The Danu (4 page)

Katrine knew she should
tell her right then but the words would not come so the silence lengthened
between them, and it was answer enough.

Eventually Amelia spoke
again.  "You must do what you have to, but I hope you know you are always
welcome here." That was the last they spoke of it.

Katrine woke up screaming
in pain and clutching her head.  She felt Amelia’s cool fingers before she
realized she was not alone.  With only the slightest hiss at the feel of
Katrine's fever, Amelia pulled her out of the bed and up against her shoulder.

Amelia half led half
carried her to the dark garden, cursing softly the entire way.  If Katrine was
in her right mind, she might have laughed at the foul words in such a gentle
under her breath voice.  Katrine was in too much pain to do anything but
endure.

There was no moon tonight
and the garden was pitch black with only distant glows of fires giving it any
shadow form at all.  Katrine fell into the dirt gratefully and felt the flowers
and plants close in around her as their structured weave embraced her.  It gave
her a very small measure of peace, but both of them knew it would not be
enough.

"You waited too long
didn't you?"  Amelia asked softly, her voice sad.  "Because of the
order, you stayed to work when you should have gone to the wilds weeks
ago."  She sounded guilty and on the verge of tears.  "I should have
insisted."

"There was too much
work to be done to meet the order."  Katrine said just as softly, her
voice floating out of the darkness, weak.

"There is enough
now, I can make up the rest.  I have other weavers."  Neither of them
brought up the fact that Katrine's weave were of higher quality and would be
done in half the time the others needed.  It no longer mattered.  She could
hardly weave bent over in pain.

"Mima," Jaak's
small voice came out of the open doors tentatively.  "Is Kat leaving
again?"

"Just for a few days
Jaak, she'll be back just like before."  Amelia stepped away for a moment
to lead her son back to his room.  While she was gone, Katrine was thinking,
about the call of the weave, about the friends she would leave behind.  Then
Amelia was back, her graceful steps loud in the dark of night.

"He's back in bed. 
Are you feeling better?"

"Amelia?" she
started despite the pounding call behind her eyes.  She was aware as she spoke
that the pain was clear in her tortured voice.  There was nothing she could do
about that.  "Do you remember when I told you that someday the call would
be too strong and I would have to leave this area for good?"

She heard Amelia catch
her breath and then could almost feel her tears behind each word.  "I
remember."

"It's past time I
moved on."

Katrine was glad for the
darkness that hid the tears.  "I know," Amelia's voice firmed. 
"I don't really understand your Danu connection to the garden or the
wilds."  She shuddered at the mere thought of them.  "I know you have
already stayed longer than you should have for me and Jaak.  I can never repay
you for what you have done for us."  Her voice broke slightly.  She firmed
it up a second later.  "Let me go next store and get Mika to watch Jaak. 
I will get you to your wilds."

"It's too
dangerous.  I can get there on my own"

This time Amelia's voice
was firmer and no nonsense.  "You can't even make it out of the garden on
your own...and it's the least I can do.  I'll get your bag.  I know where you
keep it ready."  Then as she walked to the doorway, she stopped for just a
moment.  "I will miss you."  Then before Katrine could answer, she
was gone.

What Katrine did not
expect was that Amelia would summon Dorn to assist her in getting Katrine out
of the city.  If she had been in her right mind by the time help arrived, she
might even have objected.  She was not.  She could hear what was happening, but
did not have it in her to participate.  She had indeed waited too long.

"Where is
she?"  The hard male voice was the first thing that penetrated the weave
that she clung too.  She was too far gone to do anything but feel pain. 
"Why is she in the garden and not in her bed if she is this ill?

"She is there. 
Hurry Dorn I don't think she has much time.  I think she is dying."

"And you expect me
to take her out into the wilds and leave her?"  The voice was incredulous
and angry.  "She needs a healer."

"Please Dorn, please
trust me.  I would have done it myself but I don't think the guards would have
allowed me through, and I don't know if I could lift her when she is wound so
tightly to the garden.  Time passes too quickly to take the chance."

"What you ask is
insanity."

Katrine heard the catch
of Amelia’s breath and her fateful words through the distance of pain. 
"She is Danu."

The silence stretched and
then she felt strong hands lifting her from the garden weave, and his words hit
her nearly as much as the pain of separation did.  "There are no
Danu."

Please let him be wrong. 
I cannot be the last.

"Please Dorn, please
just trust me.  She has done so much for me and Jaak.  Please help me get her
to the wilds."

"If what you say is
true, taking her anywhere except before the king is treason."

"I am not asking a
Guardsman of the realm.  I am asking my brother by marriage.  If you take her
anywhere except the wilds she will be dead long before you can get her
anywhere."

A long pause was followed
by a foul curse.  Then he spoke, brooking no argument.  "If I do this. 
You stay here."

"But..."

"You stay here
Amelia."  Then his voice softened.  "I would not have my sister by
marriage in danger."

"You will take her
to the wilds?"

"I will," he
said flatly.  There was a grim tone to his words that Katrine could hear even
through the pain.  She had no doubt he would do exactly what he said he would. 
Whether he would set her free once he did it, Katrine doubted very much, but
she would not have said anything even if she were capable.  It was better that
Amelia was out of it, and Katrine was headed for the wilds.  If he did not
understand what that meant for a Danu, he soon would.  She might be helpless in
this state, but that would change very quickly in the green.  Her biggest fear
was not the warrior Dorn.  She needed to immerse herself in the weave and renew
her magic, but still have the strength to keep the weave from claiming her.  If
she coot hold herself back, she would never leave these wilds, and harm to the
green would be harm to her.

