Rohvim #1: Metal and Flesh (19 page)

She took a breath. Betha clearly respected the woman greatly, and Aeden nodded, “She does sound pretty amazing. Did she invite you both into the society?”

Betha said, “She invited Darla. The master healer invited me.”

Darla added, “You should see her mind sometime. When she invited us in, she took us to this immaculate garden. Hedges perfectly trimmed, arrayed in neat patterns as far as the eye could see. Fruit trees and vines grown together into intricate shapes, flower beds filled with impossible colors. A large shallow pool that reflected the blue sky like a mirror. Think of the garden in front of the king’s palace, and then imagine that that is just a shadow or cheap imitation of the true garden in her. I’ve never seen such detail in a mind before.”

Aeden raised his eyebrows, stiffly saying, “Well she’s definitely a person I should get to know better, then.” He shifted his gaze to Betha, “Speaking of meeting, we’ve never really had a chance to talk since we met at your father’s shop.”

 Betha eyes grew slightly wider, and she looked at her friend, her eyes screaming out, “Don’t you dare leave!”

Darla, finding the situation uncommonly funny, punched Aeden in the shoulder and walked off, calling behind her, “See you around, prince!”

Betha turned to look at Aeden with a forced smile, “So. Aeden. “ She nodded once to him, “I understand you’re an accomplished swordsman. That is impressive given our age.”

Aeden stammered, “Uh, well, I guess so. Well, at least my friends say so. And I did win my age division at the Elbeth swordsman tournament several weeks ago…”

She raised her eyebrows in near-interest, “Really. That is just wonderful. You know, I remember I did promise my father I would be back before too late. He does worry about me so….” She gave a forced chuckle. “So if you’ll excuse me, it’s been lovely getting to know you a little better….” 

She extended her hand. He took it, but lingered in the handshake. “So you didn’t tell me anything about yourself.”

She pulled her hand back, “No, I guess I didn’t. Well, so long!”

Aeden, feeling a little desperate, insisted, “But, wait a second. Won’t you tell me anything about yourself? What do you do? Do you just do the cooking for your father?”

She shot him a scornful look, “No! Of course not! Well, yes I usually do the cooking but just because he is such a horrible cook … and, ok, I mend some of his clothes sometimes, but no, in fact, I do most of the purchasing for the shop. My father sends me out to the artisans, the farmers, and the armorsmiths to purchase items for him to sell.”

Aeden cut in. “
You
do the purchasing of the armor and weapons for your father?”

She rolled her eyes. “Yes, me. Wow, it’s like you’ve never seen a woman that can do … anything … before. Are the women very well behaved in Elbeth?”

He shifted uncomfortably. “No, no that’s not what I meant. There are swordswomen and women shopkeepers and women priests in Elbeth. I just didn’t think … you just didn’t strike me as the type.”

“What type?”

“I don’t know.” They both stood there looking at each other awkwardly. He continued, “So when you go out to purchase armors and weapons, what do you look for? You must be pretty knowledgeable about them for you to be purchasing them for sale.”

“Yes, I am. In fact, I’m no mean swordswoman myself. My father served in the royal guard when he was younger, and he has trained me well. I plan on being the first swordswoman on the Elder Council of the Society.”

Aeden’s heart skipped a beat. “Well, Betha, you may just have to demonstrate this skill for me soon.” He straightened his back. “I’m sorry, it was delightful talking to you, but I won’t keep you further. Please send my regards to your father.” And he reached out and grabbed her hand to shake it again, too fast for her to extend hers, or to pull it away. He abruptly turned and walked over to another group of young men, leaving her standing there gazing after him. She shook her head and began the walk back to her home.

As Aeden walked away from Betha, he noticed the perspiration wetting his brow. He wiped it off, and approached Stuart, who was deep in conversation with Rupert. Rupert paused when he saw Aeden approach, “Heya, Aeden! Hope your head’s not too sore!” he snorted obnoxiously.

Aeden ignored the comment, and turned to Stuart. “Would you mind telling me where the healer’s hall is? I’m afraid I’ve never been there.”

