12. Anita Karr

I felt slightly guilty for misleading my rescuer. The fact that she had figured out that I was a foreigner could not be helped, but when she asked if I was a noble, her entire posture turned defensive. Instinctively I laughed off her suggestion. Sure my household had been sworn to the king of Tortall for generations upon generations, but I never held much personal importance in my social status. Neal could claim fame as a noble knight, I was content in the ranks of the King's Own.

Lying in bed did not go well with me. The morning after being drug around by that bloody hurrok, I climbed out of bed and bit my lip at the bolt of pain that shot through my ribs. It was so intense that I had to sit back down, clutching my bandaged arm to my bandaged side. Taking shallow breaths, I tried to master the pain. Somewhere through the doorway it sounded like Anita was working. A dog was pleading nearby. Probably Jump asking for table scraps. Speaking of which, my stomach growled loudly.

"Are you trying to stand up with those broken ribs, Sergeant?"

I blinked. "No."

The unique woman came to the doorway, hands on hips and holding a ladle. She was wearing a blue wool dress and white apron now, instead of men's clothing.

"You men are all the same. Think you're all that, even when you in all sense be on your backside. The more you move, the longer you'll take to heal."

I fished around on the chair next to the bed and grabbed my shirt, pulling it one-handed over my head.

"Lady Karr, I've had worse."

She gave me a glare to rival my cousin's. "I'm Anita."

Just out of curiosity I asked, "Are you uncomfortable with me being here?"

Raising and eyebrow, she answered dryly. "Are you implying something? Because if you are, I will kick you out before you can say 'The Red' invalid or not."

To my surprise, I blushed. "No ma'am. I simply don't want to jeopardize your reputation."

"Are you implying that I have a reputation?"

Sheesh! What was with her? Morning grumps?

"No ma'am, I just - I'm trying to be polite."

Her face was just about as unreadable as Keladry's could be for one long moment before she smiled.

"No need to worry, Domitan. I think we were merely testing one another. I live alone, but I have a sixth sense about people. You, I believe I can trust." She started to turn back into whatever room extended past the door. "If you feel up to it, I can feed you in the kitchen. If you can't make it, I'll bring you a tray."

Interesting woman to say the least. I carefully stood and tottered to the door. On the other side lay a neat kitchen and what looked like a work room. Bunches of herbs and grasses hung from the ceiling, a leather hide hung over a wooden bar in the middle of being scrapped of hair and various shelves held containers, tools, and general household items. A table stood next to the fireplace opposite the open door where a distinctive bleating could be heard. Gingerly I made my way to the table and sat down. Jump, leg still wrapped, limped over with his tale wagging furiously. I scratched him behind his torn ear. Arrow had been buried the night before, and the other two sparrows fluttered quietly to my shoulder.

Anita set a wooden trencher in front of me. Full of some thick brown stew, she stuck a wedge of brown, crusty bread in the broth. "Eat, then back to bed with you."

I complied, feeding bits to my companions. She continued with the hide, occasionally rising to stir something in a small pot over the fire. I didn't think she was watching me, but abruptly another chunk of bread was placed in my half eaten meal. I smiled my thanks and broke it up to share.

"They say that your people have magic to change the animals. Make them like people. Until now, I thought it was only a tale."

I looked down at Jump. "We have a woman with an ability mages call Wild Magic. She can talk with animals and because she can, they somehow become smarter."

"But it's not normal. Take your horse out there. He acts like a lord. I had to reason with him this morning to change his cuts. Reason with a horse! It's not normal."

I could see her point. "But we can work better together. These birds here have saved my life and the lives of others on more than on occasion. They know things we people don't."

She shook her head and fell silent. When I finished eating, I asked,

"Is there a way you could show me where I am? I lost the trail of my friend in the middle of the night two or three days ago and had no idea where I was until you found me."

Anita frowned for a moment before moving to the door. Stepping outside, she picked up a stick and began drawing on the ground. Standing, I followed her. She drew a line.

"That's the Grimhold Mountain range. The main pass is Long Valley."

She drew a block on the other side of the line. "Past that is Atum Plain. It's the only flatland for miles except for where we are to the West. Tefnet Lake is in the center of Meresger Mountains and is fed by the Shu river at Anubis pass and the Geb river which splits from the Pakkai above Rathhausak Castle."

I interrupted. "That was Maggur's home castle."

She paused. "Yes. Your people burned it earlier this year."

The irony of that statement made me smirk inwardly, but I simply nodded.

