Ten Crescent Moons (Moonquest) (9 page)

The snake
waved its head drunkenly from side to side, ready to strike. Then, it made its
move toward the one it must have viewed as the smallest and least threatening.

As its head
speared toward Zartos, Adalginza moved without hesitation to raise the steel
rod and slice the snake on its side, drawing blood.

The move
served only to anger the creature, which was what she intended. Diverted from
its more immediate prey, it lunged toward her.

Adalginza's
people knew well the next tactic she had planned. She had used it herself twice
before in her lifetime, once to save herself and once to save Bruna's child,
Calasta.

But no
amount of experience could make her relish the task at hand.

A shudder
shook her whole body as she watched the tongue twisting toward her, measuring
her, tasting her scent from the air. Then that movement was follow by the
gaping mouth, with hooked fangs aimed straight at her head.

It was at
this moment that she rammed the steel rod straight down the snake's throat,
taking care to avoid the pointed fangs and the venom they contained.

The snake
writhed in confusion, as it tried to disgorge the object.

Then, as it
raised itself up with its soft underbelly exposed, Kalos rushed forward and
stabbed his sword into scaled, reptilian flesh.

With the powerful
force of his muscled arm, Kalos ripped open the creature's skin as entrails
spewed like a bloody geyser.

Adalginza
leaped background, but Kalos continued to administer more pressure, to make
sure of his kill. The spray of blood and guts covered his arm, and sprinkled
the rest of his body and face with gore.

A horrible
sucking sound of air entering the snake's eviscerated corpse was the final
declaration of its death.

It plunged
forward, stretched limp and lifeless like a hurled rope that had missed its
target.

Adalginza
had to consciously remind herself to hold her place, to not step forward to
begin the ritual of skinning the valued hide that her people used for clothing.

Instead, she
hurled the metal pole to one side as a final gesture of defiance against the
despised creature.

"By the
saints and all that's holy!" Zartos declared, regarding both his uncle and
Adalginza with the same expression of rapt worship. "You are
both
great warriors! Uncle, you should give more consideration to this lady from the
Fifth House. Did you see how she fights? And she has the finest sturmons in all
the land. In fact, I think you should wed her!"

"So
should I wed her because she's a great warrior, or because she has fine
sturmons for you to ride?"

Kalos posed
the question dryly, as he used one free hand to pick snake entrails from his
shoulder.

He then
methodically picked some nearby dry grass blades, and began to clean himself
off. Finally, he swiped his gore-covered blade on some nearby tree moss.

Redolo was
propped against a rock, where she fanned herself with one hand. Otherwise, she
looked as calm as though the only problem she had recently been forced to
endure was the warm weather.

"You
are a mess, Kalos," she observed. "There was no reason to run your
sword all the way through that snake, and splatter yourself so thoroughly. The
Lady Adalginza had the matter well in hand. You were simply showing off."

Redolo straightened
then, and gestured toward the boy.

"Come
with me back to the courtyard. I have an urge for some more of that nectar. We'll
leave these two alone to clean up the clutter they've left here. "

"You're
not afraid of more snakes?" Adalginza asked.

"We've
been in the frontier long enough to know that snakes are very territorial,"
Redolo said. "There are never two adults in the same vicinity, unless it
is the mating season. We'll be safe enough."

"Let me
escort you anyway," Adalginza volunteered.

She knew,
though, from her own mind probe that Redolo was right. There would be no more
snakes appearing here on this night.

"I am
perfectly capable of finding my own way. I'm not an imbecile, even if I wasn't
raised in the frontier. Like you."

"I,
uh…" Adalginza was unsure whether the words from this harsh woman were
meant as a compliment or a criticism. Or both.

Lady Redolo took
her grandson's arm and started walking, but paused briefly in front of
Adalginza to examine her frankly.

"I
suppose that when a lady lives here she must learn skills that are fitting for
her survival. On the Prime Continent, those skills would include reciting
poetry or playing a musical instrument."

"That
seems reasonable," Adalginza agreed cautiously.

"Had
you been born on the Prime Continent and to a different House, Lady Adalginza,
I suspect you would have learned all that would be needed for your survival
regardless of what those skills might be. You have more facets than I first
suspected. I may have to give you more of my attention."

Kalos
muttered something under his breath, perhaps an expression of sympathy or
warning to Adalginza. But the words weren't loud enough for hearing.

"I
would be honored to share what I know of the frontier," Adalginza said.

"Indeed."
Redolo narrowed her eyes. "I'm sure you have escaped death many times
through the sharpness of your wit. Which reminds me. The bad water that killed
your clansmen on the trail. Did you drink it?"

"Not directly
from the stale pond, as they did. No."

"And
why not?"

Adalginza
noticed that Kalos now was only paying half attention to the cleansing of his
sword. He watched Adalginza carefully, keenly interested in her answer.

Zartos, on
the other hand, had retrieved the metal pole Adalginza had cast aside, and was
now distracted with poking and prodding the snake's carcass with an expression
of fascination.

"Because
I knew of these...parasites...you mentioned."

"So you
are educated?" Redolo's eyes narrowed again.

"About
such matters. Yes. I tried to warn my clansmen, but they would not listen to
me."

Adalginza
knew she had to tell as much of the truth as possible. And this was the truth.

She had barely
become acquainted with the newly arrived kinsmen of her supposed mother, Lady
Donzala, because they had died so soon on the trail to Sola Re.

