Lightning's Daughter

9

A shocked silence hung over the crowd for several moments while everyone stared at the two men lying in the dust. Then the quiet was shattered. The clanspeople broke loose in excited talk, sporadic cheers, and wailing from Gringold’s relatives.

Gabria drew a long, ragged breath and slumped against Nara. She tasted blood in her mouth where she had bitten her lip.

He lives, Eurus told her, and she nodded gratefully.

Piers and the Reidhar’s healer stepped out of the crowd at the same time and hurried to their men. They pulled Gringold’s heavy body off Athlone and checked the two warriors. The clan healer glanced at Lord Caurus and shook his head.

Caurus gritted his teeth. The duel was over. Surgart had chosen his champion.

The ring of clanspeople began to break up. Several men approached the wer-tain’s body and bore him away to his family. The travelers gathered around Athlone.

“He’s not badly hurt,” Piers assured them. “He has mostly bruises and flesh wounds.”

“Then why do I feel like a stampede just ran over me?” Athlone croaked. The chieftain opened his eyes and squinted at the anxious faces around him.

Sayyed flashed his bright grin. “A stampede did run over you. A very large and ugly one.”

Carefully, with Piers’s help, Athlone sat up. “He’s dead?”

They all nodded.

“I had the strangest feeling when I struck him. I thought I . . .” Athlone stopped and looked at his hand.

Piers and Gabria exchanged wondering glances.

“Most men have strange feelings when they’re being strangled,” Bregan said.

Piers quickly stanched the bleeding in Athlone’s shoulder, and he and Bregan helped the chief to his feet.

Athlone breathed deeply in the warm spring air. “Saddle your horses. We’re leaving.” His words were hoarse from his bruised throat, but his tone was adamant.

“My lord,” Piers protested, “you can’t possibly ride.”

At that moment, Lord Caurus joined them. Most of his belligerence was gone, replaced by a modicum of concern and regret. “Lord Athlone, surely you will rest here tonight.”

The Khulinin chieftain glared at him. He was aching, his shoulder was on fire, his face was battered and bruised, and he was utterly exhausted. He was in no mood to placate this bad-mannered lout. “You said one night, we stayed one night. I will not remain in this treld another hour.”

Caurus’s face flamed bright red. He started to say something, but Athlone straightened, let go of Bregan, and walked away without another word. The others followed. Caurus made no effort to go after them.

While Athlone sat on a stool and Piers fussed over him, Gabria and the men packed their gear, saddled the horses, and prepared to leave. When they were ready to go, Athlone turned his gray stallion over to Bregan and mounted Eurus. Gabria hid a smile of joy and relief. Since none of the Reidhar came to bid them farewell, the party left the treld without fanfare and rode west up the valley to rejoin the caravan road.

They had traveled only a few leagues from the treld before Piers took a close look at Athlone’s pale face. He called an immediate halt and ordered the chieftain to rest. Ignoring Athlone’s protest, the party stopped and made camp along the banks of a small stream. Gabria arranged the chief’s blankets on a soft mat of leaves and grass; Piers gave him a mild concoction of poppy extract and wine. Athlone decided he was too weary to argue further. He drank the wine and was asleep in moments.

Bregan, too, lay down to sleep in the warm sun, and Valar and Keth went hunting. The others stayed near camp and relaxed.

Gabria changed from her woman’s skirts back into her pants and warm tunic, which were more practical and comfortable than skirts on a journey like this. She had learned to enjoy the easy movement and the lighter weight of pants. She pushed back her hair and went to start a cooking fire. She hoped the hunters would find something. The supplies were dwindling fast.

“Rider coming,” Secen shouted. The travelers drew together and watched warily as a horseman, leading a pack animal, came up the valley. The man, who wore the yellow Reidhar .cloak, stopped at the edge of camp and saluted respectfully. He did not seem surprised to find them so close to the treld.

“Lord Caurus ordered me to bring you these supplies and to offer his apologies. He hopes that when the Khulinin visit again he will be able to prove his hospitality.”

“I hope so, too,” Secen muttered.

Piers stepped forward to take the packhorse’s lead rope. “Thank you, rider. Please take our greetings to Lord Caurus.”

The man nodded civilly and left the way he had come.

Gabria, Piers, and Sayyed unpacked the horse, and after hobbling him with the rest of the string, examined what Lord Caurus had sent.

“For a man who claimed to have had a bad year, he certainly was generous,” Gabria said, holding up a nutcake.

