Realms of Valor - James Lowder [62]
novitiate caught dozing during meditation. The voice carries musical tones, light as a gong sounding the dawn prayer over high mountain slopes. The willow switches rustle, and a woman dressed in the draped robes of a Khazari noblewoman steps out of the darkness. The silks of her brilliant gown swirl gently as she moves, rippling the embroidered flowers and clouds of gold and red thread on her sleeve. Necklaces of strung silver coins hang layered around her neck, yet she carries her displayed wealth with ease. For all her dress, she is not a dark-haired and small Khazari woman, but tall and strong. Her thin, pale face is framed with hair so long and golden that it spills down into the silver chains. Small mouth, wide eyes, and nose a trifle too long all combine in a way that transcends these little flaws until she is beautiful beyond the mere physical. Without waiting for me, she sits cross-legged on the mats and begins the meal. While she samples the dishes, I, marveling at her arrival, test her with the Hundred Lotus sutra, one that would surely cause an evil spirit pain. When I softly chant the words, she shows no sign of having noticed. Perhaps she is not a spirit, as I first suspected. My hostess might be a powerful sorceress-though one is no less dangerous than the other. I take a seat opposite her, not wishing to be rude but not eager to sit close. I ladle a small bowl of porridge and eat with her. The flavor is more than I held in my memories, full of fall mornings when I sat by the hearth and watched my mother stir the simmering kettle. I savor the taste, knowing the food has been purified by my sutra. Hunger, both immediate and for the things of my past, yearns to be satisfied as I eagerly pick from the other plates set before me. There are types of sweet melons I have not seen since I came among the outlanders and cabbages that only grow in the high valleys outside Manass. My hostess watches, never speaking. “Dear lady, I must know. How did you obtain such delicacies? Such food could grace the table of a Khazari prince.” She bows slightly to acknowledge my compliment. “I have traveled many distant lands. Once you know of such foods, they are not hard to obtain.” I know this is not true, for I have tried and failed. Considerable magic is needed to gather these ingredients, still fresh, from the East. I carefully press my questions. “I am unworthy to ask, but I must know. Who are you that you are so kind to me?” She smiles, and by it I know her answer will not be the truth. “I am a simple benefactor of scholars. I have heard of you, even in distant lands.” “By what name shall I call you?” “None, for you will never see me after tonight.” “What is it you seek of me?” Her soft tones make me shiver, not with cold or fear, but excitement tinged with awe. My mysterious hostess rises calmly, as if not to alarm me. “You have worked for many years on a history of the eastern raiders-the Tuigan-and now you have finished it.” My throat goes dry, and I cannot swallow. “It is almost completed.” "Now you seek a patron to print your history. Tonight you visited Duke
Piniago.“ My replies grow softer as my caution returns. ”I made a bad judgment in doing so. The duke was not interested in my work.“ She laughs like water over stones. ”I understand he was all too interested, that it was you who said no. Some say you were rude to the duke, but from what I know of that boor, there must have been some cause.“ ”You have quick and accurate sources.“ I answer, wetting my mouth with a swallow of tea. ”It is true I refused the duke, but only because he wished to hide the work from others. My pride is my failing, great lady. I could not accept his terms, when others might gain some small knowledge from my work.“ She cocks an eyebrow at my claim. ”You care so strongly to spread learning, yet you are ready to quit and go back to your homeland.“ ”How do you know this?“ I carefully sidle away from her.