Read Online Toads and Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Heather Tomlinson
Tags: Fiction, General, People & Places, Asia, Family, Juvenile Fiction, Fantasy & Magic, Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction, Science Fiction; Fantasy; & Magic, Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9), Love & Romance, Siblings, Fairy Tales & Folklore, Fairy Tales; Folklore & Mythology, India, Blessing and Cursing, Fairy Tales, Stepfamilies, Fairy Tales & Folklore - General, People & Places - Asia, Stepsisters, India - History
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"My child, what has happened?"
71
She had no answer her mother would want to hear, so she kept silent.
The snake had disappeared between the buildings. The bay-horse snorted, eyeing Tana with equine distrust. She would not have blamed Dilawar's rider for looking at her the same way.
Again, the prince surprised her. He surveyed Tana with the same impartial expression he had shown Diribani before she spoke flowers. Though Tana didn't sense the same heat his eyes had held for her beautiful sister, his voice was courteous. "Will you tell us your story, Mina?"
Tana wondered how many miracles an emperor's son witnessed on a daily basis. Perhaps they were common at court? Thank the twelve, it seemed that reason, not fear, governed Prince Zahid. Not like Alwar--the governor's face had turned as white as cheese when the ratter appeared.
Tana gathered herself to answer. "My name is Tana, sire," she said. She felt a teasing sensation, as if grains of puffed rice were popping a breath away from her lips. "I also met Naghali-ji at the sacred well outside of town." As she spoke, one, two, three tiny spotted frogs winked into life and leaped away from her. A large toad followed more sedately.
One of the frogs landed on Diribani's wrist. It posed there, skin brilliant, like an enameled charm, before springing off. Diribani laughed. "Oh, Tana!"
"Lucky frogs!" Intent on the unexpected prize, a ragged child pounced. He missed. Turning to Tana, the boy cupped grimy hands to make a begging bowl. "Please, Mina-ji, say one for me."
"Over here, Mina Tana! May I have one?"
An overseer's child tugged on his nurse's coat. "Lucky frog! Mine!"
72
The prince chuckled. His amusement and the children's enthusiasm were nothing like the reaction Tana had expected. She couldn't cry--she was too parched with dread for that--but she found she could smile. She shook her head. "The creatures appear as the goddess wills, not I," she explained. Again she sensed the not-quite-feeling as her words took shape, like a flying spark that turns to ash when you try to catch it between your fingers. Too quickly for the eye to register, something crossed the distance between emptiness and life.
The goddess's will, Tana supposed, sending her messengers to earth. This one was a blind snake. Small and pink-skinned like an earthworm, defenseless against the hot afternoon sun, it nudged her leg, seeking the safety of its burrow.
"Ch-ch-ch." Waving a broad leaf, the melon vendor leaned around Tana. He coaxed the snake onto the leaf and rolled it into a protective tube. "What?" he said to the people drawing back. "Blind snakes eat ants. Can't have too many of these little fellows in a melon patch, I tell you, bounty or no bounty."
Only the white-coats reacted the way Tana had feared since she discovered what Naghali-ji had done to her.
A vein pulsed in the governor's thick neck. "Kill the witch and every one of her foul brood!" he croaked. "The dirt-eaters' cursed snakes won't pollute Tenth Province!"
Soldiers advanced, swords raised high, but the prince stopped them with a curt gesture. "My father would be most displeased to hear that civil authorities had interfered with a local religious matter. We absolutely forbid that either of these two young women be harmed."
"As you will, Your Highness." The governor accepted the
73
rebuke with a show of outward humility. His horse tossed its head, as if a hand had jerked its reins.
Prince Zahid spoke gravely to Ma Hiral. "It seems you and Gurath have been twice blessed in Mina Tana and Mina Diribani."
