Prophecy, Child of Earth (23 page)

'I'd hate to impose on you again," she said uncertainly, remembering the conversation around one of their many campfires. She knew he must be anxious to return home to his lover who had been waiting for him all this time.

'As I just said, I'm on my way there anyway. It would be no imposition, and it would make me feel better knowing you're in Oelendra's capable hands. What do you say?"

'I say'thank you,' " she replied, checking her gear. "Well, then, shall we go?"

Ashe nodded and turned to the south, stepping easily over the slippery rocks of the reflecting pool that glowed with mist from the dragon's cave. Rhapsody followed him around the shore of the lake, back to the sleepy glen, until the cave entrance was almost out of sight. Then she stopped and looked at it one last time.

'Goodbye, my friend. I love you," she whispered.

The wind in the trees picked up slightly, caressing her face and the loose strands of her hair.

cAJiapsody was like a child with a secret. She glowed for days following her visit with the dragon, though she was hard pressed to explain why. Ashe had the impression she would have been forthcoming if she had been able, but that she was having trouble articulating what she had seen and felt in the cave.

As a result, the tone of their walk was vastly more cheerful than it had been recently, despite all the rain and mud they were now braving. She seemed to have forgiven him for his poor judgment at the Tar'afel, and alternately joked with him outrageously or walked in a comfortable silence that was brimming with excitement just below the surface. It was an heightened state that fascinated his dragon nature, causing it to become even more obsessed with her, as the human side was doing as well.

Occasionally, when they would stop for a meal or when sitting around their fire at night he would find her looking at him thoughtfully, as though she were trying to place the features she had glimpsed inside the darkness of his hood from memory. When she became aware that he was noticing this she would smile at him. Even though the smile she gave him was the same one he had seen her use naturally on other friends or acquaintances, he felt somehow that there was a special element to it that made it his alone, that was reserved for him. The effect it had on him made him glad of his near-invisibility.

After three days of traveling, through even more rain and mud, they came to a clearing. In the distance Rhapsody could hear the sound of falling water, but for some reason the direction was not easy to determine. She was convinced after a few minutes that they had been traveling in circles, and became sure of it the third time they passed the same filbert bush. She stopped in the middle of the forest path.

'Are we lost?"

'No."

'Then why are you leading me in circles?"

Ashe sighed, and Rhapsody thought she heard a smile in his voice. "I forgot for a moment that you are Lirin. Anyone else would not have been able to tell."

'Well?" There was a hint of annoyance in her voice.

He was silent for a moment. "I'm sorry. I will explain when we get to our shelter."

'Shelter?"

'Yes, there is a place here I thought we might camp for the night, a place we can both have a bath and at least one of us can actually sleep in a bed tonight. Both, if you're willing." The teasing tone was back.

'But it's a place you don't want me to be able to find again."

Ashe sighed again. "Yes."

Rhapsody sighed as well. "Would it help if I closed my eyes?"

He laughed. "That's not necessary. Come, I'll show you where it is."

C,'he noise of the water grew louder as they entered a grove of ash and flowering crabapple trees, the latter just beginning to bloom. Rhapsody was enchanted. She held aside a heavy branch and walked into the grove, turning slowly around as her eyes took in the delicate pink and white blossoms and the pale green of the new spring bark. The afternoon sun broke through the forest canopy, streaking the glen with shafts of light so heavy that she put out her hands, trying to catch it. The forest air was sweet, rich with the scent of recent rain.

'What a beautiful place," she murmured. "I'm not surprised you'd want to keep it to yourself."

Ashe smiled; she could hear it in his voice. "I don't," he said. "You're here, aren't you?"

'I'm not sure," Rhapsody answered, still looking around. "I might be dreaming."

'I don't think so," said Ashe. "I've witnessed your dreams, and I doubt they look anything like this." Rhapsody winced. He was right, of course, but the reminder of how disturbing her night terrors were to other people flushed her with embarrassment. She resolved to try and sleep as far away from him as she could that night.

