See Chapter One (A) for Disclaimers

Chapter Three

"Shhhh . . . Papa's asleep, we mustn't wake him," Ari whispered, leading Tao into the room where his friend lay.  Despite the events of earlier, it was still a jolt for Tao to see Dar unconscious on the pallet where he had been placed.  But, his color did seem better, and he seemed to have an easier time breathing.

"We won't wake your papa or my friend.  I just want to see how he is," Tao told the little girl.  The stab wounds had begun to heal . . . they hadn't just been cleaned, much to his shock, but they had begun to heal, as well.  How was that possible?  Unless . . . ?

Ari said softly, "My mama takes care of our people.  When they are hurt or sick, they go to her.  She's making your friend better."  She looked up at Tao and smiled so brilliantly, the young scholar found himself wondering how a sorceress could produce something like this child.

"She's a Healer, not a sorceress.  She takes the pain into herself, and heals the wounds of our warriors," the husky voice of Carrin's consort said.  Tao turned to face the older man, who added, "And when it's time for a woman to give birth, my queen is at her side.  There's no need to fear her.  She will not harm your friend."

"I never thought she might . . . but we've had encounters with a Terron sorceress.  Your queen uses her magic, her gifts, to the good of her people and those she loves.  Not everyone can say that," Tao told the man.  Gereon nodded and Tao added, "I've noticed that there are many in your tribe who do not look like each other, especially the young parents.  Is there adoption?"

"You might say that.  About thirty-five years ago, a great plague swept through the Varoni.  It killed all of the children under the age of fifteen, and rendered all of the adults of childbearing years unable to have children.  The Varoni took drastic actions . . . they began capturing children in wars.  Or . . . abducting them from villages," Gereon said.

He added bleakly, "I was one such child.  As was Carrin.  She was brought to this tribe when she was a little older than our daughter, and our chieftain took her as his own daughter.  She was one of the lucky ones.  Her new parents loved her, and in time, she came to love them."

Tao shuddered and Gereon sighed, adding, "I'm sorry.  Ari, it's almost time for the evening meal . . . why don't you take our guest to the Great Hall?  I'm sure he's hungry, and as soon as your mother awakens, I'll join you both there.  I'm sure my queen will wish to check on our other guest."

Tao hated to admit it, but he was hungry, and he was sure the ferrets probably were as well.  Then again, they were always hungry.  Ari answered, "Yes, Papa.  He will be all right, won't he?"  The little girl seemed very anxious, and Tao realized with a start that she meant Dar.

"Of course, little one.  Your mother rarely loses someone she's healing.  Now, go . . . he has improved, I think, but he still needs his sleep.  One of us will watch over him, I promise," Gereon said, glancing from his daughter to Tao.  The scholar nodded . . . he needed food, but he also wanted to make sure Dar would be all right.  He silently promised himself that he would come back, after he had eaten, and stay with Dar for a time.

~*~*~*~

Gereon had been right . . . the rest did Carrin good.  She was vaguely hungry, but would tend to the needs of her body later.  For now, she wanted to see about the young man who bore her brother's name.  She knew it couldn't be her baby brother.  It was happenstance that another had his name.

Carrin rose to her feet and left the chambers she shared with her husband and consort.  Oh, she was still weary . . . such intense healing always left her more exhausted than a few hours sleep could erase.  But the sleep did alleviate her exhaustion, and she had to see what else she could do for their mysterious guest.

Gereon was sitting in almost the same position as when she had left, and he smiled, holding out his hand to her.  She took it, and Gereon pulled her onto his lap, saying, "I think he's improved, love . . . his color is better, and he seems to be breathing much easier."

Carrin kissed her husband, asking, "How long did you sleep, love?" Gereon looked at her in astonishment, and Carrin laughed, continuing, "Gereon, I've known you for twenty years.  Of course I'll know when you've been asleep!" She cupped his face in her hands.  She loved him so much, and when she allowed herself to stop and think about it, it still seemed amazing to her that he had asked for her hand.

"Well, then you also know when I'm hungry . . . although, at the moment, I'm more concerned with what kinds of mischief our daughter will get Tao into," Gereon observed and Carrin laughed aloud.  Yes, their Ari had a habit of getting herself into predicaments.

"The question, love, isn't whether Ari will get Tao into some kind of mischief, but how long it will take her to do so.  As well as what kind, and how much deeper he gets them into mischief.  He seems like someone whom trouble finds, regardless of his intentions," Carrin answered.  She had known people like that in both of her tribes.

"Hmmmm.  Sounds like someone else I know," Gereon said dryly and Carrin laughed softly.  She kissed him again, a long lingering kiss, and he groaned against her mouth.  As ever, the amount of power she had over him overwhelmed Carrin.  Gereon muttered, "You are trying to drive me mad, woman, I know you are.  I should go, while I still can."

"Only for now, love," Carrin answered with an impish grin, "only for now.  But see about our daughter and able- bodied guest, and I'll see to this young man."  Gereon nodded, kissed her forehead, and Carrin rose to her feet, allowing Gereon to stand.  He kissed her hand, then left the room.  Carrin turned her attention to the unconscious young man lying only a few yards away.

She knelt at his side, murmuring, "Well now . . . let's see."  Carrin placed her knuckles alongside either cheek, then his forehead, frowning thoughtfully.  That was passing strange . . . his fever had broken.  He was still unconscious, but his fever had broken.

"How can this be?" she murmured.  "His fever hadn't even spiked.  I didn't give him any herbs, and we didn't put cold cloths on him.  How is it possible that his fever came down in just a few hours?" Yes, she had known fevers to break quickly, but those came from natural illness, not from wounds received in battle.

