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“Only memories?” said Yim. “Except for the present, all of life is memory.”
― A Woman Worth Ten Coppers
― A Woman Worth Ten Coppers
“I should get my chain mail and extra clothes from the pack,” said Honus.
“Of course,” said Yim. “But who will bear your burden? Theodus said you never should.”
“A soldier will carry my pack until I return.”
“I’m jealous of him.” Yim smiled wistfully. “At first, I hated that pack. I hated you.”
“I gave you cause.”
“That time I ran away, a woman nearly made me into sausage.”
“And that improved your opinion of me?”
“A little bit.”
― Candle in the Storm
“Of course,” said Yim. “But who will bear your burden? Theodus said you never should.”
“A soldier will carry my pack until I return.”
“I’m jealous of him.” Yim smiled wistfully. “At first, I hated that pack. I hated you.”
“I gave you cause.”
“That time I ran away, a woman nearly made me into sausage.”
“And that improved your opinion of me?”
“A little bit.”
― Candle in the Storm
“Master,” she called out. “I’ve brought breakfast!”
Honus noted that she was carefully carrying a large leaf, folded to make a package. She sat on the ground close to him, and with a bit of drama, opened her makeshift bundle. When Honus saw what it contained, he shrank back in revulsion.
“Wood grubs!” said Yim. “I found a log full of them.” She picked up a finger-sized larva from the writhing mass on the leaf. Holding it by its dark round head, she placed its plump white body between her teeth. Then she bit down to burst the skin and suck its contents before discarding the head and limp body.
Honus felt the blood drain from his face.
Yim looked at him in surprise. “Haven’t you ever tasted them?” she asked. “They’re like mushrooms, only creamy.” Yim lifted another from the leaf and held it out. “Here, try one.”
As far as Honus was concerned, she might as well have been holding an adder. When he backed away, a look of amusement came to Yim’s face. “I thought Sarfs were brave.”
“That’s disgusting!” exclaimed Honus.
“No, that’s breakfast. I take it you’re not having any.” Yim placed the grub in her mouth and made quick work of it.
“How can you eat caterpillars?” asked Honus, as he backed farther away.
“They’re wood grubs,” Yim replied. “Caterpillars aren’t in season.”
Honus turned his back to Yim, but he could still hear her eat. He felt she was exaggerating the sucking sounds for his benefit. Then Yim giggled and said, “If I ever have to fight you, I’ll know how to arm myself.”
― A Woman Worth Ten Coppers
Honus noted that she was carefully carrying a large leaf, folded to make a package. She sat on the ground close to him, and with a bit of drama, opened her makeshift bundle. When Honus saw what it contained, he shrank back in revulsion.
“Wood grubs!” said Yim. “I found a log full of them.” She picked up a finger-sized larva from the writhing mass on the leaf. Holding it by its dark round head, she placed its plump white body between her teeth. Then she bit down to burst the skin and suck its contents before discarding the head and limp body.
Honus felt the blood drain from his face.
Yim looked at him in surprise. “Haven’t you ever tasted them?” she asked. “They’re like mushrooms, only creamy.” Yim lifted another from the leaf and held it out. “Here, try one.”
As far as Honus was concerned, she might as well have been holding an adder. When he backed away, a look of amusement came to Yim’s face. “I thought Sarfs were brave.”
“That’s disgusting!” exclaimed Honus.
“No, that’s breakfast. I take it you’re not having any.” Yim placed the grub in her mouth and made quick work of it.
“How can you eat caterpillars?” asked Honus, as he backed farther away.
“They’re wood grubs,” Yim replied. “Caterpillars aren’t in season.”
Honus turned his back to Yim, but he could still hear her eat. He felt she was exaggerating the sucking sounds for his benefit. Then Yim giggled and said, “If I ever have to fight you, I’ll know how to arm myself.”
― A Woman Worth Ten Coppers
“Fate’s but a word,” replied Yim, “that we drape on mysteries beyond our understanding.”
― A Woman Worth Ten Coppers
― A Woman Worth Ten Coppers
“Do you imagine Theodus always had a sense of purpose?” asked Honus. “Sometimes we wandered aimlessly for moons. I don’t need to be guided. My role is to obey. If you choose to go fishing, I’ll gather worms.”
“Will you also bait my hook?”
“At your command, I’ll skewer legions of worms. Only please don’t ask me to cook your catch.”
“One needs no visions to see the folly in that,” said Yim.”
― Candle in the Storm
“Will you also bait my hook?”
“At your command, I’ll skewer legions of worms. Only please don’t ask me to cook your catch.”
