Chapter 48

Day 14

"Find me." She said.

"I can't."

"Come to me. I miss you."

"You belong to another."

"But she wants to be yours."

"I know."

"Find me, please."

He looked into soft, gentle eyes the shade of the sky and brushed hair the color of grass before the autumn rains back from her delicate face. "You have to come to me."


What sounded like a small heard of resaema'oi woke Jotir from his deep and peaceful post-hunt slumber.

He opened his eyes slowly against the late morning sun. He was in his bed, thankfully. Naked, but that was to be expected. And his face itched. He smiled as he remembered the hunt the night before. The forests in this place were grand and filled with game; his Lordship had not led them wrong. Now hopefully the cooks in this strange manor house knew how to properly prepare the remains of the hunt he had dragged back.

He had just enough time to think these thoughts and make sure the blankets were tucked tight around him for modesty before his door flung open and he was attacked by a familiar small shape. "Jotir! Jotir!" Lillit cried. "Elena's moon mother is back and she brought all sort of things!"

"Ohhhh, did she?" Hopefully his explanation of what was proper for children of noble families had sunk in yesterday. It was hard to communicate when you did not share a language. "And what did she bring you?"

"A skip rope!" Lillit said, holding it up to be seen. Ahh, this was a real prize. Not a usual toy for a noble child but not discouraged either. "And soft doll to cuddle at night and a balance line and some puzzles and all sorts of things. But that's not the best, show him Aviv!"

Aviv had followed his sister at a more sedate pace. Now he looked at Jotir and his eyes went wide. "You hunted last night!" He said.

Jotir grinned. "Yes, I did. The woods here are fine for hunting and full of game. We'll have a proper meal this night."

"Why didn't you take me?"

"His Lordship should attend your first hunt. It would disrespect both of you otherwise." As Jotir watched Aviv sagged and sorrow shadowed his eyes. He sat on the edge of the bed with a sigh. "What is it?"

"My father should attend my first hunt. He said I would wear his collar for it."

Damn. He put a hand on the lad's shoulder. "He will be with us in spirit. And I know he would be proud of the strength you have shown through all of this."

Aviv nodded and took a deep breath. "I know." He said. "It's hard."

"It is."

"How did you hunt without a collar?"

Jotir held up his arm and looked at the black and metal band that the attendants must have replaced last night. "You don't need one to hunt here. That's why they insist upon these things, it's so easy to hunt most would need help to control the beast."

"Ohhh."

"You should keep yours on at all times unless out on a hunt."

"All right."

"Which we will do soon. Then you too will wear your hair as a Rider and your face will be pretty once more. The better to meet the young women of this world, yes?" No reaction, interesting. "Or the young men." Ahhh, that was the way the wind blew. And that blush said that his mind was off his grief, at least for now.

By now Lillit was squirming impatience. "Aviv! Show him what Dr. Blake brought you!"

Jotir looked over as Aviv carefully laid his prize on his bunk and opened the case. Out came something of unusual shape and color but the use of it was clear. "A staea'raet?"

"Very like." Aviv replied. He held up and drew a few hauntingly sweet notes from the instrument. "The sound is different but very slightly so. I'll be able to play anything I want on this."

"Write down the notation for every song you know, right off." Jotir said. "That way you will never forget the music of home."

Aviv sobered for a moment. "I will. I will start today."

"Good." All of a sudden Lillit started to giggle as his stomach rumbled audibly. "Now shoo so I can dress and break my fast, both of you." They both laughed and left.

A few moments later he was walking down the hall to the great room, following his nose to what smelled like cooking meat. This was a very strange manor house indeed. They knew some customs, the attendants had put him properly away last night, and were very kind to him and the children but then this morning they did not bring a tray to break his fast. As a known Rider someone from the kitchen ought to have brought him a day-old roll to soothe the beast if nothing else. But no, that did not happen. Given that his Lordship seemed to have just formed his clan before they left he could only assume that this was a manor house of a friend of his unit chief's, not his Lordship's, and that his Lordship would be setting one up when he arrived in time. Once he did should his Lordship see fit to assign him the job of House Steward these mistakes would not be made. He believed in doing things properly, with the discipline the Colonel had taught him. Given the mistake that had been made everyone ought to understand him coming to table before shaving off the hair that had come in from the hunt.