Sayyed looked over the parcels and bundles. “He sent everything Lord Athlone asked for.”

“And then some,” Piers remarked. “Oh, look at this.” He held up a carefully wrapped cask of Reidhar’s famous honey wine. “I could almost forgive him his rudeness.”

“Do you suppose the man is feeling a little guilty?” the Turic asked in heavy sarcasm.

“Guilty as a horse thief,” Gabria replied with satisfaction.

She and Piers repacked the extra gear while Sayyed fed the horses. Next they laid out the delicacies and set about preparing the evening meal. Shortly before sunset, the two warriors returned with several rabbits and a small deer. The plain, meager meal Gabria had expected was transformed into a feast.

The smell of roasting meat awakened Bregan and Athlone and lured both warriors to the fire. The chieftain sat down and leaned back against a fallen tree trunk while Gabria poured a cup of wine for him.

“You’re a sight,” she said, studying his battered face. She wanted to say more, to tell him how relieved she was that he was alive, but the words stuck in her throat. She had made her vow to avoid further difficulties with Athlone and Sayyed until later, and she was going to stick by her decision. She handed him the wine cup and watched as he drained it, then she filled it again.

Athlone tried to grin, but the pain of his swollen face made him wince. He said nothing, for talking still bothered his throat, and watched Gabria return to the fire. The wine warmed his stomach, and the evening breeze was pleasant on his face. An unexpected contentment stole over him. For the first time in many days, he did not worry or grow angry or morose. He was too happy to be alive and in the company of these companions. Even Sayyed.

The young Turk was sitting nearby, keeping an eye on the roasting meat and repairing some tears in the sleeve of one of his robes. Athlone noticed that even though Sayyed poured his attention on Gabria, she was keeping her distance from both of them. She had hardly spoken to either man in two days.

Perhaps there was some hope, Athlone thought to himself, that Gabria’s relationship with Sayyed was not what he imagined. Perhaps he had jumped to conclusions too soon. Already he regretted his precipitous ending of their betrothal the night before last. He had not planned that, and he had not given Gabria a chance to talk. Now she might never tell him how she felt out of injured pride and hurt. Athlone sighed. He had made a serious mistake by getting so angry; he had set their relationship back almost to the beginning. If he ever wanted to let her go, now was the time to do so. However, Athlone knew he could not give her up so easily. Even if she loved the Turk, the chieftain wanted to try to win her back. He slowly drank his wine and watched Gabria as she helped prepare the meal.

When the food was cooked, the travelers gathered around the fire to enjoy a hot meal and the gifts sent by Lord Caurus. They ate so much stewed rabbit, roast venison, cheese, fresh bread, winter squash, and nutcakes that no one bothered to move after the meal was over. Everyone lounged by the fire, redolent with food and wine. Athlone was still weak from loss of blood, but the bone-deep exhaustion was gone, and he propped himself by the tree trunk and relaxed in the tranquil evening.

Keth brought out a wood whistle he had made and piped tunes to the rhythm of the dancing flames. Sayyed uncovered his gaming stones to take his chances with Bregan. Gabria stayed by Piers, watching and listening to the men around her.

Sayyed, sitting across the fire from Gabria, played the stones and smiled at her with barely concealed hope and yearning. He was not the least upset by her sudden withdrawal from their increasing intimacy. She had not shut him out completely, and the caring that still lurked in her smile and her eyes fed his hope. He would simply bide his time.

A pale moon hung over the camp, and the night was cool with a mild breeze. An owl hooted nearby. Athlone was about to return to his blankets when all at once, Gabria sprang to her feet.

“Athlone, someone is near the camp!”

The chief sat up, and the men jumped to their feet, their hands reaching for their weapons. Beyond the firelight, Nara neighed in the darkness. Her call sounded to Gabria more like a greeting than a warning.

They peered into the darkness around them, until Bregan pointed to an indistinct, pale form on the edge of a grove of trees near the camp.

“Come forward,” the old warrior shouted.

A cloaked figure shuffled hesitantly into the farthest reaches of the firelight.

“Are you the Khulinin party?” a muffled voice called.

Athlone struggled to his feet. “Who wants to know?” he answered.

“I am looking for the Corin girl. The one they call sorceress,” came the reply.

Before Athlone could stop her, Gabria stepped forward. “I am here.” She sensed no danger from this person, but she was glad when the three Hunnuli appeared out of the night and gathered around her.

The shrouded figure gasped and stepped back at the sight of the huge, black horses.