“One needs no visions to see the folly in that,” said Yim.”
― Candle in the Storm
“Honus took out his healing kit, and set a pot of water to boil. “When the water’s ready,” he said, “I’ll tend your wound.”
Yim touched the cut on her chin. “Is it bad?”
Honus peered at it in the firelight. “No, but you’ll have a scar.”
Yim smiled wryly. “I’m catching up with your collection.”
“I’m keeping apace with you,” replied Honus.
For the first time, Yim noticed that Honus’s shirtsleeve was torn and blood-soaked. She gasped. “Honus! Why didn’t you tell me you were hurt?”
“I didn’t wish to trouble you. Besides, it’s not deep.” He rolled up his right sleeve to reveal a bloody gash on his forearm.
When the water boiled, Honus poured some into a wooden bowl and added powder from a vial in his healing kit. After cleaning the blood from Yim’s face, he wetted a cloth with the solution in the bowl. “This will sting,” he said.
“I remember,” replied Yim. She winced as the solution foamed inside her cut. Glimpsing the concern in Honus’s eyes, she tried to hide her pain. She took a deep breath and said, “I’m glad that’s over.”
Honus cleaned the gash on his arm with the same solution, then asked, “Would you stitch my wound closed? I’d rather not do it left-handed.”
“I’ll try,” said Yim, “but I’ve never done the like before.”
“It’s not hard, and I’m certain your dainty fingers will do finer work than Theodus’s thick ones ever managed.”
“Before you malign his stitching, you should compare it to mine,” said Yim. “As a girl, I was more adept with goats than needlework.”
“Then pretend I’m a goat.”
Honus took out a curved needle and a strand of gut from his kit and dipped them in the cleansin
g solution. He declined Yim’s suggestion to prepare a brew for his pain, stating he wanted to stay alert. When Yim nervously sewed his wound, he was absolutely stoic. He guided her stitching calmly, tensing only slightly each time the needle pierced his flesh. The only evidence of his pain was the deep breath he took when Yim was done. Honus gazed at his stitches and smiled. “You underestimate your skill.”
“I’m glad you’re so easily pleased,” Yim replied. “The woman who raised me would’ve made me tear out the seam and restitch it.”
Honus winced. “Let’s talk of food, instead,” he said quickly. “Perhaps this would be a good night to have that cheese we were saving.”
“To celebrate our new scars?’
“To celebrate we’re both alive.”
― Candle in the Storm
Yim touched the cut on her chin. “Is it bad?”
Honus peered at it in the firelight. “No, but you’ll have a scar.”
Yim smiled wryly. “I’m catching up with your collection.”
“I’m keeping apace with you,” replied Honus.
For the first time, Yim noticed that Honus’s shirtsleeve was torn and blood-soaked. She gasped. “Honus! Why didn’t you tell me you were hurt?”
“I didn’t wish to trouble you. Besides, it’s not deep.” He rolled up his right sleeve to reveal a bloody gash on his forearm.
When the water boiled, Honus poured some into a wooden bowl and added powder from a vial in his healing kit. After cleaning the blood from Yim’s face, he wetted a cloth with the solution in the bowl. “This will sting,” he said.
“I remember,” replied Yim. She winced as the solution foamed inside her cut. Glimpsing the concern in Honus’s eyes, she tried to hide her pain. She took a deep breath and said, “I’m glad that’s over.”
Honus cleaned the gash on his arm with the same solution, then asked, “Would you stitch my wound closed? I’d rather not do it left-handed.”
“I’ll try,” said Yim, “but I’ve never done the like before.”
“It’s not hard, and I’m certain your dainty fingers will do finer work than Theodus’s thick ones ever managed.”
“Before you malign his stitching, you should compare it to mine,” said Yim. “As a girl, I was more adept with goats than needlework.”
“Then pretend I’m a goat.”
Honus took out a curved needle and a strand of gut from his kit and dipped them in the cleansin
g solution. He declined Yim’s suggestion to prepare a brew for his pain, stating he wanted to stay alert. When Yim nervously sewed his wound, he was absolutely stoic. He guided her stitching calmly, tensing only slightly each time the needle pierced his flesh. The only evidence of his pain was the deep breath he took when Yim was done. Honus gazed at his stitches and smiled. “You underestimate your skill.”
“I’m glad you’re so easily pleased,” Yim replied. “The woman who raised me would’ve made me tear out the seam and restitch it.”
Honus winced. “Let’s talk of food, instead,” he said quickly. “Perhaps this would be a good night to have that cheese we were saving.”
“To celebrate our new scars?’
“To celebrate we’re both alive.”
