“We need to see Roha of Del.”
Trev’nor frowned, concern starting to dint his joy. “Is something wrong?”
Considering that no one sane travels during winter (but me) that was a valid question.
“No, but she has some very serious information for us. Trev, she has some of your parents’—your birth parents—things. She wants to pass those things onto you. Among those things, she tells me, is proof of your heritage.”
Trev’nor couldn’t really use his magic yet, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t learning about it. Part of his school curriculum dealt with magical history. He understood enough about it to know that a Mage’s history, especially, was very important. He nodded to me seriously. “We need to see her. I want to know.”
“Me too, kiddo. I’ll fill you in on the way, but for now, go pack. Warm clothes, you know the drill.” After living with the Tonkawacon tribe, Trev’nor knew better how to pack for traveling than most adults did.
“Okay.” He jumped out of my arms, in a full run before his feet could even touch the ground.
Liah waited until he was in his room before murmuring, “There was something you didn’t tell him.”
“Yes. Liah, Roha of Del said that she couldn’t tell me much, because everything she had kept was written in Chahirese.”
Her eyes flared wide. “Then he
is
Chahiran?”
“Yes, but that’s more significant than you may realize. The Chahiran Earth Mages were always Rhebens, Liah.”
She put a hand to her mouth, a half-exclamation bursting from her. “Then it’s likely that he is a Rheben, too?”
“Somehow, yes.” I shrugged, palms spread in helpless frustration. “This is guesswork on my part, but the pieces fit too neatly to not have some truth to them. I need to talk to Roha of Del and see those affects before I can be sure. If I’m right, then we need to keep an eye on the rest of my family as we’re sure to have more Earth Mages pop up. If not…then another, wholly new bloodline has started with Trev’nor.” That last thought was rather disturbing.
She nodded in understanding. “This is definitely something we want to be sure on. How long will you be gone?”
“A few weeks, I think. He’ll want time to visit with everyone up there.”
“Does Val Haben know about this?”
“Night is telling him now.” And Haben got the lovely job of telling Guin. I was thankful that I would be well out of reach before my workaholic King realized that his favorite slave would be gone for a while. He would not be pleased.
A part of my mind started doing a jig of happiness at that thought. I throttled back an urge to rub my hands together and chuckle evilly.
“Okay, I’m packed!” Trev’nor came flying out of his room in a flurry of blue, a thick winter jacket only half- on, bag slung over his shoulder.
Liah dropped down to one knee, catching him before he could make it out the front door. “Trev’nor, you be sure to mind Garth while you’re gone, all right?”
He rolled his eyes. “Yes, Mom.”
Amused, she kissed him on the forehead. “Have fun, Trev. I’ll see you in a few weeks.”
His eyes lit up at the word
weeks
. “We’re going to be gone that long?”
“Maybe,” I cautioned. “I’m not sure yet.”
“I don’t mind,” he assured me with an eager smile.
It was my turn to roll my eyes. “Yeah, I didn’t think you would. We’ll see when we get up there, okay?”
“Can we leave now?”
“As soon as Night comes back, we can leave.”
Trev’nor spent the wait pestering me with questions and bouncing around the room impatiently. I just sat back and watched the kid wear himself out, knowing that he would probably sleep most of the way up to Roha of Del’s camp.
Fortunately for Trev’nor, Night showed up only a few minutes later. After a final goodbye to Liah, I grabbed nreesce and boy-Mage and took us into the earth path.
As predicted, Trev’nor lasted about ten minutes before curling up around my feet, snoring like a dragoo in a sunny spot. I figured he’d do that—for an Earth Mage, being down here was incredibly relaxing. The power of the earth was rich and warm to my sense, like being wrapped up in a thick blanket. I was tempted to take a nap myself.
If I ever did, Night would
never
let me hear the end of it.
“So how did Haben take the news?” I hadn’t had a chance to ask earlier, with all of Trev’nor’s questions.
“
He seemed quite…vexed.”
There was an outrageous twinkle in Night’s eyes.
“Vexed?” I repeated, sinking sensation pulling at my chest.
