“It means love,” Alicine said.
“Love?” Eyan fixed her in a bewildered stare.
“Yes,” Alicine said. “You know, like when you love someone.”
“Ye mean like for a mother and a father?”
“No. It’s more like between a mother and a father.”
“Oh.” Eyan paused for a long moment. “Is that kind o’ love better?”
“No. It’s just different. Right, Dayn?”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Dayn said.
“Why?” Eyan asked cautiously. “Is it bad?”
“Yes,” Dayn replied.
Alicine slapped Dayn on the arm. “Is not,” she said.
“No? Tell us how it’s good then.”
“You know how it feels. Don’t you dare put me on the spot.”
“Well Eyan doesn’t know how it feels. Why don’t you explain it to him.”
Alicine glanced toward their mother’s bed across the way. Morna’s steady breathing indicated she was fast asleep, but Alicine lowered her voice, just in case. “It’s like you love someone special, someone you want to touch or—” Alicine blushed. “—or kiss on the mouth. You know.”
Eyan looked away awkwardly. “I haven’t been around enough people to feel that way about any of ‘em.”
“Be glad of that,” Dayn said.
Alicine slapped his arm again. “Don’t say that!”
Dayn laughed.
“Is that kind o’ love…funny…like a joke?” Eyan asked.
“Sometimes,” Alicine replied.
“Never,” Dayn added.
Eyan shook his head. “I don’t understand.”
“Didn’t your parents ever talk to you about love?” Alicine asked. “I mean, you do know what happens when a man and woman have special feelings for each other, right?”
“They get married. But I won’t be allowed to, so I guess that’s why my parents never told me much about it.”
Dayn rose abruptly from the chair, then realized his body was screaming to lie down. “I can’t talk about this anymore,” he said, and moved toward the pallet. He curled up on the patchwork pile and yanked a quilt over his head.
Alicine stood over him. “Don’t you want to get out of your damp clothes first?”
“No.”
“I’ll leave the room if you want me to.”
“No.”
“Ye really should put on somethin’ dry, ye know,” Eyan said. “Mother says that if ye stay wet, ye’ll catch a chill, and if ye catch a chill, ye’ll catch the fever, and if ye catch the fever—”
Dayn threw off the covers. “All right—fine. But I don’t have anything else to wear.”
“Your mother packed up your and Alicine’s clothes when she left and came here, but right now they’re all in a trunk in the barn. I’ve got plenty o’ stuff, though,” Eyan said. “Here, let me find ye somethin’.” He walked over to a cedar chest at the foot of his bed and lifted the lid. “How about this one? No, wait…this one’d be better.” He held up a wool sleeping gown in one hand and a large faded work shirt in the other. “Which one do ye want? This one’s the softest, but this one—”
“I—don’t—care,” Dayn said between gritted teeth. He sat up and thrust out a hand. “Just give me something.”
Eyan handed him the gown, while Alicine secured the drape to their mother’s sleeping area and walked toward the door. “We’ll wait outside. You coming, Eyan?” she asked.
Eyan looked at Dayn as though requesting permission. “Can I stay? I can help ye if ye want.”
“I don’t care,” Dayn replied.
Alicine sniggered. “You wouldn’t have said that a few months ago. You used to hide your body like it was the biggest secret in Aredyrah.”
“You’re one to talk. Who just said the words ‘kiss on the mouth’?”
Alicine’s face grew noticeably red.
“Besides, it’s just Eyan, and he’s a boy,” Dayn said. “Trapped in a cave with Reiv forced me to adapt.”
“What do you mean?” Alicine asked.
Dayn chortled. “The cave wasn’t exactly designed for privacy, and you know how Reiv is.”
“Oh,” Alicine said. For a moment her attentions seemed to drift, but then she hastily added, “Well, Eyan can stay if he wants, but I’m sure not.” She turned and slipped out the door.
Dayn tried to pry off his damp tunic, but the thing was glued to his skin. Eyan reached out and grabbed hold of it, helping to pull it up and over Dayn’s shoulders. Dayn then rose and peeled off his pants. Stripped down to nothing, he yanked the nightshirt over his head. When he looked up, Eyan was staring at him like he’d seen a ghost.
