Under a Starless Sky novel Chapter 2

N’Ma’s village, Midelay, was built into the side of a cliff, with one narrowing path up, followed by an S shaped bridge that led to the main entrance. The bridge had no walls or barricade. Those who didn’t follow the heart would not arrive at the gate. Anyone who used a torch or a staff light would likely be shot the moment the touched the bridge. Three guards emerged and came out onto the bridge. One came silently forwards. Lanore stepped forwards. Lanore brought her hands together and bowed.

“Forgive my intrusion at this time of night, but I wish to see N’Ma,” Lanore said.

“Lanore,” the guard said. “I hear your voice, and my heart recognizes you. Come in out of the dark.”

They followed the guard in, and only after the doors were closed did the lights come up. Wall torches fueled by gas. The guards measured the travelers under the light and found the information consistent with their hearts. Eirwen was a strange bird. She was ghost white, thick muscles, tall, and blond, and considered one of the ugliest women to ever show up this side of Tamor. Her continued existence was due to N’ma’s mercy. She was found and raised into the light of the Heart Path clan, and though she would likely never rise higher than village guard, she was esteemed for her courage. Her courage made up for her ugliness. Compared to the others, she was an alien.

“Your attendants seem too old to be in training,” Eirwen said.

“We’re not training,” Tesh said.

“Forgive me. I see no injuries, and I assumed an explanation,” Eirwen said. “Shey will escort you to N’Ma. Toli will escort your attendants to a room.”

“You assume we will be separated,” Tesh said.

“She assumed right. I will speak with N’Ma alone,” Lanore said. “Go, rest. Thank you for accompanying me.”

“It is our duty,” Tesh said.

Lanore bowed. She followed Shey down a corridor, up a corridor, up a winding stairs, over to a room where she was offered a place to bathe, fresh linen, and then brought to another room where she was left to herself. There was a fireplace. A table with fruits and cheese. She warmed herself by the fire.

N’Ma entered. She did so without knocking. Her face was old, but her eyes seemed much younger than her face. If asked, she would explain if you use your heart to peer into the darkness, your eyes will stay young. She measured the room with her heart before entering in further. She avoided eye contact, going past Lanore to the fire to warm her hands.

“What’s the matter, child,” Neri asked.

“I’m concerned. I felt movement, and distress. Surely it’s too soon for such activity,” Lanore said.

“Have you been thinking about re-absorption?” Neri asked.

“No, N’Ma! I plan to bring it to full term, and share life,” Lanore affirmed.

“Tian!” N’Ma called out.

Tian, her apprentice, was suddenly in the door way. “Yes, N’Ma. How may I serve you?”

“Fetch me a lavender candle, two of the sandal wood scent sticks, lilac mint drops, and the rose oil,” N’Ma said.

Tian bowed, withdrawing. Neri asked Lanore to follow her to her office. The office contained a stone table, several chairs, a wooden desk that stretched the length of the wall, and above the desk book cases. She opened a valve and fresh water flowed into a basin, down a path, and dropped into a hole that took it out. Neri washed her hands to the elbows in a ritualistic manner, chanting a few sacred words her own teacher use to chant, shook her hands in the air and then dried it with a white towel. When her hands were dry, she turned off the water with the towel. She turned to find Tian with a tray containing the things she had asked for. They lit candles and placed it on thin pillars that stood higher than the stone table. Tian withdrew, but remained in the room.

Lanore had taken a seat on the table. She didn’t need to be asked to sit. It was part of the ritual. She was once as Tian was now.

“May I touch you?” Neri asked.

In many cultures, the doctor or Shaman wouldn’t have even asked the patient or client for permission, but would have just assumed the right from their role in society.

“Of course, N’Ma,” Lanore said.

The first thing Neri did was put her left hand upon Lanore’s forehead, closed her eyes, and leaned in close to her. She inhaled slowly, observing the smell of Lanore’s breath, her hair, and then her ear. With her eyes still closed, both hands came up to examine the head, manipulating it ever so carefully through angles of articulation. She continued this down to the neck. She pulled the string and allowed her dress to fall to her waist. She extended arms, and moved the limb through its points of articulation, even the fingers, and came back to feel under the armpits. She examined the breast. She moved her to lay down. The cold stone caused her back to arch. N’Ma reached in and felt the small of her back, traced up to the stomach, feeling, tapping. He held her hand over the stomach for a moment, as if trying to discern something. She followed the sternum up to the heart and placed her hand over the heart. She came up again to her mouth, smelling, and pushed on her cheeks, drawing down on her chin, and opened her mouth.

N’Ma leaned in and kissed Lanore. She held this kiss for a moment, breathing in, tasting. She came up and away. Neri opened her eyes, and examined Lanore’s mouth, inserting her fingers in, scrutinizing the teeth and the gums. Neri went to her desk and unwrapped a thin piece of amber, which had the strange property of self illumination. She asked Lanore to open her mouth wide and used the amber to push down on the tongue, examined the back of the throat. She cleaned the amber and returned it to the cloth, leaned against the desk and studied her patient.

She motioned Lanore to bring her dress up and had a seat at her desk. She closed her eyes and thought for a long time.

“Have you changed any of your routines, your diet?”

“No, Nean,” Lanore said.

“Did the mating occur indoors or out?” N’Ma asked.

“Outdoors,” Lanore said. “In the ocean, actually. The father is Nevin, one of the sailors who works on my sister’s ship. We were playing in the waves...”

Neri waved off, not wanting more information. She mumbled something about ‘water babies’ being difficult. Still, babies conceived in play were healthier than the other kind, and water-born children seemed to have an easier transition. She continued to shift past her inner dialogue into Heart, seeking truth.

“Is something bothering you?” Neri asked.

“Everything is fine, N’Ma,” Lanore said.

Neri frowned. “Are you certain? No troubles with your new apprentice? Clan drama you are not wanting to speak about?”

“My apprentice is an intelligent young woman. She will make a fine replacement for me, or perhaps even run her own Light in the near future,” Lanore said, neither boasting nor bragging.

“I taste fear in you, more than just being concerned for the safety of your child can account for…” Neri said. “Would you lay down again, please?”