Moons' Dreaming (Children of the Rock) (74 page)

She glanced from the black mound of cloth to the crackling fire in the hearth, past Pepper at the table, to the window, restless to be away from the house. Outside, the iron gray day was turning quickly into night. She was glad she had an excuse to spend the evening away from Jordy. He
’
d been gone for a nineday, traveling to neighboring villages, but the carter was due back tonight. Nine days spent spreading his poison to other Keepers. The less she saw of him, the better.

“
At least it
’
s stopped snowing,
”
she murmured gratefully. Earlier in the day she
’
d been afraid the ceremony would have to be canceled because of the weather. Fortunately, the heavy clouds had held more threat than actual snow. No more than a dusting had fallen. She wasn
’
t looking forward to the walk, though it wasn
’
t that far to the village, and not at all windy. She could wear lots of layers under and over her robe. Herri
’
s inn would be snug and warm and she
’
d have a wonderful time. After the ceremony.

She didn
’
t know why she was nervous. She knew the ceremony. She chewed on a knuckle and watched Pepper as the girl carefully wrapped and placed the half dozen loaves of cinnamon bread she
’
d made herself into a big basket. One of Pepper
’
s young friends was taking her vows, and Pepper was sending a present for the party afterward.

Vray
’
s contribution would be to not make any mistakes. There were only a few words she had to say. Still, she
’
d never taken any Keepers
’
vows before. If any of the children should stumble over the words
…
.

She shook her head, banishing the worrisome thoughts. The children would have their parents to help them. No one would mind if she had to ask for help. Which she wouldn
’
t. After tonight, she would
know what to expect for the mid
summer ceremony. There was nothing to be nervous about.

The door opened, letting in cold air along with Tob and a load of firewood.
“
Hello,
”
he called as he dumped his burden in the bin near the hearth. He striped off his gloves and held his hands out to the fire.
“
Brrr.
”

Vray looked at his boots and where he was standing.
“
You
’
re dripping on the rug and I
’
m not going to clean it.
”

He gave her a put-upon look but retreated to the rag rug near the door. Vray got up to pour the boy some warm cider. While he was pulling off his boots, Cyril and Matti came out of the other room. Cyril went to the fire to check the stew pot and Matti climbed into Vray
’
s lap.

* * *

The room was comfortably warm, the air rich with the smell of cooking vegetables and an underlying aroma of cinnamon and yeast, illuminated by fire and lantern light. Tob
’
s cheeks, toes, and fingers still tingled with cold but the cider had begun to warm his insides. He sat in silence, wishing the girls would go away, glad they didn
’
t, wanting to talk to Iris, but not sure what to say.

It was Matti who broke the silence.
“
I want a story, please.
”

Iris stroked her hair.
“
A story? Now?
”

“
You won
’
t be here when we go to bed,
”
Pepper pointed out and sat down at the table.
“
So we should have a story now.
”

“
Oh, it
’
s we, is it?
”
Iris laughed.
“
Stories in the middle of the day. I
’
m not sure it
’
s proper. What do you think, Tob?
”

He looked up from his cider.
“
I
’
d like a story, please.
”

Iris looked thoughtful. He liked when she looked thoughtful. The way her eyes narrowed made her look a little bit like a cat.

“
Let
’
s see. Do you know about the time the Abstainers tried to steal the horses from the big horse fair in Edian? Not just any Abstainers, either, but a band led by the queen
’
s brother, Soen.
”

“
Edian?
”
Pepper was looking suspicious.

“
Is this going to be about him?
”
Matti demanded.
“
You
’
re always telling stories about him.
”

Iris squeezed Matti
’
s waist.
“
I know,
”
Iris said patiently.
“
I
’
m from Edian. It
’
s not my fault if the town
’
s hero is the captain of the guard, and Redmothers there learn lots and lots of stories about Dael. This is a very exciting story. You like exciting stories, remember?
”

“
Other towns have heroes,
”
Pepper pointed out.
“
You
’
re Broadford
’
s Redmother now. Tell an exciting story about Broadford.
”

“
Does Broadford have heroes?
”
Matti wondered.

