Chapter 12
"I'm wise because I married well." Ithos grinned, "I married up."
A few people laughed when they heard Ithos's reply, easing the tension. Cybelline saw several girls look at Myrai with admiration, while some of the older women only shook their head. Ithos came over, "I'll carry that for ye, love."
"Nothing else te see 'ere." The headman waved his hands, "Yoni, Phalen, and Hedris, take Gargan to a healer and then send 'em on their way.
" The two tall lads nodded and went to the bloodied and prone man.
They brought them a cart and hoisted him onto it.
They then dragged the still shocked wife and son away.
With them gone, the square seemed to return to normal. A few men walked up to Myrai and looked at her weapon curiously but Ithos shoo'ed them away like guard dog.
"She aint gonna let ye touch that weapon, gents. And no ideas about stealin' my wife while yer at it." He glared at them menacingly, they merely laughed. Some of villagers still looked shaken, having never seen this side of Myrai before.
"Ye think ye know a person after 10 years, well, I never." A woman with a hooked nose scoffed softly to three other women, "Fight like a bloody barbarian, didn't she. It no wonder she's never birthed a child of her own. I heard she's as barren as the Darklands."
"I don't see how one does with the other," A woman in a pale grey robe said while rearranging her herbs in a basket, "It's not like ye did well with yer child. He's a drunk bastard from what I heard."
"How dare ye!" The hooked nose woman turned to glare at the woman and then gulped in fear. In front of her was a young woman in her late twenties, plainly dressed and carrying a basket in the crook of her arm.
Relana Qirian met her eyes squarely, "Ultha, just who do ye think yer talking to?" Her cool eyes bore into the other woman's until Ultha looked away, "Ye best keep yer mouth shut. If I hear ye say somethin' like that again, I'll have ye whipped for spreading lies."
Ultha shut her mouth, in this village, as in other places anyone with magic, even if it was just enough to heal cuts and bruises, were treated with respect and admiration. Relana was a renowned hedgewitch who lived in the town, in many ways, people respected her more than the headman.
Relana turned to the other women, "If ye want my goodwill, don't ye forget what I said here today."
"Yes hedgewitch." The women intoned fearfully, casting an admonishing glance at Ultha as they scurried away.
Relana walked up to Myrai with a smile and looked at the warhammer "It only seems like yesterday when I last saw ye wield that thing. Time passes quickly, doesn't it, old friend."
Myrai smiled at her, "For some, faster than others." She looked at Relana's still youthful face, "How are ye?"
Relana was in the prime of her youth, her chestnut hair flowed rebelliously from her grey veil, framing her crooked smile.
Ithos walked up to her, "Yer did a hard day's work." Myrai smiled at her husband, "It was good exercise."
"Yer the most beautiful when ye wield it." Ithos said softly and gently pushed back a loose strand of hair, "I could watch ye all day."
"An entire army would have to die by her hand to satisfy yer desire." Relana said dryly. Cybelline watched them in the shadows, quietly observing the three people without making a sound.
Ithos turned to where she was hidden, "Cyd, come out here and meet yer aunt Relana.
The black sheep of our family." Cybelline blinked, shaking herself free of the shadows, she walked up to them.
Ithos had known she was there all this time.
She was well honed in her craft, yet he had spotted her without effort.
Relana studied the child just as Cybelline stared at her, she raised her eye at Ithos, "Ye got another one. This one's younger than yer others." Ithos nodded and Relana sighed, "Ye know ye have a problem."
Myrai placed a gently hand on Cybelline's shoulder, "Relana is the best hedgewitch this province. She's also a close friend of the family." She frowned, "If I knew ye were comin' back today I would've sent Isthan to ye."
"I'm here now, let's go see him." Relana led the way to the village healer's cottage, "Ye lead the way."
Relana studied the child as they walked, "Ye a girl in a bloke's clothes." She sniffed at Cybelline, "Ye don't smell like us." She grinned, "But ye'd fit right in with this family."
Cybelline raised an eyebrow, "Thank you?"
Ithos guffawed, "Don't listen to that crazy witch. She's got too much magic and not enough sense."
Relana glared at him and then turned to Cybelline, "Yer too different from us child. Best keep that in mind if ye want ter survive this place." She shrugged, "Then again, yer being raise by ruffians, if ye learn from then then yer going to be able to take care of yer self."
Myrai clucked at her, "Yer a one to talk." Then she turned around to see if anyone is following them, she asked softly, "Has he come back yet?"
Relana sighed, "He's arrived, but ye know his temper. He won't want to see anyone in yer family. I don't know why ye try."
Ithos shot a warning glare at Relana, "Ye'd know better than anyone." Relana opened her mouth to argue but Myrai gripped her arm, "Let it go."
They walked to a little grey stone cottage with violets and fox spurs that covered the ground, Ithos called out "Orta, we're here."
"Quiet yer voice!" A squawk that was sharper than a crows boomed from inside the house, "Yer disturbin' my patients."
"Most of yer patients are cats." Ithos shot back as he walked into the cottage. A light blue streak of light shot past his head. Relana ducked, "Woman, watch where ye fire yer spells."
Orta hobbled a few paces and squinted, "If it ain't that young upstart Relana."
Isthan walked out from behind Orta, he looked down. Ceric, Berin, and Ryion shuffled out, an anxious look on their faces.
