wonder how long Melora could continue to ride—and she herself was weary and saddle-worn almost to the point of dropping from her saddle—when Leeanne, riding ahead, turned back, held up her hand and called to Kindra, who rode quickly ahead to join her, while the others came to a gradual halt.
After a moment Kindra came riding back. “In the next ravine there is a water hole; and some rocks for shelter from the sun. We can lie there during the heat of the day.” As they followed her along the path Leeanne indicated, Kindra dropped back to ride beside Rohana and Melora.
“How is it with you, Lady?”
Melora’s attempt at a smile only stretched her mouth a little. “As well as I can hope for, mestra. But I don’t deny I shall be glad to rest a little.”
“So shall we all. I wish I could spare you this. But—” She sounded apologetic, and Melora gestured her to silence. She said, “I know perfectly well that you and yours have put your heads in jeopardy for me, and more. God forbid I should complain about whatever you must do for your safety and ours.”
Something about the words made Rohana’s breath catch in her throat. Melora had sounded, for a moment, almost precisely her old self: gracious, gentle, with the winning courtesy she had shown to her peers and inferiors alike. She spoke as she would have spoken when we were girls together in Dalereuth. Merciful Evanda, is there really any hope that one day she will be herself again, live out her life happy and free?
The water hole was a dull, glimmering sheet of water, less than twenty feet across; it looked pallid and unhealthy, but Kindra said the water was good. Behind it was a cluster of blackish-red, forbidding rocks, casting purple shadows on the sand, turning the omnipresent fluff of spicebush to a lavender shadow on the barren space. Even the shadow of the rocks made Rohana think more of snakes and scorpions than cool, inviting rest, but it was better than the burning glare of the Dryland sun at midday.
Rohana helped Melora to dismount, steadying her uneven steps. She guided her to a seat in the shadow of the rocks and went to lead her horse to the water, but Kindra stopped her. “Care for your kinswoman, Lady,” she said, taking the bridles of their horses, and, lowering her voice, “How does she, really?”
Rohana shook her head. “So far, she is managing. There is really no more I can say.” She knew perfectly well that anyone skilled in such matters would say that Melora should not ride at all. But Kindra knew that, too, and there was simply nothing to be done.
She said, “Are there any signs of pursuit?”
“So far, none,” said Leeanne, and Jaelle, who had slid down from her horse, came up to them, and stopped, shyly, at a little distance. She said, “How do you know we are not pursued, mestra?” She spoke the language of the mountain country with a faint accent, but understandably; and Kindra smiled at the child.
“I hear no sound of hooves with my ear to the ground; and there is no cloud of sand rising where men ride, within the distance my eyes can see.”
“Why, you are as good as Jalak’s best trackers, then,” said the little girl in wonder. “I did not know that women could be trackers.”
“Living in Shainsa, little lady, there is much you do not know about women.”
Jaelle said eagerly, “Will you tell me, then?”
“Perhaps when I have time; just for now, do you know enough about horses to know that these must be watered, and cooled?”
“Oh, I am sorry—am I delaying you? Can I help, then?”
Kindra handed the small girl the reins of the horse Melofa had ridden. “Walk him slowly back and forth, then, till his breathing quiets and the sweat is almost dry around his saddle. Then lead him to the water and let him drink what he will. Can you do that, do you think?”
“Oh, yes,” said Jaelle, and walked off, holding the horse’s reins. Kindra followed with Rohana’s horse, and Rohana stood, looking
After a moment Kindra came riding back. “In the next ravine there is a water hole; and some rocks for shelter from the sun. We can lie there during the heat of the day.” As they followed her along the path Leeanne indicated, Kindra dropped back to ride beside Rohana and Melora.
“How is it with you, Lady?”
Melora’s attempt at a smile only stretched her mouth a little. “As well as I can hope for, mestra. But I don’t deny I shall be glad to rest a little.”
“So shall we all. I wish I could spare you this. But—” She sounded apologetic, and Melora gestured her to silence. She said, “I know perfectly well that you and yours have put your heads in jeopardy for me, and more. God forbid I should complain about whatever you must do for your safety and ours.”
Something about the words made Rohana’s breath catch in her throat. Melora had sounded, for a moment, almost precisely her old self: gracious, gentle, with the winning courtesy she had shown to her peers and inferiors alike. She spoke as she would have spoken when we were girls together in Dalereuth. Merciful Evanda, is there really any hope that one day she will be herself again, live out her life happy and free?
The water hole was a dull, glimmering sheet of water, less than twenty feet across; it looked pallid and unhealthy, but Kindra said the water was good. Behind it was a cluster of blackish-red, forbidding rocks, casting purple shadows on the sand, turning the omnipresent fluff of spicebush to a lavender shadow on the barren space. Even the shadow of the rocks made Rohana think more of snakes and scorpions than cool, inviting rest, but it was better than the burning glare of the Dryland sun at midday.
Rohana helped Melora to dismount, steadying her uneven steps. She guided her to a seat in the shadow of the rocks and went to lead her horse to the water, but Kindra stopped her. “Care for your kinswoman, Lady,” she said, taking the bridles of their horses, and, lowering her voice, “How does she, really?”
Rohana shook her head. “So far, she is managing. There is really no more I can say.” She knew perfectly well that anyone skilled in such matters would say that Melora should not ride at all. But Kindra knew that, too, and there was simply nothing to be done.
She said, “Are there any signs of pursuit?”
“So far, none,” said Leeanne, and Jaelle, who had slid down from her horse, came up to them, and stopped, shyly, at a little distance. She said, “How do you know we are not pursued, mestra?” She spoke the language of the mountain country with a faint accent, but understandably; and Kindra smiled at the child.
“I hear no sound of hooves with my ear to the ground; and there is no cloud of sand rising where men ride, within the distance my eyes can see.”
“Why, you are as good as Jalak’s best trackers, then,” said the little girl in wonder. “I did not know that women could be trackers.”
“Living in Shainsa, little lady, there is much you do not know about women.”
Jaelle said eagerly, “Will you tell me, then?”
“Perhaps when I have time; just for now, do you know enough about horses to know that these must be watered, and cooled?”
“Oh, I am sorry—am I delaying you? Can I help, then?”
Kindra handed the small girl the reins of the horse Melofa had ridden. “Walk him slowly back and forth, then, till his breathing quiets and the sweat is almost dry around his saddle. Then lead him to the water and let him drink what he will. Can you do that, do you think?”
“Oh, yes,” said Jaelle, and walked off, holding the horse’s reins. Kindra followed with Rohana’s horse, and Rohana stood, looking
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