Part 31 (2/2)

Taliesin thought about this; Hafgan came near and reached out his hand. ”Are you thirsty, Taliesin?”

”Do not touch him” Cormach warned. Hafgan withdrew the hand.

”I am fine, Hafgan. Really,” Taliesin insisted.

”Now, Taliesin, I want you to think about what you saw in the Otherworld and tell us about it-even if it makes no sense to you now.”

Taliesin did as he was told and the druids listened, intent on every word. He ended by saying, ”And then the Other-world lord came to me and he called me by name and he said he would teach me what to say.”

”And did he?” asked Cormach.

Taliesin nodded uncertainly. ”I think so.”

”What did he say?”

Taliesin frowned. ”I cannot remember.”

”Is that all?” asked Hafgan fhen.

”Yes,” Taliesin said. ”I have told you everything I remember. ”

Corrnach nodded, and Hafgan once again extended his hand to help him up. ”You have done well, Taliesin. Well indeed.”

The three began walking through the woods to the caer. ”But what does it mean?” Taliesin asked.

”It may be that the message was for you alone, Taliesin,” replied Hafgan.

”About the rest of it-the lady in the pool, and the sword and all-what of that?”

The two druids were silent a moment, then Hafgan replied, ”A druid does not like to admit that there are things that defy his an-especially when these things are uttered from the mouth of one so young.”

”Are you saying you do not know?” the boy asked.

”He is trying not not to say it,” answered Cormach, ”but it amounts to the same thing. Yes. we do not know what it means. I tell you frankly, lad, we did not expect your journey to be so long or so complete.” He stopped and took the boy by the shoulders. ”Listen, Taliesin, you have been to a place we have only glimpsed imperfectly from afar. You have visited the world we know only from darkling glimpses.” to say it,” answered Cormach, ”but it amounts to the same thing. Yes. we do not know what it means. I tell you frankly, lad, we did not expect your journey to be so long or so complete.” He stopped and took the boy by the shoulders. ”Listen, Taliesin, you have been to a place we have only glimpsed imperfectly from afar. You have visited the world we know only from darkling glimpses.”

”Do you understand what Cormach is telling you, Taliesin?” asked Hafgan.

Taliesin nodded. ”I think so.”

”Perhaps you do, perhaps not,” sighed Cormach. ”You see, I had hoped for a sign from you, lad. I thought your young eyes would be able to see more clearly... and so you did. But what you have seen is for you alone. It is enough to know that you saw it. Lad, your feet have trod in a world we have only dimly perceived and that is something-something I will carry to the grave with me.” They proceeded the rest of the way to the caer in silence. That night Taliesin lay awake on his pallet by the fire thinking about what he had experienced in the Otherworld, wondering what it meant and whether he might go there again soon-not, as Cormach had said, out of mere curiosity, but to see the woman again and awaken her if he could from her sleep beneath the glittering waters.

CHAPTER NINE.

Although confinement drove her nearly mad with frustration-here she was once again, immobile, so much to be done, time running out-Charis was able to muster a grudging appreciation for the fact that she was, after all, alive and that her infirmity granted her a change in status where Lile was concerned. Lile regarded Charis as another invalid to be cared for personally, which gave Charis a chance to study the mysterious woman much more closely than she could have otherwise.

In fact, Charis had no sooner returned from the encounter at the watchtower to take up residence in her old chambers than Lile swept into her bedroom with a servant bearing a tray of pots and jars of various shapes and sizes. Annubi had just left her bedside after examining the injury and prescribing enforced rest which, though it pained her to admit, was the only cure.

Charis glimpsed Lile and the servant with the tray bearing down on her and she groaned aloud, more from exasperation than from the loathing she felt when she laid eyes on Lile once more. She turned her face away as Lile settled lightly on the edge of the bed.

The first words the meddling woman uttered disarmed Charis somewhat, although she still remained wary. ”I know you spare no love for me, Princess Charis. But I regard you as the head of this house now that you are here, and I am duty-bound to serve you with the best that is in me.”

Charis turned back but said nothing.

”Of course,” Lile continued, ”were Kian here, I would defer to him. But he is not here and you are the king's daughter.”

”You are the king's wife,” replied Charis with a bit more venom than she actually felt.

”I am,” said Lile matter-of-factly, ”but I am not n.o.ble born. I can never be more than his consort, and as you are his blood...” She lifted a hand palm upward. ”...I serve you as well.” She motioned to the servant, who placed the tray beside her and departed.

Was this a trick of some kind? That Lile was devious Charis did not doubt, but was she also so subtle as to try to conquer an enemy with a show of humility?

”I need nothing,” Charis said. ”Only rest, and you are keeping me from that.”

”I know what Annubi has told you, but there is something more that can be done.”

Charis uttered a caustic laugh. ”I have been under the care of the High Queen's personal physicians, and they could do nothing but advise me to allow time to take its own slow course.”

”No doubt the learned Magi are very wise,” allowed Lile. ”But there are ways to help speed time towards its end where healing is concerned.”

”What ways?”

Lile smiled mysteriously and whispered a word: ”Mithras!”

”What?”

”An ancient healing art practiced by followers of a G.o.d of the east-Mithras is his name, or Isis in her female aspect.”

”How do you come by knowledge of this G.o.d and its healing arts?” asked Charis.

Lile c.o.c.ked her head to one side. ”My father once sailed to the east, a long time ago. I do not know exactly how it was-I have since heard many different tales-but he brought back a slave which he had purchased at a market there. The slave was a scholar, and my father hoped he would teach me and my sisters to read and write in the old style”

”So that you might become refined enough for one of the royal houses, no doubt,” Charis said archly. ”If that were possible.”

”No doubt.” Lile's eyes narrowed. She looked away and continued. ”This slave-a Phrygian named Tothmos- schooled us in our letters and when we were old enough taught us the old religion too.”

”Which you have been using to treat my father.”

”Yes.”

”To dubious effect, it seems to me.”

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