Prophecy, Child of Earth (32 page)

'And they didn't tell me you were the Canwr that we heard filling the forest with music, but that makes sense. You must have traveled very far, and I can see you are weary. Come with me and I will get you something to drink and a place to rest yourself."

Rhapsody considered the woman's statement. She had not rested for more than two hours at a time since she had entered the woods of Tyrian; by her best recollection that had been eight days ago. The call of the woods and the deepening magic all around her had lulled her, as if in a dream, and she had not felt the need for rest until now. Now it was as if she could finally let down a burden she had been carrying for a long time, in a place where it would be safe. Exhaustion roared through her, unchecked. "I am a little tired," she admitted.

'Thank you, Clovis." Rhapsody's guide nodded, and walked back up the path, disappearing, as Rial had, into the woods. Oelendra took Rhapsody's arm. "Come along; you're exhausted, no doubt." She led Rhapsody across the meadow and through an arbor of flowering trees, until they came to the edge of a field near the hollow of a hill. There a small turf-roofed house stood, close to the steepest part of the hillside. It had white plastered walls which revealed the wooden framework of the building, glass windows with heavy shutters, and a stone chimney which presently produced little smoke. Oelendra led her inside through the sunken front door.

'Please, sit down, make yourself at home." She crossed over to a rather large fireplace, where a small pot hung over the low embers. "Sit anywhere." Once inside, Rhapsody saw that much of the house was also sunken, built at a level below the ground, which made it far larger on the inside than it appeared on the outside. They had entered through a small foyer into a much larger room which seemed to make up almost half of the house.

Like Oelendra herself, the furniture was not what Rhapsody would have expected. The house was starkly decorated, with little in the way of comfort or ornamentation. Two hard-backed chairs were positioned before the large stone hearth which served as the inside wall of the room. A sofa was placed nearby, and in the corner was a simple willow rocking chair. At the other end of the room was a solidly built dark pine table, with two long benches and two thick chairs. Aside from this, a series of large pillows, none of which appeared to match, seemed to serve as the rest of the furniture. The weapons rack near the door held a battered steel sword, without ornamentation, and a strange curved bow made of white wood.

Rhapsody sank gratefully into the willow rocking chair and sighed in relief. Her feet burned from all the walking she had done. She looked about the room as her host busied herself at the hearth. The room had a high ceiling open to roof, along the edge of which ran a balcony. The large fireplace had several iron doors that seemed to be ovens for baking, and a central hearth in which a small set of logs presently burned in low embers.

The walls inside the house were like those of the exterior, whitewashed with wooden framework exposed. A ladder led up to a loft, which overlooked the large room. The floors were bare except for a single rug woven in a complex geometric design. Rhapsody smiled. Without knowing why, here at last she felt at ease and at home. Oelendra turned around and walked over to her.

'Here, this may warm your heart a little," she said as she handed Rhapsody a large ceramic mug. It was hot to the touch, but Rhapsody welcomed the warmth in the cool spring air. The mug was filled with a golden-red liquid from which the rich smell of spice wafted forth. Rhapsody took a sip, and her mouth was at once filled with the sweet taste of a gentle mead and oranges mixed with a medley of hibiscus, rosehips, cloves, and cinnamon blended with other subtler spices. The flavor brought back a wealth of memories she had all but forgotten.

'Do,'
mwl
," she said softly, closing her eyes and smiling sadly. "My mother used to give this to us after we came in from playing on a cold day."

'Aye, I thought perhaps you knew it," Oelendra replied, "though I would hazard that your mother used honey rather than mead. Mine did."

'I haven't had this since I was a child."

'Humans just don't appreciate it. Even the Gwenen and Lirin of the wood couldn't make it. They always used sickly sweet mead rather than the mellow, lighter variety. The only good
dot mwl
I could get outside of the longhouses was at the Crossroads Inn in the old land, and that was a long time ago. Now I'm afraid it has faded from our culture, swallowed by the sea along with countless other treasures. Alas, I am the only one who seems to enjoy it, or at least I was until you came."

'They don't know what they're missing," Rhapsody said. She opened her eyes and looked at the woman in front of her. Oelendra sat on the arm of one of the chairs with an air of ease that made Rhapsody relax. Her gray eyes gleamed as she waited comfortably through the silence that might have seemed awkward in other company.