“What’s the matter?” Dayn asked.
“Nothin’…I…nothin’.” Eyan gathered up Dayn’s wet clothes and hurried to the door. “I’ll hang ‘em on the porch rail ‘til mornin’. Mother’ll want to wash ‘em. They’re very dirty and…” His voice trailed off as he hurriedly exited the room.
Back to ToC
Chapter 8: Great Expectations
It was late morning when Dayn finally awoke. He knew by the angle of the light beaming in through the open windows and the warming breeze rustling the curtains. He threw off the covers and sat up, rolling the stiffness from his neck and shoulders. The pallet had not been comfortable, but at least it was better than the rocky ground he and his sister had been forced to sleep on for the past two weeks. But it was not the pallet that had him feeling less than rested; it was the thickness behind his eyeballs.
He scanned the room. No one was there. Even Alicine, who had surely required as much rest as he had, appeared to be up and about. He rose and looked down at the night shirt that hung to his knees, trying to recall where he had put his trousers.
The door burst open. “Mornin’ dear,” Vania chirped as she made her way to the table and lifted a cloth napkin from a plate of food. “Saved ye a bit o’ lunch—too late for breakfast. Hope ye don’t mind that it isn’t warm.”
“It’s fine, auntie,” Dayn said as he trudged to the bench.
Vania filled a mug from a nearby crock. “Here’s some milk to give your body a go.”
Dayn took a swig, then dug his fork and knife into a slice of meat, wild pig by the looks of it, and sawed it into a more manageable piece. He shoved it into his mouth and chewed it down. It was tough and had a gamey taste, but he was half-starved and couldn’t seem to fill his stomach fast enough.
“Lands, boy. Ye’ll choke if ye don’t slow down a mite.”
“Sorry,” Dayn mumbled through a mouthful. He gulped down the rest of the milk, then held out the mug for more.
Vania scampered to refill it.
“Where’s Alicine?” Dayn asked, his eyes still focused on the plate.
“Gone to help Eyan with the horses.”
Dayn crammed a chunk of bread into his mouth and sawed another piece of meat. “Wha ‘bout Mother?”
“She’s in the root cellar; won’t be long, and your uncle’s gone to meet with the clans.”
Dayn’s jaw stopped mid-chew. “The clans?”
“Aye, went to give ‘em an invite.”
“An invite?” Dayn forced down the bread that had lodged in his throat. “What kind of invite?”
“A Gatherin’, here, in two weeks time.”
Dayn set down his eating utensils, his appetite all but vanished. “So we’re here alone? I mean…”
“Now don’t ye go worryin’ yourself about it,” Vania said, bustling over to pour the last of the milk into his mug. “It would take a calamity to tempt the Vestry to venture this far. Besides, Eyan’s well skilled with a bow.”
“Why is Haskel calling a Gathering? I mean, he said he intended to meet with some of the members, but a full Gathering?”
“All the mountain clans will be needin’ to know you and your sister are back. The Aerie clan, bein’ our own, should know first, o’ course. But we figured might as well tell everyone, before any rumors filtered up from
Kiradyn.”
“But why here? You and Haskel never had the clans meet here before.”
Vania set the crock aside, then pulled out the bench from the other side of the table and sat facing him. “We never had ‘em here before because of Eyan.”
“So how is it different now?”
Vania folded her hands on the tabletop and lifted her chin. “We’ve decided to introduce him to the clans,” she said. Her expression, though somewhat pinched, showed signs of a hard-won victory. “It’s been a long time comin’, Dayn. We can no longer deny our son his rights as a member o’ the clan. Besides, after what ye told Haskel—”
“I thought he didn’t believe me,” Dayn said.
“He didn’t, until Alicine confirmed it this mornin’.”
“So he believed her, but not me?”
Vania patted Dayn’s hand. “It’s not like that, dear. It’s just that she told him the same thing you did, and he figured there wasn’t likely a conspiracy between ye.”
Dayn slanted his eyes toward the door, worried that his altercation with Lorcan was just the sort of calamity the Vestry needed to make their presence known. “How long will uncle be gone?” he asked.