“I am Gabria of Clan Corin,” the sorceress said gently. “Don’t be frightened. What is it you want?”

The stranger seemed to take courage from Gabria’s calm voice and edged into the firelight. “I saw you at the treld, but you left before I could talk to you.” With trembling hands, the stranger pushed back the hood of the bright yellow Reidhar cloak and revealed the face of a woman. She was not a beautiful woman and never had been. Years of toil and living out in the dry wind and sun had taken a hard toll on her thin, angular face. She was well past middle age, gray-haired, and she wore no jewelry or ornaments to mark her as a member of the higher social ranks of her clan.

“How did you know we were here?” Bregan demanded.

“I overheard the outrider who brought the supplies tell Lord Caurus where you were camped.” She glanced warily at the men and turned back to Gabria. “I have something I must give you, Lady,” the woman said nervously. “It is very important.” She pulled at something hidden behind her. “Come on!” she cried and yanked harder. A small grubby girl stumbled out from the folds of the yellow cloak. The girl tried to clutch her companion’s skirts, but the woman thrust her toward Gabria.

“This is Tam. She is ten summers old. My sister died giving birth to her,” the clanswoman told Gabria desperately. “She is a magic-wielder like you. Please, take her with you. With you she will be safe. I can’t hide her talent much longer, and if Lord Caurus finds out, he will kill her.” Gabria was astounded. She looked speechlessly from the little girl to the clanswoman.

“We can’t take a child with us,” Khan’di began to say, but Athlone cut him off with a gesture.

“How do you know she can wield magic?” the chief asked.

The woman gestured nervously. “She can! She does things. She. . . she’s different.”

Gabria laid her hand on Nara’s neck. “Is the child a magic wielder?” she asked the mare.

Yes. The mare answered. Her foal whinnied in agreement.

The sorceress knelt down to look Tam in the face. The child was dirty and disheveled. Her ragged clothes were obviously hand downs from a larger child, but her features were pretty and her unkempt hair was thick and black. Her enormous eyes had an intense, wary gaze that seemed much too old for her years.

Gabria felt her heart melt. Khan’di was right, they did not need a child along. This journey would be long and dangerous, and the chances of survival were questionable. Still, as Gabria studied Tam’s troubled face, she felt no doubt. This little girl was a kindred spirit, a magic-wielder, and as such she should be nurtured, protected, and taught, not left to the questionable mercy of someone like Caurus.

“Would you like to come with us, Tam?” Gabria asked.

“She can’t talk,” the woman cut in.

“Can’t or won’t?” Piers inquired.

The clanswoman shrugged. “She hasn’t spoken since her father died five years ago. My husband says she’s a weakling.”

Gabria gently pushed a strand of dark hair away from Tam’s eyes. “Did your husband also say how she got this?” She turned the little girl’s head toward the firelight and pointed to a large, purplish bruise on her temple.

The woman sidled back, her expression a mixture of fear and sadness, and said, “That’s why you’ve got to take her. She won’t last much longer with me.”

“I don’t know how safe she’ll be with us,” Gabria said.

“At least she’ll have a chance,” the woman pleaded. “Tam’s your kind. You’ll take care of her. I can’t!” Before anyone could stop her, she tossed a small bundle on the ground, turned, and fled into the darkness.

The warriors started after her, but Athlone stopped them.

“Let her go.” They came back, sheathing their weapons.

Khan’di, his heavy face frowning, came forward. “Lord Athlone, I must protest. This is no journey for a child. We can’t lose any more time by dragging her along.” Piers knelt beside Tam and ran his long fingers over the bruise on her head. “She seems healthy, if undernourished. She should be able to stand the journey.”

“Besides, we can’t just leave her here,” Sayyed said.

“Or take her back to Lord Caurus,” Keth added.

Athlone quirked an eyebrow at the sudden rush to defend this little girl. He agreed with Khan’di’s protest, but at the moment, they did not have much choice. “She’ll have to go,” he decided. “The Hunnuli can look after her, and we can spare enough food for one more small mouth.”

Gabria smiled at Athlone gratefully and, for a moment, the pain in his heart receded under the warmth of her relief and pleasure.

Tam had not budged during the departure of her aunt or the exchange between the men. She stood as if rooted to the ground, too frightened to move. Gabria was surprised by her total silence. The little girl did not cry or speak or even whisper. She just stayed in the place where her aunt had left her and Stared fixedly at the sorceress in front of her. Gabria slowly held out her wrist where the jewel splinter glowed red under her skin.

