Part 10 (1/2)
Moonhawk settled back on her wall, a ain,Goddess take the alled her to need to do so
The crowd had de were inextricable Lute had theback and untied the knot, with a orn patter praising the skill of the knot-tier and the efficacy of the knot He slid the ring free, hung the rope over one shoulder, frowned at the ring and with a gesture vanished it The audience roared, ether, and Lute announced the shoas over
”But if you will, friends, a bit of so, a loaf, a sup of ale-for, as great as ician can conjure hi crowd By the tis, a new loaf, and a quarter-sausage had come to rest on Lute's tattered yellow prop cloth
”And if a great ician cannot conjure himself a meal, does it follow that heforward and bending to retrieve the three nesting wooden cups
Lute looked up, aunt face stern
”The ways of the Craft Magic are not for the student to ridicule,” he said austerely ”You will learn these mysteries in the proper order and with the proper respect Until then, you will keep a civil tongue in your head, Madam”
He sounded so like old Laurel, the Witch who had the training of the child Moonhawk, that the adult-worinned, and waved a graceful hand at the accuh for a fine dinner and a bit left aside to break our fast And-” A flourish, a snatch and he held out a quarter-e ”A coin to trade for ale at the inn I'lanced about her, frowning as ainst the sun ”It does?”
”There you go again!” Lute cried, slipping the cups fro ”I can't recall the last time I spoke to so disrespectful a wo is to blame,” Moonhawk returned ”And the fact that one is used to city co sincerity He finished the various fastenings and straightened, gripping the bag's handle and giving it a sharp shake The legs retracted with a snap-estured, showing her the dusty square and rag-tag huts
”Look about you well For the world is more nearly like this than it is like Dyan City The lot of common folk is hard work and short lives, relieved-and the Goddess smiles-by love, and by children, and by an occasional diversion such as ht looked abruptly tired ”For the most part, the Goddess blesses those more, who live nearest the Temples”
Moonhawk kept still She knew the correct response-knew that every teaching she had ever received told her she put her i with such a one
Yet, his voice reverberated with Truth, and Witch-sense showed her his sincerity She sighed The ician!” The woman's voice was breathless with hurry; she herself soh her hair was co unbraided and dust lay thick upon her She rushed up to Lute and caught his hand in both of hers; Moonhawk marked hoell he controlled the instinct to snatch the precioushis head, and taking the opportunity to slip his hand free ”How an, and lay her hand against her breast ”Oh, thank the Mother you are here! My daughter said that you would not aid me, but I pray-Indeed, how could you not? It is the responsibility of power to aid the powerless!”
”So I have always been taught,” Lute said carefully, while Moonhawk opened herself to the other woman's self and scanned each nuance of emotion
Distress, she found, but no disorder such as lanced at Lute and saw he had reached the same conclusion
”Before aid can be bestoe must be aware of the nature of the probleently
”Yes, certainly!” she cried, and gave a breathless little laugh, though Moonhawk detected no joy in the sound
”It is ether she has been gone Her sister would have it that she is only about some madcap scheme and will return when it occurs to her, but she is not like that!
Wild she ood To worry me so-and she must know that I would worry! No, I cannot believe her so cruel Shein so ” Her voice faltered and Lute stepped expertly into the small silence
”Lady, I am distressed to hear of your trouble But surely this is a e, who are familiar with the country roundabout and ill knohere best to search”
”They have searched,” she said, suddenly listless ”They say-they say she one off with a lover and will return, in a day or six They say, no one could stay hidden so long, from all the wilder-wise” She bent her head ”They say, unless she is dead”
”Goddess forefend,”look, which he disarrave face turned toward the woone with a lover to celebrate the Goddess' best joy-is that not possible?”
”With her own betrothed sitting atwhat is coirl”
”Ah” Lute did glance at Moonhawk then, eyes explicitly neutral, then looked back at the grieving mother ”What is it you think I may do for you, Lady?”
”Find her!” she cried, and ain, a ht In the naician! In the name of she who bore you! My child asped, bent her head and struck her breast three ti fistLute cleared his throat ”Alas,” he said, face and voice betraying nothing but the utic and there is ic I have no ability to find what is lost-”
”But I have,” Moonhawk said abruptly, and lay her hand briefly upon the wo hair beneath her palm ”Peace on you, Sister,” she said ”in traditional benediction She took her hand away and met the woman's incredulous stare with fir thanks to the Goddess! You are of the Circle?” The woman's eyes shone with tears, with transcendent hope ”A priestess?”
”I am Moonhawk,” she said austerely ”Witch, Healer and Seer I lanced aside, saw Lute watching her intently; returned her gaze to the woman
”There are certain items I require, in order to search most efficiently”
”Certainly!” The woman cried ”Certainly-and you shall have them! You shall come-both of you shall come!-to my house, sup with us, sleep, you may have all I have Only find her, Lady Moonhawk! Find my child”
”I shall try,” said Moonhawk and felt a sudden chill
THE WOMAN'S NAME was Aster and her house was a large one, set just above the village, with two goats In the front yard and a hen house in back Taelberry twined up an arbor by the door, the heavy purple blossorance
”Here we are,” said Aster, leading the the latch, ”Lady Moonhawk, Master Lute-please be welcome in my home”
”Peace on this house,” Moonhawk returned in proper ritual
”Joy to all who live here,” Lute said sweetly, bowing his head in respect before stepping over the threshold
Moonhawk followed, then the host, into a kitchen s of new bread and warthe stew pot Froirl: brown hair neatly done into a knot at her neck, sturdy hands drying themselves briskly on a clean white apron
”What's this?” she cried, her eye full of two tall, ragged strangers; then she spied Aster ”Mother? You said nothing of guests-”
”I said I was gone to fetch the e, if he was still there and looked kindly on my case,” said Aster sharply ”As it happens, he did, but could do nothing forwhat is lost and she has consented to help”
”Traveling-?” Again, those quick brown eyes counted Lute and Moonhawk, flashed back to the older wouest?”
”Even not, gracious lady!” cried Lute ”For gypsies have the foresight to bring their houses with them, where I am so dimwitted as to have no house at all!”
”And so we ask travel-grace,” added Moonhawk, in her deep, level voice, ”frohed once, a sharp-edged sound carrying more scorn than merriment
”Bested, Senna,” he called out ”Make welco sir,” Lute said dulcetly ”For what person of dignity will stay in a house where welcoift?”