"Somehow I am not surprised. What do you need, then? Lansip? More blood?"
"Something a Dragon has touched."
I was shocked for just a moment, then felt a broad smile cross my face as I realised what would serve. "Nothing could be easier. How large a thing?"
"Enough to fill my cupped hand. But if I may ask, lord, what—"
"I knew that death would be useful," I replied. So simple!
"Certainly a Dragon touched young Perrin. He is yet unburied—if I ask his brother to allow me to arrange the burial, surely he will not grudge me a handful of flesh around the wound? Especially if he never knows."
Caderan bowed. "You are truly a worthy master. If I may enquire, what are your plans regarding the child of Maran Vena?"
"You know them," I said sharply.
"Forgive me. Your immediate plans."
"I shall wait." When he started to protest, I snapped at him, "I told you I am shorthanded. She is bringing in as much lansip as the others, it would be foolish to take her from that task before I must. Tomorrow night is soon enough, and I shall have had a full day's more work out of her. Tomorrow you will instruct me in the rite of summoning that particular Rikti that will tell us about her blood."
Caderan bowed. "In truth, my lord, I will be glad to, but know that we must call upon the Rakshasa for such information. It will not be cheap."
"It never is," I replied sharply. "Go now, and report to me tomorrow when you have finished your preparations."
He bowed and left. I sent one of my guards to make arrangements about the body with the surviving brother, then sat musing over a cup of lansip tea. It eased a little the pain that never left me, the price of the Farseer I had never used. Oh, Lords of the Seven Hells, I prayed, let her be my daughter, that this agony might end!
Tomorrow night I would bring her to be bled. We would know soon enough thereafter.
Ever I waited for Marik to accost me again that evening. It was almost worse when he did not. All I could think as I worked, was that he was waiting until I had done my share of Harvesting, that he might not lose by it. It seemed fairly petty, but I would not put pettiness beyond him.
I went out gathering with a group immediately after poor Darin took his brother's body away, just as the sun was starting to sink. I saw Rella and called to her, and we worked together for hours by lamplight, sorting lansip leaves from all others, making sure no twigs nor dirt went in with the leaves. We came back many hours later, stumbling and weary, and fed ourselves from the last of the late stew that had been kept warm over the tire. The full bags we all brought back from our forays were taken to the ship regularly, and by my rough reckoning there must by now have been hundreds of them.
I ate gratefully in the tent with Rella, She was complaining in a general way of how sore her back was, to which I added my hearty assent, when she glanced up and said, "And how goes your search, my girl? About given up after that specimen they brought in today, have you?" I had forgotten that I had spoken to her of my true reason for coming here. "They didn't talk much with him, I'd wager."
I hesitated. Wrap it in truth, Lanen, I reminded myself. "No, it didn't look much like talk. But I haven't given up. Marik said Perrin crossed the Boundary. I won't."
"Best not, girl. If you come back looking like that even I won't have to do with you."
"And you, Rella," I said, trying to make it seem natural. "What brought you here on this fool's errand? You never said."
"Not a fool's errand if it makes me filthy rich, is it?" she said with a grin. "I reckon it’s the same as everyone else, bar you. Though I notice you don't hold back from gathering lansip, despite your words."
I laughed, though she worried me. I had made a particular effort to keep up with the others as best I could, so as not to stand out. "And why should I hold back my hand from riches when they are in my grasp?" I said, defiantly.
"And there's my answer to your question. Now either shut up or go away, dearie. I didn't sleep this afternoon like you did and I’m shattered."
I lay back on my bedroll, resting while I gave Rella time to go to sleep. This was the second of our six brief nights, and the pattern continued of Harvesters coming and going at all hours, for which I was desperately thankful. It was just before midnight and all was still in the camp when I rose as I had the night before, pulled on boots and cloak and went out into the night.
The moon was well up in the sky, full and bright, the night gloriously clear. I had not forgotten Perrin—or Marik—but for all my misgivings my heart was as light as a littling with nothing on her mind but wild flowers and a clear summer day; like a village maid new-struck with a lover and giddy with delight. I was living my dream at, last, and even the shadow of death could not keep me from joy. I could barely keep my feet on the ground, barely keep myself from laughing out loud.
I sobered a little as I drew near the Boundary. I peered through the moon-washed trees but could not see him; I had opened my mouth to speak that name that lay gleaming on my heart, I had even said the first syllable, when a near-physical jolt struck me, dumb.
All my lightness left me. I must not be stupid when I spoke with him.
I had been about to speak his true name aloud, betraying the trust he had given me, without a thought. Thank the Lady I stopped in time.
Should I resort to "large brother"? Or use a part of the narne? Or—
Ah.
I took a deep breath, concentrated, pictured in my mind's eye that silver face close as a whisper to me, and murmured a whisper back in my mind. "My brother?"
I could hear his pleasure as he replied. "Well met, little sister."
I knew where to look for him now, I could make out the fragments of his silhouette among the branches. As close as he had been to me last night, it had been terribly dark save for fitful gleams of moonlight through the clouds. This night, though, was beautifully clear and near as bright as day. The wind had slackened to a soft breeze, and the full moon looked down on our meeting place. He moved to meet me, and for the first time I saw him clearly in all his splendour.
His face was terrifying, all sharp and hard, like shaped steel armour. There was a spiny ridge that started at the top of his head and ran down the length of his back (as best I could see) to the tip of his tail. His wings, vast and leathery, were folded against his back; his fangs were huge even from a distance, und showed sharp and cruel even when his mouth was closed.
That was the frightening part.
The rest of him took my breath away.
He looked like the moon on moving water, the moon on the sea. His hide seemed to have a light of its own and it shimmered when he moved, glittering in the blue moonlight. As he came towards me his long sinuous body moved with a slow grace and the veiled promise of terrifying speed. His scales seemed to stop just under his jaw and at the top of his head, leaving his face one solid surface. It looked as though it had been hammered out of purest silver, and the darkness I had seen in his forehead last night showed itself a bright green gem like a vast, living emerald set in a silver lake. A great pair of curving horns swept gracefully up and back from his head, all in a piece with the rest of his face.
I could not speak.
"Little sister?" he said softly. "Does something trouble you?"
I found myself breathing hard, near overcome. I wanted to run away, wanted to fall to my knees and worship this creature, and knew that both were wrong. I closed my eyes.
And that deep sibilant voice, with a truer gift of music than Marik could ever hope for, whispered, "Little one, are you not well?"