Chapter 23 - Dyad

Raeyn pulled away from Violetta and brushed herself off in the darkness. Her heart pounded in her chest as the dream had already begun to vanish from her mind. It faded like water through a woven basket. Only a few fleeting fragments remained now, and she called out, “Mother! Father! Don’t leave me!”

Then it was gone. The words hung in the air, but she could not remember it anymore. All that remained was the same dream she had endured hundreds of times. It was too late. Her words could not keep the memory in her mind.

" Raeyn? " Violetta asked, " Are you okay? "

" No. " She could not explain it, " Let’s leave. "

Raeyn offered her hand to Violetta in the darkness but ended up having to take hold of it to lead the way. Mahn were creatures of the light. Gobbo were creatures of the darkness. Her first thought was towards the night itself, but the warrens were dark places that knew no day or night. For eighteen years, she had never seen the sun or the moon except through the holes in the warren. She searched for the words as they traced the path back through the Thieves’ Entrance and back through the winding tunnels towards the entrance.

" Violetta. Moons. How many have you lived? " She asked before they began.

Violetta responded quickly, but was unsure of the question at first, " Moons? There is only one moon. Oh, do you mean to say how old I am… in moons? "

" Yes. "

Violetta had to think about it, " More than my hands and toes. By the lunar year, I am 23. Though it would be roughly…four hundred sixty by your count. I am still young, not old. "

" So old! And still no child? " Raeyn gasped. " Barren soil. "

" Did you just call me an old and barren woman? " Violetta’s irritation was clear and her grip on Raeyn tightened harshly, " Explain yourself, now. "

Raeyn whimpered and pulled her hand free, " I am an adult, as of today, by eighteen of your lunar years. My mother was old and had me at twenty four of your lunar years. You are almost as old as my mother! Very old, but not ancient like the Great Mother. She is over a thousand moons, so she stopped counting. "

" VERY OLD? " Violetta practically growled, " Listen well, if I had you as a daughter, I’d slap her across the face so hard for saying such things. Do not call me old! "

Raeyn pouted in the darkness knowing Violetta could not see it, " How old is your mother? "

Violetta let out a soft sigh, " Thirty. And it will remain that way. I was a little older than you when she got sick. No more than a few moons. She died ten years ago. "

" You were… " Raeyn struggled to do the math and Violetta’s hand gently swatted her back as she thought and interrupted her.

" Mahn are not considered adults until twenty. Four hundred of your moons. So, I am not old or barren, but as a priestess I am not allowed to have children. So, it does not matter, but I will not have you disrespecting me, child. "

" Child… I am an adult. " Raeyn protested.

" Not until you prove yourself. Otherwise, I will call you a child for another ten years if I feel like it. " She pressed her advantage, " Get me out of here and back to town and I’ll consider treating you as a woman. "

" Woman? " The odd word was clear to her, " A female Mahn? "

" You do not have a word for an adult female in Gobbo? "

" Gilt. Since I am an adult and have not given birth yet. " Raeyn said proudly, " Oh! Why do I know this is related to nobility and beauty and related to… gold? "

" And for what you have given birth? " Violetta’s tone dropped significantly.

" Oh. That is when I will become a sow. " Raeyn’s eyes widened in the darkness as it hit her, " WHAT!? Why is that an insult!? No! No! What is wrong with your language? Why are we named after…. "

" I am sorry. " Violetta was glad for the darkness now, " The term Gobbo refers to those who live in houses of earth and mud. You are like swine to us. "

" YOU EAT SWINE!? " Raeyn’s revelation of the language kept unfurling before her, " Oh no. Oh no. Why is ‘gobbo’ a type of food? You…. you eat us!? "

" Oh... The pastry… " Violetta chuckled nervously and answered, " Delicious meat-filled breads. How…. How did you know what that is? How can you speak so well now? "

Raeyn snapped, and a small flame appeared in her right hand, lighting her face from below with an eerie glow. The shadows twisted and distorting on her otherwise fairly humanoid face as she opened her mouth in confusion and horror, " Have you eaten Gobbos? "

In a sudden lunge, Violetta seized Raeyn’s shoulders and bent down over the flame to clear up the misunderstanding, " The pastry. Yes! I have not, and will never, ever ever ever eat a Gobbo-person. Now that I am a priestess; I cannot eat meat. "

" Person. " Raeyn nodded, taking it all in stride now, " Mahn. Only Mahn are persons. Gobbos are like swine. I understand. Some of your kind… eat us. "

" Some. " Violetta repeated, " Some. A few. Mostly it is the elves. "

Raeyn’s hairless brow furled, and she let out a deep sigh, the flame went out and she took Violetta’s hand, " Keep me safe then. Let’s get out of here. "

" Yes. " She agreed and decided to ask once more, " How is it that you can speak and understand me without the flame? "

" Belos. " Raeyn thought of how to explain even what she was not sure of, " The flame burns within me. So, I can understand you and I know the meanings of all the words in your language. Or so it seems. "

" A test. " Violetta insisted, " Tell me what ‘Magnesia’ is. "

Raeyn stopped for a moment as her head suddenly started to hurt, " Oww.. What… I don’t… I don’t understand. The material… or the ore in the… mountains. Why…does it have so many names? What is with this language of yours? "

" Raeyn. Make your light again. " Violetta demanded, " Make it bright. "

Though she struggled to snap her fingers, the flame returned and flickered on her middle finger. Lighting from middle finger to thumb and then to the tips of her whole hand, a brighter light filled the chamber. They were already close to the large stone gate, but Violetta focused only on Raeyn as she dropped to one knee and seized Raeyn’s left hand.

" Raeyn. Tell no one else of this ability! I swear on my life, that I will be forever indebted to you. Please, help me find magnesia! " Violetta suddenly placed her forehead to the back of her hand, " Please… Please… I’ll do anything. Please help me find it. "

Raeyn looked at her and felt sick. Belos wanted her to betray Violetta. This woman, this strong foe, was desperate for her help. She had to say yes. Belos demanded it. Her stomach however wanted to see more of her begging, but not like this. She needed to make a demand of her own. She had to. Such desperation needed equal payment.

" You would be my slave for my help? " Raeyn asked.

" Yes! Anything. I will even give my life itself if you can find the Magnesia. " Violetta said as she kissed the back of Raeyn’s hand.

" I will help but mark my words. Never grovel like that to anyone again! We are a dyad now. We will depend on one another with our very lives! "

Violetta’s eyes widened and she raised her head to look at Raeyn, " A priestess of Belos and a chosen of Maelyn… as a dyad? The blessed of divine foes working together? It is madness! I do not trust Belos or you but as long as you are true then a dyad we are. "

Raeyn realized that Violetta would never trust her completely. Nor could she trust Violetta either. Belos had set her upon this task, and she would not question his divine will. Deep within her gut, she began to worry that by the end of this Violetta would be dead along with all the other Mahn on the shore. Somehow, she knew that she was chosen for the task because winter would be too late. She clenched her fist and the flame went out.

" Just make sure I am comfortable, Sister. " Raeyn had found the word for how Maelyn’s Chosen referred to each other. If Violetta came to think of her in such a way, perhaps she would trust her. Perhaps she would need to find a new ‘devotion’. Belos demanded it and so long as she stayed true to his word, his blessing would be hers.