[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
Page 42
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
life. Here, before my people, before my allies and dearest friends, I ask you
all to bear witness as I declare this child, Julia, to be my adopted
daughter "
In the wild applause drowning out his words, Lenardo fastened the gold fillet
he had found in the treasure chest across Julia's brow. She reached up to
touch it in disbelief, all thought suspended as the cheering died down and
Lenardo finished triumphantly, " hereafter to be known as Julia, daughter of
Lenardo."
Turning Julia to face him, he knelt, feeling her restrain her longing to
throw her arms about him, merely letting him kiss her formally on either
cheek. Her warmth came instead in a joyous rush into his mind. //Youdowant me!
Youdolove me!//
//Yes, child, and now Iamyour father.//
After that, the wedding was almost an anticlimax, although not, of course,
for the principals. Josa was so happy, she looked positively beautiful, but
Lenardo Read that Arkus, proudly paying the bride-price to Josa's father, who
had come in Aradia's train for the occasion, had long since looked beyond
Josa's exterior to the spirit beneath. If he could not Read them, he might
have thought the quiet, steadfast young woman and the boisterous soldier an
unlikely match.
The couple pledged to live, work, and rear children together, with their
families as witness to the pledge. As Arkus had no family, Lenardo witnessed
for him. Then, his official duties over, he joined his guests.
Tomorrow morning Lilith would leave, as would most of the people who had
piled into the city for the festival. Wulfston and Aradia planned to stay a
few extra days, and after that Wulfston wanted Lenardo to come with him, "just
for a couple of weeks, so I can start mining before bad weather sets in."
"I understand," said Lenardo, "but there's still so much to do here. Julia is
a tremendous help, but "
"You said Julia can locate metal, didn't you?" Aradia asked.
"Yes, she's good at that one of the first skills she learned."
"Well, that's all Wulfston needs. Why don't you lend him your daughter?"
"Aradia " Wulfston protested, but she went right on.
"You dotrustWulfston with Julia, don't you?"
"Of course I do. The worst he could do is spoil her to death. Actually, she
could locate your iron ore as well as I could, Wulfston, but she's had so
little training "
"I understand," said Wulfston. "You don't want to go away from Julia, or send
her away, either one and I can't blame you."
"However," said Aradia, "you have made Wulfston a promise, Lenardo. If Julia
can do the job and cannot do your work here in Zendi "
"I'll talk to her," said Lenardo. "You must remember that she's only eight
years old."
Page 43
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Julia immediately hated the idea, but she did not say so. He could feel her
trying to Read what he wanted her to say, and he kept his own thoughts
neutral.
"It would be only for two weeks," he said, "and you like Lord Wulfston. I
must tell you, Julia, that with only two Readers, the time will quickly come
when we must divide our skills."
"We already do," she replied, "but I know you're here in the city. I can't
Read even from here to Northgate. If I go into another land "
"Ican Read that far, Julia. We'll set a time, every day, when I will contact
you. You can't miss your lessons for two weeks, you know, whether you go or I
do."
"You mean you'll go if I don't? Then what difference does it make?" She
remained silent for a moment and then added, "One day I shall rule a land of
my own. I must think of what is best for our people. I shall go and repay your
debt to Lord Wulfston." The grand lady disappeared, and the little girl was
back. "Besides, he holds me on his lap, and he told me if I ever visit his
land, he'll take me to the sea. Have you ever seen the sea, Father?"
"Yes, I have. I know you'll have a good time, Julia, and I know you will Read
accurately for Lord Wulfston. I'm proud of you." He let the warmth of his
feelings flow to her, and she responded in kind from across the room.
Still, it was hard for Lenardo to watch Julia ride away with Wulfston a few
days later.
Aradia had not yet set her departure date and made no mention of one now. The
white pavilion stood alone in the forum.
"Poor Julia," Lenardo said to her as they walked back to his house. "When I
adopted her, I didn't realize she would immediately inherit my debts."
"You did find yourself an heir rather quickly."
"Myheir, perhaps," he said as they entered his room, "but I did not name her
heir to my lands because I cannot know how good a Reader she will become and
I'm not altogether certain a Reader ought to try to hold power this way."
"But you are doing beautifully," Aradia protested. "Look at all you have done
for your people in a single summer."
"In a totally artificial situation. Suppose you had given me land with
different Lords Adept as neighbors? How long before they discovered that I am
no Adept and that the most fearsome thing any of my people can do is start a
few fires? How long do you think I would hold such lands?"
"If your Adept opponent has no Reader, he becomes a bear on a tether. You
tell your minor Adepts where he is, and he goes up in flames, or his heart is
stopped and his lands are yours for the taking. Besides, you have powerful
allies. No one would dare attack the alliance that defeated Drakonius. In
fact, I have already received tentative overtures from two other lords to join
our alliance."
"That's wonderful, Aradia. You may yet achieve peace through all the lands of
the Adepts."
"It's not that simple. Remember Hron. He was my ally only until he thought
Page 44
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Drakonius could defeat me."
"Unfortunately, nature does not always bestow the gifts of great power on
those with great strength of will."
"You are thinking of Galen as well as Hron," said Aradia. "Such people must
be guided. Lenardo, my father always said that the greatest strength lay with
those who; were right. Conversely, right lies with the strongest, and even the
strength of a Drakonius is powerless against it. I 'have a plan that will
bring peace and prevent defections such as Hron's."
"The empire of Adepts you mentioned earlier?"
"Yes. Wulfston is right that a government must have one head, but he is wrong
that the solution is many governments. Moreover, our alliance is not binding
on our heirs. Wulfston and I do not even have heirs, while you and Lilith are
each training a child whose potential is yet unknown."
"I didn't know Lilith had an apprentice."
"Her son. He is eleven and probably the reason Lilith's power is not equal to
mine. She chose to have a child young, while her powers were still growing.
There is a theory that a woman may thus regain most of her ability once her
child is born. It seems to have worked for her, but of course no one will ever
know what strength she might have had."
"And is her son an Adept?"
"Of course. He will be a Lord Adept, but it will be ten years yet before we
can begin to predict his mature powers." Aradia rose abruptly and went to the
window, looking out into the courtyard. With her back to Lenardo, she said, "I
must think about an heir myself& and soon. Despite the danger to a woman, I
want my own child, Lenardo."
Even her emotions were beyondReading . Every defense was up. Before Lenardo
could say anything, she continued.
"My parents wanted their own child as heir. They risked their powers for me.
My father recovered& but my mother "
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]