servant and did not sin against You. Guide me—tell me what to do.”
She was silent.
“Tell me what to do. I am alone, without a band. You have called my old guardian Tal to You, but I cannot follow him to Your side. What shall I do? Speak to me, please.”
I kept praying in that way until I grew so weary I could not rise from the couch. Curling up on my side, I clung to the soft red cloth, still pleading.
An invisible hand reached out and touched my face. A form took shape, and I saw that an aspect would appear to me. I was on the couch, but no longer in the shrine. The Lady had taken my soul, through Her magic, to a smaller, darker room.
She moved closer to me and touched my face once more, then drew back. “What is it you want?” Her hair was blond and Her tunic white; Her eyes were the wintry gray of Tal’s eyes. “Why do you call Me?”
I told my story again, and She was silent. Then She said, “Wait,” and stepped back. I could see Her more clearly; the body under Her clothing was slight and unformed. She lifted Her hands to the circlet on Her head and faded from sight.
I stared into blackness until another voice spoke, a lower voice, but still soft and musical. Somehow, I felt that I had heard this voice before.
“You seek My guidance,” this voice said. Another manifestation of the Lady appeared; Her hair was auburn, Her voice kind. “You say that you are alone. I can help you. Your guardian Tal is with Us, and I have decided to call you to Me as well. Go to the southernmost side of our enclave’s wall, to where Tal entered, and wait there before the door you will see. You will be allowed to enter and will find your guardian again. Spend the day before you approach My city purifying yourself in a shrine. You are a strong boy, and I believe you will overcome the dangers of your journey. If I do not behold you within fourteen nights, I shall send your guardian from Me.”
My joy unbalanced me. I should have abased myself and offered thanks. Instead, my mind cried out, “Why did You punish those on the plateau? They were not all evil—the man called Bint prayed often and was Your true servant. The boys could not have been evil—they were only children. Could You not have punished the evil ones while sparing the good?”
She drew back and Her eyes narrowed; She seemed almost to be sorrowing for the condemned men. Then She said, “Men are tainted. When their sin grows larger than their virtue, and they must be punished, there can be no mercy. The Lady, Who gives life to men, may take it. Those who live with evil will be struck down as surely as the evildoers themselves. It is ordained that you shall wander the world in bands, but those men sought to unite themselves against the Lady’s aspects. That cannot be allowed. Remember that.”
She turned Her face from me and covered Her eyes, then looked up. “I send you a visitation,” She said, “so that you will know you are blessed. The Goddess be with you.”
She disappeared and another took Her place. This aspect was naked, Her hair was black, and Her brown eyes were rimmed with gold. Her hands drew away my clothing as Her fingers caressed me.
“Come to Me,” She said, and I held Her. She guided my hands to Her body, and this was part of the magic of Her blessing—that She seemed to take pleasure from my touch as well as giving pleasure to me. My member swelled, and I felt Her breath on my ear as I entered Her, and was one with Her as I felt release.
She disappeared, and slowly I came to myself. My muscles ached, and my groin felt sticky and wet. I had been called, and the Lady had blessed me. I opened my eyes; I was in the shrine again.
A man and a boy were kneeling at the altar. As they stood up, they turned to look at me. I struggled to sit up. Their furry hoods were thrown back, showing their black, frizzy hair. Their broad faces were much alike and their skin was as dark as Arrow’s. I felt sorrow again as I remembered that Arrow
She was silent.
“Tell me what to do. I am alone, without a band. You have called my old guardian Tal to You, but I cannot follow him to Your side. What shall I do? Speak to me, please.”
I kept praying in that way until I grew so weary I could not rise from the couch. Curling up on my side, I clung to the soft red cloth, still pleading.
An invisible hand reached out and touched my face. A form took shape, and I saw that an aspect would appear to me. I was on the couch, but no longer in the shrine. The Lady had taken my soul, through Her magic, to a smaller, darker room.
She moved closer to me and touched my face once more, then drew back. “What is it you want?” Her hair was blond and Her tunic white; Her eyes were the wintry gray of Tal’s eyes. “Why do you call Me?”
I told my story again, and She was silent. Then She said, “Wait,” and stepped back. I could see Her more clearly; the body under Her clothing was slight and unformed. She lifted Her hands to the circlet on Her head and faded from sight.
I stared into blackness until another voice spoke, a lower voice, but still soft and musical. Somehow, I felt that I had heard this voice before.
“You seek My guidance,” this voice said. Another manifestation of the Lady appeared; Her hair was auburn, Her voice kind. “You say that you are alone. I can help you. Your guardian Tal is with Us, and I have decided to call you to Me as well. Go to the southernmost side of our enclave’s wall, to where Tal entered, and wait there before the door you will see. You will be allowed to enter and will find your guardian again. Spend the day before you approach My city purifying yourself in a shrine. You are a strong boy, and I believe you will overcome the dangers of your journey. If I do not behold you within fourteen nights, I shall send your guardian from Me.”
My joy unbalanced me. I should have abased myself and offered thanks. Instead, my mind cried out, “Why did You punish those on the plateau? They were not all evil—the man called Bint prayed often and was Your true servant. The boys could not have been evil—they were only children. Could You not have punished the evil ones while sparing the good?”
She drew back and Her eyes narrowed; She seemed almost to be sorrowing for the condemned men. Then She said, “Men are tainted. When their sin grows larger than their virtue, and they must be punished, there can be no mercy. The Lady, Who gives life to men, may take it. Those who live with evil will be struck down as surely as the evildoers themselves. It is ordained that you shall wander the world in bands, but those men sought to unite themselves against the Lady’s aspects. That cannot be allowed. Remember that.”
She turned Her face from me and covered Her eyes, then looked up. “I send you a visitation,” She said, “so that you will know you are blessed. The Goddess be with you.”
She disappeared and another took Her place. This aspect was naked, Her hair was black, and Her brown eyes were rimmed with gold. Her hands drew away my clothing as Her fingers caressed me.
“Come to Me,” She said, and I held Her. She guided my hands to Her body, and this was part of the magic of Her blessing—that She seemed to take pleasure from my touch as well as giving pleasure to me. My member swelled, and I felt Her breath on my ear as I entered Her, and was one with Her as I felt release.
She disappeared, and slowly I came to myself. My muscles ached, and my groin felt sticky and wet. I had been called, and the Lady had blessed me. I opened my eyes; I was in the shrine again.
A man and a boy were kneeling at the altar. As they stood up, they turned to look at me. I struggled to sit up. Their furry hoods were thrown back, showing their black, frizzy hair. Their broad faces were much alike and their skin was as dark as Arrow’s. I felt sorrow again as I remembered that Arrow
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