Moons' Dreaming (Children of the Rock) (83 page)

“
What were they arguing about this time?
”
Jordy asked mildly.

Some subtle magic came to parents, Vray decided. That was the only explanation for Jordy
’
s ability to be so consistently aware of his children
’
s activities. She
’
d never noticed it in her own parents. Thinking back, there was very little they had done that was parental
—
not as she
’
d come to understand the term. She said,
“
They
’
re feeling left out.
”

Tob followed her example.
“
I told Pepper they
’
re too little to come to the inn now. She didn
’
t like being reminded.
”

Pepper came scrambling down the ladder. Jordy said,
“
More tact next time, lad. Off with you now.
”

Gratefully, Vray ducked outside behind Tob. For the moment, the overcast sky was producing no more than a fine mist. They drew up their hoods and hurried down the hill, watching their footing on slick stones and mud.

Once on the main road, they fell into step with one another. Tob twined his fingers with Vray
’
s. She squeezed his hand fondly.

“
It is not fondness,
”
she announced aloud.

Tob smiled his impish smile at her. He smiled at almost everything she did. That in itself alternately amused and terrified her.
“
What isn
’
t fondness? Holding hands?
”

She set their linked hands swinging.
“
That. This. Everything our very perceptive little sister was complaining about. We have been ignoring them. We do spend all our time together.
”

“
Why not? Who else would we spend time with?
”

“
Our little sisters,
”
Vray repeated.
“
We
’
re family.
”

“
Not physically.
”
Tob
’
s voice had deepened over the winter. It was difficult to think of him any longer as a boy.
“
You
’
re a Redmother. You know the rules. I
’
m your adopted brother. I can love you if I want. If we both want.
”

He was still young enough to blush. She held his hand more tightly still. What she felt wasn
’
t fondness. Desire, yes. He was a very attractive young man. There. She
’
d admitted it. The boy she
’
d met only a year ago
—
the boy who
’
d offered her kittens when she cried
—
had grown in more than size. Today was Spring Festival, a day for joy, celebration. For what seemed like the hundredth time she mentally reviewed the positions of the moons as far as her body
’
s cycle was concerned. Even if Ivey was right, and she was destined by Dreamer prophecy to take a Keeper husband, she was not fertile today. There was no reason not to resume having sex.

Resume the practice of sex. Sex as she
’
d known it at Soza? No. There was no danger of that. This was Tob. She didn
’
t fear him. Didn
’
t fear anyone in Broadford.

Of course she didn
’
t fear Tob. He was eager, but totally inexperienced. Whatever happened would happen her way, or not at all.

“
I love you,
”
she informed him.
“
As a brother.
”

“
I love you more than Lim does,
”
he returned.

She pulled her hand away from his and whacked him on the shoulder.
“
Will you stop talking about Lim?
”

“
He spent a whole summer impressing you. I worry.
”

“
You had the whole winter.
”

“
He
’
s older than me.
”

“
But not as handsome.
”
She groaned at the smug expression her remark produced.

“
That
’
s true.
”
He caught her hand again.
“
Let
’
s hurry. I want to get this day over with.
”

His comment wasn
’
t what she
’
d expected.
“
Why? I thought you love Spring Festival day.
”

The smile he gave her was mature to the point of being unnerving.
“
I
’
m hoping I
’
ll love Festival night more.
”

* * *

By mid-morning the work was complete, and people began to arrive at the royal estate from Raisal and the surrounding countryside. Fruits and cheeses and cool drinks were served from the kitchen pavilion, and children
’
s games began in the large paddock. The real festivities, the feast and announcements, would not begin until noon. For the moment, Feather
’
s time was her own. She allowed Chasa to lead her to one of the tables set below the terrace, where Jeyn was standing, a platter and pitcher and several glasses in front of her.

“
About time you dragged her away from there,
”
Jeyn greeted her brother.

“
She gets enthusiastic,
”
Chasa replied. He reached for the pitcher and poured lemonade for each of them.

