Moons' Dreaming (Children of the Rock) (42 page)

When all was quiet, Herri spoke.
“
We are the Children of the Rock of the village of Broadford. Today is a day when all things are in balance with one another. We stand poised between the cold of winter and the warmth of summer. This reminds us to seek balance everywhere in our lives, misfortune balanced by happiness, death balanced by life.
”
He turned slowly in place, projecting his voice equally to each side of the square.
“
The year has turned behind us. Things change. Let anyone who has experienced change since the Fall Festival stand and speak.
”

First on his feet was Shar, who had a farm on the river at the eastern edge of the village. Shar
’
s grin gave away his news before he even opened his mouth.
“
We have a daughter!
”
he called happily. Approving smiles answered him from all sides. His wife tugged once on his tunic, then handed up a tiny bundle. Gingerly, he folded the blanket back from a tiny face
,
then held the baby high for all to see.
“
This is Baisch,
”
he announced.
“
Born a nineday ago, with Keyn at the full, Sheyn at first quarter, and Dreyn waning.
”

Tob folded his legs and laced his fingers around his knees. As soon as Baisch had been inspected to everyone
’
s satisfaction, one of the fisherwomen bounced to her feet. Tob listened politely as several more births were announced. The Redmother
’
s husband said a few words regarding his twins and his wife
’
s illness. Their friends and neighbors were respectfully silent. Tob didn
’
t know the family very well, but he felt sorry for the babies.

One by one, speakers continued to stand forth in front of their friends and neighbors with good news and bad. Then, to Tob
’
s surprise he saw his father get up and beckon to someone seated on the ground near him. Iris
’
s red hair appeared out of the crowd. Most of the villagers stared at the girl curiously. She stood pale and motionless at Jordy
’
s side.

“
This is Iris,
”
his father announced simply.
“
She has been fostered into our family at the request of Greenmother Jenil. She will live with us as our eldest child from now until the day she chooses to leave and make her own home.
”
He sat down. Iris stood a moment longer, turned so that she could be seen by the people behind them, and resumed her place on the ground. Tob caught a glimpse of Matti
’
s smooth brown hair as his youngest sister climbed into Iris
’
s lap.

The last person to stand before the village was Kessit. He announced the day and manner of Pross
’
s departure. Hearing it announced openly in Festival ceremony brought frowns to many faces. Herri called for any final announcements, then invited the village to the yard of the inn for lunch.

* * *

Matti
’
s firm grip on her hand was the only thing that stopped Vray from running off in a blind panic. As it was, she was forced to stay close to the child, who in turn was clutching Cyril
’
s skirt in her other hand. Eldest child. By the Firstmother, Jordy had adopted her!
He doesn
’
t know anything about me, she
thought in panicky wonder. Yet he had assumed parental responsibility for her in front of the entire village. Whatever she did was going to reflect back on them.

Gods, I
’
m not ready for this.

The inn yard was filled to overflowing with long trestle tables and hungry villagers. Tob appeared through the press of people, eyes shining, and grabbed his mother by the arm.
“
Come on, I know a shortcut.
”

Vray felt her free hand grabbed by Pepper. They snaked their way, Tob leading, between clumps of people, and eventually reached a narrow gap between a table and the inn wall. They squeezed through, the carter last, to find themselves virtually alone on that side of the table. Tob unashamedly helped himself to a choice bread roll and bit into it with enthusiasm. Vray found herself next to Tob as they moved along the amply laden table.

The boy finished his roll and grabbed another before moving on to a huge kettle of some sort of stew. Vray identified mushrooms floating on the steaming surface. It smelled delicious. Tob served himself, then passed her the ladle.
“
Which is your favorite?
”
he asked.

“
Favorite?
”

“
Festival. Spring or Fall?
”

With difficulty, Vray pictured the banquet hall in Edian: servants everywhere, and Damon laughing with his friends through Redmother Vissa
’
s recitation.
“
I don
’
t really have a preference.
”

Tob gave her a skeptical look.
“
Most people prefer the fall. There
’
s all the fresh food from the harvest. Dad and I usually try to get back with something interesting from southern Dherrica or the lake country.
”
He sniffed at a pie, then took his knife from his belt and cut a large wedge which he somehow balanced on the edge of his bowl.
“
This is only half what we have in the fall.
”
He eyed her again.
“
If you like stews and soups and things, Spring
’
s the better Festival.
”

“
I enjoy all kinds of food.
”
She would never take food for granted again. Not after Soza. Each family in Broadford had produced their best to share with their friends and neighbors. The precise sequence of events at a Festival varied from village to village, from kingdom to kingdom,
but one element was never over-
looked
:
the day-long feast. As Vray scanned the tables again she saw none of the delicacies that she would have seen at court, but she doubted she would miss them. At one end of the yard, Herri was overseeing a whole pile of barrels of cider and wine, his contribution to the festivities. On the table at his elbow was what looked suspiciously like an entire basket of fresh oranges.