She did not even feel the
jostle when Dorn mounted his horse with her still cradled in his arms.  It was
a feat of strength she missed entirely.  His words though, those she heard the
next time the pain forced a cry from her lips.

"If you can
understand me little weaver, you must keep quiet."  His voice was low and
directly into her ear.  It took her a moment to understand what he was saying. 
"I can get you through the gate if the no guards are alerted, and we
hurry.  If you make a sound, we will be stopped.  If that happens, and you
truly are Danu, I will not be able to protect you...or myself."

At his words Katrine did
not have to swallow her cries, her fear rendered her mute and they made it
through the gates with minimum fuss from Dorn’s men.  If they were curious what
their comrade was doing beyond the gates with a woman they kept it to
themselves.

As soon as they were
within the boundary of the wilds Katrine opened herself to the weave.  Sensing
the magic, the horse spooked.

Dorn cursed grappling for
control of his warhorse, and Katrine.  He failed on both counts and she dropped
from his arms with a hard slam to the ground as he did his best to keep the
horse from stepping on her.  He cursed fluently and loud when the ground opened
up around his teetering animal, and roots reached out and grabbed Katrine.

She felt the magic wrap
around her and fill her up as she was pulled through dirt that moved under her
like water.  Taking her away from Dorn and everything else.

Katrine lost herself in
the Wild weave, and blessed peace.

***

Prince Khalon Morten was
within a curve of the road from Haven when Ragnar, known as 'the hammer'
finally stopped watching the road and wilds with searching eyes, and actually
spoke his thoughts.

"Tell me again why
we are returning to this sun forsaken place so soon after the last inspection
and without our warriors at our backs."  After the tension of the long
ride, it was almost a relief to have the question spoken aloud. 

It was a relief that was
short lived.  Khalon realized he had no answer to give the big warrior that
would satisfy either of them.  Anyone else he could have ignored, or stared
into submission, not Ragnar.  Khalon was not in the habit of lying to his
second in command, and the man was just too stubborn to heed anything but a
direct order from his Prince, and that he would obey only on the battlefield. 
It was one of the reasons they worked so well together.  It was also the reason
why the nearly seven-foot giant was the only person he called true friend. 

Khalon firmed his jaw and
kept his eye on the wilds just beyond the North road as he gave a non-answer.  
"Aren't you the one who told me the Northern trade delegate reported a
woman with green eyes, ruby red hair and skin that he could swear glowed,
within the walls of Haven?"

"Aye, and I also
told you it was Ambar Genith who reported it.  That Northerner would say
anything if he thought it would lead him to the good graces of the House
Morten."  Ragnar snorted.  "Probably saw a green eyed girl with red
hair and pale skin and made more out of it to catch your father’s attention. 
Everyone knows the King is always on the look out for any surviving
Danu." 

Khalon heard the creak of
his friend’s saddle when Ragnar shifted his large muscled bulk on his horse. 
He could relate, they had been in the saddle longer than was comfortable, even
for seasoned soldiers used to long campaigns, and they were here without even a
new recruit to see to their gear and food.  They had been getting by with what
the two of them could hunt and skewer above the fire since they left Horth. 
His own fault, Khalon wanted as few witnesses to his insanity as he could
manage.  If he did not know the man would just follow him he would have left
Ragnar behind as well, no matter what dangers the Wilds held for lone travelers
along the roads.

While few bandit would
attack a Southern Soldier who carried no obvious wealth.  A Prince of the realm
would be a heady target for scavengers, but few would recognize him without
attendant and fanfare, neither of which he had.  An almost unheard of event
when a Prince was visiting a city of the North.  Presently he looked like every
warrior under his command, physically hardened, simply armored, bristling with
weapons, and riding a warhorse.  After weeks on the road both he and Ragnar,
not to mention the horses where covered in trail dust and a bit of blood from
bandits who thought superior numbers would win them some superior horseflesh. 
They did not live to learn the error of their ways.

At least he could claim
something good came out of this unscheduled trip.  They rid the roads of a few
threats along the way.

He heard Ragnar’s soft
muttered curse as Khalon shifted to try to relieve his own road aches.  Was it
possible they were getting too old for war?  He might only be 34.  Ragnar was a
good five years older, and they’d been in one constant battle or another since
they could hold a sword.   He turned to see the man's hard brown eyes narrowed
on his Prince.  "You cannot think one of the forest dwellers is living
within the city walls of Haven?  So once again, why are we here exactly?  Please
tell me it is not about that mysterious female that took your fancy the last
time we rode through.  If I recall she had green eyes but if she had been
glowing I feel certain we would have noticed."

The years had obviously
not affected the man’s reasoning.  Khalon hid his own thoughts and didn't
answer right away.  When Ragnar continued to look at him, he blew out an angry
breath.

"I too think Genith
saw a female with green eyes and pale skin and is making more of it then there
is," he finally answered.  "The girl I sent you after, and you lost I
might add, had skin like whipped cream and green eyes.  I did not see her hair
color under her kerchief but the resemblance is there."

Ragnar snorted.  "So
you dragged me back across the entirety of the North on the chance that this is
the female you caught a brief glimpse of two seasons ago?"

Khalon turned and pierced
him with cold eyes at his tone.  "Are you feeling your age?  You whine
about a little open road like an old man."

Ragnar sputtered and
cursed him with a word few would dare throw at a Prince of the realm.

Khalon sent him a warning
look and a raised brow.

Anyone else might have
quaked at the look directed at them, Ragnar had known the Prince his whole life.
He was less than impressed by the implied threat in those hard eyes.  "You
might have thought more of our comfort if you were thinking with something besides
your cock."

Khalon gritted his teeth
and contemplated stopping to beat his oldest friend and decided it would do no
good and just delay him further. "That's not what this is about."