"Ma, it was all Voric's fault. Don't punish Isthan. We won't. I mean, we aren't going to be--" Berin began hotly. Ceric pulled on his twin's sleeve and shook his head.
Orta waved at Ithos, "My roof leaks, yer tall enough to fix it. Come with me."
She gestured at Relana, "Ye too, witch, ye can help with my levitation spell." The two look at each other and followed.
"Boys, go, I need to speak with yer brother." Myrai said gently. Ryion came over to stand by Isthan, "He's my brother." Berin and Ceric did not move at all.
Myrai sighed, "It's not been easy for any of ye. Don't go thinkin' that I don't know it. I also know that you boys waited too long before coming to get me. That bully's been botherin' you long afore this, hasn't he?"
Ryion looked down, "We didn't, we shouldn't trouble you."
Berin looked at Myrai, "You might come and help us now. But we know what we are. And the trouble we bring."
"And ye think I won't look after ye after all these years?" Myrai asked gently, Berin couldn't meet her eyes in that moment.
She looked at them sternly, "Have ye so little faith in me as yer ma?"
They said nothing. Myrai touched Isthan's face softly, "No matter what happens, I will always stand by ye. I will always be the first to believe ye. And I will always fight for ye."
Isthan looked down, "Are we... worth all this trouble?"
"Who gave you that idea?" His mother demanded.
Isthan looked up, his purple eyes glimmering, "Monsters should only exist in stories."
"Those who believe ye are monsters are fools" Myrai said, "Now. Do yer Pa and I look like fools?" She thought for a second, "Yer pa is a bit of an idiot sometimes, but he's no fool." That brought a small smile on the boys' faces.
Myrai looked at the four, "Yer my children. And I promise ye, no matter what others say, ye are never monsters in my eyes. I love ye because yer my own and I will never send ye away."
Isthan blinked and swallowed hard, "I'm sorry Ma."
Cybelline turned around and was about to walk away.
"Where de ye think yer going young lady." Myrai called from behind her, "Come here."
Cybelline blinked and felt a large hand tug hers. Ryion had come over and grabbed her hand, he smiled shyly at her. Cybelline let herself be pulled to them.
"I heard yer sister kicked a bully across the road and into a pile of manure." Myrai said, "Is this true?"
Berin nodded proudly, "I'd never see anyone fly like that." He grinned up at Cybelline, "Teach me sometime?"
"Me too!" A chorus of boys clamored from her attention. Cybelline smiled, "That's only because you guys didn't see what your ma did to the bully's father." The boys looked at Myrai curiously. Myrai coughed, "We'll talk about that later."
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Ithos and Myrai led the little family home, with Relana tagging along claiming that no one made bread as good as Myrai's. Ithos muttered all the way home about greedy hedge-witches who would eat him out of a house and home.
Cybelline wondered why until she saw the slim young hedgewitch sit down and eat three loaves of bread, an entire duck, and a three helpings of blueberry pudding.
"Where does it go?" Berin demanded.
"Her hair." Ithos growled. Relana had hair that reached her waist. She shrugged, "I'm blessed."
"Of eating a man out of his house and home." Ithos muttered. Myrai kicked him gently.
Myrai saw the thoughtful look on Cybelline's face and sighed, "Penny for ye's thoughts?"
Cybelline looked at the older woman, "You and yours seem to have an interesting tale to tell."
"We do." Myrai admitted, "And perhaps when you hear it, you'll decide that we aren't the family for you after all."
Cybelline shrugged, "I don't really know what it means to have a family. Mine died a long time ago."
Myrai gave Cybelline's hand a squeeze, "Family is the most simple and complicated thing in the world. Its those who know you so well that they don't know ye. Love ye while hatin' the way ye can get under yer skin. But nothin', I promise, nothin' would ever be more important than ye in their eyes."
Cybelline only shook her head, "That seems very contradictory."
"Ye will get it one day." Myrai reassured her, "In the meantime, take mine fer a spin."
She raised a hand and caught an apple that Berin had chucked at Isthan's head. She glared at the boy, "Yer hide's itchin?"
Berin grinned, "it was a gift for Cyd."
Cybelline laughed and took the apple, "Next time just hand it to me."
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In the little cottage, Myrai prepared a basket of baked breads.
"Ye sure this is a good idea?" Ithos asked, concern lining his face as he handed his wife a few rolls.
"She'll know who we are the longer we stay together. And she's too powerful to be just normal. think if she's like ye said, then he'll sense it. He'll know better what to do then we will."
Ithos sighed, "all right, wife."
Myrai walked outside and set the basket in front of the table, "Will ye send this to him? He's been up in the mountains all year, and he doesn't cook well." Relana looked up, her mouth full. She waved at Cybelline, "Let her take it."
Ithos opened his mouth to object but Relana said, "Ye know what would happen if he sees me or any of you. Better send a stranger, he might have a little mercy."
Ithos and Myrai looked at each other.
"Don't listen to Relana." Ithos reassured Cybelline as he handed her the basket, "Take this up to our neighbor in the low hills.
It's an hour's walk to his home, yer looking for a red stone cottage.
Ye should be home by sundown, if not I'll come looking fer ye.
" He thought for a moment, "Take yer dagger too. "