by Philip Blood
“In weapon play?” Mara asked.
“Not at all, actually Gandarel has that edge, but in the most important aspects of control, yes, Aerin is much further along. Doesn’t this go against the prophecy?”
“Actually, most of it is coming along fine. My only concern is leadership; I thought for sure Gandarel would have risen to the apex of their group by now. However, they all seem to be close, though Aerin seems more the glue than Gandarel. Still, Aerin and Gandarel are as close as can be, so I’m not overly worried. If nature doesn’t take its course soon, I may have to take a stronger hand and make that part come true.”
Tocor shook his head. “I can’t believe how you manipulate this thing,” he said, tapping the stack of old paper. “It won’t be much of a prophecy if you make it all come true by force.”
“Of course, it is; the more items in here that I make into facts, the more people will believe the rest will come true, and the more that believe the more power and momentum it gains; you know that. What power does a prophecy have if everyone doesn’t believe it will come true? Maybe I should change that part about...”
“Change it, you can’t change a prophecy! That document is three hundred years old; you can’t just go adding lines and changing things at will. People will notice… there are other copies... this is famous!”
“Of course, I can, I’ve done it before,” Mara said with a sly smile.
Tocor shook his head in disbelief. “You have some nerve, don’t you, Mara?”
“Who, me?” she said, feigning innocence. “I’m just a simple old woman.”
“Hah.”
Lor was not at the morning practice, though Aerin had little time to worry about his missing friend since Tocor had him in a sweat going round-robin with the other two boys in mixed weapons sparring. Tocor even took the sand at one point, when Gandarel and Dono were too tired. Aerin swiftly learned a little humility. The Quarian hardly seemed to breathe, let alone break a sweat as he dropped Aerin into the sand over and over again.
At last, Tocor gave a grunt of satisfaction, when Aerin completed a particularly difficult parry to stop yet another trip to the sand. Aerin was near collapse and had Tocor struck once more he would have had no chance.
“All right, boy, I believe you are concentrating properly again. That’s enough for now, though I might run you through some more practice this afternoon.”
Aerin knew not to groan or show any sign that he was anything but eager. “I would look forward to more instruction, Sar Tocor,” he managed to say between gasps for breath.
Tocor paused a moment and then nodded, “But I think I have some business I will have to take care of instead. We will take it up tomorrow morning; don’t be late. And find Lor; he has had plenty of time to get over his snit.”
Gandarel came over when the large Quarian strode out of the courtyard.
“Wow, he had it in for you today. What did you do, put a rat in his bed?” Gandarel said with a ferocious grin.
Aerin still stood hunched over with his hands on his thighs to keep steady. He was too tired to find the energy to sit down. “I read a paper on Mara’s desk, something she was studying.”
“Without permission, I assume,” noted Gandarel.
Aerin shrugged.
“And… what did it say?
Aerin shuffled his feet.
“Stop shuffling your feet and tell me, am I not your best friend?” Gandarel exclaimed.
“I can’t, it was wrong of me to read Mara’s document, and it certainly isn’t right for me to tell anyone what it said.”
Gandarel gave Aerin a look reminiscent of thunderclouds.
“All right, don’t look at me like that! I won’t tell you what I read exactly, but I will tell you…” Aerin paused dramatically and spoke in a conspirator’s whisper, “it looked like some kind of prophecy!”
“Prophecy, ug, and here I thought it was going to be something exciting!” Gandarel said in distaste.
Aerin was taken aback by Gandarel’s reaction. “You don’t care?”
“Listen, my teachers at the Seat are always waving this prophecy, that prediction, this decree, that demand, at me. Sheesh, I hate those things. Prophecy, that’s just one more way of saying ‘this is what you have to do’,” Gandarel shook in feigned disgust.
Aerin looked so disappointed that Gandarel decided to give in a little.
“Still,” Gandarel said and put on a thoughtful look, “it could be interesting to see which prophecy the old witch is interested in reading.”
“Old witch, I will not hear you talk about Mara that way,” Aerin said with a scowl.
Gandarel grinned, “Well, she is old…”
“That is no reason to call her a witch!”
“And she does read some strange prophecy. Come to think of it, there are a lot of odd things about her,” Gandarel said, this time not in jest.
“Like what?” Aerin demanded.
“Well, how does an old woman know so much about fighting? How come she has a Quarian and a Willowman as friends? How did she stop that Deglick thing that came to the Seat? How does an old woman beat a thug in a bar room brawl? There is something strange about her, don’t you agree?”
“Well yes, I suppose so.”
“And so, she is a witch!” Gandarel said as if closing a box.
Aerin shook his head. “I agree right up to the part about the witch. I haven’t seen her do any magic.”
“Haven’t you?”
“No.”
“Well, you just watch… one day, POOF, you’re going to be a toad,” Gandarel said playfully.
“You are being ridiculous.”
“Well if she isn’t a witch then that prophecy she has will not be anything magical, will it?”
“No, it is just writing,” agreed Aerin.
“Fine, we will take a look at it and then we will see.”
Aerin looked fearful, “Did you see what happened to me when I read just one line? If she is a witch she would certainly turn us both into toads for reading the whole thing.”
