[coronatiger]

2nd of Mitra’s Second Month, year 412 (continued)

O Ashtar, Mother of Snakes, Keeper of Death’s Door, hear my confession!

Even though I was up most of last night, I couldn’t sleep. After tossing and turning for a while, I got up and went down to the bar. Everyone else was there, as well as two strangers. Xipil asked me if I could ask the innkeeper about stone circles nearby. I told him what I knew already, that there are some just south of Sulla; the innkeeper didn’t know much more, and thought it was strange of me to ask. I explained I was the local guide for these foreigners, who apparently were curious what it was all about, Arland being called the Land of the Stone Circles. Lunari mentioned the power of the stars and said it would be good to find an intact stone circle. Good luck with that!

We talked a little about the way forward. Baldrian and Kork would return to the Prince’s Cities when they’d sold their cargo, but the rest of us would go on, to Guling in the west.

The innkeeper gave the impression of knowing something about occurrences in Sulla, something more than just the golden sun falling down from the temple spire in the storm, so I asked to speak with him privately. He brought me into the kitchen, and I got his story. Religious fanatics, or evil forces, had killed some Mitra clerics during the storm. I haven’t heard anything about a conflict between You and Mitra, but I operate on a need-to-know basis, so I wouldn’t necessarily hear anything as long as I wasn’t expected to assist. I still found it more likely that another cult had seized the opportunity during the chaos of the storm. I needed to think, and went to bed again.

O Ashtar! I surrender my life to Your coils. Take me while I sleep, or grant me another day in Your service, as You will.

O Ashtar, Mother of Snakes, Keeper of Death’s Door, hear my confession!

I woke up when someone hammered on the door and Xipil, Grogg and Lunari barged in. Grogg held an unconscious raven, and handed it to me so I could apply my medicinal skills to it. I noticed a silver needle piercing it, and pulled it out, but then Grogg went crazy and put it back in. I glanced at Xipil, who told me the needle had healing powers. Grogg had put it there to heal the raven when it crashed through their window. Xipil also informed me that this wasn’t actually a raven, but in fact some kind of elf who had used star magic that backfired. I found that hard to believe. Lunari said the ravens had helped them before, and they felt they owed them something.

I wasn’t that interested in helping a raven, untrustworthy creatures that they are, and when the others kept on talking, I snapped at them for interrupting my sleep and said something derogatory about the bird. Grogg grabbed the blanket off my bed, and I asked Lunari to tell him to give it back. Grogg wanted me to apologize to the raven. That wasn’t about to happen, instead I told them all to go. I took the blanket from Xipil’s bed and went back to sleep.

O Ashtar! I surrender my life to Your coils. Take me while I sleep, or grant me another day in Your service, as You will.


3rd of Mitra’s Second Month, year 412

O Ashtar, Mother of Snakes, Keeper of Death’s Door, hear my confession!

Xipil woke me again in the morning and let me know the raven had died. Even with the story about it being an elf – really! – I couldn’t care less, so I asked if we were leaving soon. Probably not yet, he replied, so I rolled over and tried to get some more sleep.

Xipil returned a while later. My dress had been washed and dried, so I put it on instead of the flimsy red thing that Lunari couldn’t keep his eyes off last night. My knives and cloak followed, and then I was ready to go.

I asked Grogg how the raven was doing, feigning interest and compassion. He said it was fine, but didn’t let me see it. I noticed there was more traffic on the road than yesterday, before dozing off on Baldrian’s shoulder.

I startled awake when we took off from the main road. Lunari said that Grogg needed some time alone. He brought his maul along with the raven and a shovel. I presumed that he needed to grieve for the raven, and Lunari confirmed that Grogg was upset that it had died. In the distance, we heard Grogg howl. When he returned, I put on a sad face and came to meet him. My bluff worked, and he gave me a bear hug. Lunari played funereal music on his violin when we moved on.

We came to the village where Baldrian was going to sell his cargo of crossbows and shortswords. Xipil and I left in search of a chapel, not that I had much hope of finding one here, deep in Vasulla land. I was overjoyed when we discovered Your sign. The tiny chapel was empty but for three snakes when we washed and entered.

Xipil and I sat down and talked. He revealed that he could never return to his homeland, because he didn’t have permission to leave in the first place. His country is ruled by priests, but they’re not Your priests, so I said that if it was me, I wouldn’t care about what they said. He was welcome in Your coils.

An elderly lady entered. She explained that this chapel doesn’t see much activity, but she regarded our arrival as a good sign. She would contact the other Ashtarite she knew in these parts, and there would be a Meet, either tonight or tomorrow night, depending on when her acquaintance was available. I told her we’d return to the chapel tonight, but couldn’t promise we’d be here tomorrow.

Xipil and I returned to the inn to get something to eat. I told him we should look for a snake, to offer to the chapel, and that we should get Baldrian to accompany us to the Meet. Baldrian had finished the sale, and he and Kork had started celebrating. I talked to the merchant under four eyes, and urged him to come to the chapel tonight. Maybe he should take it easy with the drink.

After dinner, Xipil and I went to see if we could find a snake. It’s not really snake terrain around here, but I hoped we might find one hiding among the shrubs that grow along the low stone walls that separate the fields. Grogg sat under a fruit tree, and rose to follow us. I didn’t mind, as long as he stayed back. He’s quite noisy, so I didn’t want him to startle and scare off any snakes we might find.

An hour or two later, Xipil spotted snake tracks, and we eventually discovered two grass snakes. We enticed them to approach, and Xipil settled one of them in a pocket on his large cloak. I pulled out my neckline and slipped the other down between my breasts; my belt would prevent it from falling through.

We returned to the village to fetch Baldrian. Kork complained that he wouldn’t have anyone to drink with, but some coins from Baldrian shut him up. We washed and presented the snakes to the empty chapel. It was time to begin the Meet, and as the caretaker and her friend weren’t there, I assumed they couldn’t come until tomorrow, but as I recited the opening words, we heard someone enter and start washing, so I paused to let them come inside before I continued.

The old man who entered with the caretaker had a long beard. He seemed to outrank me, so I found it only natural that he should take over leading the Meet. He said that this was an important time for Ashtarites, and I spoke up to tell what the innkeeper had claimed had happened in Sulla. Xipil whispered to me if it was all right if he spoke as well, and I said that of course it was. He told us that Azura had foreseen a cataclysm.

After the formal part of the Meet, the old man confided to me that it probably was someone else who killed those Mitra clerics. He also wanted to know the destination of our travels, and I said we were headed for Guling, although we might visit other places first.

Baldrian had brought some wheat buns, and we shared them on the way back to the inn. Xipil climbed up on the roof to look at the stars, and I went to bed.

O Ashtar! I surrender my life to Your coils. Take me while I sleep, or grant me another day in Your service, as You will.