"Cairo is on the North side of Tefnet Lake. We're five miles further North. On the East side of the Atum Plain is the Eire of Horus, Scanra's capital."

That is where Keladry would be held. I smiled. I had lost the trail, but now that I knew the one place she could have been taken, it would only be a matter of time before I could find her again.

Anita watched me closely. I held her gaze openly until she looked away. Her small house was tucked in a cove. Spread out before it lay pale green pasture, surrounded by a scatter of trees. Split fences held a mass of soft white, brown, and black which bleated on occasion. A picturesque setting. Wistfully, I sighed.

"Someday when this war is over, I think I would like a place like this."

Her mouth quirked. "It's harder work than you might think."

"Why are you living here alone?"

I kicked myself. She hadn't asked me any personal questions since taking me in, so why did I have to go and put my nose in the dirt?

Her eyes were sharp. "Because I don't want folks telling me how to run my life and remarry. Because I like things the way they are, and my clan got tired of pulling at me. I knew, like I knew you to be a man of your word, that I was not meant to walk the mountains anymore."

"Remarry?" Curse my big mouth.

"My tribe was once those of the White Tiger. I married one of my own, who was killed for not joining The Red. I would not marry again, and I would not hide in the mountains. I've lived here for three years now."

"Your people did not join Maggur?"

"My people believe in the prophesy, but we did not trust in the way The Red took action. Some magic has trapped many of the other tribes. A Blood Bond that turns minds."

My blood ran cold. What was this 'Blood Bond'? Would Maggur try and spell Keladry? She had no defense except her griffin feathers, and I strongly doubted they would stop an all out spell on her mind. Uneasily I swayed on my feet. Instantly Anita was at my side.

"The sun is dying. Go back to bed."

Weakly I argued. "What about you? I won't put you out of your own bed. Just make me a place on the floor and I'll be fine."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm fine. Sleeping in the loft on my skins is fair comfortable. You just sleep."

I opened my mouth, then shut it. "Never argue with a lady."

That night I had the same dream that the Dream King Gainel sent me before we had left Steadfast.

I saw Keladry, only her hair had grown longer and her hazel eyes flashed. She stood before a host of men, each with different tattoos on their bodies. They massed together, then swirled in an endless pattern wearing the same leather clothing. Something white glistened in the sky. One man stood above all others, rising on a pillar of red flame. I knew him now as Maggur. Cold blue eyes fixed on the people below him as he pointed to the South. They obeyed.

Keladry stood in their way, holding her glaive gracefully tucked under her elbow, blade touching the mountains. When she raised it above her head, the people stopped their march and gathered at her feet.

"Your power is your heart." The same girl-child whispered.

Keladry's gaze held mine as she slashed down with her glaive. I cringed and felt a biting pain in my arm as I tried to ward of the blade.

"Keladry!"

"Domitan..."

Who was that?

"Domitan... wake up."

Abruptly my eyes shot open and I gasped, the pain dulling but not going away entirely. Anita leaned over me with a candle in one hand in a nightgown and wrap.

"You were dreaming." She pushed back a messy braid over her shoulder. "I heard you shouting a name."

I rubbed a shaking hand across my face. "I - I saw someone I knew. She -" I had to stop.

"Was she the reason you crossed the borders alone?"

Wordlessly I nodded. She smiled, her eyes sad. "Someone you love?"

Fair's fair, it was my turn to confess. "Yes. Someone that your king took from me and my country."

"He is not my king." Her voice was bitter.

Puzzled, I frowned. "Oh."

Anita left the room for a moment and I tried to regain my composure. When she returned, she carried a cup.

"Drink this. It will ease the pain and give you a dreamless sleep."

I drank. No matter where one goes, for some reason potions all taste the same. Even worse when they're cold, like this one was. I couldn't restrain from making a face.

"Thank you."

For a long moment she looked at me in silence. "The reason I left my clan was because my husband was the only one to believe that what I felt was real. The White Tigers listened only to those ordained to speak to the gods. I was blasphemous. However, my people all felt that king Maggur was both true and false - but how can someone like that lead our country to victory?" She sighed. "We did what we have always done. We left the other clans to their own demise and traveled to our sacred grounds to watch from the shadows."

"Yet you stayed."

"Atch, only because something told me to wait. Now I think it was because of this war with your country. Who is this woman you look for so fiercely?"

"Lady Keladry of Mindelan, knight of Tortall and sometimes named 'Protector of the Small'. I've known her for many years."