Stuart beamed. “Of course, fine sir! It is just off the square near the northern edge of town on the hill. Face the lord’s estate in the square, and follow the street on its left. It is about halfway down on the left—a largish building with a white façade. You can’t miss it. To enter, you must touch the doorman’s head and present yourself before him in his mind—that way we ensure only society members can enter.”

Aeden inclined his head at him, “Most kind, sir. Will you both be there?”

Stuart nodded, with Rupert chiming in, “I’ll be there! For sure!” He snorted again for good measure.

Aeden stared open-mouthed at the awkward boy, asking Stuart, “Is he always like this?”

Stuart put his arm around the smaller boy’s shoulder. “Always. Rupert is always Rupert. Aren’t you, Rupert?”

Rupert snorted a third time. Aeden simply said, “I see.”

Rupert turned to Aeden. “So when’s the next duel, partner? I’m sure there’s a thing or two I could teach you.”

“Sometime, I’m sure. Well, gentlemen, I must be off. Tomorrow, then.” He bowed, and turned to go home.

 “See ya, Aeden!” said Rupert.

“Until tomorrow, then!” said Stuart.

Aeden walked slowly home. The length of the day had taken its toll on him, and he trudged slightly in his step. His mind darting between his humiliating duel, and his conversations with Clara and Betha, he hardly paid attention to his direction. He managed to find his way to the small building that temporarily housed them, finding his mother still tending the garden. He approached her, noticing the circles under her eyes by the now setting sun.

“My son!” She got off her knees and ran to him, holding him close. “Why must thou be gone all day, and well into the night? Knowest thou not that thy mother suffers here alone in her grief?”

Her formal language puzzled him, and mention of her sorrow made him feel at once anger over his family’s loss and guilt over his inability to feel more grief than he had. I have mourned, he thought, and how much more can I mourn and mope here? I need to be doing something, I need to be out, dealing with our family’s killer.

“Why, mother, do you dirty yourself here in this garden day after day? And why are you talking like that?”

“What else should I be doing? I lost my son, and now I have lost my husband and my daughter. Thee alone I have left, and thou takest thy leave in the early morning until long after the sun sets. What more do I have? All I have are passages of Chronicles in my head.”

Aeden held her closely, “I’m sorry mother. I will be here more for you. Let us go inside and find an evening meal.” She nodded, and he led her into the small house. He lit the candles, and set out some small provision that he had brought back from Betha’s father’s shop which he had visited again earlier in the day with the hope of seeing Betha again.

They sat and ate. Aeden finally spoke. “The master healer is arriving here tomorrow from Elbeth. I don’t know how he managed to get out, but it is said that he brings news.”

She stared at the food before her, eventually croaking out, “I don’t know if I even want any news from that place.”

Aeden threw his biscuit forcefully onto the table. “Why not? We’re going to retake our town, mother, and we will make them pay for what they’ve done.” He stared hard into her. She met his gaze, then broke down in more tears. Angry at her perpetual sorrow, he continued, “So I’m going to meet him tomorrow morning at the healer’s hall. I’m going to be a healer, mother. Before the invasion, the master healer invited me to join the society of healers. I didn’t know what to say at the time, but tomorrow I’m going to tell him yes.”

She stopped crying and looked up at him. “But you’ll have to travel widely to accomplish the labors of a healer. You would leave me here? I have no one here. Please don’t go Aeden. I can’t … I can’t … handle my last child leaving right now. Not now….”

He interrupted, “I don’t even know if they still want me, mother. And even if they did, I’m sure they’d want me to stay here and train for awhile before I was to be sent anywhere. And mother, I’m nearly eighteen, and I can’t just stay here forever—even if father is gone, and Cassandra …” The rage over the loss began to percolate again, and he stopped before his anger mounted any more.

He resumed his meal, and after a minute of a few silent sobs, so did his mother. They finished the meal, and cleaned up. Lady Rossam then straightened herself up and announced to Aeden, “Let us have a reading before we retire, my son.”

He paused, then nodded. He opened his travel satchel his mother had packed at the last minute in Elbeth and grabbed his half completed copy of the Chronicles. They sat, and he opened his book. “Where shall I read, mother.”

“In Consolations.” He turned to the section, and found a fitting passage. He read by candlelight, the smoke reaching up as incense.