They went deeper into the glen, and the birdsong became louder, competing with the splashing noise of the water she had heard. Finally in the distance she caught a glimpse of a waterfall. It staggered down a hidden hillside in four different drops. The stream that made it ran in front of a deep gorge; it was gaining power as the rains that fed it swelled with the advent of spring.

'Let me see your boots," Ashe directed. Rhapsody bent her knee and held up the sole of one. He nodded, seeming satisfied. "You'll have to take my hand on this one, Rhapsody. The gorge is steep and the shale around the waterfall is extremely slippery. You don't have a rough enough sole to maintain any purchase here. If you give me your hand I promise not to pick you up if I can avoid it."

His tone was light, but Rhapsody knew his intent was serious; he was keeping his promise.

'What do you know about the roughness or smoothness of my soul?" she joked.

"Are you the All-God now, too?"

Ashe laughed. She gave him her hand, noticing that he glanced at her wrist, as he always did whenever their hands were joined.

He led her into the water. "I've been accused of being many things, but that was never one of them." They forded the stream, slipping only once. Rhapsody was glad to have his weight supporting her when she looked down over the second drop to the gorge below. He navigated them across the waterway and over to the other bank, where scrub and leafy vegetation flanked the rockwall of the hill. He held a large branch aside for her and stood back, letting her pass.

Rhapsody found herself in a hidden part of the glen, a place more dark than light. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust and when they did, she realized that there was a small hut there. It was made of stone and the roof seemed to be made of turf. The flora of the forest grew in and around it, making it difficult to see. It was free from any adornment, and had but one window and door. It was situated on the side of a large pool formed by backflow from the waterfall.

'Is this where we're staying?"

'Yes. Is that all right?"

'I think it's wonderful," Rhapsody said, smiling up at him. "I never would have known it was here."

'That's the whole point," Ashe said agreeably, taking her hand again and leading her over to the hut. "This is the only place in the world I can shed my cloak and be as a normal person, or at least the only place on land. I don't wear it when I'm at sea, either."

Rhapsody puzzled about his statement. If the mist from his cloak hid his vibrational signature so that he could not be detected, then it must be the water that occluded him from the sight of whatever power that could find him. She recalled Achmed mentioning something similar in his vibrational makeup when they had first traveled to Elysian. Things began to clarify in her mind; it was no wonder Achmed was uncomfortable around Ashe. Unlike the other people in the world, Ashe would not register on Achmed's vibrational senses. The churning of the waterfall must have the same effect, along with being hidden against the gorge.

Then a thought occurred to her.

'No, it's not the only place," she said excitedly. "You would be safe to take off your cloak in my house, too."

Ashe shuddered visibly. "In the Cauldron? No, thank you."

Rhapsody shoved him playfully. "My house is not in the Cauldron," she said.

"And it is even harder to find than this place, I'll wager."

'Really." Ashe's tone was noncommittal. He opened the door and held it for a moment, to allow the breeze from the forest to clear the air of the hut. Rhapsody looked inside.

It was a small room, with a single rumpled bed and a tiny fireplace. It had one doorless closet, separated from the room by a ragged curtain, which seemed empty of its contents, largely because they were scattered messily on the floor. Dishes were left on every horizontal surface, as well as socks and undergarments, one set of which hung from the coatrack, unwashed. Rhapsody's eyes looked around at the disarray, astonished at the slovenly place.

'Gods. This is your rpom?" she asked in disbelief. "How do you fit in here?"

'Easily, for your information," said Ashe defensively, but with a chuckle in his voice. "It's just the right size for one person, and perhaps a nonjudgmental guest.

All others can sleep outside, thank you."

Rhapsody pushed him aside and went in. There was no decoration to the place; it was completely without ornament, unless the filth counted. In addition to the bed there was a small table and an old, dilapidated chair with hideous upholstery, now worn to the nap. The smell of the dirty laundry was unpleasant.

'Well? What do you think?"

'I think what this place needs is a woman's oversight—or a maid."