“Oh, ten days, no more.”
“Ten days?” Dayn nearly choked.
“He’s got several homesteads to visit, Dayn, so he can get the message movin’ down the line. Then he’s headin’ down to tell Eileis. She’ll be wantin’ to come, too, I expect.”
“Eileis? The Spirit Keeper? But she lives near Kiradyn!” Dayn’s voice began to rise. “What if Haskel’s seen there? What if—”
Vania cocked her head. “What’s driven such fear into ye, child?”
“Didn’t uncle tell you?”
“You mean about Lorcan?”
“Of course I mean about Lorcan!”
Vania patted his hand again. “He’s an evil man, there’s no denyin’ it. But I don’t think he’ll be wantin’ everyone knowin’ about the treatment of his children. Haskel could easily use that bit of information against him. And he knows it.”
“So Haskel is going to keep it secret just so Lorcan will leave us alone? And what about Falyn and her brother? What happens to them?”
“No worries, dear. Haskel intends to tell Eileis. Figures she can help without involvin’ the rest of us. I’m sure she’ll figure somethin’ out.”
The door opened and Morna swept into the room, her arms loaded with tubers, jars of spiced meats, and a strand of dried onions. Vania rose to help her. They set the items on the table and sorted through them.
“Well, it’s enough for a stew and a couple o’ mince pies,” Vania said. “But it won’t be enough to feed all the folks that’ll likely be comin’. We’ll have to do some gatherin’. There should still be some blackberries on the vine, and there’s a spot where we always find fine mushrooms. I’ll send Eyan out later.”
“There’s plenty of preserves in the cellar,” Morna assured her, “but before we pull any more out, I guess we’d best wait to see what Haskel says when he returns. There’s always a chance some of the clans won’t come.”
“Why wouldn’t they come?” Dayn asked.
“Some aren’t so forgiving,” Morna said. “They’ll be more concerned with what your return means to the Vestry than what it means to your family.”
“Maybe this isn’t such a good idea,” Dayn said. “I don’t want to cause anyone any more trouble.”
“What isn’t a good idea?” Alicine asked as she entered the doorway. Eyan followed at her heels.
“Vania said Haskel has gone to invite the clans here for a Gathering,” Dayn said.
“I know,” Alicine said cheerfully. “Isn’t that exciting?”
“Well,” Dayn said, “what if the clans aren’t happy about us coming back and telling what we learned?”
“Oh, pooh. They’ll be fine once we explain it. Besides, it’s a chance for everyone to meet Eyan.”
“And how well do you expect that to go over?” Dayn said.
“It will be fine, won’t it Eyan?” Alicine smiled at Eyan assuringly.
“I…um…guess it’ll be fine,” Eyan said.
“Of course it will, dear,” Vania added. “It’ll be a celebration of Dayn’s and Alicine’s return, and your comin’ out.”
“I’m not so sure I want a celebration,” Dayn said.
“This isn’t just about you,” Alicine said haughtily.
“Well, maybe you like being the center of attention,” Dayn shot back, “but that doesn’t mean Eyan and I do.”
“Since when are you Eyan’s spokesperson?” Alicine placed her hands on her hips and turned her eyes to Eyan. “You don’t mind a celebration, do you, Eyan?”
Eyan glanced back and forth between the bickering siblings. “Um…well…I’ve never been to anythin’, so I guess it’ll be all right.” Dayn threw him a glare. “I mean…maybe Dayn’s right. Maybe it’s not such a good idea.”
“All right, enough,” Morna scolded. “The clans are invited for the Gathering and that’s that. As for a celebration…Dayn, if you don’t want to be included in it, fine, but at some point you’re going to have to show your face and verify what you told your uncle. As for Eyan, how his introduction to the clans is handled is for him and his parents to figure out. And if Alicine wants to be the center of attention, she’d best find something decent to wear.” She turned her eyes to Alicine’s startled face. “Don’t look to me for help on that, daughter. I’ve enough to do.”