Anita's eyes widened for a moment. "Protector of the Small? I have heard that name."

I smiled. "She would be stunned to find that she's more well known than she thought."

Whatever she had given me was quickly working. Drowsiness was dragging at my eyelids and I couldn't hide a yawn.

"Sleep, Domitan. We will speak more in the morning."

I didn't even have time to respond before unconsciousness swept over me.

I woke with sunlight warming the quilt from a small square window across the room. Activity from the kitchen was followed by a song,

"In the Bleak midwinter, Frosty wind made moan,

Earth stood hard as iron, Water like a stone,

Snow had fallen, snow on snow,

In the bleak midwinter, long ago."

My side only twinged as I swung my feet out of bed. Anita was well into a second verse when I walked into the room.

"Morning!"

She paused and nodded. "Have a seat, food's just about done."

As I ate the neigh of a horse reminded me that I hadn't seen Peachblossom. Jump, who was once again begging for scraps at my knee, cocked his head in the direction of the sound. Mouth half full, I nodded to him.

"Why don't you run out there and tell his mightiness that I'll be out there in a minute."

Jump simply gave me a look of laziness and waited for another piece of meat from Anita. She complied with a pat on the head.

"I think you're spoiling him."

"Atch, but he's a personality. Your mount out there is one of his own."

Unconsciously I rubbed the heel of my hand. Standing, I picked up my dishes and placed them on the ground for Jump to lick.

"Take off your shirt."

Surprised at the sudden order, I hesitated.

"Before you go out I need to change your bandages."

With a sigh, I complied.

Anita brought out the familiar yellow salve and roll of white cloth. My wounds were healing rapidly, though I would be left with new scars. My arm looked like someone had branded me with four wedges. This time she only lightly covered the cuts. When she had finished, she knelt in front of me, looking intently in my face for such a long time that I shifted uneasily.

Without a word, she stood and walked out the door. I waited a moment before pulling my shirt back over my head and followed. Behind the house was a long, squat, shelter. The door was open and I could hear animals moving restlessly inside.

"Anita?"

A whinny greeted me. Halfway down rows of small stalls stood Peachblossom, looking monstrous among the few sheep which stuck their heads between bars to stare at me. The whinny was followed with a squeal and snort. Anita was forced to climb on top of the split rail wall to avoid being stepped on as the gelding tried to break loose.

"Son of Sekhmet! It's supposed to help you - you stubborn beast!"

Peahblossom rolled his eyes at me. I grinned.

"Best do as she says. She's not one to take 'no' for an answer."

He snorted again, trying to toss his head but brought up short by a tether.

"He doesn't like being tied up so tight."

Frustrated, Anita blew a strand of blond hair out of her eyes. "Well if he wouldn't bite, maybe I'd untie him."

I undid the knot and looked the horse dead on. "Peachblossom, she's only trying to help. It's not nice being mean to a rescuer."

He glared at me, but didn't flinch when Anita spread the yellow paste on the still angry slashes on his neck and shoulder. After she had finished, I patted him on the nose.

"Was that so bad?"

He promptly snapped at my hand. I jerked back and muttered, "Ungrateful beast."

I turned to find the same strange look as before on Anita's face.

"I'm sorry, do I have something in my teeth?"

She blinked and blushed. "Domitan. Would you think me forward if I said that I think the gods meant for us to meet?"

What sort of answer do you give a question like that? She continued.

"The night my husband died, I had a dream. I don't remember much of it now, but I do remember the name 'Protector of the Small' and a man with odd companions."

I smiled drily at that. "A vague description, but I seem to fit the bill." I raised a warning finger at Peachblossom, whose ears had darted back. "Don't even think about it."

"When you're healed, I'd like to go to Cairo. I feel that something important is going to happen, something that my people cannot ignore or let pass by."

Pondering for a moment, I shrugged. "Fine by me. I've had stranger things happen. But I have a question of my own."

She nodded solemnly.

"Do you have the Gift?"

"Do you mean magic of the Ennead? No. None of my people can summon fire or make spells. We have our own healing secrets, the ordained who understand the will of our gods, and prophets, but not the power of the king or his chosen one."

Slightly confused, I shrugged again.

"So you're senses are... Something your people dumped you for because you weren't 'ordained'?"

Something akin to pain shadowed her face. "Nietch, something I left my people for. But now the time has come to face them."

There was clearly a history behind this person and the White Tiger clan that I though wise to leave alone.