“I know black clouds shall gather over me

I know my pathway’s rough and steep

Yet golden fields lie out before me

Where weary eyes no more shall weep

I’m going there to see my mother

She said she’d meet me when I come

I am just going over Zouree

I am just going over home.”

He thumbed to another section, and raised his voice once more.

“And though the Heavens and the Earth shall pass away, my love shall not pass away. Though flesh rot and bonds of friendship break, my presence will permeate all. Though all of Sheol rage and all the Earth tremble, my peace shall overcome. Come to me, my beloved, come to me in the mountaintop and find rest.”

Lady Rossam, eyes closed, nodded. She gently asked, “A song, Aeden?”

“Of course, mother. Which one?”

“You choose.”

He thought a while in silence, then cleared his throat. In a clear, soft voice, he began:

“The somber twilight falls, the view is falling fast. Come to me, oh come to me, and take me home at last.

The nightfall deepens wide, the moon doth hide her face. Heed my call, oh heed my call, return me to my place.

The silence overtakes, the storm is gathr’ing nigh. Hearken thou, oh hearken thou, thy grace send from on high.

The tempest now is come, the rain doth soak my soul. Hear my cry, oh hear my cry, remove me to my goal.

My hope is fading dim, my spirit now is faint. Save me now, oh save me now, thy grace show no restraint.

The glimmer of respite, the hope now clear unveiled. Stay thou near, oh stay thou near. Thy mercy now is hailed.

Oh rest now is come, my soul is home to stay. Keep me here, oh keep me here, nevermore thy path to stray.”

Lady Rossam sat, tears streaming, and smiled. She reached over to him and rested a single finger upon his forehead. The act stirred memories in Aeden of his mother calming him as a child after one of his father’s angry rampages, cursing and yelling at his family for reasons the small boy couldn’t comprehend. He remembered he always felt at peace when she did it, and he felt so now. “Thank you, my son. Let us rest.”

As morning stirred around the estate, Aeden jolted awake from unsettled dreams. Echoes of his sister’s cries pierced him, and as he sat upright on his bedding, he grabbed fistfuls of it, his teeth clenched. The dream passed, and he relaxed his grip on the sheet as the anger subsided. Seeing the sun on the rise, he dressed, pulled his boots on, paused only briefly to kiss his mother on the forehead, and left immediately for the healer’s hall. Though barely past sunrise, he hoped the master healer had returned and that he might have time to see him.

He walked to the town square, turning to look back up at the lord’s mansion. He saw the street on the left and followed it, the tall imposing buildings on either side reminding him of his own street in Elbeth, and of the magnificent capital city itself. He spied the large building with the white façade that Stuart had mentioned and marched up to it. He knocked on the door, which soon opened to reveal an ancient man, very possibly over two hundred years old.

The man crooned, “Welcome to the healer’s hall. Do you seek healing, my friend?”

“No. I was invited to be a healer and I’m here to see the master healer. Has he come yet?”

“He arrived here early this morning. Please enter my mind and present yourself.”

Aeden placed his hand on the long white hair and pushed his way in. Once there he saw the old man, appearing just as old, though not quite so frail. Aeden bowed, and the man gestured behind him:
You may pass!

Aeden exited the man’s head and walked past him into the hall. Though early yet, the hall was a flurry of activity. Men and women of all ages scurried in every direction, talking to one another, passing along messages, asking if you’ve seen so-and-so, has Lord Darcy arrived yet? No I‘m afraid he hasn’t. Has anyone seen the healers from the capital? You there! Is the meeting hall prepared? And so on.

The vast hall gleamed of nearly pure white granite, with square white columns sweeping upward to support the roof, an upper hallway lined with rooms visible ringing the top of the great hall. At the end of the hall he could make out another large area past double doors that seemed to be an assembly room. Near the rear of the hall, before the door into the assembly room, a fountain splashed into a pool at its base, bearing markings that covered the lip of the pool which he could not make out from his distance.

He wandered around for a few minutes looking for the master healer before approaching a middle aged man who appeared somewhat less busy than the others. “Excuse me, sir, have you seen the master healer this morning?”