She's beautiful
, Rhapsody thought, but the warrior's build was far from the traditional feminine figure. Her shoulders were broad and well muscled, her skin, though rosy, was, not the skin of youth, but carried the fine lines of age and years in the wilderness. Each movement showed a gentleness of spirit and an easy confidence that held no trace of arrogance. In her silver eyes Rhapsody thought she saw a nostalgic sadness. She tried to imagine how many generations those eyes had watched be born and die.

'You must have a million questions," Oelendra said, bringing Rhapsody back from her musings. "Let's start answering some. I am Oelendra Andaris, the last Iliachenva'ar before you. I've been expecting you."

'You have? How did you know I was coming?"

'

'Twas more a matter of hoping than knowing, Rhapsody. I've been waiting for two decades for the sword to return. Sooner or later I knew it would come back, and that meant the Iliachenva'ar would come with it. I have to say, that she is a woman, Cymrian, and most especially Liringlas does my heart good."

'How did you know I was from the old world?"

Oelendra smiled. " 'Tis written all over you, dear, but besides that, I have not seen another Liringlas since I landed here myself. There were some that sailed with the Second Fleet that landed in Manosse, I've been told, but other than that,'tis you and me. We're all that is left of what was once a vast and noble line, some of the greatest warriors and scholars the world has ever seen."

Rhapsody looked uncomfortable. "You are, Oelendra, but please don't ascribe those things to me. I'm a peasant, and my mother was a farm wife."

'Nobility has nothing whatsoever to do with social class or family lineage, Rhapsody, it has to do with the heart. Tell me why you're here."

'I came to learn the sword, if you will teach me," Rhapsody said, taking another sip of
dot mwl
. "I don't really deserve to be carrying such a weapon unless I can use it well."

'The first characteristic: a desire to be worthy of the weapon," said Oelendra, more to herself than to Rhapsody. Her gray eyes began to shine with a distant light.

"And what do you intend to do with this new knowledge, should I agree to impart it to you?"

'I'm not sure, exactly; I know that sounds inane, but I believe Daystar Clarion came to me for a purpose. Perhaps I can help mend the rift between the Cymrians, or the Lirin, and help put a stop to these terrible border incursions."

'An aspiration to serve a higher cause," murmured Oelendra. "And what if you die in the attempt?"

'I expect to, actually," Rhapsody said, smiling slightly. "I have a sense my time is limited, despite everything I've heard about Cymrian immortality. I hope to go down doing something worthwhile that will leave this place a little better than it was when I arrived here."

'The acknowledgment that there are things greater than one's self, and a willingness to give one's life for them," said Oelendra softly. Her voice grew stronger as she put one last question to Rhapsody. "And what if you decide to use this power against the Lirin?"

'You have my permission to dispatch me immediately, and without argument. I would never betray my own people."

'A loyalty and devotion to cause and kin," said Oelendra. Her eyes cleared and she smiled finally. "Nay, Rhapsody, I'm afraid you're wrong. You are no peasant, you are definitely Liringlas in your soul, whatever your father may have been. And you were born to be the Iliachenva'ar. I will be honored to train you."

'Perhaps you had best tell me what it means to be the Iliachenva'ar," Rhapsody said awkwardly. "I don't want to promise to be something I don't even understand."

'Fair enough," said Oelendra, settling back with her mug in the chair. ",'/-

iachen;
how would you translate that?"

'Light into darkness, or from darkness."

'And of course you are familiar with the suffix '
var'?'1

'Bringer, bearer."

'Aye. So, obviously, the word means "bringer of light into a dark place."

'Or from one."

'Exactly." Oelendra looked pleased. "In the old world, Daystar Clarion had two other names,
Ilia
, meaning Light, and Firestar. I'm sure you've noticed why that second appellation came about. So do you now understand the role of the Iliachenva'ar?"

'I'm to be a lamplighter?"

Oelendra laughed; it was the merry, bell-like sound that her mother's voice had made in happy times, and Rhapsody felt her throat constrict suddenly. "Well, the sword would certainly make that job easier. You are suited to this role perfectly, Rhapsody. The Iliachenva'ar seeks to bring light into places and situations that are tainted and despoiled by evil."

