Read Online DemonWars Saga Volume 1 by R. A. Salvatore - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: R. A. Salvatore
Tags: Fiction, Fantasy, Epic, dark fantasy, FICTION / Fantasy / General, Collections & Anthologies, Science Fiction/Fantasy
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be controlled.
He was not surprised; his lip didn't quiver.
"Pray tell me, Master Siherton, was it peaceful?" he heard himself ask.
Master Jojonah was glad to hear the sympathetic question. Avelyn's lack of initial response to the news that his mother had died had lent credence to Siherton's complaints. "The messenger said that she died in her sleep,", Jojonah interrupted.
Master Siherton eyed his peer sternly, considering the lie, for the messenger, a young boy, had only delivered news of the death and had offered no details surrounding it. Master Jojonah hadn't even conversed with the messenger.
In a rare display of sympathy, with Jojonah glaring at him out of the corner of his brown eye, Siherton let it go.
Avelyn nodded, accepting the news.
"You will want to leave at once," Siherton offered, "to join your father at your mother's gravesite."
Avelyn stared at him incredulously.
"Or you may choose to stay," Jojonah put in immediately, seeing the lure.
If Avelyn left St.-Mere-Abelle for any reason, he would have to wait until the following year to enter. His reentry would be guaranteed, but his position as a Preparer — though he had no idea that he would be offered such a position or even that there was such a thing — would be lost.
"My mother is already buried, I assume," Avelyn responded to Siherton,
"and my father has surely left her grave to return home. Given the short time since their departure from St.-Mere-Abelle, he has yet a long road before him."
Master Siherton squinted ominously and leaned close over Avelyn, glaring openly. "Your mother has died, boy," he said slowly, accentuating each syllable.
"Do you care?"
The words hit young Avelyn hard. Did he care? He wanted to punch out at the tall master for even insinuating otherwise. He wanted to fly into a rage, tear the room — and anyone who tried to stop him — apart!
But that would be a disservice to Annalisa, Avelyn knew, an insult to the memory of the gentle woman. Avelyn's mother had lived in the light of God.
Avelyn had to believe that, or else all of her life — and all of his own life -
- would be no more than a lie. The reward for such a life, for such a good heart, was a better existence in a better place. Annalisa was with God now.
That thought bolstered the young man. He straightened his shoulders and looked squarely at the imposing Master Siherton.
"My mother knew that she would not make it home," he said quietly, aiming his words at Jojonah. "We all knew it. She lived on, in sickness, only to see me enter the Order of St.-Mere-Abelle. It was her glory that I join the Abellican Church, and I would be stealing that glory if I left now." He sucked in his breath, bolstering his declaration.
"The Order of St.-Mere-Abelle, God's Year 816," Brother Avelyn said without the slightest quiver in his voice. "That is my place. That is the vision that allowed Annalisa Desbris to pass on peacefully from this world."
Master Jojonah nodded, seeing the calm and logical reasoning, and at once impressed with, and frightened of, the depth of this young man's faith. It was obvious that Avelyn had loved his mother dearly, and yet, there was a sincerity in his. demeanor. In that, Jojonah could clearly see Siherton's point. Either Avelyn had a direct line to God or the young man simply had no idea of what it was to be human.
"May I go?" Avelyn asked.
The question caught Jojonah off guard, and as he considered it, he came to realize that Avelyn's stoicism was, perhaps, not so deeply rooted. "You will be excused from your duties this day," the master stated.
"No," Avelyn replied without hesitation. He bowed his head as soon as he realized that he had just spoken against a master's command, an offense that could lead to exile from the abbey. "Please allow me to continue my duties."
Jojonah looked to Siherton, who was shaking his head disgustedly. Without a word, the tall master stalked from the room.
Jojonah suspected that
He was not surprised; his lip didn't quiver.
"Pray tell me, Master Siherton, was it peaceful?" he heard himself ask.
Master Jojonah was glad to hear the sympathetic question. Avelyn's lack of initial response to the news that his mother had died had lent credence to Siherton's complaints. "The messenger said that she died in her sleep,", Jojonah interrupted.
Master Siherton eyed his peer sternly, considering the lie, for the messenger, a young boy, had only delivered news of the death and had offered no details surrounding it. Master Jojonah hadn't even conversed with the messenger.
In a rare display of sympathy, with Jojonah glaring at him out of the corner of his brown eye, Siherton let it go.
Avelyn nodded, accepting the news.
"You will want to leave at once," Siherton offered, "to join your father at your mother's gravesite."
Avelyn stared at him incredulously.
"Or you may choose to stay," Jojonah put in immediately, seeing the lure.
If Avelyn left St.-Mere-Abelle for any reason, he would have to wait until the following year to enter. His reentry would be guaranteed, but his position as a Preparer — though he had no idea that he would be offered such a position or even that there was such a thing — would be lost.
"My mother is already buried, I assume," Avelyn responded to Siherton,
"and my father has surely left her grave to return home. Given the short time since their departure from St.-Mere-Abelle, he has yet a long road before him."
Master Siherton squinted ominously and leaned close over Avelyn, glaring openly. "Your mother has died, boy," he said slowly, accentuating each syllable.
"Do you care?"
The words hit young Avelyn hard. Did he care? He wanted to punch out at the tall master for even insinuating otherwise. He wanted to fly into a rage, tear the room — and anyone who tried to stop him — apart!
But that would be a disservice to Annalisa, Avelyn knew, an insult to the memory of the gentle woman. Avelyn's mother had lived in the light of God.
Avelyn had to believe that, or else all of her life — and all of his own life -
- would be no more than a lie. The reward for such a life, for such a good heart, was a better existence in a better place. Annalisa was with God now.
That thought bolstered the young man. He straightened his shoulders and looked squarely at the imposing Master Siherton.
"My mother knew that she would not make it home," he said quietly, aiming his words at Jojonah. "We all knew it. She lived on, in sickness, only to see me enter the Order of St.-Mere-Abelle. It was her glory that I join the Abellican Church, and I would be stealing that glory if I left now." He sucked in his breath, bolstering his declaration.
"The Order of St.-Mere-Abelle, God's Year 816," Brother Avelyn said without the slightest quiver in his voice. "That is my place. That is the vision that allowed Annalisa Desbris to pass on peacefully from this world."
Master Jojonah nodded, seeing the calm and logical reasoning, and at once impressed with, and frightened of, the depth of this young man's faith. It was obvious that Avelyn had loved his mother dearly, and yet, there was a sincerity in his. demeanor. In that, Jojonah could clearly see Siherton's point. Either Avelyn had a direct line to God or the young man simply had no idea of what it was to be human.
"May I go?" Avelyn asked.
The question caught Jojonah off guard, and as he considered it, he came to realize that Avelyn's stoicism was, perhaps, not so deeply rooted. "You will be excused from your duties this day," the master stated.
"No," Avelyn replied without hesitation. He bowed his head as soon as he realized that he had just spoken against a master's command, an offense that could lead to exile from the abbey. "Please allow me to continue my duties."
Jojonah looked to Siherton, who was shaking his head disgustedly. Without a word, the tall master stalked from the room.
Jojonah suspected that
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