Moons' Dreaming (Children of the Rock) (43 page)

If he could come so directly to the point, so could she.
“
What are you asking for your silence, minstrel?
”
She raised her eyes to the stable loft.
“
I expect the straw is comfortable. To be honest, I
’
ve nothing but myself to offer.
”
She also had no way to keep him from going to her brother, if that
’
s what he decided to do.

Ivey turned to face her. The horse butted him with its head, and the minstrel steadied himself by grasping Vray
’
s shoulders. She flinched, but he just pulled her closer, kissed her on the forehead, then let her go.
“
You flatter me, lass. But I don
’
t think Jenil had me in mind as a lover for you.
”

This was not the conversation she had expected.
“
Jenil?
”

“
She brought you to this village so you
’
d find some sturdy farmer lad to make Dreamers with.
”

Vray sat down, rather abruptly, on a feed bin.
“
What?
”

He flicked his curls behind his shoulder.
“
You know of Aage
’
s prophecy, Redmother?
”

Numbly, she nodded.

“
I
’
m good at keeping secrets,
”
he went on.
“
People seem to trust me, so I hear and see a great deal on my travels. King Sene told me the Greenmother wanted to find you, and I remembered a tale I
’
d heard of a red-haired Soza girl.
”

“
I
’
m hardly the only red-haired girl in Rhenlan.
”

“
Your pardon, Princess, but to be specific, a guard told me of a drunken girl he
’
d bedded, and how she told him his family history the whole time he was with her. He wanted to know if I sang the whole time I was with a woman. I told him, yes, but only with very ugly bed partners.
”
His dry recitation did not force her to relive her humiliation. In fact, Vray found herself smiling, and wondered how he managed to make the incident seem amusing.
“
I could think of only one missing red-haired Redmother. I made my way to Soza to sing for the Brownmothers and guards and the dying and the orphans. Don
’
t you remember? I was very entertaining, Highness.
”

“
I heard talk of a minstrel. I didn
’
t see you, though.
”

“
A pity. I saw you. At least, I saw an underfed kitchen maid who bore a strong resemblance to Soza
’
s senior Brownmother, and to the man in charge of the local border guard. Cousins or some other kin of yours, yes?
”

Vray could only nod again.

“
I didn
’
t think it would be wise to actually try to speak to you, so I sent word to Jenil of your whereabouts
—
and she brought you here.
”

“
To marry a Keeper?
”
Vray frowned.

“
She didn
’
t actually say that. It
’
s just my guess. Maybe she just didn
’
t want to see you wasting away at Soza. Broadford
’
s a much nicer place to be. I hear they
’
ve already found a use for you.
”

Vray considered the cup in her hand, and the villagers she was about to face. She poured the wine on the stable floor.
“
Canis will be looking for me.
”

He offered her his hand and she took it. If he noticed that she was shaking, he gave no sign. But then, it was only natural that a seasoned performer like Ivey would recognize an attack of nerves.

Grateful for the minstrel
’
s silent support, Vray allowed him to lead her out of the stable, toward her first public appearance as a Redmother in three years.

* * *

Vray stood before the villagers and tried not to see them. It helped to have Ivey, with his confident smile, in the front of the crowd. Canis sat in the front rank as well, arms crossed, pleased with herself for having saved the day. Vray looked past the fisherwoman to find Jordy
’
s sandy head. His eyes were on her, as well. Everyone
’
s eyes were on her. The whole village had gathered in the square. A patient, expectant silence grew as people found seats on the grass, silence soon to be broken by a crying child or teenage giggles, but complete silence for now. Vray concentrated her attention one moment longer on Jordy. His pale eyes seemed to bore into her, not in anger or disapproval, but with reassurance. She swallowed, close to tears, but her hands no longer shook.

She took a deep breath, then stooped over the three objects that waited on the inn steps: a bowl, a smooth stone, and a pitcher of water. She placed the stone in the center of the bowl, then poured water over it, enough to form a pool. As she straightened, she carefully chose her words. A festival, of all days, was not a time for lies.
“
I am called Iris, of the town of Edian, Redmother student to Danta. I speak in place of Driss the Story of Beginnings.

“
The world was formed as worlds are formed, in company with the sun and moons and planets and gods in the empty chaos between the stars. For centuries of centuries, the world remained young and barren, and the gods were lonely. So they Bent their power upon the fabric of the world, and the water, which has substance yet is malleable, brought forth life, plants and creatures of the sea which grew and multiplied and became many.

“
Centuries of centuries passed, and the gods were lonely. So they Bent their power upon the fabric of the world, and the air, ever changing and limitless, acted upon the life of the water, encouraging greater growth and variety until the plants and the animals burst forth upon solid ground and spread across the world.

“
Centuries of centuries passed. The world was fair and the gods were pleased, but still they were alone. As they journeyed across the world they saw that it was ignorant of its own marvels. This ignorance saddened the gods.

