Chapter 63

We like to pretend that all is sweetness and light, that evil is merely misunderstanding or lack of knowledge, and wrongdoing is based on desperation and lack, but in reality, life is far more complicated than that. The Sundering War happened because the Elder Ones forgot that sometimes darkness twists in the hearts of those who were knowledgeable, and knew exactly what they were doing, and certainly were not in need or lacking anything.

You cannot necessarily stop darkness from growing in the hearts of people, greed from making others choose the wrong, vengeance and anger. What you can do is be aware that these run through the world and keep yourself safe from others’ darkness. This class is geared towards teaching you the techniques to gain safety, both magical and other practical techniques. The final examination will be to put you in a position where you have to use these techniques to protect yourself from a variety of active threats. Passing this will guarantee you can use your Goosequill for maximum practical benefit.

Self Protection: Introductory Class Lecture, Glenna Reedholder, Instructor, Goosequill Motherhouse

Violetta Greenleaf followed behind the Shrine Mother, riding next to Xhindi. “I take it you know this woman well. She’s not another one of your relatives, is she?”

Xhindi shook his head. “No, not directly, anyway. She merely had mercy on a young and confused Jinn man when he was having a bad time in life and helped him get his feet on the ground, just one of the Called who had been assigned to work at the shrine.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “One day, I’ll have to tell you the tales of my misspent youth, especially the days after my father sent me out of the house and my sister received the calling. Growing up was hard.”

“Isn’t it always?” she said. “But yes, I’d be interested in hearing more about them if we have time.”

“He’s not the only one with stories to tell,” Ruath said. “Compared to me, he had it easy.”

“We all have painful life paths,” Ashira said. “And even now, Mistress Violetta is going through her own story. I suggest we pay attention to the here and now instead of dwelling upon our past. Important things are riding on it.”

Ruath muttered something, but dropped back a bit and took the rear position.

They rounded the curve in the road and ran into a small group of men heading out of the Freehold.

Xhindi rode up to the Shrine Mother. “So Tasmin is still around?” he asked. “I thought Zethan had sent him packing.”

“He did,” the Shrine Mother said. “But he was one of the first back when Zethan passed, almost before the funeral was over. Since then, he has become young Venthies’ close confidant.” Her tone let Xhindi know she did not approve.

Tasmin, spotting the Shrine Mother and the others, left his two men leading a small string of laden oxen, and rode his gryphon over. He gave the Shrine Mother an oily smile.

“How rare to see you outside of the Freehold, Shrine Mother,” he said.

She nodded at him. “Almost as rare seeing you visit the Shrine, Tasmin of the West Stonehammers.”

He shrugged. “My new duties keep me busy, Lady. Ventheis has great plans. And business must be seen to.”

“I see,” the Shrine Mother said. “Off to Emyri, perhaps? The caravans should be arriving about the time you could get there.”

He gave her a rather smarmy smile. “Alas, you will not be missing me that long, Shrine Mother. I merely go to the crossroads, where we will be meeting up with our partners. I do not think Lord Ventheis would like it if I was gone for that long.” Turning his head to the others following the Shrine Mother, he looked them each over, and focused on Xhandi. “It’s been some time, Xhandi. It’s been a while since we were both in Aufzee’s Freehold at the same time.”

Xhindi tipped his head in reply. “It has indeed, although that’s not by design, Tasmin. I come and go as the trade brings me.”

“When you’re not letting that sister of yours getting you to chase ghosts across the whole of the Gray Lands,” Tasmin said.

“I wouldn’t say doing the work of the Called is chasing ghosts,” Xhindi said quietly. “I merely do my own calling.”

“Bah,” Tasmin said, spitting. “I learned a long time ago that there are other ways for Jinn l to live, with no smoke and fire involved. Profitable ways. Come and see me if you get tired of it. I can always use a man as hardheaded as you to take care of business.”

Ashira began to say something, but Xhindi lifted a hand to quiet her. “If that day comes, I will remember your offer,” he said.

Tasmin nodded. “And take care. I suspect you won’t find the Freehold the same place this trip as the last time you breezed through. No private deals. If you have any stones to trade, be sure to take them to the Assay Office. Lord Ventheis has made that very clear. Wouldn’t want you to lose that hard head of yours for a few silvers. Plenty of men in the Freehold would be happy to set something up, and turn you in for a cut of the profits. Not the place you remember.”

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He tugged on the reins of his mount and rode off to join his men.

The knot of people gathered around the Shrine Mother watched as he left.

“For some reason,” Violetta said softly, “I suddenly feel dirty.”

“You’re not the only one,” Ashira said. She soothed her mount, who was also feeling unhappy at events and pawing at the ground.

“He has that effect on people touched by the Mother’s grace,” the Shrine Mother said. “Let’s ride on to the shrine. There, we can wash off his stench.”

>>>>>>>>>>>>>> <<<<<<<<<<<<<<

In Pixie Hollow, Gan, her washing day interrupted once again, gave into the inevitable, and walked inside her house, beckoning the others to follow.

“So you need to talk to me about the excitement in the field this morning, Tree Shepherd?” she said as she stirred up the fire and put the tea kettle on to heat. “I take it something about what happens has you bothered.”

“Yes,” Cullin answered simply as he stood in the doorway.

“Well then, come in and have a seat. It’s hard to have a discussion just standing there,” Gan said, adding a little more wood to burn under the kettle. “And you’re blocking Leila from coming in.”

Almost sheepishly, as if he was just realizing what he was doing, Cullin gave Gan a nod, and walked in, heading towards the table. Three pixies lifted up as he pulled out a chair and headed for the rafters.

