To Nerisa's enormous delight Safar blushed and attempted a stumbled answer"I… uh… don't go in for… that sort of thing. He recovered, saying, I made a fool of myself once. I hope I know better now."
Nerisa nodded, thinking, I knew it was a woman! A bad experience, obviously. She hated the woman who'd made Safar suffer. But she was also delighted that her rival, although probably beautiful and certainly more mature, had made a bad job of things.
"What happened to her? she asked.
"Who?"
"The woman in the bad experience."
Safar made a wry face. I didn't know I was being that obvious, he said. Then he shrugged, saying, Her name was Astarias. A courtesan I was fool enough to fall in love with. But she made it plain she had no intention of making a life with a potter's son. It seems she had grander plans which didn't include me."
As Nerisa was mulling this over Safar motioned for her to sit on the pile of old pillows and rugs that were the room's sole furnishings. She sank down and he joined her. She made herself look away as he sat, robes carelessly riding up over his long limbs.
"I suppose Katal gave you a bad time, Safar said, sliding away from the previous subject.
"What? said Nerisa, in a bit in a daze.
Safar smiled saying, After the, ah, large gentleman and his… friends left I believe you called the entire thing a, ah… misunderstanding?
"Well it was! Nerisa said. She saw with reliefand some disappointmentthat his robes had been properly tucked over his lap. I was trying to pay for it. But he thought I was a thief. Guess he didn't see the money in my hand."
"You must admit, Nerisa, Safar said, you have been known to engage in, shall we say, long term borrowing?"
Nerisa shrugged. It's how I live, she said. I know old Katal can't understand it. Maybe he thinks I've got a family someplace. And any day they'll come back and I can stop sleeping at the Foolsmire and be with my family again. But that isn't ever going to happen. So I steal. I'll stop when I don't have to anymore."
"I understand that, Safar said. It wasn't how I was raised, but I can see how things can be different in Walaria. I wish I could do something to help you. But I have a hard enough time helping myself."
"Oh, but you have helped me, Nerisa said with unintended passion. She calmed herself, took a breath, then, I mean, you show me your books. And teach me things out of them. It's almost like I'm a student myself. The only girI mean, woman student at the university."
Katal had given her reading and writing lessons, but her interest hadn't really been sparked until Safar had taken her under his intellectual wing. Nerisa was so bright and eager to please that she quickly caught on to everything he introduced her to.
Safar sighed. I've also tried to teach you logic, he said. Let's go back to your basic defense. Which was that as a poor orphan child you're forced to steal in order to live."
"That's true, she replied firmly.
"Very well, he said. I'll accept that. But pray tell me what did you find at that fat old knave's stall that was so important?"
"This, Nerisa said, softly, shyly pushing forward a small paper wrapped package. It's for you. It's a… present."
Safar's eyebrows shot up. A gift? You stole a gift? There was an edge to his tone, indicating that such an act was anathema to someone of honest rearing. But he was unwrapping the package just the same, saying, This isn't right, Nerisa. You shouldn't steal a gift. Hells, you shouldn't steal at all. But to think that I was responsible for…"
His voice trailed off as the wrapping fell back and the object was revealed.
It was a small stone turtle, black with age, stumpy legs arching from its shell. Its head stretched to the end of a long wrinkled neck, beaked jaws open as if the turtle were chasing a fish. All in all a charming toy for a child in some long ago day.
Safar's first jolt came as he realized the little object was no toy, but an ancient idol representing one of the turtle gods. Great care had been exercised in carving itthe detail so intricate the turtle seemed alive, as if it were in motion instead of a piece of stone at permanent rest. His second and decidedly greater jolt came when he saw the painting on the turtle's back. It was of a large green island, a jagged line of blue surrounding it to mark the seas that washed its shores. On that island was a huge red mountain, with a monster's face spewing painted flames from its mouth.
"Hadin, Safar breathed.
"You're always going on about it, Nerisa said, pleased at the awe she saw in his face. And you've shown me pictures in your books. When I spotted it I knew right away it was something you'd want. She shrugged. So I got it."
Safar was smiling and nodding, but from the absent stare in his eyes she doubted he'd heard a word. She fell silent, watching in fascination as his hand seemed to be drawn to the turtle as if it were a powerful lodestone. He twitched when his fingers met the stone, and his eyes widened in surprise.
"It's magical, he whispered.
He lifted the idol up, turning it about to study it from every angle. I wonder where it came from, he mused And how it got here."
Nerisa said nothing, realizing that Safar was only speaking his thoughts aloud. He was so absorbed in the turtle god she felt as if she were peeping through a window at a private moment.
His face cleared and he lit up the room with his smile. Thank you, Nerisa, he said, quite simply. I can never repay you for such a gift."
Then to her enormous, heart-stopping thrill he leaned over, put an arm about her shoulders and pulled her close. He kissed her lightly on the lips and she shuddered, excited and frightened at the same time. Then the moment ended and he drew away and she hated the tender brotherly look in his eyes.
To revenge herself she pointed at the turtle, saying, I stole it, remember? Are you sure you want to dirty your hands with it?"
"It doesn't matter, was all he said, voice so loving she forgave him.
And so she asked, What's it for?"
Safar shook his head. I don't know, he said. Whatever its purpose, it's definitely magical. I can feel it! He hesitated, thinking, then went on, I think it must be like a harp feels when a musician plucks a string. A sound resonates all through me."
"How do we find out what it does? she asked, casually including herself.
Safar frowned. I have to cast a spell to find out, he said, and I really shouldn't do anything with you here. Lord Umurhan doesn't approve of his acolytes performing magic in public. Actually, the penalty for discovery was immediate dismissal, but Safar didn't mention that.
"Oh, please! Please! Nerisa said. I've never seen magic done before."
Safar hesitated and she leaped into the gap. If you really want to thank me, she said, let me watch what you do. Please, it's important to me. I see the spells and stuff in the books you show me. And sometimes you explain it to me. But if I could see it for myself I'd understand it better."
Her lips curled into a twisted little grin. And you know I won't tell anybody. There's probably nobody in the world better at keeping their snapper snapped than me."
Safar was watching her closely the whole time she spoke. He'd liked her the first time they'd met at the Foolsmire nearly two years before. She'd have been ten summers old then, he thought. He'd been shocked to see a little girl living alone on the streets. Nothing like that would ever happen to any child in Kyrania. She was also amazingly bright. She had only to look at a page and she could turn away and recite every word exactly. Katal had told him she'd learned to read and write in less than two weeks. And whenever he corrected her speech she never made the same mistake again. Safar had not only found her easy to converse with but sometimes used her to test news ideas. No matter how complex the subject, he'd soon learned, if Nerisa didn't understand the fault was either because he didn't truly understand it himself or because he was putting the matter poorly.