The Black Sword Trilogy: The Poacher (24 page)

              She came to a raised platform with wooden steps leading up.  Still holding the cup as she had, she slowly climbed the steps to within two steps of the platform.  She then went to one knee, bowed her head low and held the cup higher.

              Had she done it right, she asked herself?  This seemed to be the way her mother had taught her.  She was nervous and tense as she waited, her head still bowed.  Her heart pounded in her chest and she was nearly panting as if she had just ran.  Soon she heard soft footsteps approaching her, but she didn’t look up.  She knew not to.  Appearing in front of her eyes came two feet at the hem of a shining green dress.  She felt two hands take the cup from her and then she felt a hand run its fingers gently through her short hair.

“Welcome my friend,” said a soft, sweet and familiar voice.  The gentle hand then caressed her face and guided it up.

“You?” Terri gasped.

Standing above her was the woman from the farm.

Chapter Twenty Nine

             
“Please stand.” The woman told Terri.  Feeling surprised and confused, Terri slowly rose to her feet and then on the platform.  At the far end of the platform were seven large chairs with six people sitting in them (one empty).  Behind the empty chair was a large, thick, reddish brown curtain that seemed to Terri to have a strange aura about it.

              “We both have questions for each other,” the woman said to Terri.  “Which one of us should go first?”

Terri laughed a little and then scratched her head.

“This is your Sanctuary,” she said trying to sound funny.

The woman turned around and looked stern for a second, but then her sweet smile returned.

             
“You knew how to wash the steps,” she began, “you knew not to bring your weapons of death into my Sanctuary and you knew how to properly present yourself as if you were born and raised here.  How is it that you know these things?”

Terri scratched her head nervously again.

“My mother was once a lady of this Sanctuary.” She answered. 

The woman looked at her with great surprise.

“Really?” She questioned.  “What is her name?”

“Her name is Larana.” Terri replied.

The woman looked sad for a second and then she smiled with a far look in her brown eyes.

“That is more than just a name to me.” She said with her voice seeming to crack.  “Larana was a friend; a very dear friend.”

             
The woman rubbed the tears from her eyes and took a deep breath.

“Is your mother still alive?” The woman asked.

“I’m happy to say that she is.” Said Terri.

The woman closed her eyes for a second and then breathed deeply again.

“I can’t say enough about how happy I am to hear that.”

              The woman appeared to take a moment to compose herself.

“So,” she said after an uncomfortable (to Terri) silence; “what questions have you for me?”

The only words Terri could think of were, “The farm?”

The woman looked confused for a second, then seemed to figure out what the meaning of Terri’s question.

“Ah yes,” she remarked.  “The farm.”

              “There are very few things in this world that are as much a test of character as working on a farm.  To be clear, I must explain that the farm you were on is a real, working farm that all members of the Sanctuary Council must work on for one year.  It’s a character building experience.  As for your experience; I must apologize.  I used it as a means of testing you.”

“Testing me?” Terri questioned.

“Yes, testing you.”

              “You see,” she continued.  “I’ve been watching you since you first entered the forest.  That particular section of the forest is usually only frequented by bandits, fugitives or other kinds of people that I’d rather not stay too long.  My curiosity was even more aroused when I saw you being pursued by a pack of Wolfen.  I also saw your attempts at sleeping in the trees and, to be quite honest, I thought that pretty clever considering the circumstances.  I also found it interesting that the deer decided to protect you.  Most deer aren’t too friendly to humans; especially not ones with a bow and arrows.”

“I think I can understand that.” Terri interjected.

             
“As I said, I wanted to test you; to find out what kind of person you are; and since you were headed in the direction of the farm anyway, I decided to use that to prove you.  I had intended to ask you to work on those chores already.  I must say though, that your volunteering yourself impressed me greatly.”

“Thank you, my lady.”

“No.” She said with a smile.  “As your mother was my friend so too shall you be my friend.  My name is Kayla.”

              “And in case you’re wondering, I did indeed cook that meal I gave you myself.”

“It was delicious.” Terri replied.

             
Kayla then introduced Terri to the members of the Sanctuary Council; which included three men and three women.  They were all courteous, if not entirely friendly.  When they looked at Terri, it seemed as if they were inspecting her; looking through her.  This made Terri a little uncomfortable, but she said nothing of it.

              Throughout these introductions, Terri found herself more and more drawn to the curtain at the back of the Sanctuary.  There seemed to be a strange energy flowing from the curtains themselves and a sense of mystery that Terri found curious.  It seemed to Terri something that might ordinarily have gone unnoticed in any other setting.  However, there was something about the curtains that drew her to them.  It was if they were calling to her.

              “That is the veil.” She heard Kayla say.  “On the other side of those curtains are mysteries very few have discovered.”

Terri felt confused by that statement.  Was there something here that Kayla, the Lady of the Woods didn’t know?  How could that be, Terri asked herself?

“What do you mean, ‘very few’?’  Have you not gone through the curtains?””