"Greetings, Queen of the Varoni," a familiar voice said.  Carrin spun around, almost losing her balance in the process.  Her eyes widened and she started to lower her forehead to the ground, but her visitor said, "No, no . . . I know this is unexpected, but I wanted to see you."

"What may I do for you, Curupira?" Carrin asked the blonde-haired guardian spirit respectfully.  While the goddess Curupira, and her mother, the Mother Goddess Pelagia, had looked after the Varoni tribe for as long as Carrin could remember, it was usually Pelagia who appeared to them.  Curupira was often in the forests with her beasts.

"I came about the BeastMaster.  You were wondering how his fever came down, yes?" Curupira asked and Carrin nodded.  She didn't ask how the goddess knew, and Curupira went on, "I healed him.  Oh, now don't be foolish, Carrin.  What I can take, I can also give.  And you've always been a favorite of mine, ever since you were a child."

Carrin had almost forgotten about her first meeting with the goddess, back while she was still with her own tribe.  She said softly, "That was many years ago, goddess.  And I was a child."  It had also been the last time she had seen her brother, or anyone else from her tribe.

"You were a courageous, determined child.  You decided that you would lead the hunters away from your brother, and you did so.  At the cost of your own freedom, and almost at the cost of your very life.  Your father would have been proud of you.  Both of them," Curupira answered.

Carrin said hoarsely, "He is named Dar, this BeastMaster of yours.  He's around the same age as what my little brother would have been.  He has the same name.  Is there any . . . how is it possible that two men, around the same age, have the same name?  I was told that my entire tribe was wiped out by the Terrons, as so many others were."

The young goddess actually seemed uncomfortable, and Curupira answered, "I can only bring the dead back to life sometimes, Carrin.  And I cannot answer your questions.  What do you believe happened to your brother and the rest of the tribe?  What do you believe happens to anyone who stands against the Terrons?"

A half-laugh broke from Carrin, and she replied, "If my little brother stood against the Terrons three years ago, then he was killed.  I know my brother . . . on the last night I saw him, he wouldn't run.  He wouldn't leave me, until I reminded him that someone had to warn the village.  He was only three years old, and even if he survived the forest that night, he wouldn't have survived the Terrons."

In her heart of hearts, Carrin had begun to hope that this young man, with her brother's name, was her brother.  That somehow, her treasured little brother had survived the Terrons' brutality.  Curupira put her hand on Carrin's shoulder and said softly, "Miracles do happen, Queen of the Varoni.  But it's not my place to tell you."

Carrin managed a smile and answered, "I know, Goddess.  I know.  What brings you here?  You don't often venture outside the forest, unless there is a particular reason."  Curupira looked at the unconscious man, and Carrin added, "Oh.  Of course, how foolish of me.  I apologize."

"No need.  I rarely have much to do with humans.  With only a few exceptions, I want nothing to do with your kind.  My BeastMaster is an exception, as are you.  Has his companion driven you insane yet?  He talks a great deal, and I do not always know what he says," Curupira observed.

Carrin grinned and answered, "I have actually spent very little time with Tao, and he did us the favor of staying out of our way when we rescued the BeastMaster.  My daughter has spent more time with him."  Now Curupira grinned, her bright blue eyes lighting up with laughter.

"I have no doubt that the Scholar will entertain the little princess.  I must go now.  Ruh will take care of you, as long as the BeastMaster is here.  He knows the difference between the innocent and the guilty," Curupira told her.  Carrin looked at the tiger, who had settled beside the young man.  And she had the strangest sense that he knew what was in her heart.  Of the fear and the dying hope.

But before she could say so to the goddess, Curupira disappeared.  Carrin looked back at Ruh, observing, "She comes and goes like the wind.  Much like the animals, no?  Ruh . . . that means 'headstrong.' My father . . . my Sula father taught me that, many years ago.  When I learned that I was with child, I thought of naming my son 'Ruh.' But I have my Ari instead."

She didn't speak of the other child, the child who had been lost to her twelve years earlier.  Ruh just stared at her, and Carrin went on, "I suppose humans talk to you in their own language all the time, don't they?  I sometimes wish I could communicate with the beasts, as your friend does.  I wish I could hear what you're thinking."

Ruh answered with a gutteral sound, which was neither a growl nor a roar.  It didn't even qualify as a purr.  But Carrin sensed that Ruh was sympathizing.  She didn't know why she thought that, until the great tiger rose to his feet with a yawn.  Carrin laughed in spite of herself.

Ruh padded over to her side, so that his sleek body was parallel to that of his unconscious human friend.  He sat down again and lay his head in her lap.  Carrin laughed again, adding, "You can be tame when you wish, Ruh.  You love him very much, don't you?"

Ruh answered as he had before, and Carrin said softly, "I sometimes wonder, if it's possible to communicate without words.  I know it can be done between two humans, but a human and an animal?  And now, I wonder even more, because I feel that you are trying to tell me something."

She stroked the tiger's mane, drawing purrs from the animal, and murmured, "You know, I had seen Curupira kill with her kiss . . . saw her drain the very breath from someone who had been killing animals for sport.  And after he saw it, my foster father forbade the killing of animals for sport.  Hard lesson to learn.  I never thought of her being able to heal with a kiss, too.  Foolish, I know.  But I can be foolish at times."

Carrin sighed and looked back at the unconscious BeastMaster.  She said, "The fever has broken, thanks to Curupira.  I don't pretend to understand how she was able to do that, since my own healing abilities are limited to healing actual wounds.  But she is a goddess, and I a human.  Still, even without a fever, I have no way of knowing when he will awaken."

(continued)

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