her eyes.
“It does not surprise me,” the priestess replied,
bowing her head. Her own gods had abandoned her, why would the dwarf’s gods be
any different? “Will you at least meet with my niece and bless her with your
magic? She is the only child in our village, and I fear for her.”
Looking into Tashi’s pleading eyes, Kaiya could
not refuse her request. Though she doubted her definition of “blessing” and the
Ulihi’s were the same, Kaiya would do what she could. “I will,” she stated.
“The elf too,” Tashi said, nodding toward Galen.
“Your people have magic, and it might be of help to my niece.”
“I’d be happy to help, and you may call me Galen,”
he replied. He swallowed hard, knowing that his own magical talents were
severely limited, and nearly nonexistent when compared to Kaiya’s. But even
without magic, Galen was not blind to Tashi’s pain. Her yearning to ensure the
safety of her niece came from her heart, and the sentiment radiated itself
toward the elf. He might be of no help at all, but the least he could do was
give Tashi hope.
“This one can stay behind,” Tashi said, indicating
Raad.
“This one’s name is Raad,” Kaiya said. “And he
goes where I go.”
“Very well,” Tashi agreed.
The four stepped outside the hut, Tashi pointing
toward a woman cradling an infant in her arms. As they moved through the tiny
village, every member of the tribe laid eyes on the only visitors they’d
witnessed in their lifetimes. Only occasionally did the hunters encounter
dwarves, and none had ever been brought back to the village. They were most fascinated
by the presence of an elf in their midst, not only for his height but the
history he represented. In ancient times his people had been of great service
to their own. They looked upon him with wonder.
Visibly frightened, the doula’s eyes grew wide.
She clutched the infant tightly to her breast, fearing the strangers’ approach.
“It’s all right,” Tashi assured her. “These two
have come to help.” Tashi reached for her niece, and the doula reluctantly
passed the child to her waiting arms. Presenting the child before Kaiya and
Galen, she said, “This is my niece, the daughter of my sister, Annin.”
“What’s her name?” Galen asked, smiling down at
the child.
“She has none.” Seeing the elf’s confusion, she
added, “We do not name a child of this age. She will earn a name after one
year.”
Kaiya instinctively reached for the child, her
gaze fixated on the girl’s dark eyes. Tashi hesitated a moment, her heart nearly
ceasing to beat. Taking a deep breath, she passed the child to the sorceress.
Cradling the infant, Kaiya closed her eyes and
focused her mind to the wind. A glow of silver spread over the child, Tashi
taking a step backward at the sight. As quickly as it appeared, the light
faded, a silver sparkle remaining momentarily over the child’s heart.
“Grow strong, and walk with honor all your days,”
Kaiya whispered to the child. “May the wind be ever your guide on this journey
through life.”
The infant looked up at the sorceress and smiled.
Chapter 7
S taring at the
infant in her arms, Kaiya beamed with pride. The child squeezed her finger and
cooed, warming the sorceress’s heart. She had given the child the only blessing
she knew, the one her mother had given her when she decided to forgo
traditional schooling in favor of learning on her own. Dwarf schools would not
teach a child magic, for the simple reason that they had no knowledge of it to
pass on. Only elven schools taught such things, but they were too far away from
home. Kaiya had learned on her own, and this child could as well. A silver sparkle
remained in her eyes, and Kaiya suspected the girl might have an affinity for elemental
magic.
Turning to Galen,
Kaiya extended the child toward him. “Your turn,” she said playfully.
Galen leaned down
and took the child as if she were made of porcelain. “Hello, little one,”
“It does not surprise me,” the priestess replied,
bowing her head. Her own gods had abandoned her, why would the dwarf’s gods be
any different? “Will you at least meet with my niece and bless her with your
magic? She is the only child in our village, and I fear for her.”
Looking into Tashi’s pleading eyes, Kaiya could
not refuse her request. Though she doubted her definition of “blessing” and the
Ulihi’s were the same, Kaiya would do what she could. “I will,” she stated.
“The elf too,” Tashi said, nodding toward Galen.
“Your people have magic, and it might be of help to my niece.”
“I’d be happy to help, and you may call me Galen,”
he replied. He swallowed hard, knowing that his own magical talents were
severely limited, and nearly nonexistent when compared to Kaiya’s. But even
without magic, Galen was not blind to Tashi’s pain. Her yearning to ensure the
safety of her niece came from her heart, and the sentiment radiated itself
toward the elf. He might be of no help at all, but the least he could do was
give Tashi hope.
“This one can stay behind,” Tashi said, indicating
Raad.
“This one’s name is Raad,” Kaiya said. “And he
goes where I go.”
“Very well,” Tashi agreed.
The four stepped outside the hut, Tashi pointing
toward a woman cradling an infant in her arms. As they moved through the tiny
village, every member of the tribe laid eyes on the only visitors they’d
witnessed in their lifetimes. Only occasionally did the hunters encounter
dwarves, and none had ever been brought back to the village. They were most fascinated
by the presence of an elf in their midst, not only for his height but the
history he represented. In ancient times his people had been of great service
to their own. They looked upon him with wonder.
Visibly frightened, the doula’s eyes grew wide.
She clutched the infant tightly to her breast, fearing the strangers’ approach.
“It’s all right,” Tashi assured her. “These two
have come to help.” Tashi reached for her niece, and the doula reluctantly
passed the child to her waiting arms. Presenting the child before Kaiya and
Galen, she said, “This is my niece, the daughter of my sister, Annin.”
“What’s her name?” Galen asked, smiling down at
the child.
“She has none.” Seeing the elf’s confusion, she
added, “We do not name a child of this age. She will earn a name after one
year.”
Kaiya instinctively reached for the child, her
gaze fixated on the girl’s dark eyes. Tashi hesitated a moment, her heart nearly
ceasing to beat. Taking a deep breath, she passed the child to the sorceress.
Cradling the infant, Kaiya closed her eyes and
focused her mind to the wind. A glow of silver spread over the child, Tashi
taking a step backward at the sight. As quickly as it appeared, the light
faded, a silver sparkle remaining momentarily over the child’s heart.
“Grow strong, and walk with honor all your days,”
Kaiya whispered to the child. “May the wind be ever your guide on this journey
through life.”
The infant looked up at the sorceress and smiled.
Chapter 7
S taring at the
infant in her arms, Kaiya beamed with pride. The child squeezed her finger and
cooed, warming the sorceress’s heart. She had given the child the only blessing
she knew, the one her mother had given her when she decided to forgo
traditional schooling in favor of learning on her own. Dwarf schools would not
teach a child magic, for the simple reason that they had no knowledge of it to
pass on. Only elven schools taught such things, but they were too far away from
home. Kaiya had learned on her own, and this child could as well. A silver sparkle
remained in her eyes, and Kaiya suspected the girl might have an affinity for elemental
magic.
Turning to Galen,
Kaiya extended the child toward him. “Your turn,” she said playfully.
Galen leaned down
and took the child as if she were made of porcelain. “Hello, little one,”
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