Ashe laughed. "You are welcome to provide either service if you'd like."

'I've worked as a maid. There's no shame in it."

'Certainly not," he said. "I don't think there would be shame in anything you'd do." Rhapsody colored but said nothing.
Shows how little you know
, she thought to herself.

'On second thought, perhaps a flood would be more warranted."

'I can arrange that, too." He touched the hilt of the water sword. "Well, are you going to stay? It'll cost you."

Rhapsody turned to face him. "Oh? What's the price?"

'An answer."

'What's the question?"

'There are two."

'Go ahead." Rhapsody folded her arms.

'Are you Cymrian, and if so, what generation? You said you don't lie, so I know whatever you say will be accurate."

Rhapsody lowered her head, considering. "All right, I have the answer to your question. Your first one, that is: the answer is no, I'm not going to stay." She walked toward the door where he was still standing. Ashe put his hands out in front of him.

'Wait. I was just joking."

'No, you weren't. Stand aside."

'I apologize," he said as he stepped out of her way. He knew better than to try and block her exit. He watched as she walked to the pool and sat down beside it, pulling her pack from her shoulders.

'No need to. I'll be perfectly happy here." She took out her bedroll and began unrolling it.

He bent down beside her. "But I won't be. Rhapsody, you are the first person I have ever shown this place. I brought you all the way here so that we might both get some real rest before you head off to Tynan. I'm tired of sleeping outside; I do it all the time, and I want one night's rest in my bed. I know the place may not seem like much, but it's the only place I have. Please come inside. I'm sorry about the mess and the stupidity. You don't have to answer any questions, and I'll stop bothering you about whether or not you're Cymrian; I promise. Besides, part of our arrangement is that one watches while the other sleeps, and I can't very well do that if I'm inside while you're out here. It would be a dereliction of my duty as your guide. So please, come back in."

Rhapsody looked up at the cloaked figure beside her. His voice had a desperation to it that she didn't understand, and she felt sorry for him, this exhausted wanderer who was constantly on the move, hiding from the eyes of his stalkers. She felt ashamed for her lack of gratitude, after all he had done for her, putting his life and his relationship in abeyance to escort her here. She heard again the melodious, sensible voice of the dragon.

The man outside, he wanted to know if you are Cymrian, yes?

Yes.

Tou may as well tell him, Pretty. He already knows. It is obvious.

She stood up and brushed the dirt off her garments, then picked up her gear. "I'll make a bargain with you, Ashe," she said, slinging her pack over her shoulder again. "I will tell you the answers to your questions."

'No, I had no right—"

'Let me finish. I will answer either question you put to me, or both, as long as you answer the same question about yourself first. Do we have a bargain?"

He thought for a moment. "Yes."

'All right, then, let's go inside."

Sorry about the mess."

'Don't be," said Rhapsody. "First off, it's your room, you're entitled to keep it in any manner you choose. Second, this is neat as a pin compared to Jo's."

Ashe laughed. "She must live in a trash heap."

'Yes, she does, but she lived much of her life on a real one before I met her, so I try not to bother her about it, no matter how much I dislike untidiness. I'm afraid fanatical housekeeping is part of my upbringing."

He nodded. Rhapsody went to the chair and picked up the dirty woolen socks lying there; she folded them and sat down, depositing them in her lap.

'Here, let me take those," said Ashe hastily. "You don't need to hold them." He dropped them into an empty basket in the closet.

'Aren't you going to take off the cloak?" Rhapsody asked. "You must be dying to get out of it."

Ashe pulled back the hood, leaving the cloak in place, and sat down on the bed.

She took in a breath when she saw his face again; it was strange seeing it again.

From across the small room she could not see the strange pupils in his eyes, but the metallic sheen to his hair was as startling as it had been when he first revealed himself to her. He seemed to notice her staring at him, and looked uncomfortable.

'So," he began uneasily, "are you Cymrian?"

'You first."

'Yes."

'Well," she said, "you already know, but yes, I am."

'Achmed and Grunthor, too?"