Rufus pulled off his cap as he landed and glared at Cullin. “What’s he doing here? He almost stepped on me when the monster ran across the field this morning, and all I was doing was minding my own own business.”

“More like teasing the goats,” Cowslip said. “Once again. One day, one of the nannies is going to eat you.”

Cullin looked up and shrugged. “Goat threw you. Don’t blame me.”

Gan, by now familiar with her pixie houseguests, ignored the banter.

Leila, as usual, was more sensitive to the emotions in the room and decided to change the subject as she walked in. “It always smell so good in here,” she said. “I don’t know how you do it.”

Gan stood up in front of the fireplace, and lifted the lid off of a big pot, giving the contents a stir. “You do manage to get here before lunch a lot of the time. It’s always going to smell tasty that time of the day.”

“I guess that’s true. But you’re such a good cook. I can’t help myself.” She sighed. “It’s so much better than the food the woodwives cook for me.”

Bu flew in through the open window. “Is it lunch yet? That smells so good.”

“No, you silly thing,” Moxie said. She flittered off of Gan’s shoulder and flew to the little man. “Mistress Gan hasn’t even put the bread on to bake yet.” She pointed to where a bread pan rested on the counter, covered with a cloth.

“Moxie’s right,” Gan said, getting up and walking to the cabinet to take out her tea things. “It’ll be a while yet. Cullin and I am going to have a talk about this morning. You’ll probably get totally bored, Bu. Why don’t you find where Rob is working?”

The little man looked quite disappointed, sighed, but nodded, and flitted out of the window, just as Morvran landed on the window sill.

“Does she know?” he asked, pecking on the frame work.

Dahlia drifted over to him. “Stop that!” she said, crossing her arms and glaring at him.

“Yes, please do,” Gan said, spooning tea into her pot. “Do I know what?”

“That’s what I came,” Cullin said.

Gan waited for a moment for Cullin to continue, but he didn’t. She looked at him. He seemed to be struggling to find the words he wanted.

“It has to do with what happened in the field?” she said.

“More than that,” Leila said. “Salvange the Woodwose who lives in Cullin’s forest, has a boar bigger than a horse, as a pet. Somehow or other, he got through the barrier and fence and ran into your field this morning. Salvange blames your goats for teasing White Tusk, but he shouldn’t have been able to cross the barrier. Only Cullin can give beings in his forest permission to cross the barrier.”

“How do you get across it so often?” Rosebud asked.

“The same way you do: we have permanent permissions,” Leila said. “A lot of those who have Aos Si shape do. But few who don’t do. And White Tusk is very much on the do not list.”

Seamus flew over to where Morvran was still sitting on the window sill.

“The answer is still no, feather monger,” the raven said.

“No, I wasn’t going to ask that. You don’t have a Aos Si form. How do you get to go back and forth?”

“A moment of weakness,” Cullin said.

“Is that what you call it?” the raven croaked. “I always thought it was because you were hoping I’d fly away for good.”

Leila tried hard not to giggle at that one, and covered her mouth. Gan smiled as well, but grabbed the tea kettle off of the fire to finish making her tea.

“I never told you that,” Cullin said. “You’re the one who told me you were bored and wanted to see what was beyond the barrier.”

“That still doesn’t explain why you need to talk to me,” Gan said. She poured the steaming water over the tea, much to Moxie’s satisfaction, then placed cups in front of Cullin and Leila, and at her seat.

“The barrier has stood with no failures since Lady Sulis brought me to the forest as caretaker, and I don’t know how long it was up beforehand,” Cullin began as Gan poured him a cup of tea. He stared deeply into the liquid.

“Someone came onto your farmland and did something that relaxed the barrier in one small area,” Leila said.

“That sounds like a skilled and powerful bit of magic,” Gan said. “But why?”

“It smelled sour, the air there, like someone poured vinegar on soot, but there was nothing except some broken fencing to see,” Cullin said. “I checked other parts of the barrier and it seemed fine.”

“Hmm,” said Gan as she poured Leila’s and then her own tea. “That explains, a tiny bit, the how, but nothing about the why.”

“White Tusk in a rage is very destructive,” Cullin said. “If he had crossed the field and reached your house…”

“We wouldn’t be here drinking tea,” Leila said, lifting up her cup. “But was that their goal?”

“Maybe they’re Pixie rustlers,” Moxie said.

“I don’t know why anybody would want to do that to me,” Gan said. “although they would have found it harder to tear up my home than they think. Don’t worry, Moxie. No Pixie rustlers can get through my protections.” She turned back to Cullin. “You’re not the only one who has barriers. Nobody who wishes me or those with me ill can enter the area near the house or barn.”

Cullin visibly relaxed at that. “Lady Sulis herself asked me to keep an eye on you,” Cullin blurted out. “She didn’t tell me how good you were at taking care of yourself.”

This time, Gan reached out and patted the Tree Shepherd on the hand. He met her eyes, rather surprised. “People have a tendency to underestimate me. But I was well trained by the Goosequills and that includes being prepared for all sorts of things. Still,” she said, finally taking her chair, “I may have some unfriends, but as far as I know, I don’t have any real enemies.”

“Maybe it’s not you directly that they’re aiming at,” Leila suggested. “Maybe they’re trying to build a wedge between you and the people of the forest? Maybe between Lady Elaine and Cullin?” She rubbed her chin. “Or maybe they just wanted to try out their new magic?”

“Some people are just meanies,” Rosebud said, nodding.

“Well,” Gan said. “Maybe we should go over to where the barrier failed. I might have a trick or two that’ll give us a clue about who was there.”