Diribani's hand found Tana's and squeezed in reassurance. Tana couldn't understand it. The prince's respect sounded sincere. But he was a Believer! A flesh-eater! Hadn't she seen the oxcarts filled with hunting trophies, the corpses of antelope and lion, pheasant and duck and deer? According to Alwar's proclamations, their religion despised snakes. How could Prince Zahid be so accepting of both Naghali-ji's miracles?
The
71
She had no answer her mother would want to hear, so she kept silent.
The snake had disappeared between the buildings. The bay-horse snorted, eyeing Tana with equine distrust. She would not have blamed Dilawar's rider for looking at her the same way.
Again, the prince surprised her. He surveyed Tana with the same impartial expression he had shown Diribani before she spoke flowers. Though Tana didn't sense the same heat his eyes had held for her beautiful sister, his voice was courteous. "Will you tell us your story, Mina?"
Tana wondered how many miracles an emperor's son witnessed on a daily basis. Perhaps they were common at court? Thank the twelve, it seemed that reason, not fear, governed Prince Zahid. Not like Alwar--the governor's face had turned as white as cheese when the ratter appeared.
Tana gathered herself to answer. "My name is Tana, sire," she said. She felt a teasing sensation, as if grains of puffed rice were popping a breath away from her lips. "I also met Naghali-ji at the sacred well outside of town." As she spoke, one, two, three tiny spotted frogs winked into life and leaped away from her. A large toad followed more sedately.
One of the frogs landed on Diribani's wrist. It posed there, skin brilliant, like an enameled charm, before springing off. Diribani laughed. "Oh, Tana!"
"Lucky frogs!" Intent on the unexpected prize, a ragged child pounced. He missed. Turning to Tana, the boy cupped grimy hands to make a begging bowl. "Please, Mina-ji, say one for me."
"Over here, Mina Tana! May I have one?"
An overseer's child tugged on his nurse's coat. "Lucky frog! Mine!"
72
The prince chuckled. His amusement and the children's enthusiasm were nothing like the reaction Tana had expected. She couldn't cry--she was too parched with dread for that--but she found she could smile. She shook her head. "The creatures appear as the goddess wills, not I," she explained. Again she sensed the not-quite-feeling as her words took shape, like a flying spark that turns to ash when you try to catch it between your fingers. Too quickly for the eye to register, something crossed the distance between emptiness and life.
The goddess's will, Tana supposed, sending her messengers to earth. This one was a blind snake. Small and pink-skinned like an earthworm, defenseless against the hot afternoon sun, it nudged her leg, seeking the safety of its burrow.
"Ch-ch-ch." Waving a broad leaf, the melon vendor leaned around Tana. He coaxed the snake onto the leaf and rolled it into a protective tube. "What?" he said to the people drawing back. "Blind snakes eat ants. Can't have too many of these little fellows in a melon patch, I tell you, bounty or no bounty."
Only the white-coats reacted the way Tana had feared since she discovered what Naghali-ji had done to her.
A vein pulsed in the governor's thick neck. "Kill the witch and every one of her foul brood!" he croaked. "The dirt-eaters' cursed snakes won't pollute Tenth Province!"
Soldiers advanced, swords raised high, but the prince stopped them with a curt gesture. "My father would be most displeased to hear that civil authorities had interfered with a local religious matter. We absolutely forbid that either of these two young women be harmed."
"As you will, Your Highness." The governor accepted the
73
rebuke with a show of outward humility. His horse tossed its head, as if a hand had jerked its reins.
Prince Zahid spoke gravely to Ma Hiral. "It seems you and Gurath have been twice blessed in Mina Tana and Mina Diribani."
Diribani's hand found Tana's and squeezed in reassurance. Tana couldn't understand it. The prince's respect sounded sincere. But he was a Believer! A flesh-eater! Hadn't she seen the oxcarts filled with hunting trophies, the corpses of antelope and lion, pheasant and duck and deer? According to Alwar's proclamations, their religion despised snakes. How could Prince Zahid be so accepting of both Naghali-ji's miracles?
The
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