“
Yes, apparently not having you within arm’s reach unnerves him. But he could hardly order us to stay home, all things considered.”
If Haben was “vexed” by my leaving then he undoubtedly had more errands in mind for me to run. I was suddenly glad that Roha summoned me today. Who knows what else Haben had on his To-Do- List.
“
I ran into Chatta in the halls and gave her a quick outline of everything too,”
Night added casually.
I smacked my forehead with the palm of my hand. I had completely overlooked updating my best friend about what was going on. I was sure to catch trouble for that later.
“I hope she realizes that she would have been welcome to come?”
“
Yes, I assured her she was. But apparently she’s just been handed an assignment in town, and will be tied up with that for a few days, at least. She wanted me to tell you, though, that she wants a full report when you get home.
”
I’d be in serious trouble if I didn’t.
The conversation stalled there as I had to focus on our surroundings more. I felt the change as we came close to the Boren Mountains, so Roha’s camp had to be somewhere nearby. Only the Boren Mountains have this thick mixture of hard granite and crystalline fissures. The feel of these mountains have a different weight to them, and so leave a more profound impression in the soil. Fortunately, a DauZmor of her caliber has a significant level of magic. It wasn’t difficult to pinpoint her, once I was close enough. I brought us up on what felt like the outskirts of the camp.
A Tonkawacon camp is unlike anything else in this world. They have these tents made of thick hides and some sort of material that I’ve never seen anywhere else. It, in some ways, offered better protection and comfort than stone walls did. The tents are huge, well able to house a large family and all of their belongings. Most of them are dark brown in color, or black, but they also have large streamers coming out of the top in different colors. It only made sense—if not for the varied colored streamers, how else could the people tell their tent from everyone else’s? As I approached, snow and wood smoke drifted around me, as well as the tantalizing scent of meat cooking.
As expected of a Tonkawacon tribe, horses were everywhere. Some of them were tethered, but most ran free. Well, that is to say, most followed their owners around like faithful dogs. It rather reminded me of Night, actually…. Considering the cold, I expected most of the camp to be inside their tents, but from the looks of it almost everyone chose to be outside. They cooked, sewed, tended to horses and children alike, and talked to anyone within ear shot.
I’ve never been able to find any rhyme or reason for how the camp is laid out. This area had all the earmarks of being their normal winter camp, as the few trees that were within the vicinity had been so completely incorporated into the camp’s layout that it had to been planned that way. Worn paths wove in between the tents, as well, almost like functioning streets lined with crisp snow.
Normally I just stumbled around until someone took pity on me and pointed me in the right direction. This time, Trev’nor rather took care of finding Roha. He pelted forward, weaving with practiced ease between tents, horses, campfires and people. I just tried to keep up.
“Roha!” he called as he dove into a familiar looking mahogany tent.
I ducked in after him, blinking to let my eyes adjust to the dimmer lighting. A single fire burning in a brazier in the middle, surrounded by a rainbow ring of plush pillows and blankets, warmed the tent comfortably. Trunks and low sitting seats or beds lined the inside walls, providing a very open space in the middle. Roha sat on one of these pillows, looking just as she had a year ago, when I first met her. Silver hair still plaited in a complex pattern that denoted her status of DauZmor, skin tanned by many years in the sun until it looked like beaten leather, thin frame appearing heftier with the layers of tunics to keep out the winter chill. Trev’nor—probably out of sheer habit—had already made himself comfortable in her lap, happily exchanging hugs. The kid kept saying he was too old to be held anymore, until situations like this cropped up, and then he conveniently forgot his age.
“Garth, you got here quickly,” Roha greeted me with a wide smile. “And Trev, how you’ve grown!”
“I’m going to be taller than Garth,” he announced proudly.
“I keep telling him to aim higher than that.” I shook my head at the boy, mock-frowning as Roha chuckled. “How are you, Roha?”
“Still moving, which is a blessing. Come sit down, Garth. Night, how are you?”
“
Well, thank you. And glad to be out of Del’Hain.”
Night followed me all the way inside.
“I expect that the reason you are here is because of my letter?” Roha turned penetrating eyes on me.
