Lialt’s headlong pace slowed somewhat, yet the grim look he had adopted did not tighten.
“I shall place the matter before Ceralt when he returns,” said he, in no manner comforted. “Her safety was given into my hands, and it is the place of the Pathfinder to know another who might walk the Snows. My brother shall not be as lenient as you, Tarla mine.”
No answer did the female make save a lowering of her head, and we continued through the village in silence. The chill of the fey had grown deeper with the rising of the wind, and as my hair blew about my arms, I attempted to understand where Mida’s light had gone. When I had first left my dwelling, the light had not yet reached its highest point, yet as I walked I saw that the light now lessened toward the darkness. No less than three hind had been lost in my visit to the white land, yet the passage of time had not been evident there. Strange was this thing, as strange as Lialt’s speaking of it, for the male had said, that I had “walked the Snows.” Perhaps the tracks I had seen were the paths he had previously spoken of, and he the chief tracker of the white lands. From the little he had said, I felt sure that not all were able to reach the land I had visited, and this I could find no reason for. I had reached the white land without effort, and where one may go, might not others thereafter follow? Confusion was high within me, and annoyance as well, for Lialt might have cleared the clouds from my understanding had he wished to.
We came quickly within easy sight of the lanthay enclosure, and a glance toward the males who yet stood within caused Tarla to draw her breath in sharply.
“Nearly had I forgotten,” said she to Lialt, her hand agrasp his arm. “Earlier, in the corral—Jalav was seen by Balinod. When he learned her identity, he smiled upon her openly, before the other riders!”
An amusing indignation and anger were in the girl’s tone, yet Lialt’s features darkened rather than lightened.
“Ceralt shall see to Balinod’s insolent manner,” said he, a grimness in the glance he sent me. “In this matter, he shall not find his High Rider willing to overlook his actions due to the blood we three share.”
“First Famira, now her brother Balinod,” said Tarla with a shake of her head. “A pity one cannot choose one’s blood relatives.”
“Indeed a pity,” nodded Lialt, his dourness only then lifting somewhat. He looked down upon Tarla, who walked by his side, and his arm moved to encircle her, a true fondness appearing on his features. Much gentle feeling did Lialt have for the small female, yet this gentleness had not loosened the grasp of his fingers upon my arm.
In no more than a hand of reckid farther, we again stood within the dwelling which was mine. At last was my arm released, yet the look given me by Lialt contained as much inflexibility as had his grip.
“You shall remain here till Ceralt’s return,” said he, his brows drawn down in deep disapproval. “There is little time left till you may be circled, and I shall suggest that you be kept within till that time comes.”
He began to turn away from me, prepared to leave, yet I could not allow matters to be left so. Though I burned with anger at his words, I pushed the anger from me and touched his arm to halt him.
“Lialt, I must know,” said I, speaking to him as though he were the equal of a warrior. “What is the meaning of the movement I saw, and why did it draw me so?”
Lialt turned again to face me, expressionlessness covering him, yet in a moment he nodded.
“Very well,” said he, his light eyes looking deep within me. “I shall have to school you at some time for your own protection, and perhaps this is the best way to begin. You saw, I wager, many paths upon the Snows, yet there was movement at no more than one or two points.”
The words were less question than statement, and at my nod, Lialt nodded as well.
“I know this only from memory of my own first walk,” said he, folding his arms upon his broad, leather-clad chest. “All paths have movement upon them in many places, yet much time must pass in study before one is able to see this. The movement is ever an event of importance, usually containing much violence, yet not always. The birth of a man of importance is shown as clearly as the death of a city. When one first begins his walks, only those events of great importance to the walker are perceived, should there be any. Many Pathfinders do not see themselves upon the Snows, for they are searcher only, never participating in the events which are shown them, yet you are yourself a child of the Snows, as Ceralt and I also seem to be. The movement you saw drew you because of your own presence in the event of importance, yet had you gone closer, you might not have known yourself in the seeing of it. The shadow you cast upon the Snows is that of the hadat, and Ceralt’s shadow is that of the lanthay. Of these two things I am sure, yet I am not yet sure of my own shadow. I think perhaps I am the revro, flying above all upon wings of vision, yet there is also a scaled sednet and a red flame bound about your doings. It is also possible that I am one of these. ”
Lialt paused, as though to give me opportunity to speak, yet there was naught I might speak of. That which I had been told contained much to be thought upon, and my silence, in some manner, gave the male satisfaction. Rather than pressing me for comment, he turned quietly and drew Tarla from the dwelling with him, leaving me to my thoughts. The warmth of the fire gave discomfort in the dwelling, therefore I removed the fur leg wrappings, then went to seat myself upon the lenga pelts before submerging myself in the words Lialt had spoken.
Surely no more than a hin passed before Tarla’s return, yet I paid her no mind as she removed her leg wrappings then took herself to the fire. Much had I thought upon the white land, and much did I wish to visit it again, this time seeing all there might be to be seen. I had come to understand that the white land was a part of Mida’s realm, a part that few were allowed a vision of. This, perhaps, was that which Mida wished me to see in the land of males, a thing which had been kept from Midanna yet was now to be made theirs. I would return with this knowledge to my home lands, and then would my sister warriors ride forth behind me, to first free the Hosta, and then wrench from these males the means by which the white land might be reached. Lialt I would carefully keep from death so that he might be made to speak of all he had learned upon his journeys, and then would I again go forth to study the movement I had seen. The call of the movement continued to burn within me, and something of urgency was now apparent in the call.
“Jalav, here is your vellin,” said Tarla from beside me, startling me with the unexpectedness of words and movement. She knelt beside the lenga pelt I sat upon, a cut of vellin upon a square of wood, held invitingly in her hands. Her eyes were unaccountably sad as I took the provender from her, and abruptly she could no longer keep her sadness within.
“Jalav, I feel your coming punishment as you do!” she blurted, putting a gentle hand to my cheek. “Ceralt shall be exceedingly cross with you, yet perhaps the weight of his arm might be lessened should you weep at first sight of the leather. I have been told by others that the ploy is sometimes effective, and I shall ask my elder sister what else you might do!”
The agitation in the female was great indeed, yet I, with my thoughts yet floating about the white land, knew not what she meant.
“Of what do you speak?” said I, examining the condition of the vellin. Tarla’s upset had happily spared the cut as much exposure to the fire as was usual with her, and the blood ran upon the wooden board in a most satisfying manner.
A moment of silence followed my query, and then Tarla’s hand withdrew from my cheek as she sighed heavily.
“Ah, Jalav,” said she, her eyes sad. “You pretend to unconcern, yet how may a woman be unconcerned with the anger of a man? Does she not see the anger upon his face, does she not feel the anger in the weight of his leather upon her? Lialt has said that Ceralt now deems you well enough to punish properly, and you shall not this time escape your due. I know you have been fearing Ceralt’s return, for I saw the deep preoccupation upon you as I entered earlier, yet perhaps he may be swayed from his purpose.” Here she hesitated, a bright flush coloring her cheeks as her voice lowered in embarrassment. “As you have already shared Ceralt’s furs, it would not be unseemly for you to beg his use of you before the punishment. I have heard it said that a man is gentle in his satisfaction, and generous after release. Perhaps he may then punish you only a little—if at all. ”