“
At last they came to the mountains. In the mountains was a cavern. In the cavern was a pool. In the pool was a rock. For the third time, the gods Bent their power upon the fabric of the world, and the Rock, which is the foundation and the source upon which all else rests, and from which all else comes, brought forth a woman in the fullness of her maturity, heavy with child. The woman opened her eyes and looked upon the world, and the gods spoke to her, saying,
‘
Know the world and marvel in it.
’
She saw and understood and marveled.

“
The woman gave birth upon the Rock in the midst of the pool within the cavern. She bore three children, and felt great joy, for they were beautiful, and she was eager for others with whom she could share her knowledge of the world.

“
These are the children of the Firstmother, who are the Children of the Rock. The girl child grew to be the Keeper. Her delight was to maintain the land and the waters and the living creatures as they had always been, guarding against any mischance, keeping them in balance with one another. The boy child grew to be the Shaper. His delight was to examine the land and the water and the living creatures, discovering where unbalance disturbed the Keeper, and shaping any necessary change.

“
The third child of the Firstmother, neither boy nor girl, grew to become the Dreamer. The Dreamer
’
s greatest delight was to remember the land and the water and the living creatures as they had been through the centuries of centuries past, and to anticipate what they might be in the centuries of centuries yet to come. The Dreamer alone of the Children of the Rock could bend the power of the gods, using it for purposes suggested by the Keeper or the Shaper.

“
The Firstmother was pleased with her children. Each was different from the others. None shirked responsibility. They came to their Mother and vowed before the Rock to be true to themselves, to keep or shape or dream as their gifts allowed. And the gods heard their vows and were satisfied.

“
Now, the Children of the Rock loved one another. The Firstmother and the Dreamer spent much time in conversation, as was fitting. She had been born to hunger after knowledge and wonder at it, and the Dreamer was capable of seeing and teaching much. The Keeper and the Shaper copulated together, as was fitting. They were female and male, after the manner of most living creatures, even though their differences prevented them from producing offspring. And the gods were pleased with their happiness.

“
But time passed, and the Children of the Rock grew less content. They saw that the world was large and they were few in number. They feared greatly that they would be forced to break the vows they had made to keep and shape and dream.

“
So the Firstmother went back to the pool and the Rock that had borne her, and contemplated within herself what was to be done. The years had taken her well beyond the time of child bearing, and her children were infertile. Understanding all this, she saw that there was no solution, and wept.

“
The gods saw her sorrow and spoke to her, saying,
‘
Go back to your children. Tell them that if they have been true to their vows, their vows will not be broken.
’

“
The Firstmother did as the gods commanded. The next time the Shaper and the Keeper had intercourse with one another, the Keeper became pregnant. At the proper season she bore two children, a boy and a girl, who grew and matured after the fashion of their mother and became Keepers.

“
Then the Keeper and the Shaper had intercourse once more. Once more the Keeper became pregnant. In the proper season she bore two more children, a boy and a girl, who grew and matured in the fashion of their father and became Shapers.

“
The Keeper and the Shaper felt great joy in their children. The Keeper taught her son and daughter to maintain and guard the world. The Shaper taught his son and daughter to examine and change the world. The Keeper
’
s children produced children who were Keepers after the fashion of their parents. The Shaper
’
s children produced children who were Shapers after the fashion of their parents. And the gods were well pleased, for they saw that they would never be alone again.

“
But the sorrow of the Firstmother continued, for her most beloved child was the Dreamer, and the Dreamer remained alone. She called her other two children to her, to see if one of them might give the Dreamer a child. But the Shaper could not impregnate the Dreamer, for the Dreamer was not female. The Keeper could not bear a child for the Dreamer, for the Dreamer was not male. So the Firstmother returned to the pool and the Rock that had borne her and contemplated within herself what was to be done.

“
The gods saw the sorrow of the Children of the Rock. They spoke to the Firstmother, saying,
‘
We value the vows of the Dreamer and would not see them broken. Therefore we shall bend our power upon the Shaper and the Keeper a third time, and they shall bring forth a child for the Dreamer.
’

“‘
One child?
’
the First Mother asked.

“‘
One child,
’
the gods affirmed.
‘
Dreamers need not be many, for they Bend the power and live long lives.
’

“
The Firstmother returned to her children. The Keeper and the Shaper had intercourse with one another, and the Keeper became pregnant. In the proper season the Keeper bore a child, neither Shaper or Keeper, a girl but not female, who grew and matured with the gifts of the Dreamer.

“
The Children of the Rock increased in number and spread over the world. Keepers guarded it and Shapers guided it and Dreamers envisioned it, according to their vows. The Keepers were fertile among themselves and produced many children and became numerous. The Shapers were fertile among themselves and produced sufficient children for their needs, and lived among the more numerous Keepers as their helpers and guides.

“
A Shaper child and a Keeper child may love one another, but they are not fertile together. Only in every third generation do the gods Bend their power over certain unions, to produce children for the Dreamers. Only then will a child be born, boy or girl according to the will of the gods, who will grow and mature to become a bender of the power among the Dreamers.
”