Stone of Tears

Someone was bound to get one sooner or later. Maybe this one was just a half-wit.”

“Richard, please, come away with me. This is not the way to have a test of wills with the palace. This could get you killed.”

“I’m not testing anyone’s will, I’m taking responsibility for my actions. It’s my fault Sister Verna was demoted; I’ve got to set it straight. I’m taking a stand for what’s right. If I don’t do that, then I am nothing.”

“Richard, if the sun sets on you in the Hagen Woods—”

“You are wasting precious time, Pasha.”

Chapter 52

It was late afternoon when he heard them coming. He heard the sound of only one horse, and Pasha’s voice calling out the direction. At last they broke into the clearing.

Richard sheathed his sword. “Bonnie!” He gave the horse’s neck a scratch. “How you doing, girl?”

Bonnie nuzzled his chest. Richard pushed his fingers in the side of her mouth and felt the bit while Sister Maren frowned at him.

“I’m glad to see you use a snaffle bit, Sister.”

“The stableboys said they couldn’t find the spade bits.” She glared down at him suspiciously. “seems they vanished. Mysteriously.”

“That so?” Richard shrugged. “Can’t say I’m sorry.”

Pasha was panting with the effort of having kept up with the Sister on her horse. Her white blouse was soaked with sweat. She fussed hopelessly with the matted, tangled mess of her hair. The Sister must have made Pasha walk, as punishment. Sister Maren, in her plain brown dress buttoned to her neck, looked cool and comfortable atop the horse.

“So, Richard,” Sister Maren said, as she dismounted, “I am here, as you requested. What is it you want?”

She knew very well what he wanted, but Richard decided to restate it in a pleasant tone. “It’s quite simple. Sister Verna is to be restored to Sister. At once. And you are also to return her dacra to her.”

She gestured dismissively. “And here I thought you would want something unreasonable. This is simple. It is done. Verna is returned to Sister. It makes no difference to me.”

“And when she asks why, I don’t want you to tell her about this business with me. Just say you reconsidered, or something, and decided to reinstate her. If you want, you can tell her you prayed for guidance from your Creator, and it came to you that she should remain a Sister.”

She brushed some of her fine, sandy hair back from her face. That would suit me. Are you satisfied? Is everything to your liking?”

“That would end it, and keep our truce.”

“Good. Now that the trifling matters are dispensed with, show me this dead bear. Pasha has half the palace in an uproar with some babble about you killing a mriswith.” Pasha furiously studied the ground as Sister Maren directed a scolding frown in her direction. The foolish child never sets her slippered foot on anything that hasn’t been swept, scrubbed, or polished. The only time she sticks her head out-of-doors is go see the latest bolt of lace to come to Tanimura. She wouldn’t know a rabbit from an ox, and she certainly wouldn’t know a… What is that smell?”

“Bear guts,” Richard said.

He held out his arm, showing her the way. Pasha deferentially stepped aside. Sister Maren straightened her dress at her hips and marched toward the trees. Pasha peeked up at him, and when they heard Sister Maren gasp, her head came the rest of the way up and she smiled.

When Sister Maren stepped backward to them, her face white as bed sheets, Pasha resumed her study of the ground.

Sister Maren’s trembling fingers lifted Pasha’s chin. “You have spoken the truth,” she whispered. “Forgive me, child.”

Pasha curtsied. “Of course, Sister Maren. Thank you for taking the time to witness my report.”

Sister Maren’s haughty attitude had vanished, to be replaced by sincere concern. She turned to Richard. “How did this creature die?” Richard lifted the sword clear of its scabbard a half foot and then slid it home. Then what Pasha said is true? You killed it?”

Richard shrugged. “I spend quite a lot of my time out-of-doors. I knew it was no rabbit.”

Sister Maren returned to the creature, mumbling to herself. “I must study it. This is an unprecedented opportunity.”

Pasha looked to Richard and wrinkled her nose in disgust as the Sister ran her finger over the lipless slit of a mouth, touched the ear holes, and ran her hand across the glossy black skin. She tugged at the hide clothes, pulling them this way and that as she inspected them.

She rose to her feet, peering down at the entrails. Finally, she turned to Richard.

“Where is the cape? Pasha said it had a cape.”

When the mriswith had lunged, and he had sliced it in two, the cape had been billowed open and so it was undamaged. While Richard had been waiting for Pasha to return with the Sister, he had accidentally learned the astonishing thing the cape could do. After that, he had washed it clean of blood, hung it over branches to dry, and then stuffed it away in his pack. He had no intention of giving that cape away.

“It’s mine. It is a prize of battle. I’m keeping it.”