Stone of Tears

“I’m never going to be a Sister. Instead of getting a boy who wants to learn, I get a madman with a sword. I’ll forever be the object of laughter at the palace. Young girls will be told to behave themselves or they’ll end up like Pasha Maes, and be put out like she was. My dreams have come to ruin.”

It hurt him to see her sobbing in such pain and sorrow. Richard took her up in his arms. She fought him at first, trying to push him away, but when he pulled her against him and put her head to his shoulder, she went limp and cried all the harder. Richard held her tight and rubbed her back as she trembled and cried. He rocked her gently in his arms.

“I only wanted to help you, Richard,” she sobbed. “I only wanted to teach you.”

He hushed her. “I know. I know. It will be all right.”

She shook her head against his shoulder. “No it won’t.”

“Yes it will. You’ll see.”

Finally, her hands came up, clutching his shirt as she cried. Richard didn’t try to stop her tears, he simply held her, trying to give her comfort.

“Do you really think that you could teach me to use the gift, and that then the Sisters would take the collar off?”

She sniffled. “That’s my job. That’s what I’ve been training for. I wanted so much to show you the beauty of the Creator, of his gift to you. That’s all I wanted.”

Her arms circled him. She clung to him, as if trying to soak up succor. He stroked her hair.

“Richard, when I touched you yesterday, when I touched your Rada’Han, and felt something of your Han, I felt some of your feelings. I know you hurt inside. It made me hurt just to feel a little of it.”

Her hand came up to the side of his neck, as if to comfort him. “I don’t know of many things that can cause that much hurt. Richard, I’m not asking to take her place.”

Richard’s eyes closed as his head sank down on her shoulder. He swallowed back the pain. She ran her fingers through his hair and held his head to her.

After a time, he found his voice. “Maybe it wouldn’t hurt me to occasionally wear one of those outfits.”

She pushed away a little, looking up through her tears. “Maybe just to the dining room, with the Sisters?”

He shrugged. “That would be a good use of them, I guess. You pick one you would like me to wear. I don’t know anything about fancy clothes.” He managed a small smile. “I’m just a woods guide.”

Her face brightened. “You would look handsome in the red coat.”

Richard winced. “The red one? Does it have to be the red one?”

She ran her finger down the Agiel hanging from his neck. “No, it doesn’t have to be that one. I just thought it would look good on your broad shoulders.”

Richard sighed. “I will feel foolish in any. It might as well be the red.”

“You will not look foolish; you will look handsome.” Pasha grinned. “You’ll see. All the women will be batting their lashes at you.” She lifted the Agiel. “Richard, what is this?”

“Just sort of a good-luck charm. You ready to go back? I think you need to get started teaching me. The sooner you start, the sooner I get this collar off. Then we’ll both be happy; you will be a Sister, and I will be free.”

He put his arm around her shoulders and she put hers around his waist as they walked back for Bonnie.

Chapter 53

On the bridge to Halsband Island, in a pool of light under a lamp, a crowd of boys and young men mobbed them. Many were dressed in fine clothes, some wore robes, and each had a Rada’Han around his neck. They all excitedly asked questions at the same time, wanting to know if it was true that Richard had killed a mriswith, and what it looked like. They wanted to tell Richard their names, and clamored for him to draw his sword and show them how he had vanquished the legendary monster.

Pasha spoke to the most persistent boy at her hip. “Yes, Kipp, it’s true that Richard killed a mriswith. Sister Maren is studying it now, and if she deems it appropriate, she will tell you of its nature. But I can tell you true that it is a fearsome-looking beast. Now, off with you all. It’s nearly dinnertime.”

Despite their disappointment that no more information was forthcoming, they were excited by what they had heard. They ran off in a bunch to tell others.

After leaving Bonnie at the stables, Richard walked with Pasha down halls and through vast chambers, trying to memorize the layout. She pointed out the boys” dining halls, and the dining hall where the Sisters and some of the older young men ate. She also took him past the kitchens, where the aromas of cooking wafted through the surrounding corridors.

Pasha pointed through a lattice-covered archway to a graceful stone wall running under the spreading branches of trees. The wall was veiled in places by vines. Large white flowers dotted the green.

“That’s the Prelate’s offices, and quarters,” Pasha said.

“Will she be at dinner tonight?”

Pasha giggled softly. “No, of course not. The Prelate doesn’t have time to have dinner with us.”

Richard turned out of the hall and down a walkway toward a gate in the wall.

“Richard! What are you doing? Where are you going?”