Rhapsody shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "I'm not so sure, Oelendra. I don't know if I would recognize evil if I saw it. You see, my judgment is not always the best. People who are generally considered monstrous or subhuman are some of the people I love the most, while I seem to be distrustful of those in regal positions and of honorable reputation. I'm not good at discerning who I should trust and when I should keep my mouth shut. I could be very dangerous in a position like that. In fact, perhaps I should just give the sword back to you."

'Oh? To do what with?"

Blood rushed to her cheeks. "I—I don't really know; I mean, you were the Iliachenva'ar before."

'And you think I should be again?"

'I guess that's for you to decide, Oelendra. I didn't mean to be presumptuous."

The Lirin warrior smiled. "You're not being presumptuous, Rhapsody, you're misinformed. That's easily correctable; you just need information."

Rhapsody sighed. "Of all the things I have been searching for since I've been in this land, Oelendra, I find that information, honest information, is the, hardest commodity to come by. People are unwilling to part with it as if it were the family silver. That and trust."

'You're more discerning than you think, Rhapsody. Let me tell you three things.

First, I understand completely how you feel, and will accommodate you In any way I can as far as information goes. Ask me anything you want, and I will tell you everything I know about it without hesitation."

Rhapsody's breath came out in a whistle. "Thank you. I'm not sure if I can handle that or not."

'You can. Second, what you see as the inability to tell the difference between what everyone else sees as good and evil is uncommon wisdom. Not everything that is good is beautiful, and not everything that is beautiful is good. Generally that rule is imparted in childhood to keep pretty girls from becoming vain, and make those less blessed feel better. The truth of it goes far deeper; what is good and valuable is not always visible to the eye. That goes for evil as well." "Are there specific duties to being Iliachenva'ar, other than just brightening a room and scaring off unspecified evil?"

Oelendra laughed again. "Well, traditionally the Iliachenva'ar acts as a consecrated champion; that is, an escort or guardian to pilgrims, clergy, and other holy men and women. The sect does not matter. You are to protect anyone who needs you in the pursuit of the worship of God, or what someone thinks of as God."

Rhapsody nodded. "And the third thing you wanted to tell me?" Oelendra's face lost its smile. "Daystar Clarion chooses who it wishes to carry it, not the other way around. It has chosen you, Rhapsody. I can't be the Iliachenva'ar, even if I wanted to, which I do not."

'Why did you stop being the Iliachenva'ar, if you don't mind my asking?" The older woman stood up slowly and went to the hearth; she bent as stirred the embers beneath the pot of dol mwl. From a barrel beside the fireplace she ladled water into a dented kettle and hung it beside the
dol mwl
. Rhapsody could see the muscles in her brawny back tighten as she stood back up and turned to face her. A sharp look was in her eyes.

'I've never told anyone the story before, Rhapsody. I suppose I do owe it to you, however."

'You owe me nothing, Oelendra," Rhapsody blurted, her face flaming red. "I'm very sorry to have pried into something that was none of my business." "No one else has ever asked, largely because they think I'm insane." Oelendra came back to her chair and sat down heavily. "I had been railing at them for centuries, trying to tell them what was living in their midst, what had followed them from the Island, but they refused to listen." "The Cymrians?"

'The Cymrians, at first, then the Lirin." Oelendra disappeared into the kitchen and came back with a pair of knives and a black cast-iron pot filled with potatoes and onions. She put it on the pine table and went to the bins by the door, rummaging and coming up with dried meat, carrots, and barley, which she deposited next to the pot. Rhapsody rose and came to the table. She pulled out a chair next to the one Oelendra had sat down in and picked up one of the knives.

With a practiced hand she set about peeling the potatoes while Oelendra sliced onions savagely, an outward manifestation of the look in her eyes. When she spoke, however, her voice was calm.

'You see, Rhapsody, when the Cymrians left Serendair, I was the protector of the First Fleet, the people who were sent initially to settle and build up the place Merithyn had found. He reported that the land he had discovered was uninhabited, except, of course, for Elynsynos, the dragon.