“No I have not, and neither has anyone else inside the Sanctuary at this moment.”

“If you don’t mind me asking; why not?” Terri probed as politely as she could.  For reasons Terri wouldn’t have been able to explain, she found herself more curious about this one part of her circumstance than any other.

“The veil is a doorway; a threshold between this world and another.  The curtains prevent anyone from going in and it also prevents something from the other side from coming out.”

“If it’s dangerous, why not just wall it up?”

“For one thing,” Kayla explained, “as I’m sure you’ve noticed, this Sanctuary was not built.  It was grown and the opening was part of that growth.  And another thing…”and here she paused.  “The veil must remain open for someone to pass through.”

“But you just said that…”

              “Occasionally,” Kayla continued, “someone is called to pass through the veil.  Whatever it is that is on the other side calls to them; summons them.  They are allowed to pass through.  Most of the time, they are allowed to come back; but they are always changed when they return.”

“And you’ve never been called?” Terri asked.

Kayla lowered her head a little and her smile lessened.

“No.” She said simply.  “And I don’t think I ever will be.”

             
Terri noticed another uncomfortable silence and Kayla appeared to be gazing far off and slightly sad.  After a moment, she raised her head and her sweet smile returned.

“Enough of this,” she said in a happy tone.  “We have much to discuss, you and I.  And I would prefer to discuss these things in a more relaxed environment.  I doubt that you’ve had breakfast yet.  Would you care to dine with me and my friends?”

Terri stammered, not knowing the right thing to say.

“Sure.  That would be great.”

Kayla then took her by the hand and led her away from the platform.

Chapter Thirty

             
Terri was led out through a door on one side of the platform.  She and Kayla were followed by the other members of the Sanctuary Council.  They walked along a path through a lush garden with thick brush, flowers, small trees and small animals moving about.  She saw a rabbit, and a squirrel climbing one of the trees.  She heard birds singing and a light breeze blew through the garden causing the plants and trees to sound as if singing.  She also thought she could hear, what sounded like whispering voices coming from all directions.  Still the enormous black trees dominated the view as they soared high above.

              Passing through the garden, she was led to a terrace that, like virtually everything else she’d seen thus far, appeared to grow out of one of the trees.  On the terrace were men and women with musical instruments; she saw someone with an easel and canvas.  In the center of the terrace was a large table with all kinds of food; including meat, fruits and vegetables.  There were beautiful plates with painted images of trees, flowers and other growing things with shining, silver flatware.  She also saw men and women in dark, brown cloaks holding bows and having quivers full of the same arrows she now had.  All bowed deeply when the Lady, the Council and Terri came on to the terrace and came to the table.  There was one who had been sitting at the table who rose to stand and Terri was amazed at what she saw.  He had an ape like face and thick, grey fur all over him.  He was wearing human clothes and was smoking a pipe. 

             
“Terri,” Kayla said with her hand in the direction of the Morgril.  “This is Saab, my military advisor and one of my closest friends.”

He must have seen Terri’s reaction to him as he smiled and said, “You look like you’ve never seen a Morgril before.”

“As a matter of fact, I haven’t.” Terri said nervously.

All around the table stood waiting and Terri did the same.  When Kayla sat, all sat in the high backed, soft chairs.  The musicians began playing and several servants began to go around the table with the plates and bowls with food.

              “Wow!” said Terri.  “I’ve never been served like this.”

“The ones serving you now,” Kayla said, “are all candidates to be on the future Council or other important positions.  It is important that they understand the concept of service to others before being selected for future leadership.”

“That’s probably something that leaders in the other nations should be taught.”

Kayla smiled and then touched Terri’s hand.

“Let us not talk of politics.  That subject and religion tend to take away the intimacy of good food and good company.”

              Terri ate a meal of fried eggs, bacon, ham, potatoes and some vegetables she didn’t recognized.  It was all more than delicious.  To Terri, it was like more than her body was being fed.  It was almost as if her very soul was being nourished.

“This is the best meal I’ve had in…” She stopped herself saying “over a year…” she looked at Kayla and said, “In days.”

Kayla chuckled.

“It’s alright,” she said.  “If this is better than the meal I served you, then you may say so without my vanity being hurt.”

At that, everyone at the table laughed.

Terri continued her meal.

             
She ate more than she had in one meal since joining the Army.  Even after her first year and when she visited home on leave, she hadn’t eaten as much as she had on this morning.  She thought of it for a moment and then remembered that before visiting home, she hadn’t ran fifteen miles, slept in trees for two nights and been almost killed by Wolfen.  She also thought of the battle and the friends she’d lost.  She thought of Kenner and Captain Krall on their difficult journeys and then found herself saddened.

              “So tell me,” Kayla said, breaking an uncomfortable silence.  “For what reason does a lone Walechian soldier run fifteen miles across open ground, sleep in trees while being pursued by a pack of Wolfen?”

Terri then almost choked on her juice, coughed and then composed herself.

“How did you know I’m a soldier?” Terri asked.