― Candle in the Storm
“You’re na weak. But zounds, you sure are stupid! You’ve been waiting for a sign to make a babe? Do you know why folks make babes? Well, ‘tis na because Karm taps them on the shoulder. They fall in love! So Honus is dead, and Karm sends you to the Dark Path to give him life and fall in love, and you’re still waiting for a sign? Zounds, Yim! What’s the goddess supposed to do? Strip you both naked and toss you in a barrel? You got your sign! You had it on that happy morning! If you had tupped Honus then, the child you’re supposed to bear would be growing in your belly now. And who knows? Maybe Lord Bahl would have turned to dog poop. At least, for sure, Honus would na be marching off to fight him. He’d be with you, and you’d both be happy.”
― Candle in the Storm
― Candle in the Storm
“Church is stifling, especially in the spring when the river's warming up. It's also a place where the wicked can congregate to hide behind the cross with smiles so false and hearts so black that I sometimes wonder why their heads don't burst into flame.”
―
―
“Honus watched Yim with such reverence that she felt awkward and tried to steer his thoughts to more mundane matters. “Honus,” she said, “when do you think we’ll reach Cara’s hall?”
“I’ve never followed a bird before. Perhaps you should ask our guide.”
Yim stared into Kwahku’s black eyes for a moment. “He says five days as the crow flies.” Honus appeared awed until Yim laughed. “I’m teasing , Honus. You’ve been looking at me strangely all day. Stop acting so worshipful.”
“Said by one who has faeries fetch her sandals.”
― Candle in the Storm
“I’ve never followed a bird before. Perhaps you should ask our guide.”
Yim stared into Kwahku’s black eyes for a moment. “He says five days as the crow flies.” Honus appeared awed until Yim laughed. “I’m teasing , Honus. You’ve been looking at me strangely all day. Stop acting so worshipful.”
“Said by one who has faeries fetch her sandals.”
― Candle in the Storm
“What times are these,” mused Honus, “when people are cheaper than horses?”
― A Woman Worth Ten Coppers
― A Woman Worth Ten Coppers
“Zounds, Yim! You’re driving me daft! Tell me. Tell me. Tell me! How did you ever fall in love with him?”
Yim’s face took on a dreamy look. “Well, I didn’t like being his slave. Not at all! Honus scared me at first, and I disliked him. In fact, I ran away. But I quickly learned I was safer with Honus than without him. So I grew used to him, and he became nicer, but so slowly I didn’t notice. When he finally told me that he loved me ”
“When was that?”
“After we left the Bridge Inn. I had a horrible vision and crawled into bed with him.”
“So that’s when you fell in love?”
“No. I felt nothing. Well, I felt sorry for him, I guess. And bothered, too. He seemed like an overfriendly dog.”
Cara burst out laughing and pounded her heels on the mattress. “Zounds, some men are really like that! Big dogs that keep trying to tup your leg.”
Yim laughed, too. “At least Honus never tried to do that! But his love was bothersome. It made me hesitate to accept him as my Sarf.”
“Well, you’re telling me lots and lots about how you didn’t fall in love. But that’s na what I want to know. So zounds, Yim, have another drink and get to it!”
― Candle in the Storm
Yim’s face took on a dreamy look. “Well, I didn’t like being his slave. Not at all! Honus scared me at first, and I disliked him. In fact, I ran away. But I quickly learned I was safer with Honus than without him. So I grew used to him, and he became nicer, but so slowly I didn’t notice. When he finally told me that he loved me ”
“When was that?”
“After we left the Bridge Inn. I had a horrible vision and crawled into bed with him.”
“So that’s when you fell in love?”
“No. I felt nothing. Well, I felt sorry for him, I guess. And bothered, too. He seemed like an overfriendly dog.”
Cara burst out laughing and pounded her heels on the mattress. “Zounds, some men are really like that! Big dogs that keep trying to tup your leg.”
Yim laughed, too. “At least Honus never tried to do that! But his love was bothersome. It made me hesitate to accept him as my Sarf.”
“Well, you’re telling me lots and lots about how you didn’t fall in love. But that’s na what I want to know. So zounds, Yim, have another drink and get to it!”
― Candle in the Storm
“Are we safe now?”
A grim smile came to Honus’s fierce face. “Safe?” He glanced down at the pair of corpses. “These were but fleas. There are wolves abroad. Didn’t you know?”
― A Woman Worth Ten Coppers
A grim smile came to Honus’s fierce face. “Safe?” He glanced down at the pair of corpses. “These were but fleas. There are wolves abroad. Didn’t you know?”
― A Woman Worth Ten Coppers