“
Well, besides food,
”
Tob pressed on,
“
maybe you like the Fall Festival for the weather. It
’
s usually perfect then. Warm during the day, cool at night. At Spring Festival it
’
s cold and rainy, often as not.
”

“
Which do you prefer?
”

“
Spring.
”

“
After all those arguments you made for Fall?
”

“
Spring is about beginnings. It
’
s exciting.
”
They waited at the end of the table for Jordy and Cyril to finish helping the girls.
“
Now you choose,
”
Tob insisted.

Vray matched his challenging tone.
“
Then I choose Fall, of course.
”

She didn
’
t have time to defend her decision. A commotion rose among the people who
’
d already collected their food and moved out into the square. Voices shouted
“
Kessit!
”
and
“
Jaea!
”
A tall boy with wavy brown hair and a filthy tunic burst through the throng of people and paused at the edge of the yard.

“
Pross!
”
Tob exclaimed.
“
It
’
s Pross!
”

Other voices repeated the cry. Jordy left Pepper in his wife
’
s care and pushed his way toward the boy. Kessit appeared from the other side of the yard, calling his son
’
s name. People stepped aside to let him pass. He reached Pross and enveloped him in a hug. The boy
’
s mother and Jordy arrived simultaneously. At Jordy
’
s urgings, the reunited family moved across the yard and through the door to the inn. Jordy, with Herri at his heels, followed them inside.

Excited chatter broke out around Vray. Her trained memory connected the names with the announcement made during the ceremony.
“
What has he done?
”
she demanded.

“
Left the guards, that
’
s what.
”
Tob
’
s proud smile chilled Vray.
“
Good old Pross. I knew he
’
d be back.
”
His mother patted his arm, attracting his attention. He looked around, saw that Cyril needed help with the girls
’
food, and took one of the bowls.

They spread a cloth on one of the mounds of straw scattered around the square, and sat down to eat. Jordy rejoined them after only a few moments.

“
Can I go see Pross?
”
Tob asked immediately.

“
Wait yet a while. There
’
ll be time enough after we
’
ve all eaten.
”

The carter said nothing more. Because there was nothing to say. A boy was chosen for the guards and declined the honor. There was nothing disturbing in that. It would be different if he lived in Edian. It wasn
’
t wise to defy guards there. But these were good people, and Damon
’
s influence hadn
’
t extended this far.

Thank the gods.

Vray was oddly unsurprised when the minstrel appeared beside her during a break in the music. She looked up from her seat on the straw and was caught by a dimpled smile so infectious that she had to smile faintly back.

He offered her the blue-glazed cup in his hand.
“
Wine. Cool to the taste, warming as the gold sunlight of Sitrine. Brought by our carter friend for the occasion.
”

His glance flicked toward Cyril.
“
May I borrow your companion?
”

Jordy
’
s wife took no notice of him, and he turned his attention back to Vray.

No doubt it was Cyril
’
s unresponsiveness that Ivey found disturbing. Vray knew it would bother her, if she made her living by her charm. The minstrel still held the cup before her face, so she took it and sipped cautiously. She
’
d been drunk twice, and hadn
’
t liked it. Words had spilled out of her as if there wasn
’
t room for them in her head anymore. She remembered reeling in circles, and the sound of mocking laughter, while whole family histories, mixed in with Mother tales and a year
’
s worth of law reader judgments, tangled themselves together and got told to people who didn
’
t care. Did Cyril have words trying to burst out of her? Did she long to communicate, but know of no way to free the words, even if she drank a barrel of wine? It didn
’
t seem so. She didn
’
t have to talk in order for her husband and children to understand her.

“
Iris?
”
Ivey studied her, his expression thoughtful, as he spoke.
“
Canis will come looking for you any minute now. Will you walk with me first?
”

“
And talk with you?
”
She stood and let him lead her away from Cyril.
“
Since you know of my family.
”

“
Since I know of your family,
”
he agreed, then said nothing else until they entered the shadows of the inn stable.

A horse nickered faintly, but they didn
’
t seem to have any other company. Ivey scooped a handful of grain from a feedbag and offered it to the horse in the nearest stall. The animal
’
s velvety lips covered his palm.

“
It
’
s Feast day, children. Plenty for everyone.
”
He scooped up another handful and went to the next stall. Vray followed him.
“
I
’
m having trouble remembering
‘
Iris,
’
though I doubt I
’
ll foolishly slip and call you Your Highness.
”