“
You know, you two do look a little bit alike,
”
Feather conceded as they sat down around the small table.

Jeyn and Chasa exchanged identical glances.
“
No!
”
they exclaimed in unison.

Feather laughed. Although she and Jeyn were dressed as Brownmothers and Chasa wore the house colors, the stronger connection lay between the tall, fair-haired, dark-eyed brother and sister. Feather felt a little excluded. She
’
d seen it happen before when the two of them got caught up in one another. They could share a mood or an emotion unique to them and leave the rest of the world outside. It had never affected her with the least bit of jealously before. Lately, however, she
’
d been spending a lot of time with either one or the other twin. Alone with Jeyn, she felt herself a cherished sister. Alone with Chasa, she knew with absolute certainty that she was special to him. Now, watching them together, she found it hard to feel secure.

She sipped her lemonade and pushed the mood away. Lingering questions, however, remained in her mind.
“
I didn
’
t even know people had twins. Before Savyea started getting so silly, that is, about everyone having lots of babies.
”

“
It used to be rare,
”
Jeyn agreed.
“
It was rare when we were born.
”

Chasa looked at his sister significantly.
“
We almost weren
’
t born.
”

“
Mother died from it,
”
Jeyn concluded.

“
I
’
m sorry about that,
”
Feather said.
“
I shouldn
’
t have raised the subject. Today is for celebrating beginnings, not endings.
”

“
That
’
s all right,
”
Chasa said.
“
Actually, it was Aage
’
s doing, in a way.
”

“
Not Mother
’
s dying,
”
Jeyn hastened to add.
“
Our birth.
”

Feather couldn
’
t resist that opening. Eyebrows rising, she said,
“
Really? But you look so much like Sene.
”

“
Feather!
”
Chasa exclaimed.

“
Not that, either,
”
Jeyn said.
“
You see, Mother and Dad were infertile for a long time. Three or four years, and then when she did get pregnant she kept miscarrying. The fire bears were still everywhere, and even though the Dreamers were dying Dad knew he had to produce more Shapers, for the fighting if for nothing else.
”

“
You
’
re telling me Aage got your mother pregnant?
”
Feather asked.
“
Dreamers don
’
t do that.
”

Chasa reached over to pat her hand.
“
I know it
’
s confusing.
”

“
Aage,
”
Jeyn said,
“
has a library full of books.
”

“
Books don
’
t have anything to do with it, either,
”
Feather protested.

“
They do when they
’
re filled with Dreamers
’
healing knowledge going back for generations and generations.
”

“
What does healing have to do with having babies?
”

“
You
’
re being difficult,
”
Chasa complained.

“
I
’
m always difficult,
”
she reminded him. He just smiled.

Jeyn folded her arms.
“
You did ask.
”

“
Sorry. Go on.
”

“
Aage found methods for increasing fertility. Some work on men, some on women. Some require special herbs, others dragon powder and a Dreamer
’
s power-bending. He found something that he believed would help Mother. An experiment.
”
Jeyn tilted her head at her brother.
“
We
’
re the result.
”

“
The magic of it had nothing to do with Mother dying,
”
Chasa took up the tale.
“
Aage and Dad and Aunt Mara have all said that, and we believe them. She simply wasn
’
t strong enough.
”

“
She was strong,
”
Jeyn said,
“
in many ways. Just not for childbirth.
”

“
The methods are effective,
”
Chasa continued.
“
After we were born, Savyea came and spent half a year with Aage, going over what he
’
d found and adapting it with her practical healing experience. She
’
s been using the knowledge ever since. Ivey tells us that twins have been born in many villages in the past ten years.
”

At the mention of the minstrel
’
s name, Jeyn
’
s expression softened.

“
She
’
s got that over-cooked turnip look on her face,
”
Feather warned Chasa.
“
Can we leave?
”

“
Yes.
”
He took her hand and pulled her to her feet. To his sister he said,
“
I love you dearly, but I can
’
t take that look.
”

“
Then don
’
t look in a mirror, brother.
”