Tarashana by Rachel Neumeier (little red riding hood ebook TXT) 📕

came about that I might do some kindness for Arayo inKera at some time in the future, I would be glad of that chance.

Aras rose at dawn, going out of the tent to face the Sun and offer a silent prayer, as is the way of the Lau when they know something important lies ahead in the coming day. They ask for courage and clear sight, or for the strength to be resolute in some brave and honorable undertaking, or for victory in battle—those are all suitable prayers to make to the Sun. I was already awake, but did not move to intrude.

Somewhere nearby a woman sang to the dawn. Not a singer. Her voice was not like that. This woman was just singing because the morning was clear and pleasant. High clouds streaked the sky, and a light wind sent ripples across the lake, and the early sunlight caught the sharp edges of the mountains so that the ice of the peaks glittered in the colors of the dawn. In Nisig’s tent, near my brother’s, the baby sent up a thin cry, swiftly soothed as her mother took her up.

Garoyo came out of his tent after me, touching my arm in silent greeting. He glanced at Aras, standing alone at the eastern edge of the camp, but made no comment before he went into his wife’s tent. One of Nisig’s older female cousins came out of the tent with a child on her hip, smiling at me as she went past—she had come to help Nisig while the infant was so little. Beyond Garoyo’s tent, Arayo inKera came out of another of the smaller tents. He saw me and smiled, turning to say something to someone else. To my surprise, not only Tano came out of that tent, but also my brother Raga, who must have come there some time last night after all. Raga’s face lit when he saw me. He had sixteen winters now, so he was too old to run to me like a child. But he walked fast, and embraced me when I held out my arms.

“I missed you entirely when you came last time!” he said, as though this were my fault. “I missed everything! I was on the steppe, and there you were in the forest, Ryo, persuading our father to tolerate one sorcerer and battle another! I wish I had been there.”

“I was very glad you were safe,” I told him, pushing him back so that I could look at him. I did not say that for some time I had believed him dead in a terrible way, that Lorellan had made me believe everyone I most loved had died terribly. Even after so long, even when all those lies were long faded and I no longer remembered them clearly, I remembered the grief they had caused. I said, “Look at you! You have become a man. But as you are a poet, I hope you are not behaving as foolishly as a young warrior.”

“Not nearly as foolishly as you did!” he told me, grinning. “I still have the lion skin you gave me. I cherish it, as I am sure I will never kill a lion myself. But this time you have brought me something even better: a Lau sorcerer! I would be very sorry if somewhere in this world a sorcerer walked, a reasonable and honorable man, and I never met him.” He glanced to the east, where Aras still stood alone, facing the rising Sun.

“You have met an avila,” I pointed out.

“Yes, and now you will meet her too. She is beautiful in the way of her kind—the tales are true, Ryo; she does indeed reflect the light of the stars! Although one cannot see this during the day, unless the skies are very heavily overcast. She is very interesting, almost as interesting as the only Lau sorcerer in the world who does not suffer from madness. You must make me known to him, Ryo, but perhaps not yet, as he seems much occupied. I wonder if he would teach me the prayers the Lau offer to the Sun? I do not know them. But perhaps the request would be offensive.”

I laughed and slung an arm over his shoulder. “You may ask him. You may ask him anything you wish. He is very unlikely to be offended. I think he will like you very much, Raga.”

Tano had come out of the tent now, and stood near Arayo, not looking at me. They were much too far away to overhear, so I said to Raga, “I hope you were not offended that I said I would deal with this other young man as though he were my younger brother.”

“No,” Raga said, surprised. “How would that offend me? I was surprised, I admit that. He is interesting too, Ryo. Everything you do is interesting these days! My life is entirely boring! No inTasiyo ever runs up to me to beg for mercy. I am sure nothing like that will ever happen to me, and perhaps that is as well, because I would have no idea what to do with him. You always know what is right to do.”

I laughed. “What a great pity that is not true.” I walked with him toward the other young men. When we were close enough to speak easily, I nodded to Tano and said to Raga, “Show Tano where the meat left last night was put away. Bring food for the Lau—if there is bread, they would like that better than meat. Aras will be finished soon. Then I am certain my father will want to escort him to see the avila woman. All the Lau will probably come with him. Or perhaps otherwise, I do not know, but either way, I think all three of you should come.”

“Oh, yes, we should certainly come!” Raga said at once. “I know the Tarashana