Chapter 3: Horses

Thom had always harbored a strong loathing for horses. So spending half-an-hour stand with it waiting for his sister was not pleasurable. "What is taking so long?" wondered Thom. He focused and tapped the serene pool of magic he held in his heart. A tube, one stretching from his ear to the room where Maude was cutting Alanna's, "or Alan's" he corrected, hair. The sound was muffled and Thom could make out only bits. "—Only the glory – fathers and sorrow – Think – Healing magic—soul of death—to kill—like Thom". Thom could feel the blood draining from his body. A woozy feeling over took him, something one does not want around a temperamental old nag.

The fear that he would be unhorsed was growing every minute but; at that moment Alanna and Maude found the time to grace him with their presence. How could anyone believe that he was Alanna? Her lithe and muscle stripped silhouette was distinctly different his slim and un-worked figure. Thom preferred an afternoon with his books to one in the practice ring with bulked up men-at-arms. Why Alanna had to go away to get beat up was beyond him. Thom was startled from his daydreams when Maude muttered to Alanna "Heal, child" then, as if to her self "Heal all you can, or you'll pay for it." Scornfully she added, "the Gods mean for their gifts to be used."

Maude had given the sign to travel on, and it made Thom more aware of the fact that he was sitting saddle-side on a disgruntled old nag. Alanna had though him lucky to get the horse but he was afraid "Bigger means heavier and that means it can crush me with more ease than a pony." Thom merely had the horse because it wouldn't step on his skirt. The horse was skittish for it knew him for who he was regardless of his cloak and corset. But Thom's thoughts were not of his jumpy horse, although they probably should have been. He was wondering what Maude's words to Alanna could have possibly meant. Soul of Death? To kill? Like Thom? These words could mean nothing good. Do I have a soul of death? Why did she talk of killing and of me together? Could she have seen a future for me in the fire? One where my soul was dead? And I cared not for life? The thought put shivers down his spine, and as if charmed to feel what he did the mare jumped and twisted.

The horse reared and was close to throwing the man who rode it, when a redheaded lad jumped and grabbed the reins. He turned and flashed his, no her, violet eyes at Thom where he lay on the ground, then impartially he slithered across the dirt road.

Thom was in a bush. A muddy bush. His horse was standing on the other side of the road just as on edge as ever. Now he noticed Maude was standing next to him. She was silently pleading with the Dark God for Thom's soul while Maude entreated the gods Thom was pondering what he had seen. How many girls were there with red hair, violet eyes and a boy's hair cut? Only one. The thought of his baby sister under the hooves of such a massive mount made him shiver in his petticoats. Most of his kirtle was still attached but the over gown was shredded beyond repair. I needed to get out of these flap-rags anyway. Thom felt a strange cold feeling gnawing at his body, a cold that instinct told him was bad, maybe lethal. What! I can see myself "Can you move?" Thom started at this new voice but Maude never looked up from her pious pose. The young woman in front of him walked past his still form. Maude's lips stopped moving, as did all the forest around him, even his nag was still. Only he and the eye-catching beauty seemed to exist. As to who she was, well there was only one answer, a Goddess. Now which one? That was the question.

"Do you normally fill in for the Dark God?" Thom knew that angering the Gods was a good was to end one's life, but under all the stress his body reverted to his normal actions without thinking.

"Not particularly, I'm just the Green Lady." The woman paused then added, "Although you wouldn't know me, would you? Where are we any how?"

"Tre…Trebond"

"Keep overshooting," she muttered, mostly to her self. "Well seeing as I'm the Goddess of Healing I may as well heal a bit"

"Thank you err—Milady" Thom fell backwards, into his body, and a lot of pain. His ribs began knitting themselves and he could feel the blood that had soaked his corset while he talked to the Green Lady pouring back into the wound. The Green Lady was shimmering out of sight.

"By the way, why do you have on skirts?" But she was gone and Maude seemed to be praying again.

"Maude!" Thom gasped. Maude leapt up and felt his legs, ribs, and spine.

"Nay! Thou had broken thy spine and ribs, both fatal."

"The… Lady… Green Lady… 'Twas her" he wheezed

"Hush, hush was but delirium, there was no Lady"

"Yes… there was… swear it"

"Of course, how silly of me, now sleep" Maude passed her hand over his eyes and they closed in a deep slumber.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Anything remotely good belongs to Tamora, the rest goes to the plot bunnies, who wrote this chapter. This goes for every chapter before and after this one.

Darth Sissy-Thanks I feel so special

Halaia- I meant that people who read but don't review, I don't doubt your assassins, I got mine on E-Bay and they turned out to be Teenage mutant ninja Turtles action figures. (I'm suing)

AN-Acording to Tamora's website The Green Lady (Daine's Ma) covers north-west Tortall. I haven't done the math but this should be close to when The Green Lady made her debut. Trebond is in the North-east so I figured when she first started she might get a little off track.

sincerly

-My poetic licence