Alicine gawked down at her own well-worn dress. She had already spent part of the morning pulling her and Dayn’s rumpled clothing from the trunk that Eyan had dragged down from the loft in the barn. The stored clothes had not been dirty, but in need of a good airing, so she had shaken them out and pinned them to the line that was stretched across a sunny patch of yard beside the house.
Alicine spun and headed out the door. It was still cool, but warming fast. As she rounded the house and crossed the yard toward the line, lady beetles spiraled from the grass, clattering noisily around her. She waved them aside, then stopped, surveying the clothesline. To the left, a row of Dayn’s trousers and tunics could be seen, lifting and falling with the breeze. She moved her eyes along the line toward two homespun skirts, an oatmeal colored blouse, and a few discreetly placed undergarments. On past, three dresses hung shoulder to shoulder, their modest Kiradyn style in such contrast to the skin-revealing clothing she had worn in Tearia. Originally dyed in rich earth-tones, the dresses now seemed dull and tired, but even worse, confining. At the end of the line, her Summer Maiden’s gown was pinned, clean but tattered. Alicine heaved a sigh. Everything she owned was either faded, patched, or inappropriate for the Gathering.
“I don’t suppose you packed the sarong,” Dayn’s amused voice said at her back.
“Funny,” she retorted. She turned and noted the dressing gown he was still wearing. “Your legs are showing.”
Dayn looked down at himself. “Maybe I’ll wear this to the Gathering. It sort of looks like something a Jecta would wear. That would certainly make an impression.”
“Hmmm….looks more Tearian, I think.” Alicine walked around him, assessing him up and down. “If you belted it, it would resemble one of Reiv’s tunics.”
“And I wouldn’t have to wear my boots!”
They laughed, but then Alicine turned back to the line. She sighed again, and shook her head. “Nothing. I have absolutely nothing to wear.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Dayn said. “You’ve got what, four dresses. Just pick one.”
Alicine rolled her eyes. “You don’t understand. I haven’t seen these people since the Festival. I’d at least like to look presentable.”
Dayn stepped between her and the line and crossed his arms. “Why do you even care? I thought…I mean, after all that’s happened, I figured you’d have moved beyond all that.”
“Beyond all what?”
Dayn hesitated, then said, “Before we left, you always cared
so much about how you looked and what people thought of you.”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“It’s one thing to try to look good for yourself, it’s another to do it for people who don’t really matter. Like the townsfolk.” He gave her a condescending look. “When I think of all the times you hobnobbed with them…I just think it’s beneath you, that’s all.”
“I did not hob—”Alicine grew flustered. “You don’t know what you’re talking about! You were never in town enough to know how things work. You have to play the game, Dayn.”
“Which game? The one where my face gets rubbed into the dirt? Is that the game you’re referring to? If it is, then believe me, I played that game plenty of times.”
“That’s not what I mean and you know it! It’s just that people from Kiradyn are different. They have certain expectations, and if you don’t abide by them, then you’re nobody.”
“You mean like me?”
“Of course not! You’re putting words into my mouth.”
“Am I?”
“It doesn’t matter what they think of you, Dayn. You’re—”
“So it doesn’t matter what they think of me, but it matters what they think of you?”
“Yes. I mean…well…yes.”
Dayn stiffened his spine. “I see. Well, that’s beside the point anyway. The people coming to the Gathering aren’t from town, so they won’t care one whit about your clothes.”
“Well, I care!” Alicine snapped.
“Why? So you’ll look better than them?” Dayn cocked his head. “That’s it, isn’t it? You don’t want to be like them; you want to be better than them.”
“What’s gotten into you? You’re making it sound like I’m a snob or something!”
“No, but you sure have your priorities twisted around.”
Alicine stomped her foot. “You’re the one doing the twisting! I just wanted something nice to wear to the Gathering.”
“Well, I guess it doesn’t matter what you want. You’ve got four dresses hanging there. I suggest you pick one.”
Dayn grabbed a pair of trousers and the first shirt he could lay his hands on and snapped them from the line. He turned and headed for the house, storming past Eyan who had just stepped off the porch. As Dayn’s heavy footsteps hit the porch boards, Eyan paused to watch him disappear through the door.
Souls of Aredyrah 3 - The Taking of the Dawn Page 7