Free Gods of the Greataway by Michael G. Coney

recognized Or Kala, who owned lands hereabouts, including the land on which Peli’s dwelling sat. He greeted the Rider respectfully.
    “I’m sorry, Peli. I have to commandeer your orca,” Or Kala said.
    “What? But the orca is mine! How else can I travel to my work?”
    “You’ll have to walk, I’m afraid.” The Rider was sympathetic but firm. “It’s war, and we need all the orcas we can round up.” His eyes dwelt on the girl several times, in puzzled fashion. Obviously he couldn’t quite see where she fitted in.
    “War? With whom?”
    “We ride against King Awamia of Uami. It seems he’s acting in contravention of the Code, and we must annex his island.”
    “I’ve heard of King Awamia. I always understood he was a devout man.”
    OrKala began to get annoyed. A reasoned discussion with his subject was permissible, but this craftsman was contradicting him. “It is for the good of the grass that Uami be joined to Malaloa — linking of islands has always been our policy; it makes for better management and reduces drift — only last season Awamia lost a section of his land in a storm. Small islands are always vulnerable. Recently Uami drifted near, and in accordance with our policy, we told Awamia that the gods obviously wished a merger. Not only did he refuse, but he enlisted the help of four evil giants to increase the distance between our lands. We have no option but to fight!”
    So saying, Or Kala rode off, taking Peli’s orca with him.
    That night Peli prayed, repeating the Vow and reaffirming his devotion, in puzzlement and some fear …
    I love the grass, and my purpose in life is to protect it
.
    The grass sustains me in the mighty ocean, and without it I would drown
.
    The grass provides food and drink, and without it I would starve
.
    The grass fills my lungs with the essence of life, and without it I would die
.
    In return for this bounty, I vow to keep and protect the grass for all of my days, and will lay down my life when, in so doing, I preserve the grass from evil. Ah-hey
.
    He went to sleep eventually, and he dreamed of the four giants, who were truly monstrous and ate islands for breakfast.
    *
    Two days later rumors reached him from a nearby village. It seemed the four giants of Uami were not huge at all. Indeed, they were almost human — and clever too, because they had arrived on an island small and fast-moving, yet stronger for its size than any known, and they had fashioned this island themselves. Then they had instructed King Awamia in the building of vast flat towers with no rooms, which in some mysterious way farmed the wind and sped the island of Uami away from Malaloa.
    Then,the very next day, disaster struck Peli.
    Or Kala arrived with a handful of armed Riders. He stepped ashore.
    “Peli, where is the girl?”
    “In her dwelling.”
    “Bring her here.”
    Peli, full of forebodings, fetched the girl. She had been brushing her hair with a sea urchin and it shone like the sun. Her eyes were the color of the ocean, and Peli, peering dimly in his blindness, realized she was very beautiful. He said unhappily, “She can’t talk.”
    Or Kala regarded the girl carefully. “Where does she come from?”
    “The sea …” he waved a hand.
    “How long has she been with you?”
    “Many days, now … A long time.” The fear was within him.
    “Peli … I know who this girl is. There is no doubt in my mind — she is the lost daughter of King Awamia. Her name is Kelina. Here, Kelina!” He spoke sharply at the girl, but she gave no sign of recognizing the name. “No matter. It is she. She must come with me. She will be a very useful bargaining point in our next talk with King Awamia.”
    So they took the girl who may have been the lost daughter of King Awamia, and they mounted her on an orca behind Or Kala, and they rode away, fast, throwing high bow waves.
    Peli watched them go and they soon became a blur in his eyes, whether from tears or blindness he couldn’t tell. He blinked,