept fresh mountain air flowing in, so it smelled strongly of pine and spices instead.

In the next room was a single, long table that sat low to the floor. Cushions were arranged at set intervals all around, but otherwise the room was bare of furnishings. On one side of the table, facing the door, sat four men and a woman that had definitely passed their prime. There wasn't a smooth face among them. The other side of the table was completely empty and obviously meant for any petitioners.

Fei guided her directly to the table and then took a single step back, making it clear that she was the one in charge here.

Trying to hide her nerves, Siobhan put both hands together over her stomach and gave them a low bow. "I am Siobhan Maley, Guildmaster of Deepwoods from Robarge. I have come to request something of you."

"We will hear you," Bo Sei Jin assured her in formal tones. He extended a hand toward the cushion in the very center. "Please sit."

Knowing this would probably take a while, she sat cross-legged, getting comfortable. Fei often sat on his knees, and said that was the more formal way, but she wouldn't manage to maintain that for more than a few minutes. Not without her knees killing her.

"First, let me introduce you to the council." Gesturing to the far end of the table, Bo Sei Jin said, "This is Sei Ja Na, City Librarian."

Sei Ja Na was tiny and petite, greying hair wound up in an elaborate knot on the top of her head, wearing traditional clothes in multiple layers. Something about her mannerisms, the weighing look in her eye, suggested she was studying and taking notes even as she bowed politely.

Siobhan bowed back, somewhat awkwardly.

"Hyun Woo," Bo Sei Jin continued, indicating the man sitting right next to him.

Hyun Woo, despite being the city general, did not have an ounce of armor on him. He wore loose-fitting black clothes, hair drawn up in a severe ponytail on the top of his head, eyebrows so bushy they almost hid his eyes. He gave her a nod, which she returned, but nothing about his expression gave her a clue what he was thinking.

"Oh Jae Pyo, our Tradesman Expert."

He looked like one, too. Something about the expression on his face, the smile he gave her, all said 'merchant' to Siobhan. He was also the only one at the table that was remotely portly, his face more rounded, and even his clothing couldn't disguise his belly.

"Of course you have already met Kim Ra Im." Bo Sei Jin folded his hands to rest on the table's surface. "Guildmaster, we will hear you now."

"Thank you." Siobhan paused and realized in half-panic that her prepared speech had just flown out the nearest window. She couldn't remember a word of it. Sweet mercy above, she'd have to wing it.

"Why have you come seeking us?" Sei Ja Na asked, eyes strangely penetrating.

Siobhan took a breath and prayed that she had the right words to explain this situation. "We believe...that the world itself may see war very soon."

The room went abruptly still, so still that not even one person could be heard breathing.

Kim Ra Im leaned forward, the wooden floor creaking under him in an alarmingly loud way. "Explain."

Siobhan started from the beginning, with the trade agreement between the three guilds to rebuild the Grey Bridges, and ended with, "Orin is now basically destitute. They are struggling just to survive. This situation will not improve in the upcoming months. If anything, it will worsen. Fei tells me that he's seen this pattern before, many times, as he learned history. With this kind of economic depression, Orin is like a wolf trapped in a corner. Eventually, they will strike."

The historian let out a grim sigh. "I fear you are right. We have, indeed, seen this pattern many times before. When a country is desperate just to survive, they turn to war and pillaging their neighbors."

"But can they truly manage a united front?" Hyun Woo questioned, stroking his beard with thoughtful fingers. His tone suggested he didn't really believe the idea impossible, he was just thinking aloud. "How many cities and guilds will work together?"

"The entire western coast, quite possibly the southern coast as well," she responded promptly. "The northern section of Orin doesn't seem as badly affected as the rest. Probably because your trade depends on the sea, and was never based on the bridges to begin with."

Oh Jae Pyo splayed one hand in agreement. "That is so."

Sei Ja Na turned to the two men sitting beside her. "Kim-zhi, Hyun-zhi, do you share Guildmaster Siobhan's opinion? Do you think this is likely?"

Kim Ra Im gave a grim nod, looking blindly ahead. "It is not a question of 'if' but 'when.' My former student has read the situation quite well, in spite of his inattention as a youngster." The quick smile he shot Fei suggested he was teasing more than reprimanding. "I am glad to know that something stuck. But yes, they are right to fear as they do. This is inevitable. We simply do not know the timing."

Bo Sei Jin cleared his throat. "Siobhan-jia, when we spoke earlier, you said that you wished to acquire knowledge, and that is why you came. What knowledge?"