“Tam,” she said softly. “I am Gabria. I am a magic-wielder, too.”

Tam did not respond. Her small face was pale under the dirt, and her hands were clenched at her sides.

The sorceress cast a glance at the men. Only Piers, Athlone, and Sayyed could see what she was doing, so she picked up a stone the size of her fist. She smiled at Tam. “Watch.” The months of practice in the stone temple came to Gabria’s aid, and with Just a single word, she transformed the stone into a perfect sweetplum.

Tam’s eyes grew huge. The men around her started in surprise.

“How did you do that?” Sayyed asked eagerly.

Gabria looked up at Athlone, the hint of a smile in her eyes. “Practice.” She pressed the plum into Tam’s hand and watched as the girl tasted it.

Tam tried a tentative bite, and her body seemed to relax a little. Plum juice ran down her chin as she devoured the fruit.

Lord Athlone said nothing at first. He was not sure what he should say about Gabria’s display of sorcery. To be honest with himself, he had to admit her skill at changing the stone to a fruit intrigued him. It looked so simple, so useful. He watched Tam wipe her hands on her tattered skirt and, for the first time, the chief smiled at her. “Now that you have her attention,” he said to Gabria, “why don’t you give her a real meal. She looks famished.”

Tam suddenly nodded eagerly, and she held out her hands imploringly.

Piers smiled. “There’s certainly nothing wrong with her hearing.”

All at once, Tam’s eyes widened. Whirling around, she put her fingers to her lips and blew a piercing whistle. To everyone’s surprise, a dog barked far down the valley. Gabria’s mouth opened, and Athlone and Sayyed started in disbelief.

“Did you hear that?” Gabria gasped incredulously.

Bregan glanced around. “What? The dog?”

“I thought I heard—” She stopped.

“What?” Piers asked, puzzled.

The dog barked again, closer this time, and Gabria, Athlone, and Sayyed heard the words in their heads. Tam! Tam! I’m coming. I am free, and I am coming!

Suddenly the Hunnuli neighed, and a huge, mottled dog charged into the firelight, barking with frantic joy. A frayed rope dangled from his neck. He leaped on Tam and knocked her flat, licking her and whining with delight. The girl hugged him fiercely.

Gabria stared at the dog in amazement. “I can understand him!”

“The dog?” Khan’di frowned.

“Yes!” Sayyed agreed excitedly. “He is barking, but in my head I can hear his meaning.”

Piers said, “Well, I don’t.”

“I do,” Athlone said, astonished. He sank back down to his seat.

Khan’di crossed his arms. “That’s ridiculous. It’s just a dog. A scruffy looking one at that.”

“It’s a Tesser,” Bregan told him. “A hunting dog from the northern forests. The Murjik breed them. These dogs are white in the winter and brown in the summer. He’s shedding.”

“Tesser or not, it’s still a dog and dogs do not talk,” Khan’di insisted.

Gabria shook her head. “No, he doesn’t talk as we do, but something is translating his voice to us. I don’t understand it. I’ve never heard of anything like this.”

The dog in question sat down beside Tam and wagged his plumed tail. His lips pulled back in a wolfish grin. Carefully, Gabria held out her hand to let the dog sniff it. He woofed.

Hello, the magic-wielders heard. I am Treader.

“Treader,” Gabria repeated in wonder.

Tam’s pale face lit with a brilliant smile as if someone had just discovered her most wonderful achievement. Silently she tapped her chest then touched the dog.

“Ah,” Gabria muttered, studying the child and the dog together.

Athlone caught her thought. “Tam did it?”

“She must have. Somehow she has put a spell on him to translate his voice, and because she used magic. . .”

“We can understand him, too,” Sayyed finished.

“So why can’t we hear this remarkable dog?” Khan’di asked.

“Tam’s magic must be limited,” Gabria answered. “Her spell was probably intended to translate Treader’s voice only to a magic-wielder. She didn’t know she was going to meet more of us.” Gabria fingered the frayed end of the rope tied to the dog’s collar. “I wonder whose dog it is?”

Secen said with a smirk. “Lord Caurus’s, maybe?”

Tam shook her head and pointed to herself.

“I doubt it’s hers,” Bregan remarked. “It’s a valuable dog. Should we take it back?”

At that, Tam leaped to her feet and flung herself on the dog’s shoulder. Treader rose, barking furiously.

Athlone smiled lopsidedly. “Ah, no. He says he goes with Tam whether we like it or not. Besides, we don’t have the time to go back.”

“Think they’ll come looking for it?” Sayyed asked.