He found Dr. Blake in the main hall, by the odd collection of machines and such, speaking to the Doctor who appeared to act as Steward here. Well, talking was not the word for it. The two of them seemed to be having some sort of argument. He briefly debated going back to their quarters, but his stomach rumbled again. It would not do to have the beast feel too much hunger so soon after a hunt. It would annoy it and an annoyed beast was harder to ride. No, better to make his presence known. "Good morning."

"Good morning." Dr. McGuire said politely. Dr. Blake turned and her eyes went wide. "Did you ...bring back...that..." She used a word he did not know. "... last...night?"

"The viis? Yes, meat for the house. I know it's not much but one can only take so much in a night." He spoke slowly and carefully in the hopes that she might catch enough of the words to understand.

"Oh, there is more than enough there for suppers for days. We are grateful." Dr. Blake said something to her in their language, to which she replied, but from the look in her eyes Dr. Blake still did not understand the answer. She went back to staring at him with a slack jaw.

"It was the least I could do for your hospitality." His stomach rumbled. "If you will excuse me..."

"Of course."

But Dr. Blake came with him. As he watched she pulled some books from her bag and a sheet of paper and began reading. "Last...night...you...said...you...were..."

He stopped her. Yesterday they had been communicating in gestures and with pointing at pictures and short two or three word sentences. Now he looked over her shoulder. She had written a handful of questions down, in their language, his language and what he assumed were notes on how to pronounce the words. She almost had most of them. Almost. He eased the battered book from her hand and found what he had hoped for, a dictionary of their words and his. Perfect.

He led her to a table, took the paper from her and started writing answers to the questions.

Last night you said you were going to hunt. What did you mean?

I meant going out to catch game and bring home meat to feed the house. It is polite to take the risk and do the labor in exchange for hospitality.

Why did you need someone to attend you?

I am not strong enough to attend to myself after a hunt.

Why did you choose those toys for the children?

The toys you indicated are proper for townsman children, who learn to remain indoors and in towns and cities and to be fearful of the forest and countryside. Aviv and Lillit are nobleman's children; they must learn the ways of the woods and country if they are to be the masters of them.

You said the picture Lillit drew was a good likeness. Why?

It is a good picture of the beast I ride.

That done he went to the serving bar and gathered his food while she translated. He noted that Aviv and Lillit had minded their manners and while their plates showed crumbs of the quite good pastry they had not looked to have touched the meat before his arrival. He brought his own plate back and nodded to them. "Go ahead." They immediately went over to fill their plates and come back for a proper meal.

The meal was full of their chatter about going to the forest to play after, since there were no threats out there for them, and what they hoped to see and planned to do. He listened and made the noises to keep them going. Eventually thoughts of what had happened, of the loss of their family and home and of their time in the workhouse would return to them and they would have to be eased through the grief, but he would rather they sit with those thoughts in a stable home, so for now the distraction was a good one. He was trying not to think of it himself, or of the dreams he'd had the night before.

By the time he was finished Dr. Blake had more questions. He dismissed the children from the table so they could run and looked over the paper before him.

How did your hair and beard grow so quickly?

It happens when one rides the beast. Hair worn long is the mark of the rider.

Why did the children say they had to wait for you for breakfast?

Only meat, birds or eggs. When the day begins the first meat is eaten by the Lord of the Clan, then by his senior riders and so on down the ranks to the children before the non-riders of the house. When his Lordship arrives he will go first by right.

The beast you ride, what does that mean?

The beast that is within me. The beast I was born to ride. I am its master. Last night we hunted together.

He answered her questions then went off to bathe and shave. All that hot water was a wonderful thing.

He returned some time later with his hair properly tied back as befitted a rider not of the highest rank. It was good to have it back, while he had done so willingly, shaving off his hair had been a humiliating thing. Granted he didn't have a proper tie but this rubba ban thing did the job reasonably well.

Of course there were more questions.

The beast within you. What does that mean?

There is no better way to explain this.

Do the children have a beast within them?

Yes, they are the children of a noble clan. The beast will grow with them until they are man and woman and then it will emerge. Aviv will make his first ride as soon as his Lordship says he might. Lillit has a few years to grow still.

Who is his Lordship?

You call him Spencer.

The last was hard to write but he managed.

"Jotir!" Lillit called to him. "Walk the forest with me? Aviv wants to play his music."

"All right little miss." Jotir bowed his leave of Dr. Blake and went outside to join the children.