Gandarel looked smug, “See; now you think she is a witch.”
“I do not, that was just a joke!”
“But she has already turned you into something,” Gandarel pointed out.
Aerin looked at him quizzically.
“A chicken!” Gandarel exclaimed.
Aerin tried to swat him with the practice sword he was holding, but Gandarel danced away laughing.
“Come on, Chicken-boy, too afraid to see some old papers?”
“No, I’m just too smart to cross Mara.”
“Fine then, but she’s still a witch and you’re still a Chicken-boy,” he laughed.
Too tired to care, Aerin finally quit chasing him and just laughed. “Gandarel, sometimes I wonder why I put up with you.”
“Charm, good looks, brains, or is it my money?” he asked. “Stop me if I get carried away.”
“Stop then, you were carried away from the beginning,” Aerin admonished.
Gandarel continued to laugh as he left the yard, with his two Guardsmen taking up positions from where they had been waiting at the gate. “See ya later, Chicken-boy!”
Aerin shook his head good-naturedly at his friend’s antics.
After he recovered from practice, Aerin told Tocor he was going out to buy something in the city. When he arrived at the street where Lor’s mother sat selling her flowers, he watched for a time to make sure she was alone. Eventually, he got up enough courage to go over and talk to her.
“Good day,” he said in greeting.
She smiled up with unseeing eyes, her face orienting on the sound of his voice. Aerin swallowed hard, he hadn’t realized she was blind.
“Buy some flowers, Sar?” she asked, holding up a somewhat wilted flower.
“Yes, I’d like that,” Aerin answered quietly.
“Penny a flower, or a Baker’s dozen for twelve pence,” she offered. “You can pick them out yourself.”
“Al
l right, I’ll look them over,” Aerin said, though he made no move to look at the wooden bucket that held the flowers. “I’ve seen you here before, selling flowers,” he said, trying to start a conversation.
“Yes, I’m here every day, so if you ever need flowers you know where to find me,” she added brightly, but the effort started her coughing, and Aerin had to wait a few moments for her bout to subside.
“My apologies, Sar, I have a bit of a cough,” she explained.
“If I may ask… how long have you been ill?” he inquired.
“Well, let’s see... I think it started just before my daughter’s thirteenth birthday,” that would make it about a year and two months.”
Aerin’s voice caught in his throat as he tried to reply, “You have been sick for more than a year?”
The old woman caught the sound of his voice, “It’s all right, Sar, I’m sure I’ll be getting well soon.”
“You should see a doctor about that cough, they might be able to help,” Aerin suggested.
The old woman smiled, “I’m just a poor woman, Sar, I’ll heal up on my own soon, I’m sure.”
“Well, I want you to think about seeing a doctor. I can bring one here, so you wouldn’t even have to go anywhere.”
A look of fear came over the woman’s face, “Please, Sar, I don’t have the money for that!”
“Well just think about it. Besides, there is a friend of mine who loves to get flowers, so I will be buying quite a few from you over the next few days.”
“You are kind, Sar, you sound very young for a man of means.”
“Everyone tells me that, it must be my voice. Well here is your payment, please keep the change,” Aerin said and took one of her hands in his so he could place the coins in her palm.
“Thank you, Sar, and I appreciate your stopping to talk to an old woman.”
“It is my pleasure.”
“Wait, you forgot your flowers!” she exclaimed.
Aerin took the worst looking flower he could see. “There, I picked out what I want. Perhaps I’ll see you here tomorrow?”
“I’ll be here, with more flowers, if you need them.”
“Well then, it is a date!” Aerin said as he left.
The next day Aerin returned and found Lor’s mother back on her stool.
“Good day!” he said in greeting.
She remembered his voice.
“It’s the young sounding master, come back to see Renda about more flowers. Good day to you, Sar, though I am cross with you!” she said, her happy tone belying her words.
Aerin was puzzled, “What did I do wrong?”
Renda smiled, “Well, you paid far too much, my daughter nearly choked when I gave her the coins. Then you didn’t even take your flowers! I will not take charity, young man!” she explained with her playful tone a little sterner at the end.
“I did take a flower,” he replied.
“But you paid for more than the entire bucket, you shall take them today,” she decided and then started to cough again.
“Please, Renda, let me call a physician to see to your cough,” Aerin pleaded.
“I’m fine, but don’t you try to change the subject, you will take the flowers!” she said, shaking an old crooked finger in his general direction.
Aerin fished out more coins, “I will, but I will have to pay a little more if I am going to take them all. It must take you some time to collect all these fine flowers.”
“I couldn’t take a penny more,” she said firmly.
“Then I cannot take the flowers,” Aerin countered.
Renda hesitated a moment, “All right, but you must promise to take all the flowers in my bucket.”
“Done,” Aerin agreed and placed twice as much money into her hand as he had done the day before. He gathered the flowers up and noticed that they were of much higher quality than previously.
“You have gotten new flowers!” he exclaimed.
She nodded, “Yes, my daughter brought them this morning; she tells me they are quite pretty. Smell how fresh they are. Since I did so well yesterday, she thought I had better have some new ones today.”