Redolo shook
her head knowingly.

"They
would not listen because women of the Fifth House have no worth, except as
objects like a sword or a piece of jewelry. Your words, therefore, had no
worth. Tell me. How was it that you knew about the parasites in the water?"

Adalginza
hesitated, then dared again to tell the truth.

"I
learned from the savages. I knew to boil the stagnant water and then to
sterilize with powdered leaves of the undali plant."

At the shocked
silence that greeted her words, she hastily spoke again.

"As I
told you before, Sir Kalos, I played with the savages only when I was a child.
Much of what I know also was taught to me by the gnostic, Medosa. He himself picked
up much lore from the tribal shamans."

"A
gnostic? In the frontier?" Redolo's questioning was sharp. "You mean
the savages tolerated him?"

"For
many full seasons, yes. He was a teacher, but he also learned much from the savages.
He was known as the speaker of Truth. He lived near the Place of the Circles — before
the savages murdered him, along with my mother."

Kalos viewed
her with an expression of disbelief.

"A
gnostic taught you, even though you were a female from the House of the Fifth
Crescent Moon? Doesn't your House strictly forbid such a thing?"

"Yes."
Adalginza answered simply, because this also was the truth. "There were no
males from my clan in the abode where I grew up. Only me. And my mother."

Redolo
addressed her next words to Kalos.

"A
gnostic is always from the House of the Eighth Crescent Moon. Thus he would feel
compelled to teach the words of the saints to all who would listen, even to a
female of the Fifth House. And even though it violated the law. There was no male
of authority there to forbid it."

"Lady
Donzala was there," Kalos pointed out. "She had authority in the
absence of any male."

"My
mother was not in her right mind," Adalginza answered hastily. "She
did not know or care what the gnostic taught. As I said, Medosa taught everyone
who would listen. Even the children of the savages. This is part of the reason
why he was killed. He was thought to be tainting young minds with the doctrine
of the Crescent Moon Houses."

Being
scholars, Redolo and Kalos immediately launched into an eager discussion of
these revelations. A gnostic who was teaching the savages? What did they learn
from him? What did he learn in turn?

Was Benfaaro
one of his pupils? Who was Medosa, to risk his life in such a way?

They concluded
that perhaps Redolo could research and document his life, leading to
publication of their findings in one of the prestigious Journals of the Minds published
by the university of the Ninth House back home on the Prime Continent.

Adalginza
tried to follow their discussion, but quickly lost interest. Speaking of Medosa
reminded her only of the profound loss she felt.

The gnostic's
kindness had been real, just as Lady Donzala's love for her had been as
authentic as that of any real mother.

"Child,
there is something you need to know." Redolo spoke abruptly, directing
Adalginza's attention back to the conversation. "It is about your coloring."

"Mother!"
Placing his cleaned sword back into its scabbard, Kalos now stepped between the
two women. "What we discussed in private is not your place or duty to
reveal."

"She is
strong. I believe she has a right to know the truth. It is so obvious. Look at the
darkness of her skin."

"You do
not know what the truth is," Kalos said. "You are only guessing. And
through guessing, you will cause this young woman great pain. Maybe unnecessary
pain."

"But
she is not personally responsible for her mother's desires. Or madness."

"Then
do you think it is also worth mentioning that perhaps her mother's madness is
within her?"

"Now
who is being cruel? Such rudeness! To say such a thing in front of Lady
Adalginza!"

"No
more cruel than you, Mother."

Adalginza's
heart almost stopped beating with fear of discovery as the two of them so
casually discussed the matter of her heritage and mental state.

Mother and
son stood, their glares the only evidence of sparring that had now grown
silent.

"Very
well, I will hold my tongue," Redolo said at last. "I need
refreshment. And to get away from this snake stench. Zartos! Come with me!"

Redolo
grasped the boy's arm, half-dragging him away from the snake's corpse that so morbidly
absorbed him. They started down the trail toward the courtyard.

But Zartos
pulled free momentarily, to face Adalginza with a deeply somber expression. He
raised his hand briefly, in a formal salute.

"Thank
you for saving our lives."

"The
boy has better manners than any of us," Redolo said brusquely. "Please
be assured he has expressed my sentiments as well."

Then she again
grabbed his arm, and pulled him after her.

Adalginza
was left standing, alone, facing Kalos. An awkward silence ensued for a few
moments before he finally spoke.

"You
have won yourself two allies today," he said.

"Only
two?"

"I saw
along the trail that someone left bait and then cut the safety screen, to allow
the snake to enter. Was it you?"

"Why
would I do such a thing?"

"To become
the hero. To win my good opinion. How else would you know the snake was there?"

How indeed?

"I have
very good hearing," Adalginza replied.

"As do
I. And I heard nothing."

"Your
theory is ridiculous. It would be insane to put myself — and my guests — in
such danger."

"And
yet insanity is a curse of your bloodline."

 At least
this explained why he had so cruelly brought up the subject of madness in his previous
argument with his mother.

Kalos apparently
was convinced it was she, not Bruna, who had done something as unbalanced as
allowing a snake to invade the premises.

At the
thought of it, Adalginza suddenly, inexplicitly felt like slapping the captain.
But she reminded herself that his insult was meant for the woman who was
thought to be Lady Donzala's daughter. Not her.

So she
forced herself to answer thoughtfully and with great dignity.