The chieftain shrugged. He was exhausted again and ready for his blankets. “Probably not tonight,” he muttered. “And we’ll be leaving at dawn.” As Piers came to help him, he waved a hand at Tam. “Feed the child.” In a moment, he sank into his rough bed with deep relief and was asleep before the others returned to the fire.

Khan’di grumbled something about troublesome children and retired to his tent. The rest of the group gathered around the fire and brought out the remains of their meal. The Hunnuli foal tagged along.

Sayyed grinned as he watched Tam dive into a bowl heaped high with bread, meat, and cheese. “She’s so small. Where is she putting it all?”

“She acts as if she hasn’t eaten in days,” Valar said.

Bregan nodded. “Maybe she hasn’t. She certainly doesn’t look well cared for.”

“Her kinswoman didn’t even say goodbye,” Gabria said.

“No,” agreed Piers. “But Tam doesn’t appear to be upset about it.”

The little girl listened to them all and kept her thoughts hidden behind her bright eyes. When she was finally finished, she laid her plate down and smiled her thanks.

The night was late by that time, and one by one the men went to their beds to sleep. Gabria collected the bundle of Tam’s meager belongings and nestled her down in a small traveling tent. Nara and Eurus returned to grazing, but the foal stayed near Gabria’s tent.

Early the next morning, in the dim moments before the sun rose, Gabria awakened and found Tam’s bed empty. Hastily she donned her pants and tunic, and ran outside, only to stop and smile with relief. Tam had not gone far. She slept curled up beside the Hunnuli foal, her head pillowed on his warm side, her hand resting on his leg. The dog lay at her feet, and Nara stood protectively over them all.

The mare turned her dark eyes to Gabria. The child will do well. She has already tamed her Hunnuli.

Gabria was pleased to agree.

The travelers prepared to leave their camp soon after sunrise. Athlone was much stronger after a night’s sleep, and he swore he could ride Eurus with no difficulty. Piers tried to convince him to rest another day, but the chieftain knew that they should not waste any more time. Although Gabria had said nothing, Athlone sensed her restlessness and recognized the way her eyes constantly turned to the north. Khan’di, too, was growing impatient. The danger in Pra Desh would not wait.

So they packed their gear, obliterated their camp, and rode out of the Reidhar’s valley. If anyone from the treld missed a dog, they did not bother to chase the Khulinin party.

As they trotted over the line of hills marking the valley, Gabria glanced back at Tam riding behind her on Nara, and she wondered if the little girl was unhappy to be leaving her home. To her relief, Tam did not seem to be upset. The girl wagged her fingers at the Hunnuli foal trotting by her foot and stared out over the plains with a shy look of delight. Whatever Tam was leaving behind would not be missed.

In the days that followed, Gabria had no reason to change her mind about Tam or regret that she had accepted the little girl. Tam was an intelligent child who tried to be helpful. She learned quickly not to annoy Khan’di, and she was wary of Athlone and the warriors, but Sayyed could bring a shining smile to her face and Gabria held her trust. She settled in to the difficult routine of the journey, and the steady food and attentive care soon filled out the hollows in her cheeks and erased the dark circles around her eyes.

The humans in the party quickly discovered Tam would be no trouble for them. True to Athlone’s word, Nara and Eurus guarded the little girl like one of their own offspring. One or both of them were always close by to keep her from harm.

Nara’s colt helped in his own way, for he tagged after Tam constantly, making it easier for his elders to guard them both. The dog, Treader, stayed with his mistress most of the time, but he liked Sayyed, too, and once in a while the Turic would take him hunting. Treader’s catches helped supplement their supplies and more than made up for what he and Tam ate.

For all these happy achievements, Gabria could not overcome the little girl’s silence. She never made any noise at all.

Even if she was a mute, Gabria thought Tam should be able to make some sound—a cry, a groan, or a whimper. But the girl was totally silent. She was so still the men often forgot she was there. When someone spoke, she sometimes flinched before she realized who was talking to her, then she would look at the ground and nod politely. Only when no one seemed to be paying attention to her would Tam lift her eyes and watch everyone with her grave, fascinated gaze.

While Tam liked Gabria and seemed to be happy, she did not become deeply attached to any of the people in the party. Gabria thought the little girl had been so neglected in her past that she had withdrawn into the sanctuary of herself, a place where only pure and gentle creatures like the dog and the Hunnuli were allowed. Gabria could not help but wonder if any human would ever be able to draw her out from behind her walls.