“Well these are far too nice for what I have paid,” Aerin exclaimed.
“Nonsense, a deal is a deal,” Renda said firmly.
“All right, you win, but see a doctor about that cough or I might not be able to buy flowers from you tomorrow!”
“Perhaps, we’ll see,” answered Renda.
Aerin left with his flowers, wondering what to do with them.
When he got back to the courtyard he had an idea. Perhaps he could cheer up Mara with the flowers. He immediately headed for her room. During the past day he had not seen her, she had been missing from their morning practice for one of the few times since the beginning.
“Mara?” he said, standing outside her door after he had knocked twice.
“What is it... have the Togroths attacked or something?” she said in a gruff voice.
Aerin shook his head, before realizing she couldn’t see that gesture through the closed door, “No, Mara.”
Her voice sounded irritated. “Then don’t disturb me.”
He almost left, but he thought the flowers might cheer her up, so he called out tentatively, “But, I have something for you.”
After a pause, he heard stirring in the room. “All right, but this had better be good. If you have brought me a frog or something, I’m going to roast you over a slow fire.”
The door finally opened and Aerin looked into the dim room. Mara’s eyes looked even redder than the last time he had seen them. Her long hair was down. Aerin noted that unbound her hair seemed darker, hardly gray at all. She wore a large robe pulled in tight around her shoulders.
“What are you staring at?” she growled.
“Nothing,” he answered, casting his eyes down.
“Well, why have you come to disturb me?”
Aerin reached down and to the left of the door, where he had put the flowers out of sight. “I bought you these,” he said, apologetically.
Mara’s voice stopped, mid growl, “You bought me… flowers?” she asked with a strange tone in her voice.
“Yes, I thought you would like them, but if…”
“Aerin, I can’t even remember the last time a young man brought me flowers, in fact, I don’t believe I remember any young man ever bringing me flowers... thank you!” her face lit up with a smile that warmed Aerin’s heart.
Suddenly Mara turned her back to him and wiped at her eyes with the back of her hands. After a moment, she went to the trunk in the corner. “I’ll have to find something to put them in, they will need water.” She busied herself in the trunk with her back to Aerin. “Why don’t you go fetch me a bucket of water?” she asked.
Aerin put the flowers on the table and went to do as she asked.
When he returned with the water Mara was arranging the flowers in a water pitcher. “This is the best I could do, but even so, they are lovely,” she said with a smile.
“Here is the water,” he told her, unnecessarily.
Mara smiled, “I can see that, bring it here.”
After pouring some of the water into the pitcher, Mara set the bucket on the floor and sat down on the edge of the bed.
“Thank you, Aerin, for brightening an otherwise dismal day.” At his look she continued, “No, don’t ask, to talk about it would only make it hurt again, but don’t you worry, this too will pass.”
Aerin nodded.
Mara patted the bed beside her so Aerin sat down.
When the boy was next to her she put her arm around him and just sat for a time. Her eyes were far away in some other time and place. After awhile she spoke softly, “Aerin, I have been preparing you. What I have in store for you is a great burden, and I realize that I haven’t really given you any choice. I have been driven by a great need, but this has caused me to steal something from you.”
“Steal?” he inquired, not understanding.
“Y
es, I’ve stolen your childhood, and I’m taking away your chance at a normal and happy life.”
Aerin looked up at her troubled face, “But, Mara, I’m happy with you.”
She looked at the boy and smiled, “And I love you, Aerin, but just because we love someone doesn’t mean we can’t hurt them. In fact, only someone you love can cut deep enough to reach your soul. Believe me, I know.”
“I don’t understand, Mara,” he said in a whisper.
“No, I suppose you don’t. Aerin, where do you think all this teaching is going?”
Aerin considered for a moment, as was true of most boys his age, he had not really thought much into the future. “I guess we are learning to fight so we can be ready to face the Togroths.”
“There is more to it than that,” Mara said gently. “You can figure it out if you think about Gandarel.”
“Gandarel?” Aerin said in question, and then he saw it. “Gandarel is going to be the new NexLord!”
Mara nodded and watched his face; she could almost see the connections being made, as his expression went through a host of changes.
“And he needs bondsmen to fight with him, like Juman, Hazlerfeld, Kor, and Sethra!”
Mara’s voice was a whisper that could barely be heard, “Yes.”
“And you are preparing me to be a bondsman?”
“Yes, I’m sorry.”
“SORRY, but, Mara, this is the grandest thing I could ever have imagined!”
Mara shook her head, “It is a terrible burden I place upon you, remember what happened to the bondsmen you mentioned.”
“They got to fight beside the great Ragol!” Aerin replied.
Mara shook her head, “They got to die for Ragol.”
“But they saved the world, and that is a worthy death!" Aerin exclaimed.
“There is no such thing as a worthy death, only a worthy life. When the time comes that you realize what it is I have done to you, please take pity on me, and remember that I warned you,” Mara told him. “It is a sorry thing I do to a boy so kind as to bring a grieving woman flowers.”
Aerin wondered for whom she grieved and then thought to cheer her up by saying, “I will always love and respect you, Mara.”