“
There
’
s Dad,
”
Tob spoke up.
“
I
’
ve heard Herri tell lots of stories about him.
”

“
Daddy saved Jenk from drowning when the river flooded,
”
Pepper said.
“
That was heroic. Wasn
’
t it, Iris?
”

Iris was silent for a few seconds before she said,
“
Yes.
”

Tob wondered why she looked annoyed. Maybe she didn
’
t like anybody being brave but her Dael. Dael just sounded like a guard performing his duty, as far as Tob was concerned. He wasn
’
t all that special. Tob knew, because he
’
d met this famous Dael a couple of times. Tob remembered the aftermath of the Abstainer fight in the lake country three summers before. He and Jordy had shared camp that night with Dael
’
s guards. He remembered noticing stains of dried blood on the captain
’
s tunic. Dael killed people. Maybe Iris liked to remember him because he was tall and handsome. Maybe she ignored the man
’
s violent nature just because he did brave things. What wou
ld she do if Tob told her he kne
w him? That Dad saw him when they were in Edian? Maybe she
’
d want Tob to take a message to him. Would she want to see him?

Tob studied Iris, angry and suspicious, suddenly afraid she
’
d go away. He should tell her she belonged in Broadford. This new fear was worse than thinking about her with Lim. At least Lim was here. At least he could compare himself to Lim. He spoke up.
“
I don
’
t want to hear about Edian, Iris. Tell us the sort of Redmother tale you teach Mankin.
”

“
All right,
”
she agreed.
“
Perhaps I
’
ll give you the short version of the story about how Greenmother Coria saved an island in the northern sea from a volcano.
”

“
What
’
s a volcano?
”
Matti asked.

“
A mountain that burns,
”
Iris said.
“
It
’
s something I
’
ve re
—”
She faltered, then started again.
“
It
’
s a very long story. It
’
s got dragons and a couple of princes and a fisher folk flotilla caught in a great wave and Coria putting wild animals to sleep so they could be brought safely to the mainland. It took me weeks to learn the tale. But Mankin,
”
she smiled proudly,
“
recited it back to me after I
’
d told it to her only once. The girl has the best memory of anyone I
’
ve ever met. Redmother Vissa started training my memory when I was your age, Matti, before I even took my vows, and I still couldn
’
t have remembered such a long tale all at once at Mankin
’
s age.
”

“
If it
’
s a long tale you
’
d better start it,
”
Pepper said.
“
Supper
’
ll be ready soon. Then you
’
ll have to go.
”

Iris nodded.
“
You
’
re right. The short version of Coria and Heelm Island. Centuries of centuries ago
….”

Tob leaned forward to listen, happy to hear a new tale. And happy to have Iris
’
s mind away from Edian and Captain Dael.

* * *

“
Is everybody here?
”
Herri yelled from behind the bar.

Canis, sitting at a table near the wall on the other side of the inn
’
s common room, called back,
“
Ask Iris.
”

Vray lifted the skirt of her robe and stepped up onto a chair. As soon as Herri noticed her, she nodded.

His bellowed,
“
Quiet!
”
brought all conversation in the room to a halt. The people present looked expectantly between the innkeeper and Vray. Herri continued,
“
I hereby declare this the official midwinter gathering of Broadford. Redmother, take charge.
”

Friendly, smiling faces turned toward Vray. She relaxed and smiled back. She wasn
’
t really nervous now. It was only a gathering. Unlike the festivals, which were filled with as much feasting and celebration as a day would hold and attended by every member of the community, the gatherings called at midwinter and midsummer were smaller, more personal affairs. Everyone who had come to the inn tonight had a specific reason to be there. Last summer had seen a completely different gathering of people, and next summer would attract yet another group. The entire ceremony would take less than an hour.

“
We gather in support and approval of six vow-takers,
”
Vray began.
“
We are not witnesses. A vow may be spoken, but it is made not with our friends or family. A vow exists within us, where only the gods may truly see our sincerity. We are not judges. A vow may be broken according to one person
’
s understanding, yet still be honored in the mind of another. Truth is complex, and only the gods know our intentions. We gather to welcome these people to the responsibilities they choose today. Only the gods know where their vows will lead them.
”

She located the six children seated here and there in the common room with their families, and addressed her next words to them.
“
For some of you, today
’
s may be the only vow you ever take.
”
She looked at ten-year-old Mankin.
“
Or it may be one of several. But each time you vow, remember this
—
you vow for your entire life. Remember this, too.
”
She put warmth and reassurance into her voice for the six-year-olds.
“
We know how you
’
re feeling. We
’
ve been where you are now. All of us. All the way back to the Firstmother.
”
Her training held her voice steady, but tears already glistened in the eyes of several of the parents. From the direction of the bar she heard a suspicious sniff.