We were high in
the pass through the Dandha Presh when the news arrived. The
grinding weariness dragging my ancient bones down slipped my mind.
I was at the head of the column. I stopped walking, moved aside,
watched all the tired mules and men trudge past. Man and animal, we
hoped the main force had not stripped Charandaprash of food and
fodder.
The Voroshk had sunk deep into exhaustion and despair. Tobo
traveled with them, talking all the time, trying to teach them
through their pain and apathy. The kids had not had to walk
anywhere ever before.
Their flying logs followed right behind.
Lady finally came up. I joined her. I sensed that rumor had
reached her already, even though nobody seemed to have any breath
to waste on conversation. Rumor is magical, maybe even
supernatural.
I told her anyway. “Runmust and Iqbal have captured
Narayan and Booboo. They never stopped heading our way after
Soulcatcher left off chasing them.”
“I heard.”
“You as nervous as I am?”
“Probably more.” We trudged along for a while. Then
she said, “I never got a chance to be a mother. I never got a
chance to learn how. After Narayan kidnapped her I just went back
to being me.”
“I know. I know. We have to keep reminding ourselves not
to get emotionally entangled in this. She isn’t going to
think of us as Mom and Dad.”
“I don’t want her to hate us. And I know she will.
Being the Daughter of Night is her whole life.”
I thought about that. Eventually, I told her, “Being the
Lady of Charm was your whole life once upon a time. But here you
are.”
“Here I am.” Her lack of enthusiasm would have
disheartened a lesser man than I.
She—and I—were of an age now where we spent too much time
wondering how things might have gone had we made a few different
choices.
I had plenty of regrets. I am sure she had more. She gave up so
much more.
Willow Swan went puffing past with some remark about old folks
slowing everybody down. I asked, “You guys keeping an eye on
Goblin?”
“He don’t fart without we don’t know about
it.”
“That goes without saying. The whole countryside
knows.”
“He’s not getting away with anything,
Croaker.”
I was not confident about that. Goblin was a slick little
bastard. If I had the time I would stay right beside him myself,
step for step.
Lady said, “Goblin hasn’t done anything
suspicious.”
“I know. But he will.”
“And that attitude is beginning to win him some sympathy.
I thought you ought to know.”
“I know. But I can’t help recalling One-Eye’s
warning, either.”
“You noted yourself that One-Eye would try to get his last
lick in from beyond the grave.”
“Yeah. Yeah. I’ll try to take it easier.”
“We need to move a little faster.” The rear guard
was almost up to us.
“We could lag behind and sneak off into the rocks for a
while.”
“Maybe you’re not as worn out as you thought, then.
Get a move on.” And after a moment, “We’ll talk
about that tonight.”
Some motivation, then.
We were high in
the pass through the Dandha Presh when the news arrived. The
grinding weariness dragging my ancient bones down slipped my mind.
I was at the head of the column. I stopped walking, moved aside,
watched all the tired mules and men trudge past. Man and animal, we
hoped the main force had not stripped Charandaprash of food and
fodder.
The Voroshk had sunk deep into exhaustion and despair. Tobo
traveled with them, talking all the time, trying to teach them
through their pain and apathy. The kids had not had to walk
anywhere ever before.
Their flying logs followed right behind.
Lady finally came up. I joined her. I sensed that rumor had
reached her already, even though nobody seemed to have any breath
to waste on conversation. Rumor is magical, maybe even
supernatural.
I told her anyway. “Runmust and Iqbal have captured
Narayan and Booboo. They never stopped heading our way after
Soulcatcher left off chasing them.”
“I heard.”
“You as nervous as I am?”
“Probably more.” We trudged along for a while. Then
she said, “I never got a chance to be a mother. I never got a
chance to learn how. After Narayan kidnapped her I just went back
to being me.”
“I know. I know. We have to keep reminding ourselves not
to get emotionally entangled in this. She isn’t going to
think of us as Mom and Dad.”
“I don’t want her to hate us. And I know she will.
Being the Daughter of Night is her whole life.”
I thought about that. Eventually, I told her, “Being the
Lady of Charm was your whole life once upon a time. But here you
are.”
“Here I am.” Her lack of enthusiasm would have
disheartened a lesser man than I.
She—and I—were of an age now where we spent too much time
wondering how things might have gone had we made a few different
choices.
I had plenty of regrets. I am sure she had more. She gave up so
much more.
Willow Swan went puffing past with some remark about old folks
slowing everybody down. I asked, “You guys keeping an eye on
Goblin?”
“He don’t fart without we don’t know about
it.”
“That goes without saying. The whole countryside
knows.”
“He’s not getting away with anything,
Croaker.”
I was not confident about that. Goblin was a slick little
bastard. If I had the time I would stay right beside him myself,
step for step.
Lady said, “Goblin hasn’t done anything
suspicious.”
“I know. But he will.”
“And that attitude is beginning to win him some sympathy.
I thought you ought to know.”
“I know. But I can’t help recalling One-Eye’s
warning, either.”
“You noted yourself that One-Eye would try to get his last
lick in from beyond the grave.”
“Yeah. Yeah. I’ll try to take it easier.”
“We need to move a little faster.” The rear guard
was almost up to us.
“We could lag behind and sneak off into the rocks for a
while.”
“Maybe you’re not as worn out as you thought, then.
Get a move on.” And after a moment, “We’ll talk
about that tonight.”
Some motivation, then.