“Yes.”
“Let’s get comfortable first,” Roha suggested. “Garth, go ahead and take all of that tack off of Night. Are you hungry?”
Not particularly, but I knew from experience that Roha liked to feed people. And, well, I was always able to eat. I had experienced something of a growth spurt over the winter, gaining another inch in height. Since hunger still attacked at random moments, I had hopes that my growth spurt wasn’t over yet.
I took the saddle and bridle off of Night before settling back near Roha. This being a Tonkawacon tent, there was plenty of room for a few horses, even ones of Night’s large stature. My four legged friend settled on the ground next to me, legs curled up comfortably to one side.
Roha leaned over to the side, lifting the lid off a rather large black pot from the brazier in the center of the tent. A delicious aroma drifted into the air, and my mouth started watering. I was hungrier than I realized.
Both Trev’nor and I were handed large bowls of some thick stew that I didn’t recognize—not that it particularly bothered me at that moment. I dug in happily. Roha, being a good hostess, did not neglect Night. She pulled a basket of slightly wrinkled apples out from some trunk behind her and put them in front of him. Night’s eyes lit up as he started crunching his way through those apples with whickers of delight.
Once we were eating she relaxed back into her seat. We talked of inconsequential things as I ate, Trev’nor largely dominating the conversation as he wanted to tell Roha
everything,
it seemed. Only after our bowls were put into a cleaning bucket did the discussion turn to the main reason we were here.
“Trev’nor, go and fetch my black box,” Roha directed.
Apparently Roha always set up her tent the same way, as Trev’nor immediately went and fetched it without any more instruction than that. He brought back a black wooden box that filled his arms, although it didn’t appear to be heavy, as he wasn’t straining to carry it.
Roha accepted the box from him with a nod of thanks. There was a white ribbon-like cord wrapped around it in a series of complicated knots. I would have been there all month trying to unravel it—Roha, naturally, undid everything with three quick tugs.
Her gnarled hands pulled out a leather-bound book, looking a little worn on the binding. The original color had been a perhaps a light tan, but years of handling had stained most of the spine and edges a dark brown. I took it carefully, opening to the first page.
The language was indeed Chahirese, written in a long, flowing hand. A diary, from all appearances.
“Read it out loud,” Trev’nor urged. He scrambled into my lap, and I obligingly lifted my arms long enough for him to settle himself. For Roha’s sake, I tried to translate it into Hainish as I read. It started out with the traditional opening of a family record.
“I, the daughter of Nigarrien, have today married into another family. This shall be the record of my new life and family, and from this day forth I shall be known as Rhebenbrennan.”
I froze, book nearly falling from nerveless fingers. So it was true. Trev’nor was a Rheben. This had never happened before—never had we found two Mages out of the same family.
“I’m a Rheben,” the six year old in my lap breathed.
“Yes,” I managed past a dry mouth. I was delighted to have him in the family, happy to be related to him. It was just the possibility of having even
more
Mages appear in the same family that had me stunned and reeling.
“What else?” He bounced impatiently in my lap. “What else does it say?”
I shook my head, clearing it of conjecture, and went back to reading. The history was pretty much what I expected, giving the standard information that a woman would record upon being newly married. The journals of my grandmother and great-grandmother sounded very similar to this. If Trev’nor hadn’t been in my lap, hanging on every word, I probably would have skimmed past this part to the later chapters.
I wanted to know what happened when Trev’nor was born.
Had his parents known that their son was magical? Trev’nor’s powers were waking up when Roha first found him—had his parents realized what was going on? Or was it some other business that had brought them into Hain? Really, Trev’nor should be the one called the Advent Mage, as his magic had started waking up before mine had.
After about ten pages of reading, my throat got dry and my legs—which were supporting a heavy little boy—were going to sleep.
“Trev, sorry, I’ve got to take a break.”
“Oh, okay.” Even disappointed, he willingly scrambled off my lap.
I slid my legs out with a sigh, wincing at the pins and needles sensation of the blood flowing again.
“This is very interesting,” Roha observed with her eyes on the diary. “Garth, do you recognize this woman’s name?”